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Are you familiar with animal shelters
that don’t encourage visitors hoping to adopt pets? Have
you heard of shelters that euthanize feral (a.k.a. community) cats as soon as
they’re brought in?
How about shelters where the seven-day hold
period is not honored, or veterinary care is not available, or where air
quality and cleanliness are questionable at best and disease runs rampant?
New Jersey has some notable
animal shelters . . . as well as some horrible places for animals, or for any
sentient beings. But a bill now in the
legislature could reform the worst elements, helping so-called "shelters" truly live up to
that name.
Introduced last week by Senator
Linda R. Greenstein, S1834 aims to establish statewide standards and procedures
for animal shelters. What a boon for the
animals who live, involuntarily, in these facilities.
Among the subjects taken up in Greenstein’s
legislation are (1) trap-neuter-vaccinate-ear tip and release; (2) publicizing
animals available for adoption; (3) training and certification of shelter
directors; (4) required record keeping; (5) unannounced shelter inspections . .
. and much more that’s needed and good.
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| Minnie |
Greenstein’s bill must, of
course, earn support and move successfully through hearings and votes before becoming
a reality. It’s early in the process
right now, but we can all track its progress by going to https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bills/bills0001.aspthen entering S1834, clicking “Find,” then
clicking the red number to see where the bill is – in committee, for example.
Even before that, we can easily
access the bill in its present state to read and make notes. Here’s
a link to the legislature’s PDF copy:
Get to know S1834 so you’ll be
ready to track its progress and act on its behalf when necessary.
Pet parental rights
“Pawternity leave” may be the coming new thing, now that
“bring your dog (or cat?) to work” is fairly well known and practiced. It’s all about our “furry family” members –
those we love along with our human families.
Because life events outside of work can be crucial to
employees, some companies are giving paid time off when workers adopt an
animal. It’s still a rare practice, but
so enlightened, considering the numerous questions and issues that arise during
the first few weeks of having a new pet at home (housebreaking, for one!).
Preserving the work-life happiness of employees is
important to those companies, knowing that their pet-friendliness fosters employee
engagement with work. “FURturnity” is
another trend, allowing
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| Word-a-day pic |
Frankie’s freedom flight
A beautiful orange parrot named Frankie escaped from her
carrier and flew away . . . in the heart of Manhattan. What are the odds of her being rounded up by
her loving parents?
If you said “no chance,” you were wrong, likely because you
underestimated the pluck and luck of her owner, Emily Flitter. First, she guessed where Frankie might fly,
despite all the distractions outside her home, such as moving air (in itself a
novelty to an indoor bird), city lights and noises – not to mention barbed wire
fences and possible predators.
Then, with binoculars and good ears (the better to hear
her bird's screech), she found Frankie – not once, but twice. The first find came to naught because Frankie
couldn’t be rescued from her 30 foot high perch in a tree. The second, successful try took Flitter racing
up six flights of stairs to retrieve her from the roof, from which she had been
visible – and audible.
Then came home sweet home with her parents and fellow
rescued bird, Friday, a cockatiel who had also been found outdoors and remained
unclaimed. Here’s the full story of
Frankie and Flitter.
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| Flitter and Frankie NYTimes pic |
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post, simply go to 1moreonce.blogspot.com. Thank you!
I can't believe they were able to get Frankie. Incredible. And lucky.
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