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Well, according to the US Humane Society, more than 22,000 cattle were slaughtered in 2009. Presumably, almost all in the manner you describe. So that pretty much negates "unusual".

They do it foy egg laying chickens so it wouldn't supriseme if they did it for meat chickens.

Enjoy u insensitive clod: http://www.hsus.org/farm/multimedia/gallery/layers/debeaking.html

The Cape Cod case is a classic example of rich people adopting an "environmental" try to justify opposition that's almost solely based on the dropping of their property values. It's almost always groups created solely to oppose a particular wind farm, whose members are almost exclusively wealthy property owners.

Seriously, read your own article. Kennedy (a wealthy landowner whose the spokeman of the "environmental" group founded specifically to stop the wind farm, "Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound", because he's one of the only people in the group with any sort of green cred. Yet, as the article notes, he's constantly being protested by real environmentalist groups and famous environmentalists. Greenpeace, 150 environmental advocates -- including global-warming authors and activists Bill McKibben and Ross Gelbspan, Bluewater Network founder Russell Long, and youth leader Billy Parish, and so on. I mean, check out this para:

"Signers of the letter also included "Death of Environmentalism" authors Michael Shellenberger and Ted Nordhaus, who made the quarrel far more personal -- and nasty -- in an op-ed in the San Francisco Chronicle last month. They called on Kennedy to step down from his position at NRDC, and took a swipe at his famous family by criticizing "the privileged patricians of a generation for whom building mansions by the sea was indistinguishable from advocating for the preservation of national parks or big game hunting in the wilds of Africa."

The article notes that there are a "handful" of local and state groups who "have raised concerns", but "a number of major national environmental groups have been supportive". And when you start investigating, you find that this is exactly the case. In fact, the situation is even more biased in favor of Cape Wind than they make it sound. Let's look at the named groups. The Massachusetts Audobon Society is now supporting Cape Wind. The Humane Society's stance "call(s) on the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Cape
Wind Associates to act responsibly by ensuring that possible environmental and wildlife impacts are adequately
addressed through the Environmental Impact Statement process. At the same time, we affirm that wind power is
an important source of renewable energy that will contribute increasingly to the production of energy in the
United States and therefore has the potential to significantly reduce carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen
oxide emissions, which are harmful to both human health and the environment." The last group they mentioned, the Humane Society, says, "The HSUS is also a vocal advocate for using the information garnered through this process to choose sites carefully to minimize harm to wildlife. This proactive approach would have minimized the controversy over Cape Wind's proposal, and it can still ensure that future sites are selected with an eye toward gaining the most energy with the smallest cost possible to wild animals and their habitats. We want wind energyand we owe it to our wild neighbors to make sure it's done right."

The environment is how the opponents sell the case, and it's really transparent. Example: a local regulatory commission blocked them/A> from running the cables from the turbines near a patch of eel grass. All of this panic about how they were going to destroy the ecosystem on this thin stretch of sea bottom by just going at the closest 70 feet away. Meanwhile, they didn't raise a squeak just a couple years earlier when a coal plant ran cables right *through* a big patch of the same e

He can't claim ignorance, because he attended dogfights. Attending dogfights, of course, is not a crime

By buying a puppy from a pet store (which is where, I suspect, most of the "christmas gift" animals come from, because most shelters are more careful than that) you create a vacancy which can be replaced with a new one from the puppy mill. So effectively you fund an inhumane and degrading system, and in all likelihood, later put the dog into the shelter, where it costs money and diverts resources from other animals, until eventually it's killed.

There's no good being done there. There are a whole lot of people making money on the flow of animals from factory breeding farms, through pet stores, to homes where they're not wanted, to animal shelters, and finally into incinerators; that's the cycle 'gift animals' are funding, in large part.

If you think somebody wants a pet, then get them some sort of physical good that they're going to need once they get it. Food, a pet bed / scratching post, leash, whatever. Having a pet is a bit of an expensive proposition, I'm sure they'd be happy to get something that helps them. And then offer to take them down to a shelter or and pay for the adoption or vaccination fees, if you really want to "get them" the animal. (Perhaps animal shelters should sell 'future pet certificates', that you could give as a gift, that would cover the cost of an adoption later on; thus allowing people to give a gift that people could exercise when they're ready.)

I own pets (well, I live with cats; they choose to stay because the food is good, I suppose) and agree with you about all the benefits and satisfaction of living with animals. However, I would never push that on anyone; it's a decision and realization that people need to come to themselves.

Whether it's meth or tide with bleach or patté (banned in many places now, ISYN,)

One of these things is not like the others...the issue with paté is not that it's "bad for you", it's that it is produced via amazing cruelty to animals.

And why are animals used for this testing? Isn't a main justification that they are incapable of reasoning? Here's a link with info on the effort to keep primates out of labs.

I dont know much about peta's conduct, but the CFC has been ID'd as a front group for the food, alcohol and tobacco industries.

US Humane Society: http://www.hsus.org/about_us/about_hsus_programs_a nd_services/eye_on_the_opposition/center_for_consu mer_freedom.html

You mean healthy as in always getting fleas? Being exposed to such wonderful diseases as FIV, distemper and Feline Leukemia? Getting into fights with racoons, other cats, kids, dogs and cars? How about getting into that rat poison or pan of antifreeze that your neighbors left out? Being put to sleep because they bit your neighbors kid (Yes, some communities can force you to do that.)

Cats that are regularilly allowed to roam live an average of less than three years. Cats that are kept indoors live an average of 15-18 years according to the Humane Society of the United States.

And if your pets are not spayed or neutered, I suggest you go talk to some of the people who have to perfom euthanasia every day. Of shelters that responded to a federal survey of the 1,759,743 cats that entered shelters in 1997, 71.0%, or about 1.25 MILLION were euthanized. The actual numbers are actually much higher as not all shelters responded, and only shelters which can house over 100 animals were questioned for the survey. Many of these cats were euthanized simply because there are not enough homes available to place them all. And that's the cats that were lucky enough to make it to a shelter in the first place and don't die on the streets from starvation, cold, infected wounds, parasites, dog attacks, cruelty of strangers and on and on.

Humane society

I agree that a cat must have a chance to explore. It is just fine exploring under your bed, in a paper bag just brought in, etc. And the hunting instinct can be more than compensated for by play and attention. Cats that are never allowed to roam free outside never really have much of a desire to.

The fact is that cats that allowed to roam free have an average life expectancy of 3 years as opposed to 15-18 years for indoor only cats. House cats are domesticated animals. Many of the traits which help them survive in the wild have been bred out over thousands of years. Even wild cats which still have all of their instincts have no way of dealing with traffic, the number of poisons that are easiily found in the city and the cruelty that can be inflicted on them by other humans.

And if you are still convinced that your cat needs to go outside, please make sure that it is spayed or neutered. Remember that in seven years one female cat and her offspring can produce 420,000 cats. Because of this shelters are forced to euthanize millions of cats anually. These are people who love animals enough to make taking care of them a career, who have to kill cats each and every day because people are unwilling to spay/neuter and keep their cats locked in the house.

However, I do agree with you 100% on declawing. It is indeed cruel, and there are ways to cope with the instinct and redirect it. And from personal experience working in shelters, a cat poses a much greater risk to people after it has been declawed, since the only weapon it has left to use when frightened is its teeth.

And as long as I am ranting on the topic of humane treatment of animals: If you are considering adopting a cat (or any other animal) please look into the amount of actual work it is and decide if you are capable of providing for the animals needs. If you do decide to bring an animal into your life, please please please consider adopting one from the local shelter or a breed specific rescue organization. Many pet stores and ads in the paper often get their animals through very cruel sources. There are too many perfect animals waiting for homes to support the cruel trade of pets as product. And paying alot for a pet through a breeder that you do not know does nothing to guarantee the health and condition of that animal.

I agree that a cat must have a chance to explore. It is just fine exploring under your bed, in a paper bag just brought in, etc. And the hunting instinct can be more than compensated for by play and attention. Cats that are never allowed to roam free outside never really have much of a desire to.

The fact is that cats that allowed to roam free have an average life expectancy of 3 years as opposed to 15-18 years for indoor only cats. House cats are domesticated animals. Many of the traits which help them survive in the wild have been bred out over thousands of years. Even wild cats which still have all of their instincts have no way of dealing with traffic, the number of poisons that are easiily found in the city and the cruelty that can be inflicted on them by other humans.

And if you are still convinced that your cat needs to go outside, please make sure that it is spayed or neutered. Remember that in seven years one female cat and her offspring can produce 420,000 cats. Because of this shelters are forced to euthanize millions of cats anually. These are people who love animals enough to make taking care of them a career, who have to kill cats each and every day because people are unwilling to spay/neuter and keep their cats locked in the house.

However, I do agree with you 100% on declawing. It is indeed cruel, and there are ways to cope with the instinct and redirect it. And from personal experience working in shelters, a cat poses a much greater risk to people after it has been declawed, since the only weapon it has left to use when frightened is its teeth.

And as long as I am ranting on the topic of humane treatment of animals: If you are considering adopting a cat (or any other animal) please look into the amount of actual work it is and decide if you are capable of providing for the animals needs. If you do decide to bring an animal into your life, please please please consider adopting one from the local shelter or a breed specific rescue organization. Many pet stores and ads in the paper often get their animals through very cruel sources. There are too many perfect animals waiting for homes to support the cruel trade of pets as product. And paying alot for a pet through a breeder that you do not know does nothing to guarantee the health and condition of that animal.

I agree that a cat must have a chance to explore. It is just fine exploring under your bed, in a paper bag just brought in, etc. And the hunting instinct can be more than compensated for by play and attention. Cats that are never allowed to roam free outside never really have much of a desire to.

The fact is that cats that allowed to roam free have an average life expectancy of 3 years as opposed to 15-18 years for indoor only cats. House cats are domesticated animals. Many of the traits which help them survive in the wild have been bred out over thousands of years. Even wild cats which still have all of their instincts have no way of dealing with traffic, the number of poisons that are easiily found in the city and the cruelty that can be inflicted on them by other humans.

And if you are still convinced that your cat needs to go outside, please make sure that it is spayed or neutered. Remember that in seven years one female cat and her offspring can produce 420,000 cats. Because of this shelters are forced to euthanize millions of cats anually. These are people who love animals enough to make taking care of them a career, who have to kill cats each and every day because people are unwilling to spay/neuter and keep their cats locked in the house.

However, I do agree with you 100% on declawing. It is indeed cruel, and there are ways to cope with the instinct and redirect it. And from personal experience working in shelters, a cat poses a much greater risk to people after it has been declawed, since the only weapon it has left to use when frightened is its teeth.

And as long as I am ranting on the topic of humane treatment of animals: If you are considering adopting a cat (or any other animal) please look into the amount of actual work it is and decide if you are capable of providing for the animals needs. If you do decide to bring an animal into your life, please please please consider adopting one from the local shelter or a breed specific rescue organization. Many pet stores and ads in the paper often get their animals through very cruel sources. There are too many perfect animals waiting for homes to support the cruel trade of pets as product. And paying alot for a pet through a breeder that you do not know does nothing to guarantee the health and condition of that animal.

In the Pres. debate, they stand behind lecterns (50" tall if memory serves) while in the VP debate, they both sit at a table, built "according to the style and specifications proposed by the commission in consultation with each campaign." Does this mean Dick Cheney's heart can't handle standing up for 1 hour straight? When Cheney's shooting 70 pheasants and a pile of ducks in one day, does he do it sitting in a chair?

Of course. Most women who are on hormone replacement therapy are unaware that Premarin(r) is an abbreviation of Pregnant mares' urine, i.e., the hormone is extracted from horse pee.

Cheaper, fuzzier and more affecionate: Humane Society

I often find myself thinking about the environment. First, I started at home: changed out all incadescent lights for compact florescents; took advantage of Salt Lake's curb-side recycling program; compost everything we can. We've reduced our power bill by 25% and we can go 2-3 weeks without taking the trash cans to the curb.

I figure living as an example, and showing it doesn't take much "sacrifice", is a great way to start. You know, the whole "think global, act local" mantra.

We also patronize Native Seeds for our garden's seed supply. These folks propogate heirloom varieties of crop seed suited to the southwestern US region. Since I live in Utah (mostly desert), these varieties require less water, which is a good environmental goal. It also allows me to thumb my nose at Monsanto and other big Evil(tm) agriculture companies. :)

Also, I've looked seriously into mutual funds that target certain ethics of investors. A search on Google should yield many mutual funds which agree with your cause. Certainly not as direct as funding a proactive organization, but companies affect the environment, too.

I've personally contributed to NPR? (which does a good job at showcasing enviromental issues), the National Arbor Day Foundation (self explanatory), and the local chapter of the Humane Society (ferral pets cause local environmental damage).

I haven't put out a lot of money to these groups (maybe a couple of hundred a year, total), but every little bit counts. If everyone ponied up $50/year for a cause, the world just might improve a little.

Well... yes. Perhaps.

Unfortunately, our dog had a neck infection (year and a half ago) and just that alone ended up totallying close to $1000. Adopting a real dog is usually a very good thing, and even has nice health benefits for the owner.

However, it's a true commitment. Unlike they Aibo, you can't just take out the batteries and leave a dog on the shelf. Just consider well before getting a live animal.

For some, an Aibo would be better. And for some both work. Just watching a dog deal with an RC car can be fun enough. :-)

Well... yes. Perhaps.

Unfortunately, our dog had a neck infection (year and a half ago) and just that alone ended up totallying close to $1000. Adopting a real dog is usually a very good thing, and even has nice health benefits for the owner.

However, it's a true commitment. Unlike they Aibo, you can't just take out the batteries and leave a dog on the shelf. Just consider well before getting a live animal.

For some, an Aibo would be better. And for some both work. Just watching a dog deal with an RC car can be fun enough. :-)

Stop letting the cat out!

How to Sex Small Mammals

Quit snickering! Figuring out the gender of a hamster, guinea pig, or other small mammal who comes into your shelter is no laughing matter. After all, if your little tenants get busy lovin', it can result in even more unwanted small pets, and pretty soon your shelter will look like a Little-Critter Free-Love Commune. When examining creatures this small, it's all in the details. Read on to find out how you can easily tell the boys from the girls.

1. Determining Gerbil Gender
You can sex a gerbil starting at the age of four to six weeks by peering at the animal's underside. To minimize stress on the animal and also make handling easier, place the gerbil in a large clear box to search for a pair of large testicles; if you spot them, you've got your answer to the gender question. Since the sexual and urinary openings of female gerbils is much less obvious to the naked eye, it helps to look for small nipples on the underside. Still stumped? The distance between sexual and anal organs is longer on the male than it is on the female.

2. Holding Off Hamster Hanky-Panky
Using the clear box trick, look for large testicles on the underside of the hamster. In males, there will also be a bigger gap between the urinary and anal openings. The perineal area (or the area between the genitals and the anus) comes to a point at the base of the tail in females, but this area looks more rounded in males.

3. Is This Mickey or Minnie Mouse?
As with the other small mammals, the distance between the anus and genitals of mice is longer in males. In addition to the closer spacing, female mice have a small teardrop-shaped vagina extending down from the anus. Both openings are very close together and appear to be connected. Female mice also have two rows of nipples running vertically down their bellies.

4. Playing Rat Roulette
Since you don't want to say, "Oh, rats," after making a mistake in gender distinction, remember that male rats have a stronger odor than female rats. As with other rodents, male rats have a greater distance between sexual and anal openings, and their testicles are no shrinking violets.

5. No Guinea Pig Guessing
Male guinea pigs have obvious scrotal pouches and large testes. The sexual organ of a male guinea pig will look more like a belly button right above the anal opening. Very little space separates these parts; if you are looking at a young guinea pig, gentle manual pressure can help you distinguish between them. The organs of female guinea pigs are also close together and look something like the letter "Y"; this Y-shaped depression can be seen even in immature females.

6. Making Rabbit Rulings
Figuring out the sex of young rabbits can be tricky, but it gets a little easier as they mature to about 10 weeks old or so. Put your hand under the rabbit and feel around for furry testicles; keep in mind that testicles in rabbits move freely from the scrotum to the abdomen. On male rabbits, you will also see a tubular protrusion, whereas the female reproductive area will simply look more like a slit even when pressure is applied.

Animal Sheltering, Jul-Aug 2000 Issue

How to Sex Small Mammals

Quit snickering! Figuring out the gender of a hamster, guinea pig, or other small mammal who comes into your shelter is no laughing matter. After all, if your little tenants get busy lovin', it can result in even more unwanted small pets, and pretty soon your shelter will look like a Little-Critter Free-Love Commune. When examining creatures this small, it's all in the details. Read on to find out how you can easily tell the boys from the girls.

1. Determining Gerbil Gender
You can sex a gerbil starting at the age of four to six weeks by peering at the animal's underside. To minimize stress on the animal and also make handling easier, place the gerbil in a large clear box to search for a pair of large testicles; if you spot them, you've got your answer to the gender question. Since the sexual and urinary openings of female gerbils is much less obvious to the naked eye, it helps to look for small nipples on the underside. Still stumped? The distance between sexual and anal organs is longer on the male than it is on the female.

2. Holding Off Hamster Hanky-Panky
Using the clear box trick, look for large testicles on the underside of the hamster. In males, there will also be a bigger gap between the urinary and anal openings. The perineal area (or the area between the genitals and the anus) comes to a point at the base of the tail in females, but this area looks more rounded in males.

3. Is This Mickey or Minnie Mouse?
As with the other small mammals, the distance between the anus and genitals of mice is longer in males. In addition to the closer spacing, female mice have a small teardrop-shaped vagina extending down from the anus. Both openings are very close together and appear to be connected. Female mice also have two rows of nipples running vertically down their bellies.

4. Playing Rat Roulette
Since you don't want to say, "Oh, rats," after making a mistake in gender distinction, remember that male rats have a stronger odor than female rats. As with other rodents, male rats have a greater distance between sexual and anal openings, and their testicles are no shrinking violets.

5. No Guinea Pig Guessing
Male guinea pigs have obvious scrotal pouches and large testes. The sexual organ of a male guinea pig will look more like a belly button right above the anal opening. Very little space separates these parts; if you are looking at a young guinea pig, gentle manual pressure can help you distinguish between them. The organs of female guinea pigs are also close together and look something like the letter "Y"; this Y-shaped depression can be seen even in immature females.

6. Making Rabbit Rulings
Figuring out the sex of young rabbits can be tricky, but it gets a little easier as they mature to about 10 weeks old or so. Put your hand under the rabbit and feel around for furry testicles; keep in mind that testicles in rabbits move freely from the scrotum to the abdomen. On male rabbits, you will also see a tubular protrusion, whereas the female reproductive area will simply look more like a slit even when pressure is applied.

Animal Sheltering, Jul-Aug 2000 Issue

How to Sex Small Mammals

Quit snickering! Figuring out the gender of a hamster, guinea pig, or other small mammal who comes into your shelter is no laughing matter. After all, if your little tenants get busy lovin', it can result in even more unwanted small pets, and pretty soon your shelter will look like a Little-Critter Free-Love Commune. When examining creatures this small, it's all in the details. Read on to find out how you can easily tell the boys from the girls.

1. Determining Gerbil Gender
You can sex a gerbil starting at the age of four to six weeks by peering at the animal's underside. To minimize stress on the animal and also make handling easier, place the gerbil in a large clear box to search for a pair of large testicles; if you spot them, you've got your answer to the gender question. Since the sexual and urinary openings of female gerbils is much less obvious to the naked eye, it helps to look for small nipples on the underside. Still stumped? The distance between sexual and anal organs is longer on the male than it is on the female.

2. Holding Off Hamster Hanky-Panky
Using the clear box trick, look for large testicles on the underside of the hamster. In males, there will also be a bigger gap between the urinary and anal openings. The perineal area (or the area between the genitals and the anus) comes to a point at the base of the tail in females, but this area looks more rounded in males.

3. Is This Mickey or Minnie Mouse?
As with the other small mammals, the distance between the anus and genitals of mice is longer in males. In addition to the closer spacing, female mice have a small teardrop-shaped vagina extending down from the anus. Both openings are very close together and appear to be connected. Female mice also have two rows of nipples running vertically down their bellies.

4. Playing Rat Roulette
Since you don't want to say, "Oh, rats," after making a mistake in gender distinction, remember that male rats have a stronger odor than female rats. As with other rodents, male rats have a greater distance between sexual and anal openings, and their testicles are no shrinking violets.

5. No Guinea Pig Guessing
Male guinea pigs have obvious scrotal pouches and large testes. The sexual organ of a male guinea pig will look more like a belly button right above the anal opening. Very little space separates these parts; if you are looking at a young guinea pig, gentle manual pressure can help you distinguish between them. The organs of female guinea pigs are also close together and look something like the letter "Y"; this Y-shaped depression can be seen even in immature females.

6. Making Rabbit Rulings
Figuring out the sex of young rabbits can be tricky, but it gets a little easier as they mature to about 10 weeks old or so. Put your hand under the rabbit and feel around for furry testicles; keep in mind that testicles in rabbits move freely from the scrotum to the abdomen. On male rabbits, you will also see a tubular protrusion, whereas the female reproductive area will simply look more like a slit even when pressure is applied.

Animal Sheltering, Jul-Aug 2000 Issue

One that worked© and didn't crash?

Did you check out the link in the Wired article to the Humane Society?