CLEAR OUT YOUR CLUTTER TO HELP WILDLIFE!

The DFW Wildlife Coalition is welcoming spring by kicking off a campaign designed to raise much-needed funds for the nonprofit organization, create awareness of wildlife issues, and help all of us clear out accumulated clutter.

With the message “Clean Out Your Nest so We Can Feather Theirs,” the DFW Wildlife Coalition is asking area residents and businesses to search their homes, garages, outside storage units, offices and warehouses for any unwanted or unused items that can be resold on eBay. They’ve made it as simple and easy as possible by contracting with EasySale to pick up items directly from donors and handle the sale. Donors will be given a tax receipt from DFW Wildlife Coalition.

“With the current economic climate, we are all looking for ways to save money,” said Prudi Martin-Koeninger, president of the DFW Wildlife Coalition. “Each of us has items that we no longer use that can benefit our organization's educational development needs.”

Prudi says that, through the Coalition’s hotline, its volunteers educate the public daily on “humane solutions for urban wildlife conflicts.” They also explain the choices available that can save homeowners and businesses valuable dollars while humanely evicting or coexisting with wildlife.

Among the “hot sellers” on eBay these days are everyday household items, including dinnerware, crystal and china, cameras, video games, sporting equipment, bicycles, cars, boats, collectibles, sports memorabilia, musical instruments, lamps, clocks, auto and motorcycle parts, designer clothing and ladies handbags.

Business items that sell well include office furniture, medical equipment, phone systems, older but working laptops, flat screen monitors, discontinued stock, tools, vending machines and even specialized items like floor buffers and pallet jacks.

The campaign begins the first day of Spring, Friday, March 20, and runs through April 6. To donate gently used items and help wildlife efforts throughout North Texas, call 817-640-EASY (3279) or go to www.easysaleinc.com, click on the “Donate” icon, and then click on the DFW Wildlife Coalition icon. EasySale will schedule a convenient time to pickup the items.

Proceeds from the “Clean Out Your Nest so We Can Feather Theirs” campaign will directly benefit the Coalition’s WildSpeak! youth programs that provide necessary education about coexisting with native Texas wildlife.

For more information about the DFW Wildlife Coalition or to view helpful hints for handling specific wildlife issues and concerns, call 972-234-WILD (9453) or visit www.dfwwildlife.org.

- By Jonnie England
Metroplex Animal Coalition

New Dallas Ordinance Prohibits Animals as Auction Items

Springtime is a prime time for nonprofits and schools to host fund-raising events, so this is a good time to remind everyone that it is illegal in the City of Dallas to offer puppies, kittens or any live animal as auction prizes.

Last summer the Dallas City Council passed new ordinances to improve the quality of life for animals, including Sec. 7-7.6, which makes it illegal to sell, exchange, raffle, auction or give away—or offer to sell, exchange, raffle or give away—any live animal as “a prize; an inducement to enter a place of amusement or a business establishment; or an inducement to participate in a charitable fund-raising event.”

Here’s what happens at so many charity events that have auctioned animals in the past: You’re at an event, feeling generous, supporting a cause you care about—maybe enjoying a drink or two. Suddenly you see the cutest puppy EVER! Caught up in the emotion and cheered on by your friends, you make the high bid—after all, it’s for a good cause. You get home, reality sets in, and you have a living, breathing puppy to care for. What were you thinking??

The reasoning for the new ordinance is simple and makes perfect sense to animal-welfare organizations: Adopting a puppy or kitten should be a thoughtful, deliberate decision—not one that’s made at the spur of the moment or as an emotional response. It’s a lifetime commitment that requires a great deal of time and financial resources.

While some nonprofits and schools may be upset to learn of this new law, it’s a good thing for the animals!

For more information about all the ordinances concerning animals in Dallas (tethering, intact animals, dogs in pickup truck beds, pet limits and more), go to http://www.dallascityhall.com/.

-Jonnie England
Metroplex Animal Coalition

Preventing Dog Bites & Protecting Your Family

There’s no way to ensure that your dog will never bite, but there are steps you can take to reduce the risk. Jonnie England, Metroplex Animal Coalition Director of Animal Advocacy's recent column for Oak Cliff Online tells how. Just follow this LINK.


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KRLD’s Dangerous Dogs Segment Audio Online Now

KRLD has posted the audio from last Friday's special edition of the KRLD Nightly News Roundup devoted to the issue of "Dangerous Dogs." Guests included Metroplex Animal Coalition Director of Animal Advocacy Jonnie England, Dallas Animal Services Manager Kent Robertson, animal law attorney Yolanda Eisenstein and Adam from the Humane Society of the United States. Keep reading for links to this great segment!

Help Defeat House Bill HB 1046

HB 1046, the bill that would allow appeals in civil seizure cases involving cruelty to animals will be heard before the Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence Committee at 2:00 pm, Monday, March 16, 2009, in Room E2.010, the Capitol Extension Building, Austin, Texas.

Thank you to those who responded to our original Action Alert to oppose this bill. Your calls, letters and emails have been duly noted by the members of the Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence Committee and are having a BIG impact. Now's the chance to put the final nail in this bill's coffin!!

Background
Under current law when law enforcement officers seize cruelly treated animals the trial to determine whether or not the owner will be divested of ownership is held within 10 days in a Municipal or Justice of the Peace Court and the decision of that court is final and not appealable. HB 1046 will change that and allow the owner to appeal the Municipal or Justice Court's decision and get an entirely new trial.

Action NeededPlease contact or re-contact the members of the Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence Committee and ask them to oppose HB 1046. Also, if possible, please come to Austin to sign in as opposing this bill. You will not be asked to testify, all you have to do is sign a card and turn it in to the clerk.

Talking Points
HB 1046 will make the seizure and disposition of cruelly treated animals by law enforcement officers much more difficult and much more expensive.

• If this bill passes, many small towns and lesser populated counties (where starving horses and puppy mills most often are) will not have the resources to pursue these types of cases.
• Allowing appeals will cause additional expense to the cities and counties to keep and care for the animals during the appeal process which could last for months.
• During this time, the seized animals (which often total in the hundreds and are almost always malnourished and sick) will suffer longer and cannot be adopted or, when necessary, be euthanized.
• Taxpayers should not have to pay the expense of keeping cruelly treated animals.

Contact Information
Contact the members of the Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence Committee at these adresses:

Representatives Email 512 Phone/Fax
Todd Hunter (Chair) todd.hunter@house.state.tx.us463-0672/463-2101
Bryan Hughes (Vice-Chair) bryan.hughes@house.state.tx.us 463-0271/463-1515
Roberto Alonzo roberto.alonzo@house.state.tx.us 463-0408/463-1817
Dan Branch dan.branch@house.state.tx.us 463-0367/322-9935
Will Hartnett will.hartnett@house.state.tx.us 463-0576/463-7827
Jim Jackson jim.jackson@house.state.tx.us 463-0468/463-1044
David Leibowit david.leibowitz@house.state.tx.us 463-0269/320-0555
Tryon Lewis tryon.lewis@house.state.tx.us 463-0546/463-8067
Jerry Madden jerry.madden@house.state.tx.us 463-0544/463-9974
Armando "Mando" Martinez mando.martinez@house.state.tx.us 463-0530/463-0849
Beverly Woolley beverly.woolley@house.state.tx.us 463-0696/463-9333

Please call, write/FAX or email each of them to oppose the bill

Ask your friends and neighbors to do the same. As always, please be courteous and polite when communicating with the Representative and their staff.

HSNT Rescues Bengal Tiger

The Humane Society of North Texas, a MAC Member Group, recently removed a 250 pound full-grown adult Bengal tiger from a home in Hamilton County after officer's determined his cage was filthy and inadequate, he was not registered as is required by law, and he appeared malnourished. The big cat, named Hamilton, was understandably frightened when he first arrived at the shelter, and was only about half the weight he should be. But now with good meals- a whopping 10-15 pounds of fresh meat a day – things are looking up and Hamilton is beginning to feel at home. The Humane Society of North Texas is actively pursuing a quality sanctuary for permanent placement. To find out more about Hamilton’s story and see more fabulous pictures of this gorgeous big cat, visit HSNT at www.hsnt.org.

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MAC on KRLD Tonight - Dangerous Dogs Segment!

TONIGHT! Friday, March 6, from 7 to 8 p.m., KRLD 1080 will air a live,one-hour show on Dangerous Dogs. The subject is a hot topic now in light of three attacks or bites by pit bulls in the past 10 days and DallasMorning News columnist Jacquielynn Floyd's columns favoring a ban on thebreeding and sale (but not ownership) of pit bull breeds. Guests on the KRLD program are Kent Robertson with Dallas Animal Services,Jonnie England with the Metroplex Animal Coalition, Animal Law AttorneyYolanda Eisenstein and Adam Goldfarb with The HSUS. Tune in Friday from 7 to 8 p.m. on KRLD 1080, or listen online at krld.com!

Texas Unites for Animal Welfare Conference

The Texas Federation of Humane Societies (TFHS) and the Texas Animal Shelter Coalition (TASC) have joined forces to host the biggest and best animal welfare conference in Texas. The Lone Star Conference runs April 18 – April 21 in Austin and includes fantastic workshops in three tracks: Field & Shelter Services, Placement Strategies for Increasing Adoptions, and Animal Health & Wellness. DFW animal welfare groups are urged to take advantage of this great opportunity to attend a first class Conference close to home. Registration fees are only $ 75 for members and $95 for nonmembers. For more details about the conference or to register, visit http://www.texasunites.com/.

Area Pets Suffer As Economy Worsens

Last week the Fort Worth Star Telegram ran an excellent article about the effect the economy is having on pets and the rescue groups and shelters that try to save them. Find out how three MAC Member Groups are coping – Operation Kindness, Legacy Boxer Rescue & the Humane Society of North Texas, get tips for keeping your pet-related costs down, and find out about fostering or adopting an abandoned pet at http://www.star-telegram.com/living/story/1222898.html

MAC Spay/Neuters 11,429 Animals!

Since it’s inception in 2002, the Metroplex Animal Coalition’s Patt Davis Memorial Spay/Neuter fund has spent just over half a million dollars to sterilize 11,429 animals at an average cost of only $ 50. You may find it hard to believe, but 97.5% of MAC’s income goes directly to spay/neuter program expenses with only 2.2% going to administrative/fundraising costs. With MAC – your dollars work harder!

Wildcare Plans Triage Center For Injured Wildlife!

Wildcare, a MAC Member Group, recently announced plans for a Wildcare Triage Center. Unlike most large US cities, DFW doesn’t have a centrally-located wildlife rehab facility where animals can receive immediate care from trained wildlife specialists. Many times sick or injured animals suffer or die because the people who find them don’t know how to find a wildlife rehabilitator. The Wildcare Triage Center will be able to take in injured wildlife of all kinds, give them immediate medical attention, and ultimately transfer them to state licensed rehabbers. For more information, visit www.wildcaretx.org.