Here's a reminder of why it's so important to question authority when it comes to our animal companions' well-being: Recently, a distraught woman called PETA for help after a veterinarian sent her terribly injured cat home with only a prescription for antibiotics, claiming that this gaping wound would heal on its own:

No one knows how this poor cat was injured, but it doesn't take a degree in veterinary medicine to realize that the wound was life-threatening—it was necrotic and the muscle tissue had been exposed—and that the cat clearly needed further intervention immediately. PETA's Emergency Response Team helped find another nearby vet to assess the animal, who determined that the cat was indeed in dire condition and that euthanasia was the most merciful option. She was able to peacefully end the cat's suffering.

We owe it to our animals to be proactive if we suspect that they are suffering as a result of inadequate or downright bad advice or care from a veterinarian, groomer, trainer, or anyone else. Trust your own instincts and seek a second opinion. In this case, the cat would have suffered prolonged pain and a slow death if her guardian hadn't known better and persisted on behalf of her kitty. Of course, animals are much less likely to suffer catastrophic injuries like this one if they are safely confined indoors or kept under constant supervision when let outside on a harness or in a secure fenced area.

Written by Lindsay Pollard-Post

marfis75 / CC by 2.0

Up until today, it was legal for Florida residents to acquire wild foxes, bobcats, and coyotes, corral them in pens, and then set dogs upon them to rip them apart. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) voted to put an end to "penning," effective immediately.

When we posted an action alert about this issue, people were appalled, and the response was overwhelming. Believe it or not, penning is defended by some hunters as a way to train dogs and get them "thirsty" for blood. Hunters kill millions of wonderful animals in cold blood every year, so it's no surprise that some would find cruel penning acceptable. Is it any wonder that some young people are disconnected from any compassion for wildlife?

Please send thanks to the FWC commissioners for not letting any more foxes, bobcats, or coyotes be torn to shreds. Please spread the word to family and friends so that we can let the commissioners know how important their decision is.

Written by Jennifer O'Connor

blog.chron / CC

With the passing of Sen. Edward Kennedy, animals—and the people who care about them—have lost an outstanding advocate and friend.

In his more than four decades in the Senate, Kennedy proved to be a strong voice for the protection of animals. Animal-friendly legislation championed by Sen. Kennedy included bills to curtail the overuse of antibiotics on farmed animals, end commercial whaling and the illegal trade in whale meat, prevent the slaughter of horses in North America, validate non-animal methods for testing products and chemicals, and raise the penalty for forcing dogs, roosters, and other animals to fight to the death from a misdemeanor to a felony.

In recent years, Sen. Kennedy's own dogs, Splash and Sunny, were constant presences to Capitol Hill, and Kennedy authored a children's book from Splash's viewpoint called My Senator and Me: A Dog's-Eye View of Washington, D.C. In the wake of evacuations following Hurricane Katrina, during which people were often forced to leave beloved companions behind, Sen. Kennedy co-sponsored the PETS Act, calling for disaster plans to include animals. "I wouldn't leave the house without Sunny and Splash," he said. "It's no surprise that so many people in New Orleans flat-out refused to be rescued if they couldn't take their pets with them."

As a tribute to this extraordinary man, let us keep his love of animals alive and carry on his legacy of helping them by practicing kindness and compassion toward all animals every day. For more information and ideas, please visit HelpingAnimals.com.

Written by Shawna Flavell

The argument goes like this: Hybrid car owners get a tax break for purchasing a vehicle with low carbon emissions. So if a group of people are taking active steps to make purchases that are even better for the environment than switching to a Toyota Prius, they should get a tax break too, right? Given that a recent University of Chicago report proved that switching to a vegetarian diet is more effective in countering global warming than switching from a standard car to a hybrid, it seems like we're on pretty solid ground with this one. Earlier this morning, PETA's president, Ingrid Newkirk, sent letters to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid making exactly that point. Not to say that choosing a hybrid vehicle isn't responsible, but if you're looking for a way to help the environment, ending your support for an industry that generates more greenhouse gases than all the world’s transportation systems combined is a pretty damn good one.