gdp's Comments

GazetteOnline.com : Why do animal stories get more traction than human suffering?

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 03:20:57 +0000

PS The Gazette needs to do their homework. There is a 17 page USDA report on the violations by Harold Buzz Powell, the Wyoming puppy mill operator. He is not out of the woods, yet.

GazetteOnline.com : Why do animal stories get more traction than human suffering?

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 03:18:55 +0000

What a shame that Goettel is complaining about $3000 raised to help a dog. The donors helped the family AND the dog. There are many groups and individuals who help humans. Not so many help animals. Animals have no voice. That is why we help them. People who care about animals don't want to see them suffer - some of us help cats and dogs; some of us choose not to eat meat; some of us don't like to see deer killed for eating plants. We are the minority and we do what we can to help animals and people who love them. We all have choices about who we want to help and how. Goettel has done good work to help flood victims and this one dog. She needs to stop giving black eyes to other people for their choices about who they choose to help. Trying to make people feel guilty will get her nowhere.

GazetteOnline.com : C.R. animal shelter needs continued support

Sun, 25 Apr 2010 03:09:03 +0000

The idea of combining Linn county and Cedar Rapdis shelters was thoroughly reviewed by the animal control task force and rejected by a group of about 20 people comprised of county employees, city officials and employees and community volunteers. Cedar Rapids is already struggling to fund other non-profits in light of the recession and continued aftermath of the flood. i can't imagine any good time - but this is certainly a terrible time - to suggest that a non profit assume responsibility for the city's animals and enforcement. "If it aint broke, don't fix it". We are FINALLY moving in the right direction with our animal control and animal sheltering functions. The City should find savings other places.

GazetteOnline.com : Kennel owner gets dogs back

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 01:10:42 +0000

It's heartbreaking to imagine these dogs getting a glimpse of love, care and medical attention...not to mention being called by a name instead of a number....and then having to return to neglectful, if not abusive, conditions. Imagine..."my puppy's parents were numbers 84 and 101". They are simply objects to earn BuzzBoy money. When they no longer produce, what happens to them? Tossed out of a car? Dumped in a ditch? Shot? We found an overbred black lab who had been dumped in a ditch once. She didn't know how to walk. The rescues had no vested interest in this. They spent their own money, time and put themselves at emotional risk to help these dogs. Bless them and shame on Buzz. and the judge who returned them. Wrong decision.

GazetteOnline.com : PHOTOS: Investigators search dog breeding kennel for signs of neglect

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:35:46 +0000

The puppies are the ones they take care of because those are the animals the public sees. Ask to see the parents or where the adult dogs live.

GazetteOnline.com : PHOTOS: Investigators search dog breeding kennel for signs of neglect

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:34:37 +0000

Make your eye witness report to: http://www.agriculture.state.ia.us/emailContact/c...

GazetteOnline.com : PHOTOS: Investigators search dog breeding kennel for signs of neglect

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:33:28 +0000

If you are an eye witness, you can report puppy mill abuse or neglect to: http://www.agriculture.state.ia.us/emailContact/c...

GazetteOnline.com : PHOTOS: Investigators search dog breeding kennel for signs of neglect

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:30:56 +0000

Contact: : http://www.agriculture.state.ia.us/emailContact/c...

GazetteOnline.com : PHOTOS: Investigators search dog breeding kennel for signs of neglect

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:47:56 +0000

Bless you for your work helping these dogs. Prayers that they don't go back and that the other canine victims are emancipated from Mr. Buzz.

GazetteOnline.com : PHOTOS: Investigators search dog breeding kennel for signs of neglect

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 01:30:48 +0000

A friend's dog has run away and he is desperately trying to find her. I hope she doesn't end up on your farm while she is trying to find her way home.

GazetteOnline.com : PHOTOS: Investigators search dog breeding kennel for signs of neglect

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 01:26:39 +0000

The news did not show the conditions (they weren't allowed on site). Only a few dogs are shown in photos. There are others in worse shape. Cages were stacked 3 high. The dogs under the top cages were covered in feces and urine. You can see caked feces on the shiba in the photos. They were packed 2 per 18x18 cage. The dogs were fighting with each other. At least one dog is covered in sores from the boric acid the owner was using to treat parasites. At least one dog has a serious birth defect. Was she being bred? The dogs were dehydrated, had torn ears from fighting, etc. This is a sad situation and not unusual. These are living beings deserving of adequate living space, food, water, sanitary conditions and medical treatment. Please have some compassion for them.

KCRG : Animal Rescue Group Looking for Homes for 20 Cats | KCRG-TV9 | Cedar Rapids, Iowa News, Sports, and

Wed, 3 Feb 2010 23:26:53 +0000

Safe Haven is an amazing group. I hope people will support their efforts by sending donations and adopting if they want a cat. What the woman did was neglect these cats. Some of the suggestions by people posting here far worse than what she did. It sounds like the woman has a good heart but lacked resources to properly care for (spay/neuter/flea treat) the cats. Compassion for her and the cats would be nice.

KCRG : Geary Humane society story | KCRG-TV9 | Cedar Rapids, Iowa News, Sports, and Weather | Related Conte

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 03:20:10 +0000

The buck stops at the Board of Directors. Seven executive directors in eight years? And they fired the co-directors who had received three positive State vet reports?? And then fired the interim director whom even Zach commends in his interview. Why didn't CVHS hire her?! Wonder if the conditions reported occurred before or after the co-directors were fired. Wonder why the Board wouldn't give euthanasia statistics to the press? Secrecy does not gain trust of donors. Maybe what CVHS really needs is a new Board of Directors. One who will hire someone qualified for the position. One who will direct the exec director to utilize adoption/rescue/foster resources and one who will spend donor money to benefit the animals. What is with Zach calling the animals "pets"? They wouldn't be there if they were someone's pets. Someone (Mark Geary?) needs to look further into Zach's qualifications and work experience. Did I really hear him say "dude" in his interview?

GazetteOnline.com : Deer with arrow in its side wanders into Cedar Rapids yard

Sat, 19 Sep 2009 15:43:43 +0000

70% of the deer bodies were kept by hunters last year and the year before. That is why the Gazette no longer promotes this as a feeding program.

KCRG : Injured Deer Wanders into Cedar Rapids Front Yard | KCRG-TV9 Cedar Rapids, Iowa | Local News

Sat, 19 Sep 2009 14:52:14 +0000

"But for the sake of some little mouthful of flesh we deprive a soul of the sun and light, and of that proportion of life and time she had been born into the world to enjoy." - Plutarch

GazetteOnline.com : Deer with arrow in its side wanders into Cedar Rapids yard

Sat, 19 Sep 2009 14:43:36 +0000

The Gazette supports the hunt. There have been other incidents but the Gazette didn't run the stories. The deer are being hunted in residential areas. People have seen hunters on foot, tree stands and injured and dead deer in their neighborhoods.

GazetteOnline.com : Deer with arrow in its side wanders into Cedar Rapids yard

Sat, 19 Sep 2009 14:40:39 +0000

"But for the sake of some little mouthful of flesh we deprive a soul of the sun and light, and of that proportion of life and time she had been born into the world to enjoy." - Plutarch

GazetteOnline.com : Deer with arrow in its side wanders into Cedar Rapids yard

Sat, 19 Sep 2009 02:04:09 +0000

Wrong. Hunters kept 70% of the deer they killed in the CR program last year and the year before. That is why you are no longer reading about this as a benefit of the slaughter.

GazetteOnline.com : Group wants a zoo in Cedar Rapids

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 01:49:01 +0000

A zoo was deemed illogical when taxpayer support was considered in the 1990's. A rainforest/zoo called Iowa Child was later rejected by Cedar Rapids.If these current dreamers can raise the money to build a zoo (which is doubtful - has anyone told them we are in a recession?), what are their plans to pay annual operating expenses? That is where these grandiose projects get into trouble. Zoos are outdated in this century. We have internet accessibility and virtual learning available in our homes and libraries. Zoos cost money. To build, to maintain and to visit. If you don't have enough to do, how about doing some service work or figuring out ways to help others less fortunate that you. Some people are trying to figure out where to get a job, how to pay their bills, how to get medical care. If you're trying to figure out something to do with your kids, how about playing with them, taking them to a park or walking in nature with them. They learn nothing about animal behavior from seeing animals confined in unnatural environments. Turn on the Discovery Channel and raise money for flood victims.

GazetteOnline.com : Arrest made in Bever Park duck case

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 01:30:48 +0000

Animal abuse is a predictor of human directed violence. Every mass murderer has a history of animal abuse. If Kanellis is the perpetrator, I hope he is adequately punished by the Court and evaluated by a psychiatrist. I don't think the current charges cover all the issues. The ducks were tortured and suffered before dying. Their torture and terror should be addressed under the felony animal torture statute. This is a heinous act when you consider all the factors - the ducks were confined, had no means of self defense or escape, and the perp methodically stoned 50 of them. This had to have taken awhile. Why didn't some instinct or inner voice stop him? What kind of mind can even think of this kind of torture.