Puppy for Christmas!

Here we go again...because people just don't get it. "Going shopping to get my daughter a puppy for Christmas!" Isn't that cute? No, not at all. Let me tell you why. Puppies should never be a surprise. The family should do research on the best type of dog (personality, size, energy level) who will fit the family's lifestyle. Do you want a puppy or an adult dog? You also have to consider the amount of time you can spend with the dog. The amount of money needed for vaccinations, food and all of the other expenses that come with bringing a pet into your family. Dogs at pet stores generally come from puppy mills. The puppy mills know that people will be buying puppies for Christmas so the mother dogs are forced to work overtime to meet the demand. Do you really want to be a part of this?

You know what would be a great gift for your children for Christmas in lieu of getting a puppy? Make a monetary donation or purchase items on your local shelter's wish list. Take the children to the shelter to see all of the unwanted animals and have a shelter worker tell them about the time, money and effort it takes to care for them. This also teaches the kids to be socially responsible.

Peaches in Valley City

"Hi, my name is Peaches. I'm a 6-10 year old female Lhasa Apso. I just love kids, other dogs, cats and adults! I'm a spunky girl and adore going for walks. I can cuddle on your lap and entertain you all day long. I'm just waiting for my forever home to find me. I'm already fixed, up-to-date on shots and HomeAgain Microchipped."

Contact Sheyenne Valley Friends of Animals for more information.

Great News for CDHS in Bismarck!

This past Tuesday evening the Burleigh County Commissioners accepted Central Dakota Humane Society's offer to purchase property in southeast Bismarck. CDHS plans to build a new shelter.

View the full article!

Barney in Williston

This little guy is currently living in Williston at the Mon-Dak Humane Society. He is between 2-5 years old and is neutered. He does well with kids, other dogs and doesn't seem to mind being around cats, either.

For more information check out the Mon-Dak Humane Society web site.

Thanksgiving Treats for Pets

Animal Planet offers a few suggestions for Thanksgiving treats for pets.

Examples include:

Fruits and Veggies. A great treat for the little pets like hamsters and gerbils. Dogs and cats may also enjoy cooked veggies like potatoes, carrot and pumpkin.

Bones and Chews. Don't give your dogs turkey bones! They break easily and can splinter. If you want to give your pooch a bone make sure you get something store-bought.


View the full article!

Cats in Grand Forks

According to the Circle of Friends Humane Society in Grand Forks, they house approximately 70 cats at any given time! If you are thinking about adding a cat to your family and you live in the GF area, considering stopping by to meet some of the cats available for adoption at this shelter.

This is Neil and Danny:

June: Adopt-a-Cat Month

If you are thinking about adding a cat to your family consider adopting from your local animal shelter or pound! There are plenty of homeless cats needing homes. Featured in this post is Ciara, a domestic short hair, currently residing at the James River Humane Society in Jamestown.

Horses and Cows Shot, Killed in Griggs County, ND

HANNAFORD, N.D. (AP) — Sheriff Bob Hook says someone has been shooting livestock in eastern North Dakota's Griggs County.

Hook tells KFGO radio that the latest targets were four horses at a farm east of Hannaford. He says all four animals died of head shots. They were found Thursday afternoon.

About a week and a half ago three young cows were shot and killed in a pasture about half a mile from where the horses were shot.

Hook says a .22-caliber gun was used in both cases, and he thinks they're related.

Source: WDAZ TV

If you have any information about this please contact Griggs County Sheriff Bob Hook at 701-797-2202.

"Be Kind to Animals" week

The first week of May is "Be Kind to Animals" week. What are you doing this week to celebrate? Need some ideas?

Call your local animal shelter and offer to volunteer. They ALWAYS need help. If you don't have time in your schedule to volunteer consider a monetary donation. Many shelters also provide lists of needed supplies on their web sites. Don't know where the shelters are in North Dakota? Take a look at the links on the right!

Consider buying cruelty-free products.

Get to know your neighbors and introduce your pets to them and vice versa. If someone's pet unintentionally gets loose, neighbors may recognize the pet and return him/her safely back home.

Contact your local officials and state legislators to support strides in animal welfare. We definitely need better laws in ND.

And of course, the obvious, treat your companion animals with love and respect! Provide them with the proper care and companionship they deserve. Make an extra effort to spend more time with them. You have all sorts of activities in your life. They only have you.

Plato in Fargo

Good actions give strength to ourselves and inspire good actions in others. ~Plato

Plato is currently residing at the Fargo-Moorhead Humane Society. I'm sure he agrees with the quote from the Ancient Greek philosopher he is named after and adopting homeless animals is definitely an example of good action.

Plato's bio from PetFinder:

Hi there my name is Plato. Let me tell you a bit about myself. I had a family once and was very happy and for reasons they could not help, they were not able to keep me. So the staff at the shelter took me in. All I have known my whole life is the family I had, so seeing all these new people has really scared me. I have learned that cats/kittens arent so bad after all and I am now okay to go home with a kitten or another adult cat if the cat is not overly playful and enjoys doing their own thing. I have never really been with kids so I think I would prefer no kids for the time being. I also would be okay with a very cat friendly dog. Please stop up and meet me, I am looking for my forever home.

Contact the FM Humane Society for more information about Plato by calling 701-239-0077.

Engrossment for SB 2365 Defeated in House

The House Agriculture Committee recommended a DO NOT PASS for the engrossed SB 2365 and this past Friday the majority of the House of Representatives voted the same.

This is disheartening and frustrating but we have to keep moving forward. We must have faith that at some point in the future we will have a majority of State Senators and Representatives who acknowledge the high ethical standards of North Dakotans that is inherent in our nature. We are capable of providing protection to humans as well as animals. We are also independent in nature and need not fear that national animal welfare groups (which, for the record, are not “conspiring arms of PETA”) will take advantage of a stricter law by making unwarranted claims.

Is it not logical to take into account that all agriculture practices are (and would have continued to be…) exempt from the animal cruelty law? Regardless, if our farm animals are being cared for, as many farm organizations cited they are doing, then why is there fear of being charged with animal neglect and cruelty?


Portion of the Journal of the House from April 1, 2011 covering action on SB 2365:

SECOND READING OF SENATE BILL
SB 2365: A BILL for an Act to provide for a legislative management study of the laws relating to the humane treatment of animals.

ROLL CALL
The question being on the final passage of the bill, which has been read, and has committee recommendation of DO NOT PASS, the roll was called and there were 36 YEAS, 56 NAYS, 0 EXCUSED, 2 ABSENT AND NOT VOTING.

YEAS: Amerman; Anderson; Boe; Dahl; DeKrey; Delmore; Glassheim; Gruchalla;
Guggisberg; Hanson; Hawken; Hogan; Holman; Hunskor; Johnson, N.; Kaldor;
Keiser; Kelsh, J.; Kelsh, S.; Kilichowski; Klemin; Kreun; Kroeber; Meier, L.; Metcalf; Meyer, S.; Mock; Mueller; Nelson, J.; Onstad; Sanford; Steiner; Wall; Williams; Winrich; Zaiser

NAYS: Beadle; Bellew; Belter; Boehning; Brabandt; Brandenburg; Carlson; Clark; Conklin; Damschen; Delzer; Devlin; Dosch; Frantsvog; Froseth; Grande; Hatlestad;
Headland; Heilman; Heller; Hofstad; Johnson, D.; Karls; Kasper; Kelsch, R.;
Kempenich; Kingsbury; Klein; Koppelman; Kreidt; Kretschmar; Louser; Maragos;
Martinson; Monson; Nathe; Owens; Paur; Pietsch; Pollert; Porter; Rohr; Ruby; Rust;
Schatz; Schmidt; Skarphol; Streyle; Thoreson; Trottier; Vigesaa; Weiler; Weisz;
Wieland; Wrangham; Speaker Drovdal

ABSENT AND NOT VOTING: Nelson, M.; Sukut
Engrossed SB 2365 lost.

SB 2365 Update

The hearing on SB 2365 with the House Agriculture Standing Committee will be THIS FRIDAY--March 18--at 9am at the Capitol in the Peace Garden Room.

SB 2365: The Animals Need Your Help!

Dear pet lovers in the state of North Dakota,

If you are not already aware of this, a bill, SB 2365, was sponsored to update the current animal cruelty laws in our state. The Senate Agriculture Committee did not pass the bill but instead created an amendment to study the bill during the interim.

I attended the Senate Agriculture Committee hearing and some of the organizations who were initially involved in rewriting the law did not want the bill to pass because sections were added that they had not discussed. If this is the case, I completely understand why they wouldn't want the bill to pass at this time. However, they did discuss the proposed changes to the penalty section and all agreed on this. The Senate Agriculture Committee asked these individuals if they would be ok with only passing the felony section while the rest of the bill was studied during the interim. They all said YES.

Changes to wording of this section cites, "A class C felony for a second or subsequent offense within five years." Talk to anyone working at an animal shelter in our state and you'll hear about their experiences with abused cats and dogs, including the rescue efforts of dogs at the puppy mill in Scranton in 2010. Note: The law as worded in the bill, as with the current law, DOES NOT APPLY to production of livestock and lawful hunting/trapping/fishing.

Last week the bill crossed over to the House of Representatives. We have a window of opportunity to let our voices be heard!

If you want to make a BIG difference in the lives of pets in North Dakota, tell the state representatives and members of the House Agriculture Committee that you support passing the penalty section of SB 2365 during this legislative session while the rest of the bill is studied during the interim.

Letting your voices be heard is EASY: call 1-888-635-3447 to leave a message on your views about this bill. The person assisting you will even look up your district for you and get the message to the appropriate people! Ask that your message be shared not only with the representative from your district but all House representatives. If you can't get through just keep trying!

You could also email the members of the House Agriculture Committee with the same message:

Dennis Johnson - Chairman: djohnson@nd.gov
Joyce Kingsbury - Vice Chairman: jkingsbury@nd.gov
Wesley R. Belter: wbelter@nd.gov
Tracy Boe: tboe@nd.gov
Tom Conklin: tconklin@nd.gov
Craig Headland: cheadland@nd.gov
Richard Holman: rholman@nd.gov
Phillip Mueller: pmueller@nd.gov
David S. Rust: drust@nd.gov
Mike Schatz: mischatz@nd.gov
Jim Schmidt: jeschmidt@nd.gov
Wayne Trottier: wtrottier@nd.gov
John D. Wall: jwall@nd.gov
Dwight Wrangham: dwrangham@nd.gov


Sample message:

Dear members of the North Dakota House Agriculture Committee,

I was pleased to learn that SB 2365 has been introduced in the North Dakota Legislature. It would elevate the crime of cruelty to a companion animal to a Class C felony for a second or subsequent offense within five years.

While the Senate Agriculture Committee passed an amendment to study this bill due to questions about other areas of the bill, it seems feasible to pass the felony section of the bill now and study the rest of the bill during the interim. I respectfully ask that you consider this option.

Thank you for your time,
[Name]
[Address]

Please share this with everyone you know who supports treating our pets with respect and love!