cats Archives - BareFootPets

Hydrate Your Kitty And Save Her Kidneys.

jeannie — Tue, 06 Jun 2023 18:22:00 +0000

We all know kitties are very stoic about their health. They typically don’t let you know anything is going on until it’s advanced enough for you to notice on your own. By then it can be pretty tough to treat, and sometimes even too late to save her. Kitties as a species are generally prone to kidney disease. One way you can “get ahead and stay ahead of the 8 ball” early on is with her hydration. When kitties don’t feel well, they generally just go hide somewhere. Problem is, while they’re hiding, they’re not drinking water. Kitties get very dehydrated very quickly and this is really hard on their delicate kidneys. So what can you do to help prevent trouble?

How To Identify If Your Kitty Is Dehydrated.

How to tell your little one is dehydrated? As a loving kitty owner, you need to be very aware of your kitty’s behavior at all times so you can read the signs early. If you suspect kitty is not feeling well, pinch the skin up and down her back. Does it stay pinched and loose when you let go? Then she’s dehydrated. Make it a habit every day when you’re loving on your kitty to do the pinch test. Also, does she hover/linger over her water dish? She’s dehydrated. So, establish the good habit to support her kidney health by ensuring that she’s always hydrated. How do I do that? First of all, START EARLY. Don’t wait until she shows signs of kidney trouble. When the signs start, she’s already in trouble.

A Good Fountain Is Excellent Support For Kitty’s Hydration And Health.

The best way to help your kitty stay hydrated, hands-down, is with a food-grade ceramic drinking fountain and a good filter. Kitties are naturally fascinated by running water, which is a big help. Just leave a faucet on somewhere in the house and watch them come running. No doubt you’ve seen the cute videos on YouTube of kitties and faucets. I’ve discovered that even a kitty that’s not feeling well will hang around a fountain or running faucet. You can use this to your kitty’s advantage. Don’t wait for her to develop signs of poor kidney health. Start her on a fountain when she’s young to help discourage kidney troubles down the road.

Choosing A Fountain.

Having fresh water available to kitty at all times is paramount. Having a running fountain of fresh filtered water is even better, because it attracts her even when she’s not feeling well. This is an especially important time for her to be drinking more water. There are many places you can buy pet fountains. Definitely avoid plastic units. Plastic harbors bacteria. Ideally, you want a “food-grade” ceramic fountain–food-grade ceramic like the dishes people eat and cook on, not the ceramic that art pieces are made of because art glazes contain lead.

After much online research, I found “Fountains by Ebi” (http://ebifountains.com/).

You can custom-order the fountain to your liking as far as size and look and what type of filter you want in it. I’ve been using my Ebi fountain for several years now, and I promise you from personal experience it is one of the BEST INVESTMENTS you’ll ever make for your kitty’s health.

Added Hydration Support.

A kitty that’s already dehydrated will have a tough time drinking enough water to re-hydrate herself, even at the fountain. In these instances, you can give her a little extra support with “sub-q” fluids. Sub-q fluids must be prescribed by your veterinarian. It’s like a bag of IV fluid that you see in hospitals. The bag comes with a line, and you can use 10-20 needles per bag depending on the level of distress your kitty is in, and how much fluid your veterinarian recommends for her.

Before You Run Screaming For The Hills, Hear Me Out.

Your veterinarian can show you how to give the fluids to your kitty. Don’t be afraid of it. You just pull up a pinch of skin over her shoulders and insert the needle under the skin. Don’t go any deeper into tissue or muscle–just under the surface of the skin. The first time or two you’ll feel awful, like you’re hurting her. I almost fainted, because I’m afraid of needles. So I was feeling guilty for kitty AND i was trying not to throw up. But you’ll quickly get the hang of it and be able to insert the needle without her even noticing, especially because you know you’re helping her.

The needle simply goes just under the skin, NOT into a vein or muscle. Her body will quickly absorb the fluids and she’ll be feeling like a million dollars again in less than 30 minutes. I’ve found that having kitty sit in the bathroom sink while I give her the sub-q fluids helps to discourage her from struggling. She seems to feel safe all snuggled down in it. And I’m not wrestling with her to stay still, so the whole process is easier on both of us. She relaxes quite comfortably in the sink for the two or three minutes it takes to dispense the fluids under her skin. When you’re finished, massage her skin at the injection site for a couple of seconds to ensure the fluids don’t leak back out, and Voila! You’re done and she’s already on her way to feeling better. Sub-q fluids are lifesavers–the best and fastest support for a dehydrated kitty and for a kitty with kidney disease.

Sub-Q Fluids Are Tremendous Support, But Not A Cure.

NOTE: Sub-q fluids are not a cure for kidney disease. They simply offer her much-needed comfort and desperately needed hydration that she can’t get on her own by drinking water. I make it a point to keep a supply of sub-q fluids and needles on-hand at all times. In my rescue organization, we’ve saved more lives by having sub-q fluids immediately available right when we need them, rather than having to wait for a scheduled appointment and an emergency run to the vet. Hydration isn’t just a matter of the kitty’s comfort. It can be a matter of her life, and time and treatment are of the essence. It’s a glorious feeling to know you’re caring in such a great way for this precious little soul. Because of you, she has the healthiest, most wonderful life.

Here’s a cute video of Princess, a Milagro Senior (www.milagropets.org). She actually prefers to drink from our little fish tank instead of the kitty fountain. There are no fish in it, but Princess enjoys it so much we keep it set up just for her. And that’s cool, too. As long as it’s clean and she’s drinking, that’s the main thing. See how you can make the critical act of staying hydrated fun for your kitty? Be creative.

So your take-away tip on this subject – invest in a food-grade ceramic fountain for your kitty or, like Princess, a running fish tank. Be very sure the water is always clean, and always always always make sure she’s hydrated. If your kitty needs more critical care, ask your veterinarian about sub-q fluids.

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie.

About jeannie: I’ve been pro-actively involved in pet rescue all of my life. I founded Milagro Senior Pet Refuge© (Phoenix) in 1998, and BareFootPets (TM) in 2008. Animal welfare has always been and will always be my heart’s work. If my only legacy is that I save a handful of precious souls that would not survive otherwise, I’m good with that.

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Moving With Pets

jeannie — Sat, 17 Dec 2022 03:14:00 +0000

First Make A List

Consider what should be done before the actual move, like installing a dog door in the new house, constructing a new enclosure, blocking off rooms in your new house that will be off-limits to the pets, etc. Below is a sample list for ideas to help you plan. For me, it was extra important to plan ahead and have a list because we were moving cross country. Packing up a whole house, two vehicles, six cats, and a dog. It was going to be a two-day drive straight through, roughly 36 hours, longer if we stopped overnight at a hotel. The animals’ mental and physical comfort for such a long drive depended heavily on my being diligent to consider all details and scenarios before potential situations arose.

Make certain all pets are current on licensing and vaccinations before the move
Stock the car with ample food, water, pee pads, and wet wipes for the trip
Hire builder to install pet enclosure and dog door at new home before moving date
Locate new veterinarian in new neighborhood and gives heads-up records are coming
Ask current veterinarian to send records to new veterinarian and print a copy for yourself
Have crates clean and ready with food, water, and pee pads, to load pets before movers arrive
Cover pets’ crates with lightweight sheet to remove visual stimulation – will help to calm them
Move pets/crates to a place where they can’t see or hear the house being packed up
Harness pets before movers arrive and keep harnesses on at all times till move is complete
Be sure harnesses have name tags with phone number(s) in case pet should bolt
Keep crates covered with a lightweight sheet during travel to prevent panic or motion sickness
Put pets/crates in a quiet room with door closed at new house during unloading
Anchor crates in car so they don’t shift and toss pets about
Put pets in same crate only if they get along and won’t fight

Start Your List Early

I’m a Type A personality when it comes to preparations, so probably you’ll look at my list and think – wow, is that overkill! And that’s cool. Make your list your own – whatever details are unique and important to you and your pet family. The important thing is to do as much as possible before moving day, and to minimize the chaos and stress for your pets through the whole process. These little details, like covering the crate with a light sheet, can make all the difference to keeping your pet calm. They’ll fall in love with your new home much more easily and quickly if you can prevent as much trauma as possible beforehand. And don’t forget – the better prepared you are ahead of moving day, the less stress you’ll be putting on yourself, so the better it is for you, too!

Good Luck and Happy Trails!

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie.

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Please Consider Milagro for Your 2022 Charitable Giving?

jeannie — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 23:06:56 +0000

Need a Recommendation for Your 2022 End-of-Year Gift-Giving?

May I recommend Milagro Senior Pet Refuge? I founded Milagro in 1998, years before rescuing older animals was even a little bit cool. I got lots of push-back from people telling me I was nuts to go that route, because who cares about old animals! But, thank God, I went for it anyway, because the need was very real. I incorporated and applied for IRS exempt status around 2004.

Once I got the website (milagropets.org) up and running, word quickly spread, and phone calls and requests for rescue help started coming in from all over the country. People were on-board! It was beautiful – so encouraging! Now, 20-some years later, lots of seniors-only rescue organizations have sprung up nationwide, and most other rescue organizations have added a focus on seniors to their intake and adoption programs as well. Milagro was a pioneer in this blessed transformation. ?

Donations to Milagro Are Fully Tax-Deductible.

The IRS recognizes Milagro as a non-profit, charitable organization (EIN 20-3538510). Your donations are tax-deductible. When you donate to Milagro, we will send you a confirmation letter detailing your gift that you can report to the IRS at tax time.

God Bless These Precious Lives You’ve Place In Our Care, And

Please Be Especially Loving To Those Who Never Do Find Help In This Life.

— J. Fisher, Milagro Senior Pets

Your Gift Goes Directly to the Milagro Pets.

Milagro uses your donations only for the care of the pets of Milagro. None of your gift is used for any administrative purpose. Your gift is deposited into Milagro’s medical fund, and is used to provide routine and emergency veterinary care, specialty diets appropriate for their age, grooming, and supplies such as pee pads/diapers, sub-q fluids, beds, dental care, eye care, litter, prescriptions and supplements, etc. Visit Milagro’s “Donate” page (milagropets.org/donate) to give via PayPal, or to send a check by mail.

Not Able to Give Cash? Consider the Amazon Smile Alternative!

Every Dollar Counts, and Your Gift In Any Amount Is Gratefully Accepted. If you are short on cash and still want to support Milagro, consider Amazon’s “Smile” charitable page. Do your Amazon online shopping as usual, starting on Amazon’s charitable home page — smile.amazon.com — and portions of your purchase total will be donated to Milagro by Amazon. Super Easy — the first time you go to Amazon Smile, you’ll be prompted to choose your charity. Just click on Milagro and that’s it — you’re all set!

Thereafter, every time you do your Amazon shopping, Amazon will automatically log your purchase and dedicate a percentage of your purchase to Milagro. Doesn’t get much easier than that, right? And the beauty is you’re still supporting Milagro, but it’s not coming out of your pocket!! A large portion of the donations we receive come via the Amazon Smile Program. Of course, the traditional method of gift-giving is also always available — Visit Milagro’s “Donate” page (milagropets.org/donate) to give via PayPal, or to send a check by mail.

From My Heart, Thanks For Your Kindness and Your Faith In Our Work. ?

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie. ?

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Trick or Treat!

jeannie — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 22:56:30 +0000

The Following Cautions To Protect Your Pets Can Never Be Over-Emphasized.

Remember — chocolate can be FATAL to a pet! Keep a close watch on the candy that comes into your house around Halloween. No candy or even candy wrappers on the floor. Containers and candy up high and totally out of reach from your pets. It’s easy to keep a close eye out, and may save your sweet pet’s life!

Any time is a dangerous time for pets to be left outside. But Halloween is even more dangerous for pets to be outside, more than other holidays, and especially for black cats. Sadly, there are nasty people lurking about, waiting and watching for animals to abuse, and even kill. Don’t let your pet become a statistic! Keep them safely indoors the whole week before Halloween, and don’t let them outside again till after Halloween has passed. No matter how much they fuss! You are their protector — be strong and don’t give in till after the day passes.

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie. ?

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Lazy Is An Art Form

jeannie — Sun, 04 Sep 2022 23:21:57 +0000

Pets Can Show Us How To Truly Relax.

Life got you stressed out? Too busy? Need a nap? Take a cue from your pets. It’s not that hard. All you have to do is watch them. Here are some sweet samples from my house.

Genesis and Sammy Snuggle Together for a Nap

Boshi Counting Clouds

Chiffon Keeps Sunny Her Goldfish Company

Roman Savors The Sunshine And Fresh Air

Morelli – Too Tired To Care

Santana Curls Up With Her Favorite Blankie And Polka Dot Dress

Baby Chelsea Wraps Up With Genesis For Heartbeat And Warmth

Sandy And Mikimoto Share Their Favorite Bed For A Lazy Afternoon Snooze

Bug Peeks Out From His Burrow To Make Sure He Doesn’t Miss Lunch

My Pack Lounges In Their Stroller On An Easygoing Morning Stroll

Mikimoto Gives Mikel Hugs And Love As They Slowly Wake For An Afternoon Snack

Malayzia Says Sleep Where You Land

Mufasa Kicks Back For His Favorite Movie

. . . And Finally . . . These Right Here Below – This Is What You Call A Lonnnng Nap.

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie. ?

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Reaction: Dog vs Cat?

jeannie — Mon, 13 Jun 2022 20:47:29 +0000

Important Difference Between Cats and Dogs.

Here’s a fun little analogy. We bought a new play tent for our rescue pets. It was on the clearance bin at our neighborhood pet store, and we grabbed it, not really knowing which of the pets would enjoy it first. Well, it made for a very interesting illustration. See the photo below.

MUFASA THE CAT: “Gee, thanks Mom! What a cool new fort! I can hide in here and nap all day!”

SPARKY THE PUPPY: “Gee, thanks Mom! Don’t know what it is, but let’s put my name on it!”

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!

How Would You Caption This?

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie. ?

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Christmas Giving To Bless Us All.

jeannie — Thu, 02 Dec 2021 19:28:15 +0000

Do You Have Someone On Your Christmas Shopping List Who’s Difficult To Buy For?

Pretty much everyone has that one challenging person to gift at Christmas. It may be your neighbors whom you don’t know all that well, your pastor, a far-away grandparent, even your wealthy boss who needs nothing you could possibly afford. Or maybe you want to acknowledge people you don’t really know but who provide services throughout the year that you’d like to thank them for: your grocer, postman, etc.

Baby Gabriel Helps Me Decorate the Christmas Tree.

Make It Truly Count.

Whenever gift-giving seems frustrating and impossible, here’s the ideal gift solution: Make a charitable donation to an animal welfare organization on behalf of that person. This way, your money is put to use for the greatest good for animal welfare instead of being wasted on something the person probably doesn’t need or even want. They will be honored that you’ve acknowledged them in such a kind and thoughtful way; you will get to claim the gift as a tax deduction; and the animals will receive the desperately needed benefit of your support.

Merry Christmas From My Angel Mikel. (WARNING! Poinsettia Are Poisonous to Pets! [staged photo] )

Need Some Ideas?

Here is a short list of some very worthwhile animal welfare organizations that can really use your gift for the best of the animals. And remember — every dollar counts, no gift is too small. Once you’ve made your donation, all you need to do then is send your person a Christmas card letting them know a donation has been made — in their name — to the animal welfare organization you chose.

Mercy For Animals (www.mercyforanimals.org)

Milagro Senior Pet Refuge (www.milagropets.org)

American Wild Horse Campaign (www.americanwildhorsecampaign.org)

Soi Dog Foundation (www.soidog.org)

Alley Cat Allies (www.alleycat.org)

No Kill Advocacy Center (www.nokilladvocacycenter.org)

There are many more outstanding organizations advocating for animals. This short list can help get you started.

Merry Christmas and God Bless Your Giving!

Baby Chelsea Loves To Play With Christmas Ribbon.

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie. ?

The post Christmas Giving To Bless Us All. appeared first on BareFootPets.

PETA Did What To Maya !?!

jeannie — Wed, 20 Oct 2021 19:40:07 +0000

The heartbreaking article below by Nathan Winograd (No Kill Advocacy) and its embedded links relate to a shocking and ugly crime by PETA in 2014, but still very important today. I’m passing the post along here with full acknowledgment to Nathan for researching and authoring it, and for his tireless work and true advocacy for shelter animals. I cannot recommend highly enough that you read Nathan’s books — Redemption, Friendly Fire, and Why PETA Kills, among others. Also, subscribe to Nathan’s blog for outstanding, must-read information exposing hidden cruelty to enlighten the public, and to push for reforming the failed pet welfare/sheltering system.

Eyes Wide Open.

I try to be certain that the charities I support are credible and forthright about their mission to advocate for and protect vulnerable animals. So I pay close attention when evidence like that below is revealed. The information below is dreadfully troubling and hurts my heart. At the same time, however, I’m grateful to be aware now so that I can do something about it. I have donated for years and years to PETA, but find myself now at a crossroads. Having read Nathan’s post (and others) a number of times to be sure I’m capturing the big picture, it’s obvious the evidence is condemning — a serious indictment against PETA for all the goodness that it professes but fails to show for the innocent animals in its care.

Feet To The Flame.

My point for this post is not only to enlighten, but also to remind you all that there are sadly still wolves in sheep’s clothing in the animal rescue world; and, even more sadly, it appears PETA and ASPCA (read Nathan’s book Friendly Fire) are two of those wolves. For this reason, doubtful I can in good conscience support PETA or ASPCA any longer, or at least until honest accountability and corrective action are taken by PETA and ASPCA. There are many other animal welfare organizations truly worthy of my support, and I will re-direct my humble donations to them. As I said above, this is a personal decision I make for myself — my intent is not to coerce the reader, but rather to simply share facts and inform so that you can analyze it for yourself.

I leave this here for you to read, process, and make your own earnest decision.

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The Theft and Killing of Maya

Today is the anniversary of PETA’s notorious crime

Nathan J. Winograd

Oct 18, 2021

To listen to an audio version of Why PETA Kills, my book, which tells the story of Maya and those of over 30,000 other animals PETA has put to death, subscribe on Substack by clicking here.

On October 18, 2014, two PETA representatives backed their van up to a home in Parksley, VA, and threw biscuits to Maya, who was sitting on her porch. They were hoping to coax her off her property and give PETA the ability to claim she was a stray dog “at large” whom they could therefore legally impound.

Maya refused to stay off the property and after grabbing the biscuit, ran back to the safety of her porch. One of the PETA representatives went onto the property and took Maya. Within hours, Maya was dead, illegally killed with a lethal dose of poison.

A PETA spokesperson claimed Maya was killed by “mistake,” and defying credulity, explained that the same PETA representative who had earlier sat on the porch with Maya’s family talking to them about her care and who was filmed taking Maya from that same porch mistook her for a different dog. The “apology” was not only a devastating admission of guilt, but evidence that killing healthy animals was business as usual for PETA employees — so commonplace that the only excuse PETA could offer for Maya’s death was that in taking her life, a PETA representative had mistaken her for another healthy animal they had decided to kill. Was it likewise a “mistake” that five other animals ended up dead from the same trailer park and on the same day, too?

Though PETA claimed to be “devastated” by Maya’s death, the claim was contradicted by the facts, and, given its timing, motivated not by honesty, transparency, or genuine contrition, but political necessity as the Virginia Department of Agriculture had opened an investigation into Maya’s killing and Virginia’s governor was weighing whether to sign into law a bill overwhelmingly passed by the legislature aimed at protecting animals from PETA.

As public outrage over PETA’s killing of Maya spread, a former PETA employee came forward, shedding even more light on how disingenuous PETA’s claim of being devastated at the killing of Maya was. Explaining that killing healthy animals at PETA was not an anomaly but rather “standard operating procedure,” Heather Harper-Troje, a one-time PETA field worker, publicly uncovered the inner workings at PETA as no former employee ever had. “I know from firsthand experience that the PETA leadership has no problem lying,” she wrote. “I was told regularly to say whatever I had to say in order to get people to surrender animals to me, lying was not only acceptable, it was encouraged.” The purpose of acquiring these animals, according to Harper-Troje, was “to euthanize the[m] immediately.”

Maya’s family would ultimately sue PETA, alleging conversion of their dog (theft), trespass, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. PETA, in turn, asked the court to throw out the lawsuit based on several questionable claims.

First, PETA argued that Maya was legally worthless because she was not licensed, citing an 1887 law that required a dog “to be properly licensed as a condition of being deemed personal property.” Putting aside the irony of a supposed “animal rights” group arguing that Maya had no value, the statute they cited was repealed in 1966. It had not been the law in half a century.

Alternatively, PETA argued that Maya had no value beyond the cost of replacement for another dog. In other words, PETA’s position was that Maya was like a toaster. If you break it, you just throw it away and get a new one.

Third, PETA argued that they had permission to enter the trailer park by the trailer park’s owner to remove community cats so they cannot be guilty of trespass for entering a private residence in that trailer park to kill a family’s dog.

Fourth, PETA argued that the theft and killing of Maya was not “outrageous,” a prerequisite to the awarding of punitive damages.

Finally, in an argument reeking with racist overtones, PETA demanded to know if Maya’s family was legally in the U.S.

After arguing and losing most of the pre-trial motions — including rulings that the family’s immigration status was not relevant to the theft and killing of their dog and that such conduct was, indeed, “outrageous” — as well as facing the specter of being forced to turn over records and testify under oath about PETA’s inner workings, and perhaps trying to put the publicity behind their killing of Maya behind them, PETA settled the case, paying Maya’s family $49,000.

But the condemnation only grew following a series of articles I wrote about Maya’s killing, which ultimately led to the publication of Why PETA Kills, my book. Why PETA Kills tells Maya’s story and that of over 30,000 others who have also died at their hands, a number that continues to increase by the thousands every year. In 2020, for example, PETA put to death 1,119 out of 1,542 cats. Another 407 went to pounds that also kill animals. Historically, many of the kittens and cats PETA has taken to those pounds have been killed, often within minutes, despite being young (as young as six weeks old) and healthy.

Not only do those records prove the lie that all of the animals PETA rounds up to kill are “suffering” as they now claim, but if those cats and kittens were killed or displaced others who were killed, that puts the overall cat death rate as high as 99%. They only adopted out 16 cats, an adoption rate of 1% despite millions of supporters, a staff of hundreds, and revenues of $66,277,867.

A healthy mother cat and her two equally healthy kittens were given to PETA by a veterinarian who was trying to find them homes and was told by PETA employees that they would have no problem adopting them out. Instead, the PETA employees killed them within minutes in the back of a van.

While dogs fared a little better, 600 out of 1,052 were put to death. Less than 2% were adopted out. PETA staff also killed 83% of other animal companions.

Puppies killed by PETA in the back of a van — a donor funded slaughterhouse on wheels.

To date, PETA has killed 42,573 dogs and cats and sent thousands more to be killed at local pounds, that we know of. The number may be many times higher. According to Harper-Troje,

I was told regularly to not enter animals into the log, or to euthanize off-site in order to prevent animals from even entering the building. I was told regularly to greatly overestimate the weight of animals whose euthanasia we recorded, in order to account for what would have otherwise been missing ‘blue juice’ (the chemical used to euthanize); because that allowed us to euthanize animals off the books.

Following the release of Why PETA Kills, PETA filed a run-of-the-mill defamation lawsuit targeting The No Kill Advocacy Center (NKAC), my organization, and me in an attempt to intimidate me and others into silence. But they didn’t sue me directly, as they knew it would ultimately fail: truth, after all, is a defense to defamation. More importantly, they were fearful of doing so as suing me would be dangerous for PETA. Not only would it allow me to force the deposition (e.g., testimony under penalty of perjury) of Ingrid Newkirk, the architect of PETA’s killing, as well as others at PETA who do the actual killing, but it would allow me to seek documents from PETA that would augment what public records and the PETA employees I spoke with already revealed: that PETA intentionally seeks out animals to kill and that the majority of those animals are healthy and adoptable. Absent a court case, as a private organization, PETA is not required to release that information under state freedom of information laws and has ignored my requests to do so.

Instead, PETA named me as a “co-conspirator,” but not as a defendant in the complaint, a procedural gimmick that gave PETA the ability to issue a subpoena in order to (try to) seek the names of PETA employees who, fearing retribution, spoke to me on condition of anonymity; information that was used to corroborate newspaper articles, on the record sources, government documents, testimony and information from civil and criminal cases against PETA, videotape evidence, and admissions of killing by PETA officials. At the same time, that procedural ploy would prevent me from demanding documents and depositions of PETA leadership and staff in return.

But PETA’s legal tactic failed to take into account two important factors. First, I would never reveal my confidential informants. Second, I did not have to legally do so, given my First Amendment rights as a journalist. In an attempt to force me to, however, PETA filed a motion in court to compel the disclosure of the names, claiming that as an animal advocate, I was not entitled to the protection of the First Amendment, a point of view they hypocritically reject for themselves and which, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, the organization founded to protect the rights of journalists by legendary Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee of Pentagon Papers fame, called “alarming.”

In assisting me with my legal defense, the Reporters Committee noted,

We’re concerned about the legal efforts to require Nathan Winograd to reveal the confidential sources for his reporting on PETA’s practices. Both the First Amendment and California’s constitution protect those who engage in journalistic activity… and any efforts to limit these protections should be alarming for all newsgatherers.

Threatened with a fine and jail time if I refused to reveal my sources, my lawyer argued that California Courts have consistently ruled that the First Amendment protects “investigative reporting.” And investigative reporting includes “authors such as Lincoln Steffens and Upton Sinclair [who] exposed widespread corruption and abuse in American life. More recently, social critics such as Rachel Carson, Ralph Nader, Jessica Mitford, and others have written books that have made significant contributions to the public discourse on major issues confronting the American people.”

As my attorney argued,

Every crusading journalist in that pantheon of heroes cited by the court would have flunked PETA’s putative ‘journalism’ test, for their journalism was inseparable from their advocacy. Indeed, Sinclair and Nader took their advocacy onto the campaign trail and sought public office. Winograd and NKAC’s intertwined investigative and advocacy work are no different from that done by Nader and his nonprofit Public Citizen.

The court agreed. Despite PETA’s hiring of one of the most expensive law firms in the world, the Court denied PETA’s motion, not only providing me and, more importantly, the animals an important victory, but breaking new ground by extending First Amendment protections to new/non-traditional media, such as bloggers.

Following that ruling, another whistleblower from inside PETA openly came forward and confirmed what my sources had revealed: that PETA staff lie to people in order to acquire their animals to kill, kill despite adoption alternatives, and indoctrinate people to kill in a cult-like atmosphere she described as “terrifying.”

[A]s most new PETA employees are blooming animal rights activists, freshly plucked from college and determined to do whatever it takes to succeed in this demanding, low-paying activist world, PETA’s methodology of indoctrination is quite successful. These employees soak it all in like a sponge, as I did at the age of 21 when I started there, and begin to spout the organization’s soundbites at every turn. They will start to do so so naturally that they can’t see where they themselves end and the organization begins.

“Ultimately,” wrote Laura Lee Cascada, a PETA field worker whose job included rounding up animals to kill, “the culture was terrifying and desensitizing — and I gradually felt that my view of death, of taking animals’ lives, was being warped, my emotions being stripped away.”

Like Heather Harper-Troje before her, Cascada’s chilling account described the method whereby employees are intimidated and emotionally manipulated into participating in the killing of animals, an act that came to be euphemistically called to “take care of” an animal (the words “killing” and even “euthanasia” are not used). Employees “were forced to participate in euthanasias they didn’t believe in” or “were fired because they refused to do so.”

[I]f an employee, like many animal rights advocates who believe in the rights and autonomy of each individual animal, wanted to critically assess whether a euthanasia decision was truly the best thing for an individual animal in his or her unique circumstances, there was a real, true fear of being branded as an advocate for hoarding or a secret supporter of the enemy. Thus, speaking up could have meant being booted from the tribe.

Cascada also described numerous examples of healthy animals who were killed for the “good of all animals”:

I rescued and cared for a pair of birds from a cruelty case for weeks, bonding with and growing to love them. When the decision was made to euthanize the boy because of a debilitating medical condition, the girl was also euthanized because it was thought that she would be lonely without him. She was one of those lumped into the ‘unadoptable’ category PETA brushes past as it explains its euthanasia statistics each year. I was expected and required to swallow my emotions for her for the good of all animals. I was expected to welcome her death as a positive outcome in order to maintain my employment.

Another time, I rescued an unloved dog whose body condition and personality were unremarkable, meaning there was no immediate indication for euthanasia. I quickly heard from my mom that she’d be interested in adopting him. I excitedly emailed the manager of the shelter to make this offer but never received a reply. A few days later, I checked in with her and was told that he had already been killed.

She recounted being told to lie to people to acquire animals to kill and getting chastised for trying to find them homes. For example, Cascada wrote that she,

[R]esponded to a call from a concerned woman who’d found an abandoned days-old kitten under her porch. When I came to pick up the kitten, I had her sign a generic give-up form that spelled out that euthanasia was a possibility. But I was instructed to repeatedly convey that we would do our absolute best, and so that’s what I said, even as the woman described her careful search for an organization she knew would work around the clock to help this tiny being pull through. It was my job to make sure I did not leave without that cat — that I said whatever necessary for the woman not to change her mind.

The entire way back to PETA’s Norfolk, Virginia, headquarters, I sobbed, petting the infant cat in my lap, telling her things would all be OK, even though in my gut I knew it wouldn’t, that she never really had a chance. I even began plotting out how I might take a detour and deliver her to a rehabber instead. But how could I explain a missing kitten to the woman waiting with the needle? I couldn’t, so I complied without a word.

As a result of coming forward, she reported that she was,

[C]ontacted by individuals from all over the country expressing their gratitude, and their own fear, about speaking out about their experiences. People who worked at PETA and were forced to lie about euthanasias, people who were forced to euthanize animals they loved as a condition of their employment, and people who were told by leadership that they were worthless. There are dozens, and maybe hundreds, of us. Most are still afraid to break their silence.

PETA’s lawsuit would ultimately collapse, but four important things came out of my victory against them. First, as noted above, it extended First Amendment protections for investigative journalism to animal rights bloggers and other new media for the first time.

Second, it demonstrated that PETA may have deep pockets and has no qualms about misusing the court system in an attempt to intimidate people into silence, but their strategy will always be limited by the fact that depositions and the witness stand could compel employees, including Newkirk, to testify under penalty of perjury. Consistent with overwhelming evidence already available, such testimony would be damning, and PETA knows it. If people stand up to PETA’s donor-funded intimidation tactics, rather than cower to them, PETA will invariably back down.

Third, their empty saber rattling may have led to another whistleblower openly coming forward.

Fourth and finally, it led me to Ralph.

As fate would have it, on the way to court in the case, my wife and I came upon a little dog who had been hit by a car, bleeding in the gutter. Wrapping him in a coat, we rushed him to the nearest emergency veterinary hospital where he was given the care he needed, including pain medication.

After recovering from his injuries at our house, we found him a loving, new home, consistent with our belief in the ethical treatment of animals. Were it not for PETA’s meritless lawsuit, we would never have found him.

For obvious reasons, I am grateful that it was us and not PETA representatives who saw him on the way to the courthouse. If PETA had gotten to him and history is any guide, Ralph would no longer be alive, put to death with a lethal dose of poison.

Because despite all we may still not know about PETA, this much is certain: PETA is letting loose upon the world individuals who not only believe that killing is a good thing and that the living want to die, but who are legally armed with lethal drugs which they have already proven — over 42,000 times — that they are not averse to using.

Why PETA Kills is available on Amazon. Substack subscribers can listen to it as an audiobook for free by clicking here.

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie. ?

The post PETA Did What To Maya !?! appeared first on BareFootPets.

Lock Down, Lighten Up.

jeannie — Sun, 22 Nov 2020 21:54:32 +0000

Uh-Oh, Where Did All These Pounds Come From?!

If you are a pet owner, you already have the great advantage of easily staying in shape during the COVID lockdown. I noticed, when my company began its remote work environment back in March, that I right away began gaining weight, and it piled on fast. Took about a minute to figure out I was engaging in more than my normal amount of comfort eating. I knew I had to think outside the box to get that weight back off, because I hate exercising. And, for a comfort eater, dieting is a very ugly word.

How Bandit Is Helping Me Lose Weight.

But it wasn’t hard to figure out the perfect answer. I already take my awesome little dog Bandit out in the back yard every day for play time – at least twice a day, even three or four times a day sometimes now that I’m working from home during the lockdown. It’s our time together out in the sunshine and fresh air, and we love it. But he was the one getting all the exercise. I just threw the ball. So for me the answer was easy — I just started running with him. Boom – problem solved. Now I throw the ball and chase it right alongside Bandit. He thinks that’s pretty cool, by the way. Dogs love when you’re as excited about their toys as they are. Sometimes we just get down on the floor and wrestle. Bandit couldn’t be more thrilled for the extra attention and playtime, and I’m encouraged knowing it’s working for the good of my health as well.

How Gabriel Is Helping Me Lose Weight, Too.

I also have cats — Gabriel, SpeedBump, and Chelsea. Although they sleep a lot more than Bandit, they do have their moments during the day when they get tickled and zoom the house. So I’m taking advantage of those moments and zoom along with them, trailing long cat toys behind me for them to catch, or tossing squeaky toys across the room and running with them to retrieve. Or making it a game of tag you’re it. My cats love when I chase them through the house!

Better Than Taking A Happy Pill.

There are occasionally days during this never-ending lockdown when I don’t feel so much like running and playing, but I push on anyway. Once we start and I feel the energy flowing, I’m very happy to be at it; almost feels like I took a happy pill! And the pets are relieved to be shedding pent-up energy, too. Remember — exercise benefits both you and your pets by reducing, even eliminating, stress, which we all know is bad bad bad for your body. And Lord knows the lockdown has put a boatload of stress on everyone. So, with the new more interactive playtime in our house, the pets are happier, I’m happier, everyone’s healthier. And – the weight is coming off. It’s a win-win for us all.

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie. ?

The post Lock Down, Lighten Up. appeared first on BareFootPets.

What To Do If You Find Kittens Outside

jeannie — Thu, 30 Apr 2020 01:28:24 +0000

RE-POST FROM ASPCA BLOG (Apr 29 2020)

Hi All. The following content and graphics are shared here from a blog post created and distributed by the ASPCA. I found it to be very clear and compelling guidance for folks who may find or have found abandoned newborn kittens but are unfamiliar with the acute care needed to help them survive. Learn and enjoy, and Many Thanks to the ASPCA and Alley Cat Allies for their compassionate guidance.

“With operations either temporarily closed or limited for animal welfare groups and services nationwide due to the COVID-19 pandemic, certain situations, such as discovering kittens outside, may need to be handled differently than they normally would. Please use the following handy flow chart, inspired by our friends at Alley Cat Allies, to determine best next steps in the event that you find kittens outside.”

*If you’re in the L.A. area, you can also visit fixnation.org for additional community cat resources and information. Links from graphic below:

* Kitten Care: kittenlady.org/kitten-care

* Socialization: https://www.kittenlady.org/orphaned-1

* TNRM resources: aspcapro.org/communitycats

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Courtesy re-post only. All credits and rights acknowledged to ASPCA / Alley Cat Allies.
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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie. ?

The post What To Do If You Find Kittens Outside appeared first on BareFootPets.