Written by PETA
When a calico cat named Willow disappeared from her Colorado home five years ago, the Squires family put up "lost cat" posters and placed ads online. But as time passed, they lost hope. This week, thanks to a computer chip the size of a grain of rice, Willow has been found.
A kind man spotted the friendly cat on a Manhattan street and took her to an animal shelter, where Willow's microchip led workers to her family more than 1,800 miles away. How Willow found her way to New York and what her life was like during those five years is a mystery, but what is certain is that her family never would have seen her again if not for her microchip. "All our pets are microchipped," said Willow's grateful guardian. "If I could microchip my kids, I would."
If your companion animals aren't already microchipped, why not take this opportunity to schedule an appointment today? Collars and tags are crucial, but they can fall off or be removed. As Willow's story shows, a microchip is a permanent safeguard.
Written by Michelle Sherrow
A poll in Sports Illustrated named Chase Utley one of the "meanest" players in baseball, but we don't buy it. That's because Chase doesn't buy animals—he always adopts, and he asks his fans to do the same.
The MLB all-star might be a fierce competitor, but off the field, he's a fierce defender of animals—in addition to posing for a PETA ad, he has also volunteered with the Pennsylvania SPCA, and even started his own charity, Utley All-Star Animals.
We have a feeling that Chase's tough-guy rep would quickly turn to mush if his fellow ballplayers were to stop by his next Utley All-Star Animals fundraiser. Regardless, we're betting it's his rescued buddy, Jack's opinion that matters most.
A Utah town councilmember allegedly shot and killed his neighbor's 9-month-old Chihuahua, Rocky, simply because he was annoyed by the puppy's barking. Yes, there was reportedly alcohol involved, but surely even an inebriated government official should know that you try talking to your neighbor instead of hauling out the heavy artillery.
Unfortunately, hotheaded numbskulls like the person who killed Rocky lurk in just about every neighborhood. PETA regularly receives reports about unattended animals who have been shot, poisoned, beaten, or even set on fire right in their own yards. Rocky's tragic fate should serve as a reminder not to leave animals outside unsupervised.
If you hear a dog in your neighborhood barking 'round the clock, go have a chat with the dog's guardian. Most localities have noise ordinances, and dogs who are outside barking all the time may be neglected, so have a look. Let guardians know how dangerous it is to allow their dogs to bark nonstop. It's better for them to get a wake-up call from a neighbor—or even the police—telling them to keep the dog inside than it would be to wake up to gunfire one day and find their beloved dog lying dead in the yard, killed by an angry neighbor.
This is a cross-post from the PETA Prime website.
Great news for parents of pooches in Massachusetts: Gov. Deval Patrick has signed legislation allowing people to set up trust funds to provide for the care of animal companions who might be left behind when their guardians perish.
The new law allows people to include in their wills an enforceable trust fund with an animal companion as the beneficiary. This type of arrangement can alleviate a lot of anxiety for companion animal guardians who may fear that friends or family members may not be able to cope financially with the responsibility of caring for an animal.
Massachusetts is the 43rd state to sign such a bill into law. Forty-two states and the District of Columbia already have laws allowing people to provide for the care of companion animals in their wills. I have the misfortune of living in one of the few states that does not have such a law. It's a shame, too, because I would love the peace of mind of knowing that my dogter, Hannah, would be taken care of if anything should happen to me. If you, like me, live in one of the seven states (Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and West Virginia) that don't have a law like this, you can write to your representatives and ask them to consider allowing people to include animal companions in their final arrangements.
If you're looking for a way to continue to help all animals after you are gone, consider a life estate gift to support PETA's work.
We all know that the secret lives of our animal companions are fascinating—and now we can prove it. The Pet's Eye View Camera—the first-ever digital collar camera—snaps photos from your furry friends' point-of-view, so you can finally see what they do when you're not around. And its sleek, sturdy design ensures that no animal will even know it's there.
Say "soy cheese," because this awesome camera could be yours. We're giving away one of these groundbreaking, snapshot-taking marvels to the reader who comes up with the cleverest and most photo-friendly saying to get even the most camera-shy to smile.
Enter by posting your "cheese" substitute in the comments section. The contest ends on December 30, 2009, and we'll pick the winner on December 31, 2009. Best sure to read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you're agreeing to both by commenting. Good luck!
Written by Logan Scherer
Never buy an animal on a whim just because you saw one in a movie. How many times do we have to say this?
It looks like at least once more. Harry Potter fans, or to be more precise, their parents, have broken our cardinal rule of movie fandom. As a result, an animal sanctuary has opened on the Isle of Wight in the U.K. to help cope with the problem of owls who have been dumped by people who purchased them without thinking.
In the books and movies, Harry's snowy owl, Hedwig, is portrayed as low-maintenance, but many fans who purchased snowy owls for their kids are realizing that real owls require a lot of attention—and they're abandoning the birds after the magic wears off.
The moral of this story is twofold. Companion animals shouldn't be acquired on a whim, and birds of prey shouldn't be preyed upon by film fanatics.
Written by Karin Bennett
If you have a general question for PETA and would like a response, please e-mail Info@peta.org. If you need to report cruelty to an animal, please click here. If you are reporting an animal in imminent danger and know where to find the animal and if the abuse is taking place right now, please call your local police department. If the police are unresponsive, please call PETA immediately at 757-622-7382 and press 2.
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