PAGE 4

Issue #4 Volume #3

Page 2
Page 3
Coverpage


Belize Humane Society & Animal Shelter Membership Drive

Contributed By: Debbie Herz DHERZ@ucb.edu.bz
To whom it may concern,
I am a Peace Corps Volunteer currently serving in Belize (Central America) and along with another volunteer have recently started the first Belize Humane Society & Animal Shelter (BHSAS). Today, we now have an 8 member board, are registered as a non-government organization, have developed a constitution, created a logo/motto, created a brochure, printed t-shirts, written a newsletter, and recently had our first and very successful fund-raiser and community outreach program (free rabies vaccinations).

During the month of April I organized a Membership drive here in Belize. In addition, I am also trying to reach out to various international companies and individuals who may support this effort. Due to the delay in the general mail system I will provide you with some background and membership information at this time, however, I would be glad to provide you with our brochure, membership form and a current BHSAS newsletter upon your request.

The BHSAS was founded in November 1996 to help alleviate the unpleasant stray dog and cat problem here in Belize. Our mission is to improve the quality of life for citizens and pets of Belize, contribute to a safer and healthier environment, and to educate the public on proper pet care.

We are seeking donations for current and proposed projects such as: low cost sterilization, free rabies vaccinations, community education programs, and the development of a shelter facility. For every contribution made another pet will be vaccinated, wormed, spayed or neutered.

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION:

(International = $US)

  • Student $15
  • Individual $20
  • Family (2-5) $30
  • Patron $50
  • Corporate/Organization $100
  • Supporter $250
  • Lifetime $500

    *Memberships and donations (or a combination of both) of $100 or more will receive a free BHSAS t-shirt.

    Also, receipt and membership card(s) will be provided upon receiving contribution.

    Additional T-shirts: $15 (S&H add $2 per shirt) Various colors/sizes

    *Send a check or money order to: BHSAS, P.O. Box 443, Belize City, Belize. Central America.

    As the stray dog and cat problem here in Belize has hit an all time high and the only current means of dealing with the situation is by strychnine poisoning, we believe that the BHSAS is the first step to a proactive, humane approach to animal and disease control.

    Contributions are what will make our organization a success. We would greatly appreciate any help you can provide. Please feel free to pass this information on to anyone that you feel may be interested in supporting our efforts.

    For further information, please feel free to contact me by e-mail or the above address.

    Sincerely yours,
    PCV Debbie Herz
    BHSAS- Fundraising and PR

THE TRUE 1997 IDITAROD SLED DOG RACE STORY:

Contributed by Bill Bledsoe, DVM
The Alaskan Iditarod is not a Disney Movie as most people are led to believe. The Iditarod is a grueling 1,161 mile dog-sled-race held each March from Anchorage to Nome that lasts from nine to twenty days. It has been glorified for years and only recently has the public been allowed to know the treatment of the animals involved.

The American Kennel Club (AKC), The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), and the Animal Medical Center, Spartanburg, SC all oppose the Iditarod as it now stands.

The Atlantic Monthly reported, "...brutally cold weather (-50 degrees Fahrenheit is not uncommon), deep fresh snow, blizzards, and howling winds that transform snowflakes into projectiles and, when the wind-chill factor is taken into consideration, drop the effective temperature to -100 degrees, can turn the race into a battle simply to move forward." The Pioneer Press 1/18/97 reported, "On average, dogs are forced to run four- to five-hour stretches with snatches of rest in between. They suffer biting winds, blinding snowstorms, subzero temperatures and falls through treacherous ice. Their feet become bruised and cut from ice. Many dogs pull muscles, break bones or become sick with diarrhea, dehydration or bleeding stomach ulcers from overuse of aspirin." They continue, "Many dogs collapse at the finish line and can not rise to a standing position for days." The Humane Society for the United States reported in their HSUS news (fall 1995), "Dogs have died every year since the race's inception in 1973, but their deaths are reported as routinely as are race statistics and weather conditions."

On March 7, 1997, the Anchorage Daily News quoted retired, five-time Iditarod Champion, Rick Swenson, as saying, "It just makes my blood boil when these Humane Society people think they have a right to say anything about the Iditarod." According to the New York Times, one year ago, Rick Swenson was kicked out of the 1996 Iditarod Race for killing a three-year-old dog named "Ariel" on the first day of the race. According to the Anchorage Daily News, "Neck bruises indicated (Mr. Swensen's) dog may have strangled."

Humane Society of the United States quotes four-time Iditarod winner Susan Butcher as saying, "There's a lot of bad stuff going on in dog mushing. We wouldn't, as a group, pass anybody's idea of humane treatment of animals. As a group, we don't pass my standards of humane treatment of animals." She quit racing after killing one of her own dogs in 1994. The Pioneer Press reported that Rick Swenson (of "make my blood boil" above fame) told reporters after winning the 1991 Iditarod, "Butcher was too soft." Butcher refused to drive her dogs through a blizzard in 1991. Eleven dogs were killed that year, mostly due to weather conditions and hypothermia.

According to reports, 52 dogs have died in the past nine years, or 5.7 dogs-per-year. A smaller, but still chilling death count of 2.9 dogs per year was reported by the Anchorage Daily News. The Anchorage Daily News also reported that in the last ten years, 15 dogs (five this year) have died from "sudden death syndrome" which is considered to be "heart failure." The dogs are literally run until their hearts give out. The Anchorage Daily News reported a non-veterinarian, human heart specialist, Dr. Bharati in Chicago as saying, "It's an electrical conduction problem. She sees a 'fatty Infiltration' taking over nerve fibers in the heart. Everything looks fine, even appearing healthy on an electrocardiogram, until the very last nerve fiber is blocked. Then the dog falls dead of heart failure."

The Anchorage Daily News reported Wayne Pacelle (director of the Humane Society of the United States as saying: "But dog deaths aren't the only problem with the Iditarod, according to the Humane Society. Even if all deaths could be eliminated. The Iditarod would remain an inhumane event. We are obviously disappointed that year after year dogs are dying in this race. If you run a race, there is going to be some risk to the dogs. What we've objected to is the rigor of the race. Deaths aren't the only indicators. Iditarod dogs suffer physical injuries - sprains, strains, bruises, and fatigue. Vets and mushers admit such athletic injuries are common, arguing there is nothing wrong with that. These athletes are not operating on their free will."

The Atlantic Monthly reported, "In the eyes of some old-time mushers living in Alaska's backcountry, the dogs (in the Iditarod) were expendable beasts of burden, and critics were thought of as interfering outlanders from the Lower Forty-eight."

The Iditarod Trail Committee earns much of its income from legalized gambling. The Humane Society for the United States (HSUS) says, "The Iditarod mushing sweepstakes to benefit the Iditarod Trail Committee should be discontinued. Financial wagering on sporting events does not enhance humane treatment of animals, and may put animals at risk from race-enhancing drugs and make mushers more interested in finishing a race for a prize purse rather than humane treatment of animals."

Many believe this was the last Iditarod. Iditarod Trail Committee sponsors have dried up. According to internet discussion groups, this year's $100,000 fundraiser failed. The Iditarod Trail Committee now uses legalized gambling for the majority of their funding.

Sponsors that have pulled out of the Iditarod because of past deaths and abuses include ABC television, Dodge, and Iams. Timberland also withdrew its support then set up the organization named - PRIDE (Providing Responsible Information on a Dog's Environment). The Iditarod Trail Committee continues to deny that the hundreds of dog-deaths in Iditarods were caused by the race itself. They claim there is no proof of such accusations. The dogs died of "natural causes" or "unavoidable injuries."

The Iditarod Trail Committee claims they experience a normal death rate for dogs. Dr. Bledsoe at the Animal Medical Center in Spartanburg, SC says, "This is asinine. Of the 848 young healthy dogs that started the race, five died in the nine-day race. At this rate, this means in my personal practice, all dogs would have a life expectance of 2.05-years and all would be dead before they reached 4.1-years-old.

The injury rate is a worse statistic than the death rate. Only around half of the dogs finished the race unharmed." Dr. Bledsoe continued, "I am opposed to the Iditarod in the same manner as I am opposed to dogs or kids playing on a busy street. You do not need to be an expert to know that their life is in danger. The risk is unnecessary and both should be avoided because they will statistically shorten the life expectancy of the individual.

The main difference is that these dogs have no say so. They are driven even when they want to quit" Dr. Bledsoe said. "The mushers claim to take excellent care of the dogs and do not want to be blamed when a dog dies. Statistics prove different. If they had not entered the Iditarod in the first place, the dogs would likely still be alive. I see no one else to take the responsibility except mushers and the Iditarod Trail Committee. . . . As for the massive number of injuries, no veterinarian expects to see 50% of their clients coming in during nine days for some form of serious injury or sickness."

If 800 people started a nine day race, five died and over half quit because of serious injuries, the race would arouse fierce opposition. Many feel that the controversy over the Iditarod has arisen because mushers do not have ample respect for the dog's life and conditions. The dogs are considered expendable beasts of burden. Mushers know some dogs are going to die in every race when they sign up to run the race. Currently, the dog's deaths are unpredictable and could happen to any musher in any year. The best of care can not predict or prevent the "sudden death" and "heart failure."

Many of the dogs simply refuse to run any further but may be forced to run anyway. The Anchorage Daily News reported that after "dropping" seven dogs, veterinarian Sonny King's dogs wanted to stop but fellow musher James Ritchie helped Sonny King to force them to continue. Sonny King finally "dropped" eight dogs before the race ended.

The Natural History Magazine reported that after dogs sprint for a few years, "according to various descriptions, they (the dogs) burn out or wise up, meaning they begin to hold something in reserve." These dogs are then leased out to more novice mushers like veterinarian Sunny King or James Ritchie. Both of these musher's dogs had "mutinies" in the 1997 Iditarod. The leaders of the mutiny were experienced Iditarod dogs that were "leased dogs refusing to race" according to the Anchorage Daily News.

Many Internet discussions are convinced this will be the last Iditarod. Internet discussion groups point to the fact that the Iditarod Trail Committee's fundraisers failed this year and the Iditarod Trail Committee now gets the majority of support from legalized gambling. Killing five dogs this year might be the final straw for the Iditarod Trail Committee.

Iditarod Update 1997:

  1. 1997 Iditarod winner, Martin Buser, had one dog die on the day he won the Iditarod, bringing the 1997 death toll so far to five. Locally, no one reported a word about the death and no one spoke out to stop the abuse. Not surprisingly, this went unreported by the Spartanburg Herald Journal, though they had a "man in Nome." This is the worse death rate in the last four years.

  2. "Al Gore, a 3 1/2 year-old male driven by Nicholas Pattaroni in Martin Buser's second string, died at Koyuk on day 9.

  3. Martin Buser maimed, killed or dropped a total of 12 dogs between the two teams.

  4. The eighty-year-old founder of the Iditarod, Joe Redington drove "Nip" to death at McGrath on day four. He has maimed, "dropped" or killed a total of 7 dogs. Nip was only 4-years-old.

  5. Wayne Curtis drove "B.J." to death at Nikolai on day 3. He has maimed, "dropped" or killed a total of 9 dogs.

  6. Jean Lacroix who drove "Teller" to death and maimed, "dropped" or killed a total of 7 dogs. Teller was an 8-year old female that died at McGrath on day four.

  7. Bill Bass drove "Scrub" to death and has maimed, "dropped" or killed a total of 4 dogs. Scrub was a 2 1/2 year old female who died at Skwentna on day two.

  8. In the 1997 Iditarod alone, 338 dogs have been maimed, sickened, or at the point of exhaustion, and were "dropped." In the 1996 Iditarod over 400 dogs were maimed or dropped. Frostbite, wet foot pyoderma or friction damage from booties, exertional myopathy, heart failure, diarrhea, exhaustion, dehydration, pneumonia, bite wounds and maiming. These animals are usually pulled by checkpoint veterinarians because it is unsafe or inhumane for them to continue.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

A major INTERNET campaign has been mounted to boycott sponsors of the Iditarod. You can visit the following sites for more information:

  1. Animal Emancipation, Inc.
    http//www.envirolink.org/envlib/orgs/ae/index.html

  2. EnviroLink
    http://envirolink.org

You may also write to the race sponsors and voice your disapproval. This years sponsors include:

  1. Cabelas, 812 13th Avenue, Sidney, NE 69160
  2. Anchorage Convention Bureau, 1600 A Street, Anchorage Alaska 99501

    Also, ask your veterinarian, groomer, or kennel to leave a packet of HSUS and PETA information in their waiting rooms. Fliers are being distributed in the upstate exposing the animal cruelty. If enough people speak out, the truth can not be stopped. Write Letters to the Editor. Contact the Humane Society for the United States (202-452-1100) or People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (765-622-PETA) for faxes or packets of information or for spokespersons. Please post the literature in your places of business.

Field Observation of the Eastern Kingsnake in SOWEGA

By Mitch Hiers, GCHS Vice President
As late spring begins to gibe way to summer in SOWEGA ( a common acronym back home for southwest Georgia), the temperatures can typically reach the low nineties by early afternoon, so I had risen early on this late May morning to reach one of my favorite "herp haunts" by dawn.

The dew was still glistening on the blades of grass and on a large spider web spanning the distance between two nearby pines as I stepped from the pickup and felt my boots sink slightly in the rich soil at the edge of the cornfield. I could already feel the warm sun on my back as I pulled my cordura snake chaps over my jeans and snapped them to my belt. The grass was nearly two feet high along the edge of the field, and I had surprised a large female eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) at this location on more than one occasion, so I wasn’t taking any unneccessary chances--no matter how hot it got.

I threaded four pillowcases through mybelt loops, reached into the back of the truck for my snake stick, and set out in search of the "King" of colubrids in Colquit County: the eastern kingsnake (Lampropeltis getulagetula).

Near the edge of one side of the field was a dilapidated old abandoned farmhouse with pieces of tin and slowly rotting lumber that had once formed its roof now lying strewn about the ground. Rising high above the old homestead, its misty boughs draped with Spanish moss, stood a huge oak tree with a large hollow near the base of its trunk. I brushed aside another spider web and peered inside the hollow in hopes of maybe finding a young gray rat snake (Elaphe obsoleta spiloides) hiding within such an irresistible retreat. No snake here, but a large skunk scurried out of the hollow and shot around the trunk as the pungent odor of the humus inside filled my nostrils.

I moved away from the oak tree and made my way slowly around the old house, methodically flipping pieces of rusty tin and rotting lumber, pausing only to smile at the skinks disturbed by my rummaging before carefully replacing the debris as close to its original spot as I could manage. I had captured a couple of small female eastern kings, and stopped briefly to admire a large male green anole (Anolis carolinensis) basking on the wall of a house when I spied a pile of old carpet backing that someone had dumped close by. The anole continued to bob his throat fan at a female a few feet away, both of them seemingly oblivious to my presence as I walked toward the pile of carpet backing.

I began gingerly flipping pieces of the carpet backing with the tip of my snake stick. Just when it appeared that the pile was too recent an addition to the character of this landscape to warrant further investigation, I saw it: the unmistakable black and cream-colored scales of L. g. getula buried in the foam-sided debris. I reached down and began pulling--and pulling still--until I had extricated from the refuse the largest, most massive eastern king I had ever seen. The huge male had apparently just shed recently because his big scales shone with a glossy iridescence in the Georgia sun. What an impressive animal! He was roughly two inches in diameter, close to seven feet long, and made no attempt whatsoever to bite me. I admired him for a few moments before shakily placing him in a pillowcase and hurrying to the truck, eagerly anticipating the breeding potential of such a perfect specimen.

Like the gray rat snake (or "Oak Snake", as the locals call them), the eastern king is a relatively common sight in my home county--almost as common as the prolific banded water snake on which it frequently feeds. Its appetite seems virtually boundless; many times while bass fishing along the edge of a placid farm pond I have observed them feeding near the shallows on water snakes, garter snakes, small cottonmouths, bullfrogs and even turtle eggs. On the higher ground I’ve flipped tin to find one consuming a wood rat, and on one occasion I was fortunate enough to witness one feeding on a Canebrake rattler (the deep South form of Crotalus horridus).

Unfortunately, in the case of the giant specimen I had found, this tremendous, indiscriminate appetite proved to be the downfall of my "best laid plans." Much to my chagrin, my hopes of captive breeding a race of "super kings" were dashed. Every time I tried to introduce a potential mate to the big fellow, he would attempt to kill her--evidently preferring a hearty meal to an afternoon of "lovemaking"!


Travel to Pet Guides:

Canine | Cat | Bird | Horse | Fish | Herp | Exotic


Copyright © 1997 - ACME PET / AcmePet@acmepet.com