Supporting additional legislation to monitor puppy mills in Oregon

5.20.2009

I received this e-mail today because I am a volunteer at the Humane Society, and I think it bears reposting. I wrote earlier this year about the 120 Burn's Dogs that were surrendered to the Humane Society by an abusive breeder. The Humane Society is trying to introduce legislation that will prevent abuses like this occurring by imposing stricter regulation on puppy mills. Here's the email:

You are getting this email because you are a very dear friend of OHS and we are concerned. Yesterday we sent out an action alert regarding some pending legislation. In the last 48 hours, the puppy mill breeders began an aggressive campaign of lies and fearful propaganda against our legislation as payback for regulating puppy mills. Some legislators have gotten dozens of letters opposing our bill, labeling us as a radical animal rights group and claiming abuse by our investigators. Unfortunately this smear campaign is getting some legislators attention and the pets of Oregon need folks who love animals, not to profit from them, to speak out.

If you haven’t done so this week, I am asking you to contact your representative immediately ask them to support three bills.

Using your personal email account, go to this link and instantly email your state Representative and Senator. Let them know you care about animals and you support the Oregon Humane Society.

Please do not identify yourself as an OHS employee. Your strongest voice is as a voting constituent in their district.

SB 303A Requires more training and uniform standards of conduct for OHS investigators, matching what is required for all law enforcement officers in the state. SUPPORT! This bill does not give Humane Special Agents more authority or broader powers. It only relates to training and certification, the Governor still appoints agents. Contact your State Representative.

HB 3348 Restores Humane Special Agents ability to apply for search warrants by first person testimony. Without this bill we will have to find a sympathetic police or sheriff’s officer, tell them what we know and hope they will follow through. Time is essential and without quick access to search warrants animals have disappeared and their fate is unknown. In two recent cases we believe the dogs have died because we could not get a search warrant fast enough. SUPPORT this bill. Contact your State Senator

HB 2470 Puppy mill regulations, while this doesn’t go far enough it is a major improvement for the lives of thousands of dogs in Oregon’s puppy mills. This bill has one more hurdle to become law, tell your senator you support humane conditions for dogs in puppy mills. SUPPORT this bill

For more information on legislative issues, go to http://www.oregonhumane.org/advocacy/legislation.asp

Of course you can always email me directly or call me at my office. I would also appreciate copies of whatever you receive from your legislator.

Thank you so much!

Sharon M. Harmon

Executive Director

Oregon Humane Society

Receiving mail on the Appalachian Trail

I've been wondering about how to keep in touch and get mail from people while I'm on the trail, and I just found out one way. The post office offers a service called general delivery.

This means that if someone writes me a letter addressed like this:

Addy*

c/o General Delivery

Small town near the AT, State, Zip code

Unfortunately, I have yet to officially change my name to Adelaide, so, unless I get my stuff together and change my name before I leave, letters will have to be addressed to Shelly. I have to take a picture ID to the specified post office to pick up my mail. Handy, eh? I've also heard that some businesses along the way offer the same service.

I'll be e-mailing out a list of what post offices I'll be using and when.

Excommunicating the wrong person

5.19.2009

I just heard about this story from Brazil. Here's what happened: a nine year old girl was raped by her stepfather and became pregnant with twins. Her mother took her to the hospital and the doctors, who were afraid that the pregnancy would kill the little girl, performed an abortion.

A horrible situation, and it gets worse. From CBC:
"Upon learning of the abortion, the regional archbishop excommunicated the doctors, as well as the girl's mother. He did not excommunicate the step-father, saying the crime he is alleged to have committed, although deplorable, was not as bad as ending a fetus's life."

I don't know how to say strongly enough that this decision by the Catholic church is crazy, that the cruelty of excommunicating the doctors that saved this girl's life, but not the man who raped her is astounding. And I am disgusted and infuriated that the Vatican would support that decision.

Come hike part of the Appalachian trail with me!

5.18.2009

Hello friends,

Here is a map of the trail. I'll be headed North to South, starting in Maine in July. If you have time and you're interested, come hike part of it with me! E-mail me if you want rough guesses of where I'll be at different places.

Look buff for the camera

5.07.2009

I recently began training with Nikki Becker from Missfit Adventures. My reasoning: if I am going to tell everyone I know that I’m trying to backpack the Appalachian Trail, I better not come home a month after I started. Nikki trains clients in her “all women’s adventure club.”

If you want to read more about my preparations for the AT, I've started a separate blog for the trip. (Because you can't have too many blogs, right?)

Here's me trying to look buff for the camera. I'm not sure it's working.

Argyle Reserve--my Ultimate team

Scottsmen! from CrossFit Portland on Vimeo.

Reserve! Preserve! Prevail!

Backpacking the Appalachian Trail

5.06.2009

It’s no secret that I have commitment problems. Not with romantic partners, that is. When it comes to life plans I tend to get nervous and say the equivalent of “let’s just be friends.”

But not today. It’s official, as of Tuesday, April 28th, I have decided to backpack the Appalachian Trail.

I will be blogging about my preparations for the trip and my adventures on the trail. Any advice would be appreciated!

Pic o' the day

5.01.2009

I don't think you can have a "pic of the day" if you only post pictures once or twice a month.