That was really cool that the birds were not so ‘far trained’ that they couldn’t still respond to kindness. The ones you see on Animal Cops (that have already been fighting) are just so far gone that they have to euthanize them. So sad. So it was wonderful to see these birds respond to human touch and the soft voice the man was using with them.

Press release:

February 16, 2010
The HSUS Assists San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department in Raid of Alleged Cockfighting Operation

National organization praises sheriff’s department for swift action

YUCAIPA, Calif. — The Humane Society of the United States supplied key intelligence that led to the raid of an alleged cockfighting operation by the San Bernardino County Sherriff’s Department. Authorities impounded more than 500 birds.

“According to published reports in a cockfighting magazine, the owners ran an operation encompassing the United States and Mexico,” said Eric Sakach, senior law enforcement specialist for The HSUS. “The actions of the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department send a clear message to the community that San Bernardino County takes allegations of cockfighting activities seriously.”

Tuesday’s raid was a multi-agency effort that included the San Bernardino County Animal Control, San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office, USDA Office of Investigator General and others. Animal fighting experts with The Humane Society of the United States supplied professional expertise and assisted in the identification of potential evidence.

“Our Rural Crimes Task force is committed to investigating agriculture related crimes and animal abuse,” said San Bernardino County Sheriff Rod Hoops. We will not allow this blood sport to flourish in the County of San Bernardino.”

The HSUS offers rewards of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of any person involved in illegal animal fighting. Anyone with information about animal fighting criminals is asked to call 877-TIP-HSUS (877-4787). Your identity will be protected.

About Cockfighting:

* Tens of thousands of people are involved in cockfighting nationwide.
* Common cockfighting practices include breeding birds for viciousness, drugging them to heighten aggression, and fitting their legs with razor-sharp knives or gaffs, which resemble curved ice picks.
* Law enforcement raids across the country have revealed that cockfights, which are frequently attended by children, often involve firearms and other weapons due to the large amounts of cash present for gambling.
* Law enforcement officials have documented a strong connection between cockfighting and the distribution of illegal drugs.

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Follow The HSUS on Twitter.

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization — backed by 11 million Americans, or one of every 28. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education, and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty — On the Web at humanesociety.org.

Way to go, HSUS! Thank you so much for all that you do!

Oh that face! That precious face! There’s NO resisting it! Especially knowing that he is a rescue! I just keep staring at that picture, because, he (she) is so darned cute! My sweet Lucky Puppy came from the Dallas SPCA and I could never thank them enough for rescuing my darling boy so that he could join our family. He had brought so much love and joy to our lives, it is really un-expressable.

I hope that you will watch their video of their successes this year. It really is an amazing organization. I’m just gonna shut up now and let ya’ll go watch the video, before I go and get all mushy and stuff!

I just love this picture of Puppy! It cracks me up! And I’m testing out the new LOLPress plug in that works with the Cheezburger Network that I found on Jesse Luna’s blog. Thanks, Jesse!

Is he cute, or what?? I swear, that dog puts up with more crap from us! LOL This was when he’d gotten this new sweater and Shawn wanted to put his hood up like a gangster. And of course, Puppy just tolerated it. He’s so mellow.

There was one problem with that sweater, though. There’s no cut out for …uh.. you know …voiding – emptying the bladder. So yeah, gets it wet every. single. time. I always feel so bad pulling it over his head to take it off, because, I know it must be touching him. Ick! He never seems to care, though. He doesn’t wear it that often, but, he does seem to like it.

I saw a picture of a dog online the other day with one that was amply cut out for all that peeing business that needs to happen. Need to get one of those. Or I could just cut this one and have Grandma sew a seam on it.

Ok, now ya’ll have a coupla jobs to do. Frealz.

1. Tell me in the comments how uberly, awesomely cute my dog is.
2. Hover over the picture and click on ‘Caption this Image’ and LOLDog my Puppy!!
3. Share this post with your friends so Puppy can get Super LOL-ified!

Thank you times eight million if you do one, two, or all three of these things! You’re the best!!!

I seriously am. Completely and totally smitten with this precious, eenky weenky kittykens!!!! Love her! (Him?)

She reminds me of when Patrick was a newborn (my oldest – who’s 16 now and WAY taller than I!) – he fit on the bathroom counter – perpendicular to the mirror – not sideways! That’s tiny! Newborns are small!! And he was not exactly a small newborn either. Heh.

It’s especially small, however, for someone who is growing about six inches daily! And I know he’s in a growth spurt right now, because, his Sensory Integration Dysfunction issues are rearing their ugly heads! He swears his clothes are shrinking and they’re so uncomfortable etc etc… I know, I know, if he’s growing, they are shrinking, right? Well, sure, but not to the degree that he is complaining about them! And he complained the other day that his band jacket was smaller – and that jacket is not a material that ever shrinks. The lining could shrink, but, not the outside. Well, anyway – remind me to tell you what I know about and what we’ve been through (go through) with SID one day. It’s been eye-opening, that’s for sure.

This post, however, is about this little cute kitten. And what it reminds me of -you guys let me get way off track again, didn’t you?

See, I would lie Patrick’s itty bitty self on that bathroom counter and he would do those ‘newborn sneezes’ – you know the ones? I don’t know if they all do it – or maybe they just don’t all do it as cute as Patrick did it. Oh. my. gawd. I couldnt’ get enough – it was so completely adorable!!!!

And it looked a lot like this…..

I feel really torn about sharing these videos, and I felt really torn about watching them. Since they are maltese mama dogs having maltese babies – they’ve obviously been bred. They do look to be responsible, home breeders – and while that’s not perfect, it is definitely better than a puppy mill. I personally do not like any kind of breeding – I think we as humans have really lost that right. There are just too. many. dogs. that are destroyed every. single. day. by the shelters that cannot handle the sheer number of them. But I really, really enjoyed watching these videos. Wow – hypocrite, I am. Eck.

In my defense – and in the defense of the video owner – they do say in the very first video – to please get your pets from the local shelter. I was very happy to see that on their video. And I haven’t been able to find anywhere on their channel about their being breeders or anything of that nature – so you never know.

This is supposed to just be a nice, enjoyable post – not a soap box rant about how I feel. I just thought I should make it clear that I really don’t agree with breeding and I did feel odd watching these videos. But I did also enjoy them. And I think you will, too. So enough of my blah blah soap boxin’ – I’m just going to let you adore these sweet, precious, squeaking little puppies!

Read the rest of this entry »

What an incredible video! I don’t really know much about leapord seals, I have to admit. I’m going to do some more research to learn more about them. To start out with, we have this quote from the leopard seal Wikipedia entry:

The Leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx) is the second largest species of seal in the Antarctic (after the Southern Elephant Seal). It is most common in the southern hemisphere along the coast of Antarctica and on most sub-Antarctic islands, but can also be found on the coasts of southern Australia, Tasmania, South Africa, New Zealand, Lord Howe Island, Tierra del Fuego, the Cook Islands, and the Atlantic coast of South America. It can live twenty-six years, possibly more.[3] Orcas and large sharks are the only natural predators of leopard seals