Tell Your Congressperson and Senators to Pass “Goldie’s Act” and Stop Cruel Puppy Mills

A Puppy Mill

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a number of responsibilities and authorities, among them the oversight of dog breeders, often referred to as “puppy mills.” Certainly, there are humane and reputable breeders, who care for the animals they breed as well as their offspring, and do their best to ensure the puppies they sell are healthy for when they go off to their new owners.

But in far too many cases, these puppy mills are true mills–factories–where animals are cruelly abused and neglected, getting little or no health care, underfed, sick, in pain, confined in cages too small to even stand or turn, with pups being sent off to their new families with terrible, even fatal illnesses.

Named after a Golden Retriever (“Goldie”) who suffered extreme neglect and died at a “USDA-licensed” puppy mill in Iowa where she was known only as No. 142, the Goldie’s Act law will require the USDA to conduct more frequent and meaningful inspections, provide lifesaving intervention for suffering animals, issue penalties for violations, and communicate with local law enforcement to address cruelty and neglect.  

I’ve generally opposed breeders, even good ones, because I know that there are millions of homeless dogs in shelters, thousands of whom are killed each day because the shelters ostensibly “run out of space.”  And that’s because humans, far too often, selfishly insist on owning purebred dogs (who may not in fact be) or specific breeds, and simply ignore of the plight of so many beautiful angels suffering in shelters.
But until now, even I didn’t know how corrupt the USDA is, not just in ignoring its job to regulate and oversee breeders, but even corruptly covering up horrific crimes of animal cruelty: “Yet, days after the DOJ negotiated surrender of the [4000] beagles [from a USDA-licensed business, Envigo, where the USDA documented horrific cruelty during “routine inspections” over several months, including dead dogs, starving dogs, dogs in dangerous conditions, and dogs in need of veterinary care], the USDA renewed the company’s license for another year, and a shocking new report from Reuters revealed that senior USDA leaders went to great lengths to cover up both Envigo’s [cruel and horrific] treatment of the dogs, and the agency’s own refusal to protect the animals.”
TELL YOUR LAWMAKERS: Pass “Goldie’s Act,” protect the puppies, mommies, and daddies, and HOLD THE USDA ACCOUNTABLE!
To contact your US Representative and Senators:
See the full article from the Animal Legal Defense Fund here.

ALDF, ASPCA, HSUS, BEST FRIENDS: PLEASE NO MORE ADDRESS LABELS?

In the last two weeks, I’ve received from animal rescue and welfare organizations to which I’ve donated, two sets of almost identical return address labels, a pocket calendar, and two membership cards. Among other things.

Please STOP sending these things. I don’t want them, I won’t use them, and the money you’re spending to send me what amount to tchothkes isn’t going where it should: to help homeless and abused animals.

I don’t want to be sarcastic, but I know where I live; I rarely if even mail anything anyway, I don’t need a calendar because I have a phone, and in fact I can enter appointments into that phone’s calendar; and there’s no one to even show a membership card to–my beloved Pittie Popeye only reads Croat. And he says “Prestanite slati sitnice!”

So please, when things are back to normal, I’ll start donating again. But I won’t if you don’t stop wasting my money on that stuff. You can even put your newsletters online for a fraction of what you’re spending to print and mail them. These things don’t help critters.

Thank you!

Michael Vick Deserves Nothing But Scorn, Not NFL Glory

“As the little red dog lay on the ground, fighting for air, Quanis Phillips grabbed its front legs and Michael Vick grabbed its back legs. They swung the dog over their head like a jump rope then slammed it to the ground. The first impact didn’t kill it. So, Phillips and Vick slammed it again. The two men kept at it, alternating back and forth, pounding the creature against the ground until, at last, the little red dog was dead.”

The Lost Dogs, by Jim Gorant

Let’s not forget what Vick said just outside the courtroom; “Yeah, fine, I killed the dogs. I hung them. I slammed them. I killed all of them. I lost fucking millions, all over some fucking dogs.”

Angry comments about Vick are legitimate understood given the nature of his horrible, cruel and evil crimes, but instead let the NFL know that you don’t want an animal abuser glorified. Vick is EVIL.

  • NFL customer service 800-635-5300
  • Send a letter to the NFL Head Office: 345 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10154
  • Email NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell: rogergoodell@nfl.com
  • Call Roger Goodell 212-450-2000