If you are a dog lover living in Massachusetts, you can make a positive difference in the lives of the greyhounds used in racetracks on this election day.

At Massachusetts racetracks, thousands of dogs are treated in a way that is cruel and inhumane.

They endure lives of terrible confinement, kept in cages barely large enough for them to stand up or turn around for 20 or more hours each day. When racing, they suffer serious injuries, breaking their legs, necks and backs.

Also, in recent years dogs have died from a mysterious illness and tested positive for cocaine.

Watch Kelly Carney, daughter of racetrack owner George Carney proclaim that greyhounds are NOT dogs! www.protectdogs.org/debate
(Hard to believe that this woman could actually spew such disdain for a dog’s life.)

You can help end this cruelty. On Nov. 4, Massachusetts citizens can help thousands of dogs by voting YES on 3!”

Learn more about how you can help by clicking on the website below.

www.protectdogs.org

YES ON 3!

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” - Gandhi

Thank you for Barking the Vote!

We reserve the right not to post any comments by trolls!

Halloween can be a spooky time for pets. Strange noises, unfamiliar trick or treaters and dangerous candy. Here are a few ideas to keep your pets safe during Halloween.

1.Halloween candy, especially chocolate, can be harmful or even deadly for your pets. To help keep your pets out of the candy bowl, try to have a few extra pet treats around the house for your furry friends. After all, it’s a Trick or Treat night for them, too, and it’s only polite to have treats for your pet.

2. Candy wrappers, tin foil and small toys can get stuck in your pets digestive tract and may require an quick and expensive trip to the vet. Some dogs will eat anything that’s laying around the house, so be sure to keep an eye on what falls to the floor.

3. Thinking of Trick or Treating with your pet? In many places, Halloween night is not a safe night for any of your animals to be out. Here in Salem, Massachusetts, Halloween night means thousands of noisy and costumed visitors filling the streets: quite a confusing spectacle, and far too loud for a dog’s or cat’s sensitive ears. Try keeping your pets indoors for the evening and reward them with a special treat.

4. If your pets are sensitive to noise, loud rapping on the door and noisy children may rattle them. Add some Rescue Remedy to their water for the evening, and play soothing music for them. You may want to set them up in a room that is away from the commotion for the evening.

5. Finally, remember to keep your pets (and their tails) away from burning candles and jack-o-lanterns. There is nothing spookier for you or your animal than a tail on fire.

With these safeguards, your night of ghosts, goblins and costumed children can be safe and fun for everyone.

Happy Halloween!

In my acupuncture practice I come across many pets who suffer from red, itchy or oozy eyes. Chrysanthemum flower tea is an easy remedy for most of these cases.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, chrysanthemum flower is one of the main herbs used to treat eye ailments. It is especially helpful during allergy season.

It can be used for pets or humans. Most animals do not like the taste of the tea. Fortunately it can be used externally.

To make a soothing eye wash from chrysanthemum tea for you or your pets, place the tea bags in luke-warm water for about 3 minutes. Then gently place the tea bags on your pets eyes for a minute or as long as they will allow it. You can do this twice a day.

If you are not able to find the tea bags and are using loose dried flowers, allow them to soak in lukewarm water for the same amount of time. Dip a cotton ball in the bowl and gently place on the eyes.

Jeanie Marie Kraft, L.Ac. is keeping tails wagging on the North Shore of MA (Salem, Peabody, Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Swampscott, Melrose) with canine acupuncture house-calls. FourPawsAcupuncture.com for more information.

Recall: Hartz Mountain rawhide chips

SECAUCUS, N.J. - The Hartz Mountain Corporation has voluntarily recalled a specific lot of its Hartz chicken-basted rawhide chips for dogs due to concerns that one or more bags within the lot are potentially contaminated with Salmonella.

The company announced the recall Friday, saying the two-pound plastic bags of chips with lot code JC23282, UPC number 3270096463 were distributed to a national retail customer it did not identify.

Hartz said the normal testing it conducts through an independent outside laboratory did not detect the presence of Salmonella in any of its rawhide products, but sample testing conducted by another laboratory did indicate the presence of the bacteria in a single bag of the chicken-basted rawhide chips.

Salmonella can cause serious infections in dogs and _ if there is cross-contamination caused by handling of the rawhide chips _ in people as well, especially children, the aged, and people with compromised immune systems.

Hartz is investigating the difference in test results and the potential source of the problem. It said there have been no reports of any animals or humans becoming ill.

From the ASPCA NEWSLETTER:

Prescription and over-the-counter medications may help you feel much better, but they can make our pets feel much, much worse. In 2007, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) handled 89,000 cases of pets exposed to human medications—by far, the most common cause of household poisonings in small animals.

To help you prevent an accident from happening, our experts have drafted a list of the top 10 human medications that most often poison our furry friends. Here’s a sneak peek at their research:

* Pets are ultra-sensitive to anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen and naproxen, which can cause stomach and intestinal ulcers and kidney damage in cats.
* Nothing like antidepressants to bring a pet down—they can trigger vomiting, lethargy and a frightening condition called serotonin syndrome.
* The popular pain remedy acetaminophen is especially toxic to cats, and can damage red blood cells and interfere with oxygen flow.
* Pseudoephedrine is a decongestant found in many cold remedies, but acts like a stimulant in cats and dogs, who can experience elevated heart rates and seizures.

Pets often snatch pill vials from counters and nightstands or gobble up meds accidentally dropped on the floor. The solution? “Keep all medications in a cabinet,” advises Dr. Helen Myers, veterinary toxicologist at the ASPCA. “And consider taking your pills in a bathroom, so if you drop one, you can shut the door and prevent your pet from accessing the room until the medication is found.”

Dr. Myers also recommends learning the name, dosage and quantity of all of your prescriptions should the unthinkable occur. “For example, if you keep several medications in a bottle in your purse, put in a known amount,” she says. “So if your dog gets into the bottle, you know what the worst case scenario is.” If your pet does swallow any meds, stay calm and try to assess how many are left in the bottle versus how many might have been consumed. This information is crucial for veterinarians when assigning your pet’s risk level and determining a proper course of treatment.

As always, if you suspect your pet has ingested any human medications—or other toxic substances—please call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center’s 24-hour hotline at (888) 426-4435. To read our expert’s complete top 10 list of dangerous drugs, visit APCC online.

This just in from Best Friends Animal Society !

Michelle Obama announced on TV this week that her family will adopt – not buy – a dog after the elections. That’s an example I hope other Americans will follow. Then rescue pets everywhere will be the real winners! (And to the 50,000 of you who signed Best Friends successful petition, thank you.)

Friends:

With only 25 days left until election day, citizens are closer than ever to passing Question 3 and helping thousands of greyhounds. In fact, according to a poll released this morning, animal protection supporters have a 23-point lead.

Dog track owners also know that voters are prepared to vote YES for the dogs, and quite frankly they are getting a bit desperate. In recent weeks, they have made all sorts of claims that have no basis in fact.

That is why we launched Question3Facts.org this morning. This new website dispels some of the false statements being made by dog track proponents.

We are close to ending this cruelty, but must not let up. Please keep working for the greyhounds, and make an immediate donation now so that we can get Yes on 3 TV ads on the air.”

We reserve the right not to post any comments from trolls! Thank you!

This article can be read at www.chinadaily.com.cn

Jennifer Aniston has hired a therapist for her dog. The former ‘Friends’ actress is splashing out $250 a week on massage, Reiki and acupuncture treatments for her ageing corgi-terrier Norman.

A source said: “Norman has been Jennifer’s constant companion during all her emotional upheavals, but he suffers from aching joints and stiffness.

Jennifer doesn’t want to put him on medication just yet, so she has opted for doggy spa treatments from a licensed vet technician.” It seems the therapy sessions at Jennifer’s Malibu home have already begun to ease Norman’s aches and pains.

The source added: “Norman has more spring in his step these days!” Earlier this week, the unlucky-in-love actress - who recently split from singer John Mayer because he reportedly didn’t want to settle down - admitted she wishes men were as faithful as her beloved pooch.

Jennifer said: “It wouldn’t be bad if, when a man comes home, he’d run to his woman with his tail wagging. “This sort of excitement is something I’ve always missed in a man to be honest.”

This information comes from Paws for Praise.

Holly Stump, a local AmStaff owner (her dog is a therapy dog!) and long time dog advocate, has today sent us the following disturbing news. We hope you will all contact your legislators by phone and let them know that you want this bill killed and the original dangerous dog bill sponsored by Rep. Hill to go forward. The alternate bill is damaging to law abiding responsible dog breeders and competitors, and is being offered as a way to get breed specific legislation passed. If you think that this does not affect you, because you don’t own a Pit Bull, Staffordshire, American Bulldog, Doberman, German Shepherd, Akita, or other breed commonly discriminated against, please think again. Any breed can be banned if there is hysteria attached to a few, or even many, negative incidents. But, dog aggression is not a dog problem, it’s a human one. How many times have you ever heard of a dog attacking anything when it is well trained, on a leash, and under the control of a responsible owner??? Rep. Hill’s bill addressed that by laying the blame squarely on the irresponsible owners, and not on a particular breed.

We will never stop puppy mills by limiting a good breeder from keeping intact animals. We will only stop them when people stop buying their dogs from pet stores, internet websites, and backyard breeders who pay no attention to health or genetic testing of the parent dogs, or who don’t bother to work or show their breeding stock to insure that the dogs are structurally and mentally sound for their intended purpose or as pets.
(If you are new to dogs, and need more information about this subject, we can help. Also, be aware that if you have already made this error, and got your dog this way, we appreciate the fact that you are now more aware of the reasons against doing so the next time, and we understand that you love your dog no matter where it came from - and we do, too!)

Holly’s email follows - please pass it along to all your dog owner friends - we had thought that this substitute bill was dead, which it should have been. Tell your legislators that we want a solid, responsible, dangerous dog bill in Massachusetts that does NOT allow discrimination by breed or put ridiculously arbitrary constraints on responsible owners and breeders. If you have any reservations about the bully breeds, come to our play group on Sundays and let Rachel Ritter’s dog, MowMow, show you what a responsibly bred and trained pup can be!!!!
If you can show up at the State House in opposition, please do - I am unable to be there that day, but will be passing information along to every Paws for Praise client via this communication, and hope that we can all contribute to widening this circle for responsible dog owners and their innocent dogs. Anyone who has any questions or concerns as to why this bill does not make sense in the context of the fact that we had a GREAT bill that should have passed already, can contact me for more information, since I am the constituent who originally requested Rep. Hill to file HB1948.
Anne Springer

Just got word that there is going to be a hearing on the awful bill that replaced Brad Hill’s good dangerous dog bill.

Please spread the word!

09/08/2008 - H New draft of bill, see HB1948
09/08/2008 - H Referred to House Committee on Steering, Policy and Scheduling
10/01/2008 - Hearing Scheduled JMR - 10/23/2008 10:00 A.M. A-2

Holly

Hi,

Trying to bring everyone up to speed on the new dog bill here in MA. It was originally HB 1948 filed by my rep Brad Hill. It was a fantastic behavior based piece of legislation. It had a hearing last year and had lots of support. At the same hearing it became clear that the committee chair on the house side Rep Pedone, did not like dogs and ” Pit Bulls” in particular. His committee gets almost all dog bills. He decided to kill all of the bills they got and draft one comprehensive bill to address all of the topics. Well it was released Monday. It took until yesterday for me to get my hands on the thing. I was able to get it from my rep (since it is technically a re draft of his bill) before Clerk even had it. It is the worst thing you can imagine other than banning dogs entirely! Because it is filed as a redraft of HB1948 it will not require a hearing.

Pedone has already managed to move this draft out of his committee and into :

HOUSE STEERING, POLICY AND SCHEDULING
Room 174
State House
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: (617) 722-2960

Who has moved it back to JMRG with a hearing Scheduled JMR - 10/23/2008 10:00 A.M. A-2
Please check Massfed web site for updates. They do sometimes change times & dates

This is a great time to talk about S2450 that is also a CH 140 rework ( but a good one ) and Hill’s original bill (HB1948 ) that he will be refilling next session!

Position paper for S2450 found here……

http://www.massfeddogs.org/PositionPapers/MassFed%20S2450%20(Jehlen).pdf

JOINT COMMITTEE ON MUNICIPALITIES AND REGIONAL GOVERNMENT
House Staff:
Room 540
State House
Boston, MA 02133 House Staff Telephone: (617) 722-2090

Senate Staff
: Room 413B
State House
Boston, MA 02133 Senate Staff Telephone: (617) 722-1634

It shall be the duty of the committee on Municipalities and Regional Government to consider matters seekingthe enactment of special laws for a city or town, the establishment of economic, district and local planning commissions, rent control and zoning, and matters concerning the various counties, former counties and regional government entities, including the salaries andtenure of employees, registers of deeds and sheriffs (but excluding the retirement of such employees) and such other matters as may be referred.

Members appointed to the committee:
Petruccelli of Suffolk and Middlesex
Jehlen of Second Middlesex
Baddour of First Essex
Fargo of Third Middlesex
Tisei of Middlesex and Essex
__________ of __________

Pedone of Worcester
M. J. Walsh of Boston
Patrick of Falmouth
Canessa of New Bedford
Guyer of Dalton
Peake of Provincetown
O’Day of West Boylston
McMurtry of Dedham
Garballey of Arlington
Barrows of Mansfield
Smola of Palmer

See AKC alert here:
http://www.akc.org/news/index.cfm?article_id=3595

My main points against

Changes definition of health certificate

Now means : This is in main definitions section of Ch 140 so I feel it is new definition of health certificate in general

a letter by a certified veterinarian stating that the dog named in the application for breeding has been immunized or vaccinated for the distemper virus, hepatitis, parvo virus, para influenza virus, leptospira bacteria, and rabies.

Mandatory S/N over 12 months unless
intact permit obtained competition dogs assistance dogs service dogs dogs that have vet substantiated health reasons

“Assistance and service dogs”, any canine specifically trained to help people who have disabilities or any canine trained to help a person with a disability in life. The term shall also include canines trained for search and rescue and medical response dogs.

“Breed”, any dog displaying the majority of physical traits of a specific group or any dog exhibiting those distinguishing characteristics which substantially conform to the standards established by the American Kennel Club or United Kennel Club when defining breed of dog.

“Competition dog”, a pedigreed dog not used for breeding that is a breed recognized by and registered with an approved dog breed registry, such as the American Kennel Club, United Kennel Club, the American Dog Breeders Association, or any other dog breed registry approved by the city or town; and shows or competes in a confirmation, obedience, agility, carting, herding, protection, rally, sporting, working or other event sponsored by an approved dog breed registry.

Municipalities can charge up to $500 intact permit

Permit requires completion of course on responsible pet ownership approved by municipality issuing permit.
Health certificate ( which requires vaccination verification by vet )

Litter limitations

One litter per year unless authorized

(a) protect the health of the female dog;

(b) avert a substantial economic loss to the permittee; or

(2) previously in the permit term, the female dog’s litter was euthanized or did not survive for the reasons.

Tethering limitations

No more than 3 hrs per day

Dangerous dog requirements

Allows towns / cities to ban breeds

ACO can seize animal they believe dangerous

The officer in charge of animals or the person charged with the responsibility of handling dog complaints has the authority, if they believe that a dog is dangerous, an immediate threat or that the animal is in danger to seize or impound the animal.