Circle of Compassion

Dr. Michael Fox and local author Claire Buchwald to discuss their new books

Dr. Michael Fox will discuss his new books; "Cat Body, Cat Mind" and "Dog Body, Dog Mind," at 5 p.m. on Saturday, December 1 at Magers and Quinn Booksellers. Dr. Fox will be joined by children's book author Claire Buchwald, speaking about her book "Are you ready for me?"

Animal behaviorist and veterinarian Michael W. Fox teachers readers how to better understand their cats; what they're thinking and feeling; and how to communicate with them. A stronger human-cat bond, means a happier cats, and a happier cat owner.

With his extraordinary insight and vision, Dr. Fox also explores the minds and hearts of dogs. Dogs, and all animals, have much to teach their human companions. Humans need to learn how to listen to them. In Dog Body, Dog Mind, Fox seeks to enhance readers' understanding and communication with their canine friends. He helps readers become more fluent in "dog speak," and to understand what dogs feel, think, and want. He also offers a holistic approach to companion animal care and preventive medicine, as well as behavioral advice and training tips that will help guarantee a healty, happy dog.

About: "Are you ready for me?" Almost every parent has heard the question, "please, can we get a dog?" "Are you ready for me?" by Minnesota author Claire Buchwald, is a book that will help families answer that question. In the text, a dog and a pup, waiting to be chosen at an animal adoption center, ask two children questions about how they will be treated. Children and parents will recognize what it will mean on a daily basis to bring a dog into a family.

Families who chose to adopt a dog can use this delightfully illustrated book to prepare for and to anticipate the big day. Parents can also draw on the book to review responsibilities of family members to pets they already have.

Join us for Fur-Free Friday!!!

Did you know that half of the world's fur products are imported from China. Although the animal welfare laws in the United States are pathetic - to say the least! - there are NO animal welfare regulations at all in China. As such, these animals suffer the worst kinds of abuses. in addition to the sad and tortured coyotes, foxes, rabbits, raccoons, chinchillas, and other fur-bearing animals, millions of cats and dogs are also brutally murdered for their fur. Although many will turn their heads and find this hard to believe, but large numbers of these animals still wear collars and id tags, a clear indication that they were stolen from their homes in order to be turned into a sleeve or a collar or some $2 trinket! Did you also know that massive quantities of dog and cat fur is exported to the US from China and is deliberately mislabeled as being from other species so purchasers do not know they are wearing Spot or Frisky or Woody or Whiskers!

"A new investigation of the chinese fur industry revealed dogs and cats packed into wire cages and stacked by the thousands onto trucks. The footage documents fur farm workers throwing cages from the tops of trucks to the ground, a ten-foot drop that shatters the legs of many animals inside, then poking animals through the wire cages with wooden poles. Animals are then killed by hanging, strangulation or electrocution, but investigators also witnessed some animals literally being skinned alive and then thrown onto a pile of other dead and dying animals. Some continue to live - their eyes blinking and their hearts visibly beating inside their exposed ribs - for up to ten minutes." www.furkills.org (a great website with loads of information, and for those who can stomach it, live footage of the horros of the fur industry).

So, what can you do? Join us and others November 23, Ribnick's Furs, 224 First Street North, Minneapolis, Noon - 1:30 pm, signs will be provided or bring your own! Since 1986, every year, on the friday after thanksgiving, thousands of activists have taken to the streets to protest, demonstrate, and educate people about the horros suffered by fur-bearing animals. originally organized by grassroots activists to abolish the fur trade, fur-free friday has grown to be one of the most widely attended annual demonstrations of the animal rights movement.

And one last thing. Since friday is considered the biggest shopping day of the year, please keep in mind that the following retailers support and profit from the fur industry (so, beware of where you lay your money down!): bebe stores, bloomingdales, brooks brothers, burlington coat factory, chadwick's of boston, express, jc penney, macy's, neiman marcus, nordstrom, saks fifth avenue, sears, tj maxx.

Thank you for all you do for animals!!!

"A new investigation of the chinese fur industry revealed dogs and cats packed into wire cages and stacked by the thousands onto trucks. The footage documents fur farm workers throwing cages from the tops of trucks to the ground, a ten-foot drop that shatters the legs of many animals inside, then poking animals through the wire cages with wooden poles. Animals are then killed by hanging, strangulation or electrocution, but investigators also witnessed some animals literally being skinned alive and then thrown onto a pile of other dead and dying animals. Some continue to live - their eyes blinking and their hearts visibly beating inside their exposed ribs - for up to ten minutes." www.furkills.org (a great website with loads of information, and for those who can stomach it, live footage of the horros of the fur industry).

So, what can you do? Join us and others November 23, Ribnick's Furs, 224 First Street North, Minneapolis, Noon - 1:30 pm, signs will be provided or bring your own! Since 1986, every year, on the friday after thanksgiving, thousands of activists have taken to the streets to protest, demonstrate, and educate people about the horros suffered by fur-bearing animals. originally organized by grassroots activists to abolish the fur trade, fur-free friday has grown to be one of the most widely attended annual demonstrations of the animal rights movement.

And one last thing. Since friday is considered the biggest shopping day of the year, please keep in mind that the following retailers support and profit from the fur industry (so, beware of where you lay your money down!): bebe stores, bloomingdales, brooks brothers, burlington coat factory, chadwick's of boston, express, jc penney, macy's, neiman marcus, nordstrom, saks fifth avenue, sears, tj maxx.

Thank you for all you do for animals!!!

The life of your Thanksgiving bird

Ah yes, the holiday season is upon us. I am not a fan of "Thanksgiving" for a number of reason, first and foremost being its violent tradition of murdering millions of turkeys. Below is the "real story" behind your Thanksgiving bird bounty.

Turkeys

are hatched in large incubators, never seeing their mothers, or feeling the warmth of her body or a nest. After only a few, short weeks, the chicks are moved into the homes they will spend the rest of their miserable lives in. Their permanent residence consists of a filthy, windowless shed, where they are packed in so tightly with thousands of other turkeys, they cannot spread their wings. To prevent the turkeys from killing and harming one another under such stressful confinement, part of their toes and beaks are cut off, as well as the flap of skin – otherwise known as the snood – of the male turkeys. This is all done without anesthetics or pain relievers. In essence, imagine having the skin on your chin cut off with a pair of scissors! Millions of these birds will not even make it past the first few weeks, dying of stress, starvation, and various infections or diseases.

To keep up with high demand and production, and to maximize profits, turkeys are drugged, bred, and genetically manipulated to grow as big as possible, as fast as possible. According to the Goveg.com website, one industry publication stated that modern turkeys grow so quickly that if a 7 pound human baby grew at the same rate, the infant would weigh 1,500 pounds at just 18 weeks of age!!!!

This grossly abnormal growing process results in a litany of problems for these birds. For one, they are so obese they cannot reproduce naturally. Thus, all turkeys born in this country today are conceived through artificial insemination. In addition, their gargantuan size causes many turkeys to die from organ failure or hearth attacks. Their legs often cannot support their own weight and they become crippled and may die of starvation. As a result, the mortality rate for these intelligent, beautiful creatures is extremely high.

Many turkeys also fall ill because of the filthy, crowded conditions. Birds that become ill, crippled under their own weight, or otherwise unsuitable for slaughter and consumption are often tortured and killed by farm workers via bludgeoning, beating, kicking, or having their necks wrung. Dead and/or dying birds are thrown into piles and then tossed into wheelbarrows for disposal.

After the turkeys are “reared,” they are shipped off for slaughter. Up to 2,000 turkeys can be crammed onto a single truck heading for the slaughterhouse.

Turkeys

are grabbed by their legs and violently thrown into crates by workers. Their legs and wings are often broken in the process. The crates are tossed onto trucks and birds may travel long distances through hot and cold weather extremes without any food or water before they reach the slaughterhouse. Millions of turkeys die each year from heat exhaustion, freezing, or accidents during transport.

Once they reach their final slaughterhouse destination, the turkeys are hung upside-down by their deformed and weakened legs. Their heads are dragged through an electrified “stunning tank.” This is to immobilize their bodies, but it does not prevent them from feeling pain. Their throats are then slit, many of them improperly, so that finally, they are scalded alive in the tank of hot water used for feather removal.

And there you have it. The life of a modern turkey. So, when you sit down to your Thanksgiving (or Christmas turkey for that matter!), know that you are pulling up a chair and sticking your fork in pure misery.

Veggie dogs??

Since adopting a rescue dog recently, I've been doing a lot of searching for information on vegan/vegetarian diets for dogs. Is it safe? Is it healthy? Having only been a cat owner until a week ago, I've read lots of articles/snippets that suggest that 100% veg diets are not recommended for cats. But... dogs are different.

So far, I really like what Animal Person has had to say about the whole thing. She has, for some time now, been feeding her two rescue greyhounds a vegan diet. It seems to be working quite well for them and their blood-work and check-ups have come back with positive results. Animal Person's suggestion, however, is that, like people, all animals are individuals. What is good for one, may not necessarily be good for the other. The key is figuring out what is truly best for your own special canine. With that in mind, I plan to give the veg diet a try for my dog, under a watchful eye, of course!

Click Here for some info on veggie dog food.

What are your thoughts and/or experiences on this topic?? I would LOVE to hear your feedback.