At last, I've managed to get my paws on the computer to write my next blog. I'd first like to thank all my human bean friends for your kind comments on my last piece. Your words of wisdom are so helpful to a little toutou trying to understand the ways of humans.
One thing occurred to me from your comments, not only here on my blog but in places like Twitter, too. I've been told that the dog in that Cesar Millan video who appeared to be learning not to attack cats by wearing a shock collar and getting zapped every time it went near the cat would otherwise be put to sleep as a cat killer and my question is simply - why?
Why do human beans have the death penalty for dogs who follow what is after all a pretty basic instinct to chase and eat cats?
Ma maitresse has a cat, a very precious Siamesey type thing that thinks it's royalty and well above mere dogs like me. I don't understand about cats. I'd love to eat it. But ma maitresse says, until we get used to one another, we'll just have to live in different parts of the house. Now perhaps the dog owner in the video didn't have enough room to keep her cat and dog separate. In which case I wonder why she was trying to keep such a big and lively dog at all?
It can't be said that she was afraid her dog would kill other people's cats. She obviously doesn't have the dog under control, if she can't stop it attacking her own cat, so she shouldn't be letting the dog off the lead anywhere it could get at other people's cats - should she? That seems to be the law in most countries I've heard of.
I know I'm lucky because there's plenty of room here for both me and the cat. But if there wasn't and we really couldn't get along, I'd like to think ma maitresse would find a new home for one or other of us (and I hope it would be the cat!) rather than having me killed.
Ma maitresse certainly doesn't give me electric shocks or try to strangle me with a choke chain for going for the cat. She understands it's just that I don't know any better - yet. But I am getting better. I can look at the cat through the glass door and sometimes I can even do it without barking at her now.
Ma maitresse once went to see a man called Roger Mugford, about another dog, not me, and one of his people showed her a clever trick. In fact, it's so clever I didn't realise it was her doing a trick until she explained it to me, for this blog. I'd discovered that if I lunged at the door to try and get the cat, a nasty noise happened which I didn't like so I'd jump back nearer to ma maitresse who then made a big fuss of me and gave me a treat. So I learned the polite way to greet the cat was to go quietly up to the door and wag my tail. I thought the scary noise was coming from the cat if I wasn't polite enough - respect! Turns out all along that ma maitresse has an old Cola can full of pebbles and she shakes it to make the noise. And I never even realised. It's much less harmful to me than the shock collar would be, but it has made me understand the polite way to approach a cat.
Other people have also said that two trainers had tried and failed with that cat-killing dog before Mr Millan came along, so he was its last chance. I'd like to know who those trainers were and what their methods were that weren't successful. Because, as you human beans like to say, there's more than one way to skin a cat. And more than one way to train a dog not to.
The way ma maitresse is using is succeeding with me, but slowly, and it takes a lot of time and patience. So perhaps it wouldn't make very good television.
samedi 10 avril 2010
mardi 2 mars 2010
A shocking way to train a dog
I'm so pleased to see that Wales is to be the first part of the UK to ban the use of electric shock collars for “training” dogs. http://ow.ly/1bmSn Wales hasn't always had a very good track record for canine welfare, since it houses more puppy farms than anywhere else in the UK.
This has happened because a lot of animal welfare groups have been working with the Welsh Assembly to ban what the RSPCA calls “a cruel, outdated and unsuitable method of training dogs.” They say “electric shock collars train dogs through pain and through fear”. Just ask any dog that's ever been subjected to them.
So that makes me wonder, again, about Monsieur César Millan and his methods. I have never seen one of his programmes, but I have seen parts of them on YouTube. In one, he seems to be using a shock collar on a dog which does not like cats, although he doesn't say he's using one.
I was puzzled about that, so I asked Monsieur Millan a question about it, a month ago, via Twitter.
@cesarmillan Did you really use an electric shock collar on this dog monsieur? http://ow.ly/ZNi6 If so can you explain why, s'il vous plait?
I didn't get a reply. I know he's very busy and I'm only a little dog, but I would still like to know the answer to my question. I'm pleased to see that if you put “Cesar Millan electric shock collar” into Google, my question comes up on page one, so it's there for all to see.
And I'd like to ask again. If Wales thinks these shock collars are so bad they have to be completely banned, why does Mr Millan think they are a good thing to use? If he uses them, why doesn't he say so, at the time he's using them. And why doesn't he warn people that their use will shortly be against the law in one part of the UK.
Most importantly, why doesn't he tell people that while it might, just might, be ok for very experienced dog handlers and trainers to use them in exceptional circumstances, with great care, they should definitely not be used by inexperienced dog owners unsupervised at home.
For those of you new to my blog, ma maitresse rescued me from a rehoming centre where I was very frightened, so now I can get a bit aggressive if I feel threatened or I don't understand something. I'm gradually training ma maitresse in the best way to explain things to me, so mostly we get along fine and I now have her trained to give me treats when I do the right thing.
Luckily, she's not keen on Mr Millan and his methods. She doesn't believe in his dominance theories. Nor do I. If ma maitresse wants to be pack leader, that's fine by me. I'm only a little toutou, and a scared one at that. I don't want to be top dog. If I growl a bit sometimes it's because I get worried when I don't understand things. Luckily, she usually gets down to my level and explains things a bit more clearly and gently. If she grabbed me by the throat and threw me onto my back – I think M. Millan calls it an alpha roll – I would be so frightened I would definitely bite her.
I try to read everything I can about new ideas to help us dogs train our human beans, and I read this very interesting article on M. Millan and the principle of parsi...parsley .. keeping it simple. http://networkedblogs.com/Crlt (Please excuse me, my heenglish is not very good). I like this article, it makes a lot of sense to me.
When I growl, I'm trying to tell you something, usually that I'm afraid because I don't understand what you just asked me to do. Because even though human beans are supposed to be intelligent, they sometimes don't realise we simply don't speak heenglish, or French, or any other human language. We speak dog, and body language. Very well. Much better than they do. So sometimes when they bend over trying to be friendly, they're really saying something scary and threatening in dog body language.
Most of us dogs know when we're onto a good thing. We don't want to become “pack leaders” in the human bean world. All that stress- who needs it? Going to work, paying bills, doing the shopping. Merci, mais non.
We're perfectly happy to be your faithful companions, ready with a lick and a wag to cheer you up when you need it, desperately keen to get the rules right in your complicated society. Sometimes we get them wrong. When we do, please just ask yourselves – could I have explained that a little better, and give us a second chance.
Please don't ever, ever, subject us to electric shocks, prong collars and choke chains, because they are never the answer.
This has happened because a lot of animal welfare groups have been working with the Welsh Assembly to ban what the RSPCA calls “a cruel, outdated and unsuitable method of training dogs.” They say “electric shock collars train dogs through pain and through fear”. Just ask any dog that's ever been subjected to them.
So that makes me wonder, again, about Monsieur César Millan and his methods. I have never seen one of his programmes, but I have seen parts of them on YouTube. In one, he seems to be using a shock collar on a dog which does not like cats, although he doesn't say he's using one.
I was puzzled about that, so I asked Monsieur Millan a question about it, a month ago, via Twitter.
@cesarmillan Did you really use an electric shock collar on this dog monsieur? http://ow.ly/ZNi6 If so can you explain why, s'il vous plait?
I didn't get a reply. I know he's very busy and I'm only a little dog, but I would still like to know the answer to my question. I'm pleased to see that if you put “Cesar Millan electric shock collar” into Google, my question comes up on page one, so it's there for all to see.
And I'd like to ask again. If Wales thinks these shock collars are so bad they have to be completely banned, why does Mr Millan think they are a good thing to use? If he uses them, why doesn't he say so, at the time he's using them. And why doesn't he warn people that their use will shortly be against the law in one part of the UK.
Most importantly, why doesn't he tell people that while it might, just might, be ok for very experienced dog handlers and trainers to use them in exceptional circumstances, with great care, they should definitely not be used by inexperienced dog owners unsupervised at home.
For those of you new to my blog, ma maitresse rescued me from a rehoming centre where I was very frightened, so now I can get a bit aggressive if I feel threatened or I don't understand something. I'm gradually training ma maitresse in the best way to explain things to me, so mostly we get along fine and I now have her trained to give me treats when I do the right thing.
Luckily, she's not keen on Mr Millan and his methods. She doesn't believe in his dominance theories. Nor do I. If ma maitresse wants to be pack leader, that's fine by me. I'm only a little toutou, and a scared one at that. I don't want to be top dog. If I growl a bit sometimes it's because I get worried when I don't understand things. Luckily, she usually gets down to my level and explains things a bit more clearly and gently. If she grabbed me by the throat and threw me onto my back – I think M. Millan calls it an alpha roll – I would be so frightened I would definitely bite her.
I try to read everything I can about new ideas to help us dogs train our human beans, and I read this very interesting article on M. Millan and the principle of parsi...parsley .. keeping it simple. http://networkedblogs.com/Crlt (Please excuse me, my heenglish is not very good). I like this article, it makes a lot of sense to me.
When I growl, I'm trying to tell you something, usually that I'm afraid because I don't understand what you just asked me to do. Because even though human beans are supposed to be intelligent, they sometimes don't realise we simply don't speak heenglish, or French, or any other human language. We speak dog, and body language. Very well. Much better than they do. So sometimes when they bend over trying to be friendly, they're really saying something scary and threatening in dog body language.
Most of us dogs know when we're onto a good thing. We don't want to become “pack leaders” in the human bean world. All that stress- who needs it? Going to work, paying bills, doing the shopping. Merci, mais non.
We're perfectly happy to be your faithful companions, ready with a lick and a wag to cheer you up when you need it, desperately keen to get the rules right in your complicated society. Sometimes we get them wrong. When we do, please just ask yourselves – could I have explained that a little better, and give us a second chance.
Please don't ever, ever, subject us to electric shocks, prong collars and choke chains, because they are never the answer.
lundi 25 janvier 2010
Condemned to life?
I know lots of you will have been moved by the tale of my canine cousin Keanu who has spent six long years in a Dogs Trust home, waiting for a new owner. I mentioned him in my last blog http://bit.ly/78W5xh and lots of people posted on Twitter about him. I wish I could give you good news but so far, Dogs' Trust report “Nothing at present, I'm afraid - I nudge the centre on a regular basis for more, though... (re: Keanu progress!)” Which presumably means he's still there.
Dogs Trust have a policy where they never destroy a healthy dog. They say Keanu is very happy in kennels and gets on well with his trainer. I'm sure it's as good a home as can be. Some boarding kennels are very nice. But be honest, would you want your dog to spend six years in one? And since Keanu is a healthy dog, that means he could, conceivably, be there until he dies. Is that right?
Then there's a little dog called Freedom, who has been in his rehoming centre for six and a half years. Apparently no-one wants him because he is very nervous and appears aggressive. I understand that so well – I was that dog, when I was in kennels. Ma maitresse had already seen my profile on the internet and passed over it, and walked past the kennel where I was barking and snarling in sheer terror when anyone came near me. Thank goodness the lady in charge persuaded her to take me out of the kennel to see what I was really like. And I turned on all my considerable Gallic charm to make sure she didn't leave without me.
But I understand Freedom's fear. I was petrified, most of the time I was there. There were lots of big dogs all around me, barking all the time, and I'm scared of noise. I had to share the kennel with another dog and although he was little, smaller even than me, and quite kind, I was still scared.
Do you know what it's like to be really afraid? So afraid you become aggressive? I do, and it's not a nice feeling. Imagine feeling like that every waking minute, and having far more waking minutes than you should because you're so afraid of every small noise you can't sleep. Then consider what it might be like to feel like that for extended periods of time. Then consider if keeping an animal like that is really the best and kindest option.
Ma maitresse says that in the 1970s when ponies were so cheap you could buy one for £5 from sales in Wales and the New Forest, a leading vet wrote a very controversial article saying the only way horse welfare would improve was if a virus wiped out 80% of the pony population. That's because, with ponies then costing about a fifth of the cost of a vet callout, people were not greatly motivated to spend good money on them. An extreme view?
Rescue kennels all over were reporting being full to capacity and beyond after Christmas. So what happens to all the dogs which could possible be rehomed that can't get into a rehoming centre because poor dogs like Freedom are taking up places?
Am I, as a dog, really saying dog charities should be putting more dogs to sleep? Wouldn't that be terrible? But ask me, honestly, if I would have been prepared to go on at that same level of terror for years and years and I'll tell you honestly. No. I would rather have had a quick and mercifully end . To a dog like me, to be given up for adoption was bad enough (if you read my first blog, you'll understand a bit more about my circumstances). But just to think about spending any longer in kennels than I did is terrible, and my heart goes out to all those poor dogs who spend years and years behind bars.
Dogs Trust have a policy where they never destroy a healthy dog. They say Keanu is very happy in kennels and gets on well with his trainer. I'm sure it's as good a home as can be. Some boarding kennels are very nice. But be honest, would you want your dog to spend six years in one? And since Keanu is a healthy dog, that means he could, conceivably, be there until he dies. Is that right?
Then there's a little dog called Freedom, who has been in his rehoming centre for six and a half years. Apparently no-one wants him because he is very nervous and appears aggressive. I understand that so well – I was that dog, when I was in kennels. Ma maitresse had already seen my profile on the internet and passed over it, and walked past the kennel where I was barking and snarling in sheer terror when anyone came near me. Thank goodness the lady in charge persuaded her to take me out of the kennel to see what I was really like. And I turned on all my considerable Gallic charm to make sure she didn't leave without me.
But I understand Freedom's fear. I was petrified, most of the time I was there. There were lots of big dogs all around me, barking all the time, and I'm scared of noise. I had to share the kennel with another dog and although he was little, smaller even than me, and quite kind, I was still scared.
Do you know what it's like to be really afraid? So afraid you become aggressive? I do, and it's not a nice feeling. Imagine feeling like that every waking minute, and having far more waking minutes than you should because you're so afraid of every small noise you can't sleep. Then consider what it might be like to feel like that for extended periods of time. Then consider if keeping an animal like that is really the best and kindest option.
Ma maitresse says that in the 1970s when ponies were so cheap you could buy one for £5 from sales in Wales and the New Forest, a leading vet wrote a very controversial article saying the only way horse welfare would improve was if a virus wiped out 80% of the pony population. That's because, with ponies then costing about a fifth of the cost of a vet callout, people were not greatly motivated to spend good money on them. An extreme view?
Rescue kennels all over were reporting being full to capacity and beyond after Christmas. So what happens to all the dogs which could possible be rehomed that can't get into a rehoming centre because poor dogs like Freedom are taking up places?
Am I, as a dog, really saying dog charities should be putting more dogs to sleep? Wouldn't that be terrible? But ask me, honestly, if I would have been prepared to go on at that same level of terror for years and years and I'll tell you honestly. No. I would rather have had a quick and mercifully end . To a dog like me, to be given up for adoption was bad enough (if you read my first blog, you'll understand a bit more about my circumstances). But just to think about spending any longer in kennels than I did is terrible, and my heart goes out to all those poor dogs who spend years and years behind bars.
samedi 19 décembre 2009
It was Christmas Day in the kennels ...
It's nearly that time of year you human beans call Christmas. Those of you with children, hands up how many have asked for a puppy? And hands up how many of you are going to get them one?
Before you do, there are some facts you need to be aware of. Perhaps you've seen those nice clean, fluffy bundles of fun on nice clean wood shavings or paper in big, brightly lit pet shops. What can possibly be wrong with buying one of those?
But can you honestly say you know where those puppies started out their lives? Honestly? This is a brilliant film made by caring human beans in America, all about puppy mills, or puppy farms as they're called in the UK. http://bit.ly/6l9qTM
And in case you think this is something that only happens in America, watch this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlJ5kYIl82Q and be prepared to weep. If you want to spend your money supporting this type of industry, then feel free to buy that pet shop puppy.
But instead, why not spare a thought for all my canine cousins who are behind bars in rescue centres everywhere. Take poor lovely Keanu http://bit.ly/78W5xh. He's been with the Dogs Trust for SIX YEARS. Now I'm a rescue dog, as those of you who've read my blog before will know. I spent less than 6 weeks in kennels and it was the worst time of my life. It totally shattered my faith in human beans, until ma maitresse came along and I persuaded her to adopt me. It's the reason I'm still very suspicious of strangers, even aggressive to them if I feel threatened.
Poor Keanu is wonderfully looked after by the nice people at Dogs Trust. But it's not home. We dogs love to have our own place, our own family, our own toys, a garden to play in. Now Keanu wouldn't be at all suitable for a home with children, he's much too nervous. But there are lots of dogs out there who would.
There are plenty of rescue places overflowing with dogs dying to be part of a loving family. If you have a particular breed in mind, you can even find a rescue society for that breed who can help you find one that's perfect for you. And don't forget older dogs – they make wonderful, loving companions and are a lot less trouble than a boisterous puppy.
If your children are old enough to ask for and take on the responsibility of dog ownership, they are old enough to watch the videos I've given you links to. Please show them to them. And then ask if they still want that puppy from a pet shop.
Before you do, there are some facts you need to be aware of. Perhaps you've seen those nice clean, fluffy bundles of fun on nice clean wood shavings or paper in big, brightly lit pet shops. What can possibly be wrong with buying one of those?
But can you honestly say you know where those puppies started out their lives? Honestly? This is a brilliant film made by caring human beans in America, all about puppy mills, or puppy farms as they're called in the UK. http://bit.ly/6l9qTM
And in case you think this is something that only happens in America, watch this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlJ5kYIl82Q and be prepared to weep. If you want to spend your money supporting this type of industry, then feel free to buy that pet shop puppy.
But instead, why not spare a thought for all my canine cousins who are behind bars in rescue centres everywhere. Take poor lovely Keanu http://bit.ly/78W5xh. He's been with the Dogs Trust for SIX YEARS. Now I'm a rescue dog, as those of you who've read my blog before will know. I spent less than 6 weeks in kennels and it was the worst time of my life. It totally shattered my faith in human beans, until ma maitresse came along and I persuaded her to adopt me. It's the reason I'm still very suspicious of strangers, even aggressive to them if I feel threatened.
Poor Keanu is wonderfully looked after by the nice people at Dogs Trust. But it's not home. We dogs love to have our own place, our own family, our own toys, a garden to play in. Now Keanu wouldn't be at all suitable for a home with children, he's much too nervous. But there are lots of dogs out there who would.
There are plenty of rescue places overflowing with dogs dying to be part of a loving family. If you have a particular breed in mind, you can even find a rescue society for that breed who can help you find one that's perfect for you. And don't forget older dogs – they make wonderful, loving companions and are a lot less trouble than a boisterous puppy.
If your children are old enough to ask for and take on the responsibility of dog ownership, they are old enough to watch the videos I've given you links to. Please show them to them. And then ask if they still want that puppy from a pet shop.
mercredi 18 novembre 2009
Training or torture?
It seems the Heenglish are getting very worried because a man from America is going to visit their country to tell them about how to train us dogs.
As always, I like to find out all the information before I speak on my blog. Which is why I don't write very often. So I looked on le Google for some information on this man. He is called César Millan, and calls himself the Dog Whisperer.
I'm a dog, so I watched it from a dog's point of view. I saw dogs being dragged along by chains round their necks. I saw dogs running together in a big group, starting to fight, fighting until they were bleeding, then having to be pulled apart. I saw many things I did not like.
Before I came to live with ma maitresse, I was put into kennels of l'Association Protectrice des Animaux because my old owners said I was too lively. I'm a bordaire collee - we are lively dogs. But I try to learn and to be a good dog because I love my new home and I want to stay here. So I try to follow the rules.
Ma maitresse tries hard, too. She first took me to the local French dog training club and we tried that for a few weeks. Almost all the dogs there, even very young ones, wore chain collars, some with spikes in, but ma maitresse has bought me a special harness, called a Halti harness. It doesn't choke me at all, but it holds me firmly and that makes me feel safer.
Since I was in the rescue kennels, I am very afraid of other dogs, especially big ones, and of people I don't know, especially men. And when I'm afraid I bark and growl and try to look very fierce so they won't come near me. The trainers at the club all used to shout at me when I did that and that made me more afraid and much worse, so ma maitresse said we wouldn't go any more.
Now she tries to show me the right way to do things by something that's called positive reinforcement. I like that. When I get something right, she gives me a piece of sausage or cheese. And when I don't get it right, I don't get the treat. So I spend most of my time trying to get it right. It's taking a long time, but we both feel we are making progress. I feel happier, I'm starting to understand what I'm meant to do and not meant to do.
Ma maitresse talks to people on Twitter, like the nice lady @WildPaw, who gives help and advice, and she took me to see a very nice French man, who helped us both a lot and never shouted or used a chain or anything like that.
So I would like to say to all you people out there who think this M. Millan is such a good person. Which would you prefer? Someone who explained things carefully to you and gave you a reward when you got it right? Or someone who put a chain round your neck to slowly choke you when you got it wrong?
I'm only a dog - but I know which one I prefer.
As always, I like to find out all the information before I speak on my blog. Which is why I don't write very often. So I looked on le Google for some information on this man. He is called César Millan, and calls himself the Dog Whisperer.
I'm a dog, so I watched it from a dog's point of view. I saw dogs being dragged along by chains round their necks. I saw dogs running together in a big group, starting to fight, fighting until they were bleeding, then having to be pulled apart. I saw many things I did not like.
Before I came to live with ma maitresse, I was put into kennels of l'Association Protectrice des Animaux because my old owners said I was too lively. I'm a bordaire collee - we are lively dogs. But I try to learn and to be a good dog because I love my new home and I want to stay here. So I try to follow the rules.
Ma maitresse tries hard, too. She first took me to the local French dog training club and we tried that for a few weeks. Almost all the dogs there, even very young ones, wore chain collars, some with spikes in, but ma maitresse has bought me a special harness, called a Halti harness. It doesn't choke me at all, but it holds me firmly and that makes me feel safer.
Since I was in the rescue kennels, I am very afraid of other dogs, especially big ones, and of people I don't know, especially men. And when I'm afraid I bark and growl and try to look very fierce so they won't come near me. The trainers at the club all used to shout at me when I did that and that made me more afraid and much worse, so ma maitresse said we wouldn't go any more.
Now she tries to show me the right way to do things by something that's called positive reinforcement. I like that. When I get something right, she gives me a piece of sausage or cheese. And when I don't get it right, I don't get the treat. So I spend most of my time trying to get it right. It's taking a long time, but we both feel we are making progress. I feel happier, I'm starting to understand what I'm meant to do and not meant to do.
Ma maitresse talks to people on Twitter, like the nice lady @WildPaw, who gives help and advice, and she took me to see a very nice French man, who helped us both a lot and never shouted or used a chain or anything like that.
So I would like to say to all you people out there who think this M. Millan is such a good person. Which would you prefer? Someone who explained things carefully to you and gave you a reward when you got it right? Or someone who put a chain round your neck to slowly choke you when you got it wrong?
I'm only a dog - but I know which one I prefer.
mercredi 12 août 2009
Please, humans, put your house in order
I've now had chance to read the response of Carmarthenshire County Council after the Channel 5 programme about puppy farms. If you didn't see the programme, watch it here: http://bit.ly/4qhW4p
You can read the full response here http://tinyurl.comlcmzd7
I've read it, and now I'm very confused. It says: "Local authorities cannot revoke licences." They can give them out in the first place, but if things are not right, it seems they have to wait for action to be taken in the magistrates' court and then, possibly, the licence can be revoked.
That's not right. What happens to those poor dogs and puppies while this is taking place?
It says: "There were no major issues that required immediate intervention or enforcement action and the complaints about poor lighting, lack of exercise, stimulation and social contact were not substantiated or supported by the veterinary surgeon."
I watched that film and it looked pretty bad to me. I saw dogs circling obsessively, dog beds chewed up because there was nothing else in the run for the dogs to chew on or play with. I get taken for four walks a day, lots of playtime with my ball, and I have loads of activity toys for when my person is working. And that's only just enough for a lively dog like me.
How can a vet say that living in isolation in what look like old pig pens is satisfactory for a dog?
If the conditions that we all saw in that film conform to the regulations, then those regulations must surely be changed.
There are a lot of good people who are trying to do just that. You can find out more here: http://tinyurl.com/l6oog2
But one of the things all you humans who read this can do is TELL people. Tell them never, ever to buy a puppy from a pet shop, and to spread the word to everyone they know not to do so. You may think you're "rescuing" a puppy but all you're doing is causing more to be bred in these terrible puppy farms.
This is another good post that will explain better than I, a mere dog, can do http://tinyurl.com/mo6nqo
Above all, please tell the children. They are where the hope lies for the future. If they knew, they would not let this terrible thing continue into future generations.
Please tell everyone you know it's time to BAN PUPPY FARMING.
You can read the full response here http://tinyurl.comlcmzd7
I've read it, and now I'm very confused. It says: "Local authorities cannot revoke licences." They can give them out in the first place, but if things are not right, it seems they have to wait for action to be taken in the magistrates' court and then, possibly, the licence can be revoked.
That's not right. What happens to those poor dogs and puppies while this is taking place?
It says: "There were no major issues that required immediate intervention or enforcement action and the complaints about poor lighting, lack of exercise, stimulation and social contact were not substantiated or supported by the veterinary surgeon."
I watched that film and it looked pretty bad to me. I saw dogs circling obsessively, dog beds chewed up because there was nothing else in the run for the dogs to chew on or play with. I get taken for four walks a day, lots of playtime with my ball, and I have loads of activity toys for when my person is working. And that's only just enough for a lively dog like me.
How can a vet say that living in isolation in what look like old pig pens is satisfactory for a dog?
If the conditions that we all saw in that film conform to the regulations, then those regulations must surely be changed.
There are a lot of good people who are trying to do just that. You can find out more here: http://tinyurl.com/l6oog2
But one of the things all you humans who read this can do is TELL people. Tell them never, ever to buy a puppy from a pet shop, and to spread the word to everyone they know not to do so. You may think you're "rescuing" a puppy but all you're doing is causing more to be bred in these terrible puppy farms.
This is another good post that will explain better than I, a mere dog, can do http://tinyurl.com/mo6nqo
Above all, please tell the children. They are where the hope lies for the future. If they knew, they would not let this terrible thing continue into future generations.
Please tell everyone you know it's time to BAN PUPPY FARMING.
mercredi 5 août 2009
What part of no don't you understand?
I Watched the Channel 5 programme about puppy farms last night. If you missed it, you can see it here: http://bit.ly/4qhW4p or on the Channel 5 website. Part 2 is on tonight so I hope you will all make a huge effort to watch it.
The nice reporter who presented it has a blog. You can read that here: http://bit.ly/wFT6q
It was terrible, every bit as bad as I thought. Things are being done – you can read about one here: http://bit.ly/KVZ3v But it simply isn't enough. And I was even more horrified when someone sent me this link: http://tinyurl.com/lddlw9
I know, you've seen it all before, same pictures, same story, blah-de-blah. But please look at the dateline on that article. That's right, it's 1997. So just how long has this appalling state of affairs been going on, and precisely what are you human beans doing about it?
Bordaire collees are smart and can count. So I know that's at least 12 years. So that's two lifetimes for poor breeding bitches who are allowed to breed for 6 years. Imagine how many puppies that makes.
It seems that the puppy farms featured, who were all legal in that they held licenses, get to keep their licences: http://twitpic.com/cu1g3 Can that be right? And I've been told that councils: “not only license these breeders they defend them to the hilt by restricting RSPCA access.”
I'm still waiting to hear if that's true. I sent a Tweet to my friends at the RSPCA but haven't yet had their reply. I'll update you when I do. Because that's even more worrying.
I'm a dog, so I don't understand what happened to the word “no” among you humans. If councils really haven't got the resources to regulate these places properly, why do they licence them? Why don't the public get on their back legs and say no, enough is enough, this is not right. We don't want to be part of a society that does this to its animals.
Breeding a healthy, pedigree dog costs a lot of money. There are proper health checks to be made on both parents, and the puppies. There's registration, and vaccination and all the rest of it. So if you want to buy a puppy you can be sure will be healthy and safe to be amongst your children, it is going to cost you hundreds of pounds.
If it doesn't cost that much, you need to be asking yourself why. Then look at those pictures, and you'll have your answer.
You need to be contacting your MP and saying no, this is not right, it must stop. We all need to be educating children, because they are the hope of the future to say no, I don't want any part of this trade, I'd rather choose a dog from a dog's home than support puppy farming.
Because believe me, us dogs home dogs are so grateful to be given a new chance in life, we make the most wonderful, loyal companions.
Please, everybody, do something. Don't make me bite you.
Ci
The nice reporter who presented it has a blog. You can read that here: http://bit.ly/wFT6q
It was terrible, every bit as bad as I thought. Things are being done – you can read about one here: http://bit.ly/KVZ3v But it simply isn't enough. And I was even more horrified when someone sent me this link: http://tinyurl.com/lddlw9
I know, you've seen it all before, same pictures, same story, blah-de-blah. But please look at the dateline on that article. That's right, it's 1997. So just how long has this appalling state of affairs been going on, and precisely what are you human beans doing about it?
Bordaire collees are smart and can count. So I know that's at least 12 years. So that's two lifetimes for poor breeding bitches who are allowed to breed for 6 years. Imagine how many puppies that makes.
It seems that the puppy farms featured, who were all legal in that they held licenses, get to keep their licences: http://twitpic.com/cu1g3 Can that be right? And I've been told that councils: “not only license these breeders they defend them to the hilt by restricting RSPCA access.”
I'm still waiting to hear if that's true. I sent a Tweet to my friends at the RSPCA but haven't yet had their reply. I'll update you when I do. Because that's even more worrying.
I'm a dog, so I don't understand what happened to the word “no” among you humans. If councils really haven't got the resources to regulate these places properly, why do they licence them? Why don't the public get on their back legs and say no, enough is enough, this is not right. We don't want to be part of a society that does this to its animals.
Breeding a healthy, pedigree dog costs a lot of money. There are proper health checks to be made on both parents, and the puppies. There's registration, and vaccination and all the rest of it. So if you want to buy a puppy you can be sure will be healthy and safe to be amongst your children, it is going to cost you hundreds of pounds.
If it doesn't cost that much, you need to be asking yourself why. Then look at those pictures, and you'll have your answer.
You need to be contacting your MP and saying no, this is not right, it must stop. We all need to be educating children, because they are the hope of the future to say no, I don't want any part of this trade, I'd rather choose a dog from a dog's home than support puppy farming.
Because believe me, us dogs home dogs are so grateful to be given a new chance in life, we make the most wonderful, loyal companions.
Please, everybody, do something. Don't make me bite you.
Ci
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