Baltimore: 8th Most Humane City

Lisa Wogan writes an article, "How Humane Is Your City?"  in the August volume of BARK magazine (available at Pretentious Pooch) which sites Baltimore as the 8th most humane city.

The research was done on behalf of the Humane Society of the United States by the Humane Research Council.  The study, Wogan writes, encompasses all kinds of criteria like the number of vegetarian restaurants, the number of off leash parks and the number of animal retailers that don't sell pets--they called 1,200 pet stores, they felt that strongly about this factor.

We at Pretentious Pooch get calls all the time asking if we sell pets.  I wonder if we were surveyed? 

Who ranked top? San Francisco, of course!  The most in-humane city was Chicago -- must be all that steak.  Visit humaneindex.org for more information on making Baltimore more humane.

The ranking isn't solely about dogs, or pets for that matter--it includes all living animals; but, I thought I would share a little bit of animal news.

Humane is the lowest benchmark I think we can measure, though.  I still think we have a long way to go to be pet-friendly or pro-pet.

If you want to read the entire article, stop by Pretentious Pooch and pick up the latest edition of BARK magazine.

Tom Berger
Pretentious Pooch
A Baltimore Pet Boutique
1017 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-7777
www.pretentiouspooch.com

Comments

[Lizzie]

Innovative legislation intended to change the way feral cats are handled though the animal control system will be proposed to the City Council by Mayor Sheila Dixon on Monday, August 13, 2007. This legislation is strongly backed by local and national humane organizations including the Maryland SPCA, Maryland Feline Society, Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter, and the national organization Alley Cat Allies.

Feral cats are outdoor cats that are otherwise perfectly healthy but are unsocialized to humans and therefore unadoptable. This legislation is important because it will allow citizens to better care for the community’s cats by humanely trapping, sterilizing, and vaccinating the cats. This will ensure their health and create a safety net for the cats and community.

This management method is called Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) and known to be the most effective management program and is reflective of a more caring society.

With Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), the breeding stops and populations of cats are gradually reduced. The nuisance behaviors of breeding cats, like yowling or spraying end. Adoptable cats and kittens are placed in loving homes, immediately reducing the number of cats in neighborhoods. Cats are cared for and monitored by volunteer caregivers.

Feral cats are not companion animals and do not belong in shelters. Trapping and killing them is cruel and costly. With the help of the proposed legislation, Baltimore will be in line with other major cities in the United States who are working to end the trapping and needless killing of feral cats.

The Maryland SPCA, Maryland Feline Society, Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter, and Alley Cat Allies are working together to develop a city-wide program for animal control to implement community outreach and humane education programs, and low-cost/no-cost spay/neuter clinics. Volunteers are needed to help with all efforts.