The land of the free is Valley Village where the dogs put their paws on the ground for the first time ever Wednesday. Remarkable, in and of itself, but their journey to the Southland is even more so.

A laboratory employee in the Midwest heard about the Beagle Freedom Project, a small group of people in Southern California with a very large reach. The 2-year-old project is dedicated to taking in beagles from labs around the world.

“In the United States alone, 75,000 beagles are test subjects for everything from household products to medicine every single year,” founder Shannon Keith said.

The dogs’ mortality rate is 100 percent, unless somehow, someway they’re freed. With Wednesday’s rescue, the project has taken in 106 dogs so far, admittedly a tiny amount of the beagles tested upon.

But Keith considers every dog rescued a victory.

“Not only do we get to save these individual lives and give these dogs a chance at being a real dog, but we also get to educate the world through their rescue,” she said.

These latest dogs are the project’s 11th rescue. They range between 5 and 9 years old. In the world of laboratory beagles, Keith said they’re amazing since most die at a much younger age. The 10 beagles that made it to Southern California Wednesday are apparently very good at beating the odds.

Not only did they survive for years in cages as test subjects, the lab doing those tests decided to release them – incredible news for the Beagle Freedom Project.

There was just one problem. How to get them here?

The lab is 1,500 miles away, the farthest rescue ever for the project in the United States. But when freedom calls, you don’t hesitate.

So Keith hired a professional transportation company (which ended up being one person in a large van). After loading the 10 beagles into crates, she drove head-on into the blizzard that has paralyzed the Midwest for days with heavy, wet snow. It was a treacherous journey made even more so when her defroster gave out. She actually had to use a handheld heater to defrost her windows.

Those dogs left the frozen Midwest on Monday. On Wednesday, they stepped out of their crates and into a sun-filled 72 degree afternoon in Southern California.

“We have a challenge ahead of us. These dogs have lived their whole lives in cages. They’ve never been on a leash. They’ve never had a toy, really no interaction,” Keith said. “We’re looking for fosters who can help us bring these boys out of their shells.”

So what happened to these dogs all those years in the laboratory?

“We’ve been told they’ve undergone years of oral gavage – tubes put down their throat and into their lower esophagus or stomach; but, otherwise we don’t know what sort of experiments they were used for,” Keith said.

Don’t ask for the laboratory’s name. The only way the project is able to attain the few dogs it does get is by promising anonymity to the labs.

Next up for these now former laboratory beagles? The veterinarian, then the slow integration into the big, big world.

Foster families will have the job of transforming these laboratory test subjects into loving animals ready for adoption and their brand new life as man’s best friend.

For details on how to adopt or foster rescued beagles, click here.

Via: NBC

The retreating Japanese fleet has turned around and are heading South again.

When the Sea Shepherd ships broke away from the northbound whaling fleet, they did so in order to conserve fuel for the long trip back to Melbourne. But before parting ways, Sea Shepherd crew members placed a tracking device on the Sun Laurel to monitor their progress northward.

The Sun Laurel has now turned around and is heading south again and this can only indicate that the Nisshin Maru has also turned and is heading south. Although there are very few days left in the whaling season, there is still the possibility that the Nisshin Maru can refuel and return for a few days of whaling; although they will not be able to kill many whales, the death of even a few is of grave concern to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.

Therefore the Sam Simon will transfer fuel to the Steve Irwin and the Sam Simon will head to Fremantle instead of Melbourne to refuel.

The Bob Barker was intending to transfer fuel to the Steve Irwin but they will now retain that fuel to resume the pursuit of the whaling fleet.

After refueling from the Sam Simon tomorrow, the Steve Irwin will follow the Bob Barker back to the Southern Ocean to intercept the whaling fleet.

The Bob Barker has changed course and is once again in pursuit of the whaling fleet.

Operation Zero Tolerance has been resurrected. It looks like another ten days of high seas pursuits in an ocean becoming colder and more hostile each day.

“It appears that the Japanese whalers have been ordered south to kill a few token whales so as to not be totally humiliated this season,” said Bob Barker Captain Peter Hammarstedt, “so it is once more back into the breach. We know where the Sun Laurel is and we intend to intercept them once again.”

The Steve Irwin will take fuel from the Sam Simon at Heard Island before returning to the Southern Ocean to assist the Bob Barker.

“It is still three days back to the whaling grounds with no more than a week left to kill whales and the weather is getting progressively worse,” said Captain Siddharth Chakravarty of the Steve Irwin.

“It is not economically practical for the whalers to return at this late date,” said Sea Shepherd Australia director Jeff Hansen. “But this is no longer about whaling. It is about the Japanese government not appearing weak. They have been humiliated by Sea Shepherd. They are returning to the Southern Ocean so they can claim they were not chased out by Sea Shepherd, even though it is very clear they were. It looks like we will have to chase them out of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary once more”

With the weather deteriorating, the seas becoming rougher, with the plankton blooms dispersed so also have the whales become dispersed, the conditions are no longer easy for whaling operations.

The Bob Barker is not far from the returning whaling fleet.

Via: Sea Shepherd Australia

Ishii realized that dolphins are the creatures that humans would have been had we not left the water. Here’s why:

Like humans, dolphins are exceptionally tactile creatures and their skin conveys different levels of information or signals to each animal. Excellent sight enables them to see in the dark, while their range of hearing is 10 times that of humans. They keep the kids in line: Adult dolphins disciplinetheir misbehaved juveniles by driving them to the ocean floor and momentarily holding them there.

Dolphins are individualists. Each animal has its own signature whistle, which is used to keep in contact with its peers.

Dolphins constantly send out noises called ‘click trains‘ which sound, to the untrained ear, like old creaky doors. These complex series of sounds are the most sophisticated, advanced forms of sonar, called echolocation, and are unrivalled by anything on the planet–man-made or otherwise. As the sonar waves move through water they encounter objects, bouncing back shapes and contents to be deciphered by the dolphin’s large brain (which is bigger than a human’s). Sometimes the sonar is so potent it actually stuns its prey.

Dolphins, it turns out, are a well-rested bunch, sleeping as much as one third of each day. But how do they do this when their predators are always hunting them? The answer is teamwork. Dolphins usually rest in groups that bunch tightly together. One lazy eye per dolphin remains open and, although asleep, their slow methodical echolocatory clicks scan their environment for sharks and other predators. The group essentially forms a sensory integration system of relying on each others’ sonar system to detect any trouble while they rest.

Izumi Ishii was born into a dolphin hunting family in Futo, Japan. Today he’s a self-proclaimed advocate for stopping the dolphin hunt and live trade of dolphins and whales to dolphinariums.

Hardy Jones and Ted Danson co-founded the ocean conservation institute Blue Voice and Jones produced an emotive documentary called ‘When Dolphins Cry.’ It was based upon Ishii’s experience recalling how when he slit the throats of dolphins their eyes widened, tears appeared as they screamed to death.

For turning over a new leaf, speaking out against the brutality and senseless slaughter ofcontaminated dolphins – he’s been ostracized by his community and all Japanese fisherman.

Today, instead of hunting dolphins he earns his modest and peaceful living by providing a splendid eco-tourist, dolphin-watching service on his boat ‘Bright Sea.’ Ishii writes and speaks on the atrocities taking place against dolphins still today in Japan even after the Academy-award winning documentary The Cove exposed the Taiji dolphin slaughter.

Ishii believes like all animal activists, including myself, that citizen’s from around the globe must continue to apply pressure (by emailing the Japan Tourism Agency and telling then that you will not visit Japan because they are destroying dolphins and whales).

Japan will respond to pressure exerted from citizens and their respective countries – and they will be shamed into change or ‘Gaiastu‘ because that’s what works in their nation. We are all required to come together and continue in unison to call for a worldwide ban on dolphin and whale hunting, and live trade of these exquisite aquatic mammals. Refuse to purchase tickets to anydolphinariums or parks with captured marine mammals.

On Friday February 22 (2013) in Los Angeles hundreds of people protested outside the Consulate-General of Japan: The crowd chanted ‘Stop the Whale Hunt in the Great Southern Ocean Sanctuary;Stop the Dolphin Hunt in Taiji and Stop the Trade of Live Dolphins and Whales for Dolphinariums.’ My friend, recording artist, actor, producer and tireless animal rights activist Dyan Kane posted her feelings on Facebook: ‘The demonstration was powerful and very moving!’

All of us in our respective communities and countries are required to stand up for Nature, sign online petitions, send protest emails and organize and attend demonstrations. All critters, like the100,000 mega-pod of bottlenose dolphins recently spotted off San Diego are entitled to their habitat and the right to life on our blue planet.

Lastly, please support the conservation work of Blue Voice, Save Japan Dolphins, Ocean Preservation Society, Animals Australia and Operation Infinite Patience - Sea Shepherd.

Via: Huffington Post

Demonstrators from Sydney to Seattle, Durban to Dusseldorf, across six continents are urging the IOC to deny Tokyo the opportunity to host the Olympic Games until the dolphin hunt is stopped and the Japanese government addresses international concerns about the issue.  Receiving widespread media attention, the dolphin hunt issue became mainstream after the movie “The Cove”, a documentary about the Taiji hunt, won a 2010 Academy Award.

Shona Lewendon, a working single-mother from Glasgow, Scotland launched a petition in January asking for signatures of people who want the IOC to deny Tokyo’s bid for the Olympics until the Taiji Dolphin Drive Hunt is abolished.  It now has over 270,000 names.

“It was a light bulb moment,” Lewendon told GamesBids.com as she described hearing about Tokyo’s bid book handover in Lausanne on January 7th, around the same time she saw a documentary about the hunt.  She decided there was a window-of-opportunity to act by leveraging Tokyo’s bid and the IOC and pressuring the Japanese government to take action.

Along with the petition, she put together an international team to help organize the simultaneous peaceful demonstrations worldwide.

She also sent letters to the IOC including President Jacques Rogge and head of the 2020 Evaluation Commission Sir Craig Reedie, as well as various National Olympic Committees.

Outlining her concerns in the letter, Lewendon says that by awarding the Games to Tokyo, the IOC would be ignoring its own charter.

“It … does not comply with the Olympic charter’s mandate of the host country having a responsible concern for environmental issues,” she wrote.

“The methods used to hunt the dolphins are cruel and inhumane, as is the method of slaughter.”

In a short response to Lewendon’s letter, Reedie said “The IOC is aware of the issue you have raised.”

“The visits of the Evaluation Commission to candidate cities is co-ordinated with each city and is an intense programme of presentations and site visits. If a meeting with the Commission is requested this should be done with the co-operation of the Tokyo Candidature Committee and considered in light of the very busy programme.”

Lewendon says efforts are being made to organize a meeting with the IOC in Tokyo during the EC visit, which is scheduled between March 4 and 7.  The IOC typically does make time to meet with organized opposition groups when reasonable requests are made.

Lewendon hopes to attend the meeting make her case.

“I want to explain to them in basic terms that this doesn’t make sense,” she said.

“They cannot be considered to host an international Games, they can’t be the world stage while they continue to do these hunts which are internationally condemned.”

Activists demonstrated at Japanese embassies and consulates, and one group made their point at Seaworld in Orlando, Florida.  Among the cities hosting gatherings were London and Rio de Janeiro – 2012 and 2016 Olympic hosts respectively, New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Sydney, The Hague, Edinburgh, Mexico City and Toronto.

Demonstrators in Rome were reportedly invited into the Japanese Embassy to plead their case and leave a letter to be sent to Tokyo.  In Ottawa, activists said the Ambassador exited the consulate from the back entrance – avoiding any confrontation.

The Tokyo 2020 Bid Committee had no comment on the issue.

In Tokyo’s bid book, a response to an IOC question explains that there is no “major movement” against the bid.  However, the bid book was published prior to the organization of Lewendon’s cause.

In July, the IOC will publish an evaluation report outlining the pros and cons of Tokyo’s bid.  That document, along with a final presentation will be used by IOC members in September to decide whether to elect Tokyo, or one of the city’s two rivals – Istanbul or Madrid – to host the 2020 Games.

Activists are already planning further demonstrations on June 29th, just ahead of important presentations by Tokyo 2020 to the IOC in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Via: Gamesbid.com

It is amazing how we are killing our planet, this is a video about an island in the ocean at 2000 km from any other coast line.
Nobody lives, only birds and yet ……………
You will not believe your eyes!!!!!!!

This film should be seen by the entire world please share this so we can create a movement, please don’t throw anything into the sea. Unbelievable, just look at the consequences!!!!

Pet owners in Seattle are furious over the actions a property manager has taken to keep dogs off her lawn.  Cayenne pepper was intentionally dumped all over the lawn to send a message to pet owners that failure to pick up after their dogs would not be tolerated.  The problem is that the pepper , in such quantities, is quite dangerous for dogs and has resulted in at least one dog sustaining burns to the pads of her feet that required veterinary attention.

Fredda Starr is the property manager of the “Greenwood Court Manor” apartments, and she says she did not mean to hurt any animals.  ”I do love dogs, but I don’t like all the poo that they leave over the ground,” said Starr, who did agree to stop and to dilute the pepper avoid harming the dogs.  In addition to spreading the pepper, Starr left the empty containers scattered around the area rather than putting them in the trash.

Pepper is not a toxic substance but can cause problems for animals who ingest or walk on it.  ”It upsets the stomach, burns the inside and may cause a little diarrhea,” said Dr. Zile Singh, a veterinarian at Greenwood Animal Hospital.

Gujral Wallace, the owner of the dog that was harmed was outraged, saying “It’s absolutely despicable, their intentions is what scares me,” and asking ”How does that even get into your head? Are you that evil?”  Her dog, who is named Buddha, suffered burns on her legs and incurred several hundred dollars in vet bills.   If this had happened to a smaller dog, it could have been much more serious.   Wallace says she is going to rally local residents to do a better job of keeping the area clean of pet waste.

The case, Florida v. Harris, involved police dog Aldo. When Officer William Wheetley stopped Clayton Harris because of an expired license plate Harris acted very nervous and refused Wheetley’s request to search his truck. When Aldo was brought out the dog alerted to the smell of something. Wheetley used this alert as probable cause to search Harris’ vehicle. The search led to the discovery of the ingredients used for making methamphetamine.  Aldo had not been trained to detect these.

The Florida Supreme Court has reversed Harris’ conviction finding the search to be unconstitutional. The cited evidence of dogs often making mistakes and being influenced by their handlers and questioned Aldo’s reliability. The Florida Supreme Court said the state must introduce the dog’s training and certification records, field performance records, information on the handler’s training and any other objective evidence known to the officer about the dog’s reliability.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the Florida Supreme Court had gone too far with its checklist requirements to prove Aldo’s reliability. Dog-sniff evidence needs to be treated like any other inquiry into probably cause. “The question – similar to every inquiry into probable cause – is whether all the facts surrounding a dog’s alert, viewed through the lens of common sense, would make a reasonably prudent person think that a search would reveal contraband or evidence of a crime,” said Justice Elena Kagan. Under this test Aldo’s search was constitutional.

The Supreme Court will again rule on a drug-sniffing dog from Florida in Florida v. Jardines, this time involving a dog named Franky. In Franky’s case officers acting on an unverified tip brought Franky to a private resident. Once there Franky alerted for contraband. The Florida court had also ruled this search as unconstitutional. This decision has a more likely chance to stand since the court traditionally gives greater protection to privacy rights at home. At oral arguments in October for the case there was considerable more debate between the justices than in Florida v. Harris. The Supreme Court may rule on this case as early as Wednesday.

Twenty-six dogs were rescued Monday afternoon when Hillsborough County animal control in Florida acted on an anonymous tip and busted a dog fighting ring.

The backyard of the home was surrounded by a six-foot-tall fence to prevent people from seeing what was going on inside. Over the weekend an anonymous tip came in reporting hearing animals crying and howling behind the large fence. When Deputies and investigators served a search warrant on the property in Plant City, Florida on Monday afternoon they found twenty-six pit bull terriers some with fresh wounds.

All twenty-six dogs were brought to Hillsborough County Animal Services and have been seen by a veterinarian.

Last week, a group of tourists on a boat off the coast of San Diego were treated to a sight both unusual and awesome—a “superpod” of dolphins.

Footage taken from the deck of the ship shows thousands of dolphins elegantly leaping above the waves. KFMB San Diego reports the superpod was estimated to be around seven miles wide and five miles long. Experts believe there were thousands of the marine mammals swimming and soaring together.

Why so many? Monica DeAngelis of the National Marine Fisheries Service spoke with KFMB about the spectacle. She believes the superpod had recently congregated on a “prey patch” of fish and squid. The dolphins, she explained, likely got word out through echolocation (biological sonar).

In other words, like an out-of-control high school party, one dolphin told a friend, who told a friend, who told a friend. Boom, next thing you know—superpod.

The protests directly relate to the cruel and unsustainable annual dolphin hunt that occurs in Japanese waters, most notoriously in the town of Taiji, Wakayama prefecture. A permit is issued by the government to hunt and capture over 2,000 dolphins of mixed species in this town alone. The methods used to hunt the dolphins are cruel and inhumane, as is the method of slaughter. The vast majority of these animals traditionally are processed as meat for human consumption, even though it has proven to be toxic with dangerous levels of Mercury. Some of these dolphins are bought and shipped live around the world, mostly within Asia for the marine mammal entertainment park industry for large sums of money. Many alternatives and offers of help for Taiji have been put forward including tourism and dolphin watching.

This practice does not have a place in the modern world and is both barbaric and unnecessary. It does not agree with the Olympic charter of having a responsible concern for environmental issues. It is strongly believed that this globally condemned practice has no place in a host nation providing a world stage to the Olympic Games. The Japanese claim that this practice is ‘culture’, yet have gone on record at the International Whaling Commission as saying these animals are a direct threat to commercial fisheries as they are consuming too many fish. When did culture include the supply of the captive trade? 

In the spirit of the Olympic Charter which states in the IOC’s Role & Responsibility: #13 ‘to encourage and support a responsible concern for environmental issues’  the IOC can ignore this issue and the global protest is evidence of the fact that the world is watching. This protest is not an attack on Japanese citizens or worthwhile positive Japanese culture. The only hope is to see the authorities taking a more responsible approach to the conservation of these species, if Japan is to be considered for a Host Nation status.

Hopefully, during the IOC evaluation commission’s visit to Tokyo on March 4th the IOC will challenge Japan on the issue of the dolphin hunts and protesters respectfully request that the IOC DOES NOT consider Tokyo as a host city unless the Japanese Government makes the practice of hunting and killing dolphins illegal permanently. Should Japan be awarded the 2020 Olympic Games then the slaughter will continue until the migrating dolphins have been exterminated.