The Pet Pundit

Category Archives: Other animals

Apr 29 0 comments

Who defines humane treatment for farm animals?

While this column focuses on companion animals, my background includes time on Capitol Hill, where I worked on companion animal, wildlife and farm animal issues.

So I am going to step off the curb and address an article by Mike Barnett, publications editor for Texas Agriculture Talks, a publication of the Texas Farm Animal Bureau, about a bill introduced in Congress called the Prevention of Farm Cruelty Act, HR 4733.

The legislation would prohibit the government from purchasing animal products that are not “humanely” produced for school lunch and other federal programs — a step in the right direction for farm animals.

Barrett poses the question, “So who defines ‘humane?” He is worried it will be animal rights groups.

To address this question, I called Adele Douglass, who founded Humane Farm Animal Care about a decade ago to recognize farmers for their transition toward more humane treatment of farm animals. Douglass is not a vegetarian; she believes, though, that farm animals should be treated humanely from birth to death.

So I asked Douglass, “Who should define humane treatment?”

“How about the animals?” she said.

“Right now, current industry standards define humane treatment by whether the animals are producing, eating and growing. If they aren’t growing fast enough, they are given hormones. If they are confined too closely, they are given antibiotics to prevent disease. These are not natural living conditions for the animals.”

Douglass said gestation stalls, battery cages and other confinement housing systems do not allow animals to move naturally.

To put this in terms most people can understand, she quoted Dr. Temple Grandin, who not only serves on the Humane Farm Animal Care’s highly regarded scientific committee but also is considered one of the nation’s top authorities on the development of humane protocols for farm animals.

Jan 11 0 comments

Other animals

How long do parakeets live?

Parakeets can live 7 to 15 years as pets. (Photo Source: www.britannica.com)

Let’s say you just bought a parakeet for your 9-year-old child. How long will this bird live? What do they like to eat? And how can you tell if the bird is a male or female?

Parakeets can live 7 to 15 years, which means your bird could live until your child is 24 years old. However, most parakeets die prematurely because of poor diets and improper care, so knowing what to feed the bird is very important.

In addition to feeding birds fortified parakeet seed, the Association of Avian Veterinarians recommends adding some dandelion greens, green/orange fruits and veggies, and even cooked rice and pasta to their diet. Visit their Web site at www.aav.org for more information.

As for the sex, look at the bump of flesh above the nose which is called the “cere.” On an adult parakeet, the cere is bluish on the male and brownish on the female. The bird to the right is a male.

Note: Parakeets should kept inside as a pet. This photo just happens to be showing a bird in the wild.

Jun 24 0 comments

Other animals, Videos

Lucky the elephant’s story

I live in San Antonio and write a pet column and blog for the San Antonio Express News. A reader sent me this link about a lonely, 49-year-old elephant in our local zoo who certainly deserves to live out the remainder of her days in a sanctuary that has already agreed to take her — all expenses paid. Elephants are intelligent, social creatures that need companionship and space to roam. They don’t belong in zoos or circuses. Can you imagine her trumpeting if she were moved to a sanctuary with thousands of acres to roam and other elephants to hang out with? Her story is told in the video below. Also, check out the link to a story about an elephant already living at the sanctuary. It looks like a great place for an elephant to live out the remainder of her days.

Mar 16 0 comments

Other animals, Pets

Obama orders ban on all downed cows

For years, animal groups have worked on the Hill to try to ban downer cows — cows that have fallen and are too weak or too sick to get up — from entering the food supply. Working on the Hill many years ago, this was one of the issues I talked to Congress about. It seemed like a simple, no brainer request, as 1) these animals could have illnesses that could impact the food supply, like mad cow or e.coli and 2) it seems the humane thing to do to put them out of their misery when they have reached their physical limits.

What Congress couldn’t do, the President has finally done. He announced this week a permanent ban on the slaughter of cows too sick or weak to stand on their own. The President said he was making the move to, “Ensure diseased cows don’t find their way into the food supply.” The rule closes a loophole in the downer cattle rule which would allow the use of an animal if it collapsed after passing inspection.

While it’s a step forward for food safety, the Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, says it’s also “a step forward for… the standards for humane treatment of animals.”