Mississippi

Corinth-Alcorn County Animal Shelter under scrutiny for alleged neglect...

CritterCauses — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 03:38:17 GMT

This letter appears on a local website (www.ms-fact.org) and the author is asking that people call city & county officials to voice their concern over this.

ALCORN COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY UNDER SCRUTINY BY LOCALS

I am writing to you because you all reside in MS and maybe will let your voices be heard. I know MS is trying to get an animal cruelty act passed right now. We have animal cruelty happening right here in Corinth MS at the local "humane" shelter. And something needs to be done. Any help anyone can give by calling them, the mayor, the board of supervisors would be appreciated.

They had puppies (about a dozen) outside on wet concrete with no houses to get in or bedding yesterday during all the rain. There was a roof over their head but they were cold and wet and rain was blowing in on them. 2 little puppies had the bottom of a pet taxi they were curled up in, one was sick and died a few hours later.

The had 30 plus small, medium, and large dogs in outside runs. Again the top was covered but the concrete runs were wet and the wind and rain was blowing in on them. NONE of them had houses to get in. One was a mother and her puppies.

This is in my opinion flat out animal cruelty.

A couple of ladies and myself called the police department who in return called the president of the shelter board. We got a few people out there, got the small puppies moved inside and fed. We found another cage inside with 2 black lab puppies, one was dead, cold and stiff. The other was so weak it could hardly stand. It ate almost a whole tube of nutri-cal.

The shelter worker, Keith, was instructed to put out dog houses for the animals. When we left he had 3-4 put out. I went back about an hour later and he was gone-none of the dogs in the 30+ kennels had a house to get in out of the blowing rain and wind.

One of the other ladies and myself went to the city police department and filed a complaint. We were told they "couldn't do anything."

This is unbelievable!! This is a city/county shelter that was just given $50,000 of the tax payers money. And this is flat out abuse.

I'm sure the animals out there spent a miserable, wet, cold (last time I checked temperature yesterday it was 53) night. Hopefully, none of them died.

If you have any suggestions on what we can do or know any news paper, TV people that might be interested please let me know.

The shelter is Corinth Alcorn County Animal Shelter. The mayor is Jerry Latch. I believe Gary Ross is over the Board of supervisors and John Mercier is over the shelter board.

Letter written by Janet S.

October 3, 2009

Re: Breed Ban in Jackson, MS is on the city agenda again!

CritterCauses — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:32:30 GMT

Just found out: Mr. Weill is the principal alderman who supports BSL (and the chair of the Rules Comm.) so he's the one we need to educate. Good news is there's one alderman on the board that's had pet pit bulls for 14 years, according to his response to my email about the issue.

Breed Ban in Jackson, MS is on the city agenda again!

CritterCauses — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:26:29 GMT

According to the city council agenda for October 20th posted on the City of Jackson website, the "Rules Committee" (open agenda, scroll down to "in committee" section) will be revisiting the breed ban issue. Neighboring cities of Ridgeland, Clinton, and Brandon have each passed BSL in prior years targeting pit bull breeds (Am PB, Am Staff, mixed PB) and Rottweilers.

BSL seems to be spreading quickly throughout Mississippi and we've got to stop it. Please call city officials and voice your concern on this issue. We've got a lot of folks to educate in Mississippi and it's up to us to provide the decision makers with the information they need to make the right decisions. It is a tough task in the face of towns throughout MS passing BSL every year but we must continue to fight and make our voices heard.

www.jacksonms.gov/government/citycouncil

Mr. Jeff Weill, Rules Committee (Chair)

(601) 960-2051 Best way to contact: Jweillsr@aol.com

Proposed Felony Animal Cruelty Law for Pets

CritterCauses — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 05:13:31 GMT

Once again, a bill to establish a felony animal cruelty law for cats and dogs will be proposed to the MS State Legislature in the upcoming 2010 session. It is incumbent upon us to do all that we can to ensure this legislation is passed. Please take the time to call, email, or write your senator and representative to voice your support for a felony animal cruelty law, and ask your legislator if you can count on his or her support when it comes to a vote.

In your communication, please mention: (1) that you are a voting constituent; (2) that MS is 1 of only 4 states that does NOT have felony protections for pets; (3) that MS does have a felony cruelty law for livestock and that you'd like to see the same law designed for cats and dogs; and (4) give an example of a cruelty case that should've been prosecuted as a felony due to the heinous or serious nature of the offense.

Case examples can be found at www.PetAbuse.com under the "Mississippi" section. Current laws for our state can be found online in the Mississippi Code Annotated.

A great way to get people in your community talking about the issue is to write a Letter to the Editor of your local newspaper. Ask your friends, family, and fellow animal lovers to send in letters as well--more letters create more buzz!

If you find yourself speaking to a legislator who downplays the issue of animal cruelty, or simply doesn't think it's an important issue, discuss the link between animal cruelty and human violence. Cruelty to animals is often a precursor to violence toward humans. Mention Luke Woodham, the Pearl High School shooter, who tortured and killed his dog before embarking on his shooting spree at school. Let your legislator know that the FBI, American Psychiatric Association, and the National District Attorneys Association have evidenced this link for decades and support the passage of felony animal cruelty laws.

Take action and let's win this one for our animals!

Need homes for young and older kittens in North MS

sja — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 02:17:35 GMT

I've been caring for two litters of kittens. One litter 12 weeks old, another litter 7 mos old. I've attempted to find homes for them but have had very little success. I did not want to take them to a local shelter because they are not "no kill" shelters. Recently I had all the kittens spayed and rabies shots. I still need to find safe and caring homes for these precious little kittens. Anyone have suggestions?

Need help feeding community cats in Columbia, MS

bjkoll — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:01:26 GMT

Deb from South Dakota is looking for help for a group of community cats in Columbia, MS - approximately 25-30 miles from Hattiesburg. Her mother fed these cats for many years, but she passed away on June 17th. Deb and her family (brothers who also live in other states) tried to make arrangements for the cats when they were there but only 2 of the approximately 20 cats were placed. They live in a colony, but like to be petted and follow you around. There is no one there to feed or water them anymore and Deb fears they will end up dead soon without help. Is there anyone out there who can assist with feeding these kitties and even perhaps trapping some of them and getting them to a no-kill shelter?

Deb can be contacted at sashanren@peoplepc.com.

Resources

admin — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 09:06:59 GMT

Documents

Links

Rescues

Shelters

Spay/Neuter Programs

RE: Dangers from heatstroke

bjkoll — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:27:21 GMT

Click here for summer time tips for cool kitties.

Health and Safety Tips for Pets : Pool and water safety

bjkoll — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:51:01 GMT

Backyard and neighborhood swimming pools are favorite gathering places for families during the summer but can be deadly for pets and wildlife. Click here for safety tips from The Humane Society of the United States.

Photo credit: MorgueFile.com

RE: Dangers from heatstroke

bjkoll — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:40:04 GMT

Click here for tips from PurinaCare on protecting your pets from heatstroke and other warm weather ailments.

Health and Safety Tips for Pets : Dangers from heatstroke

bjkoll — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 18:41:34 GMT

Now that summer is officially here, we all look forward to spending many long, sunny days outdoors. Spending too much time outdoors in hot weather can be dangerous for pets and people alike. Just like people, even the healthiest pets can suffer from heatstroke and other heat-related ailments if overexposed to the heat. Click here for tips from the ASPCA on preventing heatstroke in animals and information on the warning signs of heatstroke.

Photo credit: MorgueFile.com

RE: How to tell if your cat is sick

bjkoll — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:03:36 GMT

Click here for more tips on how to tell when your pet is in pain.

Health and Safety Tips for Pets : How to tell if your cat is sick

bjkoll — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:21:27 GMT

Our cats are notorious for not letting us know when they're sick until they're really sick and can no longer hide it. By that time, medical treatment may be much more involved than if they had given us early warning signs of their illness. This is why it is crucial that you examine your cats regularly and take them to the vet for regular “well cat” check ups. It is worth the cost of the check up and keeps cats healthy and happy. Additionally, it is usually less costly than treating an illness after it becomes well established.

The following are some warning signs that your cat may not be feeling well:
• Changes in chewing, eating and drinking habits
• Noticeable weight gain or loss in an adult cat; weight loss in kitten
• Withdrawal from interaction with the family and other pets
• Changes in activity level
• Increased or decreased vocalization
• Changes in litter box habits
• Changes in grooming habits – either grooms less or grooms excessively

If your cat shows any of the above signs, contact your veterinarian immediately and schedule an appointment.

Photo credit: MorgueFile.com

Health and Safety Tips for Pets : HSUS Top 10 Summer Safety Tips

bjkoll — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 22:20:55 GMT

Summer is almost here and it's time to start thinking about how the warm weather will impact your pets. Whether you and your pets are taking a walk in the park, a swim in the ocean, a leisurely drive or just hanging out in the backyard, there are extra steps you can take to keep them healthy, happy and safe. Click here for The Humane Society of the United States’ top 10 summer safety tips for your pets.

Photo Credit: MorgueFile.com

Health and Safety Tips for Pets : Nutro Cat Food Recall

bjkoll — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:27:41 GMT

On May 21, 2009, Nutro Products announced a voluntary recall of nearly all of its dry cat food. Anyone who has purchased affected products are being advised to immediately discontinue feeding the product to their cats and switch to another product with a balanced nutritional profile. Nutro dry and wet dog food, wet cat food and cat and dog treats are not affected.
Click here to read the FDA press release which includes a list of the affected products.

Photo courtesy of MorgueFile.com.

RE: Can our pets catch swine flu?

bjkoll — Fri, 01 May 2009 15:31:16 GMT

Information from the ASPCA

RE: Can our pets catch swine flu?

bjkoll — Fri, 01 May 2009 15:16:50 GMT

More information on swine flu and pets from The Dog Channel.

Animals in Need : Small lab mix needs home

leitenberger — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 02:22:17 GMT

Small lab mix needs home. wner is moving into an apartment . She is 2 and a half, spayed , up to date with shots etc.... email me at leitenberger@yahoo.com. I don't think she is house trained as she is mostly an outside dog.

Animals in Need : Dog-Friendly Chow Mix Seeks Forever Home – Please Cross-Post!

veganmarcy — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:42:12 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.

Health and Safety Tips for Pets : Can our pets catch swine flu?

bjkoll — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 15:12:15 GMT

With swine flu on the front page of every newspaper, pet owners across the nation are concerned about whether or not their companion animals can catch this illness. So far, there is no evidence that dogs and cats can catch swine flue and there are no known cases of pets being affected by swine flu. Click here to read more.