This essay on animal cruelty was posted on the Huffington Post blog just yesterday by the mayor of Newark, New Jersey, Cory Booker. Mayor Booker tends to be in the news frequently: he's practically a cult figure what with the hip, innovative programs he's helped implement to revive his ailing city (he was just on CNN's Piers Morgan the other night with the co-founders of Twitter, discussing his use of social media to rally his constituents), his friendship with Oprah, blah, blah, blah.
Anyway, he obviously felt compelled to speak about the horrendous act of animal cruelty that occurred in his city just a few weeks ago. Many of you have probably heard about "Patrick, the St. Patrick's Day Miracle Dog", a Pit Bull mix who was found by a sanitation worker inside a trash bag, quite literally at death's doorstep. If you'd like to read more about Patrick, and see pictures and video of Patrick's road to recovery, check out Life With Dogs-they did a marvelous job with this story.
Mayor Booker's essay discusses what Newark plans to do to help increase awareness, and thus help prevent animal abuse, including the building of a state-of-the-art animal shelter (now to be named "Patrick's Place") that will hopefully become a model for the rest of the country.
Enjoy the full article here: www.huffingtonpost.com/cory-booker/post_1903_b_845225.html?utm_source=DailyBrief&utm_campaign=040611&utm_medium=email&utm_content=BlogEntry&utm_term=Daily%20Brief.
And take a look at this video in which Mayor Booker discusses this heinous crime and his City's response.
We hope you enjoy the essay and the video...and will do what you can to spread awareness about animal cruelty. Check out Patrick's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/PatricksLawNow?ref=ts&sk=wall, and keep your paws crossed for his full recovery. "May the miracle that is Patrick inspire you to do great things."
Anyway, he obviously felt compelled to speak about the horrendous act of animal cruelty that occurred in his city just a few weeks ago. Many of you have probably heard about "Patrick, the St. Patrick's Day Miracle Dog", a Pit Bull mix who was found by a sanitation worker inside a trash bag, quite literally at death's doorstep. If you'd like to read more about Patrick, and see pictures and video of Patrick's road to recovery, check out Life With Dogs-they did a marvelous job with this story.
Mayor Booker's essay discusses what Newark plans to do to help increase awareness, and thus help prevent animal abuse, including the building of a state-of-the-art animal shelter (now to be named "Patrick's Place") that will hopefully become a model for the rest of the country.
Enjoy the full article here: www.huffingtonpost.com/cory-booker/post_1903_b_845225.html?utm_source=DailyBrief&utm_campaign=040611&utm_medium=email&utm_content=BlogEntry&utm_term=Daily%20Brief.
And take a look at this video in which Mayor Booker discusses this heinous crime and his City's response.
We hope you enjoy the essay and the video...and will do what you can to spread awareness about animal cruelty. Check out Patrick's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/PatricksLawNow?ref=ts&sk=wall, and keep your paws crossed for his full recovery. "May the miracle that is Patrick inspire you to do great things."
8 comments:
I seen dis and every time I think of Patrick I cry...and I mean cry!
I likes da fact dat da mayor is doing things to help but, I don't neccessarily agre withs not pointing blame and taking responsibility and yada yada. Okay, heres what I want to ask you since you know alot about rescue and such...do you think people tend to turn their backsa on these situations because they are afraid to get involved? I was talking to the director of our HS and she thinks that is why people don't turn people in. So I was just gonna ask you your thoughts. I hope this made sense.
Puddles and mum
Sorry, I just seen a million typos in dat comment.
Puddles
Hi Puddles and Puddles' Mum. That's an interesting question. In my humble opinion, I think that some people don't report animal abuse (I'm assuming that's what you meant) because that means getting involved in some sort of conflict, maybe even with a neighbor, and I think most people avoid conflict like the plague. There's so many excuses: most people are so busy, they just don't have time for one more thing, even if that just means making a phone call. And unless it's an extremely clear-cut case, they might think: Why should I butt into other people's lives and how they choose to do things, like how they treat their "property". Unfortunately, our pets are still regarded as property under the law... Now that I'm thinking about it, you just gave me a great idea for a post!
Thanks Puddles and Mum!
Puddles mum here. Thank you for your response. My dad ran into a situation like this. He saw a neighbor hitting his dog and my dad had no idea what to do. He was afraid to report it because he feared retaliation against his own dogs...you know, poisoining ir something. He did report it but the fear he had was still there.
And I think alot of people don't want to have to go to court. It's a pathetic world we live in where we have to fear standing up to cowards and doing the right thing. I know it can be a sticky situation sometimes. I would be afraid for dogs if it ever happened but, not for myself.
Allison...Puddles mum
I think lots of people want someone else to fix the problem - sometimes, sadly even shelters. We have a big dog fighting problem in Chicago. Lots of people who live in areas where fighting is a problem are afraid to turn them in - because they are afraid of getting hurt themselves. The same gang-bangers who are fighting dogs are also shooting kids. People are genuinely afraid (and for good reason) of what will happen to them if they get involved.
The world needs more Mayors like him.
Take care
Kisses and hugs
Lorenza
DAwling Bocci
Thank you fow always wepawting these impawtant issoos.
I am sickened by the cwoolty of hoomans towawds animals. I don't undewstand it. I pway it stops and I pway that Patwick can fully wecovew. Thank dog he is getting cawe and love, but I do think hoomans should be held wesponsibull. Fuwwkids awe NOT pwopewty. they awe loving bweathing mambews of ouw society. We have made them ouw fwiends and family and we owe it to them to pwotect them.
I undewstand the feaws..and I guess it's natoowal to want to pwotect youw own family fiwst of all, but we still have to fight the bad hoomans.
sowwy fow the want
smoochie kisses
ASTA
We love what Asta said: "that animals are not property, they're living breathing members of our society." It looks like the law might actually follow that idea one day. Keep a look-out for our interview with one of the leading animal rights lawyers in the country!
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