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In the United States, a Northampton man was indicted by a Fulton County grand jury Friday and charged with four counts of animal cruelty. Police said he starved two dogs on his property last month.

Norman G. Lamphear, 45, of Dennie Road was indicted on two counts of felony aggravated animal cruelty and two counts of overdriving, torturing or failure to provide sustenance to animals.

The grand jury named three people in indictments handed up Friday to County Court Judge Polly A. Hoye.

Lamphear was arrested March 4 after two state troopers interviewed a complainant regarding an animal-cruelty case. The complainant stated Lamphear had starved his two mixed-breed dogs to death.

According to troopers, the two dogs were chained to separate dog houses that were without bedding or hay and had no food or water.

The dogs were emaciated and had been deceased for some time, troopers said.

Police said there were no foot tracks in the snow leading to the dog houses.

It makes me sick that some people treat their animals this way. It really is the lowest of the low and yet another reason why the government should do everything they can to stop people buying pets on impulse, only to then neglect or abandon them.

I just hope this man gets locked up for a very long time and is not allowed to adopt animals again.

I really love Gene Baur’s book Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts and Minds About Animals and Food. It was so wonderful to read about these people who started by selling veggie dogs at Grateful Dead concerts to running the largest farm animal sanctuary. There are also some wonderful animal stories and I felt like I really got to know some of Farm Sanctuary’s animal residents.

The book urges readers to extend the reach of human compassion and consume a kinder plate, making a better life for animals and for themselves. “Farm Sanctuary” is certain to touch readers through its unique approach and inspiring personal stories of hope.

Click here to check out this wonderful book.

If you bought your puppy from a pet shop, over the Internet or even from someone’s houses you could unwittingly be supporting the sickening puppy farming industry.

A puppy farm (also known as a puppy mill) is a place where puppies are churned out on a massive scale. They are intensive and commercial, not unlike the factory farming of battery chickens and pigs. Some people assume puppy farms only breed pure bred dogs, but in fact they will breed mixed and cross-breeds as well.  No thought is given to the health of the animals and it is likely that bad genetics and health problems will be passed from mother to pup.

People run puppy farms for one reason and that is to make money. Sadly the breeding dogs’ and puppies’ welfare is often not even considered, or at best is an afterthought.

Similar to factory farms, puppy farms are often in isolated areas and hidden from the public eye. Prospective puppy buyers will usually not be allowed on site, the puppy farmer will prefer to meet you at another location, perhaps a false ‘shop front’ like a separate house.

Puppy farms do not care who they sell their dogs to, as long as they make money . They will sell wholesale to pet shops, laboratories and private retail. Many also export pups overseas where they can be sold for higher prices.

Even the ‘better’ puppy farms are far from good for the dogs. The mother dogs are bred constantly throughout their lives and killed when they are no longer any use. They are kept in small cages and often go mad from boredom, psychological and physical problems. The animals have no room to express their natural behaviors and little contact with humans, meaning the pups often find adjusting to a new home hard.

Problems with puppy farms include, overcrowding, confinement, poor sanitation, insufficient and poor quality food and water  and a poor quality of life.

It is not uncommon to find dead puppies amongst the living and animals lying in their own faeces and urine. Common flooring is either dirt, which harbours all kinds of nasty parasties, or wire mesh, which cause injury. Some farms even put food directly onto the floor, resulting in diarrhea. It is usual for this diarrhea to become impacted on the dog’s behind and this can result in fly strike and worms.

Breeding dogs are left to give birth without supervision or veterinary assistance, so she may be left to suffer if things go wrong. Due to a poor diet most breeding dogs will develop mastitis or metabolic derangements.

The housing for dogs is often totally inadequate. Outside housing will have lack of shelter from the elements and inadequate lighting (darkness for long periods) and inside housing will have poor or no ventilation, resulting in noxious levels of ammonia, irritating dogs’ eyes and respiratory tract and in the long-term causing liver and kidney damage.

Of course the dogs are not given basic care such as grooming , worming and vaccinations. Their nails are often left to grow so long they cannot walk properly and their coat ends up like a rug of matts, filled with parasites. This means the dogs are likely to have skin problems, urine scald and fungal infections.

Veterinary treatment for ill dogs is not common, as it costs too much, so dogs are usually left to suffer, or given inadequate treatment.

As for the breeders of these dogs they usually get off scot-free. Even if they are taken to court they will seek to be dealt with under Section 32 of the mental health act 1990, which means the charges can be dismissed due to mental illness. They can do this, as their situation resembles that of a hoarder with exploitive tendencies.

Even those puppy farm owner who are charged are usually only fined a small amount in comparison to their offence and most will get away without paying it, as they will have no money once they are forced to stop puppy farming. Repeat offences are very common amongst puppy farmers. They often try to make extra money by mass breeding other animals such as mice, rats, birds, rabbits and cats.

Many puppy farmers will actually pay for their legal fees by continuing puppy farming. It is very hard for the RSPCA to intervene as there is usually ‘insufficient evidence’. This is due to the current wording of the law and the fact that the regulations are not stringent or easy to enforce.

Puppy farmers will often ask to be paid cash and many do not have an ABN, so they may make hundred of thousands of dollars tax free per year for their cruelty.

There are no positives when it comes to puppy farming and I believe it must be banned immediately.

However I agree with the RSPCA that a good start would be…

1. Ban selling animals in pet shops
2. Breeders should be licensed to breed any dog (even only one) by the government
3. Licensing should have stringent conditions
4. License holders should be monitored regularly by RSPCA
5. Ban selling and exporting puppies overseas
6. Tax office should investigate all breeders
7. Amend animal welfare legislation
8. Educate people and kids in school to adopt from shelters and spay/neuter
9. Stop all puppy farmers from keeping any animals even during court case
10. Require defendants to pay all court fees and cost of animal rescue/shelter

Please write to your local MP and urge them to help bring about these changes.

In a shocking case of animal cruelty children of just 12-13 years old have thrown rocks and bricks at a tied up dog in Baltimore in the 3700 block of Greenspring Avenue near the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School. These kids need to be held accountable and they also need help, or they will continue to hurt animals and people throughout their lives.

When a concerned citizen went to rescue the dog, the kids threw rocks at the person. Thankfully the rescuer managed to bring the one-year old dog  to the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS) where she is being treated for severe injuries.  You can see from the photo that she has some horrible injuries, including several wounds on the top of her head, her snout was very swollen with multiple wounds, there were multiple wounds around and in both nostrils, hemorrhages in both eyes, a wound on the dorsal surface of her front paw, and crusted blood in booth ears, both nostrils, and in her eyes.

This case is under active investigation by the Baltimore City Bureau of Animal Control. Animal Enforcement Officers are contacting the school to determine if the surveillance cameras captured the incident.

Jennifer Mead-Brause, BARCS’ Executive Director, appealed to any one with information about the case to step forward.

“This is another shocking incident of animal abuse. Once again the fact that perpetrators are so young people is very disturbing. These young people are in urgent need of help.  Incidents of animal abuse are a key predictor of violent criminal behavior.

“Any one with information is asked to call the Baltimore city Bureau of Animal Control at (410) 396-4698. I urge people living in the neighborhood to pay close attention to their companion animals.  Animals who are allowed to roam at large are an easy target for this type of abuse.”

Photo Source: Sepilok Orangutan Appeal UK

In the New Year I decided to cut palm oil out of my diet. Not only is this an ethical choice, but I have lost a few kilos and I am healthier now. You may be wondering why I gave up palm oil. After all it is not an animal product. Here is some info on palm oil and why you should rethink whether you include it in your diet.

Orangutans live in the forests of Borneo and Sumatra. Their numbers have dropped dramatically in recent years due to persecution from humans and these peaceable apes are now classified as an endangered species. There are around 50,000 orangutans left in Borneo and only 7000 in North Sumatra. The main cause for the drop in numbers is destruction of orangutan habit caused by deforestation and the expansion of unsustainable palm oil plantations.

Palm oil is incredibly versatile and can be found in all sorts of products including biscuits, toothpaste, make up and crayons. Palm oil is only produced in Indonesia and Malaysia and millions of hectares of prime orangutan habitat have been cleared so that the farmers can expand their plantations and meet ever-growing demand. Loss of habitat means that orangutans lose their home and have less food to eat. Illegal fires are often set to clear the land and provide fertilizing ash for the plantation. This can result in orangutan deaths and is also dangerous for human and animal health.

Orangutans are seen as pests by palm oil farmers and the apes are often killed to stop them foraging for new shoots or eating mature plants.

Another major threat to orangutans is large-scale logging. This is an expanding industry due to the high demand for hardwood. Other than loss of habitat the orangutans are also affected when loggers create access roads into the forest. These roads enable illegal hunters to access the area where the orangutans live and hunt them for food or sport.

Palm oil plantations and large-scale logging combined have resulted in orangutans losing 80% of their habitat in the last 20 years.

Orangutans are now protected by law and it is illegal to hunt them. Nevertheless illegal hunting is commonplace and hunting orangutans becomes easier, as they are forced to the ground when they lose their homes. Orangutans are slow moving and an easy target for hunters.

Orangutans are a victim of the illegal pet trade. Mother orangutans are brutally killed by the personnel who wish to obtain her infant. The traumatized baby is then sold to a wildlife trafficker and begins the harrowing journey to one of several international markets where they will be sold. The journey to market is often long and it is estimated that for every orangutan that is sold at market, another 6 die on the way, due to poor care. Baby orangutans may be easy to sell, but as the baby grows up they become big and harder to handle. The owner often loses interest and will keep the orangutan in appalling and unsuitable conditions.

If this destruction of habitat and abuse of orangutans continues the species faces extinction in ten to twenty years time. Luckily there are several orangutan sanctuaries that operate in Borneo and Sumatra. Sanctuaries such as Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary in Borneo, rescue baby orangutans that have been forced into the pet trade and work to rehabilitate them. They also campaign against the palm oil industry and educate the public on conservation of the orangutan.

There are several things you can do to help change the future for orangutans. Donating to an orangutan sanctuary, such as Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary, is a great way to help out. They have minimal funding and every contribution helps.

You can also purchase palm oil free products. This means taking some time to check ingredients on food and other products that you buy. If you find out one of your favorite products includes palm oil, contact the manufacturers to find out more and inform them that you will not purchase their product again until they introduce sustainable methods of palm oil farming, or change their ingredients.

Inform family and friends of the threats facing orangutans and how the products they buy contribute to the destruction of orangutan habitat. Orangutans are amazing animals and if we act now we could still save them from extinction.