2011, A year to celebrate.

As we welcome in the new year, animal lovers are celebrating all the great achievements that were made in 2011. Peta.org publishes an annual review documenting all of the progress they have made in the past year. Peta has been a key player in the fight against animal cruelty and their contributions in the past year have been paramount. Peta's undercover investigation of Professional Laboratory and Research Services Inc. led to the indictment of former workers for animal cruelty. Through their mobile clinic they spayed and neutered over 11,000 animals in the southeast and by educating Papaya Clothing company, they prompted them to remove fur from 90 outlets. In 2011, Peta also filled requests for 650,000 vegetarian starter kits, making it easier to become a vegetarian or vegan. There were many great steps taken towards the fight against animal cruelty, but there is even more that can be done. The new year is a time for change and resolutions, so what better time to make a positive change and join the fight for animal rights? Become vegetarian, throw away your fur, join Peta, whatever it may be, this new year do something good for animals.

How far would you go?

Fur? I'd rather go naked. Peta's "I'd rather go naked than wear fur campaign" has been in progress for many years. With famous participants including Khloe Kardashian, Eva Mendes, Holly Madison, and Elisabetta Canalis, this campaign has caught the attention of animal lovers and fur owners alike. Killing animals for their fur is an extremely cruel and brutal process. Many of these animals are skinned alive, and left to die. Others are electrocuted, burned, beaten and mutilated. In my opinion, Peta has the right idea in speaking out against this horrible act. There are so many alternatives for fur, that there is absolutely no excuse. Although this campaign is for a good cause, it is a very racy approach. There is no doubt that it demands attention, however, many could argue that this type of campaign makes a serious issue into somewhat of a joke. Do you think this campaign is an appropriate way to advocate against wearing fur?

Dog fighting ring under investigation, raises awareness about a serious problem

On Nov. 8, three people were finally charged with dog fighting charges after an ongoing investigation for three years in Sullivan County Tennessee. The Sullivan Sheriff's department combined efforts with the United States Humane Society to arrest the three perpetrators who have been fighting dogs and roosters.The dogs who were involved in the fights were tied up with logging chains and left in cages without food or water. These animals were covered in scars from the brutal battles they were forced to endure on a daily basis. In an interview with wcyb.com. animal activist Susan Tichenor said,  "Animals don't have a voice. They don't have anybody really to back them up. If they're involved in something like that, they don't have a voice." This case has shed some light on this important issue. People must take responsibility to help prevent this cruelty.

There are many institutions such as the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the United States Humane Society who look out for the well being of animals and do their best to prevent cruelty. However, dog fighting is still occuring across the nation. American citizens must step up to prevent this cruel acts. There are many signs that point to a dog fighting operation. If citizens see any of these signs they should immediately alert authorities. This includes scarred animals, pit bulls restrained by heavy chains, wood or metal fighting pits and treadmills with harnesses attached. It is important for Americans to assist cruelty-free organizations in the fight against the mistreatment of animals. It is obvious that dog fighting is still a prominent issue in America. Dogs are beaten nearly to death, and exposed to harsh conditions with little food and water. These dogs are left scarred, and many of them are killed by this horrible act. Whether it be donating money to the ASPCA or reporting suspicious activities, each person must do their duty in helping prevent this horrifying form of animal cruelty. 

Analysis of My Posts

I want to analyze my writing on my blog thus far, and explore what posts work best for me. In my personal opinion, my weakest post was my post on guide dogs. I felt my writing was lacking, and I could have done more with the subject. I rushed through this post, and I actually had to edit it the following day for grammar issues. Besides the introduction, this was the first real blog post I have ever done. I am not extremely knowledgeable about guide dogs, so this post required some research. I feel that I should have made this post about a more specific aspect of guide dogs. I think my writing for this post could have been more succinct and I could have expanded more. After looking over this post, I realized it could be beneficial to go into deeper detail with my writing. Also, I should read my posts out loud and look over them multiple times before posting them.

In contrast, I thought my post about my dog Lily was quite strong. I also found this post the easiest to write, likely because it was about my own dog and I knew exactly what I wanted to say. My writing was clear and in a sensible order. This post did not have the grammar issues like my guide dog post. I felt that the way this post was written sounded more confident and put together than some of my other posts. Something else I did differently was I planned out what information I wanted to include and in what order. I think this was helpful and it made my blog easier to read.

It's easy to cruelty free!

Besides being an animal lover, I also consider myself a bit of a makeup junkie. A common problem that I often face is buying from cosmetic companies that do not test on animals. I do not want to support any companies who think it is okay to test on innocent creatures. In 2004 over one million animals were being tested on. Animal testing is cruel and can be extremely painful for the animal. Luckily, today there are so many alternatives to animal testing making it easier than ever for companies to be animal friendly. After much research I realized that a lot of my favorite makeup brands do not test on animals at all. Popular brands such as MAC cosmetics, Nars, Laura Mercier, Lush and Lorac are against animal testing and do not test their products on animals. I avoid companies such as Avon, Estee Lauder, Lancome and L'Oreal as they are on Peta's "Do Test" list.

One makeup line in particular stood out in making the effort to be animal friendly. The products pictured above are from Urban Decay's line of "vegan" makeup. Urban Decay not only is against animal testing, but they are activists for the fair treatment of animals. Urban Decay doesn't animal test, but they also have an entire line of vegan makeup that does not contain any animal products whatsoever. Each of their products is stamped with their cruelty-free motto: "We don't do animal testing. How could anyone?" These products are animal friendly and super high quality. Now that I have realized how easy it is to avoid animal testing, I am never going to buy products from a company who does so. Every day is an opportunity to be cruelty-free. Start small and you'll be surprised at how easy it is.

Meet Lily!

It has been requested that I include posts of my own animals on this blog, and I am glad to oblige. I plan to include pictures and information about all of my animals eventually, but definitely not consecutively because I want to vary my content. I decided to start with Lily, isn't she adorable? Lily is a four year old Maltese Lhasa Apso mix. She is very tiny and weighs about nine pounds. Lily originally belonged to my brother, but he started to work very long hours and he felt guilty leaving her home alone all day. At the time, my family already had three dogs, so we did not think having another dog was a good idea. Lily was placed with multiple family friends, but all of her potential families were concerned because she was very lethargic and would not eat. Lily seemed to dislike every family who tried to adopt her, and eventually ended up with us. It was supposed to be temporary, but now she is a part of our family and we could not imagine giving her up. I guess you could say she chose her owner. This way, Lily still gets to see my brother and she has constant company throughout the day.

I call Lily my shadow because whenever I am home, she follows me everywhere. She loves being around people and she is just content being in their presence. She is generally calm and just enjoys laying around and spending time with us. One thing about Lily is that she loves to snuggle. If I layed in bed all day, she would gladly stay there with me the entire time. Whenever I get out of bed in the morning, she looks at me grudgingly, begging me to stay a little longer. She is usually very even-tempered and gentle , but she has moments where she gets extremely worked up and she runs around the house jumping and rolling around everywhere. We call Lily the little princess because she is the only female animal we have currently. Our male dogs often play together and exclude her, but she doesn't seem to mind because it gives her more of an opportunity to spend time with the humans. Although she started out as a burden, Lily has become an important member of our family and I wouldn't have it any other way.

A dog with a Ph.D?

When I was younger I used to call guide dogs, "dogs with a Ph.D." I decided this would be my next blogpost on Friday, when I went on a dinner cruise around the bay. On the cruise a visually impaired woman was dining with her guide dog and I engaged in a conversation with her about her dog. I could not believe how well behaved the dog was, and everytime the woman got out of her seat, the dog always guided her around obstacles, to her correct seat. The dogs name was Rolanda and her skill to navigate her owner around the rocking ship was impressive to say the least. The things these dogs are capable of are so unbelievable. These dogs are different from birth, as their training starts as a young puppy and they are often pre-selected for this purpose. I had a friend who trained guide dogs as puppies, and the training that these animals undergo is very extensive. Guide dogs must learn to avoid obstacles, stop for changes in elevation such as stairs, lead a person in a straight line, stay completely focused, and always be a reliable companion for their blind counterparts. The idea of a dog being this responsible, intelligent, and cautious is amazing. They learn skills that seem impossible for dogs to attain. These dogs are exposed to stressful situations since puppyhood. They go nearly everywhere with their trainers, from restaurants to the grocery store, constantly adjusting to the chaos around them. I consider guide dogs some of the most talented, intelligent and amazing animals in the world. Guide dogs understand their duty, and seem to protect and assist their owners without fail. They serve a very important role, and they seem to sense their responsibility. Guide dogs truly deserve respect and praise, as they are great contributors to society.