Harry Whittier Frees (1879 - 1953) photographed live animals in costumes and elaborate settings without special effects. He is best known for his picture postcards which were a new and popular medium at the time. Frees' original photos are black and white, some were colorized after his death. I have read that he "rented" his … Continue reading Animal Photographer Harry Whittier Frees
Month: January 2010
Stray Dogs in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is a little smaller than the state of Connecticut. Like some of the southern states, rescues in Puerto Rico send some of its stray dogs (known as "satos" locally) to the Northeast for adoption. Since shelters in the Northeast are short on dogs and Puerto Rico has an estimated 150,000 stray dogs, it … Continue reading Stray Dogs in Puerto Rico
Death of Innocents
I can't point to a specific reason why this story bothers me so much but it probably has to do with the Mother pushing the kid off that dark, point-of-no-return cliff called compassion:As punishment for bad grades, a Georgia mother forced her 12-year-old son to kill his pet hamster with a hammer, police said.The Mother … Continue reading Death of Innocents
Treats on the Internets
TN taxpayers still paying the salaries of suspended Memphis Animal Shelter staffKC Dog Blog: The False Solace of VilificationSC Lt. Gov. Bauer finds himself in a hole, keeps diggingLAFD defends rescue of German Shepherd from L.A. RiverPet Connection: Do Animals Need Laws Protecting Them from Shelters?Chicago requiring criminal background checks & fingerprinting for shelter volunteersAnyone … Continue reading Treats on the Internets
No Help for Trapped Cat in Houston
If the power company called and asked if it was ok if they turn off your power briefly while someone rescues a cat stuck on a power pole, would you be ok with that? I would. Normally when my power goes out, it just happens - I don't get any advance notice. And I, like … Continue reading No Help for Trapped Cat in Houston
You Learn Something New Every Day, Screwworm Edition
I'm not familiar with screwworms but apparently they are as nasty as they sound (pdf):Screwworms are fly larvae (maggots) that feed on living flesh. These parasites infest all mammals and, rarely, birds.[...]Female flies lay their eggs at the edges of wounds or on mucous membranes. When they hatch, the larvae enter the body, grow and … Continue reading You Learn Something New Every Day, Screwworm Edition
Too Much of a Good Thing
Clarksdale, MS: We have space at our shelter for 60 pets but do you think we could make room for just one more?(Repeat times 400 or so):The ASPCA removed more than 400 cats and dogs from the Clarksdale, Mississippi shelter on Sunday, January 24, 2010. Tim Rickey, the ASPCA's Senior Director of Field Investigations and … Continue reading Too Much of a Good Thing
What’s Stopping Us?
All aspects of the No Kill Equation are intertwined and it would be foolish to think we can single out one or two tenets and solve the problem of killing pets in shelters. Having said that, I sometimes think about doing something along those very lines. That is, I consider what single thing could happen … Continue reading What’s Stopping Us?
Humanity Fail, Courtesy of SC Lt. Governor
In case you were wondering why SC Governor Mark Sanford wasn't tossed out on his Appalachian Trail hiking ass, it's because our Lt. Governor, who would have been his replacement, is a freak. Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer is seeking the Republican gubernatorial nomination and as such, spoke at a town hall meeting last night on … Continue reading Humanity Fail, Courtesy of SC Lt. Governor
Los Angeles Fire Department Heroes
The news hasn't been very good this week but it cheers me to know that there is still room in our hearts to make the saving of one dog national news. Thank you LAFD for rescuing this poor dog who had gotten himself trapped in the L.A. River. The heart stopping end of the rescue … Continue reading Los Angeles Fire Department Heroes