Pets’ in Limbo as Government Shirks Responsibility

by Michelle Clarke - Social Justice Activist Mon Jan 08, 2007 23:13

Interesting article about Pets and the work of Anvil.

Today's Independent paper had an article about the eviction of dogs from Castleknock after the Christmas period. It is a real shame. Let us hope there are people out there willing to take on

Apparently, in Deerpark alone, the beneficiaries to be of the forthcoming SSIA's, cast out poodles, pomeranians, shitzus. Some beautiful photos of dogs that were not wanted were in today's paper.

I reckon it is the past-times of the affluent i.e. boats, planes, trekking, etc. determine the pound for the dogs.

Here in affluent Ireland, we are sending dogs to the pound. For 2007 - the election year, let us please have a Minister appointed for Pets, as suggested by Europe............

by Jack Russell - Social Justice and Ethics Tue Mar 20, 2007 19:51

Jack Russell is making his own post tonight. He found himself with Kevin and Michelle over two years ago ..... and what a friend!

Jack Russell approximately 2 years old was saved by the kindness of people at the Rescue Home. His destiny was death but the gain to people has been immense.

Did anyone see Crufts? Did anyone see Molly, a Jack Russell who won the prize. Molly is an Assistance Dog/Working Dog. Her owner became deaf in later years and his wife died. The dog was given to him and as he said himself, Molly gave an excuse to go out........and Molly won the Crufts prize.

The Under-Dog Show is on at 8 p.m. The host is Julian Clary with a list of celebrities.

To people thinking about getting a dog....it might be worth watching The Underdog... It is also on later on another station.

Michelle

by Michelle Clarke - Social Inclusion and Justice Wed Mar 28, 2007 20:57

The absence of animals in the home context in Ireland mostly likely relates in the move from rural living, the affect of emigration, the release of the marriage bar in the 1970's when women could work and the start of long hours in office space and commuting times came to the fore.

Me, I grew up in Dispensary House, in rural Co. Meath in the 1970's. Lucky for me, from the time I was born, we had dogs. In fact, the corgi did a lot of the babysitting in those days.

Now we daily listen to problems in hospitals with MSRA (no mention of what is the case in our prisons, nursing homes and even schools). These days we hear of TB again, a TB that is drug resistant. Add to this the propensity of people to seek immediate answers to chest infections, flu and bugs, and the over prescription of anti-biotics and even steroids.

The outcome is a Lower Resistence to infection.........hence daily we hear about MRSA in our hospitals.

Flicking through the New Scientist (September 2006) - I noted a heading in a column: the photo was of a little girl and her dog.

The Heading most reassuredly read 'Household Pets keep kids Healthy'
How relieved I am to put an old ghost to bed.....dogs were always an integral part of family and considered to be a good judge of character......

'Young children turn out to be less likely to suffer a bout of gastroenteritis, if there is a pet in the house' - Jane Heyworth at the University of Western Australia research study. Her suggestion is that children with pets are exposed to low levels of bacterial when young and this could PRIME their immune system to handle such bugs....... Definite possibilities I would think!

Evidence is strong that people with heart disease or depression gain positive feedback from bonding with animals.

There is a great need in Ireland to seek out the potential for children who are autistic, with behavioural problems and people with a variety of long term disabling conditions...............the knowledge exists, if not here in the UK, Europe and particular the US where dogs are highly regarded.

For anyone thinking about getting a dog, great work is done by the Dog Rescue services around Ireland. Animal Rescue is on each Monday night and worth looking at.

Michelle Clarke and her working Jack Russell ..... a real good friend

by Jack Russell; a carer dog - Social Justice Ethics Mon Jul 09, 2007 20:57

It is now a hunt against dogs taught aggression by human beings.

The victims have won support and 11 breeds of dogs are prohibited.

I challenge any of those anti-dog civil servants/councillors to read the foregoing postings and suggest a changed attitude and a proper analysis of just how dogs contribute to our society.

I have written on several occasions about the functions of dogs from the work in seeking out drugs; to those dogs we export to the Far East to seek out contreband, to Disabilities Dogs, to Carer Dogs, to dogs who approve the immune system of young children within the home....... it goes on.

In the UK - the ability to take the lateral view has produced rehabilitative programmes for teenagers with attention deficit disorders; behavior problems, etc. The children are collected from various homes and brought to a Trainer with dogs who are to be taught by the assigned children just how to work for people with Diabilities - neurological etc.
This has been a success. What about Ireland - have we anything scheduled like this for Moyross and all the turmoil relating to human behavior problems down there?.......What about the emotions and humanity - so much can be done?

Today's Daily Mail July 9th, 2007

One page shows the thwarted dog and his vicious teeth......Mr. Humphreys, Councillor is reported to say that it is only time before 'he kills children'. The outcome is 11 breeds are banned. What about the question why certain people are allowed to breed animals for fighting.....money......with no obligation to society or an animal life?

As a person with disabilities, I have written on several occasions about being barred from pubs in the Dublin 4 area. You find publicans bleeting about the hard times they experience; the impact of smoking yet they neglect a culture that was inclusive .......... I ask why.

I recall one very nice publican allowing my dog in but I recall, Jack sniffed and sniffed around..... Later, I wrote an article about being Barred from Pubs on Indymedia and suggested that if the publicans had foresight, they ought to welcome the odd dog snooper! After all, dogs are the sniffers that can find the illegal drugs on the ships, planes etc. I heard no more that is until today.

A week after the largest haul of illegal drugs is found by chance off the Cork coast......people are more aware of the implications of the mainly middle class drug - cocaine; the drug that lawyers, doctors, nurses, young people, are alleged to snort to give them a miraculous sense of being high and supreme. As someone said to me recently, what about when you go to a dinner party and your host distributes the Coke?

Today's news. What a relief? Someone out there is using their head. Certain nightclubs have put sniffer dogs on trial........What initiative? Now let's get real and be inclusive to animals, their gifts, the companionship, their history. Alert dogs in homes, at restuarants, in shopping centres might just stop the dealing that has become so apparent in areas in Dublin 4.

Michelle Clarke

by Jack Russell, Disabilities Dog - Social Justice and inclusion Fri Jul 13, 2007 23:55

The Dublin City Council is to take action......versus the challenge to change by Anvil and other dog/animal represenative bodies that Government shrirk their responsibility in relation to dogs.

Please let's see a balanced view from Dublin City Council; let us see changed attitudes from the Drinks Industry who will use cute dogs for adverts yet allow publicans to exclude them from their premises. What scares the pubs - could the dogs be illegal substance investigators.....

Think about Dogs for the Blind
Go to the Anvil site and see what brutality people in this country can engage in to harm and wound animals.

Look to websites like the DPCA; even visit and view what cruelty is about and then look to what compassion and kindness is all about.

Think of those dogs at work in Cork last week busily sniffing and finding harmful drugs that could have been on the market this week in places like Dublin 4, harming the health of our people, our teenagers.....

Think of kind people who bring their animals to visit in the elderly in nursing homes, in children's hospitals, in the hospices - think of the joy given without the necessity of trying to make tedious conversaton when a person is not well enough.

Then there is the work of the Donkey Sanctuary in Cork........

Meath County Council have no shelter for animals.....surely someone can make a donation and get some money together. Today is the day of Mr. J.P. McManus daughter's wedding.....the JP McManus Charitable foundation, if approached might make funds available to get a shelter up and running to commerate the Day......Think of the benefits to Co.Meath and the people who live there........and as for the working dogs to help those who are elderly, or with neurological problems or behaviour problem teenagers - options abound.

Emily Dogs in Cork: This is website that is inspirational. MS is a debilitation neurological condition - it isolates people from society. The fact that the dog can collect the dirty washing, pick up the post and other chores.......and think of it if you can imagine what it is like not to be able to do these simple chores......This is empowerment and we need it......

Living in Dublin 4 - a street known well to all - harbours all kinds of dealers - why can't we clean up the streets with dogs that can prompt Gardai...... at ground level and allow them to be sociable to people, at the same time. It really comes down to Government policy and motive to clean up on illegal substances.....

Any views out there.......

A little Equality for Human Beings but also for animals.

Quotation Susan Sontag (born 1933)
AIDS
'Societies need to have one illness which becomes identified with evil, and attaches blame to its' viictims'
Book: Aids and its metaphors

by Kevin Walsh - Social Justice and Ethics Fri Aug 24, 2007 20:36

Ireland is one step removed from being the worst in Europe for the treatment of stray dogs. The European countries are pet inclusive societies and dogs are brought to cafes, bars, city walks etc.

Why do we differ so in Ireland?

We met a man that we see walking along Baggot Street and the Canal today. He has 3 great friends - a Jack Russell; a Cairn Terrier and another who is being treated for Parkinsons.

He told us that Newstalk took photos of his three as part of their preparations to encourage people to give a home to stray dogs.

Details are www.findadog.ie

Kevin Walsh
Quotation
Dom Helder Camera (radical Brazilian Catholic priest and Liberation Theologian)
The Question
'When I give food to the poor, they me a saint.
When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist'

by ???? Sat Aug 25, 2007 18:06

>He told us that Newstalk took photos of his three as part of their preparations to encourage people >to give a home to stray dogs.

How are they going to use photos on radio?

by Michelle Clarke - Social Justice and Ethics Sun Aug 26, 2007 17:08

Just to confuse the issue.

One of the National newspapers on Monday are writing a feature on Dial a Dog. Yes, if you are lonely and want company, a dog will be allocated to you for x. hours at a price.....

People are starting to use their heads and think with compassion albeit money forms part of the motivation.

Suggestion: try Newstalk email and they talk about dogs on the raid.

Quotation:
Flying High - Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906) Norwegian playwright.
'A forest bird never wants a cage

Michelle Clarke

by Michelle Clarke - Sniffer dogs and indentificatio process Fri Aug 31, 2007 01:13

dogs fights in Tyronend in the UK

How biarre these me are; how mis informed; the stupidity of whetting a dog to blood and the stupid cogniset that says these doctors once blooded can target a small child.......and kill it.

Who are we? Why? Can above cruelty to animals, to children to families.

To the little girl dead - Why.....What ignorance or have we include in the human race a sub category, a feared mentality and a need to confrol over.

Let us wake up. Lets look to the possitive side of dogs, animals etc.
Lake us respect Nature and our children

Let us be responsible and so not taking certain risks of dogs and teach them the blood factor........the fun factor for the lusty

Today we celebrate yet another dog is has sniffed out one one of the largest hauls of heroin- what a remarkable dog.

Then we have are two brave dogs who entered the prisons and got the scent and got the stuff. We done......but gangland apparently have a hit of these dogs!!!!!!!! They must be under threat. They are in hiding. There is photo.

I don't know do many read the Financial Times (pink). We there is an article which might open up the dog dimension and potential with the workplace

The title is Pet-Friendly offices take the lead by letter the dogs in..........

Buisness pleasure
Workplace -the dog can be a popular perk. For many employess the family pet is seen as a pig perk. They keep peole in a good and spirits.

Cary Cooper, professor of organisation society and health university management. Still he definitely allow pets juvenise people. You witness people stepping out of their coprorate rolles and they play with animals....

Sureley, there is scope here. I don't know the number of people who sit with us young and old as we sit out to lunch in Baggot street, I hear that it will be possible to rent do because when people leave work, it is then they need the cannine friend. Many are afraid to get dog.....incase, he goes before them.

Michelle

by Michelle Clarke - Social Justice and Ethics Fri Sep 21, 2007 23:52

Glad to see that Anvil are convening a meeting about Animals - their representation at Government level etc. on Sunday.

Ireland has one of the worst records for homing pound dogs; and worse again we have a high incidence of puppy farming in appalling conditions; and worse we have dog fighting organised by certain people, for details, refer to recent report re. North of Ireland and dog fighting.

The time has come to change attitudes....

Michelle