Chris's Sharebook 

In 1991, Britain passed the "Dangerous Dog" act in response to aggressive incidents involving uncontrolled dogs. The Act, which affects England, Wales and Scotland, bans ownership of certain breeds considered to be dangerous, most notably the Pit Bull Terrier, without specific exemption from a court. 

Because of the act, dogs are being put to death for their appearance rather than any actual displays of aggression. Recently, a bulldog/Labrador mix named Lennox was killed after a dog warden said he was a Pit Bull. Hundreds of thousands of Dog lovers worldwide showed support for Lennox, and TV dog trainer Victoria Stilwell offered to fly Lennox to the U.S. at her expense, but the courts decided to put him down anyway. Neither bulldogs nor Labradors are on the dangerous breeds list.

The Dangerous Dog Act is grounded in prejudice, and innocent dogs are being killed for no reason. Please sign the petition to convince the Parliament of the United Kingdom to repeal this Act and focus on targeting irresponsible dog owners instead.

New York animal shelter Angel's Gate, founded in 1993 by Susan Marino, has a history of extreme animal neglect resulting in diseases and death. An undercover investigation of the facility exposed animal abuse on video, including animals being denied food and water, offered rancid meat, dead animal bodies left among live animals for days, animals with treatable infections and wounds being denied medication and veterinary care and animals confined to filthy, excrement-caked cribs.

Recently, a young paraplegic St. Bernard named Casey died at Angel's Gate after suffering a lengthy urinary tract infection. An undercover investigation found Casey covered in her own waste and left in a filthy crib without access to water.

These animal abuses have gone on far too long and should not be allowed to continue. Please sign the petition to remove Angel's Gate's status as a nonprofit corporation and remove and help the hundreds of animals that remain at the shelter.

In the summer of 2011, a young couple
discovered an illegal dump site in Crosby, Texas containing the bodies
of several tortured puppies and other neglected, suffering dogs. New
dogs have been dumped near the area regularly, some of them thrown from
trucks or shot with BB guns. Suspicious individuals have been spotted
prowling the dumping grounds, presumably to obtain abandoned dogs for
fighting.

Activists have received limited support from local law
enforcement, though the illegal animal cruelty has been going on for at
least six months. Please sign the petition to urge Crosby, TX police to
raise awareness of the situation, apprehend the guilty parties and
enforce laws against animal abuse and dumping.

Despite public outcry over a Utah shelter cat who survived two attempts to euthanize by gassing, most states still allow animals to be put down in archaic, cruel gas chambers. When euthanasia by gassing works, it can take up to 25 minutes to end an animal's life, and is especially cruel to large and medium sized dogs and young, old, pregnant or sick animals -- the majority of most shelter populations. Death by gassing is especially sad, as it prevents animals from being held and comforted in their last moments.

Gas chambers physically and psychologically harm shelter workers as well as animals; there is no excuse for this method of euthanasia to continue in any state. Running gas chambers is more expensive than comparatively quick and painless euthanasia by injection, leaving less money in the shelter's budget for taking care of animals and maintaining the facility.

Nine states -- Arizona, Delaware, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Washington and Wyoming -- currently ban euthanasia by gassing. Please sign the petition to ban this cruel practice in ALL states.