BOOK: Food Pets Die For by Ann N. Martin

I located this comment on a social networking thread regarding the above video: "The woman is full of baloney!"

My response: NOT! Read her book, Food Pets Die For (Ann N. Martin). She worked for a pet food manufacturer in the past. There are some brands of pet foods she recommends in her book that are "cleaner" than others.

Also, if you watch the show "Dirty Jobs", Mike Rowe does a piece on an animal rendering facility where he picks up dead, diseased farm animals. It shows the DISEASED animal being processed for animal feed.

I don't believe there is much nutrition after grains and dead animal remains have been baked to a hard nugget. Same goes for eating the same food day after day. Remember the saying "You are what you eat?" The fuel our pets eat determines the outcome of their lives. Why not give them a higher quality meal to extend their life expectancy?

I don't feed my dog PROCESSED foods. She eats whole human food. Her allergies went away from a cleaner diet.

If you haven't tried an unprocessed whole diet for your pet, don't knock it 'til you've tried it. You have nothing to compare it to without trying it. That being said you have to know what foods to and not to feed your pet.

Research...research...research.

Vegan or Non-Vegan, Plant A Row for the Hungry

My vegan friend, Kerrie, wrote this post in her blog, A Peas of My Mind, on Monday, September 14, 2009:

Define irony

One of the most aggressive, opinionate and judgemental (dare I say fanatical?) vegans I know online has posted this as a FB status:

"It's sad that as someone who thinks veganism should be our moral baseline, I can't even suggest this idea without being labeled fanatical."

It was hard to resist pointing out that they, themselves, are part of the problem and that I have personally witnessed this person attacking, in a very stabby way (yes, that is the word of the day) people who don't agree or have issue with the aggressiveness of some vegans.

My reply: "I don't think it is sad. I think the mentality and actions of many vegans have made it so. The 'fanatical' label didn't create itself... someone earned it on behalf of all of us."

So thanks, fellow human in compassion, for making a bed that we all have to lie in and then complaining about the unsavory conditions.

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I tried commenting on Kerri's post. Unfortunately, I'd press "post comment" and poof! it was gone. Here are my comments:

Greetings Kerri,

I was following E.C. on two social networking sites to learn about the vegan lifestyle. Needless to say his posts were insulting to me, a non-vegan. I wrote back several times indicating his attitude was pompas, self-righteous, judgmental, and fanatical. And yes, I even compared him to a religious zealot. I understand passion; however he is out-of-bounds; overly aggressive and disrespectful towards non-vegans.

This man is openly gay and asked me up front if I had issues with it. I don’t. People cannot help the way they are born. He talks about discrimination and intolerance towards the gay community and yet, treats non-vegans the same way. Irony defined! (see title) Well, not really, he’s doing what he was taught. Eventually, I grew tired of his abusive comments and removed him from my lists.

I have vegan friends, like you, Kerrie, who are great examples of veganism (Is that a word?) by living their lifestyles without passing judgment on non-vegans. When the subject arises we talk about it knowing we cannot change the other person. People change at their own will and terms.

Even though I am not vegan, I enjoy sharing fresh juicing and other raw food recipes with vegans. We all have the same commonality: food--plain and simple. It is my goal for all of us to band together peacefully and focus on growing fresh organic produce by planting a row for the hungry rather than snubbing our noses at others for being different.

We do not live in a “one-size-fits-all” society. That would be boring! By coming together for the betterment of society in a program such as Plant a Row for the Hungry, we can end hunger and promote tolerance.

Plant a Row for the Hungry is a nationwide program. I participate locally. Lucy loves it when I come home with a piece of blemished produce that was not quite up to par to donate.

(Lucy eating a green bean, one of her favorite veggies)

PROJECT: A Million Little Pictures

During the summer of 2009, one thousand artists from around the world documented their lives in 24 frames using a disposable camera.

On September 25th, 2009, an exhibition housing over 24,000 photographs will be constructed to take you on an adventure through the lives of these artists at:

Art House Gallery
309 Peters Street
Atlanta, GA 30313

On January 10th, 2010, a second exhibition is scheduled from 5-10pm at:

111 Minna Gallery
111 Minna Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
(liquor laws require you must be at least 21 years of age to enter the venue)

I was really excited to participate in this project. Upon taking my camera in for development, I learned the film in it was bad. Ugh, there were some hip photos on that roll!

Okay, so I made lemonade from my lemons by taking from my computer stash. Click on the photos to enlarge them. If you have any questions, give me a shout.

(self portrait for graphic arts course)

("Who Farted?" front)

(Vail Village, CO)

("Catching 'rays")

(Ivana Hump-a-Lot Susan & Swinger Steve--Halloween)

(My art @ Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport)

("Indian Corn")

(Lucy sitting on chair)

(1st Place Watercolor Painting Award)

(Sardi's Restaurant, NY city, "Shortstop", 1st Place Watercolor)

("Mummy Dearest", 1st Place Printmaking)

("Reigning Cats and Dogs")

(Baby Lucy)

("Fur-ever Friends" exhibit, Sandy Springs, GA)

(Lucy)

(Teton's final resting place among the poppy flowers)

("Ginger"--Wanted: Domestic Fairy Godmother)

(My studio)

(Steve & Lucy)

("Jade"--In Search of Chocolate)

(The Cheesecake Factory, Cumberland Mall)

(Betty Ford Alpine Gardens, Vail, CO)

("Come Fly with Me")

(Lucy's birthday 2008)

Above images copyright Susan Calvert, all rights reserved

Puppy Mill Owner Setenced to Jail

By Marla Pretty, Lake Oconee News

Eatonton, GA -- More than a year after Putman County Sheriff's Deputies closed a puppy mill along Reid Drive, its owner-operator has been sentenced to jail time.

Barry Davis was sentenced Tuesday to one year in jail and nine years of probation on 12 counts of misdemeanor cruelty to animals in connection with his July 2008 arrest.

According to Putnam Count Sheriff Howard Sills, Davis will serve the entire sentence in the Putman Count Jail. He is required to pay restitution of more than $4,000 to Putnam County for the care of more than 180 puppies, as well as court fines and fees. Once out of jail, he will be required to work 40 hours of community service.

Detectives, state Department of Agriculture specialists and a local veterinarian, showed up on Davis' property July 16, 2008, after complaints from neighbors about dogs barking. They found scores of animals sitting in stacked cages in a small building behind Davis' home.

PCSO Detective Tracey Bowen said more than 30 of the animals were in need of immediate medical care.

"The conditions of this place were horrible." Bowen said. The farther we go into the mess, the worse the animals conditions were. They were stacked up on top of each other in metal cages."

Davis told officials he purchased the dogs from a breeder in the Savannah area. Bowen said most of the puppies were not up-to-date on inoculation or rabies vaccinations and had heart worms.

Within two weeks, the puppies, including Chihuahuas, Yorkies, Shitzus, Pugs, and Poodles, brought into Putnam County Animal Control for evaluation were cleared and sent to local humane society groups to be adopted out. None of the animals were euthanized. However, two puppies died shortly after leaving - one of a congenital problem and the second from infection.

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Humane Association of Georgia, Inc.
A statewide coalition of humane societies, animal control and rescue groups and individuals.

HAGA is known for the Animal Protection Act of 2000 that makes some acts of animal cruelty a felony and the Dog and Cat Sterilization License Plates that and the Dog and Cat Tax Check Off to fund statewide spay/neuter projects.

Our formation allowed Georgia to be the first state by law to allow animals in disaster shelter. We were formed to support good animal legislation, provide education about good animal stewardship and help animals in times of disaster. HAGA is a member of the Georgia Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster.

Please join the Humane Association of Georgia. Our membership fee is $25.00 per year. Donations are appreciated. Please make your check out to Humane Association of Georgia, Inc. and mail to the address above. Please let us know if you or anyone you know would like to be added to our email alert list about animal issues, http://www.HumaneAssociationofGeorgia.org