Should all Cats and Dogs in the UK be Licensed and Neutered?

So after finding out that the RSPCA here in the UK doesn't have a No Kill Policy i started thinking about why and if things should be changed by the government. Most animal rescue shelters spend the majority of their money on the feeding and housing of the unwanted animals they care for and often have trouble finding homes for rescued and donated animals. There are thousands of shelters in the country and they can have up to thirty dogs and cats in their care at all times. Most of them have a neutering policy and a lot of them are No Kill shelters. They rely on public funding and donations to keep doing the good work they do but once a dog is re homed there will always be another ten waiting to take its' place in the shelter. If we made it a law to license your dog and cat and neuter it then there would be far less unwanted animals. Enforcing this would be hard but do-able. The RSPCA despite not having a no kill policy do excellent work around the country and their inspectors are respected for the work they do to prevent animal cruelty. They are probably the most recognised animal charity today. If the government stopped pushing money into stupid policies and resources and stopped paying the MPs ridiculous amounts of money to 'talk' and slap each others backs then they could fund the RSPCA to have inspectors dedicated to enforcing this law. Every place that sells animals should be licensed to do so. Only breeders should be allowed to sell animals and every breeder should be registered and have to prove that they are breeding animals with clean bloodlines and also that there is demand for them. It should be made against the law for members of the public to either sell or give away their pets. (I do understand that sometimes there are circumstances beyond the owners control such as illness or death) If every pet was neutered by law then the number of unwanted animals in this country could fall dramatically. This maybe an idealistic view on how to solve this problem and yes it would be far more complicated to set up and enforce than i have suggested but those charities out there who rescue, treat and rehabilitate abused animals should be free to do that work and not have to focus on housing and feeding unwanted animals because of some persons idiocy in letting their dog or cat breed unnecessarily.
BY TRACEY 

Awesome Awareness Videos

Please watch the following videos. They highlight just how much wrong we are doing to our world.

 http://bit.ly/gFsvBa - Made By @ISF_GER
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qE9z8vP9NQg - Made by @ceciliabarriera  
BY TRACEY

UK ISF Projects

Hi everyone. I have started working on some projects which will help to increase awareness of The ISF in the UK and also bring in funds for the foundation. They will be revealed as and when they are ready to go, however i need volunteers to help me acheive these goals. You don't need to have any specific skills just determination and a voice. I also need ideas, if you have any ideas for fundraising or if you think we need to draw attention to something specific then feel free to email me isfsupportuk@hotmail.co.uk and we can work together to make it a reality.

Looking forward to hearing from you all

Tracey x



BY TRACEY

Go Green for St. Patricks Day

There are lots of things you can do within your home to be greener in your way of living. It doesn't matter how old you are everyone can do it.

• When you brush your teeth don't leave the tap running - You can waste up to 678 gallons a year leaving it running!
• Turn down the heat - Reducing the temperature of your heating by 1 degree can cut your carbon emissions by 5% in a year.
• Shower instead of filling the bath. Also try to limit the time you spend in the shower - A 4 minute shower uses between 10 and 20 gallons of water. A bath can use up between 30 and 50 gallons.
• Set your washing machine to 30 degrees. It will wash just as well as a 40 degree wash and will also take less time and use less energy.
• Dry your clothes outside or on an indoor dryer. It may take a little longer but you will use zero energy.
• Turn off your lights! Before you turn them on think about whether you really need to!
• Don't leave any electrical items on standby. Items left on standby use up to 85% of the energy they would use if fully switched on.
• Shop local and shop seasonal. If you buy produce that is out of season it will have travelled from another country to you supermarket. You add onto your carbon footprint for every out of season item you buy.
• Shop green - check the packaging you buy to check it can be recycled. Try to eat less meat and only buy sustainably sourced fish.
• If you have any plastic carrier bags at home re-use them when you shop or buy a Jute shopping bag, most supermarkets sell them and they are bigger and stronger than plastic bags.
• When you cook in your oven why not make other dishes and use up the space while the oven is hot.
• Cook meals from fresh instead of ready meals, ready meals have a lot of packaging.
• Use energy saving light bulbs all around the house.
• Compost your food waste to help your garden grow. http://www.recyclenow.com/home_composting/making_compost/
• Don't drink bottled water, filter your tap water and buy a stainless steel water bottle from http://www.cafepress.com/ISFoundation 
• Don't throw away unwanted items. Sell them for ISF donations or recycle them. You can also offer to friends or offer on sites such as http://www.freecycle.org/.
• Try and buy second hand furniture. Chances are that if you look around there will be someone selling something you want.
• Recycle your old clothes by cutting t-shirts into cloths and using old socks to dust.
• Make you own cleaning products. Use an empty squirty bottle and check here for recipes - http://health.wikinut.com/Recipes-of-Homemade-Eco-Friendly-Cleaning-Products/1.u-l415/
• Grow your own fruit and veg. You can do this in pots or a window box or a corner of your garden.
• Fill the kettle with your cup. You will use only the water you need and use less energy.

These tips are easy to do and once you have done them for a week or two you will not even notice you have changed your routine.

Happy St. Patricks Day everyone xx

BY TRACEY

Axolotls by Amy Marriott @amiepinkdiamond

Axolotls are teenage salamander that are unable to metamorphose further and so stays as an amphibian, living underwater. They originate from Mexico and used to inhabit two lakes, Lake Xochimilco and Lake Chalco; however Lake Chalco was drained in the 1970’s to prevent flooding. Axolotls were also offered as food to workers around the lakes. Mexican’s still offer cooked axolotl as a dish mainly served on market stalls, although this is declining now as even fishermen are finding it harder to find them.

Although axolotls can currently be found in Lake Xochimilco, it can barely be called a lake any more. Having been filled with Mexico’s waste since the 1980’s, and artificially filled with alien species which have become competitors for the food belonging to the axolotl the lake is now more ‘a series of canals and scattered lagoons. Numbers have rapidly depleted from a predicted 1,500 per square mile in 1998 to only 25 per square mile in 2008. There is now a reported 200 left in the wild and within two years it could be that you can only find the axolotl in captivity, in pet shops, zoos or homes. The axolotl is currently listed on the Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

 

So what we can do about this?

http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/news/lib/167


BY TRACEY

Freedom foods the truth - By Guest Blogger @Vintage_socks

I use to believe Freedom Foods was a good thing, and in some cases it still is. However Freedom foods don’t always tell us the truth. What do you think Freedom foods is?

The Freedom food scheme goes around different farms assessing them, seeing that they treat the animals fairly. But do they check thoroughly enough? A quick glance is not good enough. Here is a link to a video that almost left me in tears the way these poor ducks were being treated in a place Freedom food assessed and guaranteed they treated theses animals fairly.

                                            Ducks should look like this, happy in the wild

Not like this. Abused, left for dead

Why should any animal go through this kind of torture? They do not deserve to be treated like dog dirt on your shoe! They are living breathing creatures! They feel pain! They feel fear!

A freedom foods poultry farm in Somerset was found to keep more than 30,000 birds in the 2,300 square metres unit. The chickens had no access to the outside. Freedom food removed this farm from there scheme, but still we don’t know how long these poor animals had been suffering for? Even if they did stop it, they let it happen under their noses in the first place because they were too careless to check up on it.

                    No room to run around, no room to spread their wings. No room for anything.

                                          Cramped places + rapidly spreading diseases =

                   http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-1314474024278462300#

ANIMALS HAVE HEARTS JUST LIKE US. WE NEED TO STOP THIS MADNESS. FREEDOM FOODS ARE A CARELESS COMPANY THAT DON’T DESERVE OUR PRAISE. 
BY TRACEY

Earthquakes – Could Man be Responsible in Some Way?

We all know about the more recent Earthquakes like the one in Christchurch, New Zealand on the 22^nd February this year and Fridays’ Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan.

So far this year there has been 1,516 earthquakes around the world and we are only 72 days into the year so that’s an average of 21.06 earthquakes a day!

I by no means proclaim to be an expert on climate change or natural disasters but I feel I need to explore the question – Are we to blame?

Can man really be responsible for something that happens miles under our feet? Does how we live our lives affect the moving of the tectonic plates and if it does how do we correct it? My initial thought on this is that we cannot be responsible for something we cannot see but then we cannot see the ozone layer and we are responsible for the hole in it. There are some ways which man has had a hand in causing earthquakes such as the filling of man-made lakes and underground explosive activity. But you would think that when this is discovered that man would stop what they are doing. Would drilling into the earth near a fault line and causing an earthquake then have a knock on effect? Would those first two plates that move then move the other plates attached to them and so on, like a domino effect? If it is discovered that man contributes to the occurrence of Earthquakes how do we right it and can we do with all the other issues we are trying to fight in the world. Is there simply too much do? Man will do as much as they can after the event has occurred to right the damage that has been done but if we are responsible in some way we should fix the cause therefore eliminating the devastating destruction. Is it a case of locking the stable door after the horse has bolted?

There are a whole lot of mitigating factors contributing to what happens after each Earthquake that occurs. The effect on the population and the land depends on where the Earthquake occurs and how strong it is. It also depends on what that Earthquake triggers like a Tsunami or a volcanic eruption.  Japan has hundreds of earthquakes every year and they construct their buildings to withstand the force of those earthquakes. However when you add in a tsunami which is always a possibility in Japan as it is an island with several fault lines just off their coast it becomes a different matter. Can you construct building that can withstand both? I am sure that there will be lots of planning and research about this as they try to rebuild what they have lost.

So what do you think? Are we to blame? Share your thoughts. 


BY TRACEY

Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

I woke up this morning to the terrible news that there has been an 8.9 magnitude Earthquake which has hit Northeast Japan. This earthquake has triggered a Tsunami which has so far hit northeast Japan and there are warnings in effect for almost all of the Pacific Basin. Please check here to see if you need to take action and get yourself to safety http://www.weather.gov/ptwc/?region=0 . The wonderful @bea92695 on Twitter has set up a donation page for ISF followers to donate what they can to help -  http://bea92695.chipin.com/disaster-relief-in-japan Please please please donate if you can, every little bit helps.
There has already been many lives lost in this disaster and we hope and pray that everyone can get themselves to safety. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by this terrible disaster. May you all stay safe, the world is with you xx

BY TRACEY

Amazing Support for ISF - Dedicated to Some Amazing Tweeps.

So I have recently started the @ISFTeamUK account on Twitter. I have yet to start any major fundraising for the foundation although I have donated what I can as an individual up to now. I wanted to highlight just how much the people of Twitter are doing to raise awareness and fund raise for ISF.

Lets start with Devon - It's her 7th birthday today and she has been tweeting that she would like people to donate just $7 to ISF for her birthday. She is an amazing young lady who has really captured the imaginations of young and old(er) alike and although she is young in age she has a very wise head on her shoulders and she isn't afraid to speak her mind about what she believes in. She challenges people to think about the world in a different way and is an inspiration to all her followers. She has recently started an account on Twitter  @ISFKidsArmy she has over 680 followers in just a few days and the positivity and the light that is coming from the tweets by her and her followers is amazing. She is encouraging the children of the world to come together and unite their voices and ideas and make themselves be heard. Keep your eye on this young lady she is a force to be reckoned with and she has an amazing future ahead of her.

The ISF Family - @ISF_Fr_Project @ISF_SupportGER  @ISFOUNDATIONARG @ISF_NEWS @ISF_Supporters @ISF_SupportPL @ISfoundationNL @ISfoundationES @ISF_SupportIND 
The above Twitter accounts are run by ordinary people of all ages but they are all made extraordinary by their passion and unwavering support. They have made websites and stores to raise funds for ISF and they are focused and determined to make a difference. All day there are tweets on my timeline showing just how much devastation there is in our world and urging people to do something about it. There are tweets with online petitions which we need to sign to show those who are 'in charge' just how disgusted we are with what they are letting happen. There isn't a day that goes by that i am not humbled by these amazing tweeters and their passion. You guys are fantastic and I bow down to you all x

Paws 4 A Cause
@xPaws4aCausex  Amazing.. simply amazing. Natalie started Paws 4 A Cause in September 2010 as she wanted to do something for Ians' birthday. She supports The St. Tammany Humane Society which is a no kill animal shelter located in Covington, Louisiana (Ians' home town) She has raised thousands of dollars to help the shelter save as many animals as possible. Natalie is certainly an inspiration to thousands of people as her number of twitter followers shows and she has managed to get some amazing items to auction on eBay so she can donate even more money to St. Tammany and ISF. Natalie you don't just think and speak out against the terrible injustice against the animals of this world you actually get out there and do something about it. As I said at the beginning you are simply amazing x

There are far too many people on twitter to mention in this post but I am going to list those who have caught my eye. If your name isn't here it's not because I don't think you contribute to this fantastic cause it's because there are so many of you I really cant keep up!

@bea92695 @TreeHugginVamp @TerraMea @bloodymar_ian 
@littlesheepy @CaitlynAnn97 @Paws2makeAdiff @FreeTonyTiger 
@HumaneStTammany @Vintage_socks 

If you care and you want to do something to help then follow all the above Tweeps. This feels like one huge global family and I am proud to say I belong to it.

Links to all the ISF support sites are on the left of this post. Support The ISF and also support the supporters as they are all simply wonderful xx  

BY TRACEY

Would You Do Anything to Help Your Cat?

Do you have a cat? Do you ensure it is happy, well fed, healthy and safe? Well without wild cats in The Earths past we wouldn’t have our cute little Tabby, Oscar or Dave.

Tigers are becoming extinct in the wild. There are a lot of animal charities who have on-going campaigns and projects to help tigers but the message needs to be spread wider. I don’t think it is a case of people not being aware I really think it is a case of that they don’t seem to grasp the significance of the impact that humans are having on the worlds wildlife. There is also the thinking that they cannot do anything to help apart from donating money which for a lot of people in the present economic climate is just not possible.  We need to stop the destruction of our planet every living thing deserves to survive not just us. Humans on the whole have the instinct to first and foremost take care of ourselves but what we never seem to appreciate is that the world and its rich diverse ecological past is the reason we are here and we are killing the planet with our greed and ignorance. We do not own this planet we are merely guests and as guests we are behaving in an appalling manner.

Tigers are breathtakingly beautiful animals that deserve our protection, not because they are dying out from unknown causes but because it is man that is killing them. Their natural habitat is being destroyed through our own need to live our lives how we want to. Man destroys the tiger’s habitat by cutting down trees and polluting the water they drink and the air they breathe. We hunt the tiger’s natural prey and we hunt the tigers themselves and kill them for their furs, skin and bones. There is nothing more that saddens me than the thought of these wonderful cats not existing in a future where my children’s children can appreciate them and love them as much as I do.

Tiger Statistics

There are around 3000 to 4000 tigers left in the wild.

The Balinese and the Javan tiger, Native to Indonesia are extinct. They were last sighted in 1930 and 1979 respectively.

The Caspian tiger native to western Asia has been extinct since the 1950’s

The Bengal tiger native of India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan – Fewer than 2000 remain.

The Malayan tiger native of the Malayan Peninsular – fewer than 500 remain

The Sumatran tiger native of Sumatra – fewer than 500 remain

The Siberian tiger native of Russia – fewer than 450 remain.

The Indochinese tiger native of Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar – fewer than 500 remain.

Amoy tiger native of south china – Believed to be extinct as no recorded sighting for 25 years.

Stopping the destruction of the tiger’s natural habitat or stopping the poaching of these animals will not be enough to stop their numbers from declining. We need to protect their habitat and their food sources and ensure that they have the room to increase their numbers. You can’t live in one bedroomed house and continue to have a child every year. There just will not be enough room!

How Can You Help?

Everyone can do their part in the smallest way, you don’t need to have a wealth of money. Just the act of signing an online petition can help or raise awareness of the plight of this planet and its wildlife. Blogging and social networks mean you can get the message across to hundreds and potentially thousands of people. If you post a link to this blog on Twitter or Facebook and just one of your contacts repost it on theirs and so on think how many people you can reach. Get children involved and educate them about the planets problems. Do something you have never done before like a sky dive or organise a walk and get people to sponsor you. All you need is passion and determination. Use your voice, it is the most powerful tool we have.

Links

http://www.savethetigerfund.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home1

http://www.wwf.org.uk/what_we_do/safeguarding_the_natural_world/wildlife/tigers/

http://www.indiantiger.org/

BY TRACEY

Education is the Key

If you ask young people around your town if they know about environmental issues today can you guess what their answers will be? The majority of children will tell you that they are not aware or that they don’t really care. I believe that this attitude stems from our youth simply not being given the right information. They spend the majority of their time in school learning subjects like math, English, languages and history. Obviously I think that learning these subjects is very important for their future but where do they learn about living responsibly? If we do not teach a child how important it is to recycle or protect our wildlife then how will they know just how bad things are? If we do not educate our children about environmental, animal and other world issues then what kind of a future will they and subsequently their children have?

I have contacted the Department of Education here in the UK to find out if they have any mandatory teaching of these issues on the national curriculum. I am expecting an answer within the next two weeks and depending on that answer I will be taking this topic further.

Education really is the key for this planets future. We can do all we can now to protect it and reverse the damage already done but if the future generations know nothing about this and remain in ignorance then this same crisis will be happening again and again.

BY TRACEY

What our pets do for us

I can’t even begin to touch on how much cruelty man inflicts on their own pets and whether it is deliberate or through ignorance it is unacceptable. I think it is time to remind everyone how much the animals of this world do for us.

Guide dogs are the eyes for blind and partially sighted people they are a lifeline for the people who need them. http://www.guidedogs.org.uk/

Dogs are trained to be the hands for disabled people, this means that a disabled person can stay independent and live a full life. http://www.dogsforthedisabled.org/

Cats and dogs are trained to be therapists so they may bring happiness to the sick and the elderly, a wag of a tail or a strong contented purr can bring a smile to anyone’s face.

 http://www.petsastherapy.org/

Dogs are trained to search for people buried in rubble after earthquakes and other disasters, so many people have lived after such disasters that would not have had a chance if these dogs hadn’t been there.  http://www.nsarda.org.uk/

Horses work with police to bring order and control to the streets, they bravely step forward into situations where a man would run away. http://www.met.police.uk/mountedbranch/index.htm

These brave and special animals are often put in dangerous situations to do the work they do but they don’t complain. They don’t ask for a pay packet at the end of the month and they don’t expect anything back from us when we ask so much of them. Their thanks is a pat on the head or a favourite toy but most of all their thanks is our total devotion to them. An animal knows when they are loved and when they are safe and it is up to us to make sure that we never let them down.

BY TRACEY

Welcome

The aim of this blog is to bring awareness to the plight our world is in. There are so many issues that our planet is facing and unfortunately the majority of these issues are of mans own creation. If we can all start by just voicing our opinions and making just one person think about how they treat this planet then i believe we will eventually have the tools to make a difference.
I welcome guest bloggers and ideas so please email me or tweet me @isfteamuk.

BY TRACEY