Inside This Issue:
- Gut Health, Brains, and Mice
- A Ban on Dog, Cat, and Rabbit Sales Takes Its Next Logical Step
- Are You Ready for Snake Yoga?
- Two Philosophers Conclude: Pet Ownership Bad
- One Big Seizure of Animals and Hundreds of Cruelty Charges
Gut Health, Brains, and Mice
This brilliant little pontificator's gut biome clearly carries very low levels of P. goldsteinii.
The relationship between gut health and our minds – our emotional, mental, even cognitive health – has been known for quite a while. And thanks to mice we may be another step closer to fully understanding the mechanisms behind this relationship. In a study out of the UK, a type of bacteria (Parabacteroides goldsteinii) that blocks signals running from gut to brain was identified in older mice with cognitive decline.
This decline was demonstrated by an inability to recognize familiar objects. When this bacteria was introduced to younger mice, within only a month, they began exhibiting similar signs of decline. Conversely, wiping out the bacteria in older mice “reset” their brains, and they began functioning as if they were much younger. Groups like PeTA are quick to reverse their “a rat is a pig is a dog is a boy” stance when it comes to biomedical research – suddenly, nothing is analogous or useful, and every medical breakthrough that utilized animal research is but a lucky accident that occurred in spite of its use of animal models, rather than because of it. And indeed, we must admit: mice are not humans. However, like mice, we possess a similar gut-brain “circuit,” and the findings of this research are incredibly tantalizing; the potential and possibilities for future gut-targeted therapies are huge. In the words of Dr. Cindy Buckmaster (NAIA board member and an all-around wonderful human being): thank you, mice!
Source: Memory loss is fuelled by gut microbes in ageing mice
A Ban on Dog, Cat, and Rabbit Sales Takes Its Next Logical Step
Did you really think they'd stop at dogs and cats?
Direct Action Everywhere (DxE), apparently bored with their usual routine of stealing chickens, decided to spend part of last weekend waving banners in front of the El Cerrito Petco. Their claim this time? That Petco’s live animal sales are the root of all cruelty. In their own words, posted gleefully on Yelp, they “investigated” the store and found what they say are sick animals, empty cages, and a hamster with the audacity to pace. For DxE, this was enough to prove industry-wide neglect. Not that proof is necessary when your ideology is based on belief, of course: the health and happiness of animals is actually irrelevant when you view the sale of animals as an irrefutable evil.
California already shut down the sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits in pet stores, and despite all the unintended consequences that caused, it isn’t enough. It was never enough – dogs and cats are just the easiest way for animal rights groups to get their nose under the tent. Nobody who has any experience with or understanding of the animal rights philosophy – and more importantly, the theater of activist fundraising – is surprised that this was the next step.
Are You Ready for Snake Yoga?
You know, she really does appear calm and mindful.
HISSS, a Portland, Oregon reptile store recently provided us with a “now I’ve heard of everything” moment by offering up snake yoga classes. Yes, snakes. Big ones. And it’s actually more than just snakes – participants in HISSS’ classes might encounter geckos, tortoises, or other reptiles, too. Having a snake literally slither over your face or coil itself around you as you hold a pose sounds distracting, and is no doubt a recurring nightmare for some folks outside the yoga studio, but participants and instructor alike are quick to label it as a “calming” experience that teaches “mindfulness.”
Well hey, that’s certainly one way of framing it. Light snark aside, this is undoubtedly a unique and educational experience for participants! Also, note that the animals are monitored for their welfare and safety, and this service can even double as a form of exposure therapy. Reptiles are beautifully fascinating animals that we appreciate both as wildlife and as pets – it’s always great to see them getting some much deserved love!
Source: Over puppy yoga? Try it with snakes.
Two Philosophers Conclude: Pet Ownership Bad
Have the philosophers ever met a cat?
Philosophers Angie Pepper and Richard Healey have had enough of your Instagram-famous goldfish. In their view, pet ownership isn’t just about walking your dog or vacuuming up cat hair; it’s a diabolical power play where humans manufacture animal dependence for their own entertainment (this reminds us of the ol’ PeTA “Pet ownership is an absolutely abysmal situation brought about by human manipulation" chestnut). According to them, it’s morally indefensible to keep pets, because it turns animals into perpetual children, stripped of freedom and dignity, forced to eat what you feed them, unable to reproduce unless you allow it, and even made to wear silly Halloween costumes. They point out that pets now outnumber children in some countries, and the pet industry is booming – confirming their bias that we’re obsessed.
So, no matter how much you think you love Rex or Mittens, you’re still the dictator of their tiny, fluffy universe. The philosophers argue that animal welfare laws and outrage over abuse don’t go far enough. Even “good” owners, they claim, can’t possibly meet all their pets’ needs, and the very institution of pet-keeping is so morally bankrupt that the only ethical answer is to abolish it in its entirety. Forget more education or stricter laws: if you can’t justify your power over animals by appealing to their interests (not your own), you’re an oppressor!
Well, that’s certainly, uh… a view. And while it’s safe to assume that you, as a subscriber to our newsletter, don’t agree with the philosophy, it is always worth knowing how the “other side” is trying to shape the debate about animal ownership and care. So, with that in mind: what do you think about owning pets?
Source: The unjust power dynamics of pet ownership
One Big Seizure of Animals and Hundreds of Cruelty Charges
How many goats could you responsibly take care of?
Earlier this week, an elderly Pennsylvanian couple keeping 61 goats along with several donkeys, horses, and dogs was hit with over 300 charges of animal cruelty for alleged neglect and mistreatment. Most, if not all of the animals have been seized. According to the complaint, insufficient water and food was available for the animals, the couple had not provided their animals with necessary care (as evidenced by overgrown and cracked hooves), and the entire property reeked of animal waste – including indoor ammonia levels that registered so high as to be “corrosive.”
Prior to the charges and animal seizure, the couple had been visited by officials and informed that conditions were unacceptable. They were also provided with contact information for several farriers that could provide relief to the hooved animals on the property. On a follow up visit, the couple admitted they hadn’t bothered contacting anybody for help, and it appeared the food and water situation had not been corrected, either. After the charges were filed, they were quoted, perhaps weakly stating the obvious, that they were just “too old” to handle all the animals on their property.
Stories like this are always thought-provoking in a depressing way – not only for the neglected and abused animals, which is obvious, but also for the communities where these crimes occur, and sometimes even for the perpetrators themselves. Clearly the couple wasn’t taking proper care of their animals, and officials did the right thing by giving them a chance to improve the situation on their own before resorting to harsher measures. However, how many chances do you give, and how many resources do you expend on someone who isn’t willing to improve – or even learn? Answering this question smartly is vital – especially considering how precious those resources are. On the other hand, no matter what the local SPCA’s demands may be, you don’t want to go full-on police state with people and their animals. Addiction, mental illness, dementia, and other afflictions can collide with animal care – and with lightning speed (“the difference between a good, clean kennel and criminal charges can be as little as 72 hours”). So how quickly do you want to give up on someone who has, up until recently, taken good care of their animals? Striking the perfect balance between a state of individual liberties, where citizens are provided with unlimited opportunities to do the right thing by their animals vs. kicking down an elderly person’s front door and seizing their goats at the first sign of low body weight or cracked hooves is a fool’s quest, but seeking out a good balance, where the states of people as well as their animals are considered is an imperfect goal that is very much worth striving for.
Source: ‘We are too old to keep up:’ 300+ charges filed after animals seized in Fulton County
Also in the News...
★ Thousands of pets being abandoned in Dubai as owners flee over Iran war (War; Pet Ownership & Safety)
★ Berkeley County Animal Shelter offers free adoptions amid ongoing construction (Rescue & Shelter Opportunities)
★ Scientists Get a Glimpse of How New Pandemics Are Made (Zoonotic Viruses; COVID-19)
★ Rosamond Gifford Zoo gets a new director and welcomes rare animals (Zoo Life; Conservation, Education, and Public Engagement)
★ Sheriff investigating animal cruelty after dozens of huskies seized from Hyde Park barn (Animal Welfare Investigations)
★ Three rabid animals diagnosed in Bedford and Campbell counties (Rabies; Public Health & Safety)
★ Rideshare companies accommodate riders with service animals (ADA, Lyft Settlement)
★ Six months of Wag Wednesday: Meet 4 adoptable dogs from Kern County Animal Services (Cute & Adoptable Lists; Rescue & Shelter Opportunities)
Click here to see what is happening legislatively
