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*NEWS ALERT!*
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Eddie Hutcheson
Oct 17, 2000, 3:00:00 AM10/17/00
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Welcome to ASPCA News Alert, a weekly e-mail newsletter from The
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
*
ASPCA HOSTS "PET PARTNERS" WORKSHOP FOR COMPANION ANIMALS AND THEIR
OWNERS
You've heard of visiting pets who meet and greet at hospitals, nursing
homes and other long-term care facilities, and you may even be aware of
animals used as part of rehabilitation therapy programs. But did you
know that just being around an animal helps patients heal faster,
bolsters their self esteem, lowers their blood pressure and encourages
positive social interactions?
Last month, the ASPCA Center for Behavioral Therapy offered pet owners
the chance to become involved in animal-assisted activities by
training--with their animal companions--to be certified Pet Partner
Teams. In the first day-long seminar, participants learned about the
Renton, WA-based Delta Society, which developed the program, and found
out exactly what it takes to be a winning team. Dog-and-owner duos were
evaluated in part II of the workshop; those who passed went on to be
certified. "Being a Pet Partners Team is one of the most exciting things
you can do as a volunteer," said Michelle Siegel, Dog Obedience
Instructor for ASPCA's Companion Animal Services and the lead instructor
for the seminar. Siegel was assisted by her collie Alfalfa, a two-year
Pet Partner alumnus.
To find out if Delta Society is offering training and certification near
you, visit http://www.deltasociety.org/.
ATTENTION VIRGINIA RESIDENTS: SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR PRO-ANIMAL SENATOR
Co-sponsored by Virginia Senator Charles Robb, Senate bill S.345, which
would ban the interstate transport of birds for the purposes of
cockfighting, is currently generating a fair amount of controversy
statewide. Reports Nancy Blaney, Director of ASPCA Federal Government
Affairs, "His office is getting inundated with calls from cockfighters
opposing the bill."
As Senator Robb has been a wonderful friend to animals--and is currently
in a hot race for his seat right now--the ASPCA is urging News Alert
readers, especially Virginia residents, to call Robb's office at (202)
224-4024 and thank him for his terrific support of this important bill.
JUST OPENED: ART EXHIBIT FOR, AND BY, GORILLAS As part of the Queens,
NY, 2000 Millennium Celebration, an exhibit featuring artwork by lowland
gorillas will be on display at Queens Theatre in the Park now through
October 31. The show spotlights a variety of images by Michael, who
unexpectedly passed away at the age of 27 this past spring, and Koko,
both known for their mastery of American Sign Language as well as for
their painting. Koko lives at the Woodland, CA, headquarters of the
Gorilla Foundation, a group dedicated to the preservation of gorillas
and their habitat. Included in the exhibit are Koko's "Bird"--the
subject of the painting is a rescued fledgling bluejay whose insatiable
appetite prompted Koko to nickname her "Tongue"--and "Stink Gorilla
More," a still life based on a bouquet of flowers brought by Michael's
teacher for him to paint. Proceeds from the sale of the works in the
exhibit, which also includes oil paintings and tapestries by human
artists C.J. Barnard and D'Jak, will benefit The Gorilla Foundation.
Everyone is invited to see the show, which is open from noon to 6 pm
Tuesdays through Saturdays until the end of October. The theatre is
located just past the Unisphere in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Call
(718) 760-0686 for directions. For more on Koko, Michael and The Gorilla
Foundation, visit http://www.koko.org.
PETFINDER HAPPY TAIL OF THE WEEK: A LITTLE BUBBLY Walking through the
woods near her recently renovated cottage in Blairstown, NJ, Lori
Nienstedt kept thinking that her new digs were too nice not to be
shared. Nienstedt had longed for a dog since she was a little girl, and
now seemed to be the right time in her life to make a commitment to an
animal companion.
Nienstedt began her search for the perfect canine online. After logging
on to a nearby shelter's site, she linked to http://www.petfinder.com,
the ASPCA's online partner and Internet database of more than 18,000
pets at some 1,300 shelters and foster homes nationwide. As she scanned
the listings, one picture--of a black retriever named Champagne
Amy--stopped her.
"I read the description and my heart melted," she recalls. The dog had
been abandoned after 8 1/2 years with her former owners. Nienstedt
immediately called the number listed under the Champagne Amy's picture,
and soon the dog's "foster mom" from the Sussex County Friends of
Animals arrived at the cottage, Amy in tow, for an interview.
From the moment the dog entered the tiny cottage, reports Nienstedt, she
seemed to sense that something better was beginning. And these days, she
fits in like a dream with her new family--Nienstedt's mom babysits Amy
while her daughter is at work, and at the end of each day, Nienstedt is
greeted by the wag of a tail and "a big, sloppy kiss." And, according to
her new owner, "Everybody loves Amy." A toast to Petfinder and Sussex
County Friends of Animals for this sparkling success!
THERE *IS* SOMETHING NEW UNDER THE SUN--IN GREENLAND Meet Limnognathia
maerski, a recently discovered .1-millimeter-long freshwater organism
that does not fit into any of the known animal families. As reported by
Reuters, scientists from Copenhagen have established a new phylum for
the animal, first found in a well in northwestern Greenland. The tiny
creature's distinguishing feature is a set of complex jaws, used to
scrape bacteria and algae (i.e. food) from underwater moss.
UPDATE: GREAT NEWS FOR MILITARY DOGS!
Thanks to support from concerned animal lovers nationwide, HR 5314,
introduced by U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD), was passed by the House
of Representatives last week. Under the new legislation, retired
military working dogs (MWDs) can now be adopted by their handlers or
other individuals who are experienced in working with military or police
dogs. Under the previous law, MWDs were euthanized at the end of their
tenure with no option for adoption.
Marianne Radziewicz, Associate Director of the ASPCA's National
Legislative Office in Washington, D.C., is tracking the bill and will
advise News Alert readers on any future senate action. "Congressman
Bartlett deserves a huge thank-you from all of us for taking the time to
write and move this bill on such short notice at the end of an extremely
jam-packed congressional year," says Radziewicz. Please call Bartlett at
(202) 225-2721 to express your appreciation, or write to him at the U.S.
House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515.
WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
The folks at Vertebrate View are serious about achieving their vision of
a knowledgeable, compassionate public, so their home on the Web,
http://www.vview.org, makes it easy for surfers to find all the
information on animal-welfare topics they need. Frequented by the
ASPCA's Julie Morris, Vice President, National Shelter Outreach, the
site is split up into separate sections for educators, activists, kids,
teens and humane workers. The virtual treasure trove for teachers
includes guidelines for animals in the classroom, dissection
alternatives and lesson plans. Plus, adds Morris, "There are lots of
links on a wide variety of topics."
WE NEED YOU TO HELP SPREAD THE ASPCA MESSAGE Know someone who cares
about animals and wants to make a difference? Please forward this issue
of ASPCA News Alert to them. Anyone with an e-mail address can subscribe
at our website, http://www.aspca.org, or by sending an e-mail with a
blank message to join-ne...@list.aspca.org. To instantly contact
your state and federal officials about animal issues, visit
http://www.lobbynet.com/ASPCA/.
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
*
ASPCA HOSTS "PET PARTNERS" WORKSHOP FOR COMPANION ANIMALS AND THEIR
OWNERS
You've heard of visiting pets who meet and greet at hospitals, nursing
homes and other long-term care facilities, and you may even be aware of
animals used as part of rehabilitation therapy programs. But did you
know that just being around an animal helps patients heal faster,
bolsters their self esteem, lowers their blood pressure and encourages
positive social interactions?
Last month, the ASPCA Center for Behavioral Therapy offered pet owners
the chance to become involved in animal-assisted activities by
training--with their animal companions--to be certified Pet Partner
Teams. In the first day-long seminar, participants learned about the
Renton, WA-based Delta Society, which developed the program, and found
out exactly what it takes to be a winning team. Dog-and-owner duos were
evaluated in part II of the workshop; those who passed went on to be
certified. "Being a Pet Partners Team is one of the most exciting things
you can do as a volunteer," said Michelle Siegel, Dog Obedience
Instructor for ASPCA's Companion Animal Services and the lead instructor
for the seminar. Siegel was assisted by her collie Alfalfa, a two-year
Pet Partner alumnus.
To find out if Delta Society is offering training and certification near
you, visit http://www.deltasociety.org/.
ATTENTION VIRGINIA RESIDENTS: SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR PRO-ANIMAL SENATOR
Co-sponsored by Virginia Senator Charles Robb, Senate bill S.345, which
would ban the interstate transport of birds for the purposes of
cockfighting, is currently generating a fair amount of controversy
statewide. Reports Nancy Blaney, Director of ASPCA Federal Government
Affairs, "His office is getting inundated with calls from cockfighters
opposing the bill."
As Senator Robb has been a wonderful friend to animals--and is currently
in a hot race for his seat right now--the ASPCA is urging News Alert
readers, especially Virginia residents, to call Robb's office at (202)
224-4024 and thank him for his terrific support of this important bill.
JUST OPENED: ART EXHIBIT FOR, AND BY, GORILLAS As part of the Queens,
NY, 2000 Millennium Celebration, an exhibit featuring artwork by lowland
gorillas will be on display at Queens Theatre in the Park now through
October 31. The show spotlights a variety of images by Michael, who
unexpectedly passed away at the age of 27 this past spring, and Koko,
both known for their mastery of American Sign Language as well as for
their painting. Koko lives at the Woodland, CA, headquarters of the
Gorilla Foundation, a group dedicated to the preservation of gorillas
and their habitat. Included in the exhibit are Koko's "Bird"--the
subject of the painting is a rescued fledgling bluejay whose insatiable
appetite prompted Koko to nickname her "Tongue"--and "Stink Gorilla
More," a still life based on a bouquet of flowers brought by Michael's
teacher for him to paint. Proceeds from the sale of the works in the
exhibit, which also includes oil paintings and tapestries by human
artists C.J. Barnard and D'Jak, will benefit The Gorilla Foundation.
Everyone is invited to see the show, which is open from noon to 6 pm
Tuesdays through Saturdays until the end of October. The theatre is
located just past the Unisphere in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Call
(718) 760-0686 for directions. For more on Koko, Michael and The Gorilla
Foundation, visit http://www.koko.org.
PETFINDER HAPPY TAIL OF THE WEEK: A LITTLE BUBBLY Walking through the
woods near her recently renovated cottage in Blairstown, NJ, Lori
Nienstedt kept thinking that her new digs were too nice not to be
shared. Nienstedt had longed for a dog since she was a little girl, and
now seemed to be the right time in her life to make a commitment to an
animal companion.
Nienstedt began her search for the perfect canine online. After logging
on to a nearby shelter's site, she linked to http://www.petfinder.com,
the ASPCA's online partner and Internet database of more than 18,000
pets at some 1,300 shelters and foster homes nationwide. As she scanned
the listings, one picture--of a black retriever named Champagne
Amy--stopped her.
"I read the description and my heart melted," she recalls. The dog had
been abandoned after 8 1/2 years with her former owners. Nienstedt
immediately called the number listed under the Champagne Amy's picture,
and soon the dog's "foster mom" from the Sussex County Friends of
Animals arrived at the cottage, Amy in tow, for an interview.
From the moment the dog entered the tiny cottage, reports Nienstedt, she
seemed to sense that something better was beginning. And these days, she
fits in like a dream with her new family--Nienstedt's mom babysits Amy
while her daughter is at work, and at the end of each day, Nienstedt is
greeted by the wag of a tail and "a big, sloppy kiss." And, according to
her new owner, "Everybody loves Amy." A toast to Petfinder and Sussex
County Friends of Animals for this sparkling success!
THERE *IS* SOMETHING NEW UNDER THE SUN--IN GREENLAND Meet Limnognathia
maerski, a recently discovered .1-millimeter-long freshwater organism
that does not fit into any of the known animal families. As reported by
Reuters, scientists from Copenhagen have established a new phylum for
the animal, first found in a well in northwestern Greenland. The tiny
creature's distinguishing feature is a set of complex jaws, used to
scrape bacteria and algae (i.e. food) from underwater moss.
UPDATE: GREAT NEWS FOR MILITARY DOGS!
Thanks to support from concerned animal lovers nationwide, HR 5314,
introduced by U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD), was passed by the House
of Representatives last week. Under the new legislation, retired
military working dogs (MWDs) can now be adopted by their handlers or
other individuals who are experienced in working with military or police
dogs. Under the previous law, MWDs were euthanized at the end of their
tenure with no option for adoption.
Marianne Radziewicz, Associate Director of the ASPCA's National
Legislative Office in Washington, D.C., is tracking the bill and will
advise News Alert readers on any future senate action. "Congressman
Bartlett deserves a huge thank-you from all of us for taking the time to
write and move this bill on such short notice at the end of an extremely
jam-packed congressional year," says Radziewicz. Please call Bartlett at
(202) 225-2721 to express your appreciation, or write to him at the U.S.
House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515.
WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
The folks at Vertebrate View are serious about achieving their vision of
a knowledgeable, compassionate public, so their home on the Web,
http://www.vview.org, makes it easy for surfers to find all the
information on animal-welfare topics they need. Frequented by the
ASPCA's Julie Morris, Vice President, National Shelter Outreach, the
site is split up into separate sections for educators, activists, kids,
teens and humane workers. The virtual treasure trove for teachers
includes guidelines for animals in the classroom, dissection
alternatives and lesson plans. Plus, adds Morris, "There are lots of
links on a wide variety of topics."
WE NEED YOU TO HELP SPREAD THE ASPCA MESSAGE Know someone who cares
about animals and wants to make a difference? Please forward this issue
of ASPCA News Alert to them. Anyone with an e-mail address can subscribe
at our website, http://www.aspca.org, or by sending an e-mail with a
blank message to join-ne...@list.aspca.org. To instantly contact
your state and federal officials about animal issues, visit
http://www.lobbynet.com/ASPCA/.
Patricia K.
Oct 19, 2000, 3:00:00 AM10/19/00
to
Great news for the military dogs.
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