 WAGGIN TAILS OCTOBER 2021 ADOPT A SHELTER MONTH COLUMBUS DAY HAPPY HALLOWEEN Dear Friends and Members: Fall is here, and the weather is changing. Hurricane Season is here. I look back on last year’s newsletter, and there was flooding in Louisiana and we lost many animals. This year, we have floods all over the world. Help for humans comes, but not for farm animals, cats or dogs. Climate change affects us all, both 2-legged and 4-legged. We have to write to our Representatives to change the laws, so that in years to come, we won’t have to worry about saving the strays. It will be about saving everyone, animal or human that still lives on this planet. In the meantime, let’s try to Save the Strays that we can. We are still here, and hope to stay here. LEGISLATION [REPRINTED] Breaking: Big Cat Public Safety Act passes the U.S. House of Representatives on International Tiger Day WASHINGTON—The U.S. House of Representatives just passed the Big Cat Public Safety Act (H.R. 263) by a vote of 278 to 134. The bill would prohibit keeping tigers, lions and other big cat species as pets, and ban direct public contact like cub petting. Sponsored and championed by Rep. Michael Quigley, D-Ill., and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa, the bill now moves to the Senate. Big cat ownership is an epidemic in the U.S. Untold numbers of captive big cats live in shoddy roadside zoos or as pets living in homes. More often than not, these large, dangerous, wide-roaming apex predators are kept in small, barren cages where they can barely turn around. They are improperly fed, are not provided with appropriate veterinary care, and have no means to express their complex emotional and behavioral needs. Cubs are ripped away from their mothers to be offered to paying customers for feeding and petting sessions and for photo ops. Keeping big cats in these settings is not only inhumane but is also a serious public safety issue. Since 1992, there have been at least 100 dangerous and cruel incidents involving big cats kept as pets or in private menageries. Among them, a juvenile tiger wandered in a Houston neighborhood in 2021 and an escaped pet cougar was found lounging in a driveway in Parkland, Florida, in 2019. In 2013, a 400-pound pet lion escaped in Fairfield Beach, Ohio. In 2009, a 330-pound tiger was discovered in a backyard in Ingram, Texas. In 2008, a leopard approached a woman in her yard in Neosho, Missouri. In 2005, a tiger roamed loose for days before being shot and killed in Simi Valley, California. This crisis is chiefly the result of public contact activities in substandard facilities, such as those featured in the series “Tiger King” and also shown in the Humane Society of the United States’ undercover investigations focusing on Joseph Maldonado-Passage, or “Joe Exotic” and others. Earlier this month, Carole Baskin of Big Cat Rescue spoke to hundreds of advocates at a conference hosted by the Humane Society of the United States in Washington, urging them to contact their members of Congress to support the Big Cat Public Safety Act. As one of the keynote speakers, she expressed to animal advocates that she had a sincere hope this year would be the year that we would get this bill done. Over 100 of those advocates joined the Humane Society Legislative Fund to lobby their own members of Congress the following week, urging them to support passing this bill. Kitty Block, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, said: “The big cat breeding and cub petting industry creates a cycle of never-ending misery for the animals involved. In an effort to control the true wild nature of these poor captive animals, breeders and exhibitors mistreat the cubs from the day they are born. One paying customer after another handles the cubs, day in and day out, until they grow too big and dangerous. Then they have nowhere to go. Sometimes they are sold to roadside zoos, where they pace the confines of their cages, or they end up in basements or backyards as ‘pets.’ Others simply disappear. ‘Tiger King’ showed just a glimpse of why we need a swift end to the big cat breeding and cub petting industry in the U.S. There are countless Joe Exotics out there. As long as cub petting remains legal, nothing will prevent the next generation of profiteering con artists from casting vulnerable big cats to an uncertain fate.” Sara Amundson, president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund, said: “House passage of the Big Cat Public Safety Act, H.R. 263, is a giant step toward addressing a problem that has been festering for years—America’s surplus of captive tigers and other big cats. It’s the product of people like those in the series ‘Tiger King,’ who breed big cats to make money, not to provide any conservation value. Although most of the scofflaw breeders in ‘Tiger King’ have been held to account, as long as cub petting remains legal, nothing will prevent Joe Exotic wannabes from relentlessly exploiting, mistreating and dumping big cat cubs. With well over half of the House cosponsoring this bill, Congress should pass it without delay.” LEGISLATION [REPRINTED] Breaking: Big Cat Public Safety Act passes the U.S. House of Representatives on International Tiger Day (CONT.) Bexar County Sherriff Javier Salazar, who worked with the HSUS to bring Elsa the cub in San Antonio to the HSUS sanctuary Black Beauty Ranch, said: “As we learned from experience in Bexar County, privately owned big cats pose a serious and significant threat to our communities. Enforcement officers are not provided the training or resources to respond to these extremely high-risk, preventable incidents when owners inevitably fail to control their dangerous animals. The Big Cat Public Safety Act will provide a critical tool for solving this problem and we urge legislators to vote yes.” Noelle Almrud, senior director of Black Beauty Ranch, said: “Three of the tigers living at our sanctuary Black Beauty Ranch--Loki, Elsa and India—were rescued from the cruel and dangerous exotic pet trade and will never have to be pulled on a leash or confined in a cage or someone’s living room ever again. To be clear, tigers never make acceptable pets under any circumstances. They are wild animals and can inflict serious, if not deadly, injury to people who attempt to ‘tame’ them. It is critical that the Big Cat Public Safety Act is passed so that so that the overbreeding and horrific treatment of captive exotic cats in the United States is finally over.” Sheriff Matt Lutz of the Muskingum County Sheriff's Office, where dozens of exotic animals were shot and killed after their owner freed them from enclosures in Zanesville, Ohio, in 2011, said: “The tragedy in Zanesville highlighted the serious threat posed to our communities when private individuals are allowed to keep big cats in their backyards. Law enforcement does not receive training about how to handle these dangerous incidents, yet are the ones called to respond when disaster strikes. The Big Cat Public Safety Act will help solve this national crisis, and we urge Congress to pass this bill to help protect law enforcement and the citizens we serve.” “Ultimately, this legislation is about public safety. Any American can imagine the danger that exotic cats can pose. These are predators, not pets. Law enforcement has long advocated for legislation that will keep dangerous wild animals out of their communities and reduce the risk to first responders and the animals themselves,” said Rep. Michael Quigley, D-Ill. “I have been proud to work alongside law enforcement groups and animal organizations to ensure this bill will make both neighborhoods and animals safer. For too long, lax laws have allowed private citizens to own big cats. The animals subject to these grotesque conditions deserve better. I hope my colleagues in the Senate will swiftly take up this legislation so we can make a difference for communities across the country and save these animals from a life of confinement and restriction.” Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., said: "As a member of the bipartisan Congressional Animal Protection Caucus, I am committed to ensuring our government is doing its part to promote animal welfare. For too long, big cats have been mistreated, exploited, and abused in private roadside zoos. Our Big Cat Public Safety Act will prohibit the unlicensed, private possession of big cats and restrict their direct contact with the public, and I am proud to again join Congressman Quigley in championing this bipartisan bill." FYI [REPRINTED] 4,000 beagles: Mission accomplished The Humane Society of the United States removes last group of beagles from the mass breeding facility where they were bound for animal testing labs The Humane Society of the United States has completed its historic mission to remove nearly 4,000 beagles from a mass breeding facility which bred dogs to be sold to laboratories for animal experimentation. The last group of 312 beagles was removed from the facility earlier today and of that, 52 are en route to the Humane Society of the United States’ care center. In the coming days, they will be transported to independent shelter and rescue partners to find loving homes. Since July, the Humane Society of the United States has been leading the operation to remove the beagles from Envigo RMS LLC’s facility in Cumberland, Virginia, at the request of the United States Department of Justice. The transfer resulted from a lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice in May, which alleged shocking violations of the Animal Welfare Act at the breeding facility. Kitty Block, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, said: “Our Animal Rescue Team’s work to transfer these beagles is a milestone in a fight we’ve been waging for years. It’s ironic that these dogs were only spared from a lifetime of pain, suffering and isolation in testing labs because this breeding facility was cited for Animal Welfare Act violations. Most of them would have been sold and spent their short lives in laboratories. Many people don’t realize that an average of 60,000 dogs just like these are still used in laboratories each year. Even as we celebrate these lucky dogs going to loving homes, we’re focused on creating a future where no dogs will face that kind of fate.” Since the start of this massive task, thousands of beagles have been placed with more than 100 shelters and rescues across the country. This is a true story of triumph and new beginnings for thousands of dogs, most of whom were once destined for a life of suffering and death because of laboratory testing. “It’s been an incredible journey for the HSUS and our Animal Rescue Team to lead this transfer of approximately 4,000 beagles. Through the help of over 120 shelter and rescue partners, we were able to remove every dog from the facility in approximately two months and begin the process of finding them new, loving homes. Now the beagles’ next steps begin as they enjoy their new lease on life. The HSUS will continue the work of promoting alternatives to animal testing so that this antiquated practice may come to an end,” said Miguel Abi-hassan, chief animal rescue, care and sanctuary officer for the Humane Society of the United States. “We ask those touched by this story to join our efforts so that this may be the last time we are asked to empty a facility that profits from animal testing.” People interested in adopting one of the beagles should view the list of partners that are accepting the beagles into their adoption programs. FYI [REPRINTED] Lawsuit seeks to restore federal protections to Northern Rockies wolves after government misses deadline WASHINGTON—Wildlife conservation organizations sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today for missing its deadline to decide whether gray wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains warrant federal protection under the Endangered Species Act. The deadline was set following a May 2021 petition filed by the Center for Biological Diversity, the Humane Society of the United States, Humane Society Legislative Fund and Sierra Club. The petition asked the Service to again protect gray wolves in the northern Rockies after Idaho and Montana enacted aggressive wolf-killing laws last year. It asked for emergency protection and immediate relisting of wolves under the Endangered Species Act, arguing that federal protection is necessary to prevent wolves from being virtually eradicated from the northern Rockies as a result of the new laws. “Because Idaho and Montana are hellbent on eradicating wolves from their states, these animals desperately need federal protection now,” said Andrea Zaccardi, carnivore conservation legal director at the Center. “The Fish and Wildlife Service can’t stand idly by while these states let hunters and trappers kill hundreds of wolves every year.” Idaho law now allows the state to hire private contractors to kill wolves, lets hunters and trappers kill an unlimited number of wolves, and permits year-round trapping on private land. It also allows hunters and trappers to kill wolves using hounds or by chasing them down with all-terrain vehicles. In Montana wolf-hunters can now use night-vision scopes and spotlights on private land, strangulation snares on public and private land, and bait to lure wolves across the state. A single hunter can now purchase up to 10 wolf-hunting licenses, and trappers have a bag limit of 10 wolves; a person who has both hunting and trapping tags can thus kill 20 of the animals. Montana’s new laws also extend the wolf-trapping season by four weeks and approve a bounty program to reimburse hunters and trappers for costs associated with killing wolves. “Time is running out for wolves in the northern Rockies,” said Nicholas Arrivo, managing attorney for wildlife at the Humane Society of the United States. “If federal action is not taken urgently, another deadly season of cruel, unregulated slaughter may leave us without much of a population to protect.” In September 2021 the Service issued an initial finding stating that high levels of human-caused mortality may be threatening wolves and that the federal protection requested by the May 2021 petition may be warranted. But the Service missed its deadline to make a final determination on whether to institute that protection. Under federal law, the agency is required to make its final decision within one year of receiving the petition. “These aggressive new wolf-killing laws in Montana and Idaho allow virtual eradication of northern Rockies gray wolves and set recovery efforts back by decades,” said Bonnie Rice, a senior representative of the Sierra Club. “These laws shred the framework that the Fish and Wildlife Service agreed to in delisting wolves in 2011 and handing their management over to the states. The Service must recognize the grave impacts to wolves from these egregious laws and reinstate federal protections immediately.” Wolves in Idaho, Montana, eastern Washington, eastern Oregon and northern Utah lost federal protections through a congressional legislative rider in 2011. Following a court battle, wolves in Wyoming also lost federal protection in 2012. Since losing Endangered Species Act protection, wolves in the northern Rockies have fallen victim to widespread persecution. Today’s lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court of Montana. The suit asks that the court set a binding date by which the Service must issue its finding on the need to protect gray wolves in the northern Rockies. Fall wolf-hunting seasons will be underway soon, with the opening of trapping season following shortly thereafter. LINDA’S LINE It’s hard to believe how quickly the year has passed. It’s October, and autumn is in full swing with the trees all showing their beautiful colors of red, orange and gold. I would like to start out by wishing all of our friends, and members a HAPPY COLUMBUS DAY. We also celebrate Halloween this month, and a reminder to please keep an eye out for pranksters, as there are a lot of sick people out there, who would cause harm to the strays, and possibly our pets. Unfortunately, most children will probably not be Trick or Treating this Halloween, but if they do, please keep your pets away from the candy that they bring home. Candy is very dangerous to animals, especially chocolate. A reminder that the cold winter months will soon be upon us, so let’s all try to make sure that we have our shelters ready, so that the strays will have a warm place to go with plenty of food, and water. Please remember that, even though the COVID-19 situation has improved greatly here in New York, it is not the same for other parts of the country - the pandemic is far from over, and we are now dealing with a variant that is dangerous to those who have not yet been vaccinated. So please continue to be vigilant. We have been hearing on the news, that the mandate on wearing masks may be lifted in many places. I realize that this is of great concern to many people in this country, especially senior citizens. So, if it makes you feel more comfortable to continue to wear a mask, then by all means do so, for your protection and that of others around you. It is patriotic, and we are all Americans. If you still have not been vaccinated, PLEASE do not hesitate to do so, as these vaccinations WILL help to keep you, and those around you, safe. The cold weather is coming, and top doctors are telling us that we still need to be very careful. So please do not let your guard down. Continue to protect yourself, and stay safe. We are still in Hurricane season. A reminder to pet owners – if you are in an area that is affected by a hurricane, and you are forced to leave your home due to flooding etc., PLEASE REMEMBER TO TAKE YOUR PETS WITH YOU. Do NOT leave them behind. Remember that they are used to being cared for by their owners, and they could not survive without you. This month is also Adopt A Shelter Pet Month. So, if you are thinking of adopting a pet, please consider adopting from a shelter, rather than buying one from a pet store. There are so many wonderful pets in the shelters that are waiting to be adopted, and deserve a good, loving forever home. Many of them are pets that have been displaced from their owners, due to storms etc. Please consider giving one of these poor creatures a loving home as well. That’s all for now, but I’ll be back next month. G-d Bless you all, be safe and enjoy the holidays. CLOSING THOUGHT Happy Columbus Day to our Italian friends, and to everyone else. Columbus discovered America, and that’s for all of us. Enjoy the good parts of Halloween. As always, we need more Adam, Eve and Sponsor-A-Stray members. Please pass our newsletter around Please remember – see a stray, help a stray. Please Remember Our Troops “We salute you for all you have done. Your courage has kept us safe. Your sacrifice has kept us free. All of America owes you more than we can repay. Please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you. We are behind you all the way – From the battlefield. . .to recovery!” To help our supporters, who shop on Amazon, to support Save Our Strays through the Amazon Smile program, please go to Google and type in AmazonSmile.com. You will then be directed to a home screen that says AmazonSmile in the upper left-hand corner. Log in with your Amazon account (email/phone number and password). If you are already logged in, just go to the search bar, and type in “SAVE OUR STRAYS INC.” Then select the second option, “Brooklyn, NY.” Click on the Amazon Smile LOGO in the top left corner of your Amazon page. Once you have done this, Under the word ALL in the search bar you should see a line that says “SUPPORTING: SAVE OUR STRAYS.” Now you are ready to shop. Amazon will donate 0.5% of your purchase to Save Our Strays Inc. Amazon has a large variety of gifts that are perfect for all holidays (keep in mind that Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa are just around the corner) and occasions i.e.: birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, christenings, bar mitzvahs and lovely gifts for all occasions. Items that they have are: electronics, jewelry, clothing and more. You may have to set up an Amazon account to use Smile. Please try. It is important. (See instructions on the next page.) AMAZON SET-UP PAGE GOOD NEWS Supporters of Save Our Strays can now use the Amazon shopping app on iOS and Android mobile phones! Simply follow these instructions to turn on Amazon Smile, and start generating donations. Please pass this on to anyone who uses Amazon, and doesn’t necessarily have a charity that they support. Now is the chance to support Save Our Strays. The funds go for food, and medical treatment. We are certainly a worth cause. A dollar spent this way feeds an animal in need. Amazon Smile is now in the Amazon Shopping app You can now support Save Our Strays on iPhone, and Android phones. If you do not have the latest version of the Amazon Shopping app, please update your app. How to turn on Amazon Smile in the mobile app – instructions below. 1 Join Amazon Smile If you are already an Amazon Smile member, sign up on your web browser. Simply select Save Our Strays to start generating donations, at no cost to you. 2 Get the app Download or update the latest version of the Amazon Smile Shopping app on your phone. You can find it in the App Store for iOS or Google Play for Android. 3 Turn on Amazon Smile Open the app, and find “Settings” in the main menu. Tap on “Amazon Smile,” and follow the on-screen instructions to turn on Amazon Smile on your phone.
Amazon Smile benefits Same products, same prices, no cost to you. Amazon Smile has the exact same low prices, Vast selection, and convenient shopping as the Amazon you know. Till next time, Waggin’ Tales 
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