International Creative Artists'
Helene Goldnadel Presents Dognate.org!
"I don't think it takes a lot of thinking before reaching for one's wallet" says Helene Goldnadel the owner of International Creative Artists. "At International Creative Artists, we make it an every day commitment to talk about the ASPCA and the Humane Society. We urge our clients, local families, to send donations and especially adopt sheltered animals and save lives."
Helene Goldnadel is the sponsor of www.dognate.org, an upcoming website dedicated to helping animals.
International Creative Artists, the post-secondary acting school licensed in the State of California and Helene Goldnadel donate dollar per dollar.
"The conditions in which hungry, abandoned, unloved, ill, animals are found is heart breaking" adds Helene Goldnadel. "I know she says, I rescued a dog who was on her last leg a few years ago. She was very under-weight and had a big bite on her back. I guess she probably tried to get to the food that all the other sheltered dogs shared in the cage at the Northridge Animal Shelter. The other, bigger dogs probably did not like that.
We used to call her "Kate Moss" now we call her "Roseanne". She has turned into a healthy, extremely grateful, LOVING beautiful twelve pound little Shi-tsu! And boy is she spoiled!"
"I just think that if everybody donated a dollar, that would solve the problem right there!"
Helene Goldnadel invites people to log into www.aspca.org or www.hsus.org and make on line donations. Numerous International Creative Artists graduates, including Magdalena Zielinska, have come through donating to the ASPCA and the HUMANE SOCIETY.
Summer Care Tips for You and Your Pets
Summer is a time for both you and your pet to enjoy the sunshine and outdoors, but along with the fun, the season also offers up situations that can endanger your pet. By taking precautions, you can decrease the chance that disaster will happen. The HSUS offers these tips for pet owners to keep their furry friends safe this summer:
- In nice weather you may be tempted to take your pet with you in the car while you travel or do errands. During warm weather, the inside of your car can reach 120° in a matter of minutes, even if you're parked in the shade. This can mean real trouble for your companion animals left in the car. Dogs and cats can't perspire and can only dispel heat by panting and through the pads of their feet. Pets who are left in hot cars even briefly can suffer from heat exhaustion, heat stroke, brain damage, and can even die. Don't think that just because you'll be gone "just a minute" that your pet will be safe while you're gone; even an air conditioned car with the motor off isn't healthy for your pet. To avoid any chance that your pet will succumb to the heat of a car this summer, be sure to play it safe by leaving your pet cool and refreshed at home while you're on the road. And if you do happen to see a pet in a car alone during the hot summer months, alert the management of the store where the car is parked. If the owner does not return promptly, call local animal control or the police department immediately.
- Want to help educate others about the dangers of leaving pets in hot cars? During the summer months (May through September) The HSUS has educational posters available for purchase ($3 for 10, $5 for 25) that store managers can post inside their windows to remind shoppers that "Leaving Your Pet in a Parked Car Can be a Deadly Mistake". In addition, 4" x 9" two-sided flyers are also available (50 for $3.00). To order please send a check, your mailing address and the number of posters or flyers that you would like to receive to the following address: HSUS/Hot Cars, 2100 L Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037. You can also receive a free sample flyer by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the above address.
- It is very dangerous, and in some states illegal, to drive with a dog in the back of a pick-up truck. Not only can flying debris cause serious injury, but a dog may be unintentionally thrown into traffic if the driver suddenly hits the brakes, swerves, or is hit by another car. Dogs should ride either in the cab (in a crate or wearing a seat belt harness designed for dogs) or in a secured crate in the bed of the truck.
- Summer is often a time when people fertilize their lawns and work in their gardens. But beware: Plant food, fertilizer, and insecticides can be fatal if your pet ingests them. In addition, more than 700 plants can produce physiologically active or toxic substances in sufficient amounts to cause harmful effects in animals. For more information, see our list of dangerous plants.
- With people and dogs spending more time outside, dog bites are likely to increase in the summer months. Spaying or neutering your dog reduces the likelihood that he will bite and provides many other health benefits.
- Make sure your pet is always wearing a collar and identification tag. If you are separated from your pet, an ID tag may very well be his or her ticket home.
- Check with your veterinarian to see if your pets should be taking heartworm prevention medication. Heartworm disease, which is transmitted by mosquitoes, can be fatal in both dogs and cats.
- Pets and pools can equal disaster. Prevent free access to pools and always supervise a pet in a pool.
- Provide plenty of water and shade for your pets while they're enjoying the great outdoors so they can stay cool.
- If you plan on traveling with your pet during the summer, take the time to prepare for your furry friends in advance. Many airlines have summer pet embargoes, and most trains and ships do not allow pets other than service animals. The HSUS has information on traveling with your pet that may make the difference between a pleasant trip and a vacation nightmare.
©2002 Whim Whams Illustration Studio
Puppy mills are breeding facilities that produce purebred puppies in large numbers. The puppies are sold either directly to the public via the Internet, newspaper ads, at the mill itself, or are sold to brokers and pet shops across the country. Puppy mills have long concerned The Humane Society of the United States.
The documented problems of puppy mills include overbreeding, inbreeding, minimal veterinary care, poor quality of food and shelter, lack of socialization with humans, overcrowded cages, and the killing of unwanted animals. To the unwitting consumer, this situation frequently means buying a puppy facing an array of immediate veterinary problems or harboring genetically borne diseases that do not appear until years later. In 1994, Time magazine estimated that as many as 25% of purebred dogs were afflicted with serious genetic problems.
Sadly, some dogs are forced to live in puppy mills for their entire lives. They are kept there for one reason only: to produce more puppies. Repeatedly bred, many of these "brood bitches" are killed once their reproductive capacity wanes.
Thousands of these breeding operations currently exist in the United States, many of them despite repeated violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA). The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is charged with enforcing the AWA; however, with 96 inspectors nationwide who oversee not only the thousands of puppy mills, but also zoos, circuses, laboratories, and animals transported via commercial airlines, they are an agency stretched thin.
The HSUS, along with other animal-protection groups, has successfully lobbied for increased funding for AWA enforcement. Although all 50 states have anti-cruelty laws that should prevent neglect and mistreatment of dogs in puppy mills, such laws are seldom enforced.
The Pet Store Link
The HSUS strongly opposes the sale, through pet shops and similar outlets, of puppies and dogs from mass-breeding establishments. Puppy-mill dogs are the "inventory" of these retail operations. Statistics from the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC) indicate that approximately 3,500 to 3,700 of the 11,500 to 12,000 U.S. pet stores sell cats and dogs. PIJAC also estimates that pet stores sell 300,000 to 400,000 puppies every year. The HSUS estimates the number to be 500,000.
Purebreed registration papers only state the recorded lineage of a dog. Accuracy of the reported lineage cannot be guaranteed. The American Kennel Club (AKC), the most widely recognized purebred dog registry, readily notes that it "is not itself involved in the sale of dogs and cannot therefore guarantee the health and quality of dogs in its registry." Clearly, it is "buyer beware."
The "Retail Pet Store" Exemption Problem
The USDA has never required dealers who sell their animals directly to the public to apply for licenses, regardless of the size of the operation. The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) excludes "retail pet stores" from its minimum humane care and handling requirements, and it is the USDA's position that these dealers are retail pet stores. However, many think that a person breeding animals on his own premises and selling them directly to consumers is not a "retail pet store."
Each year American consumers purchase dogs from unregulated dealers who sell animals from their premises. Many of the animals are sold through newspaper advertisements and via the Internet, which means the purchaser can't see the conditions in which the dogs live. A number of investigative reports, however, have revealed that these facilities can be horrific. Thirty-five years ago, Congress passed the AWA to, in part, ensure that breeders provide humane treatment to animals in their care. AWA requirements include adequate housing, ample food and water, reasonable handling, basic disease prevention, decent sanitation, and sufficient ventilation.
On May 11, 2000, a coalition of animal protection organizations and individuals filed a lawsuit charging the USDA with failing to halt cruel and inhumane practices at breeding facilities. The plaintiffs outlined the USDA's illegal actions in exempting pet dealers who were not retail stores from compliance with the humane treatment standards mandated by the AWA. The complaint also described how the USDA's lack of appropriate application of the AWA can lead to the injury, illness, and death of untold numbers of animals.
On July 31, 2001, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that the language and history of the AWA clearly show that an individual who sells dogs and cats from his or her own premises is not a "retail pet store." Thus, the court found that USDA's exclusion of all commercial dealers who sell dogs and cats directly to the public is in violation of Congress' express intent under the AWA.
Upon appeal by the USDA, the decision was overturned. This strikes a huge blow against the effort to protect all dogs in large scale breeding facilities. Because of USDA's appeal, dogs who are used in such breeding operations, and whose puppies are sold directly to the public, have no protection under the Animal Welfare Act. Animal protection groups have petitioned the Supreme Court to request the case be heard.
The HSUS's Role
The HSUS has been fighting a relentless battle against puppy mills since the early 1980s, including monitoring the USDA's performance in this area and pushing for better AWA enforcement.
The above info from the ASPCA and the HSUS.
Please adopt at your local shelter. SAVE A LIFE !
Thank you!
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Helene Goldnadel Of International Creative Artists: Self-Confidence And Empowerment Process
International Creative Artists Employee's Manual and Guidelines by Helene Goldnadel
Helene Goldnadel of International Creative Artists, Grad Magdalena Zielinska