sutton078

courtesy spcaLA Los Angeles city council voted on Wednesday in favor of an ordinance to ban pet stores from selling dogs, cats and rabbits obtained from commercial breeders and puppy mills. Instead, pet stores will be required to sell animals from shelters, humane societies located in the City of Los Angeles and registered, legitimate rescue groups. The hope is to address pet overpopulation and high euthanasia rates by forcing people to provide homes for already homeless pets rather than continuing to "make more" homeless pets. People will still be able to buy directly from breeders but stores that sell those animals can face misdemeanor charges. Certainly this is an important step in informing the nation of the sad fate of unwanted animals and modifying attitudes that encourage waste and support the disposability of our assets, both flora and fauna, but it is not a simple step to execute. spcaLA, in its 135 years of experience and as the national leader in the shelter pet ...

courtesy Google images The Department of Fish and Game killed a mother and three baby mountain lions, who they asserted were "terrorizing"  Rescue, a neighborhood in Northern California. Despite the fact that this lion family was suspected of killing a residents' goat, and perhaps other livestock, the people of Rescue were upset that Fish and Game, again, resorted to killing the cat and her cubs. As we search for space, fresh air and "nature", we forget that we encroach upon the natural habitats of animals with whom we share this planet. These animals are also part of the "nature" that we seek as a respite from crowded and smoggy cities. These animals need food and water regardless of whether houses stand where once they did not.  In other words, just because we change our address does not mean the wildlife we displace consents to politely starve to death and to stop behaving naturally.  It also means that those charged with the responsibility of enfor...