In this issue:

1. Olympics clean-up Chinese style: Inside Beijings shocking death camp for cats
2. Canine Shore Safety
3. Cats may lower heart attack risk
4. Pets can mirror their owners
5. Five to plead guilty in whale killing, deal avoids jail time for rogue hunt
6. Alternative 4-Legged Furry Friends: Rabbits
7. Shelter sees rise in "foreclosure" pets
8. Tiger Ranch problems leave cat lovers scratching for solutions
9. Lawmaker hopes to collar support for dogs-at-work bill
10. Feral cat colony blocking data center
11. Protecting Your Home from Fleas
12. Man's best friend asked to scoop the poop
13. Recommended Reading
14. Notable Quotable

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1. Olympics clean-up Chinese style: Inside Beijings shocking death camp for cats
Thousands of pet cats in Beijing are being abandoned by their owners and sent to die in secretive government pounds as China mounts an aggressive drive to clean up the capital in preparation for the Olympic Games. (the Daily Mail)

2. Canine Shore Safety
Ten tips for going coastal with your dog. (Coastal Living)

3. Cats may lower heart attack risk
A new study from the University of Minnesota has discovered that people with cats have a 40% lower risk of heart attack than their non-feline friendly counterparts. (Reuters)

4. Pets can mirror their owners
Chances are, if you're overweight and out of shape, so is your pet, says a leading animal health expert. (canada.com)

5. Five to plead guilty in whale killing, deal avoids jail time for rogue hunt
Five members of the Makah Tribe who killed a gray whale during a rogue hunt last September are expected to serve no jail time under a plea deal reached with the federal government, a defense lawyer said today. (Mercury News)

6. Alternative 4-Legged Furry Friends: Rabbits
Dogs and cats aren't the only four-legged furry friends that make great pets and companions. If you're considering adopting a rabbit, doing research on this species before you bring one home can help you make the right choice. (KLFY)

7. Shelter sees rise in "foreclosure" pets
New casualties of the subprime mortgage crisis are starting to show up at the Pasadena Humane Society - "foreclosure pets," whose owners abandon or take them to shelters when they move out to apartments that don't allow animals. (SGV Tribune )

8. Tiger Ranch problems leave cat lovers scratching for solutions
Humane officials closed Tiger Ranch cat sanctuary in Allegheny County on March 13. About 400 cats, seven horses, one goat, nine chickens and seven dogs were seized. (Ellwood City Ledger)

9. Lawmaker hopes to collar support for dogs-at-work bill
No, the Legislature is not going to the dogs – despite Assembly Concurrent Resolution 103. The "Take Your Dog to Work Day" resolution urges employers to honor canines on June 20 in the same way that they set aside one day per year for employees to bring a child to their job site. (Sacramento Bee)

10. Feral cat colony blocking data center
Some 150 feral cats living in a Los Angeles County ghost town are preventing the site from being turned into a $68 million high-tech data center. (UPI)

11. Protecting Your Home from Fleas
Fleas are the bane of many a pet owner. Even people without animals in their homes can become infested with these agile, fast-multiplying parasites. (LEX 18)

12. Man's best friend asked to scoop the poop
It never fails. You lace up your walking shoes and hit the trails of our city parks. You walk a few kilometres and then you're pooped. Your shoes, that is. (Times & Transcripts)

13. Recommended Reading

Why Animals Matter: The Case for Animal Protection
By Erin E. Williams

Why Animals Matter takes a realistic look at the ways in which we use animals in our society, how those uses often cause enormous suffering, and what we can each do about it. The point of the book isn't just to chronicle the multitude of ways in which animals are abused; it also shows that there's a better relationship we can have with these individuals who are at humanity's mercy. We can move from a human-animal relationship based on violence and exploitation toward one that's based on compassion and respect.

The authors deserve credit for not just focusing on animals with whom we're most familiar, such as dogs and cats. While dog and cat protection is certainly critical, by putting emphasis on the plight of animals raised for food (especially chickens), the authors make it clear that animal protection should be about all animals, even those with whom we're less familiar. (Although as is pointed out in the book, farm animals are every bit as intelligent and interesting as dogs and cats can be.) In fact, the chapter on animal agribusiness is the most powerful in the book, giving a sober and unflinching examination of each farm animal industry.

The book is worthwhile reading for animal advocates and newcomers to the topic alike.

14. Notable Quotable

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated" -- Mahatma Gandhi

Until next time,

We remain yours for the animals,
News Editor

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