Chris's Sharebook 

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. 

In November 2011, the Sketchers shoe company filmed a commercial at a greyhound racetrack and has plans to air it during the 2012 Super Bowl in February. The ad features greyhound dogs racing against a small dog wearing Sketchers brand sneakers.

Although no animals were harmed in the making of the commercial, the ad romanticizes the cruel practice of greyhound racing. Millions of Super Bowl viewers will find the cute, active dogs in the ad appealing and may visit a racetrack and support greyhound racing as a result.

Since 2001, over half of greyhound racetracks have closed as a result of public outcry. Racing dogs are typically treated cruelly, spreading their lives in small cages and discarded when they can no longer race. This reality will not be presented in Sketcher's proposed commercial. Please sign the petition to convince Sketchers to pull their Greyhound Racing ad from the Super Bowl commercial lineup.