Bre's Taiwan Dog Blog

Foster Dogs-guanxi Magazine Article Autumn 2010

2010-10-23T22:50:00.001-07:00

http://guanximag.wordpress.com/2010/10/04/foster-dogs-breanna-alexander/

Foster Dogs – Breanna Alexander

Posted on October 4, 2010 by Avi

A black puppy is roaming your neighborhood. He is a Formosan, a local breed, thrown out onto the streets because he is no longer wanted. He is so malnourished that you can count his ribs. There is no water for him to drink and you often see your neighbors swat him away with a broom. You want to scoop him in your arms and nurse him back to health but one question holds you back: “Am I prepared to commit to the care of this puppy?”

This is a story my friends and fellow volunteers hear and experience all too often. With so many street/shelter animals in Taiwan, animal welfare groups such as Taichung PAWS and TUAPA are constantly struggling to find homes for these furry outcasts. Eventually, we locate permanent homes in Taiwan or abroad, but what happens before we find their “Forever families”?

I have interviewed a number of people – founders of animal groups like Taichung PAWS, and one woman in Canada who saves dogs from being tortured and eaten in South Korea. I have also interviewed people who have been foster parents here in Taiwan.

Let me start by answering the simplest question: What is a foster family?

A foster family is a caring temporary home for the animal until she finds her forever family. They provide the basic needs – shelter, food, water, affection and exercise – to prepare that pet for her future family. Taking an animal off the streets or out of the shelter is definitely not as easy as it sounds as these animals need to be properly trained and socialized.

What is expected from a foster family?

The main things are a clean home with plenty of water and food; that the animal is being trained properly – learning to adjust inside the house/apartment; exercise, commitment and compassion. Some of these animals are very troubled or sick and need extra care and/or discipline. These pets also need to learn to socialize with not only other animals but with people.

What do I, as a foster parent, need to pay for?

Each group is different. Some cover only the medical costs while the foster family covers the food and other expenses. Others may cover all the costs, while some lack funds to cover any. If you are interested in fostering then you need to ask the welfare group about their policies. Fostering is a commitment and sometimes that means a little bit of money.

Are there downsides to fostering?

As with everything in life, there are ups and downs – in this case the issue of letting go. People become attached and face the decision of adopting the pet as one of their own or giving up the animal. Also, some pets may be troubled and need extra care or discipline and this can mean more time and money.

Do foster families need to sign any paperwork?

Animal welfare groups will ask foster families to sign contracts stating the policies of the group and the needs of the pet. They also screen potential families to ensure the safety of the pet. There have been many cases where the pets were given to negligent and/or abusive families and had to be taken away only to be re-homed. This is traumatic for everyone, especially the pet, and these situations must be avoided. These contracts and screenings ensure a safe, clean and loving environment for the pet.

How do I become a foster parent?

There are many animal welfare groups in Taiwan – Taichung PAWS and TUAPA are a couple in Taichung. TUAPA has an adoption event at the park on Gong Yi Road every Sunday. You can also go to www.taichungpaws.org or email info@taichungpaws.org.
If you decide that you want to foster, please ask yourself these questions before making the decision: Do you have the time? Can you afford it? Are you able to let go when it comes time for the pet to join their forever family? Are you able to keep a clean and loving environment? If the pet gets sick or hurt are you able to do what it takes to heal it?

Being a foster parent is a challenge and is not as easy as it sounds, but it is one of the most rewarding lessons in life. You are helping a sentient creature find love and happiness, and everyone deserves that chance!

I would like to extend special thanks to Douglas Jarvie and Caroline Tugwell (founders of Taichung PAWS), Falyn Jarvis, Victoria Tompkins and Jacqueline van de Leygraaf for their input.

有一隻小黑狗在您家附近遊蕩，牠是一隻台灣土狗，而且是本土特有種。由於主人不再要牠了，所以將牠拋棄街頭。因為嚴重的營養不良，以致於瘦到連肋骨都顯而易見。
在街上，由於無水可喝，因此可以經常看到牠被鄰居用掃帚趕走的畫面。這時，您會極度渴望地將牠擁入懷中並照顧牠直到恢復健康。但一個問號阻礙了您的行動！我已經準備好要做出照顧這隻小狗的承諾了嗎？
這是一個故事，是我的朋友、同學和志工常聽到及經歷過的事。隨著流浪狗在台灣的數量增加，動物福利團體諸如台中巿動物福利促進協會及台中巿世界聯合保護動物協會，不斷地為這些毛茸茸的棄兒努力找到新家。終究，我們為牠們在台灣或海外找到了永久的家。但在牠們進到“永遠的家庭”以前，沒人會知道這期間會發生什麼事？

"I Want to Quit"-The Story of a Stray/Shelter/Abandoned Animal Rescuer

2010-09-11T18:54:00.000-07:00

I just read this and HAD to share it with everyone. For those of us who volunteer to help rescue stray and shelter animals...

"Some are familiar with the writing, and the rescue work, of Joan Fremo, founder of the PyrAngel Rescue Network. Joan died about eight years ago. The world lost a fine writer and a dedicated rescuer. This is one of her pieces.

Author: Joan C. Fremo
Published on: May 16, 2001
I want to quit!
My health is bad. There are days I feel so terrible that I can barely move. My phone bills are outrageous, and I could have replaced my van with the funds I have spent these last 3 years---on animals that were not my own.

I want to quit!
I spend hours and hours emailing about dogs. There may be 500 messages when I start---and at 4 AM, when I finally shut down the computer, there are still 500 emails to be read.

I want to quit!
Gosh, I haven't the time left to email my friends. I can't remember the last book I read, and I gave up my subscription to my local newspaper--- I used to enjoy reading it, cover to cover, but now it often ends up in the bottom of the squirrel's cage---unread.

I want to quit!
I've spent days emailing what seems like everyone---trying to find a foster home, help for a dog languishing in a shelter---but his time has run out, and the shelter has had to euthanize to make room for the next sad soul.

I want to quit!
I swear, I walk away from my computer to stretch my legs---let the dogs out---and come back to find another dog in desperate need. There are times I really dread checking my email. How will I find the funds, the help, to save yet another dog?

I want to quit!
I save one dog, and two more take its place. Now an owner who doesn't want his dog---it won't stay in his unfenced yard. An intact male wanders... This bitch got pregnant by a stray... This 3-month-old pup killed baby chicks... The dog got too big... This person's moving and needs to give up his pet. I ask you, friends---what town, what city, what state doesn't allow you to own a pet?

I want to quit!
I just received another picture, another sad soul with tormented eyes that peer out of a malnourished body. I hear whimpering in my sleep, have nightmares for days...

I want to quit!
Many of the "Breed People" don't seem to want to hear about these dogs. Breeders either don't realize, or just don't care, how many dogs of their breed are dying in shelters.

I want to quit!
I just got off the phone. "Are you Pyr Rescue? We want to adopt a male to breed to our female." How many times do I have to explain? I have tried to explain about genetics, about health and pedigrees. I explain that rescue NEUTERS! I usually end up sobbing, as I explain about the vast numbers of animals dying in shelters across the country, as I describe the condition many of these animals are found in. I wonder if they really heard me...

I want to quit!
It is not like I don't have enough rescues of my own to worry about---but others have placed dogs improperly and aren't there to advise the new owners.

I want to quit!
There ARE some unscrupulous rescues out there---hoarders, collectors, and folks who will short change the care of the animals to make a dollar. They save them all, regardless of temperament, putting fellow rescuer's and adopters at risk but not being truthful.

I want to quit!
I have trusted the wrong people--- had faith and heart broken...

I want to quit!
AND THEN... My dog, Magnus, lays his head in my lap, he comforts me with his gentle presence---and the thought of his cousins suffering stirs my heart.

I want to quit!
AND THEN... One of those 500 emails is from an adopter. They are thanking me for the most wonderful dog on earth---they cannot imagine life without their friend---their life is changed, and they are so grateful.

I want to quit!
AND THEN... One of my adopted Rescues has visited a nursing home. A patient that has spent the last few years unable to communicate, not connecting-- -Lifts his hand to pat the huge head in his lap, softly speaks his first words in ages--- to this gentle fur child.

I want to quit!
AND THEN... A Good Samaritan has found and vetted a lost baby, "I can't keep him, but I'll take care of him until you find his forever home."

I want to quit!
AND THEN... "Jamie took his first steps holding on to our Pyr." "Joan, you should see this dog nursing this hurt kitten!" "I was so sick, Joan, and he never left my side..."

I want to quit!
AND THEN... I get an email from a fellow rescuer, "Haven't heard from you in a while---you OK? You know I think of you..."

I want to quit!
AND THEN... A dozen rescuers step up to help, to transport, to pull, and to offer encouragement. I have friends I have never seen, but we share tears, joys, and everything in between. I am not alone. I am blest with family of the heart, my fellow Rescuers. Just days ago it was a friend who shared her wit and wisdom, whose late night email lifted my heart. Sometimes it is friends who only have time to forward you a smile. Often, it is my friends who forward me the notices of dogs in need.

There are Rescuers who see a failing transport and do everything they can to find folks to pull it together for you.

Rescuers who'll overnight or foster your Dog while you seek transport.

There are Rescuers not used to or comfortable with your breed, but who put aside their discomfort to help.

There are Rescuers whose words play the music of our hearts.

Foster homes that love your Rescue, and help to make them whole again---body and spirit. Foster homes that fit your baby in, though it may not be their breed.

Rescuers whose talents and determination give us tools to help us. Rescuers we call on for help in a thousand ways, who answer us, who hear our pleas.

Rescuers who are our family, our strength, our comrades in battle.

I know I cannot save every Pyr in need. I know my efforts are a mere drop in a sea. I know that if I take on just one more---those I have will suffer.

I want to quit!
But I won't. When I feel overwhelmed, I'll stroke my Magnus's head while reading my fellow Rescuers emails. I'll cry with them, I'll laugh with them---and they will help me find the strength to go on.

I want to quit!
But not today. There's another email, another dog needing Rescue.

This piece is dedicated, with love and gratitude, to all my fellow Rescuers."

http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/FL38.html

Pets and Death - How Do We Cope?

2010-02-20T20:02:00.000-08:00

http://www.cesarsway.com/images/news/daddy02.jpg
(This is NOT my photo but that of the Cesar Millan website. I have used this photo to show that Daddy is a pit-bull yet he is not violent or scary.)

I know I haven't written in awhile but I have to say that I have had writer's block. For some reason, this Chinese New Year has helped to tear down some of that wall that keeps me from writing.

But today, I have seen an article that I would like to share. So really, I'm not going to be doing a lot of writing so-to-speak but sharing this article.

http://www.cesarsway.com/news/daddy-memoriam

Information about Daddy:
http://www.dogster.com/dogs/456424

Daddy was a pit bull terrier formerly owned by rapper Redman. Eventually he asked Cesar Millan to do the training. In the end, Cesar adopted Daddy and Daddy has been by Cesar's side ever since.

Daddy broke the stereotype of the "scary and deadly dog" and showed everyone what pit bulls really are if they are consistently and properly trained to be: calm-submissive and good dogs.

He also proved that it is NOT the breed but the training and exercise.

I know most people don't understand why people react the way they do when a pet passes on, and that's sad because it means those people have never had such a bond and have never felt unconditional love.

The question is: How do we cope when our pet passes on?

http://www.pet-loss.net/index.shtml

According to this website there are ten tips. The one tip that I will put on this blog is to wait before getting another dog. As much as I want people to adopt and foster, if someone has just dealt with a loss of a pet, I feel that there needs to be time before getting a new one or even fostering. Wait until you are fully recovered.

I would just like to thank Daddy and Cesar Millan for opening my eyes and showing me things that I needed to see in order to be a better pack leader.

3 cheers for Tsaotun doggies!

2009-06-29T23:31:00.000-07:00

Ruby nuzzlin one of the volunteers

Whisper at the shelter

It's a loooong way from the Tsaotun shelter...

but Ruby and Whisper (the two Tsaotun beagles) are in Seattle and it seems they are lovin it!! Here are some pics!!

I am so happy for them!!

As for Coco, here is an update about her (from Caroline's blog)

http://dragon-abroad.livejournal.com/

She will be staying with a trainer in Dali as she is fear aggressive and has bitten people on two occasions (purely out of fear).

She is a wonderful dog and I haven't had any problems with her so I feel really optimistic about her rehabilitation!!

That's all for now and will try to post more often!!

June Tsaotun Shelter Visit:

2009-06-28T04:52:00.000-07:00

Trent and Tania ready to go!

Penelope's Dew Claw

One of the New Editions and his/her lump on the side :(

The new edition...yet to be named...Isn't he/she adorable??

This lil guy is a cutie!! Trent gave him the name Casper :) This is him playng with me :D

Every last Sunday of the month, Taichung PAWS go to a small shelter of about 20-30 dogs in Tsaotun (Nantou county)...

We hadn't been able to go for two months as we have been busy, but we got to go today!

There were seven of us today and the sun was BLAZING!! Trent, Quincy and Stan were AWESOME with cutting the SUPER HIGH grass and Trent mentioned using a weed eater next time as opposed to the sickle and shears we usually use and I hope we can find one as a sickle and shears is too HARD!!

Tania and I frontlined the dogs and Hino helped the Tsaotun Ai Xin Mama clean the floor and later Tania and I joined in.

Jacqueline took some of the dogs on a well needed walk! If these dogs can be fostered, they NEED to learn to walk on a leash!

Trent took Da Hei and I think Da Hei took a liking to him :D

As for the dogs...a few have been adopted and one has recently passed away. So far, Lucy was being fostered and now has been adopted by Trent and Tania. Toby is at Chris's shelter until he is off to Canada (fingers crossed!!)

Chris's blog: http://www.nutz.ca/luckydog/

Coco will now be staying with a trainer who will be fostering her and training her to NOT be scared and hopefully rehabilitate her which I think will go fine as she is a sweetheart!

Ruby and Whisper (the beagles) who are at a beagle rescue shelter in Seattle and will find homes soon I'm sure!! :)

Hazel(Coffee) has just been adopted and despite her cancer, I think Layla has been, too!

The Ai Xin Mama said Rory has been adopted and Yuki was, too (the puppies from a few months back)...

And I think Marcus took one as well!! All in all that's about 10 dogs gone from the shelter and there seemed to a lot less than before!

There are two new additions to the shelter who both were literally (unfortunately, this is common) dumped there. One is a beagle and he/she is a playful sweetheart! The other is a white dog who is so sweet, but has two giant lumps...one on the side of it's body and I forget where the other is :( He/she is soooooo thin and is in a cage...We'll have to check up on it next month.

Also, Penelope's Dew claw isn't much better...

Other than that, Colin and Colleen were wonderful as always and once we brought out the Peanutbutter and banana dog cookies (from Costco), they were following us everywhere :P Star was really shy which she never used to be and would run away..she came up to me a couple times, but not as much as she used to...:(

Here's the link to my Facebook album of today! Enjoy :)

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/album.php?aid=127053&id=537854407&ref=mf

An update on dog culling:

2009-06-10T01:00:00.001-07:00

Right after I posted this, a link came from Animals Asia Foundation on my Facebook and I thought I should post this:

http://www.animalsasia.org/index.php?UID=N03CH2OR1CS

Hanzhong city dog cull - update

9 Jun 2009

Sponsored by Animals Asia, Ms Jianghong, the founder of Xi'an Small Animals Rescue Center and representatives of several local animal-welfare groups spent three days in Hanzhong city and the surrounding countryside in Shaanxi Province. They gathered evidence on the cull and spoke with local officials, offering their help with alternative methods of dog control.

They met with a government officer in Hanzhong and offered advice on how to control rabies, passing on an original letter from Animals Asia, which we had previously faxed to them, offering advice on dog population and disease control, as well as help with a vaccination programme.

However, the dog culling continues, with city officials adamant that killing all dogs is the most reliable and fastest way to control disease. They argue that the death of nine people from rabies is adequate reason to clear the area of dogs, whether strays or companions, vaccinated or not.

Outside of Hanzhong city, the team was shocked to discover no dogs at all in the village of Yangxian and the surrounding areas, which had mobilised residents to go out and kill any dog they came across in an effort to make the area dog-free.

Local animal welfare group representatives confront a dog culling team.

The team has also discovered that the area where the dogs are being buried is not subject to any regulation and there is a grave danger that their decaying bodies will pollute the drinking water throughout Shaanxi Province.

With the help of Jianghong, local dog owners grouped together and, supported by more than 200 local residents in Hanzhong city, held a poignant lakeside ceremony to mourn the dogs victimised and brutally killed.

Led by Jianghong (far right), residents hold a moving ceremony in mourning for the dogs slaughtered.

In a positive development, local people have now set up Hanzhong Animal Protection Association through which they will press the case for responsible animal welfare and the right to raise their dogs without fear.

Jianghong and her team are now collating their information and will let us have their report as soon as possible. They will also be presenting it to the Shaanxi Province government in the hope that it will influence the city officials to implement proper rabies controls and never cull dogs in the future.

To donate to the Dog cull appeal, please click here.

The body of a slaughtered dog lies exposed in its final resting place.

A corpse floats in the local tributary of the Han River, which serves Shaanxi Province.

A lone resident offers prayers for a victim, killed and thrown to the side of the road.

City residents spell out their fears in preparation for a memorial ceremony.

http://www.animalsasia.org/index.php?UID=HK616A9D8P3A

This is some info about Animals Asia.

Starting to Research Dog Culling

2009-06-09T23:49:00.000-07:00

(please note: this is NOT an article. This is a BLOG. These are my opinions and haven't done full research yet, so please do not post negative comments. Thank you.)

In my recent search for happiness, I have turned to the Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama teaches us to be kind to everyone and everything and we will be happier. Two of his quotes stand out in my mind at the moment and they are:

"My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness."

and

"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion."

I have learned from the Dalai Lama to be kind to everything, not JUST people. When you practice general kindness, you will be happier as will everyone and everything else. Instead of self-destructing, everything will be positively reconstructed and maintained, so-to-speak.

But with good feelings come bad and the bad is my recent discovery of even more sick, disgusting and cruel acts to animals. Maybe it was my naiveté (Sp??) that kept me from seeing them, but now I've seen it and have been disturbed by them. Some of these cruel acts have given me nightmares of a certain disturbing movie which I will not mention as people could play jokes on me and try to scare me and I really do not appreciate that.

One such issue has been dogs who are used as LIVE bait for sharks...meaning they are ALIVE and dragged around in back of the boat for sharks to attack for whatever reason (for shark fin soup?? I haven't researched that far).

Another is dog culling: Here is the definition for cull and a wiki artcile on animal culling.

A lot of countries perform dog cullings (basically beating the dogs to a pulp) to rid the areas of rabies. I haven't done research yet, so i have yet to know if there is a vaccine for rabies and if so, what can be done to help TVR(Trap, Vaccine, Release) these dogs so that they don't have to be violently beaten to death.

And what goes on in these people's minds to even do such a thing?? Sure, they say they are doing it to protect, but let's face it. People can be sick and they are probably getting a power rush out it which makes me infinitely nauseous.

Everybody has a tendency to say, "There is NO other way!" but there ALWAYS is...there is just something holding them back and 99% of the time it is only themselves.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cull This is a the wiki page on "cull" which explains culling:

Culling

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(Redirected from Cull)

Jump to: navigation, search

Drafting out culled sheep.

Culling is the process of removing animals from a group based on specific criteria. This is done in order to either reinforce certain desirable characteristics or to remove certain undesirable characteristics from the group. For livestock and wildlife, the process of culling usually implies the killing of animals with undesirable characteristics.

[hide]

[edit] Origin of the term

The word comes from the latin from Latin colligere, which means collect. The term can be applied broadly to mean sorting a collection into two groups: one that will be kept and one that will be rejected. The cull is the set of items rejected during the selection process. For example, if you were to cull a collection of marbles such that only red marbles are chosen, the cull would be the set of marbles that are not red. In this example, the selection process would be culling on red marbles. The implicit meaning is that the cull (the non-red marbles) are going to be the group rejected.

The culling process is repeated until the selected group is of the proper size and consistency that is desired. Take for example a talent contest. During the first round all the contestants compete and are evaluated. Since only a limited number of the contestants can continue to the next round of the competition, the group is culled based on the judges opinions. Those contestants that are not selected to continue are culled from the group. During the second round, the contestants perform again, have their performances judged, and are culled again based on the judges scoring. This process continues until the finalists and eventually the winner of the contest is chosen. By repeating the selection criteria with more stringent criteria on each round of the competition, the judges are able to cull the group to the single individual that they felt performed the best during the competition.

[edit] Pedigreed animals

Culling The rejection or removal of inferior individuals from breeding. The act of selective breeding. As used in the practice of breeding pedigree cats, this refers to the practice of spaying or neutering a kitten or cat that does not measure up to the show standard (or other standard being applied) for that breed. In no way does culling, as used by responsible breeders, signify the killing of healthy kittens or cats if they fail to meet the applicable standard."

—Carolyn M. Vella, Lorraine M. Shelton, John J. McGonagle, Terry W. Stanglein, Robinson's Genetics for Cat Breeders and Veterinarians, Fourth Edition, page 212

In the breeding of pedigreed animals, both desirable and undesirable traits are considered when choosing which animals to retain for breeding and which to place as pets. The process of culling starts with examination of the conformation standard of the animal and will often include additional qualities such as health, robustness, temperament, color preference, etc. The breeder takes all things into consideration when envisioning his/her ideal for the breed or goal of their breeding program. From that vision, selections are made as to which animals, when bred, have the best chance of producing the ideal for the breed.^[1]

Breeders of pedigreed animals cull based on many criteria. The first culling criteria should always be health and robustness. Secondary to health, temperament and conformation of the animal should be considered. The filtering process ending with the breeders personal preferences on pattern, color, etc.

[edit] The Tandem Method

The Tandem Method is a form of selective breeding where a breeder addresses one characteristic of the animal at a time. Thus selecting only animals that measure above a certain threshold for that particular trait while keeping other traits constant. Once that level of quality in the single trait is achieved, the breeder will focus on a second trait and cull based on that quality.^[1] With the tandem method, a minimum level of quality is set for important characteristics that the breeder wishes to remain constant. The breeder is focussing improvement in one particular trait without losing quality of the others. The breeder will raise the threshold for selection on this trait with each successive generation of progeny. Thus insuring improvement in this single characteristic of her breeding program.

For example, lets say that a breeder is pleased with the muzzle length, muzzle shape, and eye placement in her breeding stock, but wishes to improve the eye shape of progeny produced. The breeder then determines a minimum level of improvement in eye shape required for her to fold progeny back into her breeding program. Progeny is first evaluated on the existing quality thresholds in place for muzzle length, muzzle shape, and eye placement with the additional criteria being improvement in eye shape. Any animal that does not meet this level of improvement in the eye shape while maintaining the other qualities is culled from the breeding program. Meaning, that animal is not used for breeding, but rather is spayed/neutered and placed in a pet home.

[edit] Independent levels

Independent levels is a method where any animal who falls below a given standard in any single characteristic is not used in a breeding program. With each successive mating, the threshold culling criteria is raised thus improving the breed with each successive generation.^[1]

This method measures several characteristics at once. Should progeny fall below the desired quality in any one characteristic being measured, it will be not be used in the breeding program regardless of the level of excellence of other traits. With each successive generation of progeny, the minimum quality of each characteristic is raised thus insuring improvement of these traits.

For example, a breeder has a view of what the minimum requirements for muzzle length, muzzle shape, eye placement, and eye shape she is breeding toward. The breeder will determine what the minimum acceptable quality for each of these traits will be for progeny to be folded back into her breeding program. Any animal that fails to meet the quality threshold for any one of these criteria is culled from the breeding program. Meaning, that animal is not used for breeding, but rather is spayed/neutered and placed in a pet home.

[edit] Total Score Method

The Total Score Method is a method where the breeder evaluates and selects breeding stock based on a weighted table of characteristics. The breeder selects qualities that are most important to them and assigns them a weight. The weights of all the traits should add up to 100. When evaluating an individual for selection, the breeder measures the traits on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the most desirable expression and 1 being the lowest. The scores are then multiplied by their weights and then added together to give a total score. Individuals that fail to meet a threshold are culled (or removed) from the breeding program. The total score gives a breeder a way to evaluate multiple traits on an animal at the same time.^[1]

The total score method is the most flexible of the three. it allows for weighted improvement of multiple characteristics. It allows the breeder to make major gains in one aspect while moderate or lesser gains in others.

For example, a breeder is willing to make a smaller improvement in muzzle length and muzzle shape in order to have a moderate gain in improvment of eye placement and a more dramatic improvement in eye shape. Suppose the breeder determines that she would like to see 40% improvement in eye shape, 30% improvement in eye placement, and 15% improvement in both muzzle length and shape. The breeder would evaluate these characteristics on a scale of 1 to 10 and multiply by the weights. The formula would look something like: 15 (muzzle length) + 15(muzzle shape) + 30(eye placement) + 40(eye shape) = total score for that animal. The breeder determines the lowest acceptable total score for an animal to be folded back into their breeding program. Animals that do not meet this minimum total score are culled from the breeding program. Meaning, that animal is not used for breeding, but rather is spayed/neutered and placed in a pet home.

[edit] Livestock and production animals

Since livestock is bred for the production of meat or milk , the herd must be culled to a certain number of production or meat animals a farmer wishes to maintain. Animals not selected to remain for breeding are sent to the slaughter house, sold, or killed.

Criteria for culling livestock and production animals can be based on population or production (milk or egg). In a domestic or farming situation the culling process involves selection and the selling of surplus stock. The selection may be done to improve breeding stock, for example for improved production of eggs or milk, or simply to control the group's population for the benefit of the environment and other species.

With poultry, males which would grow up to be roosters have little use in an industrial egg-producing facility. Approximately half of the newly hatched chicks will be male and would grow up to be roosters, which do not lay eggs. For this reason, the hatchlings are culled based on gender. Most of the male chicks are usually killed shortly after hatching.

[edit] Wildlife

In the United States, hunting licenses and hunting seasons are a means by which the population of game animals is maintained. Each season, a hunter is allow to kill a certain amount of wild game. The amount is determined both by species and gender. If the population seems to have surplus females, hunters are allowed to take more females during that hunting season. If the population is below what is desired, hunters may not be permitted to hunt that particular game animal or only hunt a restricted number of males.

When the population of game animals such as elk may be informally culled if they begin to excessively eat winter food set out for domestic cattle. In such instances the rancher /will inform hunters that they may "hunt the haystack" on his property in order to thin the local herd to levels that do not excessively impact the winter feed supplies. Other instances include issuance of extra hunting licenses or additional "special seasons" during harsh winters or overpopulation by state fish and game agencies.

Culling for population control is common in wildlife management, particularly on African game farms and in Australia in national parks. In the case of very large animals such as elephants, adults are often targeted. Their orphaned young, easily captured and transported, are then relocated. Without proper elephant socialization, young male elephants are believed to become unruly and extremely dangerous to other elephants, wildlife and humans.^[2] Culling is controversial in many African countries, but reintroduction of the practice has been recommended in recent years for use at the Kruger National Park in South Africa, which has experienced a swell in its elephant population since culling was banned in 1995.^[3]

In fishing tournaments, culling refers to releasing smaller fish that won't be used to count towards an angler's total weight. For instance, if an angler is allowed to weigh in only 4 fish, he might keep his first four 2 pound fish in the livewell until he starts to catch bigger fish. As he catches bigger fish, he can release (or cull) the smaller fish.

In certain cases culling may also be undertaken to check outbreak of certain viral or other infections and diseases among animals or birds. This has become widespread in India and some other East Asian countries where there are outbreaks of the deadly Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 among poultry. Huge numbers of chickens and some other fowls are being culled (as of December 2008) in order to contain spread of the avian flu.

Culling would require a lot of safety steps to be maintained in such cases of culling animals/birds since even a minor fault can cause the infections to spread out from the effected animals/birds to the population at large. Safety measures may include wearing special protective clothing and breathing apparatus to keep the workers culling the affected animals/birds from getting infected.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Robinson, Roy; Carolyn M. Vella, Lorraine M. Shelton, John J. McGonagle, Terry W. Stanglein (1999). Robinson's Genetics for Cat Breeders and Veterinarians (Fourth ed.). Great Britain: Butterworth Heinemann. ISBN 0750640693.
^ Siebert, Charles (2006-10-08), An Elephant Crackup?, The New York Times Magazine, http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/08/magazine/08elephant.html?_r=1&oref=slogin, retrieved on 2008-02-10
^ Nduru, Moyiga (2005-12-05). "Is 'Cull' a Four-Letter Word?". Inter Press Service. http://www.ipsnews.net/interna.asp?idnews=31297. Retrieved on 2006-05-12.

[edit] External links

Look up culling in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

I am going to try to write an article about it for the Taichung Voice (with the help of Victoria and MANY other people since my writing needs work...and Victoria did the research which is great because it will be teaching me as well!)

I have even started to be a vegetarian(except for fish and eggs as teaching kids requires a LOT of energy). I have only eaten meat once a week for three weeks(and hated myself after) and hope that this week, I will refrain from eating meat at all.

I'm not asking people to go veggie, but this is just an update on me. I just can't do it anymore and I finally have the means to quit meat although I'm living in one of the most difficult places to give up meat: Taiwan (I could have EASILY done it in Amsterdam).

Here are some links on dog culling: Be warned...some can be pretty GRAPHIC!!!!

http://www.wspa-international.org/latestnews/2008/Inhumane_dog_cull_in_India.aspx

http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-265800

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6TD7-4CS4G7J-1&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=10556009c794e8eab540031a86e6605d

April Tsaotun Update:

2009-04-26T06:12:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I have posted but I am posting now!

Today was the monthly visit to Tsaotun Shelter and it was a rainy one!! We were only going to go and maintain the bond and play with the doggies, but we did have some work to do, but luckily it was a VERY positive thing...NEW CAGES!!!!

Ever since I've been volunteering (since August of 2008), the old cages have been rotting, rusting, falling apart with sharp edges and wire. I have been wondering what we could do to get the new cages, but now it's ok!

We also got to take a couple of the dogs for a walk around farm fields. Ruby, Mr. B (Xiang Jao), Rory and Esmerelda were so good! But, Da Hei (Big Black) and Star need a lot more time!

All the dogs seemed to be OK except for Star (whose claw was red and swollen in the middle), Penelope (whose claw has had problems for a while), and then there was Coco. Coco has been hiding in the small shed at the shelter everytime we are there. I've never really seen her and Caroline has said that he bares her teeth with fear.

But Coco's skin condition goes up and down. Sometimes it looks like it's getting better and sometimes not. So, Caroline thought we should get Coco to a vet.

Toby has been in the vet for about a month or so due to his severe demodex and he is improving, so we decided that Coco deserves this chance too!

We had to gently put a rope around her as to muzzle her so that she wouldn't bite anyone and once we got her into the car she was EVEN more scared and shaking so bad! But Hino sat in the front seat and she laid down on the floor and during the drive home, Hino petted her and then we switched. Hino got the scooter and I got in front and stayed with Coco until we got to the vet.

I have to admit, that I was a little afraid since they said she bites when she is afraid and I was bit a few times (one time in the face) by dogs when I was a kid, but I was so amazed at how sweet and adorable she is. She didn't bite once.

When we got her to the vet, we talked to them and we found out she has or had demodex. She was so exhausted and still a little scared. But, the vet is full till Thursday so we took her to another vet until Thursday or Friday. She's a beautiful dog and I know once she heals, she will be even more beautiful. Her fur will be soft and shiny and hopefully she'll be socialized and not so afraid of humans, other dogs and etc.

Everytime we go to Tsaotun, I wish that I already had a new apartment because I want so bad to take one of the dogs home. Well, two dogs really. I love the dogs there and they give me so much love when I go. I am so happy when I go and I dread the rest of the week and month until I can see them again..or at least see other doggies.

And I am sooooo proud of Hino. 8 months ago, he was your stereotypical "I'm afraid to touch dogs because they are 'dirty'" Taiwanese person which we encounter a LOT!!

But he cuddles with the dogs, hugs them, pets them and even puts his face up their nose and lets them give him kissies which he refused to do 8 months ago!! :) I am so proud and I cant wait till we get a dog to be a fambly!!

Here is the link to our little Tsaotun visit today :)

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=110597&id=537854407&l=ea49fce798

February Trip to Tsaotun

2009-02-23T21:08:00.001-08:00

This past Sunday, about ten of us went to the Tsaotun shelter, to help clean and take care of the doggies. Here are some pictures from the visit:

This is Fox. Jacqueline is already fostering two other dogs from Tsaotun and was so kind enough to take Fox home that day! :)

Jacqueline and Fox

Jessy and Ruby nuzzling

Colin-I LOVE him! If he's still there when I get a new apartment, he is sooo mine! Although is he finds a home sooner I'll be happy too!

Me (right to left) with Whisper, Colin and Star....I love them all!

This is the cleaning part: Douglas, Caroline, Me and Jacqueline (left to right)

Me, Chris, David, Quincy and Jessy and Jacqueline in the far right
(l-r)

Douglas and Fox looking very regal :)

I don't remember their names, but the dogs were so lovey that day!

Like I said....the dogs were super lovey that day! Maybe we brought in a good vibe...??

The Shelter

Whisper-a darling beagle whose voice box was cut out.

Keeping Our Pets Safe from Toxic Plants

2009-02-16T20:37:00.000-08:00

Sometimes we feel our house needs something out of the ordinary to give it a positive lift.

The easiest solution is always flowers. Nothing brightens up the house with a gorgeous aromatic bouquet of Calla Lilies sitting on your dining room table. These flowers are beautiful and may make the room smell lovely, but the truth is they are poison to your pet.

We know many plants out there are poisonous to ingest. But what we fail to forget is that there are plants out there that poison our animals not just by ingestion, but by physical contact.

If your pet has had some contact with a poisonous plant, first call your veterinarian! You should also have your own first-aid kit in case of emergency. This first aid kit should include:

A fresh bottle of hydrogen peroxide, 3 percent USP (to induce vomiting)
A turkey baster, bulb syringe or large medicine syringe (to administer peroxide)
Saline eye solution
Artificial tear gel (to lubricate eyes after flushing)
Mild grease-cutting dishwashing liquid (for bathing an animal after skin contamination)
Forceps (to remove stingers)
A muzzle (to protect against fear- or excitement-induced biting)
A can of your pet’s favorite wet food
A pet carrier

Remember to keep all plants out your pet’s reach. Learn the names of the plant. Check to see if it is toxic and if so, why is it toxic. What will it do to you or your pet?

Here is a list from the ASPCA of the top 17 most toxic plants for pets:
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/17-common-poisonous-plants.html

Lilies (highly toxic to cats)
Marijuana
Sago Palm
Tulip/Narcissus bulbs
Azalea/Rhododendron
Oleander
Castor Bean
Cyclamen
Kalanchoe
Yew
Amaryllis
Autumn Crocus
Chrysanthemum
English Ivy.
Peace Lily
Pothos
Schefflera

Here is a list of the most popular non-toxic plants to keep in your pet-friendly household:
http://houseplants.suite101.com/article.cfm/toxic_houseplants

· African Violets (Saintpaulia)

· Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)

· Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)

· Swedish Ivy (Plectranthus australis)

· Zebra Plant (Calathea zebrina)

· Wandering Jew (Zebrina pendula)

· Prayer Plant (Maranta leuconeura)

· Peperomia

· Jade Plant (Crassula argentea)

· Bamboo

· Orchid

By choosing pet-friendly plants, you are not only thinking of your dog’s well being, but your own.

For more information:
ASPCA: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/what-to-do-if-your-pet-is-poisoned.html

University of Connecticut Home and Garden Center: http://www.ladybug.uconn.edu/hotissues/SafeandPoisonousHouseplants.html

Toxic Houseplants: How to enjoy your houseplants while keeping your pets safe.
© Susan Walsh
Apr 29, 2007
http://houseplants.suite101.com/article.cfm/toxic_houseplants

The Pet Friendly House
http://www.petfriendlyhouse.com/information/Plants/non_poisonous_plants.aspx

Alternatives to Wool, Fur, Angora and Cashmere

2009-01-30T21:12:00.000-08:00

http://www.peta2.com/TAKECHARGE/t_factsheet_wool.asp

This is a more down-to-earth PETA article with references.

This blog will be about all kinds of alternatives to wool, fur, cashmere, angora and any other product made from hurting or killing animals.

I don't need to tell you ALL the horrible stuff people do to animals for the name of fashion because you know (even though you pretend not to). You hear it from Greenpeace, PETA and other organizations doing what they can to help save animals!

So this blog is about the alternatives you can purchase and wear to make yourself still fashionable, yet cruelty-free.

Here is an excerpt from the link above:

What You Can Do
Use alternatives to wool, including cotton, cotton flannel, polyester fleece, synthetic shearling, and other cruelty-free fibers, as people with wool allergies have been doing for years. Tencel—which is breathable, durable, and biodegradable—is one of the newest cruelty-free wool substitutes. Polartec Wind Pro, which is made primarily from recycled plastic soda bottles, is a high-density fleece with four times the wind resistance of wool, and it also wicks away moisture.(13)

Buy clothing from retailers that have pledged not to sell Australian merino wool products until mulesing and live exports have ended, such as American Eagle Outfitters, Abercrombie & Fitch, Timberland, Aéropostale, and Limited Brands.

Here is another PETA link with a list of companies and a brief description of the non-leather non-fur materials they use to make their products:

http://www.peta.org/living/alt2.asp

For those of you with money to spend, here are a couple links to designer and trendy products:

Stella McCartney is a FAMOUS designer, but also a cruelty-free activist:
http://www.stellamccartney.com/

Rag Bag is a company that makes messenger bags, wallets and the like from recycled trash bags picked off the street from people in India. These people receive fair wages.
http://www.ragbag.eu/

Actually, my stepdad bought me a Rag Bag bag and a Rag Bag wallet and I love them!! This is a pic from the website. This is kind of the color I have!

Another alternative is organic cotton. I actually bought two pairs of organic cotton socks from H&M (pink and gray) and even though they look like regular socks, I love putting them on knowing that I did the right thing in buying them!

I've also decided to resist buying leather purses and bought a denim purse. And as for shoes, Converse All-Stars are always a good choice! They are ALWAYS in fashion and now come in MANY colors and designs!

It may be a slow process, but if we can all wear cruelty-free, "Green", and fair trade products, we will feel better about ourselves as well as give those animals who were once destined to suffer a chance to live! :)

Buying Products NOT Tested on Animals

2009-01-20T19:24:00.000-08:00

I am slowly starting to buy more and more products NOT tested on animals. I have been a fan of Lush (http://www.lush.com) and the Body Shop for YEARS and always try to find makeup and beauty products safe from animal testing. But, even though I'm in Taiwan and finding products not tested on animals is NOWHERE near possible, I want to start using more more cruelty free products. Especially when I see articles like this one. Now, I know PETA gets a bad rap, but I still think we need to take these things into consideration.

I will also try to post a list of cruelty free products.

From PETA
http://www.iamscruelty.com/introduction.asp

Animals Still Suffer at Iams

Iams: A Recipe for Cruelty

For nearly 10 months in 2002 and early 2003, a PETA investigator worked undercover at Sinclair Research Center, a laboratory hired by Iams, and discovered a dark and sordid secret beneath the wholesome image of the dog- and cat-food manufacturer. Dogs had gone crazy because they were confined to barren steel cages and cement cells, dogs were left piled on a filthy paint-chipped floor after chunks of muscle had been hacked from their thighs, dogs were surgically debarked, and horribly sick dogs and cats were neglected and left in cages to suffer without any veterinary care.

Footage shows that Iams representatives toured the facility and witnessed dogs who were circling in their cells and sweltering in the summer heat. Iams knew the truth yet did nothing to protect the animals.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture investigated PETA's complaint and agreed that the laboratory had failed to provide veterinary care and pain relief to suffering animals, failed to provide animals with adequate space, and failed to train employees—along with nearly 40 other violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act. Sinclair Research Center paid a penalty of $33,000 for its violations.

After intense pressure from PETA and its supporters, Iams agreed to make the following significant changes in its testing program:

Iams bowed to pressure and severed its ties with Sinclair Research Center.
Iams ended all invasive and terminal experiments on dogs and cats.
Iams agreed to begin conducting humane in-home tests for palatability studies.

According to Iams, about 70 percent of the animals now in its tests reside at home with their families. In these studies, people volunteer their companion animals to participate in food and nutrition experiments from the comfort of their own homes. The human guardians can easily be trained to feed the animals and properly collect fecal and urine samples for laboratory analysis to determine the quality of the animal's food. "In-home" studies have been shown to work and have strong scientific support, as shown by the successful PetSci program, which was developed by Dr. Charles Abramson and Dr. Timothy Bowser of Oklahoma State University.

Even so, Iams still keeps up to 700 dogs and cats in its Dayton, Ohio, laboratory for non-invasive nutritional studies. They claim that this laboratory provides a decent environment for the animals, but they refuse to allow a PETA representative to see inside. Iams claims that some studies are too complex for in-home programs, but PETA urges Iams to collaborate with veterinary clinics for studies such as these. Veterinary clinics regularly see patients who suffer from ailments that a particular dog or cat food might help alleviate.

Iams has also refused to end invasive experiments on species other than dogs and cats. For one study, Iams gave Purdue University nearly $200,000 to conduct a two-year study in which experimenters taped the tails of mice to the tops of cages to keep their hind legs suspended in the air. This was done to cause muscular atrophy—the wasting away of muscle tissue. When PETA protested, the experiment was cut short.

Iams has also fought the release of information from a public university that had conducted a study funded by the company in which a painful disease was induced in dogs. What was Iams hiding?

Iams has made progress, but as an industry leader, it must send an even clearer message: No animal deserves the fate of those who remain in their laboratories. Safe, healthy cat and dog food does not require harming cats and dogs.

PETA continues to press Iams to ban conducting and funding invasive or terminal experiments on all species and to adopt 100 percent humane, non-invasive, and cage-free "in-home" testing, as many of Iams' compassionate competitors have done.

Until Iams agrees, we urge consumers to purchase dog and cat food from companies that do not test on animals. In the meantime, read about some other ways you can help the millions of animals every year who are abused and inadequately cared for?all in the name of research.

Since the list is sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo long here is the link and you can go to it yourself. These are companies who do NOT test on animals:

http://72.14.235.132/search?q=cache:eaZDbWR73SoJ:www.caringconsumer.com/pdfs/companiesDontTest.pdf+Products+not+tested+on+animals&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&client=firefox-a

Here is a list (unsure of accuracy) of companies who DO test on animals:
http://www.thevegetariansite.com/ethics_test.htm

The Wiki on Animal Testing
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_testing

Some Dog News to Start Bre's Dog Blog!

2009-01-19T20:02:00.000-08:00

http://www.etaiwannews.com/etn/news_content.php?id=829502&lang=eng_news%20

Questionable dog food will be recalled: COA

Central News Agency
2009-01-05 01:47 PM

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Central News Agency

Taipei, Jan. 5 (CNA) All the dog food from a batch that is believed to have poisoned over 1,000 stray dogs nationwide recently will be recalled and turned into organic fertilizer, the Council of Agriculture (COA) said Monday.

The COA confirmed that about 400 stray dogs at two animal shelters in Taipei County had died last month of acute liver damage caused by a high concentration of cancer-causing aflatoxin in dog food supplied by Ji-Tai Forage Co. in the south-central county of Yunlin.

As of Sunday, Ji-Tai Forage had recalled 29.3 tons of suspect dog food, officials from the COA's National Institute for Animal Health said.

A corporate spokeswoman offered an apology Monday and said that Ji-Tai was also a victim in the matter, as the company had no idea why the imported soybeans used to make the dog food contained aflatoxin.

COA officials said that all questionable dog food will be recalled nationwide and sent to a COA-authorized processing company in Yunlin to be processed into compost.

According to a United Daily News report Monday, nearly 1,000 stray dogs have died suddenly at several animal shelters in southern Taiwan in recent months, in what is believed to be a case of food poisoning from the Ji-Tai product.

(By Deborah Kuo)

http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/secretingredients/archives/159550.asp

Secret Ingredients

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Poisoned pet food is killing Chinese dogs. Is it really made in the U.S. or is it counterfeit?

First, the Chinese poisoned our dogs and cats with contaminated pet food. Now Chinese authorities say a real or counterfeit brand of U.S.-made food – Optima - has killed or sickened dozens of dogs in several Chinese cities.

Ryan McLaughlin, a Canadian who lives in Suzhou, China, says he spent Christmas and New Year's Day painfully watching Addie, his year-old golden retriever, die as her liver shut down after being poisoned by contaminants in the Optima dog food he says the pup was fed.

Addie from Ryan McLaughlin

He writes in his blog of the ordeal of trying to keep Addie alive and of how outraged he was that representatives of the Chinese company that imported the dog food came to the vet where Addie was being treated and said that they would cover all medical costs and, in the event of her death, they would come up with compensation of some sort.

"How exactly do they calculate that?" McLaughlin wrote. "Pro-rated from time of birth with a bonus for a good temperament and numbers of hours trained?

He said he understands that the company was doing damage control, but "they very likely killed my dog and actually had the audacity (to say) they'll reimburse us based on book value for the breed plus a bit for pain and suffering."

Addie and the other dogs were apparently sicken by a lethal aflatoxins contaminating the grain used in the food. The fungi is poisonous by-products that can be found on all grains and peanuts. It causes aflatoxicosis, which attacks the liver of animals and humans, and exposure to high levels can lead to acute liver failure or death within days.

Chinese press reports say the Ministry of Agriculture has ordered that sales of Optima be halted as they attempt to track the source of the tainted dog food.

While Optima is the name of an American dog food brand, it was unclear if the food sold in China came from the United States.

In the U.S., Optima products are sold by Mars Inc., which markets several popular brands of dog food.

Optima Dog Food

I asked Mars what they knew about the poisonings. Debra Fair, Mars' public relations manager, said they were investigating the "situation."

"Mars is aware of recent reports that dogs in the People's Republic of China have died as a result of consuming what appeared to be Optima brand pet food. However, Mars does not sell Optima branded products in China," Fair wrote me in an e-mail.

"Our initial findings suggest that the affected pet food was not manufactured by, nor under the authority of, Mars or any of its affiliated companies."

She told me that Mars only sells that dog food in Taiwan.

But that statement does nothing to clarify the source of the poisoned food because Chinese officials said the Optima that sickened the dogs was imported to China through a Taiwan company, Natural Pet.

Fair said Mars will continue its investigation into this matter, "including working closely with FDA and other regulatory authorities who are investigating this situation."

I've contacted the Taiwan exporter and the FDA for more information, but haven't heard back yet.

Over the past four years, FDA has recalled hundreds of U.S. brands of pet food containing tainted wheat gluten and the chemical melamine. In 2007, that was the case with more than 150 brands of cat and dog food, after some pets became ill or died from kidney failure after eating food from China.

Last year, Mars Petcare US announced a recall of dry cat and dog food products manufactured at its Allentown, Penn., facility because of potential contamination with salmonella.

Posted by Andrew Schneider at January 15, 2009 11:01 a.m.
Categories: FDA, Food - good, bad, weird, Food labeling, Food poisoning