Tails in the News
By Jeff Fleischer
On Jan. 10, the Chicago Police Department (CPD) announced a new partnership with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) in its ongoing quest to eliminate animal fighting. The initiative includes a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone engaged in fighting operations.
The CPD and HSUS established a hotline at (800) 535-STOP (7867) for anyone with information to call. The hotline gives callers the option of remaining anonymous as well as instructions on how to report a crime. Anonymous callers are still eligible for reward money.
The two organizations have collaborated before, when the HSUS provided intelligence to local police about dogfighting operations. In October, HSUS gave the CPD’s Animal Crimes Unit a Humane Law Enforcement Award for its work in this area. As the CPD notes, 65 percent of people arrested for animal-abuse crimes in Chicago were also arrested for violent crimes against humans.
“We are confident that this reward program will help encourage citizens to work with law enforcement to eliminate this terrible crime,” the CPD’s Dana Starks says.
A new program, Safe Humane Chicago, is working to teach children about dogfighting—and prevent it by encouraging proper treatment of animals.
A program of the Dog Advisory Work Group (D.A.W.G.), a coalition of civic and community leaders, the Safe Humane initiative is an ongoing effort that brings dogs to community centers, schools, and other places. There, children learn how to approach dogs safely, positively train them, and treat animals humanely. For more information or to schedule a visit, call (708) 224-1900.
The Chicago Wolves American Hockey League (AHL) team––which plays at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont—is doing its part to help shelter animals find new homes.
The Wolves host the Chicago Department of Animal Care and Control’s Adopt-a-Dog program on select game nights this season. These include upcoming games on March 8 and April 12. In the past six years, Wolves adoption nights have found homes for more than 600 dogs.
On Adopt-a-Dog nights, dogs are available for adoption throughout the event, starting an hour before game time. The adoptable dogs are called “Brian’s Barking Buddies” after Wolves defenseman Brian Sipotz, who has adopted two dogs through the program himself.
“You don’t think dogs and hockey go together,” says Courtney Mahoney, vice president of operations, “but our fans have just really embraced the program.” For more information, call (800) 843-9658.
In January, investigators uncovered another case of animal hoarding, this time rescuing 14 dogs from a barn in suburban Manhattan and four more from the same guardian’s Joliet home.
All of the animals were found alive and taken for veterinary care in nearby Mokena. Most of the animals had been kept in kennels with little human interaction, and many were exposed to the harsh weather. Rescuers plan to make the dogs available for adoption once they are healthy.
In a study published in the February issue of Psychological Science, University of Chicago researchers looked at the link between loneliness and how people see nonhumans, including pets.
What the researchers found was that lonely people are more likely than their less lonely peers to see their pets as having human personalities and thought processes. Part of the research involved asking subjects to write about times when they felt lonely and then gauging their feelings.
“If we made them feel lonely, they were also more likely to describe a pet, even if [he] wasn’t their own pet, as having humanlike mental states that were related to social connection, like being more thoughtful, considerate, and compassionate,” Professor Nicholas Epley says.
Researchers found that other negative emotional states did not lead to the same anthropomorphism that loneliness did, and argue that the brain may do that as a way of coping by elevating nonhuman interaction.
“Nonhuman connections can be very powerful,” Epley says. “A brain is not so sensitive to whether it’s a person or not. If it’s something that has a lot of traits associated with what it means to be a human, then all the better for us, it seems.”
Dr. Gene Mueller, executive director at Chicago’s Anti-Cruelty Society (ACS), resigned on Jan. 7. During his eight years with the Northside no-kill shelter, Mueller was responsible for many positive changes and initiatives, including working with law-enforcement officials to spotlight dogfighting, maintaining a dialogue with the Chicago Animal Shelter Alliance (CASA), working with Animal Care and Control to bring about humane euthanization by injection, and cutting euthanasia rates while increasing spay/neuter efforts.
Mueller has given no specific reasons for his departure. “I think he felt he’d done some wonderful things here and was ready to do some wonderful things elsewhere,” says Vice President of Public Relations Nadine Walmsley.
ACS is currently conducting a nationwide search for a new executive director. “Hopefully we’ll find someone as good as Dr. Mueller,” says Walmsley. David Dinger, vice president of operations, is currently serving as interim executive director.
CARC, a Chicago organization that helps people with developmental disabilities, recently launched the Chicago Pup Patrol––a dog-walking service performed by disabled adults with the assistance of a trained staff member. Ian McNeil, CARC’s director of business development, talked with Tails about the program.
How did the Pup Patrol program start?
We thought of a dog-walking business because it has a lot of different values. Someone is able to get exercise, able to work fairly independently, and it’s a job that’s very much desired by a lot of people. What we found was [that] there were six people in our program already who not only had an interest in walking dogs, but had the right idea. You have to really care about the dog in order to do this well, and these guys really do care about the pets.
What kind of training do the dog walkers go through?
They go through an intensive training program where they learn how to take care of a pet, the signs they need to look for if there’s illness in a pet, and safety––not only safety when you’re out walking the dog, but also the security of the client’s home. One thing that should be reassuring to the client is that this person with disabilities will always be accompanied by a staff member who has gone through the full-day training program as well.
How do the dog walkers themselves benefit?
It’s very therapeutic for them. The exercise is very beneficial of course, the fact [that] they’re walking every day with pets, but also developing the kind of friendship and kinship you develop with a pet. Many of them love animals but are living in a situation where they can’t have one themselves. To have that be part of your work is a great benefit to them and will ultimately make them really look forward to going to work.
The Pup Patrol walks dogs Monday through Friday. For more information, contact Ian McNeil at (312) 388-2008.
Chicago Police Department offers reward to stop animal fighting
On Jan. 10, the Chicago Police Department (CPD) announced a new partnership with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) in its ongoing quest to eliminate animal fighting. The initiative includes a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone engaged in fighting operations.
The CPD and HSUS established a hotline at (800) 535-STOP (7867) for anyone with information to call. The hotline gives callers the option of remaining anonymous as well as instructions on how to report a crime. Anonymous callers are still eligible for reward money.
The two organizations have collaborated before, when the HSUS provided intelligence to local police about dogfighting operations. In October, HSUS gave the CPD’s Animal Crimes Unit a Humane Law Enforcement Award for its work in this area. As the CPD notes, 65 percent of people arrested for animal-abuse crimes in Chicago were also arrested for violent crimes against humans.
“We are confident that this reward program will help encourage citizens to work with law enforcement to eliminate this terrible crime,” the CPD’s Dana Starks says.
Safe Humane to educate children about proper animal treatment
A new program, Safe Humane Chicago, is working to teach children about dogfighting—and prevent it by encouraging proper treatment of animals.
A program of the Dog Advisory Work Group (D.A.W.G.), a coalition of civic and community leaders, the Safe Humane initiative is an ongoing effort that brings dogs to community centers, schools, and other places. There, children learn how to approach dogs safely, positively train them, and treat animals humanely. For more information or to schedule a visit, call (708) 224-1900.
Chicago Wolves help get unwanted animals adopted
The Chicago Wolves American Hockey League (AHL) team––which plays at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont—is doing its part to help shelter animals find new homes.
The Wolves host the Chicago Department of Animal Care and Control’s Adopt-a-Dog program on select game nights this season. These include upcoming games on March 8 and April 12. In the past six years, Wolves adoption nights have found homes for more than 600 dogs.
On Adopt-a-Dog nights, dogs are available for adoption throughout the event, starting an hour before game time. The adoptable dogs are called “Brian’s Barking Buddies” after Wolves defenseman Brian Sipotz, who has adopted two dogs through the program himself.
“You don’t think dogs and hockey go together,” says Courtney Mahoney, vice president of operations, “but our fans have just really embraced the program.” For more information, call (800) 843-9658.
Dogs rescued from repeat hoarder
In January, investigators uncovered another case of animal hoarding, this time rescuing 14 dogs from a barn in suburban Manhattan and four more from the same guardian’s Joliet home.
All of the animals were found alive and taken for veterinary care in nearby Mokena. Most of the animals had been kept in kennels with little human interaction, and many were exposed to the harsh weather. Rescuers plan to make the dogs available for adoption once they are healthy.
New study examines anthropomorphism
In a study published in the February issue of Psychological Science, University of Chicago researchers looked at the link between loneliness and how people see nonhumans, including pets.
What the researchers found was that lonely people are more likely than their less lonely peers to see their pets as having human personalities and thought processes. Part of the research involved asking subjects to write about times when they felt lonely and then gauging their feelings.
“If we made them feel lonely, they were also more likely to describe a pet, even if [he] wasn’t their own pet, as having humanlike mental states that were related to social connection, like being more thoughtful, considerate, and compassionate,” Professor Nicholas Epley says.
Researchers found that other negative emotional states did not lead to the same anthropomorphism that loneliness did, and argue that the brain may do that as a way of coping by elevating nonhuman interaction.
“Nonhuman connections can be very powerful,” Epley says. “A brain is not so sensitive to whether it’s a person or not. If it’s something that has a lot of traits associated with what it means to be a human, then all the better for us, it seems.”
Anti-Cruelty executive director resigns
Dr. Gene Mueller, executive director at Chicago’s Anti-Cruelty Society (ACS), resigned on Jan. 7. During his eight years with the Northside no-kill shelter, Mueller was responsible for many positive changes and initiatives, including working with law-enforcement officials to spotlight dogfighting, maintaining a dialogue with the Chicago Animal Shelter Alliance (CASA), working with Animal Care and Control to bring about humane euthanization by injection, and cutting euthanasia rates while increasing spay/neuter efforts.
Mueller has given no specific reasons for his departure. “I think he felt he’d done some wonderful things here and was ready to do some wonderful things elsewhere,” says Vice President of Public Relations Nadine Walmsley.
ACS is currently conducting a nationwide search for a new executive director. “Hopefully we’ll find someone as good as Dr. Mueller,” says Walmsley. David Dinger, vice president of operations, is currently serving as interim executive director.
Pup Patrol kicks off
CARC, a Chicago organization that helps people with developmental disabilities, recently launched the Chicago Pup Patrol––a dog-walking service performed by disabled adults with the assistance of a trained staff member. Ian McNeil, CARC’s director of business development, talked with Tails about the program.
How did the Pup Patrol program start?
We thought of a dog-walking business because it has a lot of different values. Someone is able to get exercise, able to work fairly independently, and it’s a job that’s very much desired by a lot of people. What we found was [that] there were six people in our program already who not only had an interest in walking dogs, but had the right idea. You have to really care about the dog in order to do this well, and these guys really do care about the pets.
What kind of training do the dog walkers go through?
They go through an intensive training program where they learn how to take care of a pet, the signs they need to look for if there’s illness in a pet, and safety––not only safety when you’re out walking the dog, but also the security of the client’s home. One thing that should be reassuring to the client is that this person with disabilities will always be accompanied by a staff member who has gone through the full-day training program as well.
How do the dog walkers themselves benefit?
It’s very therapeutic for them. The exercise is very beneficial of course, the fact [that] they’re walking every day with pets, but also developing the kind of friendship and kinship you develop with a pet. Many of them love animals but are living in a situation where they can’t have one themselves. To have that be part of your work is a great benefit to them and will ultimately make them really look forward to going to work.
The Pup Patrol walks dogs Monday through Friday. For more information, contact Ian McNeil at (312) 388-2008.
