So far...

So far....everything's going to plan. I'm always excited about visiting Hog Heaven. I'm almost to the point where I have an exact date...but not quite. Erie gets pounded with snow...so transportation might be a little promblematic. So I'm gonna try my best to get a weekend where it's not so bad. Also, the Vet Tech students are up there a lot during this season because with all the snow they get...running the farm and keeping it up on it's feet is more complicated than usual. So she gets all the help she can get. So I also have to scheduel a date where there are no vet tech students up there otherwise...there would be no place to stay and no where to put us.

I have a feeling it will be in late Feburary. Which I know is cutting it close, but any other time might be more problematic than it has to be.

Abuse types

Most common types of abuse include...

1. Beating
2. Beastility
3. Burning- caustic subtances
4. Burning- fire or fireworks
5. Choking/strangulation/suffocation
6. Drowning
7. Fighting
8. Hanging
9. Hoarding
10. Mutilation
11. Torture
12. Neglect/abandoment
13. Poisoning
14. Shooting
15. Stabbing
16. Theft
17. Throwing
18. Unlawful trade (black markets)
19. Unlawful trapping
20. Vehicular

Dog fighting

Dog fights are the most common type of abuse today.

It happens all over the world. People believe that the pitbull breed should be shut down instead of the OWNERS who are the ones that TRAIN them to fight. I'm completely, and utterly amazed that people are trying to wipe out a whole population of a breed because they seem to be the ones who were born naturally to kill.

Animal rights

“During the past 2 centuries, the status of animals has changed from one of no rights, in which animals could be treated in whatever way the owner saw fit, to one in which animal rights activists and their opponents debate whether animals have the same moral rights as humans.”

According to a 1995 survey, commissioned by the Associated Press, 2/3rds of Americans agree with the statement- “an animal’s right to live free of suffering should be just as important as a persons.”
“The differences between humans and animals amount to difference of degree, not of kind.”
People think because we are humans, therefore we should care and respect only human rights.
Consider the right, ‘not to be tortured.’ Torture is the intentional infliction of pain and suffering. Do smart people suffer from pain differently than dumb people? If not they why do we believe the suffering of a dog is any different or less important than our own?


I. Yes animals have rights
A. Animals have the right to live free from suffering
- Animals suffer in the same why that humans do. Animals, like humans are entitled to the basic right to live free of suffering.
B. Discrimination of the basis of species is unjust
- The mistreatment of animals is currently justified on the grounds of specisism.
C. Humans are not superior to animals
- Opponents of animal rights often insist that the inherent superiority of humankind entitles people to complete dominion over animals.
- The myth of human superiority is used as an excuse for people to exploit animals for their own needs.

Types

Animal Abuse

Types of abuse-
Beating
Bestiality
Burning- caustic substance
Burning- fire or fireworks
Choking/strangulation/suffocation
Drowning
Fighting
Hanging
Hoarding
Kicking/stomping
Mutilation/torture
Neglect/abandonment
Poisoning
Shooting
Stabbing
Theft
Throwing
Unlawful trade/smuggling
Unlawful trapping/hunting
Vehicular
Reason-
To control an animal
To retaliate an animal
To retaliate against another person
To satisfy a prejudice against a species or bread
To express anger through an animal
To exchange one’s own aggressiveness
To shock people for amusement
To displace hostility from a person to an animal
To perform non-specific sadism

Foundation

Essential Question: What are the causes and consequences of animal abuse, and why do I oppose it and what can I do to help prevent it?

8 Foundation Questions:

1. Why is animal abuse a concern?
2. What are the causes of animal abuse?
3. What are the consequences of animal abuse?
4. Is there a connection between animal cruelty and human violence?
5. Who is usually abusing animals?
6. What kind of children abuse them?
7. What can you do to help stop the abuse of animals?
8. What is the rate of animals being abused?
9. What happens when authorities prosecute an animal cruelty case?
10. What are the steps of reporting animal abuse?

Abuse

Animal abuse is very common in the world today. And I believe not a lot of people care. I understand that animals are lower than us, but they we're still put on this world for a reason. And that reason is not suffering.

Hog Heaven

I've been working at Hog Heaven for a few years now. Hog Heaven is a rescue farm in Erie, PA. Reggie and Dave Altman are the owners of this fairly large farm. They are actually retired policemen from Pittsburgh and are now living their lives on a farm taking care of the animals almost every minute of the day.

They have a lot of pigs, and alpacas. Also very many horses and donkeys. Also a few protection dogs.

http://www.hogheavenrescue.org/
http://members.petfinder.org/~PA231/index.html
http://www.animal-friends.org/
http://www.animalrescue.org/
http://members.petfinder.org/~WV56/index.htm
http://www.hsus.org/hsus_field/first_strike_the_connection_between_animal_cruelty_and_human_violence/teens_fight_animal_cruelty/10_things_teens_can_do_to_help_stop_animal_cruelty.html
http://www.anyamaharaj.com/about.htm
http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer
http://www.oregonhumane.org/news/PreventAnimalAbuse.htm