Current Issues & Discussions in the ASPCA Group: Animal Cruelty Petitions
NEW ZEALAND ~ GEORGE the LION-HEARTED ~ 14-year-old Jack Russell Terrier sacrifices life defending Care2 Member’s five children ~ Erica Veale’s tribute to a dog’s stunning act of courage.

“Hi everyone! My five children witnessed a dog attack in 2007 whilst walking with our neighbour’s dog. His name was “George”. He was a 14 year old Jack Russell Terrier with the kindest eyes, and purest heart. The dogs that attacked him had pursued my children, and George threw his life on the line, to stop them succeeding in harming my kids. George was so badly mauled that he had to be put down.
“The reality of it all is so overwhelming, knowing if it were not for George, I could have lost one of my children. He blessed our family with a second chance to do what we can do, to make a positive difference in life. The dogs that attacked him were bored. With their owners both working it meant often they had to be restrained and left home alone. I neither blame the dogs, nor their owners for what happened. It is the need or greed for money that often is the underlining cause that lead to dog attacks. A human problem that our pets often pay the price for, but that’s just my opinion.
“Anyway, I love dogs. I love animals and of course, people. I’m not the perfect pet-owner, parent or person, but I do the best I can, learning from my mistakes along the way.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“His Final Walk”
In the small little town of Manaia, New Zealand, a group of five children were out, walking with their neighbour’s dog - George, a 14 year old, Jack Russell Terrier. It was one of those typical, warm, quiet Sundays, and the children had just turned the corner of a street, oblivious to what was behind them. They had walked only 3 metres along this street when they were startled by the sound of growling. The oldest boy who was 11 years old, Richard, looked over his shoulder. Two dogs were running and growling and looking directly at his 4 year old brother Darryl, who was walking next to him on his left. His baby sister, 3 years old Ariana was in a pram which he was pushing and 10 year old Kelly, 8 year old Christian, were walking to his right. Their little friend George was 1 metre in front of them all.
“There’s a dog! Run!” shouted Richard.
Richard grabbed Darryl’s hand, and they all ran, but Darryl let go, so Richard stopped to let Darryl ahead. George who was also running, looked around and saw the dogs close behind. The children kept running, but little George ran the other way towards the dogs. George stopped, the children kept running now screaming and crying. George barked. Tears screaming down their faces the children kept running till they neared the corner of the street and looked back to see their friend George, being attacked by two Pitbull dogs. One savaging George’s neck and the other attacking George’s stomach. People from the corner house, heard the children and ran out to see what was going on. They chased off the dogs, and quickly tooked George to the vet.
“I’ll run ahead and tell Mum”, cried Kelly.
Less than five minutes later, I heard a cry. My daughter cried out my name three times and I ran to find her. It was one of those cries you hear, where you know something bad has happened. I called out to my partner, who jumped in our van and sped up the road. As my children all stumbled home, the feeling of total helplessness left us numb in fear, as we waited to hear how our little friend was.
My partner Anzac returned moments later, and he and Richard went to the vet. They got see George, still alive, but gasping for breath and suffering horrific injuries. George had to be taken to another vet 15 minutes away in a neighbouring town for surgery. Anzac and Richard returned home and we tried to find our neighbour, but he was in his shed at the back of his house and we thought he wasn’t home. We rang the police, and our neighbour came out. He had received a phonecall from the vet, to say that George’s injuries were so bad, even if he made it through the surgery, there was little guarantee he would live much longer. George had to be put down.
I am so thankful for our little friend, because I know if it wasn’t for him, I would have lost a child that day, but I wish like hell, he didn’t have to die. My neighbour lives alone, and George was his companion for the last 10 years.
This is a tribute to our little hero dog. We had known him for 6 years and got to enjoy many walks and fun times with him.
Visit Site at http://
herodog.bravehost.com/.
It is a sad fact of life that many animals suffer abuse of some kind during their lives. Abuse can take the form of physical assaults or punishment - but many pets suffer from the silent abuse of neglect.
When abuse occurs during a sensitive stage of a pet's development, it can have a profound impact for the rest of its life, even if the pet is subsequently removed from the abusive environment.
An older animal may bounce back from a bad situation, but a young, impressionable pet will show lasting mental scars. He or she often has to be coaxed out of a shell of resistance and will likely never be fully trusting.
Types of Abuse
Abuse takes many forms, including the following:
Unnecessarily early weaning (maternal deprivation)
Social isolation (partial or complete)
Deprivation of proper learning experiences
Physical restraint (tying, small crates or cages)
Verbal or physical punishment (yelling, hitting, beating)
Improper care and maintenance (improper or indifferent feeding, hygiene, grooming)
Deliberate or thoughtless infliction of chronic stress or pain.
The Pet's Reaction
Whether dog, cat, or other species, the universal response to abuse is one of mistrust, social withdrawal, physical inactivity, and depression. The thoroughly defeated dog or cat often hunkers in the corner of a room, not daring to explore its environment. This fear can extend to the outside world, giving an appearance of agoraphobia (fear of open spaces). Severely affected animals may not want or know how to play. They remain vigilant, reclusive and often quiet.
These are general signs. Specific signs may reflect the type of abuse the pet suffered. For example, if a young dog or cat has been forced to spend many hours alone, it may fear a return of this situation with such intensity that they become overly attached to a caring owner and may show extreme anxiety when separated from him/her. Alternatively, affected dogs or cats may simply fear being left alone – a slightly different situation.
Cats that have not been exposed to people during the first 7 weeks of life never become fully accepting of people and thus rarely make good pets. Cats that have been mistreated by people during the same period may become positively hostile to strangers for the rest of their lives. The same is true for dogs, except that the sensitive period usually concludes at around 12-14 weeks.
Abuse and neglect have other serious ramifications. The behavioral flaws arising from inappropriate rearing can threaten animals' lives because affected pets do not know how to respond appropriately to different situations.
How To Rehabilitate a Previously Abused Pet
First of all, don't expect things to turn around overnight and do not have too high expectations for the final result. It often takes a year to transform a reclusive, abused pet into a family-friendly companion. Even so, do not expect a miracle: You are unlikely to achieve complete resolution of the issues. Previously abused pets can become accepting of their human family members but making them into well-rounded social successes is an almost impossible task.
That said, to attempt such therapeutic work can be a rewarding challenge, and those who have met with success never regret the decision they made to make a formerly miserable pet happy and save its life.
Here's how to proceed:
Make your pet feel needed and loved
Allow your new pet to become accustomed to you at his own pace – never try to force the issue
Protect your pet against whatever he fears
Build the pet's confidence by introducing him to situations in which you arrange for him to be successful (arrange a positive outcome)
Strive for clear communication with your pet
Always ensure adequate exercise and a healthy diet.
Give your new pet a safe place where he can go to get away from it all
Some specific measures include the following:
Always speak quietly and encourage others in the household to do the same. Whisper "commands." There's never any advantage to shouting. It doesn't make the message any clearer.
Try sitting in a quiet room at night with your new pet. Prevent him from totally dismissing you and avoiding your company completely by strategically closing certain doors. Sit quietly on a couch or bed and read a good book. Make sure the dog or cat is hungry before you start and arm yourself with delicious food treats (hot dog or freeze-dried liver for most dogs; Pounce food treats for cats). Toss or slide the occasional food treat across the floor toward him. When a paw emerges from beneath the sofa he is hiding under you are on the right track. When he takes a pace or two toward you and you're getting warm. "Baby steps" should be incrementally rewarded with additional food. It is the best way to engender confidence and trust. Never try to hurry things along.
If your pet shows separation anxiety, arrange for him to have plenty to do when you have to go out.
If strangers terrify your pet, protect him from their well-meaning advances.
Engage a "reverse dominance" program, in which your pet has everything he wants and needs for free. Do not make him work for food, praise, toys or your attention. These should always be available at no cost.
One excellent way to build a pet's confidence is through click-and-treat training (a.k.a. "clicker training"). In this type of training, the pet is "empowered" by having the opportunity to find a way to make you click and thus receive a reward. Once pets figure out how the game is played, they may prefer the "game" over the reward. Think of click-and-treat training as a means of non-verbal communication. Signals or voice cues can be added at a later stage.
Take care of the pet's basic biological needs by providing aerobic exercise and a healthy diet. Dogs need 20 to 30 minutes of running exercise (not just walking) every day. Cats need an opportunity to release energy in explosive bursts to dissipate their predatory tendencies. A tired pet is a good and happy pet!
Once appropriate background measures are in place, and the pet is on the mend, it is time to consider active rehabilitation in the form of desensitization. Desensitization is the behavioral equivalent of homeopathy: A little bit of what ails (step-wise approach to feared person or situation) is employed under close control to do some good.
Whether the "little bit" entails limited and controlled exposure to strangers or being left alone depends on the particular needs of the pet. Desensitization is best performed in conjunction with counter-conditioning – a process in which animals' fear cues are associated with a positive (or, at least, different) response. The usual strategy is to replace a previously fearful response with an appetitive response using delicious food as the conditioner.
With reference to training, as ethologist Konrad Lorenz once said, "Art and science aren't enough; patience is the basic stuff." This is especially true when it comes to rehabilitating formerly abused animals. Such animals present the greatest challenge, because they are not blank slates for inscription but rather have already been exposed to un-erasable unfortunate learning. However, this is not to say that amazing turnarounds cannot be achieved - for they can - only that trainers must work hard with such pets to superimpose new learning that will submerge earlier adverse learning experiences.
Hey guys I get emails from the Norht Shore Animal League, and they have a petition for stopping abuse to pit bulls. I left the link PLEASE SIGN. Thank You
http://ga4.org/campaign/pit_bull
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"Too cute" is an understatement for this little guy -- it's not a miniature horse trailer at all (unless, that is, you have a really, really miniature horse!) but a motorcycle pet carrier! At least that's what I'll call it. It can also be used as a motorcycle cargo trailer, but this version is specifically designed as a pet carrier.
Now I'm not sure if my pampered pets would be happy back there, but it's perfect for a motorcycle rider who can't be without their dog or cat, or maybe their lizard, snake or maybe even their pet parrot.
The Wags motorcycle pet carrier is not a toy -- in fact, it has excellent quality and is extremely well made, much better, actually, than many of the real horse trailers I've been looking at recently.
It's not inexpensive by any means, but it's available with the same options that can be found on the big boys; things like chrome wheels with cool-looking spinner hubcaps; stainless steel tongue and bumper; real sliding windows with screens that open for ventilation; top and side vents; a cooler (shown on the front of the carrier in these photos); different styles of rear doors and more.
You can even order a custom paint job to match your bike or -- get this -- a solar powered roof vent and fan!
The Wags motorcycle pet carrier can be custom ordered to fit different sized pets according to the customer's needs. The partition can either be left in place for storage for pet food or other gear, or the entire carrier can be used as a motorcycle cargo trailer instead.
The inside of the carrier is lined with insulation and carpeting and the bottom is covered with 2" of foam padding. The carpet is removable for cleaning.
The base price for the Wags motorcycle pet carrier is $3,095.00, which may seem steep, but like I said, this thing is built to last.



WAGS DEALERS:
Dale Coyner -
www.openroadoutfitters.com - Sterling, VA - P: 800-541-6736
Ken & Gail Jones -
www.kingmanaz.net/~kgbikers - Kingman, AZ - P: 928-757-1990
John & Suzi Reick -
www.rockymtnpromotions.com - Montrose, CO - P: 970-240-4350
CANADIAN CUSTOMERS----Regarding SHIPPING from US to CANADA
Contact: Grant Mansell (Stinger Trailer Canada Limited) Toll Free #866-619-0969
E-Mail: stingertrailer@rogers.com
Check out the COOL PADS and COOL VEST for PETS! -
www.50degree.com
Check out the NEW "CAMERA for Motorcycle Pet Trailer"! - Pittsburgh, PA
OTHER LINKS :
Custom Leather 2 G -
www.2genescustomleatherworks.com
Country Choppers -
www.countrychoppers.com
D & J Ventures -
www.angelsonwheels.com
J2 Automotive Art -
www.J2automotiveart.com
Motorcycle Towing Service -
www.mtstowing.com
Rick Seidel (WAGS customer)- e-mail: ryadoin@aol.com
Trike Riders International -
www.trikes.org
CHECK OUT THIS "NEW" WEBSITE--set up by WAGS DEALER--OPEN ROAD OUTFITTERS -
www.tailpullers.org
Overall Length (with tongue) --------------------------------------------- 94"
Body Length --------------------------------------------------------------------- 53"
Body Width (with tires & fenders) --------------------------------------- 48"
Body Height ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 40"
Trailer Height w/Lid from ground -------------------------------------- 53"
Tongue Length ----------------------------------------------------------------- 36"
Trailer (Total) Weight ------------------------------------------------------- 275#
Trailer Tongue Weight ----------------------------------------------------- 5#
Storage Capacity (Cubic ft & lbs) -------------------------------------- 1000# Axle
Inside Dimensions: (52.5" Length; 34.5" Depth; 32" Width)
Approx. 34 cubic feet storage - with lid
Suspension - Independent Torsion Bar
Tires - 6 Ply, 5.70x8", 4 hole
WE RECOMMEND a large touring bike, trike or vehicle to tow the new Large WAGS cargo & pet trailers!
D.O.T. CERTIFIED
PATENT PENDING

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Paint Ready (Black or White Gel Coat)
$3895.00
Gel Coat in Black or White (Paint Ready)
Stainless Steel Tongue
Stainless Steel Bumper
Mag Wheel Covers
Mud Flaps
Interior Carpet
(4) LED Marker Lights
License Plate Holder & Light
(if required in State you reside in)
Insulated & Carpeted Lid
1-Year Warranty
WHITE or BLACK
GEL COAT
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOP--Vent (Black or painted to match--opens 2 ways) $75.00
TOP--Power Solar Vent (Polished Stainless Steel) $200.00
Side-Sliding Windows (Black Frame) SIDE OR BACK -
17" x 10.5" (with screens that have 5.5" x 9" opening) $225.00 ea.
Back-Large Sliding Window w/ Screen - 18"x18" (tinted glass)
(6" x 14" opening) $250.00
BACK--Door - (Black Polycarb Frame w/tinted plexiglass window--20" x 20") $450.00
Partition (Removable-- can use trailer for 100% cargo or larger pet when removed)
(YOU SELECT LOCATION OF THE PARTITION FOR THE PET AREA)
Measurement can be from 22" up to 36" or anywhere in between---Width is 32" $75.00
Brake/Light Bar
(LIGHT BAR IS--3 LED Running Lights & entire bar is Brake Light + 2 LED Marker Lights--1 on each fender) $75.00
Chrome Tongue Stand $75.00
Spare Tire (with rim) $40.00
Spare Tire (with chrome rim) $75.00
WE CAN DO A COMBINATION OF ANY OF THE ABOVE OPTIONS!!
Pet Trailers are custom-built according to owner & pet specifications!!
If your pet has an appetite for such oddities as socks, rocks, or even feces, chances are you've wondered—and worried—about her unusual eating habits. In this case, your worry may be justified: Not only can your possessions be destroyed or damaged, but objects such as clothing and rocks can produce life-threatening blockages in your pet's intestines. Eating non-food items has a name: It's called pica. A specific type of pica is stool eating—either the dog's own or that of another animal. It's called coprophagy. Rarely seen in cats, coprophagy is fairly common in dogs, especially those who tend to be highly food-motivated. And although it's not necessarily dangerous to the animal, it probably is unacceptable to you.
Why Animals Do This
The causes of pica and coprophagy are not known. Many theories have been proposed by various experts, but none has been proven or disproven. One idea is that such behaviors may be attention-seeking behaviors. If engaging in one of these behaviors results in some type of social interaction between the animal and his owner—even a verbal scolding—then the behavior may be reinforced and occur more frequently.
Others think these behaviors may be attempts to obtain a necessary nutrient lacking in the diet, although no nutritional studies have ever substantiated this idea. Pica and coprophagy may also stem from frustration or anxiety. It's even possible that the behaviors begin as play; as the animal investigates and chews on the objects, she eventually begins to eat or ingest them.
Some experts have suggested that coprophagy is carried over from the normal parental behavior of ingesting the waste of young offspring. Others believe that coprophagy occurs more often in animals who live in relatively barren environments, are frequently confined to small areas, and/or receive limited attention from their owners. It's also possible that dogs learn this behavior from other dogs.
Because pica and coprophagy are not well understood, stopping these behaviors may require assistance from an animal behavior professional who will work individually with you and your pet.
Suggested Solutions for Coprophagy
Because the cause of coprophagy isn't known, no techniques or solutions are known to be consistently successful. However, the following techniques may be effective in resolving the problem:
Treat your pet's food with something that causes his stool to taste bad. A commercial product called 4-BID™ is available through your veterinarian. The same result may be achieved by using the food additive MSG. Based on owners' reports, both of these products work in many cases, but not always. Before using either of these products, consult with your veterinarian.
Give your pet's stools a bad taste by sprinkling them directly with cayenne pepper or a commercial product such as Bitter Apple®. For this method to be effective, every stool your pet has access to must be treated so that he learns that eating stools results in something unpleasant. Otherwise, he may discriminate (using scent) which stools have been treated and which have not.
Keep your dog on a leash any time you take him outside. If you see him about to ingest a stool, interrupt him by clapping your hands, spraying a squirt bottle, or shaking a can (only for pets who aren't afraid of loud noises). Then immediately give him a toy to play with instead, and praise him for taking an interest in the toy.
Clean your yard daily to minimize your pet's opportunity to eat his stools.
If your dog eats cat feces from the litter box, install a baby-gate in front of the litter box area. Your cat shouldn't have any trouble jumping over it, but your dog likely won't even make the attempt. Or, place the litter box in a closet or room where the door can be wedged slightly open from both sides so that your cat has access but your dog doesn't. Think twice before setting up a some kind of homemade "booby trap" to stop your dog from eating cat feces from a litter box: Remember that if it frightens your dog, it's likely to frighten your cat, too.
Suggested Solutions for Pica
Pica can be a serious problem because items such as rubber bands, socks, rocks, and string can severely damage or block an animal's intestines. In some instances, the items must be surgically removed. Because pica can be potentially life-threatening, it's advisable to consult both your veterinarian and an animal behavior professional for help. Here are some other suggestions:
Make the objects your pet is eating taste unpleasant by applying cayenne pepper, Bitter Apple®, or some other aversive. (For more information on using aversives, see our tip sheets on using aversives to modify your pet's behavior).
Prevent your pet's access to these items.
If your pet is food-oriented, change his diet to a low-calorie or high-fiber diet. This may allow him to eat more food, more often, which may decrease the behavior. Check with your veterinarian before changing your pet's diet.
If you suspect that anxiety or frustration is the reason for your animal's pica habit, change the behavior by using behavior modification techniques.
If you catch your pet ingesting items and believe it is to get attention, startle your pet with a loud noise or a spray of water. If possible, avoid letting him know that the startling noise or spray came from you, and be sure to praise him when he leaves the items alone. You may want to give him something acceptable to eat or chew. Try to set aside 10–15 minutes twice a day to spend with your pet so that he doesn't need to resort to pica to get your attention.
If you think your pet's pica habit is play behavior, then keep plenty of toys around for your pet to play with. Cats especially like to play with string, rubber bands, and tinsel, and ultimately ingest them. Keep these items out of reach and provide a selection of appropriate toys. (See our tips on Cat Toys and How to Use Them and Dog Toys and How to Use Them.)
What Doesn't Work:
Interactive punishment (punishment that comes directly from you, such as verbal scolding) is usually not effective because it may be interpreted by your pet as attention. What's more, many animals learn to refrain from the problem behavior when their owner is present, yet still engage in the behavior when their owner is absent.
Punishment after the fact is never helpful. Animals don't understand that they're being punished for something they did hours or even minutes before. This approach won't resolve the problem and is likely to produce either fearful or aggressive responses from your pet.
https://community.hsus.org/campaign/internet_hunting_2007?source=gac4ly
In a despicable innovation on the canned hunt, computer users can now log onto an Internet site to aim and fire a weapon at captive animals from hundreds, or even thousands, of miles away. This cruel practice cropped up in Texas in 2005, and since then, 37 states have taken action to prevent Internet hunting facilities from setting up shop in their states.
Although we were effective in putting a stop to the practice as soon as it appeared, the interstate nature of the worldwide web makes it possible that Internet hunting may yet take hold in other states. Therefore, federal legislation banning this practice is crucial to prevent the start-up of similar operations across the country.
The Computer-Assisted Remote Hunting Act (H.R. 2711/S. 2422) would prevent the operation of web sites that allow people to shoot live animals remotely.
Check the current co-sponsors in the House and Senate to see if your elected officials have signed on to the Computer-Assisted Remote Hunting Act. If they have not, please call and urge them to co-sponsor this legislation. You can reach your federal legislators by calling the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 or click here to find their Capitol office phone numbers.
Congress receives a lot of email. It is very important that you edit the subject line and the message below with your own words so that your legislators know the message came from a constituent.
REPOST!!!
Please visit
www.savingpuppies.com to sign a petition against puppy mills!
15,000 people need to sign this by today! PLEASE PASS THIS ON!
Also don't forget to send a message to your Senator!
For more information about your state, visit http://
www.hsus.org/legislation_laws/state_legislation/animal_cruelty_laws_where_does_your_state_stand.html
http://
www.animallaw.com/LawSearch.cfm
This matrix will allow you to quickly see whether or not your state has felony statutes in place for cruelty to animals. Click on the table header to re-sort the matrix.
There are 6 states without felony provisions for cruelty to animals: Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Mississippi, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
This list was last updated on Apr 3, 2008.
Show information about fields used in this chart
Felony: Whether there are felony provisions for animal cruelty in the specified state.
Year: Year the felony law was enacted, if applicable.
Max. Jail: Maximum amount of jail time allowable by law under the felony provisions.
Max. Fine: Maximum fine allowable by law.
Counseling: Whether state law allows mandatory counseling to be ordered as part of sentencing.
Ban: Whether state law allows for a temporary or permanent ban on animal ownership as part of sentencing.
PPO: Whether state law can include animals in protection orders (pet protective orders).
STATE FELONY YEAR MAX. JAIL MAX.FINE
Alabama 2000 10 years $5,000
Alaska 1 years $10,000
Arizona 1999 1 years $150,000
Arkansas 1 years $1,000
California 1988 3 years $20,000
Colorado 2002 6 years $500,000
Connecticut 1996 5 years $5,000
Delaware 1994 3 years $5,000
D.C. 2001 5 years $25,000
Florida 1989 5 years $10,000
Georgia 2000 5 years $15,000
Hawaii 2007 5 years $10,000
Idaho 1 years $9,000
Illinois 1999 5 years $50,000
Indiana 1998 3 years $10,000
Iowa 2000 5 years $75,000
Kansas 2006 1 years $5,000
Kentucky 2003 5 years $10,000
Louisiana 1995 10 years $25,000
Maine 2001 5 years $10,000
Maryland 2001 3 years $5,000
Massachusetts 1804 5 years $2,500
Michigan 1931 4 years $5,000
Minnesota 2001 4 years $10,000
Mississippi 6 months $1,000
Missouri 1994 5 years $5,000
Montana 1993 2 years $2,500
Nebraska 2002 5 years $10,000
Nevada 1999 5 years $10,000
New Hampshire 1994 7 years $4,000
New Jersey 2001 5 years $15,000
New Mexico 1999 18 months $5,000
New York 1999 2 years $5,000
North Carolina 1998 6 months $1,000
North Dakota 1 years $2,000
Ohio 2002 1 years $2,000
Oklahoma 1887 5 years $5,000
Oregon 1995 5 years $100,000
Pennsylvania 1995 7 years $15,000
Rhode Island 1896 2 years $1,000
South Carolina 2000 5 years $5,000
South Dakota 1 years $1,000
Tennessee 2001 9 months
Texas 1997 2 years $10,000
Utah 1 years $5,000
Vermont 1998 5 years $7,500
Virginia 1999 5 years $2,500
Washington 1994 5 years $10,000
West Virgnia 2003 5 years $5,000
Wisconsin 1986 5 years $10,000
Wyoming 2003 2 years $5,000

(About the picture, it was painted by Norman Rockwell in 1943 and is called, "Freedom of Speech".)
We are about strengthening cruelty laws and aggressive prosecution of those who violate them.
What is FREEDOM of SPEECH???? Wikipedia explains it as follows:
Freedom of speech is being able to speak freely without censorship. The right to freedom of speech is guaranteed under international law through numerous human-rights instruments, notably under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, although implementation remains lacking in many countries. The synonymous term freedom of expression is sometimes preferred, since the right is not confined to verbal speech but is understood to protect any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used.
In practice, the right to freedom of speech is not absolute in any country, although the degree of freedom varies greatly. Industrialized countries also have varying approaches to balance freedom with order. For instance, the United States First Amendment theoretically grants absolute freedom, placing the burden upon the state to demonstrate when (if) a limitation of this freedom is necessary. In almost all liberal democracies, it is generally recognized that restrictions should be the exception and free expression the rule; nevertheless, compliance with this principle is often lacking.
Freedom of speech is being able to speak freely without censorship. The right to freedom of speech is guaranteed under international law through numerous human-rights instruments, notably under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, although implementation remains lacking in many countries. The synonymous term freedom of expression is sometimes preferred, since the right is not confined to verbal speech but is understood to protect any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used.
Now, if this discussion is in any way objectionable, then you have the right to LEAVE this discussion and find one more amenable to your tastes.
Stop the aerial gunning of wolves
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/477616584
Help stop the aerial gunning of wolves. This is an active link, unlike the one in my community box.