Sparta Police Officer Arrested for Dog Fighting

SPARTA, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) –Sparta Police Officer Travis Edwards is in jail, charged with dogfighting and cruelty to animals.

The GBI made the arrest Monday after getting a tip from the public and information from the district attorney's office.

When investigators searched his home in Hancock County, they found and confiscated several pit-bulls.

42-year old Reginald Shivers of Milledgeville was also arrested and faces the same charges.

Both men were taken to the Hancock County Jail, but Edwards was moved to an undisclosed jail for his protection.

Innocent dog seized, held for execution in Virginia

She is the eyes of the blind, the healer of suffering, abused children; yet her own life now hangs in the balance. The story of Lady Marie Bear as tragic as it is infuriating. In November, an officer from the Nelson County Animal Control (http://nelsoncounty.com/animalcontrol/) of Lovingston, VA, seized Lady Marie Bear, a rescued dog who had been assisting in healing work benefiting abused children, and put the dog on death row.

Months prior, Lady was homeless and abused, escaping the traps of the Nelson County Animal Control in search of a loving and caring home. That she found with Glen Marie Friend, street missionary at Messiah’s Embassy in Lovingston, and her other pets. Not only did Lady become a loving part of this family: she also proved to be a healer to the suffering children and people helped by her owner’s missionary work.

For reasons unknown, a female officer from the Nelson County Animal Control of Lovingston suddenly raided Friend’s residence on Thanksgiving Day and demanded that Lady Marie Bear be handed over to her because she had reportedly bitten a person. When Friend demanded evidence of this, or a warrant to take the dog, the officer had none.
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Click ==>here<== to sign the Save Lady Marie Bear petition.

Rescue Group Coordinator Position with HSUS in Gaithersburg, MD

We are happy to share this posting for an open position on behalf of our friends at The Humane Society of the United States:

Rescue Group Coordinator

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), the largest animal protection organization in the nation, seeks to fill a newly created position, Rescue Group Coordinator, to serve as a liaison between The HSUS and the all-pet and breed-specific rescue group communities and to enhance ability of HSUS to meet the unique needs of rescue groups.

The general responsibilities of the new Rescue Group Coordinator will include creating new tools and programs to assist rescue groups in their work, improve relationships and collaboration between rescue organizations and traditional brick-and-mortar shelters, and assess existing HSUS programs to enhance rescue group participation and support to ultimately increase pet adoption and rescue. Candidates for the position must not only have a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent and 4-6 years personal experience with rescue groups, they must demonstrate a strong history of coalition building, community activism, and program implementation and development.

Candidates must also have excellent writing, research and verbal communication skills, a willingness to travel, and media savvy. Salary range for this position is in the low $40s, based on qualifications and experience. Please submit a cover letter and resume via The HSUS website at www.humanesociety.org/about/ by following the directions within the Rescue Group Coordinator job description or fax to 301-548-7701. This position is based in Gaithersburg, MD (candidates must be willing and able to relocate upon hiring).

Crackdown on Spectators at Animal Fights

Bipartisan legislation, S. 1947/H.R. 2492, has been introduced by U.S. Reps. Tom Marino, R-Pa., and Betty Sutton, D-Ohio, and by Senators Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Mark Kirk, R-Ill., Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and Scott Brown, R-Mass., that would prohibit knowing attendance at organized animal fights and impose additional penalties for causing a minor to attend such events.

Over the past decade, Congress has strengthened the penalties for and closed major loopholes in the federal animal fighting law, but has left the issue of spectators unaddressed. The legislation will correct this remaining gap in federal law to allow for a more comprehensive crackdown on this barbaric activity.

TAKE ACTION

Please make a brief, polite phone call to your two U.S. Senators and U.S. Representative to urge co-sponsorship of S. 1947/H.R. 2492. Look up your legislators' phone numbers. You can say: "I would like you to please co-sponsor S. 1947/H.R. 2492 to prohibit knowing attendance at an animal fighting event and bringing a minor to such a cruel event. Spectators fuel the dogfighting and cockfighting industries, making them profitable."

After making your phone call (please do not skip that crucial step!), fill in and submit the form here to automatically send a follow-up message to your two U.S. Senators and U.S. Representative. Congress receives a lot of email, so be sure to edit your message so it stands out.

MRPS Adopt-A-Thon this Saturday, the 11th!

$1 Million National Spay/Neuter Grant Program from PetSmart Charities

Cats & Pit Bull Terriers Will Benefit from Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Surgeries

PHOENIX (January 25, 2012) — PetSmart Charities®, the country’s largest funder of spay/neuter efforts, has announced a new $1 million national spay/neuter grant program aimed at saving the lives of pets that have the highest risk of being euthanized due to overcrowding in shelters: cats and pit bull terriers.

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Anyone? I can't believe I didn't know already.