First They Starved Them, Then They Shot Them

One hundred sled dogs in Whistler, British Columbia, owned by Outdoor Adventures. All because their bookings were down since the 2010 Olympics. You have no idea how angry I am. You have no idea how angry Hub is. He wrote every person we know in B.C., which are plenty, telling them we would no longer patronize their galleries nor any other B.C. business unless the killer, his company and the SPCA were thrown in jail and the key thrown away.

Considering the movie Sled Dogs is one of my favorites, because I love those crazy dogs, I'm left dumbstruck. I don't know who to be the most angry with. The killer who is on "stress leave" after killing the dogs last April, the owner who ordered the slaughter or the SPCA who ignored numerous complaints regarding the conditions under which the dogs were living. Made, actually, by the man who did the shooting. He could and should have done more.

The SPCA called, but did not visit the site citing insufficient staff. A call to the owner informed them the dogs were in good condition. Well, duh! They dismissed the complaint by the employee, choosing not to substantiate it.

Other than basic good care, like water, food and warm shelter, sled dogs are a difficult bunch to look after. They have special needs. They need to run. Finding homes for them isn't like having you or me take one in, but it is not an impossible task, especially in regions like the northwest where dog sledding is popular. Ads in dog magazines and the papers would have done the trick.

I found it interesting that the story, in discussing who might be charged, the ages of both the owner and the killer were given. Like that makes a difference? I think not! Both are adult men. The only question I have is about the IQ of the shooter. Smart enough to file a complaint but too weak to defy the grisly order. Not much of a shot either, according to reports of dogs needing to be chased down and finished off. Are you getting queasy yet?

The dogs were buried in a mass grave and a plea has gone out asking the public to stay away so the site isn't contaminated and the RCMP and SPCA can do their job. I hope the "job" the RCMP does is better than the one the SPCA did. In fact I'd have the SPCA stay the hell out of the way.

The owner should be hung and quartered. The shooter? He could have said no. He wasn't going to have a job long anyway, if business was so poor! And yes, he has received a death threat.

Listen to all those words. Hung and quartered.  Death threat. Here I could probably be arrested for using inciteful language. There is, however, nothing they could do to me that would be worse than what was allowed to happen to those dogs.

One friend has already replied and assured us the anger is just as rampant there as it is with us. Of that I am glad. Maybe some changes will be made. What use is there of having organizations begging us for money to help poor, helpless animals if they don't do the job.

Just where does that money go anyway?

Speaking of Rights ~ Our Animals Deserve Better

We have a lot of animal hoarding cases in this area. Maybe it's because much of it is remote and are easily overlooked. They often end up as cases of animal cruelty. What really angers me is when there are repeat offenders.

Just this past weekend animal welfare personnel responded to a complaint and found over 120 animals in dire need of attention. The number is staggering. Twenty seven goats, 15 cats, 9 guinea pigs, 6 rabbits, ducks, chickens, sheep...

A sheep had to be euthanized at the site. The cats were suffering from respiratory infections and pneumonia and had been exposed to distemper.  Many, I would suppose, will not make it.

To make matters worse, if you can imagine, 76 dead animals were found.  The owner of these poor creatures was on site when the raid occurred.  What kind of a person is she?  How could you live with 15 cats with respiratory problems and ignore it?  Because you can't afford to do anything?  Or you just don't care?

And 76 dead animals. That is just beyond my comprehension.  How they must have suffered. It's winter here.  And cold.  And wet.  Horrible.  Just horrible.

This woman.  Unbelievably she had been convicted of 13 misdemeanor charges in 2004 including five counts of animal cruelty for keeping animals in an "unsafe manner".  That time around dogs and turtle were part of the mix. There was also an illegal kennel.  So what happened to her?   Two years probation.  Probation!

Perhaps animal hoarders should have a mandatory mental evaluation before they are turned loose to do it again.  They are definitely suffering a disconnect.  It's strange, they hoard to fill some inner need, yet they abuse.  Is that the need? I'm not so sure it is, but it is too often the result.

The mother who shot her two children, currently in the news, will probably go to prison for the rest of her life at most, or be incarcerated in a mental facility at the least.  It depends on how good her attorney is.

This hoarder is  saying she will get an attorney so she can get her animals back.  She was not arrested and no citations have been issued.  She walks free.

It's criminal.  I know many people, too many, feel animals are just animals and should have lesser considerations than people.  I don't. Animals live, breath, eat, feel love when given and pain.  What they don't have is the ability to fend for themselves when we, the superior beings, choose to abuse them.

If we're not going to punish them or keep an eye on them, at least get them help.  Whether they want it or not.

It won't happen.  There isn't any money in anyone's budget for treatment.  There isn't any money in anyone's budget to keep an eye on them.

What's the answer?  Forget probation.  Go directly to jail.  The animals deserve at least that much.

Is It Time To Reassess Our Foreign Aid Policies?

Senator Rand Paul thinks he has a solution for cutting federal spending. End all foreign aid, including that which goes to Israel. For such a bold idea he is being soundly criticized by both houses of Congress, the press and the Jewish community.

Let's Look at it though. First Israel. It is the most wealthy country in the region and is more than capable of standing on it's own. Sure they like the extra moola to buck up their military. But maybe it should be predicated on getting into some serious negotiations with the Palestinians.

We pour money into Pakistan and they thwart every effort we make to root out al Qaeda and the Taliban who are known to be camping out on the Pakistani side of the border.

Karzai, in Afghanistan, is squirreling away as much of our money as possible. Pallet loads of U.S. dollars are known to have been flown out of the the country.

Haiti is right up there with the others. What  happened to all the aid money that has flowed there since the earthquake? If it isn't in Switzerland I've a few other places to suggest looking.

What we spend on foreign aid isn't going to make a dent in our debt. I think that's the wrong way to be looking at it. If we really are for the spread of democracy and decent lives for millions of people living under oppressive rulers, let's look at the U.S. aid we seem to use to bribe them to conform to our demands. And don't. Including Egypt. At the very least make them earn it!

While considering that aspect, also consider setting up some accounting procedures to verify where the money is being spent. Our tax dollars shouldn't be like a kid's allowance, given to spend as they like.

If they're not willing to do that, if they demand to spend it as they see fit, than, sorry, no can do. If they're going to act like self-indulgent brats then apply some tough love. Shape up or no money.

And mean it.

Egypt - Power To The People!

In watching the events unfold in Egypt, I wonder if our politicians are realizing how lucky they are. Especially those who have held their seats of power nearly as long as Mubarak has. We unseat politicians we're unhappy with by vote, not violence. Funny, that's what the people of Egypt want.  And China.  And Iraq. And Iran.

A couple of things have occurred to me watching this. Obama, from the very beginning of his term, has made it clear he wants us to be the equal of the rest of the world, not the leader. Well, in this he has succeeded. The result seems to find us behind the curve in world opinion as well as being dismissed as  insignificant.  That's why Hu wore a business suit to the State dinner in his honor rather than a tux.  Subtle, but a slap in the face none-the-less.

All the talk shows are asking what it is we want. No one cares. Especially the people of Egypt. It's what they want that matters.

Our fear of Mubarak being deposed points out one more time what happens when you support a side against the people. Honduras. Iran. Iraq. Afghanistan. It's not a sterling track record.

We also seem to cling to false fears. Everyone that has been interviewed who has actual experience in Egypt will tell you the Muslim Brotherhood is not a threat, no matter what happens next.

Opposition leader ElBaradei, in an interview with Christiane Amanpour, said they deserve a place in a new government just like everyone else. He compared them to our Evangelicals who are a part of our society and as so should have their voice heard. Are we hearing that?

Frankly, the Egyptians could care less what we want or think. This is their issue for them to solve.

If we would side with the people more often perhaps we'd have fewer disputes of this nature. After all, they aren't any different than us. They want jobs, education and a decent standard of living. So do all the others waiting in the wings. The people are what made this country great. It is the people who will return others to greatness.

I just hope our leaders, who are trying to thrust more and more government control over us, get the message. Do I need to tweet this?

Make A Pact With The Devil And You're Going To Get Burned!

We were on the wrong side in Honduras. We never uttered a peep in Iran. We didn't see Tunisia coming. Jordan is nervous. Algeria and Yemen have joined the fray.

Tranquility in mid eastern and northern African countries is falling like dominoes. The people are unhappy with their state in life and have finally reached the breaking point. You see, they don't like dictators. They don't like the fact they have few rights and are likely to be severely punished if they ask for them. They don't like the economic climate in which they live. It's called unrest.

And one more time we are sitting on our hands, not knowing what to do. You see, we've made deals with many of these countries fully knowing and turning our head from their lack of human rights. Don't forget Saudi Arabia and China in the equation. Actually the number of countries is rather staggering.  We make pacts with numerous devils.

The full extent of this head turning was made apparent when Joe Biden told Jim Lehrer Egypt's Mubarak shouldn't be referred to as a dictator. Oh, Joe. Please.

So what are we to do? I'm not an isolationist, the world has become too small for that. Yet I wonder if we need to be as immersed in the politics of other countries as we are. Should we be borrowing as much as we do from China? No. As for the others, should the amount of aid they receive be predicated on their rights records? Yes.

The old argument that we need their oil may be true. If we'd produce more our own and allow the refining capacity needed, it could certainly alter the involvement.

Can we really impact the mid-east peace process before even more countries fall into chaos? I doubt it. But you know what? The people are beginning to do a pretty good job for themselves.

What the U.S. chooses to do remains to be seen. They have to do something. Watching this unfold should be a warning to our own government as our economy continues to limp along, unemployment remains stagnant and security measures are becoming draconian. The people will only take so much. We've seen hints of unrest here.  The red flag should be flying high because the causes match those of the people now dominating the news cycle.