By Jordi Matsumoto Rescued... from Jordi Matsumoto on Vimeo.
Thanks again for your support. I just wanted to make sure that everyone saw that the video for this piece is up.
Enjoy!
Posted by Jordi Matsumoto on 07/15/10
University of California, Davis
June 16, 2010
The nation's first criminal dog-fighting DNA database has been
established by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals, the Humane Society of Missouri and the Louisiana SPCA, and
will be maintained at the University of California, Davis, Veterinary
Genetics Laboratory.
Known as the Canine CODIS (Combined DNA Index System), the database
is designed to help the criminal justice system investigate and
prosecute dog-fighting cases.
"Dog fighting is a multimillion dollar criminal enterprise that leads
to the cruel treatment and deaths of thousands of dogs nationwide
every year," said Tim Rickey, the ASPCA's senior director of Field
Investigation and Response and former Animal Cruelty Task Force
director at the Humane Society of Missouri. "This database is an
unprecedented and vital component in the fight against animal cruelty
and will allow us to strengthen cases against animal abusers and seek
justice for their victims," he said
The Canine CODIS contains individual DNA profiles from dogs that have
been seized during dog-fighting investigations and from unidentified
samples collected at suspected dog-fighting venues. This includes 400
original and initial samples of dog DNA supplied by the Humane
Society of Missouri and collected from dogs that were seized in July
2009 during the nation's largest dog-fighting raid. The database is
similar to the FBI's human CODIS, a computerized archive that stores
DNA profiles from criminal offenders and crime scenes and is used in
criminal and missing-person investigations.
DNA analysis and matching through the canine database, available for
a fee only to law enforcement agencies, will help to identify
relationships between dogs. This will enable investigators to
establish connections between breeders, trainers and dog-fight
operators. Blood collected from dog fighting sites also will be
searched against the Canine CODIS database to identify the source.
Beth Wictum, director of the forensics unit of the Veterinary
Genetics Laboratory in UC Davis' School of Veterinary Medicine, said
that the lab has one of the largest sample databases in the world,
which is crucial for estimating the rarity of a DNA profile. She
noted that the Canine CODIS database is unique because it includes
many more DNA markers than are normally tested.
"That provides greater power when calculating match probability or
assigning parentage," Wictum said. "When these cases come to trial,
it's important to make your strongest case. The DNA evidence not only
establishes links between owners, breeders and dog fighting sites, it
also tells a story," she noted.
"We can tie blood spatter on pit walls and clothing, or blood trails
found outside of the pit, to a specific dog and tell his story for
him," Wictum said. "We become the voice for those victims."
The ASPCA news release about the new Canine CODIS is available online
at: <http://www.aspca.org/pressroom/>.
About UC Davis
For more than 100 years, UC Davis has engaged in teaching, research
and public service that matter to California and transform the world.
Located close to the state capital, UC Davis has 32,000 students, an
annual research budget that exceeds $600 million, a comprehensive
health system and 13 specialized research centers. The university
offers interdisciplinary graduate study and more than 100
undergraduate majors in four colleges -- Agricultural and
Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, Engineering, and Letters
and Science. It also houses six professional schools -- Education,
Law, Management, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and the Betty Irene
Moore School of Nursing.
Media contact(s):
* Beth Wictum, UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, (530)
754-9050 , ejwictum@ucdavis.edu
* Anita K. Edson, ASPCA, (646) 522-5056, anitae@aspca.org
* Pat Bailey, UC Davis News Service, (530) 752-9843,
pjbailey@ucdavis.edu
The issue of abandoned animals has received widespread media coverage over the years. However, the nuance of the problem in Southern California has yet to be fully exposed.
The national context is important for a backdrop. First, it is estimated that between 3 and 4 million abandoned cats and dogs are euthanized each year. The number is roughly half of the animals found in shelters. There is a basic equation of supply and demand. The supply of abandoned animals dwarfs the demand to of households to take them in.
In response to these staggering numbers, an array of organizations ranging from the Humane Society to local authorities to a network of rescues have attempted to curb the problem in several ways. Spaying & Neutering has risen to the top as the primary way to bring down the number of pets that ultimately are euthanized. The culmination of the efforts on this front has been Spay Day USA, where tens of thousands of cats & dogs “get fixed” in one day.
There have been other strategies at work alongside the spay/neuter movement. For example, many have taken up arms against dogfighting which is inherently linked to the issue of abandoned dogs. Though the primary aim is to eliminate the unpopular practice because of its violent nature, the secondary effect is to keep dogs from being abandoned in the first place. By cracking down on dogfighters, the hope is that fewer dogs are bred for fighting—the same dogs that eventually find their way to a shelter because they were abandoned.
Perhaps the most plain vanilla approach to helping abandoned animals is to simply find them a home. This is where the network of rescues has come into play. For this spot.us coverage, the focus was mainly on the dog rescues. The dog rescues essentially serve as holding pens. Right before these furry creatures are put to sleep, many of the rescues will swoop in and save the day, so to speak.
The rescues vary in size considerably. Here in Southern California, there are dozens of them. Some, like Angel’s Heart Rescue near Riverside, keep between 6-10 dogs on the grounds. Others, like Villalobos Rescue Center, keep upwards of 200 dogs. The resources required to keep these dogs is staggering. Villalobos Rescue Center reports that they go through approximately 2100 pounds of dog food each week.
For many, the question is where did all the dogs come from? Lori Weiss, of Downtown Dog Rescue, notes that for several years there were clusters in the downtown LA area. With the recent real estate development, however, the problem areas are now more pronounced in South Central LA or the Riverside areas.
But then, why these areas? Partially, it circles back to the dog fighting dilemma. The vast majority of abandoned dogs are pit bulls, many of which were raised for dog fighting or are used as guard dogs in low income areas. The Human Society notes that 70% of dogs euthanized in the nation’s shelters are actually pit bulls. So between the fighting, abandonment and euthanasia, they are now described as “America’s most abused dog[s]”.
For those working for and volunteering at the rescues, the title may be incomplete. Adding the word “misunderstood” may be appropriate. In fact, the irony is that the qualities that make pit bulls “good” fighting dogs, loyalty and devotion, are really qualities that the typical dog owner would most appreciate. Dog fighters, however, use the loyalty and devotion to make pit bulls into fighting machines.
In Riverside County alone, more than half of the dogs are pit bulls. And sadly, more than 3000 of the county’s pit bulls were euthanized in 2008. Few people in the general population are willing to adopt them. Pit bulls carry hardly any of the allure of say a Paris Hilton Chihuaha. And what is worse is that the creatures carry have a very bad reputation. Media coverage, including scores of articles in the LA Times, focus on a few pit bulls that have exhibited aggressive behavior. These are pit bulls with bad upbringings that are responsible for attacks and maulings. Unfortunately, those are the stories that make the headlines.
In the next segment and the upcoming video, more on the pit bull will be discussed. There will be an in depth look at the owner & manager of Angel’s Heart Rescue, Janet Cook. Information on some of the particular dogs Janet’s organization has saved will also be provided.
Animal related news from around the Los Angeles area and beyond.
1) Yhe L.A. Department of Animal Services hosts a mobile pet-adoption event at Centinela Feed & Pet Supplies' according the Animal Lover’ Calendar at the LA Times
2) Internationally Renowned Actor/Producer Pierce Brosnan to Launch Spay and Neuter Program.
Groundbreaking Initiative Developed by the California Spay and Neuter License Plate Fund Will Kick Off at the West Los Angeles Animal Shelter on June 8, 2010
3) Man seeking help for dog is arrested
A man tried to help a stray Rottweiler but instead was arrested on account of driving to the station drunk. The police officers delivered the dog to the shelter instead.
4) Burr Ridge police shoot dog in driveway
Dog shot in the driveway of a home outside of Chicago after police answered a burglary call. The dog attacked the police officers, who then claimed they had to defend themselves by shooting. The owner now has a hefty bill in dog health care and is wondering who is going to pay it.
5) In Los Angles - Adopt a Cat This Month
Los Angeles has decided to declare June Adopt a Cat month in order to encourage residents to take responsibility for the abandoned pets around them.
6) Dog Talk with Uncle Matty by Matthew Margolis
Assembly bill 1634 tried to make the ownership of an “unaltered” dog or cat over the age of 6 months punishable by a fine. After failing out of the Senate in 2008 a new bill SB 250 is in the works. Writer Matthew Margolis encourages readers to reexamine the issue and give the neuter bill another shot.
7) More Pet Abuse in People's Park
East Bay writer has a simple message: “Having a pet is not a human right. having a pet is a privilege. it is a privilege to have an animal as a member of one's family. there needs to be direct intervention to halt pet abuse in people's park”
8) Pets deserving of lifetimes of love, care and commitment
Enid News writer believes that the economic downturn has forced many pet owners in America to abandon their pets due to insufficient incomes. However in most cases these pets are simply turned loose to fend for themselves. Instead they should at least find an alternative home for the pets or turn them over to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals shelter (SPCA), according to the article.
9) Called for abandoned dog, police find marijuana
Abandon dog found in a car filled with marijuana.
10) Poll: Money is a huge consideration in pet care
When people make financial cuts backs, one of the first things to go is pet care, according to statistics given by the Associated Press.
11) Baghdad sends out sharp shooters to cull one million stray dogs
Authorities in Baghdad have decided to take care of the stray dog issue by simply shooting any they see. Some say the number of dogs executed in this new campaign reaches to about 42,000.
12) The Animal-Cruelty Syndrome
"In addition to a growing sensitivity to the rights of animals, another significant reason for the increased attention to animal cruelty is a mounting body of evidence about the link between such acts and serious crimes of more narrowly human concern, including illegal firearms possession, drug trafficking, gambling, spousal and child abuse, rape and homicide."
A video of Downtown Dog Rescue in Los Angeles. This video was mad in prep for the larger story. Hope you enjoy!
Posted by Spot. Us on 05/28/10
