Happy Belated Election Day!

As you all know, I work in politics, and I acquired Hush during the three busiest days of my political career. I am so slow posting these pictures from election night, but it is fun to look back and see how much she has grown. We had a wonderful office celebration with great food (BBQ, ribs, delicious sides, desserts, and plenty of beer and wine) while we watched the election results come in. We really put in insane hours leading up to the elections, and this celebration was a very special way to reconnect with one another, and our friends and loved ones (who were also included in our celebration). So without further ado, HAPPY belated ELECTION DAY!!!

She was such a tiny little cuddly ball of love when I got her. She is now much, much, much bigger!

My boss left me in charge of decorating for our party. Our firm is non-partisan, and he wanted me to decorate with both Democrat and Republican accessories. As you can tell, I decided to use my creative license and editorialize our decor a bit. Here I am with my Weepuplican!

Isn't this a great picture? I was inspired by this photo of Am-Can. CH Nitro's Boy Wonder carrying American flags in a parade.

But, trying to get Hush to hold an American Flag in a photo was a bit of a failure.

This is one of my favorite photos from the evening. When I bought my puppy supplies, I purposely bought a blue collar and red leash knowing that Hush would be spending her first three days with me in the office.

I know, I know, there is no dog in this photo, and this is a dog blog, but because politics are such a huge part of my life, I thought I'd share this photo of me watching the returns come in. I look so serious!

One very important trait in the the Golden Retriever breed standard is jet black pigment. I love this photo because it captures Hush's coal black nose, and the dark pigment around her eyes. Her eyes look black here, they are really a dark brown.

The first 3 months of a puppy's life are the make or break months for socialization. My goal was to introduce Hush to 100 different people before she turned 12 weeks. By bringing her to work, she was able to meet over 50 different people in only 3 days!

Hush was very interested in the receipt in my co-worker Leah's hand.

One of the great things about my office is it is all carpeted! The carpeted hallways are perfect for playing fetch with a puppy, because they provide plenty of traction during retrieves.

While I was between places to live, my dear friends Frank and Annie rented me (and my two dogs!) their guest bedroom. I look terrible in this photo, but I am so grateful to have two incredible friends in my life that I'll post it anyways.

That party was so much fun! Goodnight, readers!

Hush!

Here are some pictures of Hush. I apologize now for my appearance. These were taken the first day I had her, at work, with a cell phone camera. As you know, I was operating on absolutely no sleep. No, those are not black eyes, just dark circles.





She spent the first week with me at the office, and had a crate set up at work and everything. She has been such a delight to train! I've never seen such a food motivated dog!

Incredible Article on Proposition B

The below article is from the Humane Watch, and I recommend everyone read it. This article proves that Missouri's Proposition B will weaken animal care laws currently in place in Missouri. The solution should be enforcing current laws, educating judges, educating the public and hiring more inspectors (currently there are 12, to inspect over 3,000 animal breeding facilities each year) - not re-writing the law!

Oct 14 2010

Putting on an Act in the “Show Me” State

As Election Day draws near, we're hearing a tremendous amount of emotional chatter (both here and on Facebook) about Missouri's "Proposition B" initiative, a ballot question financed almost single-handedly by the Humane Society of the United States and heavily promoted by HSUS CEO Wayne Pacelle.

Farmers in the Show-Me State are paying attention, connecting the dots to HSUS’s larger goals. And this year's controversial political darlings in the “Tea Party” movement are also making noise.

The question of whether or not to crack down on "puppy mills" is a self-answering one. As with "factory farms," the term itself is designed to be pejorative. But while Prop B has generated a lot of debating "heat," not much light has emerged. And that's because most people (on both sides) are getting emotional instead of using their heads.

Emotional ballot campaigns like the one HSUS is waging seem designed to discourage people from actually reading what they're voting on. And it's unreasonable to expect the average voter to place a ballot initiative in a meaningful context (historical or otherwise).

But that's what is needed most, especially because Prop B isn't really very different from the animal welfare laws and breeding regulations that are already on the books in Missouri.

The Missouri Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA) has posted a helpful document comparing, section by section, the text of Prop B with current Missouri laws and regulations. It’s one of several versions of this exercise that we’ve seen, which indicates at least that there's someone with his or her eye on the ball. (The Columbia Missourian actually printed, in article form, a line-by-line comparison last week too.)

One section of the MVMA's document caught our eye in particular. "Prop B" would require dog breeders to provide:

• Sufficient food and clean water;
• Necessary veterinary care;
• Sufficient housing, including protection from the elements;
• Sufficient space to turn and stretch freely, lie down, and fully extend his or her limbs;
• Regular exercise; and
• Adequate rest between breeding cycles.

Sounds good, right? But Missouri already requires:

• Wholesome food and clean water.
• Must have an attending veterinarian; adequate veterinary care, health and husbandry; and provide socialization of animals.
• Addresses aspects of housing (primary, temporary, indoor, outdoor and mobile housing) and animal transportation including: type of structure, building materials, surfaces; maintenance, cleaning, pest control; employee training; shelter from extremes in temperature and weather; ventilation, humidity, lighting; water supplies, drainage, electric; and storage areas.
• Sufficient space to allow each animal to turn about freely, to stand, sit, and lie in a comfortable, normal position and to walk in a normal manner.
• Each animal must be given opportunity for regular exercise with an exercise plan approved and signed by attending veterinarian.

There are really only three major differences between current law and Prop B. The first one is the above-mentioned requirement for “adequate rest between breeding cycles.” (Who defines "adequate," anyway?) Number two is making sure dogs can stretch (as opposed to being able to turn and lie down).

These could easily be implemented by a simple bill (or a much shorter ballot initiative). Instead, HSUS is using things like food-and-water requirements as its main talking points to play hide-the-ball with the real meat of its proposal.

Here's Wayne Pacelle last week, speaking to KFVS-TV12 in Cape Girardeau:

We're just talking about giving them vet care once a year, giving them a little bit more space, giving them clean water, good food. These are the basics. Any responsible pet owner would think that these are the most elemental obligations of keeping animals.

Absolutely, Wayne. Everyone agrees. That's why it's been state law since 1992.

But what many Missourians might not agree with is the third difference between Prop B and the Missouri "Animal Care Facilities Act." The way we read it, the biggest "new" ground HSUS is trying to cover is the portion of Prop B that says breeders can't own more than 50 dogs. (To be precise, that's dogs over 6 months of age that aren't spayed or neutered.)

A few modest questions:

1. Who's going to enforce this law? Is the Missouri Department of Agriculture planning to outfit hundreds of inspectors with sonogram machines and train them to determine whether or not a dog is sterile?
2. What if two breeders decide, in the interest of efficiency and economic common sense, that they want to merge their operations. Will they be permitted to keep all of their animals?
3. And, for that matter, what's to stop a larger breeder—there are those who do things right, we're told—from splitting into two, three, four, or even more separate legal entities in order to escape the "cap"?
4. HSUS is fond of calling Missouri the "puppy mill capital of America." If this is true, and that distinction developed while the Missouri Animal Care Facilities Act was in force, why should anyone believe that conditions will improve just by passing another law?
5. One last thought: the Missouri "Animal Care Facilities Act" requires dog breeders to feed their animals "at suitable intervals of not more than twelve hours." Prop B, on the other hand, says dogs must have access to “appropriate, nutritious food at least once a day.” Why on earth would you want to weaken the feeding law from twice, to just once per day?

The bottom line is that HSUS is trying to establish the precedent of setting limits on the number of animals a businessman or woman can own. That shouldn’t comfort Missouri farmers and ranchers who are in the business of producing egg, beef, pork, cheese, milk, or chicken.

Meanwhile, the animal rights group is building up its name recognition and political credibility with a mostly redundant ballot initiative. (In at least one case, the new law would be weaker than the existing one.)

This is all a pretty neat trick, like lobbying for a bill that would ban child molestation if the victim is a redhead.

“There ought to be a law!” Oops. There already is.

If this sort of idiocy had more proponents, we might see New York City passing the “Taxi Fare-Jumping Prevention Act” to stop tourists from bailing out on their cabs without paying. Maybe Washington, DC could enact an “Anti-Lock-Picking Referendum” to stop home-invasion robberies. Floridians could vote on a “Magic Kingdom Mascot Protection Act”—you know, to stop Disney visitors from kicking Mickey in the Jimmies.

You get the picture.

Ironically, we noticed this on the Prob B campaign website:

There are over 200 rescue organizations in Missouri ready and willing to take surrendered breeding dogs and find them loving homes.

That's good to know. But just don’t expect HSUS to fund those shelters. It has future ballot initiatives to save up for.

My Political Pup!

As many of you know, I work in politics for a non-partisan research firm. I like to think of myself as a very politically involved person - I devote a lot of time to researching legislation, analyzing political media, and trying to reach informed decisions on a variety of issues. But, sometimes politics is a bit too serious for me. I think it's important to be able to laugh, or at the very least smile, so I like to incorporate Milly into my campaigning. No matter your politics, when you see a Golden Retriever sporting a campaign sign on a walk, you are bound to smile!


This photo was taken last November during the Virginia Gubernatorial campaign cycle. As a Sporting Dog Owner, animal legislation is incredibly important to me. I am very careful to research animal legislation to ensure there is no hidden language in bills that might hinder my rights as a dog owner, especially of a pure bred sporting dog. I support hunting and the second amendment, as I am planning to compete in hunting trials one day with Hush. I support the rights of dog owners to make decisions on their pet's welfare independently. I support the right to breed, though I acknowledge by supporting this education of the general public is key to eliminate irresponsible breeders. Political issues that apply to pet ownership are simply fascinating!

If you aren't already registered to vote, I encourage you to register. This year is going to be a fascinating and historical election year. Every citizen should embrace their right to vote no matter what your beliefs and views are!

A Great Article

I encourage all of my readers to take a look at this article. I am linking it, but I will also copy and paste it. For a long time, I thought the Humane Society of the United States was an organization that ran animal shelters - that's what the name sounds like, and that's what their commercials make them out to be. I am extremely committed to ending homelessness of animals, and I care deeply about this cause. I believe in pet ownership, and through proper transportation and information dissemination that we can end the plight of so many animals in shelters. I do not believe, however, that the Humane Society of the United States shares my views on pet ownership. In fact, HSUS President Wayne Pacelle has spoken out AGAINST pet ownership. The Humane Society of the United States main goal seems to be lobbying for legislation that TAKES AWAY pet owner rights, and completely ends any animal agriculture, regulates meat and dairy consumption to the point of elimination, and creates a vegan society. I bet you didn't know that!

"Community Conversation: Donate to local animal shelters," by Mary Kistner is one of many articles I have read and come to appreciate as I learn more about the Humane Society of the United States. You can access it through this link. Or, below, I have copy and pasted the article. You can learn more about the true agenda of the Humane Society of the United States by visiting HumaneWatch.org.

*Please note, everything written below this line of text is by Mary Kistner.

Community Conversation: Donate to local animal shelters
By: Mary Kistner

The Humane Society of the the United States claims to be the largest animal protection organization in the country. Its website states that 11 million Americans, or one in every 289, donates to HSUS.

An examination of HSUS's 2008 tax return reveals that the group collected more than $86 million in contributions. The report from the Center for Consumer Freedom (www.consumer freedom.com/) shows that of those funds, $24 million went to raise more money, in other words, 28 cents of every dollar HSUS collects goes to raising more funds.

Another $30.9 million went to employee salaries, with 41 HSUS employees making more than $100,000 annually. Based on Center for Consumer Freedom research, only $450,000 — just one half of 1 percent of its total budget — went to organizations that provide hands-on care to dogs and cats.

HSUS is a humane society in name only — it operates no pet shelters or adoption facilities. HSUS funds no research on farm animal care, despite the fact that they claim that this is a problem. HSUS is not your local shelter and does not support your local shelter in any way.

The true agenda of HSUS is to eliminate all animal agriculture, end all meat and milk consumption and create a vegan society. They also want to end hunting, fishing and pet ownership, believing that animals should be viewed from afar and left to go back to their wild state. They pursue this goal by pouring millions of your donated dollars into lobbying for laws the incrementally restrict farming methods, pet breeding and pet ownership. These laws are designed to make farming or animal ownership so expensive or restrictive that they eventually drive people out of business or give up on pet ownership or pet breeding.

Mandatory spay/neuter law proposals are flooding the country. Wayne Pacelle, CEO of HSUS has stated "We have no ethical obligation to preserve the different breeds of livestock produced through selective breeding ... one generation and out. We have no problem with the extinction of domestic animals. They are creations of human selective breeding." If these laws are passed, where will the pets and service animals come from? Animal Rights groups such as HSUS, PETA, etc. don't really care as they don't believe that animals should be in servitude to humans. Please note that there is a vast difference between animal welfare and animal rights

We all support humane animal care , and there are already laws against cruel and inhumane animal treatment. Each state has such laws and doesn't need an outside organization such as HSUS coming in and telling farmers, hunters, dog breeders and others how to care for their animals.

Before you write out that check, please be aware of what will happen to your donation. If your intention is to help shelter animals directly, please donate to any one of Sheboygan County's shelters, or to the breed rescue of your choice.

And finally, a suggestion to animal welfare groups that really do care for the animals: Make sure the public understands that your primary goal is animal welfare and that you do not receive funds from HSUS, PETA, ASPCA or other such organizations and that you count on local donations to keep things going. A recent study showed that over 70 percent of people donating to HSUS did so thinking it would trickle down to their local shelters. The public is very confused over the similar Humane Society names.

For more information on HSUS, please go to www.HumaneWatch.org.

Senator Ted Kennedy - A Dog Lover and Animal Advocate

Photo: Kennedy with wife Victoria Reggie Kennedy, walking with their dogs in 2008, shortly after Kennedy was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. Credit: Steven Senne / Associated Press

As the media and individuals remember and pay tribute to “The Lion of the Senate,” Senator Ted Kennedy much focus is on his dedication to healthcare reform, yet it is important to also remember that he was a true advocate for animals and a dog lover. Though known for spearheading many liberal issues, Kennedy was able to cross the partisan line when it came to issues he believed in. Kennedy connected with conservatives on one issue – his love of animals – particularly his love of his Portuguese Water Dogs – four-legged and free of part affiliation.

Wayne Pacelle, CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, recently spoke about Senator Kennedy’s dedication to animals and promoting animal welfare. Pacelle referred to Kennedy as, “a stalwart ally over the years on a wide range of legislation to protect companion animals, farm animals, animals in research and wildlife,” and The Lion of the Senate was a key player in the passage of animal welfare legislation including laws that cracked down on dog fighting and cockfighting, protected horses and other farm animals, and sent chimpanzees once used in medical research to sanctuaries, Pacelle also noted. Senator Kennedy received a score of an 83 from the Humane Society Legislative Fund in their latest scorecard, which is an annual report on the voting records of lawmakers on animal protection issues.

Of course, while some did not agree with all of the animal issues Kennedy supported, it is hard not to smile when you think of his love and devotion to Sunny and Splash his two Portuguese Water Dogs – that is an issue even the most conservatives are sure to support. If Kennedy was “The Lion of the Senate” than Splash is surely “The Dog of the Senate,” Senator Kennedy noted in an interview with the Boston Globe some of Splash’s many accomplishments including, meeting Elton John, a visit to the Oval Office, and a Presidential Bone – a rawhide given to Splash from President Bush, inscribed with the message, “From Barney to Splash.’ Senator Kennedy confided in the Boston Globe that Splash accompanied him to all of the hearings, where he would sit under the table. It wasn’t just Senate hearings where Splash was present, but press conferences, too. When not being a Legislative Lassie, and faithful companion to Senator Kennedy, Splash could be found at the Cape, often enjoying long trips on the boat, he was a dog that could sail all day, Kennedy told the Boston Globe.

Splash was not only Kennedy’s dog, but Kennedy was also faithfully devoted to his canine companion. The Lion of the Senate was so devoted that Splash was the inspiration for Kennedy to pen a children’s book with Splash as its “narrator” or “woofator.” The story, "My Senator and Me: A Dog's Eye View of Washington, D.C.," is aimed at elementary-aged children, and gives them an introduction to the political process through the words of Splash. The School Library Journal praised the book by saying, "This canine bundle of friendly, panting fun takes readers on a tour of monuments and then describes a typical day: staff discussion of an education bill, a ride in the underground tram between the Senate and the Capitol, a press conference, a committee meeting, and a floor vote. Children will appreciate Splash's joy at the snacks and time for outdoor catch along the way, as well as the strategic Woof when the committee reaches an impasse on the bill."

As I blogged about in the past, recently Kennedy helped the Obama’s with the acquisition of their Portuguese Water Dog, Bo – and now America can thank the now-departed Lion of the Senate for the friendly, panting, fetching, tuxedo-clad bundle of joy that is the First Dog.

Whether or not you supported Senator Ted Kennedy – like all humans he had his share of faults, and his image was tainted by past indiscretions – he truly loved and cared about animals. He did not just leave behind his human family with his passing, but also his beloved dogs Sunny and Splash, who surely are faced with an incomprehensible amount of grief as they wonder where their master has gone.

Sources: LA Times, Lindsay Barnett

A Puppy On Pennsylvania Avenue!

An AP photo showing President Obama running down the White House halls with new pup, Bo.

It is official; the First Dog has been selected, and moved to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue yesterday! Bo, a Portuguese Water Dog, will be added to the long list of Presidential Pets.

During Barack Obama’s presidential campaign he and his wife Michelle promised their two daughters, Sasha and Malia, a dog after the election. While campaigning, the Obama’s pledged to adopt a dog from a shelter or similar situation, bringing much needed positive publicity on the animal front to the campaign following Joe Biden’s own puppy purchase from a high volume breeder.

The number of dogs to choose from was greatly diminished as the Obama’s needed a dog suitable for Malia’s allergies. They publically announced they had narrowed the search to a Labradoodle (some reports state Goldendoodle) or Portuguese Water Dog. The announcement of possibly bringing in a “doodle” outraged much of the dog world, because there are no guarantees that an F1 breeding (first generation) will pass on the low shedding coat of a poodle, the breeding of mixed dogs for profit is often viewed as irresponsible, and the selection of a less popular breed like the Portuguese Water Dog had citizens and media claiming they would never find such a dog in a rescue or shelter. I am not exactly sure why the Obama’s chose the Portuguese Water Dog, while an excellent breed, they are not the ideal dog for first time owners, and they do shed and are not hypoallergenic (no dog is). I do hope Malia’s allergies are not triggered by their new family member.

Associated Press Writer, Sharon Theimer, articulated the questions racing through many Americans minds in her words,

“Is Bo a rescued dog or not? Did President Obama keep or break a campaign promise in picking the purebred as the family's new pet?

The twists and turns of the Portuguese water dog's route to the White House make for the kind of intrigue that political junkies and the highly opinionated dog world delight in.”

Bo, a 6-month-old puppy, was given back to his breeder after his first owner (who called the puppy Charlie) found him to be a poor fit. Bo was then matched with the Obamas by his breeder, also the breeder of Senator Edward Kennedy’s dogs, and given to the Obama’s.

Technically, the Obama’s new addition is not a rescue, but is a rehoming. He never spent time in a shelter or rescue, but he is now with his second owners, The Obama’s. Wayne Pacelle, chief executive of The Humane Society of the United States says Bo is a “quasi-rescue dog.” However, Bo’s own breeder, Martha Stern, of Boyd Texas, says she does not consider Bo a rescue dog.

The rest of this post are excerpts from an AP article by Sharon Theimer that perfectly explain where the intrigue comes in:

• Bo's breeders happen to have bred Sen. Edward Kennedy's Portuguese water dogs. The Massachusetts Democrat, an Obama friend and political ally, also acquired a pup from Bo's litter. Bo's breeders are fans of Obama and named Bo's litter the Hope and Change litter.

• Bo's first owner lives in Washington

• Bo was returned to the breeder in early March, fitting the spring timeline the Obama’s had given for their dog adoption.
  

• Kennedy and his wife Victoria helped line Bo up with the Obama’s. Before moving into the White House, the pup spent nearly a month with the Kennedys' dog trainer in Virginia.

• In fact, Bo is a gift to the Obama’s' daughters, Malia and Sasha, from the Kennedys, said Katie McCormick Lelyveld, a spokeswoman for Michelle Obama.

"They were starting their search with shelter dogs, but when the Kennedys learned of this dog and offered it as a gift to the girls, they met the dog, it was a perfect fit for their lifestyle and for Malia's health concerns," she said, adding that the Obama’s are making a donation to the Washington Humane Society. "Because this gift came before their pound search sort of was completed, they made a gift to some of the places they were looking."

Still, conspiracy buffs might speculate that Bo was meant for the Obama’s all along. Was his adoption engineered to look like a rescue—or at least blur the line to head off criticism that the Obama’s had picked a purebred from a breeder?

The Humane Society's Pacelle acknowledged that the Obama’s never flat-out promised to get a dog from a pound or rescue group. And the society has kind words for Obama on its Web site: "Thanks, Mr. President, for giving a second-chance dog a forever home," it says.

"He's in a gray area," Pacelle said of Bo. "But I will say that many animal advocates are disappointed that he (Obama) didn't go to a shelter or breed rescue group, partly because he set that expectation and because so many activists are focused on trying to reduce the number of animals euthanized at shelters, and there's no better person to make the case to the American public that you can get a great dog from a shelter than the president."