Greater protection

Written by alliephillips on February 15, 2012 — Leave a Comment

 

This morning I was reading with excitement that Idaho has a felony animal cruelty bill that passed the Senate Agriculture committee and is headed to the full Senate for a vote. But then my excitement quickly waned as I read what this legislative bill actually covers. 

Idaho is one of three states that does not have a felony animal cruelty law. Normally I would be praising the introduction of felony animal cruelty legislation as a recognition that crimes against animals needs to be treated seriously, but in reading the bill language, this bill provides very little to protect animals.

  • A person would only be charged with a felony if they have 2 prior convictions within a 15 year time period. A conviction only involves a guilty plea or a guilty conviction, not a no-contest plea.
  • A person would only be deemed to have one conviction regardless of how many criminal charges are filed and how many animals are involved. 
  • And the felony penalty is only a maximum of 12 months in jail, the absolute bare minimum to be considered a felony.

So if you are cruel to 100 cats and dogs in one incident, you only receive one felony conviction on your criminal record, and only if you have 2 prior convictions. For all of the effort that it takes to introduce and pass animal protection legislation, it makes me wonder why a bill with little power is being considered? From my experience, there are behind-the-scene powers that have significant influence on legislation that is not known to most voters.

Provisions that make for a solid felony animal cruelty bill include: a deterent penalty (a minimum of 4 years to 10 years); charging one felony count for every animal harmed or killed; the ability to charge felonies based on the current incident and not based on whether there are prior convictions; using prior animal cruelty convictions to increase the felony penalty (charge as a habitual offender); banning the defendant from possession or ownership of animals; and mandatory psychological testing and counseling.

So while my excitement was quickly doused this morning, I think we can all agree that Idaho has the power to do better. So what can you do to help? Since the bill has already passed the Senate Agriculture committee and is headed to the Senate floor, amendments at this point can be difficult, but not impossible. If you live in Idaho, please contact your legislator and ask them to speak with the bill sponsor about why the provisions in the bill are weak and to lend support towards a stronger bill. If you live outside of Idaho, please do not contact the legislators as this can negatively impact animal protection legislation. But please share this information with anyone who lives in Idaho.

Voters have tremendous power to influence legislation, so now is the time to speak up for animals in Idaho. To learn more about how to become an animal advocate, pick up a copy of Defending the Defenseless: A Guide to Protecting and Advocating for Pets.

Posted in Animal Protection, Cruelty and Neglect | Tagged ,

Legacies for change

Written by alliephillips on February 9, 2012 — 3 Comments

Patrick (photo used with permission from Associated Humane Societies)

We continue to see the passage of laws to protect animals from humans harming them, and many of those legislative bills are named after an animal who has been victimized. There is Daniel’s Bill in Pennsylvania to end gas chamber killings and named after a dog who survived an attempt to end his life in a gas chamber; the federal Pet Safety and Protection Act bill is named after Buck, a dog who survived the inhumane conditions at a now-closed Class B dealer facility in Arkansas; and then there is Patrick, one of the most prominent figures on social media sites in the campaign to end abuse of animals who, himself, survived near-death due to starvation and being tossed away in a garbage dumpster. In 2009-10, I drafted a bill to end pound seizure in Michigan and named the bill after Koda, a dog who was surrendered to an animal shelter and later sold to a Class B dealer for research. Although that bill ran out of time, it is in process of being refiled and named after another dog who was cruelly treated in a research facility.

For those of who love, appreciate and respect animals (and frankly, any human being should at lease respect animals and their place in our world), putting a face and a name on a legislative bill helps to garner more attention, support and gives the issue life through the complicated, and often dead-locked, legislative process. These literal animal advocates unknowingly lend their name and tragedy to help raise awareness amongst the human race as to the atrocities that humans can inflict upon our animal companions. Some animal advocates travel to legislative sessions, advocacy rallies, and even to other states to help spread the message and plead with their soulful eyes for change. Daniel the Beagle, as he is known to his friends and family, has his own website, is making appearances on TV (including woofing it up with Anderson Cooper) and has dedicated his new leash on life to helping more animals find the lucky breaks that they deserve.

There are numerous legislative bills (and many laws) named after animals, so please share those that you know of, whether successful or not, and let’s give recognition to these animal advocates for raising awareness in a world that seems to have forgotten the adage … Do unto others as you would have them do to you.

To learn more about the 2012 legislative season and what you can do to help pass animal protection laws, check out my interview on All Paws Pet Talk Radio on January 23rd or pick up a copy of Defending the Defenseless:  A Guide to Protecting and Advocating for Pets.

Posted in Animal Protection, Cruelty and Neglect | Tagged , , , ,

2012 … a year to do more

Written by alliephillips on January 26, 2012 — Leave a Comment

Kate & Leopold, looking for a home together at King Street Cats

Yesterday, I taped an terview for The Animal House radio show on WAMU radio in Washington D.C. The topic was about Defending the Defenseless: A Guide to Protecting and Advocating for Pets and how we can make a resolution this year that involves helping animals.

Now that we are 4 weeks in to the new year, how are your resolutions coming for you? For most people, resolutions fade away after 2 weeks. I’m a big believer that we should set intentions, not resolutions, because the word “resolution” is associated with a failed intention for so many people. And while an intention and a resolution may be similar, setting an intention puts positive energy behind what you want to accomplish. So if you have already fallen short on your standard New Year’s resolutions, why not set an intention to do more for animals this year?

So where do you start? Well …. if you don’t mind the shameless plug, why not pick up a copy of Defending the Defenseless? It is packed full of practical tips on how to help companion animals.

Are you worried about the stray and feral cat population? There is a chapter with tips on how to help, such as making sure that the feral cats are spayed and neutered to prevent overpopulation, or supporting barn cat programs so that ferals in high traffic areas can be moved to a safer location.

Do you fret about the number of pets entering animal shelters annually, knowing that approximately 4 million are euthanized every year? So many people cringe in knowing this, yet are too nervous or timid to enter a shelter (either to adopt or volunteer). There is no better feeling than to volunteer in a shelter and know that you are comforting pets and putting them more at ease so that can be adopted. The first time you help a pet find a new home, you will be hooked! But if you don’t think you can volunteer in a shelter, why not help from the outside? Open your home to foster a shelter pet! Do you love to write? Offer to write a newsletter or donation letter for your local shelter? Are you an attorney? Offer to give pro bono legal advice when needed? Do you have kids? Ask their school if you can have a towel/blanket drive, pet food drive, or toy drive and have the school sponsor the shelter?

If time or money is limited for you, there are still other ways that you can protect animals. When you purchase cosmestics, bath and body products or household products, always check the label to make sure they are cruelty free. Leaping Bunny has a great website that lists companies that produce cruelty free products. Supporting cruelty free products will reduce the number of animals used in animal testing. Or when you go to renew a credit card or order more checks, support animal protection organizations by getting animal-friendly versions. Many of the national organizations have credit cards that support their efforts, as well as checks.

There are countless ways everyday that we can do more to help animals. Just imagine if everyone who loved animals (that is at least 73 million homes in America that have a pet) did one simple thing each day to help animals? We would undoubtedly see a massive shift in how we relate to animals and would provide a better world for them to thrive. We can get to a day where we lovingly co-exist with all animals, rather than use them for our own selfish benefit or decide whether they live or die. So pick up your copy of Defending the Defenseless today on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or through my website (where I will autograph the book for you). Doing so will end up being one resolution that you will actually accomplish and feel good about!

If you have an intention to help animals in 2012, please share!

 

 

Posted in Animal Protection, Getting Started | Tagged , ,

Tragedy in Ohio

Written by alliephillips on October 21, 2011 — Leave a Comment

Many of us read this week about the tragic deaths of 49 exotic animals in Zanesville, Ohio. While 6 of the animals survived and are now being cared for at the Columbus Zoo, it raises the long-standing issue of people possessing exotic animals. And while the debate continues in Ohio and nationally about strengthening laws to prohibit private ownership of exotic animals, I am plagued by a different issue: How was one person able to collect and possess this large number of exotic animals?

It must have been terrifying for the Zanesville community to learn that over 50 exotic animals were on the loose; and it must have been terrifying for those animals to be set loose into an unfamiliar world. While experts have said that it was impossible to safely round up the animals during nighttime, it is heartbreaking to know that these beautiful creatures lost their life. However, it brings us right back to the beginning of why a person was allowed to possess over 50 exotic animals.

We may never know why this individual set the animals loose and then killed himself. All we can do is mourn the death of these amazing animals and support the process of strengthening laws to prevent the possession of exotic animals.  If you are curious to know what your state laws is regarding the possession of exotic animals, check out Born Free USA’s webpage.

Posted in Animal Protection, Extraordinary Stories | Tagged ,

Doing too much?

Written by alliephillips on September 27, 2011 — 2 Comments

I am embarassed to confess that it’s been over 2 months since my last blog post. Have been lounging in the summer sun and relaxing? Have I been touring the world? Sadly, no. I have simply been doing too much.

Are you one of those people who does too much, especially to help animals? Do you work a full-time job and then spend your evenings and weekends helping animals? I would never criticize or judge anyone for doing too much to help animals, particularly since my website, blog and books are all about doing more. But for many of us, we can get to a point where we do too much; it wears us out, makes us frazzled, and then everything in our life is impacted. When we are frazzled, we are not at our best to help others.

This month, I became frazzled because I was doing too much. Because I am a master energy worker, having frazzle energy is not good. And when you are frazzled, you are not in a position to manifest the good things that you truly desire.

So here’s the run down … (1) After a year of doing consulting work and working at my own leizure, I returned to full time employment on September 1st. I love the work (I help train prosecutors on animal abuse), but the change in schedule was an adjustment. (2) I started teaching energy healing classes in August through my side business called Manifested Harmony and started a monthly Harmony Circle community to share healing. I love these classes and the healing that is shared. I even attended my first Expo event this past Sunday.

(3) I am continuing my work on helping domestic violence shelters welcome families with pets. This program was discontinued by my previous employer, but it is a life-saving program that I felt the need to continue. So I have been doing that work in my spare time and today I am launching the website for Sheltering Animals & Families Together (SAF-T)! I am also hosting the 2nd Annual National SAF-T Day on October 1st where there are 8 family violence shelters signed up to host a dog walk fundraiser in their community to raise awareness regarding the co-occurrence of animal abuse and family violence and to sustain their on-site pet housing program. I love this program!

(4) Then my 2nd book was published in August (with an official publisher release date of yesterday). Defending the Defenseless: A Guide to Protecting and Advocating for Pets was a joy to write because it is chock full of ideas on how to help animals. Each chapter focuses on a different way to help companion animals, with chapters ending with “You Can Do More” tips. Tips range from simple (such as purchase cruelty-free cosmetics and household cleaners) to more in-depth (launch a nonprofit or seek employment in the animal protection field). So I have been working with Maryglenn McCombs, an AMAZING publicist in Nashville, who is helping me to promote the book. It is a joy to identify markets and ways to get this book in to the hands of people who loves animals but need to take that small step to get involved.

(5) Then I have fostered a darling cat named Pandora (aka Panda Cat and Pandorable) for the past 3 months. Pandora came from the island of St. Croix. She is grateful to be alive, but has been stressed with all of the changes. She stopped eating, thus necessitating her coming into foster care with me. After a few weeks, she developed an eye ulcer from the stress. The treatment required medication almost every hour, so she was day-boarded at a veterinary clinic while I worked. So I drove to and from the vet clinic twice a day for a month to help her. Then she developed an ulcer in her other eye, started treating with a specialist, had eye surgery to place a graft in her eye to save it, then 7 weeks of volunteers coming to my house every morning and evening to help me give eye meds. My schedule was not my own, yet it was important to help save her crystal blue siamese eyes. Last night, I took her back to the King Street Cats’ orphanage so that she could be seen for adoption. And although she was not happy about it, I know it is the right thing for her.

Then I sleep. Exhausting, eh? I did not realize that I was buring the candle at 100 ends until a few weeks ago when Panda Cat started to become frazzled and edgy around me. She was sensing my energy in trying to do everything. But my mission to ”save the world” was negatively impacting Panda Cat, my health and my sanity. Even my acupuncturist grimaced at me last Friday and told me to brace for an aggressive treatment (ouchy!). So things that I love to do, such as blog on this website, blog on Manifested Harmony, updating those Facebook pages, and a desire to start on Twitter, have not received the attention they deserve.

So why I have detailed my life for the past summer? It was not to impress anyone or to seek sympathy (but feel free to give me a cyber hug!). It was to show how we can get caught in the cycle of taking on too much. There is always “one more” to save, there is always a pet who needs extra TLC or foster care, there is simply always more to do. And most days we feel as if we will never be done in the work to protect animals. It is exhausting. But if we are exhausted, we cannot be our best to help animals. If we are exhausted, we are suffering from compassion fatigue and burnout. SoI am here to confess that I am suffering from compassion fatigue and burnout. And for those that know me, that is a HUGE confession that does not come lightly.

So once you come out of the burnout closet, what can you do? Here are a few ideas to help take care of yourself:

  • As soon as you feel jittery, frazzled and are going through your day at warp speed, not taking time to look at the sky or smell the coffee, take just 5 minutes to sit quietly and just breathe. This will ground you and slow down your energy.
  • Set a deadline each evening on when you will stop working (even if it’s volunteer work). There is always more to be done, but setting a deadline so that you can meditate, exercise, do yoga, or take a bubble bath will give you more energy for the next day.
  • Spend time each day doing things and being with people that are not associated with work, helping animals, or whatever keeps you busy during the day. Having a break and changing your routine will refresh your mind and energy.
  • Delegate and ask for help!

For more ideas, I encourage you to get Defending the Defenseless and read Chapter 3 about Staying Strong and Resilient. We cannot help animals (or the people in our lives) if we are not in good physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. Remember what they say during the safety instructions on airplanes? “Place the oxygen mask on yourself before assisting others.” So today, I will let go of my to do list for even just a little bit; I will take the oxygen mask and refresh myself. Then I will return and be in a better place to help both animals and people. And I hope that Panda Cat will feed off of my new relaxed and refreshed energy so that she is at her best when her new family arrives to take her home.

If you have great ideas on how to combat compassion fatigue and burnout, please post a comment and share!

Posted in Animal Protection, Getting Started | Tagged , , , , ,

Reaching the masses

Written by admin on July 21, 2011 — 2 Comments

Today I started to feel pre-publication jitters for the September release of Defending the Defenseless: A Guide to Protecting and Advocating for Pets. This is now my second book, but I still feel like a new book author. There is so much I have learned, and still have to learn; not necessarily about writing a book (that, surprisingly, is the easy part), but about getting my book in the hands of people who will read it and then help animals.

Publicizing my first book (How Shelter Pets are Brokered for Experimentation) was trial-by-fire as I learned (and am still learning) about social media marketing, blogging, and other current-day methods to let people know about my books. For me, writing about animal protection issues is vitally important to creating a more caring society. So not only do I feel a sense of responsibility for what I write, but also feel responsible for spreading the word about my books and being part of the movement to protect animals.

But what I have also learned is that just because I have a book published does not mean that I will be able to walk in to my local book store and see it smiling at me on the shelves. One day that will happen, but I’ve learned that it depends on the type of book and the publisher. I’ve also learned that book signing events in book stores are not as popular as I had believed. While I have enjoyed several book signing events, and plan to schedule more later this year, they would be more successful if I were J.K.Rowling and promoting the Harry Potter books. So in working with my publisher (Rowman & Littlefield), we are crafting methods to spread the word about my books.

In addition to this blog, and my You Can Do More for Animals Facebook page, I am also using my professional LinkedIn site to promote the books and to have book signing opportunities when I travel the country training at conferences on animal protection issues. I am also checking out video book trailers and whether that would be appropriate for my books. And I am connecting with animal protection bloggers, animal radio shows, and animal-related magazines to all review the books and write about them. But I feel that more can be done, especially in reaching out to people who are not involved in animal protection. Basically, I want to preach outside the choir!

So my question to you (especially if you are a social media guru) is … what ideas do you have to help promote my books through social media? What would it take for my books to go viral on the internet? For the top 5 ideas that I select (that have not already been mentioned) and that are submitted by Tuesday, July 26th, I will send a complimentary copy of one of my books as a thank you (you choose!).

If you are inclined to put on your thinking cap and help me find a way to get my books in front of people who are not helping animals but would if they read my books, the primary beneficiary of your kindness will be the animals. And for them, I know they would say “thank you.”

Posted in Animal Protection, writing | Tagged , , ,

Somedays it is not easy …

Written by admin on July 2, 2011 — 4 Comments

Pandora

Yesterday, a friend who I volunteer with contacted me because she was experiencing difficulties in continuing to volunteer with homeless pets. The tipping point in her case was a local animal control shelter who recently euthanized all of its cats (about 80) because a strong virus swept through the shelter. I’m not passing judgment on whether the shelter jumped the gun or did the kindest thing in making sure that these cats did not die a gruesome death from the virus. However, it caused my friend to become very upset knowing that these beautiful kitties, who were tossed away by humans, had their lives ended so abruptly through no fault of their own. While the two of us volunteer for a cat orphanage that does not euthanize unless a cat is in its final stages of life, she expressed that helping homeless animals and hearing the terrible tragedies that happen everyday was causing her significant distress to where she was unsure whether she could continue.

Her worries are common amongst people who love animals. When the realities of helping animals causes us stress, sleepless nights, anxiety, and more, it is called compassion fatigue. Many of us take that leap and help animals in shelters, while too many others simply turn away hoping that “someone else” will help the animals. I frequently hear “I could never volunteer in a shelter, or even go in to a shelter to adopt, because I would want to save them all.” My gut reaction to that statement is that if you love animals, you cannot turn your back; if you turn your back, then you need to question the genuineness of your love of animals. But I also understand that all of us have different sensitivities and ways of handling difficult situations. So how can we empower more people who love animals to get involved, yet keep their sanity in the process?

My next book, Defending the Defenseless (due out this Fall), discusses this in depth and provides a myriad of ways to get involved. I, too, am very sensitive when it comes to the care of animals. I cannot even watch a movie where an animal is harmed even though I know it is not real. But on the flip side, and likely as a result of my training as a prosecuting attorney, I can work on animal cruelty cases and legislative issues to better protect animals. When I hear of injustices and animals being harmed, it lights a fire in my belly to take action, not to cower. But that’s me and not everyone has that instinctive reaction to get involved. If my action can help just one animal, then it is worth feeling sad and grief for all of the others that I could not help. And over the past 11 years of actively volunteering in shelters, I can say that one-step-after-another has resulted in me helping thousands of pets. Spending three years at a shelter to end the practice of pound seizure has since protected tens of thousands of shelter pets in my home state of Michigan, yet before the ban I had to watch pets being sacrificed in the name of science. Had I and others given up, nothing would have changed. And while it was difficult at the time, I can look back and know that the distress in achieving a positive outcome far out weighed the tragedies.

At this moment, I have Pandora in foster care at my house who traveled here from the island of St. Croix. She’s 6 years old and stressed over her ordeal and all of the change she has experienced. She simply stopped eating and each day I work with her to feel better so that she can eat. Yes, it is stressful on me and it would have been easy to turn away and hope that “someone else” would help her. But I know that with a little of my time and love, she will get better. And while I have lost some animals along the way and grieved for them, I have also helped more than I can count.

So I expressed to my friend that having a love of animals means that we all must get involved. And there are countless ways to help that can help you maintain your own well being. Some people are resilient enough to investigate animal cruelty, pull animals out of hoarding situations and puppy mills, or help an animal pass on when they are suffering. While other people may be better helping animals from a distance, such as creating and updating websites that feature animals, working on marketing and publicity efforts, doing follow-up adoption calls, or raising money. In the vast world of animal rescue and protection, there is a place for everyone who loves animals.

So if you are one of those people who do not believe that you could volunteer hands-on with homeless, abused or neglected pets, dig deep into your heart and find a way to help. If you truly love animals, the joys will far outweigh the tragedies. If you volunteer to help animals, please share how you are involved and let’s inspire others to join in.

Posted in Animal Protection, Animal Shelters, Getting Started | Tagged , ,

Shocking that this still happens in America

Written by admin on June 10, 2011 — 3 Comments

Darling Grant lost his life in a Michigan gas chamber

Did you know that some states still condone killing shelter animals in a gas chamber? Only these states have outlawed it to date:

  • Banned for all animals (including ferals and wildlife): Arizona, Delaware, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, and Wyoming
  • Banned only for cats and dogs: Connecticut, Florida, Maine, Maryland, New Mexico, Tennessee, and Virginia
  • And Georgia banned the use of carbon monoxide on shelter cats and dogs earlier this year.

It is incomprehensible to me, that in an advanced society where technological advances are achieved everyday, that some shelters use outdated and inhumane techniques like gassing, or worse … shooting. Humane options are available, such as euthanasia by injection (EBI), which is the technique performed when we must say goodbye to our own pet. While no one likes to think about adoptable and healthy shelter pets being euthanized, there are at least 10,000 pets losing their lives every day in U.S. shelters. So until that tragic reality changes (which I discuss in my upcoming book Defending the Defenseless) we must use the best process for gently and peacefully ending a life.

I have been involved in banning gas chambers in Michigan since 2008 when I first drafted the model legislation when I was Vice President of Public Policy for American Humane. The bill was filed in 2009 and came very close to passing. It passed with vast support in the House, but then encountered a block in the Senate when for the last 4 months of the session, the Senate only had 2 hearing days scheduled. Had the Senate worked for those last 4 months and given it a hearing, I have no doubt that the bill would now be law. Instead, the bill died in December 2010 with over 10,000 citizen endorsers, 120 Michigan animal shelters and rescue organizations, and 120 Michigan businesses supporting the measure. Knowing how close we came to ending the gassing practice in the last 8 shelters in Michigan still engaging in this archaic practice, I co-created Michiganders for Shelter Pets to bring together 5 powerful advocates to advance the 2011 bill and put a Michigan (not a national) face to the effort.

It was a bittersweet moment when SB 423 and SB 424, Grant’s Bills, were filed yesterday in the Michigan Senate to end gas chamber killings in Michigan shelters and by USDA Class B dealers. It is bitter because the bills are named after Grant who not given enough time at the St. Joseph Animal Control shelter in Michigan before he was gassed to death. His photo and the pleading, yet defeated, look in his eyes haunt me. It was only fitting that we named the bill after Grant and to give his short life a legacy. It is bitter because there are too many Grant’s (both cat and dog) out there that do not choose to end up at shelter and do not choose to be killed with gas. And it is bitter because in spite of overwhelming citizen and shelter support throughout Michigan, the state veterinary association has been a staunch advocate against the bill, as have other influential agencies and lobbying organizations such as the farm bureau and department of agriculture.

Earlier this month, I declared June as Positive Animal Protection Month because somedays there are too many media stories about animals being harmed. As people, this weighs on our subconscious and our instinct is to want to cause harm to those who hurt animals. It can be overwhelming at times and I know that I personally needed a break from the negativity and needed to focus only on the good that is done for animals. So the sweet part of this blog is that Grant’s Bills have been filed by Senator Rick Jones (sponsor of the 2009-10 bill) and Senator Steve Bieda (both bills listing 7 co-sponsors) and we will have until December 2012 to, once again, make Michigan a humane state for shelter cats and dogs. As humans, we are the ones who created animal control and animal protection laws, created animal shelters, created euthanasia of shelters pets, and decide who lives and dies. The least that we can do, until no more homeless pet has to be euthanized, is to give them a gentleand humane passing in the arms of a shelter worker who cares.

If you are from Michigan and want to take action, or if you are simply interested in this topic, please visit Michiganders for Shelter Pets to learn more. Bringing our voices together can truly make a difference.

Posted in Animal Protection, Animal Shelters | Tagged , , ,

June is Positive Animal Protection Month

Written by admin on May 30, 2011 — 1 Comment

In reporting the news of the day, have you noticed that most stories relate to death, destruction and downfall? In a world where we are surrounded by 24/7 news and social media sites, we are bombarded with negative news. In the world of animal protection, people frantically post stories and pleas for help to protect animals from harm. And while the hope is to reach just one person who can make a difference for that animal, or to reach out to authority figures to hold abusers accountable and obtain justice, there comes a time when it is too overwhelming and we tune out. It’s called compassion fatigue where the negativity becomes too much to handle and we tune out. While I typically do not listen to national or local news in order to keep my outlook positive and uplifted, I have noticed recently the number of social media stories focusing on the cruelties committed against animals and anger towards the abusers, animal shelters, and criminal justice professionals. The anger may be justified, but is it getting us the results that we want? It is why I feel compelled to declare June as Positive Animal Protection Month: a month where we only focus on the positive side of animal protection, heartwarming rescue stories, selfless acts of kindness, and celebrating the human-animal bond.

I am a Certified Law of Attraction Counselor. I practice and teach others that like attracts like. In general terms, if you put out positive energy, you will attract positive energy. When we place our energy and attention on being mad a someone, we give them our energy and we give power to their behavior. Have you ever been in an argument and found that when you actively engage in the argument, it ramps up the intensity and duration of the argument? When you give your energy to the argument, you give it more power and life. However, when we disengage from the argument and put our focus elsewhere, the argument dies. It is human to be upset when we hear of an animal who has been harmed and our natural instinct is to strike out in anger against the abuser. I suspect you all have read someone who has commented “we should do the same to him/her.” That response places the focus on the abuser, the negativity of what happened, and sends energy to keep it going.

Just for the month of June, why don’t we consciously choose to do something different? Why don’t we decide to fill these tragic situations with positive energy, love, and compassion for the animal. If we individually and collectively put our focus on the animal, that energy will flow to the animal and support the animal to heal. If the animal died, we can still send love and positive energy to the soul of that animal. We all have seen where animals are incredibly resilient and even situations where the animal holds no grudge or judgment against their abuser. While some animals may be scarred by their trauma, many animals are able to live in the moment and let it go. We need to practice letting go of the negativity of what happened and keep our focus on sending positivity to the animal.

This does not mean that the abuser gets away with their actions. As a former prosecutor, I know that there are good professionals out there enforcing laws, and sadly there are also professionals who do not care. Initially, let them do their job. Being supportive without nasty emails and phone calls will actually send positive power to the professionals. If no action is being taken, you can still reach out to the investigators or prosecutors with kindness and compassion, not anger and forcefulness, and ask for them to look into the situation. Here’s another way to look at it … When you charge at someone with anger and resentment for not doing things how you want, people tend to put up a barrier. But when you approach someone with a genuine desire to be supportive, they are more likely to embrace you and your ideas.

The animal protection movement has a growing army of caring and dedicated soldiers who fight to protect animals. However, fighting is negative and puts up resistance. So let’s put down our weapons and the anger and change our energy and focus to bringing light, love and compassion to all of the animals in the world and those who are charged to protect them and enforce the laws. This may sound like a pie-in-the-sky theory that is easier said than done. But it is something that the world and our current society desperately needs to embrace. If we continue this spiral into negativity, we will bring more negativity into the world.

A good way to test this is to practice this technique in your own life. Whenever you encounter someone who is rude, disrespectful, or even harmful, just make the conscious decision to detach from their energy, visualize surrounding yourself with love and compassion (sometimes I envision a pink or white bubble around me), and then send compassion to this person. Why? Because people who strike out in anger, rudeness, and negative behavior are really conveying outwardly how they feel about themselves. They are hurting inside and striking out helps them cope. Remember the saying misery loves company? When you understand that, it becomes easy to send out a wave of compassion to them. So instead of engaging your armor in an argument or entering the battle with others to strike out against those that harm animals, let’s shift our energy and begin to behave like the animals … let’s fill our hearts with unconditional love and send a prayer (or well wishes) to all involved. We just might be surprised to see that when we fill the air with compassion energy, we start the tipping point to helping others be more compassion to animals and people.

Posted in Animal Protection, Human-Animal Bond | Tagged ,

Don’t forget to heal

Written by admin on May 13, 2011 — 2 Comments

Reiki on my cat, Oscar

I spend most days working on issues that involve animals being in harms way, animals that have been abused, and finding better ways to protect them. I recently launched the National Center for Prosecution of Animal Abuse through the National District Attorneys Association and as Director of NCPAA I will be creating training programs for prosecutors on how to handle animal abuse cases. But as I work day-to-day on training and educating others on how to handle the aftermath of abuse, and while there are numerous prevention programs across the U.S., I also work on how to help the animals heal from their experiences.

Over the past month, I obtained my master-teaching certifications in Usui Reiki and Integrated Energy Therapy, two energy healing methods. Some of you may have heard of energy healing and how it can help people achieve immediate relaxation, and overtime help to provide support you through the healing process. But what many people may not know is that Reiki and IET work wonders for animals. Through the relaxation of healing energy, it  allows for the greatest healing in the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual bodies for people and pets. For pets, energy healing can help with behavioral issues, physical ailments or disease, and can help frightened and traumatized animals recover after trauma and abuse.

When I read stories of how animals have been rescued from an abusive or neglectful environment, whether it was a dog, cat or cow, I am always relieved; but then my next thought goes to whether the animal is receiving any healing. When we hear of people who have been victimized, those people often undergo therapy and counseling. And while many people may think that an animal can simply “shake off” the trauma of abuse or neglect, we cannot stop with the rescue and need to start thinking about providing healing to animals after they are in a safe place.

To help bring more healing to pets (and people!), I have created a new business called Manifested Harmony. The beauty about energy healing is that it can be done remotely, as well as in-person. Since energy knows no space or time boundaries, I can be in my home in Alexandria, Virginia and send energy healing to an animal in India. For years, I have been providing healing energy to homeless cats at a cat orphanage where I volunteer and I have seen amazing results. With my own cats, I have also seen them recover from illness much quicker. Most recently, my cat, Oscar, was unexpectedly diagnosed with diabetes. I know that energy healing along with insulin injections have quickly helped him to get on the path to wellness.

So if you have a pet, or known of an animal, who needs healing, consider energy healing. I know that you share my vision to help all pets live safe, healthy and happy lives. And now, incorporating energy healing in to my work feels right. If you have engaged the services of an energy healing practitioner, please share your story!

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