2008 Woodie Awards
Students discuss animal welfare
C.A.R.E founder shares horrific tales of abuse and neglect
By: Megan Connelly
Issue date: 4/27/06 Section: News
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Animal rights activist Lee Coon began the Animal Welfare presentation April 20 with a quote from Mark Twain: "Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in."
As the presentation proceeded, Twain's statement became haunting. Sophomore Carrie Leinicke, a legal studies major, invited Coon to speak as part of a general studies project.
Before Coon shared her experiences with an audience of about 15, a video-interview of lobbyists in Jefferson City was shown. In the video Laura Mader, representing Dogs Deserve Better, declared that she loves animals more than humans. The graphic stories and images that followed would soon explain why.
Mader's group is pushing for legislation against the chaining and pinning of dogs. She condemns these practices because she said dogs are pack animals and it's against their nature to be left alone. She also pointed out that dogs can hang themselves on the chains and wires as well as being at the mercy of other animals that may enter their yard.
"They don't do it in zoos anymore, they know that it's cruelty and it's inhumane," Mader said.
The organization depends on the public to let them know about cases of chained and pinned dogs so they can step in and speak to the owner or have them relinquish the pet. She advised people to talk to their neighbors if they see these behaviors and to write their legislators.
Roger Richardson of the Wild Candid Survival and Research Center gave an uncanny wolf howl in the middle of City Hall, before going on to explain why people kill wolves and why they should not be kept as pets.
"If you try to take a wild animal and try to domesticate it, the domesticated part will lose its fear of you, and when it does, your life is in danger," Richardson said.
Debbie Hill of the Humane Society of Missouri urged people to call the local law enforcement if they witness an animal being abused or if they suspect there is ongoing neglect to report it to the Humane Society. Common types of abuse to look out for are pets that aren't fed regularly, people who collect too many pets, lack of proper veterinary care and untreated wounds. She also recommends people have a disaster plan for pets in case something should happen to them, and to prevent a repeat of the loss and abandonment that happened when hurricane Katrina hit.
As the presentation proceeded, Twain's statement became haunting. Sophomore Carrie Leinicke, a legal studies major, invited Coon to speak as part of a general studies project.
Before Coon shared her experiences with an audience of about 15, a video-interview of lobbyists in Jefferson City was shown. In the video Laura Mader, representing Dogs Deserve Better, declared that she loves animals more than humans. The graphic stories and images that followed would soon explain why.
Mader's group is pushing for legislation against the chaining and pinning of dogs. She condemns these practices because she said dogs are pack animals and it's against their nature to be left alone. She also pointed out that dogs can hang themselves on the chains and wires as well as being at the mercy of other animals that may enter their yard.
"They don't do it in zoos anymore, they know that it's cruelty and it's inhumane," Mader said.
The organization depends on the public to let them know about cases of chained and pinned dogs so they can step in and speak to the owner or have them relinquish the pet. She advised people to talk to their neighbors if they see these behaviors and to write their legislators.
Roger Richardson of the Wild Candid Survival and Research Center gave an uncanny wolf howl in the middle of City Hall, before going on to explain why people kill wolves and why they should not be kept as pets.
"If you try to take a wild animal and try to domesticate it, the domesticated part will lose its fear of you, and when it does, your life is in danger," Richardson said.
Debbie Hill of the Humane Society of Missouri urged people to call the local law enforcement if they witness an animal being abused or if they suspect there is ongoing neglect to report it to the Humane Society. Common types of abuse to look out for are pets that aren't fed regularly, people who collect too many pets, lack of proper veterinary care and untreated wounds. She also recommends people have a disaster plan for pets in case something should happen to them, and to prevent a repeat of the loss and abandonment that happened when hurricane Katrina hit.
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