sutton078

So often, I’m asked – how does spcaLA advocate on behalf of abandoned and abused animals?  Preventing cruelty to animals through education and advocacy is part of the spcaLA Mission and something I take seriously as a voice for the voiceless animals.  As YOUR spcaLA President, I often have the opportunity to travel and speak to advocates, colleagues, students, law enforcement, and law makers about animal welfare, animal cruelty, and the cutting edge programs of YOUR spcaLA.  I am proud, humbled and honored to have been invited to the Center for Animal Law Studies at Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College as its first Distinguished Visiting Animal Advocate .   Next week, I will be lecturing to the students enrolled in the J.D. program as well as the world’s first advanced LL.M. (Masters of Laws) program in animal law. There, I will share lessons learned about prosecuting animal cruelty – lessons learned at YOUR spcaLA. Help to add to our...

Courtesy Google Images California Senate bill 1221, authored by Senator Ted Lieu, will stop the cruel sport of "hounding" in which dogs are used to hunt and detain bears and bobcats so the latter can be killed by the hunter. Indirectly, the passage of this bill will also protect the hounds involved from poor treatment by their hunters. The bill is now ready to go before the assembly. Please contact your assembly person and urge them to vote for SB1221. To read more on this "sport", please see my earlier post http://spcalapresident.blogspot.com/2012/04/stop-cruel-and-bullying-pastime-of.html which more fully describes the practice. Thank you.

courtesy Google images Tech XX, the English bulldog who served as the mascot for the Louisiana Tech University sports teams died of heatstroke after being left outside in the heat too long. An employee let the dog out to use the bathroom and forgot to let him back in. The 102 degree outside temperature proved too much for Tech XX who succumbed to heatstroke. The same employee, in an effort to distract authorities from his actions, originally reported the dog as missing. Students searched for the dog and a reward for his safe return was advertised until the truth was discovered. Patrick Sexton, the dog's caretaker, issued the following statement: "Regretfully, I learned this morning that through negligence of an employee, Tech XX was left outside too long on Sunday evening and passed away from a heat stroke. That employee unfortunately chose to handle it the wrong way and attempted to cover it up. Due to this negligence, the employee is no longer employ...

spcaLA early horse ambulance After speaking out on the recent court decision condemning the treatment of the elephants at the Los Angeles Zoo , I received some advice from some members of the public to "stick to spcaLA business and stay out of the business of elephants and everything else". Though these comments were few in number, I feel compelled to say something. Since 1877 spcaLA has been caring for all animals , including women and children of the species human. Be it work horses, beasts of burden, circus animals, sharks or a pet canary, spcaLA was and continues to be here to stop and prevent animal cruelty. In the 1860s Henry Bergh, the father of the spca movement, was known to have fights with P.T. Barnum himself outside the big top when the circus would come to town!  California state law gives us jurisdiction over "every dumb creature" which includes elephants, mountain lions , mice and dogs. It is spcaLA business to prevent cruelty to animals through ed...

The 42 million dollar elephant exhibit at the LA Zoo can remain open provided that certain conditions are met. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge John L. Segal, in his 56-page opinion issued Tuesday, ordered the Los Angeles Zoo to improve the welfare of the elephants in its “Elephants of Asia” by doing the following:         courtesy google images   "cease using bull hooks and electric shock in the management, care, and discipline of the elephants, exercise the elephants at least 2 hours a day, and rototill the soil and substrate of the elephant exhibit" consistent with specific  recommendations of named outside experts. The judge further found that " this exhibit is not a happy place for elephants " and that the belief to the contrary by high ranking zoo officials is " delusional ". It was further determined at trial that representations of the size and its state of the art design by  zoo officials to city council to obtain approval fo...

Courtesy Google Images Daisy a 3 year old sow died of a seizure Wednesday morning, one day after she gave birth to 11 pink and black piglets at the Orange County Fair. This reminds me of the   gunning down of a pregnant dairy cow  last year at the California State Fair who was shot and killed, as she, terrified, escaped from the nursery. These birthing exhibits are designed to allow cows, goats and pigs to entertain the fair going audience by giving birth on display.  Despite the pleas of concerned animal welfare advocates, and a wealth of   scientific/industry literature   decrying the antiquated concept of birthing exhibits that involve stressful travel and confinement of these near term pregnant animals, the tradition of these exhibits continues. Modern technology notwithstanding, the need to actually watch a mother give birth seems to trump appeals to logic, science and basic notions of humanity. Sources report that the piglets are being bott...

Santa Monica lion courtesy Google images UPDATE:    They heard us -Fish&Game 2 review policies to include non-lethal alternatives in dealing with mountain lions - http://ow.ly/j0c6d Many of us expressed concern following the recent gunning down of a baby mountain lion whose quest for something to eat led him into downtown Santa Monica. In response, the Police Chief of Santa Monica, Jacqueline Seabrooks, convened a focus group comprised of representatives from the Santa Monica Police Department,  Department of Fish and Game, Animal Welfare Representatives, (including me, your spcaLA), National Park Service, veterinarians and others to review, discuss and suggest ways to avoid something like this from recurring in the future. To her credit, Chief Seabrooks committed to providing specific training to her officers, purchasing additional resources, and creating a "phone tree" of experts in the community who can respond, assist and act should there be future wildlife encou...