Second Chance: Cage Free

28 Nov Second Chance: Cage Free

Hi my name is Taylor. I am a puppy mill survivor. The Second Chance Pet Column often talks hopefully about the end of this cruel and inhumane treatment of animals and although progress on this front has been slow nationwide, things are in fact improving. Additionally, activism against puppy mills is also having a positive impact on the treatment other kinds of animals. Did you know that California voters made history a few weeks ago with the passing of Prop 12, the nation’s most progressive legislation relating to farm animals to date?

Also known as the Prevent Cruelty California Act, Prop 12 requires all egg-laying hens in the state to have at least one square foot of cage-free floor space, access to scratching posts, nests, and perches. Male calves raised for veal will now receive 43 square feet of usable floor space. And breeding pigs will now require 24 feet of floor space.

Although producers have until 2021 to make the changes to their supply chain, the new legislation also requires any out-of-state vendors selling meat or eggs to adhere to the rules as well. “Farm animals should not be crammed into a cage barely larger than their own body,” Josh Balk, vice president of farm animal protection of the Humane Society, stated.

The legislation divided the animal rights community, with the animal rights group PETA calling it little more than window-dressing to the atrocities of the state’s factory-farming industry. But a number of organizations supported the measure, including Mercy for Animals and the Humane Society of the United States, as a step toward more legislation and an entry point to deeper dialogues about animals in the food supply chain.

“Frankly, producers know the writing is on the wall,” Balk said, noting that the industry is already moving toward more ethical standards as consumers seek out more ethical industry behavior. “Consumers,” says Balk, “do not want animals to be confined in cages.”

As an animal that has spent most of my life in a cage, I can emphatically state that such an existence is simply not living. It is wonderful to hear that people are working hard to change how animals are treated. Keep putting the “human” in “humane” and making the world a better place for all!

On that note, I am so thankful to all those who support and partner with Second Chance Humane Society for giving me this opportunity to finally, truly live. My last hurdle is finding a home for the holidays. So here is the part where I get to help make that happen…

I am a beautiful female 7 year-old Cocker Spaniel and Bichon mix with a luxuriously silky coat. I am making up for lost time and now truly enjoy running freely in the dog yard here at Second Chance and basking in the sun. I also like to soak up as much human attention as I can get and enjoy being with other dogs as well.

I really need a home where I can enjoy the outdoors as often as possible. Remember, I have seven years to make up for. I hear that the holidays are full of love and good cheer so I am particularly eager to find a home where I can experience those feelings. Thanks and I hope to meet you soon…