The Barbi Twins Show Some Skin for Skin Trade

The new documentary Skin Trade premieres tomorrow, and who best to promote it but two of the biggest anti-fur activists of our time... the Barbi Twins! Click here to read more...

Justice for the Dogs

As I write, twelve men and women sit inside a glass conference room at the Bronx Criminal Courthouse deliberating the facts and evidence surrounding a dogfighting bust in which eight men were arrested on June 14, 2008. Over the course of two weeks, the jury listened to both the prosecuting attorney and defense attorneys' arguments, and now the fate of four men -- of the eight men arrested, only four (Alexander Estephane, Juan Toledo, Auritz Acoy and Alterik Mason) were tried -- is being decided by a jury of their peers.

To read more, click here....

The Truth About Euthanasia...

Please watch this short and very powerful video - even if you already foster, rescue or adopt. There are still many who don't, so please share this video on your Facebook pages, blogs and websites...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emGZBLVJmGI&feature=related

Lucy's journey...

Little Lucy's journey has sure been an eventful one! She was pulled from the city pound in late November, fostered by my friend Sandy until she got over her URI, then fostered by me, then fostered by a great guy in my building named Sam, and then back to me when Sam went out of town for a while.

There was a ton of anxiety that came with welcoming Lucy back into our home as she did not get along with our two senior cats. But after a few days of "crate and rotate," our declawed cat came out of the bedroom and let Lucy know her place in the house! She still gets her butt kicked by the other cat and has the scars on her nose to prove it, but the good news is that we are confident that she will not eat them, only chase and annoy them. Phew!

The best thing that came out of taking Lucy back is that I really got to know her and love her and in turn, found her an amazing home with a childhood friend of mine that lives in Georgia. Lucy was supposed to fly down to Georgia last Sunday with the non-profit, Pilots-n-Paws, but the plane on the first leg of her trip had engine problems and never took off from the tarmac in New Jersey. Pilots-n-Paws meant well, but especially in the dead of winter, it was a risk, and the longer Lucy stays with us, the more she is feeling like she is home, and she is not. So I came home and booked her a ticket on the new airline, Pet Airways! Lucy will leave New York en route to Atlanta, Georgia, this Saturday -- and for those of you that don't know, Lucy won't be flying in cargo, but in the cabin, with a stewardess and all!

Here are a couple of pictures from Lucy's non-eventful trip with Pilots-n-Paws...

UAA first free spay/neuter clinic in the Bronx...

Here are just a few pictures from United Action for Animals' first, free mobile spay/neuter clinic in the Bronx. Thanks to the efforts of UAA President, Jennifer Panton, half a dozen or so veterinarians, a dozen vet technicians and 50 volunteers, 57 cats and dogs will no longer be able to contribute to New York City's pet overpopulation problem.

16 yr. old owner surrender on euth list gets second chance

On Monday night I was horrified to see the email that came in about a 16 yr. old shihtzu at the city pound that was to be put down the following day. The dog was dumped at the shelter ina black duffel bag and left with a note that read: "This is a female dog. The dog is 16 yrs old. The dog is sick, vomits & diarrhea... I cannot take care of the dog. Please do the humane thing. Thank you."

I quickly set out to write a note about her on Facebook and tagged a couple dozen animal rescue constituents in the process. Should I pull her and bring her to my vet and have her euthanized myself? At least then she would have someone to hold her and talk to her. Or might she still have some days, possibly months left in her to live?

The responses I got on Facebook were heartwarming and I was not the least bit surprised. Tammy Paris Woods stepped up to the plate and offered to take this old gal in and create a hospice environment for her to live in at her home in South Philly. I contacted the ACC, pulled Cindy and created a chipin site for her. I would like to give Tammy $200 so that when the time comes to put Cindy down, she won't have to go into her own pockets for it. We are more than half way there with the donations that have come in thus far, but have still not met our goal.

If you would like to help us send this old gal off with the love and dignity that she so deserves, please visit her chipin site here: http://reefuge.chipin.com/cindy

Thank you.

Craigslist post defames pit bulls...

Nothing infuriates me more than when someone professes to be an expert on something, yet can't spell. Such is the case with this unfortunate Craigslist post. The post has made its way under a "pets" category where fellow rescuers voraciously post for animals in need of rescue and adoption. What a shame. Please flag this post over and over and over again until it disappears forever.

http://mattoon.craigslist.org/pet/1525408084.html

Custom-made pillows and T's go to good cause...

I recently purchased an Epic Specialties pillow from Facebook friend and fellow animal lover, Chirs Brenner. The pillow says "We Have A Warm (Heart) For Cold Noses." Not only were the pillows cheap at $10, but all the proceeds go to a great cause: the Helen Woodward Animal Center in Rancho Santa Fe, California. There's only one, albeit simple catch: you have to email Chris a picture of yourself with the product.

I received the pillow in the mail about as fast as I sent Chris a check and now it sits under the tree for Ella to open on Christmas. Then, Chris will get his photo!

Epic Specialties also sells Hanes 100% cotton, tagless t-shirts that say "We Have A Warm (Heart) For Cold Noses" or "We (Heart) Pets!" The pillows, like the one I ordered, are handmade, and also come in either slogan. There is even a bone-shaped neck pillow that says "We Love Pets." The t-shirts are being sold for $8 each and the pillows for $10, until the end of January 2010. But keep in mind, that price is being honored (in good faith) to customers who will email Chris a picture of themselves with the tee or pillow.

Chris has been a marketing consultant for over 15 years, and started Epic Specialties - which is he is the Chief Executive - earlier this year. While in the business to make money, as a life-long animal lover and someone who is passionate about fighting animal cruelty, Chris launched the company knowing he would give a percentage of promotional product sales to the San Diego Humane Society and Helen Woodward.

Now that, is a business worth supporting!

To order your t-shirt or pillow, email Chris at chris@epicspecialties.com.

Lucy the rescue dog needs a home!

Lucy is a 11-month old petite American Staffordshire Terrier (pit bull) that was rescued from a NYC high-kill shelter and is currently being fostered in Brooklyn Heights. At a small 48 pounds, Lucy walks great on the leash, is completely house-broken, takes food from the hand very gently and gets along great with other dogs, adults and children. She should not however, be in a home with cats.

Lucy is learning many commands and is proving to be a quick learner. She is very affectionate and has a ton of young-dog spunk. She also enjoys taking car rides. Lucy would be the perfect addition to any household (without cats). She is spayed, microchipped, up-to-date on all her shots and ready to find her "furever" home today. Adoption application and adoption fee of $150 required. To meet Lucy please email reedutaha@yahoo.com or call 718.926.6621 today!!

Please feel free to share this post or Lucy's petfinder link. http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=15312086

Project Pet Fundraiser - Happy's Holiday Hour

My friend Emily Tanen's non-profit rescue group, Project Pet, is throwing a holiday party in which all proceeds go towards saving animals in city shelters - specifically pit bulls - from euthanasia.

Emily also works in the New Hope department of Manhattan Animal Care and Control and never leaves work without taking at least a few dogs out of the shelter with her to be marketed, coddled and adored by animal lovers who attend the fundraiser.

Happy's Holiday Hour will take place at Von, a great space on Bleecker Street on Thursday, December 17th from 6 - 9 p.m. I went to Project Pet's fundraiser at Von last month and it was a blast! I am hoping to get out of a prior engagement to come out and support Emily and the animals she works so tirelessly to save, and hope you will, too!

To the right is a photo of some of my rescue friends at Project Pet's last fundraiser. From top left going clockwise is the host of the party, Emily, followed by Christina, Jen, myself and Katherine.

A Pit Bull On My Pillow

Mom and dads check out this wonderful children's picture book by friend and fellow rescuer, Cathy Klein Nakayama, on pit bulls. The pits are all in sleepy time poses - it's great for putting your little ones to sleep and great for pit rescue, too, as a percentage of each book sold benefits two North Carolina-based rescue groups. To purchase one, click here. To read more about the making of the book, click here.

Thanksgiving PETA ad...

Even though I am heavily engrossed in the animal welfare movement, I am not a big PETA fan as some might assume. Unlike most of their risque ads, this one is family-friendly and downright true. With that said, there's still time to buy a farm-friendly turkey this year.

Check out the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6h9tTbJmTT8

The Story of Nico...

This story begins with a photograph… probably one of the most compelling photos ever seen in animal welfare as it represents so perfectly the sadness and hopelessness these animals often feel as they sit in shelters waiting for a home, or in this case, for the end to come. The photo went out on Facebook the last week of July, and so began the amazing story of redemption for a dog named Nico... to finish reading Nico's story, click here.

900 Greyhounds Need Homes

*CROSS POSTING*

900 Greyhounds are victims of the excessive breeding and unnecessary racing industry -- Dairyland Greyhound Racetrack in Kenosha, Wisconsin will be closing on December 31, 2009.

900 Greyhounds will need to be adopted otherwise they will be euthanized, now is a great time to consider adopting a Greyhound. They are very loving and laid back. They don’t need the space people think they need. They are great for an any kind of family because they have been crated almost all their lives and they sleep about 18 out of the 24 hours a day. They are just looking for someone to love them and supply them with a warm bed!!

They test the dogs to see if they are cat friendly and or small dog friendly. They also know if a dog should be a single dog or if they would be great in a 2, 3, or 4 dog house!!!

Please help get the word out; we only have 6 weeks to get them homes.

CONTACT: Joanne Kehoe, Operations Director, (312) 559-0887 OR Dairyland Race Track Adoption Center direct at (262) 612-8256

The Barbi Twins: Why We Bear Our Claws

By SHANE BARBI as told to REEDU TAHA

I have a supportive husband and a life-long companion in my twin sister, but it is a cat that I rescued from the streets that is the love of my life.

By now I think it is no secret that I love animals. Along with my sister, Sia, I have been rescuing them since I was a child. From climbing trees to breaking my car for wildlife, to wading through floods left behind by hurricanes, to navigating my way through the fire-charred brush of Southern California -- it is safe to say that I would do just about anything to save an animal.

Most people remember my sister and me from Playboy, but those days are long over. In fact, today, Sia and I can be found protesting, not posing. Pet shops, anti-vivisection, the circus and zoos are just a few of the animal rights causes we have taken up over the years.

However, we can also be found walking and rehabilitating dogs at animal shelters in Los Angeles as well as participating in TNR (Trap, Neuter and Return) with Stray Cat Alliance.

That is how I met Shelly.

...TO READ MORE, CLICK HERE

ASPCA to euthanize Oreo, the pit bull cruelty case

ASPCA to euthanize Oreo, the pit bull cruelty case

Oreo was killed shortly after 3:00 today. May she go someplace that shows her a kind of love and peace that she did not get during her time here.

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