Animals on The Huffington Post

Michael Markarian: Attention Holiday Shoppers: Petland Tied to Puppy Mills

2008-11-21T14:22:22Z

I led a press conference this morning, packed with television cameras at The Humane Society of the United States' headquarters in Washington, D.C., to announce the results of a new eight-month investigation into puppy mill cruelty. The HSUS investigated more than 20 Petland stores and found that these stores, part of the nation's largest puppy-selling retail chain, are selling dogs from abusive puppy mills in Missouri and across the Midwest, while assuring consumers that they only buy puppies from good breeders with the highest standards of care. Some Petland stores even buy puppies from brokers and middlemen, and may not even know who the breeder is until after the puppy arrives in the store.

Along with Stephanie Shain, director of The HSUS Stop Puppy Mills campaign, I showed a video of this new exposé, and you can watch it here. It's the largest-ever puppy mill investigation, but only the latest in a series of HSUS efforts exposing the cruelty at puppy mills, dog auctions, and pet stores across the country. There are 140 Petland stores in the U.S., selling tens of thousands of puppies each year, many procured from unscrupulous operators who treat dogs not like family pets but like a cash crop.

The Humane Society Legislative Fund is working to advance public policies that curb the worst abuses in the puppy mill industry. This year, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and Virginia passed strong anti-puppy mill laws, and the Farm Bill passed by the U.S. Congress banned the import of young dogs from foreign puppy mills in China, Mexico, and other countries. New legislation in Congress -- the Puppy Uniform Protection Statute (PUPS), or "Baby's Bill" -- would require that dogs get 60 minutes of exercise per day rather than being confined in cages for their entire lives, and would also apply the Animal Welfare Act guidelines to puppy breeders who sell directly to the public or over the Internet and currently escape federal regulation.

But in addition to public policies, we need corporate and consumer responsibility. Petland should not perpetuate the cruel puppy mill industry, and should join leading retailers like PETCO and PetSmart who have socially responsible policies of not selling puppies in their stores and who instead work with humane societies and rescue groups to promote adoptions of homeless animals. As the holiday season approaches, which is the top puppy-buying time of year, consumers need to beware and take action. Don't be fooled by false assurances that pet store puppies come from "good breeders," when time and time again we have found the mothers of these puppies suffering in filthy, cramped cages for their entire lives.

Long-Lost "Gremlin" Species Found

2008-11-21T14:12:57Z

(CNN) -- Scientists have found a wide-eyed primate -- a clawed fur ball that fits snugly in one hand -- in the first live sighting in more than 80 years of a creature that some thought was extinct.
"It was truly amazing," one scientist said. "I couldn't conceive that we had actually caught one."

"It was truly amazing," one scientist said. "I couldn't conceive that we had actually caught one."

Over a two-month period, scientists working in Lore Lindu National Park on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi caught and released three pygmy tarsiers. They bear a striking resemblance to the Furby, an electronic toy that spoke its own fantasy language and dominated children's wish lists in the late 1990s.

They caught two males and one female, said Sharon Gursky-Doyen, a Texas A&M University anthropology professor who led the expedition. The group spotted a fourth -- high in the tree canopy -- but were unable to catch it.

Christopher Brauchli: NOAA(H) and the Whales

2008-11-20T19:37:46Z

The grand leap of the whale up the Fall of Niagara is esteemed, by all who have seen it, as one of the finest spectacles in nature.
Benjamin Franklin, Letter to British paper poking fun at Brits' lack of knowledge of America

Pity the poor whale. All it wants is to peacefully swim in the ocean. Instead it finds itself caught up in a net of litigation and rule-making processes.

Although whales off both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the United States have been affected by recent developments, it is probably not presumptuous to suggest that the Melon-Head Whales in the Pacific are slightly envious of the Right Whales in the Atlantic.

The Melon-Head whales found themselves in federal court in California because of the Navy's need to conduct training exercises using high-powered sonar. Although no whales were asked to testify as to the effect of the high powered sonar on their well-being, the Natural Resources Defense Council, acting as amicus belaenae, testified in the trial court that the tests could "disturb or threaten 170,000 marine mammals . . . and would cause permanent injury to more than 500 whales..." The district court judge agreed with those who had entered their appearances on behalf of the whales and imposed certain limits on the Navy when conducting its exercises using high-intensity sonar. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with the trial court judge. George Bush appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which disagreed and said the need for the Navy to conduct its tests took precedence over the need to protect the whales from the effect of the sonar.

Writing for the majority, Chief Justice Roberts said, "The most serious possible injury would be harm to an unknown number of marine mammals" whereas imposing restrictions on Naval exercises would force "the Navy to deploy an inadequately trained antisubmarine force" that would jeopardize "the safety of the fleet." Posited that way the conclusion would seem to be a no-brainer and that is, how it came out. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote:

"The president-the commander in chief-has determined that the training with active sonar is 'essential to the national security'. We give great deference to the professional judgment of military authorities concerning the relative importance of a particular military interest."

Prescribing courses of conduct in the interest of "national security" as determined by George Bush is not limited to whales. That was also the reason given for, inter alia, the eavesdropping program that Mr. Bush developed to protect us all from terrorism. One can only hope that the justification for impinging on the rights of whales to live peaceful lives is more firmly grounded than Mr. Bush's assertion of the right to impinge on the right of U.S. citizens to live peaceful lives not intruded on by an eavesdropping government.

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away as the whale swims, the Right Whales were the beneficiaries of a set of regulations imposed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). During the 1800s Right Whales were the favorite of hunters because of their oil rich blubber and the fact that they were large and slow and, as a result, easy to kill. After their survival was insured by protection from whalers, a new threat arose-high-speed freighters. The Right Whale population is believed to be 300 or less and it is now protected both by the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Beginning in 1999 NOAA began developing federal speed limits on freighters in waters off the eastern seaboard where the Right whales live. The need for such regulations was obvious as NOAA explained saying: "One of the greatest known causes of deaths of North Atlantic Right whales from human activities is ship strikes."

In 2006 it was disclosed that NOAA was close to imposing a 30 nautical mile buffer zone around several East Coast ports in which a 10-mile per hour speed limit would be enforced. The whales were delighted with the proposed rule but cargo companies were not. They said the imposition of this rule would cost them time and fuel. In late August it was announced that the buffer zone would be reduced in size from 30 nautical miles to 20 nautical miles. The new rules take effect in December.

Amy Knowlton, a research scientist at the New England Aquarium was quoted in the Palm Beach Post as saying: "It's a huge step for the Right Whale. We're disappointed about some aspects of the rule, but it hasn't been so watered down that it won't be effective."

Although the Right Whales won't be told of the new rules, they will be delighted when their mortality because of encounters with vessels moving at high speeds, declines. The Melon-Head whale whose well-being was decided by an un-Noah-like Chief Justice probably wish that their fate had been left up to the other NOAA instead of to the Supreme Court-for good reason.

Fishermen Find Dog Swimming A Mile From Land

2008-11-20T16:23:40Z

Dean Lamont is a professional fishing guide, plying the waters around Cape Lookout. Depending upon the season and local conditions, Lamont guides anglers to red drum, speckled trout, false albacore -- whatever species presents the best opportunity.

He can add Labrador retriever to the list.

Mike Sheehan: Peace Gnome to the Rescue

2008-11-20T14:23:06Z

Who says donkeys and elephants don't mix?

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) -- a principled, stalwart defender of the downtrodden whom we around here affectionately refer to as the "Peace Gnome" -- is urging the L.A. City Council to free a captive elephant languishing in a county zoo.

The fiery former Democratic presidential candidate asked the city "to reject a measure that would expand the L.A. County Zoo's 'Pachyderm Forest,'" according to a statement issued by the lawmaker's office. "Instead of expanding the space, Kucinich called upon Council Members to release the lone captive elephant to sanctuary."

In 2006, the statement notes, the city approved a $40 million expansion to the habitat. "Two months later an elephant named Gita died, leaving just one elephant named Billy in captivity," continues the press release. "Billy has a rare habit of bobbing and swaying his head. ... [E]lephant expert Joyce Poole is quoted as saying, '...[H]aving observed elephants for many, many years... I have never seen head-bobbing and I have never seen swaying. This type of behavior is pathological. It is a result of being in a confined space.'"

In the letter to the City Council, Kucinich writes, "In the wild, Asian elephants can live 50 to 70 years, African elephants up to 80 years. It is a matter of record that fifteen elephants have died in the L.A. Zoo since 1974 before reaching 20 years of age. Cramped confinement of such majestic creatures is cruel and inhumane."

He closes, "All across America, zoos are reevaluating the practice of keeping elephants in small confinements. I humbly request that you consider the research I have presented and support today's motion which will ensure sanctuary conditions for the housing of elephants by the L.A. Zoo, and begin consideration of an alternative use of the new facility which can still be educationally rewarding for the public."

The complete press release is available at this link.

Baghdad To Kill Stray Dogs

2008-11-20T14:22:35Z

BAGHDAD — Baghdad authorities announced a campaign on Thursday to kill stray dogs who roam the Iraqi capital in packs, after a spate of fatal dog attacks left children in some neighborhoods fearful of going outside.

In August alone, 13 people died of disease after being attacked by dogs, said Inaam Hamid, head of the environment board on the Baghdad provincial council.

Read more: Culling, Baghdad, Iraq, Animals, Dogs, Politics News

EU To Vote On Honey Bee "Recovery Zones" With Bee-Friendly Flowers

2008-11-19T16:16:34Z

STRASBOURG, France - Honey bees, whose numbers are falling, must be given flowery "recovery zones" in Europe's farmlands to aid their survival, a leading EU lawmaker said Wednesday.

Bees pollinate numerous crops and scientists have expressed alarm over their mysterious and rapid decline. Experts have warned that a drop in the bee population could harm agriculture.

"If we continue to neglect the global bee population, then this will have a dramatic effect on our already strained world food supplies," said Neil Parish, who chairs the European Parliament's agriculture committee.

Parish, a British conservative, said vast swathes of single crops such as wheat often made it difficult for bees to find enough nectar. But he said farmers could help bees by planting patches of bee-friendly flowers -- including daisies, borage and lavender.

Read the full story here.

-OR-
Honey Bee Videos Latest Viral Trend? (VIDEO)
Beetles Killing Trees In Colorado, Reviving An Industry

Woolly Mammoth DNA Mapped

2008-11-19T15:43:56Z

WASHINGTON — Bringing "Jurassic Park" one step closer to reality, scientists have deciphered much of the genetic code of the woolly mammoth, a feat they say could allow them to recreate the shaggy, prehistoric beast in as little as a decade or two.

The project marks the first time researchers have spelled out the DNA of an extinct species, and it raised the possibility that other ancient animals such as mastodons and sabertooth tigers might someday walk the Earth again.

Puppy Cam Basically The Happiest Thing In The World

2008-11-19T15:24:19Z

It's been about a month now since Ana Marie Cox sent me the link* to the Shiba Inu Puppy Cam -- a site she calls "internet Klonopin" -- but I think we can all agree that it is basically the best thing going on in the world right now. Apparently, the minds behind the Puppy Cam are aware of the attention they are getting. Gawker notes that the puppies now enjoy an expanded facility, with room to romp and tons of toys and...oh my...it just makes you...SO HAPPY INSIDE!

I guess my question is, WHY AREN'T THERE MORE OF THESE THINGS? Why isn't one of David Gregory's 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue pundit boxes pointed at a puppy cam? Why can't the New York Times replace Bill Kristol's column with a puppy cam? Why doesn't the Huffington Post have, right now, a PUPPY CAM VERTICAL? Surely these things will come to pass! As Horace wrote in the Ars Poetica, "Simul et jucunda et idonea dicere vitae," which is Latin for "OMG I want those puppies NOM NOM NOM."

In other news, rumors that President-Elect Barack Obama had arranged to adopt the Shiba Inu Puppies and appoint them as heads of the Department of Homeland Security were unconfirmed at press time.

*When asked if she was, in fact, the discoverer of the Puppy Cam, Ana Marie Cox replied, "I HOPE SO."

RELATED:
Shiba Inu Puppy Cam

Streaming live video by Ustream

MSNBC : Puppy cam: the latest internet sensation

MSNBC : Puppy Cam wranglers: 'No, you can't have one'

Michael Markarian: Taxing Prognosis for California's Pets

2008-11-19T12:35:30Z

The current economic crisis has impacted many aspects of our lives, and pets are no exception. Pet food and regular veterinary care are necessities, not luxuries, for the companion animals in our lives, and we can't skimp on these costs without jeopardizing the health and safety of our pets. Animal shelters are filling up with dogs and cats who were abandoned or relinquished when their families lost their homes due to foreclosures.

Rather than find solutions to help pet owners during this money crunch, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has found a way to make matters worse. He announced plans to add a sales tax on veterinary services as part of a larger set of program cuts and revenue increases to deal with the state's multi-million budget shortfall. In other words, because state lawmakers failed in their basic responsibility to keep government functioning, pet owners have to foot the bill.

Under the governor's proposal, essential veterinary services like routine exams, vaccinations, and prescription medications would be lumped into the category of taxable services such as "appliance and furniture repair, vehicle repair and golf." All other medical professions were excluded from the sales tax proposal. As Dr. Barbara Hodges of the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association said, "Veterinary services should not be considered nonessential or luxury services, but as truly essential family medical services."

Gov. Schwarzenegger, in the past, has been a friend to animals, but his attitude of late has taken a turn for the worse. He sided with agribusiness giants against Proposition 2, which had the support of veterinarians, family farmers, religious leaders, environmentalists, and animal advocates, and received more than 63 percent of the statewide vote. Now, he appears to consider our companion dogs and cats to have no more value than a stovetop range or a nine-iron.

Under the governor's plan, pet owners who are already making tough choices would be forced to add approximately 9 percent to the current cost of veterinary care. This financial burden would jeopardize the health and welfare of our companion animals, and may result in more dogs and cats being abandoned or relinquished to animal shelters if people simply cannot afford to pay the additional costs. It's bad policy, and rather than alleviate the state's economic problems, it will add to the financial burden of animal control and sheltering in our communities.

Our friends at the California Veterinary Medical Association are working hard to defeat this draconian, anti-pet proposal, and we need every pet owner in California to join the chorus of opposition. A special session of the legislature has convened to act on the budget deficit, and this issue may be decided in the next few days. We need to send an urgent message that veterinary care should be treated like other essential medical services, not like home decorating or auto detailing.

Please contact the governor and legislative leaders today and ask them to remove the proposed sales tax on veterinary services. You can also ask your own veterinarian to get involved, and send an urgent alert to his or her clients. This is an issue that affects all of our beloved pets, and we can't let Gov. Schwarzenegger get away with terminating their health and safety.

Why Own When You Can Rent? Bikes, Tools, Clothes, Cats?

2008-11-19T09:46:13Z

Ah, the product service system (or PSS): one of TreeHugger's favorite concepts shrouded by one of the clunkiest names. For anyone who'd like a quick refresher, a PSS replaces a product with a service; instead of paying for the product itself (and whatever maintenance and upkeep it requires), you pay to use the product for a bit, and then give it back. Think of it this way: a PSS is often an answer to the question, "Hey, do you really need to own one of those?"

There are a few classic examples: libraries, bike sharing (pictured above), and car-sharing services are all good ones, and we've rounded up a bunch of other good examples in the past. But what makes a good product service system? Read on for a few examples of some newer PSS's that also exemplify why it's better to rent than buy.

Interpol, Kenya Wildlife Service Bust 57 Illegal Traders With One Ton Of Ivory

2008-11-17T16:17:53Z

More than one tonne of ivory products has been seized in Africa's largest-ever international crackdown on wildlife crime.

The operation, co-ordinated by Interpol and the Kenya Wildlife Service, led to the arrest of 57 illegal traders across five African nations.

The haul also included animal skins and hippopotamus teeth.

Interpol said that similar trans-national operations will be carried out worldwide to combat wildlife crime.

Michael Markarian: We Need Change Animals Can Believe In

2008-11-14T15:39:55Z

President-elect Barack Obama has eleven weeks between the election and inauguration to pick his Cabinet and key White House personnel. If history is any guide, the first few appointments are likely to be high-profile posts such as Secretary of State and Attorney General, while those that most directly affect animal welfare -- Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior -- won't come until week six or later.

It's never too soon for animal advocates to start thinking about how these appointments will impact the lives of millions of animals. The next Secretary of the Interior, for example, will oversee the enforcement of wildlife protection laws such as the Endangered Species Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and will have authority for wildlife management practices on millions of acres of federal lands such as national parks, national wildlife refuges, and Bureau of Land Management properties.

The incoming Interior chief is sure to confront major wildlife policy issues such as protecting threatened polar bears and other species from the impacts of global warming, and deploying immunocontraceptive technology to manage wild horses and burros humanely on the range. So far, some of the people whose names have been floated -- like former Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber and former Alaska Gov. Tony Knowles -- have strong records on wildlife protection.

But it's the Agriculture post that perhaps holds the greatest promise for -- and the greatest threat to -- animal welfare. The department has an obvious intersection with the welfare of farm animals, and is responsible for enforcing the nation's laws on humane slaughter, transport, and the disposition of sick and crippled livestock. But its mandate is much broader than that, and this agency also has wide-ranging jurisdiction over the Horse Protection Act, the federal law to combat dogfighting and cockfighting, and the Animal Welfare Act -- the latter alone covers the care and use of animals at thousands of puppy mills, research laboratories, zoos, circuses, and other facilities.

The last few agriculture secretaries have been attentive to some animal protection issues -- by proposing rules on downer livestock and stepping up enforcement efforts to stop animal fighting and the soring of horses -- but they frankly have not made animal welfare a priority. Sadly, some have actually gotten in the way of animal protection efforts -- by trying to end-run the congressional de-funding of USDA inspections at horse slaughter plants, and trying to funnel $3 million in unlawful checkoff funds to the political campaign opposing California's Proposition 2 -- only to be halted both times by court action. Past secretaries came to the jobs with an orientation of being aligned with producers, not consumers, and largely their focus has been for the department to function as an appendage to the agribusiness industry.

It's time for the next Secretary of Agriculture to be an animal advocate. Someone who will heed the call of voters in Florida, Arizona, and California who overwhelmingly sided with more humane treatment of farm animals, and will work with agribusiness groups to improve animal welfare standards. Someone who will extend a merciful death to the nearly ten billion birds not currently afforded protections under the humane slaughter law. Someone who won't try to skirt the federal laws barring horse slaughter or requiring humane transport, and won't attempt to use federal funds to fight animal protection ballot initiatives. Someone who will improve the inspections at slaughter plants, livestock markets, research laboratories, and circuses, and not just consider them business as usual. Someone who will aggressively investigate and build cases against dogfighting and cockfighting rings, will root out cruelty at puppy mills and walking horse shows, and will end the licensing of dealers who profit from selling stolen pets into research.

Some of the people whose names have been floated would be well suited for this task. Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, for example, has a solid record on animal protection. As chief executive, he didn't address the most complex issues such as the massive pollution from hog factory farms, but he advocated for bills to toughen the state's penalties for animal fighting, and he stood up to the hunting lobby and vetoed legislation that would have allowed the target shooting of mourning doves for the first time in decades. Another good choice would be John Boyd, Jr., founder and president of the National Black Farmers Association. Boyd is a fourth-generation Virginia poultry farmer who has fought to protect family farms from the industrialization that pushes them out of business, and has spoken out against inhumane practices such as horse slaughter and confinement of laying hens in battery cages.

One name on the short list, however, should strike fear in the heart of every animal advocate in the nation: Former Rep. Charlie Stenholm of Texas was a leading opponent of animal welfare when he served in Congress. He led the fight against banning the processing of sick and crippled cattle for human consumption -- proclaiming on the House floor that no downer cow would ever enter the American food supply, only to be proven wrong six months later when a downed cow tested positive for mad cow disease. The news became public after beef from this cow was distributed across the country, causing the meat industry to take a major economic hit when more than 40 nations closed their borders to American beef. Animal welfare and food safety were compromised, but the industry also suffered because Stenholm and his short-sighted cronies were penny-wise and pound-foolish.

Stenholm is now a paid lobbyist in Washington, and he's made something of a cottage industry of fighting against animal welfare. His clients have included the Livestock Marketing Association, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, the National Meat Association, and the National Pork Producers Council. He has even served as the chief lobbyist for the foreign-owned horse slaughter plants. With the Obama administration promising change, the worst thing it could do would be to tap a paid lobbyist who works for a "who's who" of industries that resist the most modest reforms on animal welfare.

If Obama broadens his gaze beyond the most widely mentioned suspects, he will find additional qualified and compassionate individuals who recognize there is a balancing of interests when it comes to the needs of agriculture, animal welfare, and consumer and environmental protection. We need a bridge builder who can bring animal advocates and agricultural interests to the table to find common ground and take into account humane treatment along with the economic interests of the industry. We need someone who will bring innovation to the sixth-largest federal department and will finally make food safety and animal welfare a priority. For far too long, the agency has given too much weight to the wishes of agribusiness producers, and not enough to the people who purchase and consume the products or the animals used by the industries.

Here's your chance to contact the Obama transition team and urge needed change at the USDA. Ask the President-elect to appoint a Secretary of Agriculture who will truly represent all Americans, including those who care about animal welfare.

Hank Morris: Puppygate

2008-11-14T13:30:16Z

What kind of puppy will it be?

The first great crisis of the Obama presidency is nipping at his heels. It all started election night at about 11:30 Eastern Standard time.

President-elect Obama blindsided his staff when not half-way through his victory speech, he freelanced the notion of a "well-earned puppy" for his girls Sasha and Malia.

Immediately, Obama's chief political strategist, David Axelrod, muttered, "Why couldn't he have said 'pet' instead of 'puppy'? The press is going to have a field day with this! Barack's brilliant, but doesn't know there are 90 million pet cats in the U.S.? 16 million pet birds? 11 million pet reptiles -- many of them in the emerging Democratic Southwest.

"And what kind of puppy will it be? There may not be blue states and red states, but there sure are poodle states and lab states." Axelrod hasn't slept a wink since.

Now, the whole country's in a growing frenzy. We're obsessed.

The other day at the economic advisory briefing, Obama pulled the towering, former Federal Reserve Chairman, Paul Volker aside and said, "Paul, do you know anything about puppies?"

At the President-elect's first press conference, he took only nine questions hoping to avoid "the issue." A few softball questions -- on the nation's worst economic crisis in generations and relations with Iran -- lulled Obama into a state of complacency. The unrelenting press corps then pounced like a cat after a mouse..

Omitting questions on Russia, China, or energy independence, they demanded, "What kind of puppy will it be?"

Axelrod leaned against the back wall, slumped down and whispered, "I was worried this would happen." While acknowledging it was a "major issue" that's "generated more interest than just about anything", the President-elect tried to diffuse the situation with a long-winded explanation.

He suggested it might be "a mutt" like him, but that since "Malia is hypoallergenic" they might not be able to get a shelter dog and perhaps it would have to be a pedigree. The Drudge Report screamed: "President-elect Elite".

There's no puppy yet, but the leaking has already begun.

The Obamas were leaning towards a pit bull, but realized they already have one in Rahm Emanuel, the new White House Chief of Staff. Besides, President-elect Obama made the no bulldog point clear, "the Bushes and Clintons were from Yale. This is a Harvard-Columbia administration. There will be no bulldogs here."

The puppy dilemma has the talking heads on cable television talking. I heard a guy on Fox -- I think it was Bill O'Reilly or Sean Hannity -- say the President-elect was "barking up the wrong tree with all this puppy focus."

Someone at MSNBC -- probably Chris Matthews or Keith Obermann -- said it was a bold strategic stroke calculated to get the economy growing. After all, the guy pointed out, 63% of Americans (and that is 11% more than voted for Obama) own a pet -- 71 million homes... and last year alone despite the impending economic crisis Americans spent about $16 billion -- that's billion with a "B" -- on pet food alone.

A CNN expert, I think he was a doctor, argued that Obama was already working to bring down the cost of the nation's medical bill because people with pet dogs are healthier, get more exercise, have lower blood pressure and are less likely to have common cancer or severe depression.

By now Axelrod is in a state of high panic worrying that the new President's honeymoon will be frittered away, "Once Sara Pallin's dresses go on consignment the press will be on this full time. I learned this year you can put lipstick on a pig, but I still know you can't put lipstick on a puppy... they're too furry....unless we get one of those hypoallergenic dogs without any fur," he mused. "Hmmmmm...."

Meanwhile, the transition staff has gone into a stall mode while they try to figure things out. It's already five days since the election and no cabinet appointments and no puppy. They must be using the time to poll Obama's five million contributors on what kind of puppy they prefer.

Axelrod finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Mr. President, we've got a plan in place to figure this out....soon we'll be able to put it behind us."

Ever cool and focused, President-elect Obama sighed, "David, our work has just begun. We still have to name the puppy!"

Forget Person Of The Year, Debate The Most Important Species

2008-11-14T09:47:24Z

If you thought the season for debates and voting had ended, think again! Some folks over in the UK -- specifically, the EarthWatch institute -- are debating which is the most important species in the world!

They've narrowed it down to five candidates, which one person here in the HuffPost office has already astutely pointed out are not actually species. Regardless, we're willing to arbitrarily vote on which is the most important to the world among bats, bees, fungi, plankton or primates.

Read summaries of scientists' cases for each of the most important species, then vote below:

Fungi

'It keeps the trees alive, recycles waste and helps us'
Professor Lynne Boddy of the Cardiff School of Biosciences

Bees
'Bees are irreplaceable. Their loss will be catastrophic'
Dr George McGavin of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History

Plankton
'Plankton are the base of the whole food web'
Professor David Thomas of the School of Ocean Sciences, University of Bangor

Bats
'Bats provide a number of these essential services'
Dr Kate Jones of the Zoological Society of London

Primates
'Primate habitats provide ecosystem services we all depend upon'
Ian Redmond, chief consultant of the great apes survival project

Richard C. Thompson: Going the Wrong Way

2008-11-13T11:34:25Z

Whenever we go through hard economic times, more pets are abandoned. People lose their homes and can't take their pets with them. People lose their jobs and cannot afford to feed them. Or people feel they just have to cut back, and deem their pets expendable. It's sad... but it's true.

This puts an extra burden on overcrowded, underfunded animal shelters. Of course, hard times also put an extra burden on community governments and budgets. We understand that. But while communities and families can find ways to manage, abandoned pets are defenseless. So what should a responsible community do? Not what we hear the wealthy Town of East Hampton New York is about to do -- cut a $7,500 grant for local shelter from its 2009 budget.

As I understand it, the money for the shelter is the first line item to be cut -- probably based on the politicians' theory that the animals can't vote. But pet lovers can and do vote, and I do hope the voters of East Hampton will make their voices heard. Meanwhile, we need to put our thinking caps on and become more creative and productive with the resources we have. We need to get more vets to donate spay/neuter services, more pet food companies to donate food, more citizens to donate their time. Cutting help to shelters at the very time they need more help is going the wrong way, but we cannot allow East Hampton or any other government take it out on the animals. We have to step up.

Cindy Letchworth: Help Wolves In Greater Yellowstone

2008-11-13T10:38:38Z

The attacks are looming again. While the Bush Administration tries to make nice with the new President-elect Barack Obama, it is secretly trying to reverse federal protection of gray wolves once again.

The proposed plan, to strip gray wolves of their Endangered Species status, will once again allow state-sponsored killing of these magnificent animals in both the Greater Yellowstone and Central Idaho regions. Last spring over 100 wolves were killed when federal protection was lifted in these areas. Limpy, a local iconic wolf with charcoal-colored fur was one of the first wolves shot due to this decision. Limpy was part of the Druid Pack which lived in Yellowstone. He died on March 28th.

It is estimated that the License to Kill plan could produce 1000 wolf deaths during the first year. With populations estimated to be below 2000-3000, scientists believe it will be nearly impossible for the wolves to sustain long-term health should federal protections be lifted. Currently scientists report that wolf pups are dying due to an unknown disease. If humans begin killing these American treasures, the wolves are surely doomed to teeter on the edge of extinction once more.

But, we have a chance to make a difference. Public comments are being read until November 28, 2008 regarding the wolf slaughter. Contact Secretary Dirk Kempthorne, Department of Interior and tell him what you think. Sites such as NRDC Action Fund, or Defenders of Wildlife, will also direct you to public commenting.

The wolves need us again. Let the Bush Administration know that killing wolves will not improve the moral character of his presidency. It will only bring it down.

Scientists: Reverse Age-Old Engineering Or The Great Lakes Suffer

2008-11-13T08:31:42Z

CHICAGO — Connections engineered more than a century ago between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River watershed should be changed to block the advance of invasive species that can cause irreversible damage, an environmental advocacy group says.

Separating the two basins is the only way to stop the transfer of some species, including the voracious Asian carp that is within 50 miles of Lake Michigan, says a feasibility study issued Wednesday by the Alliance for the Great Lakes.

90 Year-Old Giant Tortoise Mates

2008-11-12T14:08:25Z

Ninety years old and considered one of the world's rarest organisms, the giant tortoise from the Galapagos Islands known as "Lonesome George" stunned conservationists when he mated with two females earlier this summer. To the dismay of scientists studying the eggs however, 80 percent of the eggs appear to be duds.

Originating from Pinta Island, once home to thousands of saddleback tortoises, George (Geochelone nigra abingdoni) is the last of his kind to be found and was taken into captivity in 1971. The females were from a different subspecies of giant tortoise on a neighbouring island.

But Ecuadorean scientists in charge of the tortoise re-population plan on Pinta are not about to give up. In spite of his lack of libido for the last decades and various attempts at artificial insemination and "tabloid-like rumours the 90-kilogram creature preferred other males," George is in his reproductive prime, and his keepers hope that the remaining eggs could still yield offspring.

Read the full story here.

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Chimp, White Tiger Become Best Friends
Peru Offers National Hairless Dog To Obamas

Michael Markarian: Presidential Puncture Wounds

2008-11-12T13:49:09Z

President-elect Barack Obama has assembled his transition team, and will make a raft of important choices over the next couple months as he prepares to govern the country. He will not only look forward, but will also evaluate the actions of his predecessors and learn from the mistakes of presidents past.

One of those learning experiences deals not with national security or economic policy, but with the presidential pooch. Last week, President Bush's Scottish terrier, Barney, bit Reuters television White House correspondent Jon Decker. The bite punctured the skin of Decker's finger, and was bad enough that he was treated by the White House doctor and given antibiotics.

Once the video of the White House dog bite made the rounds on the Internet, reporters and bloggers had a field day. It was open season for jokes ranging from Barney's anger over Democratic wins on Election Day to the dog's general displeasure toward the bias of the liberal media. The Salt Lake Tribune editorial board quipped, "While Bush has been known to bark at the news media, at least he doesn't bite."

The incident, however, can provide a more serious and relevant lesson for people hoping to avoid future dog bites, and can serve as more than just fodder for late-night talk show monologues. The Obamas have famously promised to get a dog for their daughters, Malia and Sasha, and animal lovers are buzzing with both speculation and suggestions about what kind of dog to get. Because children are the most frequent victims of dog bites, the Obama family can learn from Barney-gate to minimize the possibility of a bite from their own future dog.

Animal experts can easily identify a couple common mistakes that people make around dogs, just by watching the video of Barney biting Decker. First, Barney's posture was extremely stiff. There was visible tension in both his body and face -- his ears even dropped back a bit. These were clear indicators that Barney was stressed and wasn't interested in a petting. Second, Decker moved quickly toward Barney and from above -- which can be very scary, especially for a small dog.

Barney's bite wasn't out of anger, nor was it a political statement. He was clearly stressed and probably scared. He communicated these feelings as best he could through his body language. Unfortunately, the reporter's movements crossed a threshold for Barney and the result was a bite.

For families with children -- like the next First Family -- it's especially important to provide supervision. Kids' behaviors around dogs can range from obviously irritating tail-pulling to well-intentioned hugs. And while many dogs will tolerate these episodes with good humor, there's a major distinction between tolerance and enjoyment. A dog owner's ability to make that distinction will prevent bites from occurring.

The lesson for dog owners (presidential or otherwise) is to pay close attention to your dog. Our canine companions are constantly communicating with us through their body language and it's up to us to keep them safe and minimize their stress. Every dog has his or her limits, but as attentive dog owners, we can keep them out of situations that test those limits and prevent future dog bites.

And maybe journalists should take a lesson from my colleague, John Balzar, who carries a healthy supply of dog treats in his pockets, so he is better equipped to meet the canine companions who come to work with their owners at The Humane Society of the United States' office building.

By the way, it's not the first time politics and dog bites have mixed. Congress has considered legislation on the issue, thanks to the leadership of Rep. Thad McCotter (R-Mich.) who has introduced resolutions encouraging municipalities to adopt and enforce protections against dog bites and recognizing National Dog Bite Prevention Week.

It's an important policy issue for dogs, as well as for public health and safety. But we all have personal responsibilities when we're around dogs. Visit humanesociety.org for tips on how to stay safe and prevent dog bites.

Peru Offers National Hairless Dog To Obamas (PHOTOS)

2008-11-12T09:46:51Z

LIMA, Peru — Completely bald and older than the Incas, the Peruvian hairless dog seems like an odd fit for the White House.

But Peruvians are mindful of President-elect Barack Obama's preference for a hypoallergenic breed due to his daughter Malia's allergies _ and say the dark, rough-skinned pooch with large ears and a pointy snout could be just the solution.

Deanne Stillman: Wild Horses Heading to the Gallows as Cowboy Prez Exits

2008-11-11T21:40:06Z

As if the situation were not disturbing enough, wild horses are once again heading for the gallows. Thanks to a report just issued by the GAO, the Bureau of Land Management - tasked with overseeing the country's mustang populations - should implement euthanasia as a tool in handling wild horse populations. That means that the 30,000 wild horses now in government housing (more than are in the wild) may soon be eradicated - the result of a decades-long war against the wild horse that has reached its crescendo under the Bush administration, and is now fueled by cost-cutting hysteria sweeping federal agencies.

As I ask in my recently published book Mustang: The Saga of the Wild Horse in the American West, why are we, a cowboy nation, destroying the horse we rode in on? This is a difficult question, and now is the time to put it to rest. Surely, even considering the financial condition of the country, we can take care of our wild horses - and more importantly, can we really put a price on our heritage? (And on a side note: what bizarre, subterranean impulse led the BLM to first float the euthanasia plan on July 4th - the day on which America was born in hoofsparks - and the GAO to publish its findings on Veteran's Day - when we ought to remember our equine war partners as well: in the Civil War, for example, 1.5 million horses and mules were killed or died of illness while serving - at least 5000 at Gettysburg alone).

Please get in touch with President-elect Obama, as well as your representatives and senators, and let them know that a) the extermination of our great partner - the wild horse - is not how you would like your tax dollars to be spent; b) Congress should take a hard look at exactly why so many wild horses have been rounded up in recent years, and c) getting rid of the wild horse is un-American.

Incidentally, Obama was a backer of the anti-slaughter legislation that Congress passed a couple of years ago, shutting down the country's three remaining, and foreign-owned, horse rendering plants. This legislation was passed by a huge margin, thanks to a massive grass-roots campaign kicked into high gear after the previous official death sentence for wild horses was enacted - a rollback in the law that protects them orchestrated by former Montana Senator Conrad Burns. The original law, the Free-Roaming Wild Horse and Burro Act, was signed iin 1971 by Richard Nixon, who, in a bizarre footnote to history, quoted Thoreau in an impassioned defense of the wild horse at the signing ceremony. The Burns rollback paved the way for the current disaster.

Now is the time for citizens to stand up for wild horses - the animal that blazed our trails, fought our wars, and at this very moment is making its last stand. As the great cowboy scribe Will James wrote years ago, "They really belong not to man, but to that country of junipers and sage, of deep arroyos, mesas - and freedom."

Note: for additional background on the situation, please see my previous huffpo blogs, my Newsweek interview, and my Los Angeles Times op-ed calling for a moratorium on round-ups.

Michael Markarian: A Mutt Like Me

2008-11-11T14:03:22Z

Not since Richard Nixon's famous Checkers speech has a dog featured so prominently in presidential politics. During President-elect Obama's acceptance speech on Tuesday night, he told his daughters, Sasha and Malia, they "have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House." When asked about the puppy during his first post-election press conference on Friday, Obama explained in more depth:

"This is a major issue. I think it's generated more interest on our web site than just about anything. We have two criteria that have to be reconciled. One is that Malia is allergic, so it has to be hypoallergenic. There are a number of breeds that are hypoallergenic. On the other hand, our preference would be to get a shelter dog. But obviously, a lot of shelter dogs are mutts like me. Whether we're going to be able to balance those two things is a pressing issue in the Obama household."

Adopting a dog is a meaningful experience in anyone's life, and the Obamas are right to consider the unique needs of their family and approach the decision with care and deliberation. Animal lovers are grateful that the First Family-elect wants to rescue a shelter dog, and I've written before on this blog that adoption can send a powerful message of hope and change for all the dogs suffering in cages at abusive puppy mills or waiting in shelters for a second chance and a loving home.

So the question that remains is whether it's possible for any family -- presidential or otherwise -- to balance their desire for a shelter dog with a child's allergies. My answer: "Yes we can!"

First, adopting a purebred is easy. One of every four dogs in U.S. animal shelters is a purebred. If a family wants a particular type of dog, such as a breed that might produce fewer reactions in people who suffer from allergies, the local animal shelter should be the first stop. My colleague Kelly Peterson adopted her dog Keely (pictured) -- a soft-coated wheaten terrier, one of the breeds said to be less irritating to those with dog allergies -- from the Portland shelter run by the Oregon Humane Society.

There are also purebred rescue groups that specialize in particular breeds of dogs, keeping abandoned, rejected, or stray purebreds until they can be placed in loving, permanent homes. And online resources like Pets911.com and Petfinder.com allow people to search for specific breeds in need of adoption.

Second, contrary to popular belief, there are no " hypoallergenic" or "non-allergenic" breeds of dogs or cats, and even hairless breeds may be highly allergenic. People respond differently to dogs and cats, and one animal of a particular breed may be more irritating to an individual allergy sufferer than another animal of that same breed. Children sometimes outgrow allergies, although adults rarely become accustomed to pets to whom they are allergic.

Cats tend to be more allergenic than dogs for allergic people, although some people are more sensitive to dogs than cats. Dogs with soft, constantly-growing hair -- the poodle or the bichon frise, for example -- may be less irritating to some individuals, although this may be because they are bathed and groomed more frequently. A mutt who is a mix of those breeds would have the same benefits for people with allergies.

The Humane Society of the United States has tips for reducing the symptoms of allergies when pets are in the household, such as cleaning your home properly, bathing your pet regularly, creating an "allergy free" zone where the pet is not allowed, and considering allergy shots. By doing some research and taking simple precautions, we can keep people and pets together -- from the White House to your house.

Dogs Helpful In Veteran Recovery

2008-11-11T13:29:29Z

DEUCE is a chocolate Labrador retriever who knows exactly which patients at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington give the best treats, said his owner, Harvey Naranjo. Both he and Deuce are part of the Military Advanced Training Center, a department at Walter Reed that cares for severely disabled veterans.

A certified therapy dog, Deuce assists with rehabilitation and helps relieve stress. He excels at both, said Mr. Naranjo, who brought him to the center three years ago to help the growing number of severely disabled veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. "Medical technology has given us the opportunity to save more lives with this conflict, but they are surviving devastating injuries," said Mr. Naranjo, adaptive sports program coordinator and a certified occupational therapy assistant at Walter Reed.

Encouraged by Deuce's success with patients, Mr. Naranjo contacted accredited service dog organizations and learned that several had started programs specifically for recent veterans. "These soldiers are a very young population; they do not want canes or crutches," said Mr. Naranjo, who is also a specialist in the Army Reserve.

"The Cleveland Show," Featuring Arianna Huffington, Picked Up For Full Season By Fox

2008-11-10T14:55:07Z

FOX has ordered an additional nine episodes of THE CLEVELAND SHOW, the FAMILY GUY spin-off, bringing the series to a full season order. Additionally, Arianna Huffington has been tapped for a recurring role and joins previously announced series regulars Sanaa Lathan, Nia Long, Kevin Michael Richardson, Mike Henry and Seth MacFarlane.

"FOX picking up nine more episodes of our show is proof that an African-American can make it in this country," said Cleveland Brown. "This is a milestone for the United States of America."

THE CLEVELAND SHOW, set to debut fall 2009, is a new animated series that follows everyone's favorite soft-spoken neighbor Cleveland Brown (voiced by Henry) to his hometown in Virginia, as he settles down with his high school sweetheart, Donna (voiced by Lathan), and her unruly kids Roberta (voiced by Long) and 5-year-old Rallo (voiced by Henry), as well as his own 14-year-old son, Cleveland Jr. (voiced by Richardson). Once in Virginia, Cleveland is welcomed by a collection of neighbors that includes a loudmouth redneck, Lester (voiced by Richardson); a hipster wanna-be, Holt; and a family of talking bears, including Tim (voiced by MacFarlane) and his wife Arianna (voiced by Huffington).

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