Pet Shelter Winners for Week #4
We've chosen the next two winners in the HumaneWatch “Commenter of the Week” contest! Congratulations to “Gayla T.” and “Dr. Joe” for their winning observations here on the HumaneWatch blog.
We’ve reached out to both winners by e-mail, and we'll announce their chosen shelters later in the week on the HumaneWatch Facebook page. Both shelters will receive $100.
This week's contest runs through 6pm EDT on Friday, September 24. To qualify, just leave an interesting, thoughtful, entertaining, or otherwise compelling comment on any HumaneWatch blog article. Your favorite pet shelter or rescue group could be the real winner. (Read the rules here.)
Dr. Joe's winning comment included his thoughts about HSUS's strategy following the recent nationwide egg recall:
Large farms are a necessity in this sue-happy world we live in. What food processor or restaurant will take the liability from buying their meat, milk and eggs from a mom-n-pop farm two miles away?
The current Salmonella scare in Iowa has not found a single positive egg yet. They have found it in feed and manure, but not the egg. So now the A/R [animal rights] answer is to put the birds outside so they can eat their manure along with any migrating bird manure in the lot. Mice carry Salmonella, so the birds get to live with them now. Animals are kept indoors to protect them from the dirty environment. Is the answer to put the birds back out in the dirty environment make sense? Only for reducing production and raising prices (the A/R goal).
Joe makes a good point. We're reminded of one farmer who astutely observed: "In a caged environment you are separating the birds from their feces. In a cage-free environment you do not do that. … Would you allow a small child to play in his excrement or eat his excrement?"
And replying to HumaneWatch's vigilance on behalf of underfunded pet shelters, Gayla T. paid tribute to those who perform thankless animal rescue work:
Just know that there are thousands of people staffing animal rescue groups across the US that get no donations and no glory. They do it for the love of the animals and because they know that our society will be judged by how we treat those who depend on us for their care. Education is the key to changing how the weak ones are treated and those of us who “get it” will have to be the leaders. Not for glory or recognition but just because it is the right thing to do!
Well said. And what better way to support their work than with a donation, whether it's money, supplies, or just your time?
Got a comment? Be sure to leave your thoughts below. From August 23 to October 29, 2010 we will be choosing the two best comments each week of 25 words or more, and awarding $100 (each) to the local pet shelters of the commenters' choice. Click here for more information and the official rules.
