Couple Pleads Not Guilty to 17 Counts of Animal Abuse – Not First Run In With Animal Control

“If you love your pets, you don’t clear off on holiday & leave the poor things alone! If they don’t get a serious sentence & all the dogs taken from them, they will carry on abusing!! Laws have to change to stop this type of thing happening again…an Animal Abuse Registry could stop repeat offenders etc.”

By News Staff – Reporting by Kainani Stevens – kstevens@abc6.com

An Exeter couple appeared in court Wednesday facing 17 counts of animal abuse.

Accused of 17 Counts Of Animal Abuse & Neglect – Kathleen and Donald Perkins

Police say the couple went on a two-week vacation, leaving their dogs locked up at home, alone, without enough food or water. This is not the first run-in the pair have had with animal control.

Both Kathleen and Donald Perkins plead not guilty in court, accused of the 17 counts of abuse and neglect.  The Perkins’ operate Celie Kennels out of their Ten Rod Road home, breeding golden retrievers for over a decade, according to their website.

Last week, 10 golden retrievers, six papillons, and one cat were removed from the Exeter home after State Police received a call from a concerned neighbor. Animal Control responded and found the dogs in “unsafe” conditions.

“The dogs were in crates barely big enough for them, standing in urine and feces. Their paws were raw and they had little or no water,” said Sgt. David Bassignani of the Rhode Island State Police.

All the dogs and the cat are being housed at several shelters across the state and will remain there until the judge rules on the case. Several neighbors of the Perkins’ have contacted animal control in the past.

“We have in the past had calls made by concerned citizens about the living conditions of the animals,” said Dr. E. J. Finocchio, Director of the RISPCA. The pair are due back in court on January 13th.

News Link:–http://www.abc6.com/story/30769351/couple-pleads-not-guilty-to-17-counts-of-animal-abuse

Graphic Video – Animals Australia; Greyhound Racing, What Everyone Needs To Know – Petition To Sign

Greyhound racing authorities publicly call it ‘abhorrent’. They also say it has been ‘outlawed’. But that hasn’t stopped high profile trainers across the country from subjecting defenceless animals to barbaric live baiting rituals in an attempt to gain a ‘winning’ edge on the racetrack.

Viewer Discretion Advised

Published on 18 Feb 2015

They’re the victims you’ll never see at the racetrack. Tied up, terrified, and savagely mauled in widespread ‘live baiting’ sessions. Groundbreaking Animals Australia / Animal Liberation Qld investigations uncover the shocking truth. More @http://www.GreyhoundCruelty.com

***WARNING*** Please note that this video contains footage of which many will find distressing. To take immediate action to help animals without watching the video, head to http://www.GreyhoundCruelty.com

POSSUMS  

Native possums — a protected species — were also tied to lures and flung violently around training tracks. Before being used as live bait, one mother possum watched on helplessly as her baby was killed in front of her.

PIGLETS  

Piglets — one of the most intelligent and sensitive of all species — were a common choice among live baiters. Their futile squeals could be heard as their bodies were torn apart.

RABBITS  

After several laps, rabbits with pieces torn from their bodies twitch and writhe in agony. Their spine-chilling screams ring out across the training track.

KITTENS  

While investigation footage captured only piglets, rabbits and possums — kittens have long been reported to be among the victims of live baiting, too.

GREYHOUNDS  

Investigation footage shows naturally gentle dogs provoked into displaying aggressive and violent behaviour in ‘blooding’ sessions. Those who don’t race fast enough to turn a profit are often killed — sometimes they are shot.

The inherent conflict of interest presented by those ‘promoting’ the sport also ‘policing’ it could not be more damning. While self-regulation continues, there can be little hope that live baiting will ever be eradicated from this industry.

You can help put a stop to this cruelty. Make your voice heard today.

 PLEASE CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE PETITION 

The damning Animals Australia and Animal Liberation Qld investigations have revealed that this sadistic training method is all too common.Terrified piglets, rabbits and native possums are all victims of live baiting — tied to lures, flung around racetracks at breakneck speeds, and then mauled to death. Some animals who survived their first attack were ‘re-used’ multiple times…

‘Bait‘ animals are not the only victims of this industry. Greyhounds themselves — naturally gentle dogs — are often kept in deplorable living conditions off-track. Live baiters will taunt and incite their dogs to chase, attack, and ultimately kill small animals.

If dogs fail to ‘perform’, they too may be killed. Industry-wide, some 18,000 greyhounds are killed every year because they aren’t deemed fast enough to win races.

The big question is — how can state governments and sponsors continue to support an industry that has been exposed for such abhorrent widespread illegal activity?

With the horrific revelations of live baiting cruelty in the greyhound racing industry following our investigations, I have been desperate to share with you a side to greyhounds that didn’t make it to the media this week. This little video has gone viral — watch it now and you’ll see why!

Published on 22 Feb 2015

If you’ve ever wanted a gentle, loyal, loving couch-potato to share your home with, consider adopting or fostering a greyhound today:http://www.AnimalsAus.org/beg

Despite their deep pockets, greyhound racing authorities have utterly failed to take effective action to address shocking brutality and illegal activity at the heart of this ‘sport’. Apparently, they didn’t even know about it. That is, until investigations by two small charities on a shoestring budget exposed routine and systemic ‘live baiting’…

 Something else that will you make you smile: Schweppes, Hyundai and Bendigo Bank are just some of the big names to end their support of this cruel industry in recent days:

In fact, of all the major corporate supporters, just one company continues to support greyhound racing. Click here to see who’s left.

 The greyhound racing industry is on notice. Those who are willing to tie up, torture and kill animals in pursuit of a ‘win’ now have a national spotlight on their activities for the first time. With dozens of trainers now suspended, thousands of possums, rabbits and piglets will now be spared from the horror of being used as ‘live bait’. But while greyhound racing continues, we fear that innocent animals will still be tied up and mauled to death on private training tracks — albeit more carefully hidden.

If you haven’t already, please click here to add your voice to over 100,000 people taking a stand against greyhound racing cruelty. If you have — please share this with your friends and family today.

Together we can end greyhound racing cruelty, once and for all.

 Lyn White AM
Campaign Director

 Thank you.

Animals Australia and our colleagues at Animal Liberation Qld have been overwhelmed by the response to our investigations into the greyhound racing industry. Because you spoke out, this industry is under more scrutiny than ever before. State governments have launched inquiries; industry heavyweights have been stood down; sponsors are backing out; and commentators are questioning the future of the ‘sport’. Importantly, thousands of animals will be spared from the terror of being used as ‘live bait’. But there’s still much to do.

Please keep your voices loud, for the animals.

GREAT BRITAIN – Dark side of Greyhound Racing Investigation by BBC Panorama full Documentary 2014

NM- Dark side of Greyhound

Published on 4 Nov 2014

Panorama –
03/11/2014
The integrity of greyhound racing has been called into question by a Panorama investigation which has exposed blatant cheating and the drugging of dogs at the heart of the sport.
The undercover investigation caught a trainer revealing how he dopes greyhounds in order to effect betting coups – some of which he claims to have paid out up to £150,000.
The programme’s findings have prompted animal welfare campaigners to call for the government to reconsider the sport’s self-regulatory status.

Alsu Ivanchenko, woman accused of abusing puppy, throwing it away in a plastic bag, then buying another for daughter….makes next court appearance Monday

“Sorry, still not up to my usual fighting spirit, but just got hold of this story, my apologies if it is not in time/date order: Can’t stay on PC long enough due to pain, to establish all facts, but hopefully enough here for people to check out! Perhaps I’m missing something here, but how the hell did that little puppy sustain those injuries???How does a tiny puppy suffer a fractured skull, a fractured femur and brain trauma resulting from blunt force; just from being tossed from a car??? Something is clearly very wrong here, I just hope this women, is never allowed to own dogs of any size, ever again…I feel sorry for the daughter having such a heartless person as a mother! I believe there is a facebook page where you can follow the progress of this innocent sentient baby! A Facebook page titled “Justice for Charlotte! A Rally to Strengthen Animal Abuse Laws” https://www.facebook.com/pages/Charlottes-Place-A-Journey-of-Hope/725691657502254?sk=timeline.

By Maura Grunlund | grunlund@siadvance.com 

Email the author | Follow on Twitter on September 19, 2014 at 2:34 PM

Puppy found in shopping bag with severe injuries Charlotte, a 6-month-old Maltese Shih Tzu, is in critical condition at South Shore Animal Hospital after a group of people found the dog tied up in a shopping bag on South Railroad Avenue in Bay Terrace Friday night. (Photo courtesy of witness) Ryan Lavis | lavis@siadvance.com

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A dog fight between a rescue group and the ASPCA is looming over the care of Charlotte the puppy who was battered, stuffed in a plastic bag and tossed near the railroad tracks in Bay Terrace.

Special Needs Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation Northeast (SNARR) is bearing its fangs by hiring an attorney to fight the ASPCA for the custody of Charlotte the 15-week-old puppy who is being treated at an undisclosed medical facility.

“SNARR met with an attorney yesterday and we are actively trying to get Charlotte back to our rescue for the remainder of her care, treatment and rehabilitation,” said a post on the SNARR Facebook Charlotte’s Place–A Journey of Hope” page.

Alsu Ivanchenko, 34, of the 3400 block of Hylan Boulevard is scheduled to appear at Stapleton Criminal Court on Monday in connection with the incident.

SNAAR maintains that since the NYPD has collected evidence and arrested a suspect “there is no need for the city to continue retaining custody of Charlotte. Unfortunately, the city and the ASPCA do not share the same opinion.”

ASPCA employees brought the dog under their care just as doctors on Staten Island prepared for her transfer to SNARR’s animal care facility based in White Plains, N.Y.

Ms. Ivanchenko made her $3,500 bail on Thursday after being  arraigned on Wednesday on one felony count of aggravated cruelty to animals and misdemeanor counts of torturing and injuring animals and abandonment.

Charlotte has a fractured skull, a fractured femur and brain trauma resulting from blunt force impact because of her ordeal. Ms. Ivancheko allegedly admitted in court documents that she couldn’t afford medical treatment for the Maltese-Shih Tzu mix, who she named Snowflake, so she put the little dog in a bag and threw the injured animal from her car onto the side of the road in Bay Terrace on Sept. 12..

Good Samaritans on the night of Sept. 12 found Charlotte clinging to life in a black plastic bag in weeds near the fence outside the Staten Island Railway tracks.

News Link:–http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2014/09/dog_fight_looming_over_the_car.html#incart_related_stories

By Eddie DAnna | danna@siadvance.com  Email the author | Follow on Twitter on September 19, 2014 at 12:32 PM, updated September 19, 2014 at 12:37 PM

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The next step in the legal odyssey facing the Bay Terrace woman accused of leaving a critically injured puppy for dead in a plastic bag by the train tracks takes place on Monday.

Alsu Ivanchenko, 34, of the 3400 block of Hylan Boulevard, is due to appear at Stapleton Criminal Court.

She obviously likes to look nice…but doesn’t give a shit about another sentient being who is only months old! How did that puppy sustain those injuries???? Picture by

http://www.silive.com/southshore/index.ssf/2014/09/alsu_ivanchenko_woman_accused.html#incart_story_package

Barring a last-minute resolution to the case — which seems extraordinarily unlikely at this juncture — prosecutors and her attorneys will have a conference with the judge and the case will be adjourned until a later date.

The court opens at 9:30 a.m., but it is not known what time her proceeding will take place.

Prosecutors charged Ms. Ivanchenko with a felony count of aggravated cruelty to animals during her arraignment on Wednesday, after she allegedly disposed of her puppy, Snowflake, in a plastic bag in the weeds near the railroad in Bay Terrace, then bought a new dog to replace the pet. She also faces two misdemeanor charges.

Snowflake continues to fight for her life with myriad injuries after good Samaritans happened upon her.

If prosecutors intend to proceed with the felony charge against her, they will present the case to a grand jury.

News Link:-http://www.silive.com/southshore/index.ssf/2014/09/alsu_ivanchenko_woman_accused.html#incart_story_package

Mira Wassef | mwassef@siadvance.com
Email the author | Follow on Twitter  on September 18, 2014 at 4:49 PM, updated September 18, 2014 at 7:06 PM

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A few neighbors in the quiet Bay Terrace community said they didn’t even know Alsu Ivanchenko owned a dog, and were shocked to learn of the horrific accusations against the Russian-born woman.

And now, they don’t want anything to do with her. “I just said ‘hi and bye.’ But I don’t plan on talking to her either,” one neighbor said. “I didn’t even know she had a dog. It’s terrible, disgusting. I love animals. I can’t believe anyone would do anything like that.”

Some residents said the 34-year-old Bay Terrace resident was friendly, but didn’t know her too well. They paint a woman who’s had a rough few months after splitting with her husband, having her home go into foreclosure and now having to fight animal cruelty charges.

Ms. Ivanchenko, according to a person who is friendly with her, separated from her husband, Rusian (Russell) Ivanchenko, a few months ago, and the two had an altercation on July 4th weekend.

The husband, according to court records, has a pending criminal case in Stapleton Criminal Court. He was charged with misdemeanor counts of assault and criminal obstruction of breathing and a lesser count of harassment in connection with a July 4 incident. Ivanchenko is accused of throwing his wife to the ground, kicking her in the the ribs and choking her, according to allegations in court documents.

Ms. Ivanchenko took out a temporary order of protection against her husband, which is in effect until the case is resolved, a criminal court spokesman said.

He is due back in court Oct. 2. He lives in Brooklyn and Ms. Ivanchenko has lived at the home on Hylan Boulevard for nine years and is unemployed, the person who knew her said. The couple shares one daughter, who attends grammar school and is about 8 or 9 years old, the neighbor said.

“I feel bad for the kid,” one neighbor said. “She has a beautiful little child that’s going to suffer.”

Ms. Ivanchenko is accused of severely injuring the 3-month old Maltese Shih Tzu, Charlotte, stuffing her body in a black shopping bag and dumping it by the Bay Terrace railway Friday, police said.

A source with knowledge of the case said she told investigators a different story. Ms. Ivanchenko said she went to Florida for a few days at the end of August, and left the dog with a friend, the source said. When she came back from her trip, she noticed the puppy was acting differently, not eating and wasn’t playful.

She took the dog to Animal Health Veterinary Group in New Dorp where she was told it needs a lot more treatment, the source said. Ms. Ivanchenko paid for the office visit and then got three more opinions on the dog’s condition, but all were too expensive.

“What do you want, my daughter to starve so I can take care of my dog?” the source said Ms. Ivanchenko told police.

She was arrested Tuesday and arraigned on Wednesday evening. Her boyfriend posted the $3,500 bail and she was released early Thursday morning.

“I never really saw the dog. I know her daughter would talk about it,” said one person who knew her but wished to remain anonymous. “I recognized the dog from the pink bow on her head when I saw it online. I couldn’t believe it. I’ve seen her brushing the dog on the porch.”

Ms. Ivanchenko allegedly bought a new dog for her daughter after she disposed of Charlotte’s body Friday, police said. One witness said they saw detectives remove the new puppy from the home. The animal was surrendered to the NYPD and is in the care of ASPCA, a law enforcement source said.

Ms. Ivanchenko declined comment when reached at her home Thursday afternoon.

Email the author | Follow on Twitter on September 17, 2014 at 7:25 PM, updated September 18, 2014 at 8:00 PM

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The Bay Terrace woman accused of maliciously harming and disposing of her helpless puppy later bought a new dog for her daughter, police said.

Puppy thrown out like trash after being abused!!

“She tossed Snowflake like garbage and threw [the dog] out the window, then went out and bought a new puppy,” the prosecution alleged during Alsu Ivanchenko’s arraignment in Criminal Court in Stapleton Wednesday evening. “The defendant has no remorse and no respect for that dog.”

According to the criminal complaint, Ms. Ivanchenko told police, “Just give me my misdemeanor so I can get out of here. It’s just a dog.”

Ms. Ivancheko, 34, allegedly admitted in court documents that she couldn’t afford medical treatment for the 3-month-old Maltese-Shih Tzu mix, who she named Snowflake, so she put the little dog in a bag and threw the injured animal from her car onto the side of the road in Bay Terrace on Friday. “But how did the puppy sustain those injuries??”

The dog was renamed Charlotte after being rescued Friday.

“I was afraid for my daughter to get upset, so I got her a new dog,” Ms. Ivanchenko says in the criminal complaint.

But during court proceedings Wednesday, Ms. Ivanchenko’s lawyer told the judge that the defendant denies she purchased a new puppy.

“She does feel remorse,” the defense attorney told the court.

Ms. Ivanchenko, police said, intentionally injured the animal and abandoned its body beside Bay Terrace Boulevard, at the corner of Hopkins Avenue and South Railroad Avenue.

Dr. Robert Reisman of the ASPCA said he examined Charlotte and determined she had a fractured skull, a fractured femur and brain trauma resulting from blunt force impact, according to court documents.

The prosecution asked for $20,000 bail, and said Ms. Ivanchenko is unemployed and her house is in foreclosure.

Judge Alan J. Meyer set bail at $3,500. A man who identified himself as Ms. Ivanchenko’s friend was attempting to get the cash to bail her out, but it was not clear if she made bail. He declined comment for the story. Ms. Ivanchenko’s attorney also declined comment.

She is charged with aggravated cruelty to animals, a felony, and misdemeanor counts of torturing and injuring animals and abandonment. If convicted on the top count, she faces a maximum sentence of two years in prison.

Ms. Ivanchenko is scheduled to return to court Sept. 22.

News Link:-http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2014/09/bay_terrace_woman_bought_a_new.html#incart_big-photo

 

• Complaints and arrests increase since NYPD took over animal cruelty cases, police say
• Animal activists attempting to organize ‘Justice for Charlotte’ rally when woman who allegedly abused puppy makes court appearance
• Dog fight looming over the care of Charlotte the puppy allegedly abused by Staten Island woman
• Alsu Ivanchenko, woman accused of abusing puppy, makes next court appearance Monday
• Bay Terrace residents paint tough few months for alleged dog abuser Alsu Ivanchenko
• http://www.examiner.com/article/puppy-found-garbage-bag-staten-island-still-critical-condition

By Mira Wassef | mwassef@siadvance.com

By Maura Grunlund | grunlund@siadvance.com 

Email the author | Follow on Twitter
on September 17, 2014 at 12:38 PM, updated September 18, 2014 at 9:57 AM Bay Terrace residents paint tough few months for alleged dog abuser Alsu Ivanchenko

 STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A tip to police from the Animal Health Veterinary Group on Staten Island led to the arrest of the owner of Charlotte, the puppy who was found  battered and clinging to life near the railroad tracks in Bay Terrace.

The medical team at the Animal Health Veterinary Group recognized Charlotte from previous visits after seeing a picture of the puppy wearing a pink bow that has been making the rounds on the Internet, according to a source with knowledge of the case.

Staff then contacted the NYPD and provided information about the owner and the puppy.

The owner, Alsu Ivanchenko, 34, of Bay Terrace, is scheduled to be arraigned in Stapleton Criminal Court on Wednesday on animal cruelty charges.

The pet, then called Snowflake, was brought to the animal clinic location at 2300 Hylan Boulevard in New Dorp by Ms. Ivanchenko in the mid-afternoon last Friday, the source said.

Charlotte was lying down and unable to stand or walk when seen at the clinic last Friday, the source said. Ms. Ivanchenko offered no explanation to clinic staff about what happened to Charlotte other than to say that the dog was fine before it lied down in that manner three days earlier.

The owner refused medical advice — which was either diagnostics and treatment or humane euthanasia — and left the office, according to the source.

Charlotte was found — battered and barely alive and in a black shopping bag — by Good Samaritans at about 9 p.m. on Friday.

The source added that Charlotte, currently 15 weeks old, was fine when she received her first set of puppy vaccines over the summer.

After Good Samaritans rescued Charlotte, the puppy was initially taken to South Shore Animal Hospital in New Dorp. Charlotte has since been transferred to another undisclosed hospital where she remains in critical condition — but is improving — from injuries that include skull and leg fractures.

News link:-http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2014/09/charlottes_protectors_animal_h.html#incart_most-read

Related articles

• Staten Island woman who threw puppy away as trash bought new dog for daughter (examiner.com)
• Puppy found in garbage bag in Staten Island still in critical condition (examiner.com)
• Injured puppy discovered in tied up shopping bag fights for life (pix11.com)

NYC Carriage Driver Is Charged With Animal Cruelty

“How in hell could this knob head not notice his horse was lame? Horses have a distinct bob of the head, that indicates which leg, front or back is causing them pain; thus making them lame! You would have to be a complete novice not to notice a horse that is lame!  I’ve said it before & will carry on saying it…horses should not be used on the streets of NYC, working nose to tail amongst car fumes; 9 hours a day, seven days a week!! Any idiot could drive a horse pulled carriage; but it takes a real horse lover to really understand the horse & know when they are ill!! I feel guilty that my horse has to be stabled each night, to let the grass rest over winter…but these poor horses only feel grass under their feet for a couple of weeks per year; it’s wrong, very wrong!!”

By MARC SANTORA – 

Published: December 20, 2013

A carriage horse driver with a chequered history was charged on Friday with animal cruelty after a police officer observed him working a horse that was visibly injured, according to court documents.

Horses working 9 hours a day, 7 days a week IS WRONG!! (Not Blondie)

The officer, Brian Coll, was on patrol in Central Park shortly before midnight on Wednesday when he noticed a horse struggling to pull the weight of the carriage to which it was yoked.

He questioned the driver, Saverio Colarusso, and learned that the horse, Blondie, had been hurt for four days, according to court documents.

Despite the injury, Mr. Colarusso had worked Blondie for five hours that day, Officer Coll testified in the complaint.

He then summoned Sgt. Raymond Aviles, a mounted police officer with training in dealing with horses.

“The horse had an injury to the rear left leg,” Officer Coll testified, “causing it to have difficulty walking and substantial pain.”

Mr. Colarusso was arrested. If found guilty, he could face a fine of up to $1,000 and a year in jail.

It is not the first time Mr. Colarusso has gotten in trouble. In 2010, he was charged with drinking while on duty after being spotted drinking a beer while standing next to his carriage. Two other bottles of liquor were found inside the carriage.

He has also been fined for driving his horse through city streets at unauthorized times, failing to keep a daily log and not turning on the lamps on the side of his carriage after dark.

A lawyer representing Mr. Colarusso did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

About 200 horses work in Central Park, and animal rights advocates said that while Mr. Colarusso’s arrest might be unusual, many horses on New York City’s streets were suffering.

The case, they said, was more evidence that the newly elected mayor, Bill de Blasio, should make good on his campaign promise to ban horse carriages from the city’s streets and parks.

“This incident further reinforces the need for an end to carriage horse operations in the city,” said Bret Hopman, a spokesman for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. “The A.S.P.C.A. believes that the use of carriage horses in 21st-century New York City is unnatural, unnecessary and an undeniable strain on the horses’ quality of life.”

The union that represents carriage drivers did not respond to calls and an email seeking comment.

Christina Hansen, a spokeswoman for the carriage industry, said it was “shocked and saddened to learn that one of our drivers was charged with animal cruelty.”

She said that if the driver were to be convicted, it would be the first time a carriage operator, owner or stable was found to have committed cruelty.

“I have spoken with the owner of Blondie, who says that he was unaware that Blondie had shown any signs of lameness or discomfort when being driven by Mr. Colarusso,” she said.

Ms. Hansen did not identify the owner by name, but she said: “He has suspended Mr. Colarusso pending the outcome of the investigation. We do not tolerate any mistreatment of the carriage horses in our business.”

If the police had not noticed Blondie’s condition, animal experts said, the injury could have proved fatal.

A subsequent examination by a police veterinarian found that Blondie had a condition called thrush — an infection of the hoof that if left untreated can lead to the horse becoming permanently lame, and subject to euthanasia.

Thursh can occur when a horse is not cared for properly and is kept in unclean conditions. After Mr. Colarusso’s arrest, an order of protection was issued directing him to stay away from Blondie.

News Link:–http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/21/nyregion/carriage-horse-driver-is-charged-with-animal-cruelty.html?_r=0

 Just a few Petitions to sign:–

• http://www.change.org/petitions/ban-horse-drawn-carriages-in-new-york-city-nys-bill-needs-support
• https://secure.peta.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=2013
• http://www.petitiononline.com/ch4ny123/petition.html
• http://www.thepetitionsite.com/549/133/230/ban-horse-carriages-in-nyc/
• http://www.thepetitionsite.com/881/819/667/ban-horse-carriages-in-nyc/

• http://forcechange.com/97339/crack-down-on-carriage-horse-abuse/

More Information:-http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/21/nyregion/carriage-horse-driver-is-charged-with-animal-cruelty.html?_r=0

ASPCA – Reporting Carriage Horse Abuse

Our Agents rely on concerned citizens to report incidents or issues they may witness regarding the care and conditions of NYC’s carriage horses. The following tips will help you report suspected carriage horse problems:

• The two most important pieces of information to provide are the time of the incident and the carriage license plate, a 4-digit number located on the back of the carriage. With the time and number, we can track down the horse and driver involved.
• Other helpful information can include: color of horse, color of carriage, location of incident and hoof brand number of horse.

To report carriage horse cruelty or neglect, contact us at enforcement@aspca.org or 877-THE-ASPCA (843-2772).

How You Can Help

• If you are a resident of NYC, show your support by contacting your Councilmember and asking him or her to support Intro. 86, the humane and safe alternative to the carriage horse industry.
• If you are from out of town, please write to the mayor to voice your concern, and stay involved by visiting our website at ASPCA.org.
• If you witness any abuse of a carriage horse, write down the license plate number found on the back of the carriage, the time and location, along with the color of the horse or any distinguishing markings, and, if possible, the horse’s hoof number, which is branded on the front left hoof. Then call 877-THE-ASPCA (843-2772) to report it.
  

NYC Carriage Horses:–http://www.aspca.org/fight-cruelty/humane-law-enforcement/nyc-carriage-horse-industry#fact

Dept. of Agriculture Approves Horse Slaughterhouse Amid Lawsuit Threat

“PLEASE NOTE – GRAPHIC IMAGES OF HORSE TRAILER ACCIDENTS – AT THE END OF THIS POST. Do not scroll down the post if you do not want to see them! They are just one of many reasons why these companion animals should not be slaughtered for human consumption; would you think it ok to send your family pet dog to slaughter? Horses were not put on Gods green earth for humans to eat, they are our pets; just as much as cats & dogs are!”

“It is pure greed, FFS we slaughter enough animals to satisfy the human hunger for meat. Nobody is going to starve, horses are not part of a normal persons diet. I am totally sickened & disgusted that this heinous act, the killing of Gods noble most beautiful creatures; is once more going to be in action!! I can only hope & pray that those who want to eat any part of a horse, after all the health scares etc. suffer a miserable & painful existence!! PLEASE sign the petitions”

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A New Mexico meat plant received federal approval on Friday to slaughter horses for meat, a move that drew immediate opposition from animal rights group and will likely be opposed by the White House.

The U.S. Agriculture Department said it was required by law to issue a “grant of inspection” to Valley Meat Co, Roswell, New Mexico, because it had met all federal requirements. Now, the USDA is obliged to assign meat inspectors to the plant.

The USDA also said it may soon issue similar grants for plants in Missouri and Iowa.

NO HORSE SHOULD END UP ON THE END OF A BUTCHERS HOOK!!

Horse meat cannot be sold as food in the United States, but it can be exported. Attempts to reach Valley Meat Co via a number listed on-line were unsuccessful.

Valley Meat would be the first meat plant to be allowed to slaughter horses since Congress banned it in 2006.

It is not known when the plant will start production, but two bills in Congress want to ban horse slaughter and President Obama has asked Congress to ban it.

The Humane Society of the United States and Front Range Equine Rescue threatened on Friday to sue the USDA, saying horses are raised as pets and as working animals. Because they are not intended as food animals, horses are given medications banned from other livestock, the groups said, questioning if the meat would be safe.

The USDA says it can test for residues of 130 pesticide and veterinary drugs. It also has safeguards to keep horse meat out of the food supply.

Congress effectively banned horse slaughter in 2006 by saying the USDA could not spend any money to inspect horse plants. Without USDA inspection, meat plants cannot operate.

The ban was part of the annual USDA funding bill and was renewed a year at a time through 2011. The prohibition expired in October 2011.

Lawmakers could vote on reinstating the ban in coming weeks when the USDA appropriations bills are debated in the House and Senate. But no date has been set to consider the bills and it could be months before work is completed.

The USDA said it was required by law to issue the grant of inspection because Valley Meat met all federal requirements. At one point, the company sued the USDA for an overly long review of its application. Once it issues a grant of inspection, the USDA is obliged to assign meat inspectors to a meat plant.

“Until Congress acts, the department must comply with current law,” said a USDA spokeswoman.

Valley Meat retrofitted its plant for horses after drought weakened its cattle slaughter business.

Horse meat is sold for human consumption in China, Russia, Mexico and other foreign nations and is sometimes used as feed for zoo animals.

But in the United States, horses enjoy a higher stature, more akin to house pets, than to hogs, cattle and chickens.

An estimated 130,000 U.S. horses are shipped annually to slaughter in Canada and Mexico. Groups have quarreled for a decade whether a ban on slaughter will save horses from a cruel death or lead to abandonment by owners of animals they cannot afford to feed or treat for illness.

Early this year, regulators discovered that horse meat was being sold as beef in Ireland. The mislabelled meat was found in meatballs sold by Swedish retailer IKEA in much of Europe and in other outlets.

IF YOU SCROLL FURTHER – GRAPHIC IMAGES ARE BELOW – VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED 

USDA conducts tests on domestic and imported products to identify the species that yielded the meat. The tests can distinguish beef, sheep, swine, poultry, deer and horse.

As well, USDA stepped up its species testing in April because of the meat adulteration scandal in Europe.

(Reporting By Charles Abbott; Editing by Bernard Orr)

News Link:-http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/06/29/dept-of-agriculture-approves-horse-slaughterhouse-amid-lawsuit-threat/

This link explains in a little more detail, worth reading:-http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20130628-909609.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

HORRIFIC INJURIES OBTAINED WHILST TRAVELLING TO SLAUGHTER HOUSE 

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Seal Videos Brings National Spotlight On Animal Abuse : Videos From YouTube

“Isn’t it strange, that it’s ok to set up video surveillance to catch animal abusers on this beach; yet it’s not ok to set up a camera to catch animal abuse in a slaughter house…without being called a TERRORIST!!”

(CNN) — The images of seals being harassed on a California beach are perplexing and disturbing.

In the middle of the night, two women sit on harbour seals, kick them or pull their flippers, all the while snapping flash pictures. The animals eventually flee into the water.

Seals harassed at La Jolla Children’s Pool beach, February 2013

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Video camera captures instances of abuse against seals on a California beach
• Other incidents of animal cruelty include people putting beer cans on sea birds
• Some people abuse animals due to peer pressure, but some enjoy doing it, ASPCA says
• Conservationists say more enforcement is needed, not more laws

A newly installed video camera captures that attack and others on the seals, who have been using the beach at Children’s Pool in La Jolla for decades.

Sara Wan of the Western Alliance for Nature said her organization installed the camera after years of people who are opposed to the seals’ presence on the beach being cruel to the animals, trying to scare them off the sand.

“One of the things we found with the camera is it shows what we knew was going on before,” she says. “Now people are seeing what is going on and saying, ‘You’re right, that’s wrong.'” 

San Diego Mayor Bob Filner placed a sunset to sunrise curfew on the beach, saying people can disagree about how a beach should be used, but they cannot abuse animals, CNN affilate KGTV reported. The restrictions end May 15 after pupping season is over.

The beach was a popular spot for parents to take their children for a safe place to swim, but harbour seals took over the beach in the early 1990s, KGTV said. Beach-access advocates want the area returned to its original use, the station reported.

Our Seals – The story of the Children’s Pool Seals of La Jolla

Uploaded on 30 May 2011

This award winning documentary follows the controversy of the Children’s Pool Seal Colony of La Jolla, California. It covers the history of how the pool was built for the children of San Diego by Ellen Browning Scrips to how the pool evolved to become the only “natural” marine haul-out site in Southern California. We interview lifeguards, scientists from Hubbs Research, volunteers from Friends of the seals, and tourists, and along the way learn important trivia like waters off La Jolla are the birthing ground for the Pacific Great White Shark. Written, Produced, Filmed and edited by Patrick Rea

Because most cases of animal abuse or neglect are never reported, it is difficult to say whether the number of incidents are increasing.

But with enhanced technology and social media, some of the most egregious cases have recently caught the attention of the media.

There were cases where people apparently were ignorant of the law, such as the woman in Florida who rode a manatee, and other more serious ones where people showed wanton disregard for wildlife, as in the case of two sea birds found struggling to breathe after someone forced beer cans over their heads.

In December, at least 10 dead dolphins washed up on beaches in the Gulf Coast. Some were shot, while others were stabbed.

It makes you wonder, what is wrong with people?

“I really don’t understand how someone can be deliberately cruel to an animal like that. It’s really baffling,” says Sharon Young, marine issues field director with the Humane Society of the United States. “They know it’s illegal, they know it’s wrong.”

Studies have shown that people who have little or no empathy for animals often have none for other humans, activists say.

Animal cruelty is a crime that mostly goes unreported. A 1997 report from the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says that only 40% of people who witness abuse ever report it.

The same study found people who committed violent crimes against animals were five times more likely to commit violent crimes against humans than were other people who lived in the same neighbourhoods.

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, there are three reasons people abuse animals.

Most people, the ASPCA says on its website devoted to children, “don’t think about or realize what they are doing.” Take, for instance, the pet owner who doesn’t understand how cruel it is to tie a pet up all day on a chain that is too short.

Another type of abuser is the person who is bowing to peer pressure. In those cases, the person, usually someone young, doesn’t hurt or harass animals but a few times. Eventually, they learn to feel for the animal, the organization says.

The third category is people who enjoy hurting animals. These people are often looking to demonstrate their power, the ASPCA says.

Sometimes, people feel they are at odds with the wildlife, Young says. It’s a clash, where a growing human population wants the same space as the animal population, Wan says. The pressure is growing. “And more and more we are taking it out on wildlife,” she says.

Both Wan and Young agree that there isn’t a problem with the legal penalties for animal cruelty, but with catching and convicting the bad guys.

“We don’t need stronger laws, but clearly there is a need for stronger enforcement,” Young says. “We need to make proverbial examples of some people.”

Her organization works with groups to educate the public. In the case of the seals, the cruelty has “accelerated so rapidly” that activists are scrambling to do something, she said. They hope to create a video that draws attention to the problem.

For now, she and Wan hope the beach closure will help give the seals a respite from the types of incidents caught on camera.

News Link:–http://www.kctv5.com/story/21751923/seal-video-brings-national-spotlight-on-animal-abuse

Queens Woman Arrested After Abandoning Dog In Her Backyard

“Is it really so hard to walk into a shelter & say ‘please take my dog’ ?  It must be, the amount of people who would rather tie up their pets & just leave…but remember, those that do will need to be forever looking over their shoulders for the Animal Cops…they will find you! So please, do yourself & the pet a favour & take them to a No Kill shelter…please!”

English: A German Shepherd dog Polski: Owczarek niemiecki (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Queens resident Crystal Lashley was charged with abusing her German shepherd mix Briana.

A Queens woman was busted after cruelly tying up her German shepherd mix in her backyard, where the sick animal was rescued from months of torture.

Jamaica resident Crystal Lashley, 18, was charged with animal cruelty after allegedly neglecting the 6-year-old female pooch.

The dog, named Briana, had a urinary tract infection and her collar had been choking her for so long, it caused the infected skin on her neck to grow around it, a source said.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals found the dog tethered to a tree on Foch Blvd. on Aug. 21.

Lashley was arrested Tuesday after medical results got returned.

The dog was “dehydrated, underweight, infested with fleas and suffering form a painful neck wound,” the agency said.

“This is a clear case of neglect,” agency spokesman Joseph Pentangelo said. Briana will be up for adoption after she has recovered.

News Link: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/queens/queens-woman-busted-torture-pooch-article-1.1193554#ixzz2AWIk0Fdq

Governor Christie signs law banning horse slaughter in New Jersey

Governor Christie signed A.2023/S.1976 on Friday making it illegal to slaughter horses for human consumption in New Jersey. The law also prohibits the sale of horse meat for human consumption, bans the transport of live horses for the purpose of slaughter, and bans the transport of horse meat for human consumption.

Governor Christie signed a New Jersey law that now prohibits the slaughter of horses and the sale and transport of horses and horse meat for human consumption.
Credits: Photo by Liz Lamont

According to The Political State, Governor Christie stated:

“This bipartisan measure is a nod to our decency and respect for horses in our state, ensuring that no horse is slaughtered in New Jersey for human consumption. It also ensures that our highways will not be used to transport horses to slaughter in other states which have not enacted a similar ban on the practice.”

The bill was introduced by Assemblyman Ronald Dancer(R) of Ocean, Burlington, Middlesex and Mercer Counties and Senator Raymond Lesniak (D) of Union County.

In May, Assembly Dancer stated:

“New Jersey does not eat horse meat and our horses will not be taken from stable to a table.”

More than 80 percent of Americans are against the slaughter of horses for human consumption, and even though there are no horse slaughter plants in the United States, over 100,000 American horses are still exported to Canada and Mexico for slaughter.

Horses are not raised for human consumption and are commonly treated with carcinogenic drugs prohibited by the United States Food and Drug Administration.

The law now imposes a fine of $100 and imprisonment of 30 days for anyone convicted of slaughtering or selling horse meat for human consumption. Civil fines ranging from $500 to $1000 will be applicable for each slaughtered horse.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Advocacy Center states:

“Now more than ever, it is critical that we do all we can to get Congress to pass the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. If passed, this legislation would achieve two things: It would prohibit the export of our horses to other countries for slaughter, and it would completely ban horse slaughter for human consumption in the United States. While there is currently no commercial horse slaughter occurring in the U.S., proponents are working to resume it. Unless citizens object, horses may soon be commercially slaughtered in our communities for human consumption overseas. A slaughter facility in New Mexico has already applied for government approval to slaughter horses.“

Animal protection organizations and humane supporters continue to support the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act of 2011 – HR2966/S1176 which will prohibit the transport and sale of all horses in the United States.

For more information how you can help, please click here.

News Link:–http://www.examiner.com/article/governor-christie-signs-law-banning-horse-slaughter-new-jersey

Republican Congressman – Gloats About Bill To Enable Animal Torture

“Sorry, I’m going to have a real rant about this, so feel free to just ignore me & go straight to the post (in black writing)…I don’t know much about politics, but I know this congressman wants farm animals to go back to their pitiful lives, which will have a knock on effect to the end product, which totally defeats the object of healthy meat.  I know a little about farm animals & meat quality, from courses done at Agricultural College! How can this buffoon, justify farm animals reverting back to living  daily torturous & painful lives in cramped & filthy conditions; conditions that have a knock on effect to the price of the meat, i.e. no profit due to inferior quality of the meat & hides!”

“If he really wants to ‘fix food production’, he should be fighting to ban the cruel treatment of farm animals, not encourage it! I don’t really like talking about consuming meat, as I’m vegetarian/99% vegan (can’t call myself vegan because I do love an egg butti, from my friends pet chickens) but it’s my duty, well in this case it is!”

“Animals that are able to live by the 5 F’s rule (still sometimes referred to as Brambell’s Five Freedoms) are:-1.Freedom from Hunger and Thirst, 2.Freedom from Discomfort, 3.Freedom from Pain, Injury or Disease, 4.Freedom to Express Normal Behaviour, 5.Freedom from Fear and Distress:-will, in the end, produce better quality meat; which consumers will pay more for…meaning more profit…think about it..”.

Pink meat – caused by stress or abuse, don’t buy it!

“If animals are given the above, they are likely to produce good quality offspring. As soon as an animal is born, it’s treatment throughout life on the farm will affect the quality of the meat.”

“Keeping animals fit & healthy is paramount to their ultimate value. Farmers must ensure all their workers treat the animals with respect. If you see pork that is light in colour, chances are that animals was severely stressed at the time of slaughter; so if you care for animals don’t buy meat of this colour!!”

“Ill treatment such as kicking, poking, prodding, or any form of abuse, will cause trauma to the animal, that will ultimately cost the farmer in the long run.”  

Dark meat, the cause of most of the meat wastage!

“This causes the greatest amount of meat wastage, money down the drain! If inspected, sometimes whole carcasses are wasted due to bruising of the skin & ultimately dark meat! “

“Take cows, sheep sometimes poultry or pork, if the animal was stressed, injured or diseased before being slaughtered, it will be dark in colour. It has something to do with the muscle glycogen & little lactic acid production, which results in dark coloured meat.

 “If you like steaks, don’t buy dark coloured meat, it won’t be as tasty as it should be & it will be as tough as old boots!.” 

This is healthy meat form a healthy animal!

“It’s simple, farmers must treat livestock well through out their lives on the farm. Once they leave the farm towards slaughter, anyone handling them must ensure there is no abuse, keep stress levels down & all will be rewarded, with everybofdy making a profit!”

“Which is why I can’t believe thist old numb nuts want to change it…I’ve decided he just doesn’t like animals…Period!!”

This isn’t an unintended consequence — King told the Daily Caller that his amendment “fixes the states and their political subdivisions regulating food production everywhere in America.” However, King might want to reconsider that position, as his amendment would legalize several horrific farming and food practices that some states have chosen to do away with:

• Florida, Ohio, and seven other states have banned confining pregnant pigs in cages that prevent them from moving their limbs or walking in a circle. Pigs confined in so-called gestation crates are forced to defecate where they stand, exposed to serious risk of traumatic injury as a consequence of immobility, and develop sores as a consequence of attempting to move against or bite the bars the bars that confine them. They live their whole lives like this.
• Seven states have banned similar confinement for baby calves. So-called veal creates are designed to atrophy muscles to improve the taste of meat, creating what the ASPCA calls“lives of agony and frustration” for the cows until they are slaughtered at four or five months.
• Three states have banned tail-docking, wherein parts of cows tails are lopped off, occasionally without anesthetic. The American Veterinary Medical Association opposes tail docking as unnecessary and highly painful.
• Maryland prohibits adding arsenic to chicken feed, which – besides the obvious problems – also spreads the poison into the surrounding soil.

King, though, brags that his legislation “wipes out everything they’ve [animal rights advocates] done with pork and veal.” Indeed, King has a long record of opposing animal welfare law — he has, for example, been Congress’ leading advocate against anti-dogfighting legislation.

He also believes that the Humane Society and other animal rights advocates are attempting to ban “production agriculture” and has fantasized about exposing vegetarians with “an agenda for our diets” on the House floor.

News Link:–http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/07/18/540441/republican-bill-animal-torture/?mobile=nc

ASPCA Assists NYPD in Seizure of 50 Dogs, Forensic Evidence Collection in Bronx Dog Fighting Case Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/06/21/4580701/aspca-assists-nypd-in-seizure.html#storylink=cpy

NEW YORK, June 21, 2012 — /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®), in conjunction with the NYPD Vice Enforcement Division and Bronx District Attorney’s office, is assisting in the removal, forensic evidence collection and on-scene documentation and sheltering of 50 dogs seized from a dog fighting operation this afternoon at 1254 Sherman Avenue, a six-story apartment building in the Bronx.

Raul Sanchez of the Bronx was charged with animal fighting, a felony. Other related charges may follow.

Many of the dogs, which range in age from 12 weeks to five years, exhibited injuries indicative of fighting. They were living in a windowless basement, which included a makeshift arena with estimated capacity for 100 spectators. Also recovered were a loaded .25-caliber handgun, 22 crude wooden cages, multiple pet carriers, U.S. currency, and paraphernalia associated with dog fighting, including dog treadmills, harnesses, muzzles, syringes, and a shopping cart full of raw chicken parts.

“Organized dog fighting is a brutal form of animal abuse where dogs are exploited and forced to fight as their owners profit from their torture,” said Howard Lawrence, senior director of operations for the ASPCA’s Humane Law Enforcement department. “The dogs we saw today exhibited scarring and injuries consistent with fighting dogs. The ASPCA is determined to protect New York City’s animals from this form of cruelty.”

A search warrant was executed Thursday afternoon for the removal of the dogs. The dogs are being transferred by the ASPCA to a temporary shelter for further evaluation by the organization’s emergency response medical team.

In addition to removing the animals and collecting evidence, the ASPCA is providing legal support to the Bronx district attorney’s office to help prosecute the case.

The investigation is continuing.

News Link:-http://www.sacbee.com/2012/06/21/4580701/aspca-assists-nypd-in-seizure.html