Animal welfare is a relatively new concept in Nepal. Let me introduce you to the organization Animal Nepal. 
Here's the year end newsletter for Animal Nepal Add Comment To Polar Bears Everywhere 12/12/2011
PHOTOS SET TO MUSIC LEARN ABOUT POLAR BEARS (BELOW) So much needs to be investigated here. If the numerous allegations, by various seemingly credibly witnesses, are found to be true, we need to understand how something like this came to be and 1) take all steps necessary to never have this awful pattern of abuse repeated and 2) punish the abusers with prison and a long enough sentence that clearly says this will never be tolerated! April Mitchem Birmingham Dog Care Examiner December 12, 2011 "Monsters are supposed to live under the bed and in the closet. They are not supposed to work at your local animal control facility. If the eyewitness reports are true, that's exactly where the monsters of Calhoun County, Alabama reside. Former employees of this facility and local rescuers are working with a local animal advocate and political liaison for AVRAL, Millie Harris, to stop the torture and abuse that is allegedly happening at Calhoun County Animal Control. Ms. Harris has spoken to the Calhoun County Commission and will be meeting with the Sheriff if the commissioners do nothing to stop the abuse, neglect, and torture being visited on the sick, weak, lost, injured, or abandoned animals." The photos of alleged animal abuse at Calhoun County Animal Shelter are graphic and tragic. "These allegations are supported by several eyewitnesses, former employees and local rescuers. Many of the eyewitnesses have consented to being recorded ..." HERE'S A LINK TO THE VIDEO  click to go to the original website posting these images http://www.examiner.com/dog-care-in-birmingham/conditions-and-abuse-at-calhoun-county-animal-control-picture April Mitchem Birmingham Dog Care Examiner December 12, 2011 April reported: The numerous allegations as follows:
STRAIGHT FROM EXAMINER.COM: Do not support these monsters through silence. Contact the Calhoun County Commission and voice your concerns. Commission District 1--Commissioner James "Pappy" Dunn Commission District 2--Commissioner Tim Hodges Commission District 3--Commissioner Eli Henderson Commission District 4--Commissioner John "JD" Hess Commission District 5--Commissioner Rudy Abbott Calhoun County Commission 1702 Noble Street Suite 103 Anniston, AL 36201 Phone: (256) 241-2800 Email: ccc@calhouncounty.org Also contact Sheriff Larry Amerson at 256-236-6600 or send an email to Chief Deputy Wade at mwade@calcoso.org. TO POLAR BEARS EVERYWHERE 12/12/2011
Polar bears roam the Arctic ice sheets and swim in that region's coastal waters. They are very strong swimmers, and their large front paws, which they use to paddle, are slightly webbed. Some polar bears have been seen swimming hundreds of miles from land—though they probably cover most of that distance by floating on sheets of ice. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE VIEWPOINT OF WHY THE FUR TRADE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO FLOURISH AND THE PROS OF CONS OF THE FUR TRADE 12/10/2011
You will enter a pro fur website if you click here or on the image below. Explore why they promote selling and wearing fur. Below the image are pros and cons with links to more information. You decide what's right.  Making a fur coat or hat involves a lot of animal cruelty that cannot be justified. Many creatures have to die to produce just one piece of clothing, and each suffers greatly. Fur farms put animals like mink that naturally roam large distances in the wild into tiny cages. They are treated badly, often get injured or sick, and die painfully. Fur farming is no crueller than other types of farming. An unhealthy, badly treated animal will have poor-quality fur, so it is in the interests of fur-farmers to look after them very well. In the past some fur farms were badly run, but modern methods are much kinder and there are strict rules about how animals are kept and slaughtered. And remember, these animals live a much better life than they would in the wild, being housed safely and fed regularly without fear of predators. Other animals, such as seals or bears are hunted in the wild. Often they killed in brutal ways – baby seals are clubbed to death, animals like foxes are caught in traps which may kill them slowly over several days. Over-hunting can also put a species in danger of extinction. Just as the hunting of elephants for their ivory is now banned, so should the hunting of animals for their fur. Very little of the fur sold in clothing stores comes from wild animals, but wild fur still has a place in the industry. Larger animals like seals and bear cannot be farmed. Instead they live active, natural lives in the wild, which should appeal to animal rights groups who dislike farming. Their life is quickly and painlessly ended by professional hunters – not the painful and long-drawn out death from starvation, disease or wounds that is normal for wild animals. And many of these animals would be killed anyway to control their numbers – seals take fish that fishermen need to earn a living, bears can be a menace near towns. So why not make use of their fur? Fur also gives a species value so that hunters will make sure that enough animals are left to breed for the future, and that their environment is not destroyed. PROS It is wrong to exploit animals unnecessarily. We should see that they have rights just as people do and that we cannot morally justify making them suffer and die unnecessarily. No one has to wear fur today – there are plenty of man-made options now that our stone-age ancestors didn’t have. And just because people wore fur in the past, it doesn’t mean that we should still do so. Lots of things that used to happen, like slavery, child labour, bear-baiting and cock-fighting, are now seen as cruel and have been banned. Selling and wearing fur should go the same way.  CLICK ON IMAGE TO GO TO PRO FUR FARMING INFORMATION IN DENMARK  CLICK ON IMAGE TO READ MORE CHEF AND BRITISH TELEVISION CELEBRITY MERRILEES PARKER EXPLORES FUR FARMING IN DENMARK "When humans raise animals, they have a responsibility to provide for their welfare and prevent unnecessary suffering. In North America, mink, foxes and chinchillas are raised on farms, but mink are by far the most important in term of numbers. While providing animals with humane care is an ethical obligation for all livestock farmers, it also makes good business sense since the healthiest animals produce the finest furs." SOURCE: http://www.furisgreen.com/animalwelfare.aspx Personal Commentary: I still am against wearing fur. It goes to my ideology that humans must rethink their whole concept of how they traditionally have treated animals. An excerpt of my opinion from an earlier blog: "A new breed of human must emerge out of the greater understanding that indisputably exists about how animals truly "feel" and how they experience a wide range of emotions and pain. Their experiences are as important to them as ours are to us. Their wants in life are much the same as ours. They want food, shelter, good health and happiness. They don't want to be hit, hurt, injured, used and abused. But without an immediate paradigm shift in the way humans regard them, animals needlessly and shamefully suffer unimaginably egregious pain at the hands of their human handlers and guardians. Human ignorance and greed must begin to spur outrage and ultimately be wholly unacceptable by the masses." I don't think animals should be killed for food or fur. I grew up eating elk and deer meat every year. My father was an avid hunter and I helped pack out the meat after his successful hunts. He cleaned and packaged his own animals. I was raised to fly fish from the time I was three. I had my own fly rod at the age of 5. I've been on both sides of the issue, and what feels right to me now is being vegetarian and heading toward being a vegan. To me, it feels healthy in mind, body and soul. I try not being too radical in my blogs because that doesn't serve a good purpose. Who wants to hear anyone rant? People need to be introduced to new ways of thinking, and of living, at a pace that is doable and one that resonates with them. I hope to plant seeds of thought for bringing the kind of change I think will make all life happier on this planet. 
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WHY DOGS BITE 12/09/2011
Thanks, Joy, for sending my way! Some good chuckles :) 
 CLICK IMAGE TO LEARN MORE THE PETITION FROM CHANGE.ORG READS: Your Honor: Approximately 10 million animals are trapped and killed worldwide each year. Animals caught in traps suffer immensely while waiting for the trapper to come and kill them. http://animalrights.about.com/od/fur/a/FurTrapping.htm Another problem with any kind of trap is the lack of discrimination. For every intended victim of the traps, there are 2 to 10 unintended victims: birds, cats, dogs and other animals are caught, maimed and killed in traps. Even animals listed under the Endangered Species Act are caught and killed. In the industry, these unintended victims are referred to as “trash” animals. There have also been cases where children were caught in these traps. Humane Interventions: * Ban the use of snares on land (can you imagine how it would feel to die being hung upside down-the pain is most excruciating & slow-that's what these animals go through). * Banning the use of ALL body-gripping traps especially with serrated teeth; * All traps to be inspected at least within 24 hours daily. There are humane traps on the market which do not grip and can be used instead. Thank you for your time and interest in a more humane State. Sincerely, [Your name] IF YOU'RE AGAINST ALL TRAPPING PLEASE VISIT THE WEBSITE BELOW FOR MORE INFORMATION  Fast Facts From http://furbearerdefenders.com/campaigns/trapping-cruelty:
 CLICK TO WATCH AN UNDERCOVER VIDEO OPERATION BY BORN FREE USA |  "Ask not what an animal can do for you; ask what you can do for an animal." Jasper
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 Photos for sale as greeting cards or framed prints. Click to go to online Art Gallery.  A bee swarm - click here to see lots of terrific bee photos  Jasper holding the U.S. Flag - By Betsy Seeton -- Click to go to the Animal Legal Defense Fund and sign the Animal Bill of Rights  Click for a collection of ladybug photos  LEARN ABOUT YAKS  http://www.greenmuze.com/animals/wild/768-bear-bile-farming.html  Confiscated Skins and Wildlife at JFK Int'l Airport Photo from: http://www.laurelneme.com  DON'T BUY IVORY  CLICK TO READ MORE  Anatomy of a Tiger - Learn about the very real threat to these beautiful creatures "The animals of the world exist for their own reasons. They were not made for humans any more than black people were made for white, or women created for men." ~Alice Walker The source of the quote is Walker's preface to Marjorie Spiegel's 1988 book, "The Dreaded Comparison" . Her next sentence was, "This is the gist of Ms. Spiegel's cogent, humane and astute argument, and it is sound."  2011 Calendar For Sale ArchivesFebruary 2012  Baking 101 with Albert "I was so moved by the intelligence, sense of fun and personalities of the animals I worked with on (the movie) Babe that by the end of the film I was a vegetarian." ~ James Cromwell  Elephant Care International ~~ Dedicated to the Healthcare & Conservation of Elephants  CategoriesAll  Chippy in Argentina working on animal abuse issues  |
