Beau the pit bull loves car rides

Good news & bad news for animals from Arizona to the United Kingdom

Karma or kiss of death: Death by cock
From the LA Times: Here’s an interesting story about a guy who already had a misdemeanor charge for cockfighting which is illegal in Calif. This time the rooster with a blade attached to its mouth jammed it into the man’s shin and he (the man) was dead within two hours. (Blogger’s note: That seems like karma to me. I can’t help but wonder how the family is going to eulogize this?)

Cockfighting is in the same depraved class as dog fighting or greyhound racing. The end result is animal suffering, grievous injuries, or death all in the name of a gambling and entertainment.

Bad news: Thousands of pit bulls die in Maricopa County
From the AZ Republic:  14,523 pit bulls filled Maricopa County shelters last year, about 68 percent of those pit bulls were euthanized. According to the article, pit bulls are harder to adopt out than other breeds because they have a reputation for being vicious plus insurance companies, apartment complexes and homeowners associations may place restrictions on pit bulls.

How can pit bulls overcome their negative image? Please leave a comment.

Good news: Twiggy rocks!
British model Twiggy (who looks damn good for 61 years young) backs a campaign in the UK to encourage greyhound adoption. Unfortunately, dog racing is legal in UK but interest in the “sport” is dwindling when people learn about all the injuries and deaths.  According to the Daily Mail, Twiggy is waxing positively poetic about the virtues of these wonderful dogs where one thousand hounds wait for their forever homes.

Bad news: Greyhound killer wants to plea bargain
This may not be so bad if the guy has to rot in jail. According to this article in the Walton Sun (Florida), Ronnie Williams who has been charged with 42 counts of felony animal cruelty in connection with the deaths of 37 greyhounds at Ebro Greyhound Park kennel and the neglect of five survivors, told a judge he wanted a plea bargain so he could go home to his toddler and help his ailing parents. This is the guy who allegedly starved these greyhounds and put duct tape around their throats so nobody could hear them die.

(Blogger’s note: Greyhound racing has so many black eyes but this could be among the worst.)

‘Take sides.  Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.’
~ Elie Wiesel

(Photo is courtesy of Jen Duffy. This is Beau, her loving pit bull, who enjoys car rides and hiking on Mount Lemmon.)

Please contact Karyn Zoldan at tucson.tails@yahoo.com - Send pet photos (jpegs), feedback, announcements, story ideas. Thanks