Alaska

Resources

admin — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 09:06:59 GMT

Documents

Links

Wee Helpers' Pet Care Products for People with Special Needs

Advocacy and Education

AK Statewide Domesticated Animal Rescue Groups

Alaska -- Anchorage and South Central Rescue Groups

Alaska -- Fairbanks and Northern Rescue Groups

Alaska -- Kenai, Kodiak, and Southwest Rescue Groups

Alaska -- Miscellaneous Links

Aurora Webcast

Alaska -- Southeast Rescue Groups

Gastineau Humane Society

Alaska -- Government Shelters and Animal Control

Alaska Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation

Centers and Museums -- Alaska

Conservation Education and Wildlife Groups in Alaska

Fairs, Festivals, and Farmer's Markets -- Alaska

Sandhill Crane Festival -- Fairbanks

Spay and Neuter Advocacy Resources

Project S.N.I.P. - Spay and Neuter Interior's Pets

Training, Activities, and Dog Park Links

Working together for Alaska animals : Dog-Friendly Chow Mix Seeks Forever Home – Please Cross-Post!

veganmarcy — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:49:11 GMT

Smokey is an active and healthy 6-years-young Chow/Shepherd/Rotti mix. He has been with 11th Hour Rescue for over 2 years. He is currently at our shelter, but is occasionally fostered by a volunteer with 6 other dogs. If you want a buddy for your dogs, Smokey’s the best! You can see a video of Smokey at: http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=11162966

Smokey LOVES other dogs (he knows to be gentle with smaller ones) and is great with his foster parents, however he has “guarding issues”. Trying to “protect” his home and owners has lead to biting. He has NEVER gone after his fosterers and trusts them 100%. His caregiver can take food away from him; check his teeth, paws, mouth; give him a bath…pretty much handle him however they want. He is also crate-trained and housebroken.

Smokey is a “big puppy” who lives to play with and meet new dogs. Yard time is fun time for Smokey! His wariness about trusting people stems from low self-esteem and past abandonment. He does not show outwardly aggressive body language when nervous, which means that he would require a dog savvy home. Once Smokey bonds with you, he would never go after you – and he bonds quickly. His forever family would increase his confidence and trust as a “nervous aggression” dog. Someone who knows when company visits, he must be crated or put in another room to avoid the “guarding” behavior.

He is a great dog that deserves a chance at having a loving home, because he has so much love and loyalty to give to you!

Smokey is neutered and up-to-date on his vaccinations.

Please contact his fosterer tammy.probst.smith@gmail.com for more info.

Working together for Alaska animals : October 08 - The Hartz Mountain Corporation Voluntarily Recalls One Specific Lot of Nationwide Chicken-Basted Rawhide Chips Because of Possible Salmonella Contamination

punky0617 — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 06:15:44 GMT

Recall -- Firm Press Release
FDA posts press releases and other notices of recalls and market withdrawals from the firms involved as a service to consumers, the media, and other interested parties. FDA does not endorse either the product or the company.

The Hartz Mountain Corporation Voluntarily Recalls One Specific Lot of Nationwide Chicken-Basted Rawhide Chips Because of Possible Health Risk
Contact:
John Mullane
(914) 712 9150

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- October 20, 2008 -- The Hartz Mountain Corporation, Secaucus, NJ is voluntarily recalling one specific lot of Hartz Chicken-Basted Rawhide Chips due to concerns that one or more bags within the lot are potentially contaminated with Salmonella. Hartz is fully cooperating with the US Food and Drug Administration in this voluntary recall.

Salmonella can cause serious infections in dogs, and, if there is cross-contamination caused by handling of the rawhide chips, in people as well, especially children, the aged, and people with compromised immune systems. Healthy people potentially infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. On rare occasions, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Animals can be carriers with no visible symptoms and can potentially infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

The product involved is 4,850 - 2 pound plastic bags of Hartz Chicken-Basted Rawhide Chips, lot code JC23282, UPC number 3270096463 which were distributed to a national retail customer. While the normal testing that Hartz conducts through an independent outside laboratory did not detect the presence of Salmonella in any Hartz rawhide products, sample testing conducted by another laboratory did indicate the presence of the bacteria in a sample bag of the Chicken-Basted Rawhide Chips. Hartz is aggressively investigating the difference in test results and the potential source of the problem.

Although Hartz has not received any reports of animals or humans becoming ill as a result of coming into contact with this product, Hartz is taking immediate steps to remove the product from all retail stores and distribution centers. Dog owners who purchased this product should check the lot code on their bag, and, if the code is not visible, or if the bag has lot code JC23282 imprinted thereon, they should immediately discontinue use of the product and discard it in a proper manner.

Consumers can contact Hartz at 1-800-275-1414 with any questions they may have and to obtain reimbursement for purchased product.

http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/hartz10_08.html

Working together for Alaska animals : Metlakatla, Alaska (99926) home visit needed

sarah1 — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 23:00:14 GMT

Ratbone Rescues, a national rat terrier rescue, is in need of a home visit volunteer for an applicant in Metlakatla, Alaska (99926) who would like to adopt a rat terrier.

If you can help with this home visit, or if you know someone who can please contact me at slynn41202 @ yahoo.com.

Thank you for any help you can give!

Sarah

Ratbone Rescues
Home Visit Coordinator
slynn41202 @ yahoo.com

Working together for Alaska animals : June 08 - TimberWolf Organic Dog Food Recall

punky0617 — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 17:42:41 GMT

Important TimberWolf Organic Dog Food Recall Information
Due to recent reports from some customers, the TimberWolf Organic
company has ordered that two formulas from three specific dates be
pulled from the shelves. These are:

Dakota Bison with 'best by date' of 12 Feb 2009
Ocean Blue with 'best by date' of 20 Feb 2009
Ocean Blue with best by date' of 8 March 2009

The reported symptoms include dogs refusing to eat, diarrhea or
vomiting. TimberWolf Organics says that while the problem is
inconsistent (not every dog eating food from those dates/bag show the
symptoms and not every bag), to err on the side of caution have
decided to pull the formulas produced with the above dates. Initial
testing has come back negative for problems and further testing is
pending results.

TimberWolf Organics states that no other formulas and Ocean Blue and
Dakota Bison with dates other than ones listed above are not affected.

Click here for more information from the TimberWolf Website.

http://timberwolforganics.com/News-and-Events

Working together for Alaska animals : March 08 - The Hartz Mountain Corporation Recalls Vitamin Care for Cats Because of Possible Salmonella Contamination

punky0617 — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 17:41:12 GMT

The product involved is 739 bottles of Hartz Vitamin Care for Cats, lot code SZ 22771, UPC number 32700-97701.

http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/hartz03_08.html

Working together for Alaska animals : Help Feral Cats! Urge Senate to reject non-native species extermination bill

catmominme — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 19:32:17 GMT

Last month, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed H.R.767, a bill that would promote the killing of "harmful nonnative species." Officially called the Refuge Ecology Protection, Assistance, and Immediate Response Act (or REPAIR Act), H.R.767 includes feral cats as one of the species targeted for destruction. Please Take Action to urge your Senators to oppose H.R.767 when it reaches the Senate floor for a vote.

Send a message to your senators to STOP THIS BILL TODAY!

Spread the word! Tell all of your family and friends to send the message too!

Working together for Alaska animals : Call & email now! Your Senator is on a Committee That Can Stop Trophy Hunting of Polar Bears

Sherylcatmom — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 01:15:48 GMT

Click here to contact Senator Ted Stevems, R-Alaska

The HSUS writes:

Dear Friend,

Polar bears face the threat of global warming and melting ice in the Arctic, but shockingly, American trophy hunters still travel to Canada to shoot these animals in a head-hunting exercise.

This Thursday, the Senate Appropriations Committee may vote on an amendment by Senator Jack Reed (D-R.I.) to prohibit the import of sport-hunted polar bear trophies into the United States. Your Senator is a member of this important committee and will be voting on this issue.

Tell your Senator to protect polar bears.

Historically, American residents have not been allowed to import polar bear trophies under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. In 1994, however, Congress bowed to trophy hunting interests and created a loophole that allows the importation of polar bear trophies from Canada. Since then, more than 800 import permits have been issued.

The Reed Amendment to the Interior Appropriations bill would stop funding for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to issue permits for the importation of sport-hunted polar bear trophies. This would discourage U.S. trophy hunters from killing polar bears because they couldn't bring the heads and hides back across the border.

TAKE ACTION

Please make a brief, polite phone call to your U.S. Senator today and urge a vote of YES on the Reed Amendment to the Interior Appropriations bill to protect polar bears. Click here to look up your U.S. Senator who serves on the Appropriations Committee and his or her phone number.

Making a phone call is easy. A staff member will take your message and pass it to your legislator. You can say:

"My name is [your name] and I'm calling from [your city and state] to urge [your senator's name] to vote YES on the Reed Amendment to the Interior Appropriations bill to protect polar bears. At a time when polar bears are threatened by global warming and vanishing habitat, we should not allow American trophy hunters to kill these creatures in Canada just to bring home their heads and hides as trophies. Thank you."

After you make your call, send a follow-up email to your U.S. Senator to reiterate your concern for polar bears.

Finally, please urge your friends and family to help the bears, too.

Thank you for taking action to protect polar bears, and for all you do on behalf of animals.
Sincerely,

Mike Markarian
Executive Vice President
The Humane Society of the United States

Click here to contact Senator Ted Stevems, R-Alaska

Photo retrieved from US Fish & Wildlife

RE: Sammy Girl

isabel — Tue, 29 May 2007 23:41:40 GMT

What a looker!!

Wanted: Photos of your adopted pets : Sammy Girl

poochpower — Tue, 29 May 2007 19:49:06 GMT

We adopted Sammy when she was 1 1/2 years old. We think she is a cattle dog/lab/aussie mix. From the beginning, she fit perfectly into our family. She is always the first to greet any new foster dogs staying with us and lets them know that she will be their best pal. We couldn't have hoped for a better girl.

RE: Sydney - adopted in 2001

GeorgiaB — Mon, 28 May 2007 19:25:26 GMT

Love her collar AND her story. Thanks for sharing.

RE: Sydney - adopted in 2001

isabel — Sun, 27 May 2007 17:09:35 GMT

What a cutie. Kind of hard to believe she was a "tough girl"!!

Wanted: Photos of your adopted pets : Sydney - adopted in 2001

judylew — Sun, 27 May 2007 08:20:12 GMT

I adopted Sydney when she was 1-1/2 from Home At Last Rescue. She's a Lab/Sharpei mix. She was pretty dog agressive when I got her. With lots of work, patience and love we've worked through her issues. She passed her Therapy Dog training this past March. I'm so proud of her! The picture was taken at her Pet Therapy graduation.

RE: photo

GeorgiaB — Sun, 27 May 2007 07:30:32 GMT

After you click on "Wanted: Photos of your adopted pets", click on "new topic" at the top of the forum subject. You will then see a line for the title of your photo, an area where you can write a description, and at the end of the forum, a place to insert a photo. Be sure the photo is less than 100 kb in size or it will take a long time to load.

Looking forward to seeing your photo:~)

photo

gerardlovesjoy — Sun, 27 May 2007 02:20:31 GMT

how do I insert a photo?

Margery, can you verify information on your website?

Celeste — Fri, 18 May 2007 22:35:30 GMT

Question from Cban:
I would love to see some verification of your website. If you may provide some info from other sources, other than activist sites such as yours more people may belive you. Alot of people seem to feel that you are just another activist doing this for money and attention.

Response from Margery Glickman:
Please take the Iditarod Challenge. You can read and verify all the quotes on http://www.helpsleddogs.org/remarks.htm and on all the pages that link to it. The links can be found in the drop box at the top and at the bottom of the page.

The Sled Dog Action Coalition does not accept or solicit donations. Because my goal is to help the dogs, I am happy when the media educates people about the cruelties of the Iditarod.

Mushers run their dogs into the ground for money and attention. Rachael Scdoris even hired a public relations firm to handle her. Susan Butcher was represented by speaker's bureaus. The list goes on and on of how greedy mushers hope to profit from their Iditarod involvement.

Do mushers have anything to hide?

Celeste — Fri, 18 May 2007 20:46:54 GMT

Question from abijones:
If sled dog kennels are so awful, how do mushers get away with offering public kennel tours? Surely if conditions were as bad as you say, they'd want to keep people AWAY from their kennels.

Response from Margery Glickman:
That's like saying, if 4-H livestock are just going to be killed after the County or State fair exhibit, why is the public allowed to view them? Alaska animal cruelty laws exempt mushers, which is one important reason why sled dog abuse continues. Until they're held accountable for their actions, they have no reason to continue to do anything other than exploit the dogs any way they can, including giving tours.

Another question might be, "Why do people go?" Perhaps, like at fairs, because they want to see the animals, or perhaps they don't realize the fate of all those "fine looking" specimens, or perhaps they're hoping to mutter a few comments, educate others and maybe change some minds.

Some people who are curious about sled dogs take kennel tours in Alaska. I can assure you than many of them are horrified with what they see. One person sent me a Youtube video referring to, "The pathetic, muddy condition of the kennel:" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGn7H2ah3aI&mode=related&search=. It might as well be footage of a puppy mill....lots and lots of dogs living in extremely confined quarters, little to no socialization, lots of barking.

While the conditions in many traditional animal shelters aren't perfect, shelter workers try to get the dogs adopted out as soon as possible. Competitive mushers protect what they think is their "right" to keep dogs in substandard conditions while breeding more puppies to either death or the same fate as their parents.

What if we do end the mushing industry?

Celeste — Fri, 18 May 2007 20:43:28 GMT

Question from spinner:
I have a couple of difficult questions but I feel they need to be addressed. Take the average racing husky who is sitting at the end of a chain with hundreds others just like her today, as we write this. This winter she will probably be forced to race again. How does writing sponsors and supporters help her? Unfortunately, most sponsors are not showing any sign of dropping their support. At this rate, the Iditarod is not going to be stopped in the foreseeable future. Shouldn't we be more focused on directly helping individual huskies by working to methodically put racing kennels out of business? And, if we stop competitive sled dog racing, what will happen to the thousands upon thousands of racing huskies?

Response from Margery Glickman:
Many sponsors in the lower 48 are becoming educated and ending their Iditarod support. As more Alaskans and others become educated about the plight of the dogs, the race will lose support. Fewer dogs will be exploited as the Iditarod is funded, hyped and romanticized less. For too long the media as promoted the race as adventure, when the dogs, the ones who do all the work, suffer greatly.

Some argue that mushing is part of the heritage of the state, harking back to when dogs were the only transportation besides reindeer (domesticated caribou). They read White Fang or Call of the Wild and longed for the pioneer spirit and true grit Jack London described in his books. There are those who read Black Beauty and long for those times, even though the author describes in detail horses being overworked, beaten and oppressed. Those who read David Copperfield or Oliver Twist may have noticed the children were also overworked, beaten or oppressed. The ASPCA came along over a century ago and worked to improve conditions for both horses & children. With the advent of the motor vehicle and lots of hard work, their efforts became a success. Now horses are no longer routinely used for transportation, nor is it legal and accepted to beat them. Children are no longer forced into labor or systematically abused, either. With snowmobiles now being readily available and cost effective, there is no longer any valid reason to keep using dogs for transportation.

There are countless other examples of abuse becoming obsolete: Dog racing as a "sport" is falling by the wayside. The bull rings in Spain are closing down. Fox hunting in England is no longer legal. Just because we used to do something, doesn't mean we have to continue to do so in perpetuity. Again and again, we've proven that humanity is a stronger force than heritage.

Some people argue that mushing brings in tourist dollars. Whaling to the point that many species of whale nearly left our planet forever used to be a big money-maker, too. Somehow, Alaska survived the end of whaling as a primary means of revenue. People who object to inherently cruel sporting events such as the Iditarod point to still-lucrative draws such as eco-tourism as viable tourist alternatives. There is even a growing international trend toward "working vacations" wherein visitors donate their time to nonprofits. What about putting tourists to good use socializing, exercising & feeding former sled dogs? What about converting former breeding and mushing kennels into sanctuaries for the dogs to "retire," instead?

It's difficult for me to to definitively answer your question about what will happen to the thousands upon thousands of racing huskies, because there are just so many variables involved. Here are just a few: Will competitive sled dog racing end immediately? Every race? Will it end it stages? Which races would end first? If competitive races in Maine end in stages how many dogs would be impacted? Are the people in Maine likely to find homes for the dogs? Will Iditarod dog mushers keep many of their dogs as breeding stock and start selling huskies to pet stores?

There questions I listed are just a very small sample of those on the list. But, I suspect that if enough people became aware of the problems of competitive mushing and made it their concern to advocate against it, those same people would care enough to help find homes for any dogs freed of their occupation. I have no doubt that we as a concerned nation can come up with viable alternatives to breeding "thousands upon thousands" of husky pups every year to be "culled," kept as workers, sold or rehomed. After all, it's a lot easier to find homes for a retired dog once, than to find homes for his or her offspring season after season.

What about mushers who beat their dogs?

Celeste — Fri, 18 May 2007 19:09:49 GMT

Question from Trent:
During the 2007 Iditarod witnesses reported that musher Ramy Brooks beat his dogs. What do you know about this situation?

Response from Margery Glickman:
During the 2007 Iditarod, a teacher and two others reported that Ramy Brooks beat and slugged his dogs. After this incident, Brooks' dog Kate died (March 14). The Iditarod still hasn't said how Kate died. Race officials frequently don't say how dogs die during the race.

Here's what the Nome Nugget reported about the Brooks incident:

"The school teacher saw Iditarod musher Ramy Brooks beat and kick his dogs when they sat down on the lake ice, refusing to keep going.

Pamiptchuk witnessed the beating on Tuesday, March 13 around 6 p.m. 'I saw Ramy trying to get his team off the glare ice on the lake as they left town,' Paniptchuk told the Nome Nugget. 'The team didn't want to move. At first he scolded them, then he went up front and pulled them, they still didn't want to go. He was yelling and swearing at them and then went up and down the line, hitting them first with his hands.'

According to Paniptchuk, when the dogs still wouldn't go, he also kicked a few of them. 'I heard him swearing and cussing and when they didn't move, he took his ski pole and started hitting them until they were whining,' she said."

"Paniptchuk said that Brooks kept dragging his lead dogs in an attempt to get them going. 'At one point he lifted his lead dog up by the collar and dropped it. It fell limp to the ground,' she said.

Ramy Brooks arrived in Nome with a dead dog in the basket. Kate a three-year-old female died on the way from White Mountain to Safety."

The Iditarod disqualified Brooks but has not yet decided if it will take further action against him. The Anchorage Daily News says that Iditarod Board will meet on Friday, May 18 to determine Brooks' fate.

The Board may ban Brooks for life. In the past these bans have been meaningless gestures. The 1976 Iditarod winner, Jerry Riley, was accused of striking his dog with a snow hook (a large, sharp and heavy metal claw). In 1996, one of Rick Swenson's dogs died while he mushed his team through waist-deep water and ice. The Iditarod Trail Committee banned both mushers from the race, but later reinstated them. In many states these incidents would be considered animal cruelty. Swenson is now on the Iditarod Board of Directors.

Why not work to fix problems with competitive mushing?

Celeste — Fri, 18 May 2007 18:09:27 GMT

Question from alaskamaryann:
I hope you find time to look into some of the positively progressive mushers, to give them some credit for trying to change the old-school training and mushing styles. Kind of like the way we are working to educate people that "it is the breeder, not the breed", or "its the handler, not the dog".

How about Libby Riddles, for example? Perhaps the female mushers are more tender and responsible, but that is a generalization, and we all need to be careful of generalizations. When asked to, "Summarize your basic kennel management style," Libby Riddles' response was, "The way I am most comfortable managing my kennel is where the dogs come first. Competition is fun, and helps pay for my sled dog habit, but has never been the main focus. I just enjoy having the dogs. I raise few pups, make the most of the ones I have, and keep most of my dogs into their social security years. When I sell dogs, I carefully scrutinize buyers to find those who will provide the best homes for the dogs."

I appreciate your bringing awareness of the PROBLEMS associated with the "sport", but let's work to make the situation better. I know, some people will always advocate that the "sport" should be outlawed, and perhaps that time will come. But as a comparison, I personally think the sport of gymnastics (Olympic or otherwise) should be outlawed for causing stunted growth in children and for promoting inhuman (inhumane) physical and emotional expectations to be placed upon small girls at such a young age - by parents, coaches, the sporting community, and the public.

Please give some credit to the folks who are working very hard to change the game, to change the rules, to make it better. They deserve better than to be brushed aside or even worse, be lumped in with the rest of the "baddies."

(p.s. I appreciate the discussions.)

Response from Margery Glickman:
The Sled Dog Action Coalition is opposed to behaviors which harm dogs. Most recreational mushers go very short distances with their dogs and don't keep them chained. Since they are mushing for fun, not competition, they don't normally use cruel training techniques as competitive mushers do. You can read about cruel dog training on http://www.helpsleddogs.org/remarks-crueldogtraining.htm.

All this is not to say that every single recreational musher is responsible. It's to say that in general many of them are.

Talk is cheap. It's easy for musher to claim that they love their dogs. It's easy to say that in their dog lots, the dogs come first. But, observers report that Libby keeps dogs living at the end of a chain. Tethering dogs is a cruel practice.

In addition, Riddles put her dogs at grave risk by racing them in the Iditarod. Did you know that she left a checkpoint in a terrible blizzard just so she could win?

The bottom line is that people who love and care about their dogs neither force them to race in the Iditarod (1,000 miles on ice!) nor keep them tethered. I hear what you're saying about making things better...but why wax the finished on a totalled car? Races such as the Iditarod are inherently abuse and exploitative. There are not enough changes in the world to make them otherwise.

Even now, Riddles benefits from her Iditarod involvement. Carnival Corporation in Miami pays her to promote the Iditarod on cruise ships.