Look Great While Supporting ACR!

Saint Francis Fashions
Cruelty Free Fashion with a Conscience
Saint Francis Fashions is proud to present the Cruelty Free Africa Collection.

Because of Popular Demand we are adding a 2" Wedge in our Pump Design, a 2" Wedge in our Sandal Design, and an Adorable Ankle Boot in a 2" Heel and a 3" Heel!


Each line includes 11 components, A Big Bag for carrying things back and fourth to the office or travel, a Clutch Bag for zipping out to lunch or a dressy dinner, a Sexy Sandal, a Sassy Pump, a Beautiful Boot, a Cute and Comfy Flat, and a Belt to tie it all together. Plus our latest additions, the 2" Wedge in the Pump and Sandal Style, and an Adorable Ankle Boot in a 2" and 3" Heel. You will always be ready for a change of weather, a change of season, or a change of scenery.

The Shoes were designed with Style and Comfort in mind. The heels are not more than 3" high, which is provocative, but wearable. The Pump, Boot and Flat have uniformly rounded toes, which give a young look, and prevent cramping. The Sandal toe opening is big enough to show your manicured toes, but small enough to keep your foot from sliding forward, and wide enough to give support and keep from pinching. All soles are rubber, so they are comfortable and quiet to walk in, and you never have to worry about slipping.

But best of all, no Animals were harmed in making these Accessories, and with every purchase you are donating to an Animal Welfare Organization, like Alley Cat Rescue, and helping Animals in need.

Saint Francis Thanks You, And The Animals Thank You!

We are ready to take Pre-Orders! By ordering now, Saint Francis will pay for shipping. Please go to our Online Store to place your order. If you don't see your item, go to the search tool on the sidebar.

http://www.saintfrancisfashions.com

Feral Cat Colony's Desperate Need for Relocation

Alley Cat Rescue is offering an opportunity for farmers to obtain “mouse patrollers” and for feral (undomesticated) cats to have a second chance at life.

A colony of feral cats living in Burtonsville, MD desperately needs to be relocated! Their caretaker is no longer able to provide for them and the cats must find a new place to call their home. All of the 20 cats have been trapped-neutered-returned and cared for over the past few years, so it is imperative that these kitties find a new place to live.

We are asking anyone with a farm, horse stable, or a few acres of land who is willing to give one or more of these cats a home to please contact us. Individuals who participate agree to confine the cats to an area of the barn for at least the first two weeks, thus increasing the likelihood that the cats will consider this their new “home” and stay put. After that, all the cats need is a safe shelter from weather and regular food and water. The reward for the barn owner—superior and dependable rodent control!

What is a “feral” cat? A cat that was born outside and has never lived with humans, or one that was a house cat, became lost, and has gone without human contact long enough to become unsocialized to humans. It is a cat that reverts back to living on instincts. Feral simply means “wild” or “untamed.” Even no-kill shelters, like ACR, are unable to place feral cats in homes. They will never be a family pet or companion animal. These beautiful cats (which number in the thousands in PG County alone), deserve to spend their days living the best life we humans can provide for them and it doesn’t take much.

These cats are ready for a new “home” and will gladly work hard for their room and board. They are truly experts in their field, making it clear to all mice that they are not welcome. So, if you’re tired of the “rat race” and would like to adopt one or several barn cats (neutered and vaccinated), please call Alley Cat Rescue at 301-277-5595 or email AlleyCatRescue@gmail.com for more details. If you’re unable to adopt at the moment, you can still help by providing a monetary contribution or by donating much-needed items like food, blankets, newspaper, litter, and cat toys. Every little bit helps. Thank you! You’re participation and support is greatly appreciated!

The Cat Lady of Baghdad

Thanks to the Associated Press and NPR.org, we are brought the story of a one-woman army to rescue stray cats and dogs living in Baghdad. Louise, a former soldier and now security consultant, has been working to rescue cats and dogs from the war-torn areas of Iraq for the last few years. “Completing piles of paperwork, calling countless officials and, on one occasion, bursting into tears at the airport have all been required to get animals out of the war zone.”

Since rescuing her first cat, Simba, three years ago, Louise has managed to send four more cats and two dogs back to her native England. The costs (up to $3,500 an animal) are covered by donations and her "old stuff" sold on eBay. Any animal imported into Britain must go through a six-month quarantine.

It is impossible to gauge how many dogs, cats, and other animals have been rescued the past five years by soldiers and foreigners. The London-based Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad says there are no established groups actively working in Iraq to rescue small animals.

Thousands of stray cats and dogs in Baghdad's Green Zone and on U.S. military installations have been trapped and euthanized under a U.S.-funded program. Strays can spread rabies and other diseases that could be transmitted to soldiers, said Lt. Col. Raymond F. Dunton, chief of preventive medicine for the military in Iraq.

Last year, nearly 7,100 animals were caught in humane traps, Dunton said. Of those, about 5,300 were euthanized.

To find out more information please visit:
Baghdad Cat Rescue: http://www.baghdadcatrescue.com
Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad: http://www.spana.org

Happy Earth Day 2008!

On this year’s Earth Day, let us make a commitment to stop blaming cats for the disappearance of songbirds and start saving our rainforests to preserve their habitat.

According to Professor John Terbough of Duke University, “blaming cats for songbird decline is a facile and simplistic solution to a complex problem.” Research reveals that little can be done to restore songbirds to rural and suburban areas and suggests that conservation efforts should be directed towards consolidating and expanding large tracts of forest, in order to maximize habitat for nesting.

Yes, cats kill birds, so do foxes, snakes, raccoons, owls, the list goes on. Cats are predators and predators hunt; that’s what they do. Humans kill birds too; we hit them with our vehicles and planes, they fly into our windows and buildings, and our land development reduces their habitat and nesting areas.

Tropical deforestation is occurring at the rate of 142,000 to 200,000 square kilometers each year; that’s an area roughly the size of Florida! At this rate, the world’s remaining tropical forests will be depleted by 2030 and many species of songbirds will disappear along with them.

The long debate of bird versus cat has run its course, and in today’s day and age, with focus on the environment and ways to protect our planet, we need to stop the blaming and start the conserving!

Please do your part to minimize your footprint on Earth...GO GREEN! To find out some simple steps towards being green please visit http://www.lifegoggles.com/100-ways-to-save-the-planet/.

Stray/Feral Cats Do NOT Pose Threat to Humans

In the wake of the raid of Tiger Ranch (a cat sanctuary in Tarentum, Pennsylvania about 20 miles northwest of Pittsburgh), come claims that stray and feral cats are health hazards and are potential risks to the public. Alley Cat Rescue would like to take a moment to stamp out the myths surrounding these animals and educate the public on how to properly manage them.

A feral cat is one who has had no or very limited exposure to human contact and has reverted back to its “wild” state for survival. These animals should not be directly handled; one should never corner or try to pick up a feral cat. Feral cats (most wild animals) are afraid of humans and will run at the sight of one (they are not known to attack people), but extreme caution should be used when in close proximity to them.

There is also the misconception that all stray and feral cats are “disease carriers”, when in truth, most people acquire infectious diseases from other people not from animals. One disease is toxoplasmosis; which is rarely transmitted by animals (from fecal matter) and more commonly acquired by handling raw and undercooked meat. Another virus that makes people fearful of cats is rabies. Cats are not natural vectors of the virus and most rabies cases in the US are from bats, coyotes, and dogs.

The preferred method of controlling feral cat populations is through trap-neuter- return (TNR). Cats are caught by humane traps, spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and returned to the site. Kittens/cats that are friendly or can be socialized are placed into an adoption program to find permanent homes. Cats that are TNRed are healthier and are less likely to transmit diseases (to other cats and to humans). Once sterilized, they are less aggressive and fight less. They also receive a three-year rabies vaccine; which in studies has shown to be effective for longer than three years. Vaccinated cats will also provide a buffer zone between wildlife and humans.

Ultimately, there is no need to fear stray and feral cats. They pose no immediate threats to humans and a few isolated incidences of such claims is no reason for panic. However, one should always remember to use caution when in contact with a stray/feral cat (like most wild animals); even if the person has specific animal handling and trapping experience, one should NOT try to pick up the animal.

WARNING: Recall of Hartz Products

With the recent recall of its Vitamin Care for Cats and a previous recall on its Flea and Tick Drops, consumers should be ware when purchasing products produced by the Hartz Mountain Corporation. Numerous reports from cat and dog owners have claimed that such products caused the deaths of their pets. There is even a website devoted to the victims of Hartz, where owners share their personal stories of their experience from using Hartz products.

Hartz is voluntarily recalling a second specific lot of Hartz Vitamin Care for Cats due to concerns that bottles within the lot may have been potentially contaminated with Salmonella. Hartz recalled a specific lot code of Hartz Vitamin Care for Cats last November due to similar concerns. Both lot codes were manufactured for Hartz by UFAC (USA) Inc. in 2007, and were removed from distribution last November. However, bottles from the second lot had been shipped to customers prior to their having been removed from distribution.

The product involved is 739 bottles of Hartz Vitamin Care for Cats, lot code SZ 22771, UPC number 32700-97701. While normal testing conducted by Hartz and UFAC has not revealed the presence of Salmonella in any Hartz products, recent sampling conducted by the FDA did detect the presence of Salmonella.

Previously, in December of 2002, thousands of illnesses and deaths in cats and kittens led to a recall of some of Hartz’ flea and tick products. Hartz Advanced Care Brand Flea and Tick Drops Plus for Cats and Kittens and Hartz Advanced Care Brand Once-a-Month Flea and Tick Drops for Cats and Kittens was pulled from shelves after numerous accounts of pets suffering from adverse effects from the products. Complaints included minor problems such as skin irritation or hair loss at the application site to more serious effects on the nervous system, such as tremors, convulsions and sometimes death.

Despite countless complaints, the Environmental Protection Agency (regulatory body) will not close down the Hartz Mountain Corporation. Therefore, a website has been created to allow pet owners to share their stories of using its products and to educate the public on the risks of using its products. Please visit their website at www.hartzvictims.org.

Consumers can contact Hartz at 1-800-275-1414 with any questions they may have and to obtain reimbursement for purchased product.

You may also contact them at:

Consumer Relations Department
The Hartz Mountain Corporation
400 Plaza Drive
Secaucus, NJ 07094 USA
1-800-275-1414 consumer hotline
questions@Hartz.com
legal@Hartz.com

Cats Under Fire

This week is full of bad news for our feline friends! Hundreds of cats in Virginia are being rounded up by a pest control company to rid a trailer park of stray and feral cats. A small town in Iowa has set a $5 bounty to encourage residents to catch and turn in stray/feral cats to “manage” their cat problem, and China is still cleansing its streets to prepare for the Olympics. Want to do something about one or all of these issues? Then, please voice your opinion and disapproval by contacting those listed below. I know it does not seem like much, to write a letter, but if several hundred or thousand people each write a letter, it can make a difference!

Chantilly, Virginia

Monday night, residents of the Meadows of Chantilly mobile home park received a noticed, announcing the decision to hire a pest control company to trap and kill the more than two hundred cats living in their community. Most residents disagree with this decision and welcome the cats. A cat rescue organization has been performing TNR and most cats have been sterilized. The management’s decision came as a shock, considering they previously made a public promise to work with all parties involved to decide the fate of the cats.

ACR is urging our members to write to the Management team at Equity Lifestyle Properties and insist they continue with the TNR program. The community is willing to work with rescue groups to sterilize the cats and provide food/water and homemade shelters. There is no reason to trap and kill.

Ms. Taunya Bailey
Regional Manager
Equity Lifestyle Properties
Waterford
205 Joan Dr.
Bear, DE 19701

Equity LifeStyle Properties, Inc.
Two North Riverside Plaza
Chicago, Illinois 60606
Phone: 312-279-1400
Fax: 312-279-1710
E-Mail: Information@mhchomes.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Randolph, Iowa

Mayor Vance Trively is encouraging his residents to catch stray cats by offering a $5 bounty for every cat that is turned in. Any cat who cannot easily be identified as an owned cat will be caught and killed. Not only is this action inhumane for the cats, but it also puts people at risk. Feral cats are not to be handled, and those with no experience working with them could end up with severe injuries (not to mention children trying to catch the cats). Plus, some residents worry for their pets’ welfare, saying anyone could remove a cat’s collar and say it is a stray.

Please contact the mayor and express that his “town round-up” is an ineffective way to control the cat population and it puts people and the cats in danger. The more effective, less costly, and humane method of cat control is TNR.

Mayor Vance Trively
PO Box 88
107 S Main
Randolph, IA 51649-0013

randolphcity@iowatelecom.net
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Beijing, China

Cats are still being round up en mass to cleanse the city before the start of the Olympics. This recent government campaign is telling citizens that cats are disease carries, causing a country-wide panic. According to an England newspaper, “cat owners, terrified by the disease warning, are dumping their pets in the streets to be picked up by special collection teams.” Another report states that “paranoia is so intense that six stray cats -including two pregnant females - were beaten to death with sticks by teachers at a Beijing kindergarten, who feared they might pass illnesses to the children.”

ACR is urging our members to continue to contact the Olympics organizations and voice your disgust with the inhumane treatment of animals in order to prepare for The Games.

Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG)
267 Bei Si Huan Zhong Lu
Haidian District
Beijing 100083, China

Tel: (86.10) 66 69 91 85
Fax: (86.10) 66 69 92 29
Email: 2008@beijing2008.cn

Beijing Olympics

mishubu@beijing2008.cn, international@beijing2008.cn, marketing@beijing2008.cn, xuanchuan@beijing2008.cn

Olympics General

secretariat@eurolympic.org, odepa@oem.com.mx, info@ocasia.org, info@acnolympic.org, acnoa@camnet.cm, onoc@onoc.org.fj, coa@coa.ad, boa@boa.org.uk, nocsmr@cons.sm, office@noc.fi, office@oeoc.at, armnoc@arminco.com, info@olympic.be, office@okscg.org.yu, cnosf@cnosf.org, office@dosb.de, info@sok.se, international.affairs@noc-nsf.nl, segreteria@coni.it

Beijing Purging City of Stray Cats in Preparation for Upcoming Olympic Games

In 2004, 50,000 cats and dogs were poisoned prior to the Games in Athens, Greece. For the past few months, cats in London have been (still are being) killed by the construction of sites for the 2012 Olympic Games. And now with the 2008 Games only five months away, Beijing is following a similar path, by rounding up stray cats to “cleanse” the city.

According to an England newspaper, Beijing’s agricultural bureau director recently ordered that “all stray cats must be caught and taken off the streets before the end of June, to ensure the city looks its best…for the Olympics.” Cats are being trapped and placed in crowded holding pens, which animal activists are comparing to the size of microwave ovens. The order states that strays unclaimed after 14 days will be “dealt with”.

The Capital Animal Welfare Association (located in Beijing) estimates 160,000 to 200,000 animals are at risk from the new campaign. Qin Xiaona, head of the animal welfare association told The Times, “the officials said they did not want the Olympic athletes to see a single stray animal. This is partly because the Chinese care so much about face.” Mrs. Qin wants to know from the International Olympic Committee and the athletes: “Do they feel that they can take part comfortably in the Olympics if the price of the games is the lives of so many animals?” Alley Cat Rescue asks the same question to those of us who support the Olympic Games.

It is a great honor to welcome the entire world to your home town and be enthralled in the glorious buzz of international news. The opportunity to host such a legendary event is in every meaning of the word priceless. Unfortunately, there is an ugly untold story following in the wake of this worldly tradition—cats and dogs living in these areas are horribly killed in order to “cleanse” the future sites of the Games. Stray and feral cats and dogs are poisoned, trapped to be destroyed, or simply killed when demolition crews tear down old structures to build the new facilities. This has been a practice of past Olympic sites and it continues to be a practice of those on the list to host the Games in the future.

It is time to demand the International Olympic Committee to step in and prohibit participating cities from “rounding up” and killing stray cats and dogs as preparation for the Games. The Olympic Committee needs to express their disapproval with such actions and clearly advise against such a horrible protocol. Therefore, ACR is encouraging our members to continue to pressure the International Olympic Committee to take action. We desperately need to let the Committee know that, as supporters of the Olympic Games, we are outraged by the terrible treatment of animals and if the current trend of “cleansing” future sites does not stop, they will lose our support.

International Olympic Committee
Château de Vidy
1007 Lausanne
Switzerland

Tel: (41.21) 621 61 11
Fax: (41.21) 621 62 16

SEND LETTERS TO PARTICIPATING CITIES:

Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG)
267 Bei Si Huan Zhong Lu
Haidian District
Beijing 100083, China

Tel: (86.10) 66 69 91 85
Fax: (86.10) 66 69 92 29
Email: 2008@beijing2008.cn

London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG)
23rd Floor, One Churchill Place
London E14 5LN

Tel.: +44 203 2012 000
Fax: + 44 203 2012 001
Email: info@london2012.com

**To read the entire newspaper article from The Times, visit: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/more_sport/article3427996.ece

**To find more information on the Olympic Games, visit: http://www.olympic.org/uk/index_uk.asp

Easter Lilies Are Deadly for Your Cat

Spring is upon us and Easter will be here before we know it. Most of us will be buying plants for the garden or our window boxes and loved ones give us colorful bouquets to sit around the house. But for those of us who are pet owners, we must keep in mind some plants and flowers are highly toxic and potentially deadly to animals.

The most common Easter flowers are lilies and several types of lilies are highly toxic to cats. These include: Easter lily, Tiger lily, Rubrum lily, Japanese show lily, Stargazer lily, and some species of the Day lily. Unfortunately, all parts of the lily plant are considered toxic to cats and consuming even small amounts can be life threatening. Within only a few hours of ingestion, a cat may vomit, become lethargic, or develop a lack of appetite. These signs continue and worsen as kidney damage or renal failure progresses. Without prompt and proper treatment by a veterinarian, the cat’s kidneys shut down within 36 to 72 hours; which is fatal.

Other flowers associated with spring and Easter that are also toxic to cats are Azaleas, Tulips, Chrysanthemums, Daffodils, Hydrangeas, Marigolds, Geraniums, and Hyacinths.

Being a responsible pet owner means keeping our pets safe and this means removing all potential hazards from our homes (or at least keeping them out of reach). As the seasons change and holidays come and go, please remember to keep your pet’s safety in mind.

168 Cats and Kittens Rescued from 2012 Olympic Park Demolition Site

Thanks to all who sent letters to the International Olympic Committee and members of the Olympic Delivery Authority, the Celia Hammond Animal Trust (CHAT) has been allowed a limited period of time to access the site of the 2012 Olympic Games!

On January 15th, a meeting was held between CHAT and the ODA to discuss their access to the site in order to rescue the remaining cats. The group has been granted permission to access certain areas at particular times. According to their website, they recently trapped a pregnant mom and rescued two cats that were found taking shelter in out-of-service buses.

This is a victory for CHAT and the cats facing uncertain death from all of the destruction taking place around them. BUT there is still more cats that need rescued and the group is still fighting the ODA for access to other areas of the site. Please keep the letters coming and we can see that ALL of the remaining cats are removed from the site before it is too late!

WRITE TO:

David Higgins, Chief Executive, Olympic Delivery Authority
One Churchill Place
Canary Wharf, London E14 5LN

Lord Sebastian Coe, Olympic Delivery Authority
One Churchill Place
Canary Wharf, London E14 5LN

John Armitt CBE, Chairman, Olympic Delivery Authority
One Churchill Place
Canary Wharf, London, E14 5LN

Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London
Greater London Authority, City Hall, The Queens Walk
More London, London SE1 2AA

Anna’s Law in Illinois

Anna’s Law has established and implemented an Illinois Public Health and Safety Animal Population Control Program. This program collects funds solely to subsidize the spaying, neutering, and vaccinating of ferals and the pets of low-income residents. Funds are generated from public safety fines collected under the Animal Control Act, Pet Friendly license plate fees, the Illinois Income Tax Act, and from voluntary contributions.

Anna’s Law was passed with the intent to get more communities to address the growing cat population problem through proactive means. The law was also passed to protect the public, save taxpayers money, and reduce the killing at animal shelters.

This law is one of a kind but hopefully not for long. We should use this law and Illinois’ proactive attitude to set precedent and ensure our city and government officials take steps to help the pet population.

To view Anna’s Law: http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/94/094-0639.htm

Petaluma, CA Killing Feral Cats

Petaluma, CA passed an ordiance that prevents the feeding of feral cats in a wetlands area, and allows for Animal Control to kill the cats immediately. The ordinance states: There shall be no feeding of feral cats in or within one-half mile of the Petaluma Wetlands, located along the Petaluma River. The area covered by this section is bordered by the Petaluma River on the southwest, and Lakeville Highway to the north and east, from the Petaluma Marina to, and including the Petaluma Holding Ponds. There shall be no feeding of feral cats inside any city park, or within a block of any city park. Any existing feeding station in the prohibited areas shall be removed within 90 days.

Instead of killing the cats, Petaluma needs to implement Trap-Neuter-Return programs, which will slowing decrease the number of cats in the wetlands through natural attrition. Killing the cats will just create a vacuum effect, and they will be replaced by other feral cats. TRN is also more economic for the city.

Please visit http://www.thepetitionsite.com/petition/357276712 to sign the petition, or call/email members of the City council to express your displeasure at the killing of these cats:

Name	Phone	Term Ends
Pamela Torliatt, Mayor	707-763-6825	12/10
Karen Nau, Vice Mayor	707-778-4521	12/08
Mike O'Brien Council	707-778-4525	12/08
Mike Harris Council	707-773-3196	12/10
Teresa Barrett Council	707-953-0846	12/10
David Rabbitt Council	707-971-0272	12/10
Samantha Freitas Council		12/08
Eric Danly, City Attorney	707-778-4362
Mike Bierman, City Manager	707-778-4345

WE WON!

Thanks to everyone who voted for ACR and helped us win! With 18,580 votes, we won the January 28^th round on the Vote4cause website. The exact amount we won is still pending, but every little bit helps. Thank you for helping the kitties!

Strengthen Maryland’s Stance Against Animal Fighting

The Maryland Senate is considering a bill that would make it a felony to attend a dogfight or a cockfight in Maryland. While it is a felony to stage an animal fight in Maryland, the penalty for attending spectators is a mere misdemeanor. Senate Bill 44 would change this, making it a felony, and finally closing the animal fighting spectator loophole.

This cruel and inhumane practice is closely connected to a host of other crimes, including illegal drug and weapons violations, gambling, aggravated assaults and drug violence. Law enforcement officers can attest to the presence of children at animal fights is the rule rather than the exception. When children are taught that cruelty to animals is acceptable and fun, rather than a serious crime, they are more likely to exhibit cruelty themselves.

Animal fighting results in serious injury and death to thousands of innocent animals. Please help Maryland change this by contacting Senator Lisa A. Gladden and Senator Brian E. Frosh and urging them to schedule Maryland Senate Bill 44 for a vote in the Judicial Proceedings Committee and then vote for its passage.

Contact Information:

Senator Lisa Gladden
11 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401

Senator Brian Frosh
11 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401

Vote for Alley Cat Rescue

Visit www.vote4cause.org to vote for ACR. This website was created to give money to today’s charities and good causes. When you vote, advertising money is generated through the site’s sponsors. The money is given to the organization with the most votes for that voting period.

According to the site, “since VOTE4CAUSE is relatively new, the generated money is relatively small. We feel it is better to give larger amounts to fewer causes rather than smaller amounts to more causes. This will change as VOTE4CAUSE grows.”

Voting doesn’t cost you a cent and it’s easy! So, please visit the site and vote for Alley Cat Rescue. You can vote as many times as you want (in 30 second intervals). So, check it out!

Vick's Pit Bulls Sniffing Fresh Air in Utah

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (AP) -- Twenty-two of the pit bulls seized from suspended NFL quarterback Michael Vick's dogfighting operation are sniffing the dry desert air, getting to know human kindness and gobbling treats at a Utah animal sanctuary.

Each dog has its own pen inside an octagonal housing unit and an outdoor run. They're being fed "canine caviar" -- a special dog-food formulation. They're chewing rubber bones. They can wrestle rubber toys filled with doggie treats.

"We're walking these guys and touching them more," said Patty Hegwood, director of animal care for the Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, about 260 miles south of Salt Lake City.

"This is red cliffs and rocks and desert as oppose to Virginia, which is green and humid. So they have lots of noses up in the air, taking in all the different smells. Some are a little pensive.

They're trying to figure out where they are, basically. They're looking at us like, 'Who the heck are you?"'

The dogs landed Wednesday after an 8-hour flight in a chartered twin-prop from Richmond, Virginia.

Other shelters are taking another 25 dogs from Vick's 15-acre country estate in southeastern Virginia.

"It's the end of a long grind for these guys," Best Friends spokesman John Polis said.
"Our fondest hope is that they get adopted, but we have to be very conservative because these dogs come from a rough background," he said.

Caretakers are keeping the pit bulls separated from some 600 other dogs at a 3,000-acre sanctuary that leases another 30,000 acres of federal land for grazing animals.

Best Friends has 400 employees.

Helping the pit bulls adjust to a new social life will be difficult, but their handlers will observe the animals for at least six months and work to correct any behavior problems, Polis said.

Polis said the sanctuary euthanizes dogs only for medical reasons.

A court order prevents the sanctuary from discussing any of the dogs' conditions until the last of three co-defendants who trained them for fighting is sentenced January 25, Polis said.

Vick is serving a 23-month prison sentence for a dogfighting conspiracy.

The Best Friends sanctuary will appear in a new National Geographic channel series called "Dog Town" that starts Friday.

article provided by www.CNN.com

Switzerland Cat Fur Trade

A petition has been launched by the Swiss association SOS Chat (a cat activist group) to ban the production and sale of cat fur products in Switzerland. The Petition is to bring Switzerland into line with the European Union where the production of cat furs will be outlawed in all member states this year. Currently, Switzerland bans the import of cat furs, but allows domestic production and sale.

According to the group’s co-founder, the ban is supported by Switzerland’s president and members of Parliament; opposition comes from hunters and farmers, who believe cat fur is a remedy for rheumatism, an old wives’ tale. "In September, October, November and December the hunters and the people who work for the tanners go out and shoot all the feral cats or all cats which are 200 meters away from homes," Tomek says.

This is a great step forward by the European Union and hopefully the SOS Chat’s petition will supply the added pressure needed for Switzerland to comply. So far the petition has acquired over 50,000 signatures, including those of Brigitte Bardot, Michael Schumacher and former Miss Switzerland Lauriane Gilliéron. The European Union’s action could set a precedent for cat-friendly legislation and animal welfare laws in general.

Alley Cat Rescue is urging our members to either sign the petition or write letters supporting the ban to diplomatic representatives. The petition can be downloaded in English here from www.soschats.org.

Letters can be sent to:

Diplomatic representation in the US:
Ambassador Alfred Defago
2900 Cathedral Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
Ambassador J. Richard Fredericks
Jubilaeumstrasse 93, 3005 Bern Switzerland

California Feral Cats Now Employed

Feral cats have been given a second chance and an important job in the state of California. Thanks to a local animal welfare organization, Voice for the Animals Foundation, these animals are doing what they do best…rodent patrol!

The group has established a “Working Cats Program” to promote TNR and the humane control of feral cats. After being spayed/neutered and vaccinated, the cats are relocated to businesses in the area that are experiencing rodent problems. Businesses slowly introduce the cats to their new home over a period of 30 days. Eventually, the cats become familiar with their surroundings and the dependable food source provided by care takers encourage the cats to stay put.

Feral cats are currently employed by the Los Angeles Flower Market, the Crossroads School campus, and recently by the Los Angeles Police Department Wilshire and Foothills Divisions. According to the Voice for the Animals, it is the cats’ scent that keeps the rats at bay. Although they are great hunters, rats get one whiff of the cats and vacate the premises. In a recent Los Angeles Times article, the LAPD states they are happy with the outcome and are working on introducing more ferals to other divisions. There are officers at each station more than willing to care for the cats. “If I were a wild cat, that would be a great job. Your meals are there, your housing is there, you’re at a police station so you’re safe,” says Commander Kirk Albanese.

“Compared to the methods that are most commonly used to control rats, this method proves to be effective, humane and environmentally friendly. It is a win-win-win situation!” proclaims the Voice for the Animals Foundation on their website.

Happy Holiday's from ACR

On December 9th and 16th, Alley Cat Rescue got to play Santa at the PETsMART to raise money. People could bring in their pets (and kids!) to have their pictures taken with Santa. On the 9th, two volunteers played Santa, but on the 16th, ACR's own Kylie had the honor. Here are some pictures--
Kylie as Santa with her dog Otis
Alley Cat Rescue would like to wish everyone a very happy holiday season and a wonderful New Year!

~Louise, Kylie, Maggie and the Alley Cat Rescue Team

Cats Are Not Killers, They Are Predators

There was a recent article in the New York Times Magazine covering the never-ending debate on feral cat predation. Clea Simon (author of Cries and Whiskers) also discusses if “kitty is a killer” on her blog. In response to the magazine’s article and to add to Clea’s comments, here is ACR’s view on the subject:

Humans have double standards when it comes to judging and treating animals and how they judge and treat their own species. Environmentalists focus on the cat as predator, making exaggerated claims about cat predation and often overlooking or minimizing the tremendous damage done by humans. At this time in history, when the human population is so destructive to the earth and wildlife, we need to remind ourselves of our species’ responsibility and consider our “double standards.”

Urban sprawl, parking lots, road building, and golf courses play a large part in reducing habitat and food sources, negatively affecting wildlife. We poison our air with exhaust fumes from over 120 million automobiles and spray 4 billion pounds of pesticides into the atmosphere annually. The WorldWatch Institute cites deforestation, due to razing forests for croplands, pastures, and real estate, as one of the major factors contributing to the loss of all birds, including songbirds. In addition, power lines electrocute tens of thousands of birds, and estimates of birds killed in collisions with automobiles and glass windows every year run to the hundreds of millions.

So, to place blame on cats as a major cause for the decline of bird populations and to advocate their eradication does not make sense or solve the problem. Yes, there is no denying cats kill birds. They are predators, they hunt, and they do so out of instinct just as other mammals do. But that doesn’t mean we should round up all predators and decide who we should kill and who should live. Plus, many zoologists have observed that feral cats are more scavengers than predators. Their begging and opportunistic behavior “has enabled many feral cats almost to give up hunting altogether,” says Peter Neville, a UK biologist; this behavior has contributed to their being domesticated in the first place over 5,000 years ago.

Studies have also shown that cases where cats were eradicated mice and rat populations exploded, and they began to prey on ground-nesting birds. On Amsterdam Island, biologists eradicated the feral cats to protect seabirds; however, this caused an increase in black rat and house mice populations, and they preyed on the seabirds. Same occurred in New Zealand, when feral cats were exterminated to preserve native bird populations; only, there was an increase in the rat population, which posed deadly to the birds.

In the end, ACR believes all animals, whether exotic, alien, introduced, non-native, or so-called pests, are sentient beings and should be given humane care and treatment. If a species needs controlled in order to preserve another, then all humane, non-lethal methods should be utilized. In this day and age, everyone should be trying to instill more compassionate ethics towards the earth and all of her inhabitants.