Important!: Petland and Puppy Mills

The Humane Society of the United States announced today that their eight-month investigation into Petland pet stores revealed Petland's dependence on puppy mills as suppliers for their puppies. Aside from the outright cruelty associated with puppy mill conditions (the dogs used for breeding are usually kept in cages for years with almost no human contact and no other alternatives but to live amidst their own waste), puppy mills only add to the already out-of-control homeless animal population. Think about it this way: with every purchase of an admittedly adorable pet-shop pup, one homeless animal dies.

With the holiday season upon us, please please please, if you're thinking of getting a new pet as a gift, first of all think again and make sure you and the person receiving the pet consider this a "forever" companion, and second, visit your local animal shelter instead of heading to the pet shop. A quick online trip to www.petfinder.com can introduce you to thousands of animals (young, old, big, small, earnest, wily) just waiting for a second chance.

Jet Vets

I just wanted to take a moment to recognize the lengths to which some animal devotees go in order to save an animal life. This is a remarkable story. Sadly, the tiger cub died the morning after her transfusion, but to think of all that these vets gave her in her final hours - including, hopefully, a better association with humans, contrary to how her short life began. 

Dog Pile

There's a new search engine in town and it's gone to the dogs. Dog Pile not only consolidates six different search engines into one "metasearch" engine, but it helps raise money for pets in need (via the ASPCA), too. Bookmark it now!

Massachusetts, Take a Bow (Wow)

In addition to electing Barack Obama to the White House and passing California's Proposition 2, there was another big win for animals this election: Massachusetts voted Yes on Question 3, meaning greyhound racing in the state will be phased out by 2010! Massachusetts, take a bow (wow).

Brave New World

Not only did the United States of America elect their first African-American president last night, who happens to be the Humane Society Legislative Fund's choice for animal-friendly candidate, but the people of California made history of their own, issuing a resounding YES on Proposition 2! Change is on the way, help is on the way. A kinder, more compassionate world is on the rise.