Scraps & Treats

Is your dog “permitted” to use the parks?

Chicago dog guardians have until March 1 to obtain new permits required for use at city dog parks before facing fines. The permits, which cost $5 and are valid through the end of the year, are available at participating veterinarian offices. Dogs must be dewormed and up-to-date on vaccinations for distemper, hepatitis, parainfluenza, parvovirus, and Bordetella. Cook County’s Department of Animal and Rabies Control mandates that park districts issue the permits to regulate the health of animals in dog-friendly areas. Chicago’s ten dog parks are the last in the
county to comply with the regulation. Dog guardians need to carry a copy of the permit with them when visiting dog parks and canines must wear a registration tag on their collars. Violators could face fines of up to $500. For details and a list of participating veterinarians, visit our list of vets.

What’s in a name?

Nineteen-year-old PETA staffer Chris Garnett has legally changed his name to KentuckyFriedCruelty.com to support the nonprofit’s campaign against the abuse of chickens in KFC’s supplying farms and slaughterhouses. Handing out leaflets, talking to friends and family, and even demonstrating in front of KFC restaurants
wasn’t enough for this guy. “I figured this way every time I have to fill out a form or give someone my ID, I’m getting the website out there. I’m able to tell them about how KFC is cutting the beaks off of baby birds, how their suppliers are kicking and slamming chickens for fun, and how some of the birds are being
scalded alive,” he says. “Ultimately, I hope this gets more people to join our boycott against KFC.” KentuckyFriedCruelty.com plans to change his name back once KFC improves the way it treats animals. Hopefully that’s sooner than later, he says. For now, the PETA activist urges people to visit the website and watch the undercover investigation. “People can help our campaign against KFC simply by not eating at the restaurant until they improve their animal-welfare standards and by encouraging your friends and families to do the same.” For details, visit www.KentuckyFriedCruelty.com.

Heartworm treatment program helps Katrina dogs

An estimated 80 percent of dogs rescued from Hurricane Katrina have been infected with heartworm. The Humane Society of Greater Miami and Adopt-a-Pet have developed a heartworm program with an initial $40,000 donation. The Humane Society of the United States and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals pledged to match or better the donation, and then the American Animal Hospital Association joined the efforts to establish the official Hurricane Heartworm Treatment program. The groups have donated a total of $150,000 to the program, which is offered through the AAHA Helping Pets Fund. Grants of up to $500 are available for heartworm treatment for each affected pet. Treatment is available only through AAHA-accredited veterinary practices, and to be eligible, a pet must be certified as a Katrina evacuee. For details, or to find an AAHA-accredited practice participating in the Hurricane Heartworm Treatment program, go to www.AAHAHelpingPets.org.