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Home > Archives for December 2011

EVENT: Adoption Days at Montclair Feed & Pet Supply

Montclair’s Homeless Animals Will Soon Be TrekkingFrom Shelter To Store To Meet More Of Their Community!

Montclair Township AnimalShelter and Montclair Feed & Pet Supply are joining forces to showcase theshelter’s homeless pets to community residents through in-store adoptiondays. Beginning in the new year, sheltervolunteers will be on-site at Montclair Feed with various adoptable dogs andcats on the first Saturday and last Sunday of each month from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The first adoption day event will be Saturday January 7. Please stop by and say hello - and meet some of our wonderful, adoptable, pets if you're in the area.

Montclair Feed & Pet Supply is located at 191 Glenridge Avein Montclair,and is open Monday-Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4p.m. For more info on the store, visit montclairfeed.comor call 973-746-4799.

And of course you can always come by the shelter to meet our entire selection of fuzzy friends. We're located at 77 North Willow St. in Montclair, open Tuesdays from 2 p.m.to 6 p.m., Wednesday and Friday to Sunday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. (off-hour and off-day visits are available byappointment if you're unable to visit during public hours). Call us for more info: 973-744-8600.

Law frees 80 million hens from battery life

Farmers have freed more than 80 million hens from especially cruel and cramped lives in one of the most significant changes to animal welfare legislation in decades: the end of battery cages.

But while almost all British egg producers will be compliant with the new European Union-wide law - which will ban the keeping of egg-laying hens in barren battery cages from this Sunday - many European countries will continue to keep battery hens.

Happy Holidays!

Emotional issue of slaughtering horses returns

Out of the spotlight for years, the gut-wrenching debate over slaughtering horses for human consumption is moving back to center stage.

Last month, what was effectively a ban on operating a company engaged in that practice was lifted. But Congress already is crafting a bill, called the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act of 2011, that would outlaw the practice again.

Read the rest of the article in the San Antonio Express-News...

There oughta be a law

Commentary from Pork Magazine on the development of animal law (not surprisingly, the author is skeptical)...

Should Animals Be Considered People?

A lengthy feature piece on animal law in Miller-McCune today. Not a bad piece, but a few of the author's turns-of-phrase seem to give away her own viewpoints.

For example, in characterizing Steve Wise's efforts to gain at least some fundamental rights for some animals she writes: "Welfare laws notwithstanding, unless they are “legal persons,” to Wise they have no rights at all in the eyes of the law and therefore their lives don’t count." Similarly, after describing his first veterinary malpractice suit the author writes: "Wise found satisfaction in suing for damages."

You can read the Miller-McCune article for yourself...

Indulge in Chocolate - And Help Our Homeless Pets!

If you order from RescueChocolate.com and type "Montclair" into the Message box on the order form, Rescue Chocolate will give our shelter $1 on every chocolate bar or truffle collection ordered!

The chocolates are made without animal products so they are good for anyone that is vegan or lactose intolerant. They make great holiday stocking stuffers and the truffles are great for holiday party dessert buffets! There are also some unique and unusual flavors like "Pick Me! Pepper" or "Fakin' Bacon" chocolate bars as well as traditional ones like "Peanut Butter Pit Bull".

So treat yourself - or someone you love - to some delectable goodies, and help us help our community's homeless pets in the process!!

Pet-of-the-Week, Dec. 19

TETRA

Tetra is a sweet young tortoiseshell cat who was found as a stray in Nutley. She can be shy but she is very sweet - and gorgeous with her black and orange coloring. She would undoubtedly come out of her shell with a loving owner. Please consider opening your home and heart to Tetra. She would be so grateful.

For more information on Tetra or any of the other animals at our shelter, please visit our Petfinder page or call 973-744-8600.

What a Dog Does When It's Cold

Once again, absolutely nothing to do with law whatsoever... but this video from www.lifewithdogs.tv sure is cute...

Animal Rights Activists Challenge 2006 Federal Law

A group of animal rights activists sued the U.S. government Thursday to challenge the constitutionality of a rarely used law they say treats them like terrorists if they cause a loss in profits for businesses that use or sell animal products.

Read more from the Associated Press...

Good news for research chimps (mostly...)

Even the National Institutes of Health may finally... if not somewhat grudgingly... be coming around to the view that it is not necessary to chimpanzees in research.

NPR reports...

Our Thanks to Nutley Residents For Your Support

Thanks to Nutley area residents for donating and collecting items that benefit our animals! From NJHometown.com:

Holiday Pet Roundup for Animal Shelter A Success
Dogs, Kittens Are Also Available for Adoption

Dec 13, 2011 – A first-ever drive to lift the spirits of dogs and cats and other pets this holiday season has been "an overwhelming success for our furry friends at the Montclair Animal Shelter" which serves the Nutley community, Commissioner Mauro Tucci said today.

Nutley Girl Scouts headed by Mrs. Sherri Tolve sorted the items collected in the pre-Christmas drive that resulted in the donation of pet food, toys, litter, carrying cases and blankets, all items needed at the animal shelter.

"Nutley residents took a sincere interest in this effort and really came through for the shelter," Commissioner Tucci said as he thanked the many Nutley residents who donated items.

The Montclair Animal Shelter today also reports that pets are available for adoption this holiday season. If interested, contact the shelter at 973-744-8600.

Cagebreak! Rats Will Work To Free A Trapped Pal

A new study shows that rats actually are empathetic and will altruistically lend a helping paw to a cage mate who is stuck in a trap.

Check out this fascinating story on NPR...

Dog rescues kittens discarded in a cat food bag

Been traveling... sorry it took me a few days to post this and it's been all over the internet already but...

More proof that animals not only think, but have the capacity for empathy. Iowa CBS affiliate WHO-TV has the story of Reagan, the hero dog...

EVENT: The Dog, Cat & Bird Clinic of Nutley Presents "Pet Pictures With Santa" Fundraiser on Sunday December 11

Pet Pictures With Santa!

Sunday December 11

10 am - 1 pm

The Dog, Cat & Bird Clinic of Nutley

324 Passaic Ave

Nutley, NJ 07110

For more info: 973-661-0441

We'll be guests of The Dog, Cat & Bird Clinic of Nutley at their first annual "Pet Pictures with Santa" event on Sunday, Dec. 11, bringing along some of our young, adoptable pets to showcase and help celebrate the season. The event is a fundraiser to help local animal shelters, including us!

They're asking for a minimum donation of $6 per family, and all proceeds will be donated. They'll also be collecting pet food, blankets and toys for the animals as well.

More information on this great event can be found on The Dog, Cat & Bird Clinic of Nutley's website.

Nothing biblical in factory farming

A thoughtful editorial by Nobel prize-winning author J.M. Coetzee (probably known to readers of this blog for his book "The Lives of Animals", although that is not specifically the work for which he received the prize) today (or guess yesterday by now, in Australia).

Coetzee was born in South Africa but moved to Australia as an adult and became an Australian citizen about five years ago. He has been a long-time vocal critic of apartheid, became outspoken on the issue of anti-terrorism laws after 911 and recently began speaking out against animal cruelty and in favor of animal rights as well.

Check out his editorial in the Sydney Morning Herald...

Bear Hunt Protests Go To Court

Does anybody know how today's court date went? Here is the Wall Street Journal article from early this morning.

Pet-of-the-Week, Dec. 5

WILLOW

Willow, a young American Staffordshire Terrier, is an affectionate, loving, young playful dog. She is a little shy at first but gets over it fast! She is easy-going, gentle and gets along well with dogs, people, and kids! Willow really has the sweetest puppy eyes - you must come and see!

For more information on Willow, or any of our other adoptable pets, visit our Petfinder page or call us at 973-744-8600

Please bear with me... this oughta be good for $10 off my next order... (hey, at least I haven't monetized the blog, right?)

Stationery card

View the entire collection of cards.

$5 Felines - The Results!

Percy was adopted!

27 cats have found new homes thanks to our $5 Feline adoption weekend. Day one saw 18 cats (and one dog) adopted, and another 9 found families on day two!

Thanks so much to the folks who came out to our shelter from all over Essex County for welcoming a shelter cat (or cats) into your homes - and just in time for the holidays!

Captive orca could test Endangered Species Act

Forty years after hunters lassoed a young killer whale off Whidbey Island and sold it to a Florida theme park, whale advocates are turning to an unusual tactic to try to force the orca's release: the Endangered Species Act.

In a move legal experts said could have significant implications for other zoos and aquariums, animal-rights activists recently sued the federal government, arguing that the law may require Lolita, the killer whale who still performs at the Miami Seaquarium, be reunited with pod members in the Northwest because Puget Sound's southern resident orcas were listed as endangered in 2005.

Horse Slaughter to Resume in the U.S.?

Horses could soon be butchered in the U.S. for human consumption after Congress quietly lifted a 5-year-old ban on funding horse meat inspections, and activists say slaughterhouses could be up and running in as little as a month.

The Associated Press has the story...

...and thanks to Professor Doug Powell of Barfblog for the heads-up here.

Animals