By Heather Hill

Taking a stand against animal fighting

While animal fighting may always exist underground, Massachusetts is getting one step closer to increasing the severity for participants in such crimes.

At present, Massachusetts ranks in the bottom half of all states when it comes to the strength of it’s animal-fighting laws. “In fact, [Massachusetts] is one of the best states to be a spectator at an animal fight, ranking 44th in the severity of punishment,” says Kara Holmquist, director of advocacy at the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA). “We can do better.”

On Feb. 6, House Bills (H.B.) 1527 and 1529, both of which address animal fighting, entered legislative study. If passed, the bills will increase jail time and penalties for both those aiding in and participating at fighting events and those possessing and/or distributing images and/or video of the acts.
Currently, a convicted spectator could receive a fine of $250 or a 30-day jail sentence. If passed, H.B. 1529 would warrant a fine of up to $1,000 and/or five years in prison. Rep. Louis Kafka (D-Sharon) is sponsoring both bills.
While a final decision is still several months away, Holmquist is optimistic. “I don’t think there will be any opposition—it’s just a matter of getting the committee to prioritize—they have a lot of other serious issues to address as well,” she says.

In the meantime, Holmquist urges supporters of the bills to let their voices be heard by visiting the MSPCA website and clicking on “Government Affairs.” There, people can fill out an online form and can send support along with a personal message to turn the bills into a reality. Those interested in receiving e-newsletters and updates on campaign and legislative happenings can join the MSPCA Animal Action Team online.
“The legislators know where we [the MSPCA] stand,” says Holmquist. “They want to hear where their constituents stand. They want to hear from the people who vote.”

For more information, visit MSPCA.org

Spotlight on: Monica Mansfield, veterinarian and author

There’s just something about a book title with the words “black panties” that makes even the casual browser take pause. But for veterinarian and author Monica Mansfield, it just made sense.

The Black Panties: Tales of Animal Mischief and Veterinary Intrigue (Beanpole Books), released last year, tells a heartwarming tale of Mansfield’s first year in practice and her furry patients in need. “The first year was a very impressionable one,” says Mansfield. “While studying under my mentor, Nick Schatzle, a kind and gentle older veterinarian, I learned the most valuable lessons through humor and compassion.”

Along the way, Mansfield found herself jotting down her animals’ stories on scraps of paper––some just a sentence long––and tucking them away in a large envelope. Ten years later, while on extended bed rest during pregnancy, those notes resurfaced.

“As I read the notes, the stories and emotion of all those animals––and their people––came flooding back.” With the help of a writers’ group at a local bookstore, Mansfield’s book started to take shape. From stories humorous to heartbreaking, the book’s stand-alone chapters capture the compassionate realities of veterinary practice, while the memoir as a whole follows the development of Mansfield as a professional vet at the beginning of her career.

Squeezing in writing time between her family and a busy practice (a process she says is far from glamorous), manuscript eventually met publisher, and a labor of love became a reality.

When asked about readers’ reactions to the book, Mansfield is quick to simply reply, “Animal people just seem to appreciate it. They really get it.’”

From the tricky extractions of porcupine quills to the sweet look of a hefty Basset, the book’s details resonate well with anyone who has cared for—and loved—a pet. As for the title, it refers to a true story featuring Harlan, a German Shepherd who will forever hold the secret to exactly whose black lace panties he ingested.

The book can be found at select Borders and Barnes & Noble stores as well as major online book retailers. Mansfield is planning to write a children’s book next.

Massachusetts shelter dogs to benefit from $3 million grant

No dog deserves to be without a home, but for those who are, the transition from homeless to homebound will soon be much more comfortable thanks to a grant made to the Animal Rescue League (ARL) of Boston.

The largest private contribution in the ARL’s 109-year history, the $3 million grant from the Stanton Foundation will be used to develop the first Center for Shelter Dogs in the nation. According to a press release from the ARL, the future shelter will provide a model for improving the welfare and eventual placement of homeless dogs cared for by humane organizations, animal-control facilities, and rescue groups in Massachusetts and throughout the nation.

In addition to providing a world-class facility for needy dogs, the center will focus on the effects of shelter environment and stress on dogs, improve strategies for matching dogs with prospective families, and implement long-term follow-up programs post-adoption. It will work in conjunction with the ARL’s Center for Behavior and Training to establish and foster healthy relationships between animals and humans.

The Stanton Foundation is named for the late Frank Stanton, who served as president of CBS. Located on Chandler Street in the South End, the center is slated to open next fall.

For more information, visit ARLBoston.org.

Foxboro Dog Park closed to canines?

It’s a decision that residents of Foxboro and surrounding communities have been anxiously awaiting since mid-February: a judge’s verdict on the status of the Foxboro Dog Park.

Opened in 2006, the fenced-in park, which features a pond and walking trails, has been a haven for canines and their companions. “It’s such a social place,” says Heather Harding, one of the park’s co-founders. “Even people who don’t have dogs enjoy coming to the park and hanging out.”

Some neighbors, however, disagree. Situated on town land, the park has garnered complaints from abutters and others who filed a suit claiming, in part, that the park deprives townspeople of the passive recreational use of the land. “We did everything right to get the park up and running,”
responds Harding. “From petitions to going in front of the board of health, we did our work and received permission to move forward. It took forever.” With permission in hand, Harding and fellow co-founder, Debbie Cunniff, worked tirelessly with volunteers to clean up the abandoned and neglected park. More than $9,000 was raised for fence repairs and beautification.

Aside from a select group of opposition, Harding is touched by the overwhelming support for the park. “When the park opened in September ’06, it was slow catching on, but I knew that if we raised the money to do the repairs, people would hear about it and they’d come. We weren’t disappointed.”

As of press time, Harding and the dog parks’ supporters are hoping for the best, but a decision has not yet been made.

ASPCA initiative encourages target communities to “go orange”

When you see orange, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) wants you to think animal welfare. Through ASPCA Mission: Orange, the organization partners with several target communities across the country, providing them with educational and financial resources as well as training opportunities to increase adoption rates of animals, among other goals, as a way of attaining “humane-community” status.

The cities of Austin, TX; Gulfport-Biloxi, MS; Philadelphia, PA; Spokane, WA; and Tampa, FL, make up the target communities for 2007. Through ASPCA Mission: Orange, the organization has made a three-year commitment to each of these communities to enable them to have raised shelter adoption rates 10 percent by the end of 2007 and to achieve a 75-percent save rate for shelter animals by 2010. ASPCA is engaged in an ongoing pursuit to incorporate other communities throughout the country into this initiative––eventually empowering them to actively promote and establish high levels of animal welfare.—Melissa Wiley