Desire rules the world

DESIRE: Desire rules the world. Have you ever watched a group of adults going from shop to shop because the one toddler in the group says they want an ice cream that is this way or that (place any colour or flavour here). Maybe it isn’t blatantly noticeable, but I’ve seen it happen many times while I’ve sat in public at a café with my quiet dog under the table watching kid after kid drive the adults from one venue to the next. Why? Because their desire for that ice cream (or whatever) is stronger than their parent’s resistance.

This is a Barking Mad strategy as well. It’s proven time after time to work, so we use it and hope you will too.

Please – vote with your membership for common sense and a value of our heritage. The dog and its relationship with humans is a part of our Aboriginal and colonial heritage. The recent election featured an off-lead dog on the cover of the election guide that went to 13 MILLION voters. This is our (election) guide dog!

Swim between the Flags

On this gorgeous morning, I had my first swim 'between the flags' for two years. I felt so safe! We get this message about swimming between the flags so strongly, yet so many flagged areas, at least in NSW, don't want our family dog with us, even if it is well trained and sits at the shore while we swim. It's madness. The biggest group of dog owners is families with children. It's summer. We want to be able to bring our children and our dog to the beach for a swim. Dogs love it.

Barking Mad had a long chat with the lifesavers who agreed that 'they' (council) make it hard on the 42% of people who own dogs. Pema was welcome at this beach, and it was a beautiful morning of swimming with kids, other dogs and a variety of people. All between the flags. Thanks to the voice of reason - we wish you would appear more often.

We have contacted all the councils in Australia (yes, all 700 plus) to inquire about their provisions to not discriminate against people with dogs and WOW what an interesting lot of responses we have got. We've found councils that don't even have a ranger, several without ANY 'no dogs signs', and many that are not aware of the Disability Discrimination Act. We've found two who are interested in our user-pays, 'extra access' dog registration. (Pay more, get more training, and get more access for you and dog). And, we've found problems with the AQIS requirements to take an assistance animal to Christmas Island. Did you know they are making Christmas Island dog free? We wonder if they have gotten rid of the foxes, rabbits and cats too. We will be adding this to the members area as well.

Stolen Time

SUNNY JACOBS and her boyfriend were falsely arrested and convicted of the murder of two police. She had her baby girl and 8 year old boy with her at the shooting event she witnessed, but did not do. There was no forensic evidence that she shot the gun. The guy who did failed a polygraph and did a deal with the police.

Her juvenile son was held by police for 6 weeks, repeatedly interrogated and never provided with a lawyer. Sunny and her parents could not even locate him or the baby for weeks while Sunny was still expressing milk for her baby in jail.

This amazing woman spent the next 17 years fighting for justice. Finally exonerated of the murders with the real killer identified, it's too late for her boyfriend who was killed for a crime he did not commit in a botched electric chair execution that took 7 minutes and sent flames up from the top of his head. Sunny was not permitted to go to his funeral.

Her parents managed to gain custody of the children and did all they could to shelter them from the media and raise them with love. On the grandparents first 'holiday' in ten years, they die in a plane crash, and the children are subsequently separated until Sunny finally gets out of prison many years later. At an appeal hearing after their death, the drug addict who was bribed to lie against Sunny and whose testimony was crucial to convict her had a heart attack while in the witness box and DIED when she tried to make amends for her earlier false testimony.After 17 years of survival in the US prison system, 5 years in solitary confinement on death row, I read her " inspiring fight for justice" but I am not inspired, I am devastated. I ask, how can this happen? And I ask that over and over and over.

Obviously, I recommend this book. It brings a whole new meaning to the phrase trial and error.

Sex, Lies & Witch Bank

INJUSTICE. Barking Mad started because I got a dog then suddenly and surprisingly found out how limited my access to normal, daily activities had become unless I left dog at home. I got the dog when my life and liberty were turned up-side-down due to being defrauded by an agent of a big bank (a bank that ignored my warning) and the bank decided (as it turns out wrongly) to defend their employee. I ended up in a legal battle that is now in year four. I needed a trusted companion and I found comfort and solace in the simple pleasures of life in the company of a smiling border collie. The bank employee was moved out of the bank one year ago, the bank still refuses to admit it, and Barking Mad is one year old and going strong - but REALLY under staffed.

Will Barking Mad Survive?

click and find out

Members Web Updates

Members - we're adding heaps of juicy stuff to the members pages in the next few days. We've started today with the classifieds so please send yours in. Need your password? Email.We have contacted all the councils in Australia (yes, all 700 plus) to inquire about their provisions to not discriminate against people with dogs and WOW what an interesting lot of responses we have got. We've found councils that don't even have a ranger, several without ANY 'no dogs signs', and many that are not aware of the Disability Discrimination Act. We've found two who are interested in our user-pays, 'extra access' dog registration. (Pay more, get more training, and get more access for you and dog). And, we've found problems with the AQIS requirements to take an assistance animal to Christmas Island. Did you know they are making Christmas Island dog free? We wonder if they have gotten rid of the foxes, rabbits and cats too. We will be adding this to the members area as well.

Discrimination

DISCRIMINATION. Barking Mad is concerned. This is not a joke, and this is not about one more dog beach or one more park. Barking Mad works to raise the profile of the domestic dog (and pets in general) in and to Australia.As we research the overwhelmingly positive benefits of pets (primarily dogs) to the well being of some of the most vulnerable members of our community, we are startled with the myths and outright lies people with disabilities are being told about their companion dog in public spaces. Some of this is inevitable as our culture adjusts to dealing with invisible disabilities and because (up until now), we have allowed draconian dog laws to permeate every part of our society. But to someone with an invisible disability who has a trained dog to assist them, each ‘no dogs allowed’ sign is evidence of discrimination. So too is the security guard who chases the person out of the shopping centre and makes a scene. This is just not tolerable.

Over one million Australians live with depression, epilepsy affects up to 2% of Australians and dogs are being used more and more to assist people who are socially isolated or are dealing with an illness.The health and utilitarian role of pets is more accepted than ever, and our financial spend on our pets is growing exponentially. Yet the value of pets in society does not make it into public policy. This is about to change. We are gaining support from peak professional organisations in health and social welfare. Stay tuned and write your letters.

Election 07 website

New web page - please Go there write your letters!

Write a letter for election 07

ELECTION O7 web page added to Barking Mad. Go there and PLEASE write your letters! We are getting a good response to the silly 'one dog per family' law in Queensland. We are calling on Malcolm Turnbull to get rid of the stupid dog line in Bronte (his electorate) and hold accountable those responsible for such madness, and the stress it has caused to many people, particularily the elderly.Your one letter could make a world of difference.Please - if you write just ONE LETTER this election, let this one be it:Email Kevin Rudd -
click here
sample letter: Does the Labor/Liberal Party support the discrimination of 40% of the population? Does the Labor/Liberal Party support policies that deny responsible pet owners access to housing, parks, public transport and taxies? Would the indirect discrimination faced daily by thousands of pet owners who rent be sanctioned by Labor (continued to be sanctioned by the Liberal Party?

• Do your environmental policies of require the 65% of the population who own pets to drive a private vehicle because even taxis won’t allow them to travel with their pet?
• Does the Labor/Liberal Party support a one dog per family law in Queensland?
• Will your party step in and bring and end to draconian dog laws that cause division in our communities and dress up revenue raising as animal welfare?
• Will the Labor/Liberal Party step in and change the focus to the proven benefits of pet ownership, dispel the ‘health risk myth’ and promote the many utilitarian roles for dogs such as in search and rescue, quarantine, policing, aged care and mental health?
  

We look forward to a positive response from you; one we can promote to our members.