Purrs 4 Peace Week 30 Announcement: Break Those Chains

All beings tremble before violence.
All fear death, all love life. See
yourself in others. Then whom can
you hurt? What harm can you do?
Buddha

In this new year, I would like to bring attention to an old cruelty: the practice of chaining dogs.

Relegating dogs to the backyard tethered on a chain is unbelievable cruel and inhumane. These dogs often fall victim to attacks from other animals and from vicious people who see them as easy victims. These dogs can be injured or killed when they become tangled in their own chains. They suffer from exposure to extreme weather - boiling in the summer, and freezing in the winter. Chained dogs are often not cared for with proper nutrition or veterinary care.

Moreover, the practice of chaining dogs can result in the dog becoming vicious from the confinement and lonliness. Dogs are pack animals that thrive on companionship. They long to be with other dogs and with humans. They crave affection. When they are subjected to deprivation.... Every dog deserves affection, love, and nurturing. Not a fate worse than abandonment.

There are a number of ways we can help these dogs:

• Advocate in your community for enactment and enforcement of laws against dog chaining.
• Education in schools in your community as to the proper treatment of animals. PETA has a doghouse program that provides warm homes for lonely backyard dogs. A number of schools around the country have worked to raise funds for the doghouse program while raising awareness of the problem through PETA’s Teachkind program called Change for Chained Dogs. According to the PETA website: “Every school that signs up gets an introductory letter, stickers, leaflets, and a sign to print out and tape to collection cans. So far, more than 500 schools...have signed up for the fundraiser. It's a great opportunity for students, families, and communities to work together to help dogs in need.”
• Be an advocate for teaching humans how to live compassionate lives and treat animals with loving respect.
• Report any cruel behavior to local authorities and/ or media outlets.

...........And this week we will purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Week 30 of Purrs 4 Peace details are as follows:

• Week thirty’s appointed time is Sunday, January 3, 2009.
• Participants should purr for three minutes commencing at 3 p.m. EST (U.S.) which is 8:00 p.m. (20:00 hrs.) BST in the U.K.
• The cat’s human staff should assist their cats with the project by stroking and nuzzling the cat at the appointed time.
• Please post your cat name and the country you purr in at www.confuciuscat.blogspot.com as a COMMENT if you are participating in this historic project. (posting a link to your own website-if you have one-is encouraged.) Or let me know by message on twitter or facebook.
• Posting purrs on facebook ( Acolytes of Confucius Cat or as friend to Alley Mason) and twitter (@ConfuciusCat) is encouraged, since it inspires purring in others, but not required. On twitter please use #purrs4peace in your tweets.

Peace * Paix * Frieden * Vrede * Pace * Paz * Shalom * Salaam * Om Shanti * Heddwch * Síochán * 和平

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!! MAY IT BE HAPPY FOR ALL ANIMALS AND HUMANS ALIKE.