Barking Mad

Pema has passed

2010-12-12T23:04:00.006+11:00

Pema is dead. Tick. Treated fortnightly. Hair clipped. Vet didn't think it was a tick, admitted he didn't do a thorough search and gave her a shot because she'd had cruciate ligament surgery (a year ago) and sent us back to the house we had rented for our holiday. Vet had 5 dogs in for ticks at the time and seemed to ignore the fact that Pema has been working cattle in a paddock for 6 months even though she'd had knee surgery.

Bad tick season because of wet and vegetation. Next day she could not walk at all. Back to vet where nurse found tick in 5 minutes in feathers on a front leg. Pema crashed about 15 hours into treatment. Can't recommend South Grafton vet. Pema was sent on her way in a beautiful wild river in full flood.

I sit and watch you from my window,
Giving yourself away,
You've been working hard all day

I see the ground catch at your feet,
I see the sweet signs of defeat,
Like you're beaten but you feel no pain

And then you turn to me instinctively,
Checking if you're alone,
Like a reflex from my guilty mind

I fall away into the background,
Like a shadow on the wall,
To leave you with your peace of mind

I watch from my window up high,
All alone in this room,
So many people go the same way,
I think it's time that I changed my view

I got nothing got left to lose,

Well you're the part of my memories
That I never wanna live without

Back in Oz with dog, cows, poultry, horses, cats & pigs.

2010-09-01T09:33:00.008+10:00

I have returned to Oz and am happily reunited with Pema. We've traded daily work with political animals for a daily life with farm animals. Back to a life of primary production instead of methane fueled political lobbying.

Barking Mad Equity for Pet Owners needs a new top dog as my health puts severe restrictions on my travelling. We can still help out with renting-with-pets, and pets-in-strata and some council issued infringement notices in NSW, VIC and QLD.

Guard Dog off Duty

2010-01-11T19:16:00.003+11:00

Eedra, proprietor of Barking Mad Equity for Pet Owners, has had to go away due to prolonged and unrelenting threats to her health, accommodation and livelihood by the man (and his agents) who defrauded her of property, superannuation and business back in 2004. At least Pema can laugh about it - don't we love our dogs' lives!

Therefore, the lobbying work of Barking Mad is suspended. Individual cases for members will be reassigned as required. Court cases will be postponed as required.

Pema is now in a temporary home and doing great work with people - still. Soon, she wll be reunited with me!

Eedra hopes to be able to return - when the legal system gets an injection of justice, when thugs work both ways or when an advocate comes along with enough guts and authority to say ENOUGH! Or when karma reaches the white-collar criminal.

Check out past issues of the Bite for information on work Barking Mad has done. And yes, we're still going Warringah for the Ultra Vires case.

BARKING MAD- EQUITY FOR PET OWNERS
PO Box 310, Woy Woy NSW 2256
skype: barking-mad
___________________________________
Your membership of Barking Mad helped create a safe and pet-friendly society.
Make your donation now if you wish to help clear the debt: Bendigo Bank; Barking Mad, BSB: 633-000, Account: 128910064

BARKING MAD IS AVAILABLE - TAKE IT OVER - FOR DOGS' SAKE

Dangeous Dogs and children

2009-10-25T23:07:00.009+11:00

SMALL CHILD WARNING

If you are an owner of a dog that belongs to a 'dangerous breed' category and you also have a child or a visiting small child please take this as a warning.

Don't leave your dog with a small child unattended under any circumstances!

Only one little moment was enough for this to happen.

Remember - maltese terriers and labrador retrievers have joined the list of dangerous dogs in NSW.

'Every dog has the potential to attack' or should we say every animal? Because the risk of harm to humans from humans FAR exceeds both the risk and real injuries caused by an interaction with a dog.

Feeding the hand that bites you

2009-10-04T17:03:00.011+11:00

Are you renting your home? Do you have a pet? If so, then you are in the majority. More homes have pets than don't. Homes with pets are about double in number of homes with children, yet families with children make up the largest demographic of dog owners.

The real estate industry is slow to capitalise on this reality and 'no pets' is frequency seen in adds for rental homes. Many rental applications include questions about your pets. Legally, pets are no different than your TV, toaster or handbag. They are chattel - meaning property, legal property.

Each time a responsible tenant puts a case 'to have their pet' to a prospective landlord, including references for it or offering to pay an additional bond (the taking of which would be illegal), they are feeding the hand that bites them!

I know, it's hard when you need a home, love your pets and are an honest person and a good tenant - but letting someone decide if you are their suitable tenant has no more a relationship to your status as a pet owner, as it does to the brand of your toaster or the size of your TV!

So please, show that you are a responsible tenant, neighbour and pet owner by your actions, not by playing into the hands of the 'no pets allowed' brigdage or by letters written by people who happen to love your pet like you do.

In South Australia, NSW and most other states, there is no prohibition of pets in the residential tenancy laws - and why would there be? When renting, you gain a right to quiet enjoyment of the home for due consideration (rent) and you have a responsibility to act legally, take due care of the property and repair what you break or damage beyond reasonable wear and tear.

The Real Estate Institute of NSW has propagated a rental lease form used extensively and they have added a no pets clause as 'standard'. This is contrary to the residential tenancy law. We recommend you request your lease be based on the Act and Regulations, not the REI form.

We've started a case in NSW challenging the special conditions on a residential lease regarding a dog. This is based on contracting out the right to quiet enjoyment and/or the provision for normal wear and tear and/or a tenants' obligation to return the property in the same condition.

In South Australia, the tenancy tribunal can vary terms if they are found to be harsh or unconscionable. Of course, refusing pets in an otherwise pet suitable home with a good tenant is most unconscionable!

Happy Birthday Pema

2009-09-20T12:06:00.001+10:00

Pema is 6 years old today.

Not happy dog - again

2009-09-14T13:01:00.001+10:00

The Barking Mad mascot is not doing much work at the moment - except making sure our vet has enough income to keep his kids in private school! Between her second injury this year and my illness, we're virtually housebound. Lucky we live in the bush by the sea - come and visit - members are welcome.

We did manage to take Pema to her weekly visit to the public hospital. It was PEMA that was in a wheel chair. She got a lot of sympathy and still enjoyed making a few of the patients smile on our short visit.

If you and your dog are suited to volunteer at a hospital, remember that you don't need to be in any special program to do so - at least in NSW. Visit the health section of the website for more information. I like to know that my dog has $10 million liability insurance - which she does through my home contents insurer.

Public Transport - Small dog Big bark

2009-08-15T20:23:00.022+10:00

The report from the Senate Inquiry on Public Transport will be tabled in federal parliament on 20 August. Members of Barking Mad contributed 10% of the submissions received - just for us and our dogs. Well done for our small, unfunded lobby group!

WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW

Be positive – our submissions for dogs on public transport were a full 10% of submissions received – this is massive! For a tiny, struggling organisation, this is such a great show of our influence.

Write letters to the editor. Use your local paper and the Greens media page for easy access to the media.
Write, call, fax AND email your federal member. If you don’t know your electorate, find it here.
Write to the Greens. We want them to add pet owner access to their public transport policy. Email Bob Brown, party leader and Senator Ludlam, spokesperson for public transport.
HELP AT THE BARKING MAD OFFICE. We are beachside on the NSW central coast in a dog friendly community on a dog friendly beach. Accommodation available and help is desperately needed even for a day (due to my ill-health).
FORWARD THIS TO EVERYONE WHO IS WILLING TO CLICK A FEW BUTTONS for our pets. Remember that each letter received by a member of parliament is counted as the view of about 100 voters.
EMAIL DOGS NSW. Suggest they work WITH us (not just plagiarise our work). Transport contact, office contact.
Send a press release. If you can help us get a press release out, or would like to make a donation so that we can hire someone to help, please email me .
Make a donation - $5 or more - we are resourceful and every $ counts. Bendigo Bank, BSB: 633-000, Account: 128910064
AND USE PUBLIC TRANSPORT WITH YOUR TRAINED DOG! Enjoy the community and conversation just because you're joining the masses with a beautiful friend!

Plan to open up Wollongong beaches to dogs

2009-07-07T15:27:00.020+10:00

Ok - not just to dogs but dogs AND their loving, joyful responsible owners and guardians! Hooray, they have recognised in the discussion paper the NEED (we say legal requirement under the Local Government Act) to provide services for the 40% of ratepayers with dogs. Wonder where they got that idea from. ;-) Media 1-July Media 6-July

Read the discussion paper and make sure to have your say in the consultation.

I asked a ranger of an adjoining council why dogs were banned from beaches. He said, because of the perception of dog poo litter. I asked him why they didn't ban McDonalds and drink bottles because there is heaps of junk food litter - he said because they don't get complaints. It's a crazy system which forces a regulator to cater to the whingers instead of the PURPOSE of the law they work under - providing equitable, adequate and appropriate services.

Here are some of our initial thoughts - we are still working with members in the area. Barking Mad will be making a submission and I encourage all members to do the same, even if you can't comment on the specific beaches.

Traffic Light System:
Yes, it is much fairer than at present to all community members; recommend changing the orange zone following what Coffs Harbour City Council has in place is already working well for them and is fair to all members of the community. Their traffic light system is again Red – Dogs Prohibited, Green – Leash free areas but the other areas (what would be your proposed yellow areas) are “Dogs are Allowed on a Leash” beaches.
Alternative: No, anywhere on a lead.

Zero tolerance policy for animal control offences:
Absolutely not. The wording itself offensive – isn’t this the type of wording used against murderers in New York? These are very strong words and should be used in very severe circumstances. If we are talking about the simple, healthy pleasure of walking your dog along the beach this is way over the top. Recommend to encourage tourism dollars via pet owners.

Claiming to maintain a zero tolerance policy is a negligent misstatement. Even if Council DID maintain a zero tolerance policy how can it be justified as an appropriate use of resources?

For example, compare the number of offences for drinking in alcohol prohibited areas to dog on beach, or dog off lead. We know alcohol fuels violence and other anti-social behaviour, so resources should be applied in these areas more.

Time Share
Time share is discriminatory especially towards women and families. It is also a regulatory nightmare. It is only appropriate a main beach in a city.

Specific Comments on W'gong proposal
Managing a community space is about sharing and the present situation allows dog owners 10% of the public beach space when they represent 40% of the community. In fact during the winter times the only people on the beach are dog walkers, surfers and fishers.

Walking your dog on a beach should be encouraged as a healthy way for the community to meet and dogs and owners to socialise. An unsocialised, unexercised dog can create a problem.

One argument many non dog owners seem to sprout is dog poo. Dog owners appreciate the beauty of the beach and want to keep these areas that way. 90% are compliant in picking up dog poo. We are educating the other 10%. Many people are seen also carrying plastic bags with them to pick up other rubbish on the beach. They are an asset to the environment. I

Providing more off leash areas with bins and poo bags is proven to achieve better compliance with the pick-up culture.

Man unpatrolled beaches have become isolated and therefore dangerous since council’s absurd policy of banning dogs and their owners from beaches.

General comments on urban animal management
Principles – off leash areas should be accessible and proportional to the population, and available resources, such as 40% of the 16km for off leash. The remaining areas should be on-leash areas (excepting the rock pools).

Education should take a larger application or resources than policing to reflect the knowledge established by urban animal professionals.

Any debate as to whether people like or dislike dogs is irrelevant. Like is not a requirement in a pluralistic society. Statute is. The current noise, crime, animal and other relevant acts provide a solid regulatory base to take punitive measures against bad behaviour.

Council would do well to dispel the myth that dog poo is a health or environmental risk. It is not, especially so due to our hot and or dry climate. Council would do well to dispel the myths that vaccinated dogs are better to be around humans. Dogs are not vaccinated for any zoonotic condition. Council would do well to encourage regular worming of dogs. Dogs can create a public safety risk and this needs to be managed in context of all the risks we deal with daily.

Dog litter should not be treated any differently than other litter. Council does not ban McDonalds or Pepsi because of the litter THEY create, so why blame the dog owner if they miss a poo? Doing so can be construed to be vilification.

Council would do well to implement dog-share as a strategy for nuisance barking dogs.

And, above all, remember the ANY dog can go into Dept. of Health facilities, i.e. hospitals, so try not to think that a local council knows more about health then DOH.

Back to Work

2009-06-01T15:54:00.010+10:00

Pema is back to being a four-legged dog a few months after surgery. People who see her now comment that she is much brighter and happier then just a couple weeks ago. I don't notice it as much, but I do notice that she is delighted to be back at work delighting people - if only for a moment during their day.

After a visit to a hospital ward, I attended a public meeting about ageing held at a community centre. I arrived early and sat in the back of the room - with Pema. Never alone when Pema is with me in her element (anywhere there is a crowd), other early arrivals made a beeline to doggie and it was all chatty with smiles and a very friendly atmosphere even though none of us (with exception of the dog) had been introduced.

Upon leaving the meeting, and passing by the office of the community centre on our way out, one of the Council staff felt compelled to run out of her office to tell us 'no animals allowed' or some other waste of authority. It was a priceless moment, for at the very same time, an elderly couple came out of a room oppositite and were very vocal about Pema's beauty, sweet face, quiet nature, soft fur, etc. Ms. Council worker quietly shrunk back to her office.

Note: The community centre hosts residents with their pets on a regular basis; people who attend evening meetings such as AA or Weighwatchers bring their pets, and there are shows and classes involving pets. I wish the pet-nazi's would go after litter, public drunkenness and graffiti and not something that is causing no harm while bringing joy to so many people and building community. What would pet-nazi done if the pet was a rat and she didn't SEE it?

. . . The cost of graffiti clean-up across Australia exceeds $300 million a year.

Rebel the Assistance Dog

2009-05-28T19:00:00.008+10:00

A BIG FURRY DOG-HUG WELCOME TO REBEL AND GUY.

Visit their blog. Here is the first entry of what will no doubt be a heart-warming, inspiring and sometimes tear-jerking BLOG:

"Rebel and I were reminded today that I am not a person who is trained in how to handle discrimination. When disabled, you sometimes feel more vulnerable, and when people threaten to refuse access, it can be frustrating.

I began to think that maybe a guide for disabled people with an assistance animal on how to advocate their rights would be useful.

Depriving any one of their rights through shallow behavior is the worst thing you could possibly do, doing this to a person with an invisible disability should be prosecuted first by education and then by law."

We recommend the DDLC Users Guide - although in the process of being updated and written for NSW, it is still helpful for people in any state or territory.

Guide Dogs for the Mind

2009-05-15T21:26:00.025+10:00

Coming Soon - Because:

20% of Australians have a disability. It could be permanent, temporary, degenerative or just a speed bump on the road of life. It's a social imperative that we provide options so that people affected can attain or retain quality of life and community involvement.

88% of disabilities are invisible.

Again: 88% of disabilities are invisible. That means for every one person you see that you may think has a disability, there are 8 or 9 other people who are dealing with a medical limitation that is impacting on them.

Do you need to SEE someone's condition to accept they are living with a disability? If you don't see it do you think it isn't real?
Do you think you are qualified to judge if that person has a bona fide dog trained to assist them as part of their treatment?
Do you believe that all assistance dogs look like labradors or that a schnauzer would never provide a medical benefit to a person?

Would you be better equipped to accept your neighbours' suicide due to depression than to admit that their dog was an active suicide prevention mechanism?

If you are a service provider - would you prefer refuse a customer or client by stating "No Dogs Allowed" then to recognise that their dog may be keeping them alive?

Vision impairment is about 10% of disabling medical conditions. Assistance animals come in all shapes and sizes. Guide Dogs for the Mind will be bringing together mental health clinicians and dog trainers so that the assistance dogs (a 24 x 7 health care provider) can be legitimised, quantified and accredited in such a way to meet public behaviour expectations.

If you are dealing with a mental health issue whether diagnosed or not - and would like assistance that includes your dog, or acquiring a dog to assist you than you are welcome to contact us now.

Good News for Renters with Pets

2009-05-05T11:00:00.008+10:00

Is the often used 'no pets without permission' legally binding?

Did you know there is no such clause in legislation in NSW for residential rentals (excluding Strata Schemes)? That's right. It is a MADE UP CLAUSE - made up by the real estate institute.

The law requires a tenant to keep the premises reasonably clean and not to cause a nuisance or annoyance.
The law requires the landlord not to interfere with your reasonable peace, comfort or privacy.

If you have an agent or landlord telling you not to smoke inside, or not to have your pet, tell them they are contracting out and contact Barking Mad right away. If you are a good tenant, we can help.

Please see the members area for how to get the rental agreement in the legislation, not the made up one.

by-laws: keep the dog!

2009-04-28T21:10:00.010+10:00

The NSW CTTT Strata Division ruled in favour of keeping 'Oscar' at a unit in Coogee. It was a tricky case where the body corporate twice refused 'permission' to keep a dog and then attempted to change the by-laws during the dispute to block our members' application.

The lesson to responsible pet owners is clear. Persist, do not surrender.

The Tribunal held that the refusal was not reasonable. It clearly ordered that just because there had 'never' been pets, and the refusal of pets has stood for decades, that was not a good enough reason to say NO PETS. In granting the owners' permission, common-sense orders were also made to appease the opposition such as entering or leaving the Strata by the most direct route and cleaning up as required in the common areas.

This is a significant ruling in NSW and we need to keep getting these issues before the tribunal and courts if we are going to accommodate our pets as our homes get smaller and our communities more densely populated. Members page on renting with pets and pets in strata. Read this judgment here.

Barking Dogs - How to Share the Joy

2009-04-18T11:02:00.009+10:00

Response to recent media on dogs barking.

I too am frustrated by urban residents who permit their dog/s to bark unnecessarily. Even in semi-rural areas, the sound of a dog barking pierces a quiet, peaceful night. It is no longer accepted behaviour, though it is as organic to some dogs as talking on a mobile phone in public is for some people.

But annoyances should be viewed in context. Unlike the ubiquitous and more annoying car or house alarms, the benefits of the companion dog cannot be underestimated. Though some will abhor the choice of expensive accessories, the economic contribution of $4.6 billion annually from pet owners should not be overlooked. Think about this number the next time our government cancels a $500,000 project to your disgust. Alternatively, consider that this is a greater contribution than fishing/forestry combined. Though fish don’t bark, fishing has its own pros and cons, including beach and sea litter.

Quoting NSW Dept. of Health: Animals visit older people in nursing homes, young people in paediatric wards, trauma victims in acute care wards, and people under care in mental health and palliative care services. They provide comfort, entertainment, distraction, solace and a unique form of interaction. The benefits of these visits are well established and comprehensively documented.

There is no such comparison of an public-health benefit for other urban noise such as alarms, diesel buses, pool pumps, the neighbours air conditioner, etc.

As our homes get smaller, and single-person homes become the majority, the solace and motivation a companion dog provides to get out and walk must not be negated just because dogs bark.

It's said that 99% of lawyers give the rest a bad name (SMH Letters, 17 April); I would suggest 10% of dog owners annoy others so much as to blind them to the proven benefits of pet-ownership.

Banning dogs from every public space doesn’t work. In Europe dogs are better-behaved and invited into more community spaces. We live in a pluralistic society; if you are annoyed by a dog barking, why not offer to co-parent or pet-sit, then you can share the joy. If the dog is happier or not alone as much, it’s likely to bark less. If this doesn’t work, for the benefit of us responsible owners, throw the noise-regulation book at them. 'Thou shalt not be annoyed by a nuisance dog' has a place is legislation - truly.

We've gone International

2009-04-17T18:28:00.007+10:00

If dogs and cats are bad, a nuisance, not able to live in units, inappropriate if owned by a renter and not suitable to take on public transport and not fit to accompany you on holiday - AS WELL AS A HEALTH RISK, then why are 'assistance' dogs any different, and why are dogs in the EU any different?

We've joined woopets and started a group called Help Make Australia Pet-Friendly. About half of our members have lived overseas or emigrated here. They know how nice it is when public policy reflects public values and recognises the social and economic importance of pets. (Yes, yes, yes...there are laws to deal with the idiots, just like there are for idiot drivers).

We've started forum topics for pets on holiday, in strata, on beaches, in public spaces and on public transport. We hope to get a lot of input and gain a solid understanding of policy in pet-friendly countries.

Plagiarism 101 & Renting with Pets

2009-04-14T17:05:00.018+10:00

This post is dedicated to an as-yet unnamed organisation that has given us another legal argument to help remove the 'no-pets' clause that exists for renters in NSW but not in Victoria.

I've been admitted to law school. But I'm having an ethical dilemma. The Course Information Guide states that "One of the most fundamental qualities of a lawyer is honesty." This is not a joke. It then goes on to back this up with two examples - one from 2004 and one from 2007 where lawyers were reprimanded for plagiarism. There is one solicitor for every 500 people in Australia; citing 2 reprimands does not do much to support the premise that a quality, let alone a fundamental quality of a lawyer is honesty. Or am I being too cynical? If so, I refer to the Bush Lawyer Rules, plagiarised from Dr. Greg Ogle and edited by me. The Bush Lawyer

is not a lawyer
reserves the right to abuse the next person who says "have you thought about being a lawyer"
used to be an idealist, but has been made cynical by the legal system
thinks "The Castle" is a more important legal source than the rules of the court
learns most tricks from the other side or by mimicking "normal" legal practice
works till the wee small hours because there are better things to do in daytime
can usually be paid with "beers-in-lieu".

Like every legal practitioner, the bush lawyer has ethical standards and rules to work by. These rules are, inter alia:

pleadings should be read sober (but affidavits should only be written while drinking Chardonnay)
pleadings can be written when drunk, but should be checked in the morning
bush lawyer pleadings should contain political arguments - just to annoy the other side
the form of pleadings can and should be plagiarised from other cases
bush lawyer pleadings should always be longer than those from the other side
only use words like "with respect" and "with the greatest respect" in parody, or in the pub afterwards
do not refer to the other side's lawyer as my' friend' - they're not

Rider

always be suspicious of lawyers on your side - they have their own constraints, and you know your case better
never accept that lawyers on the other side are simply following instructions - they are an active part of chilling your right to free speech
never send a one-page letter to the other side, it is unsporting
try to include at least one piece of Latin in any correspondence, it is much more credible than relying on the "vibe of the constitution" (but about as meaningless).

Quotes of Note or Nonsense

2009-04-12T22:02:00.024+10:00

A few quotes of note.

From SMH Heckler: "This Government needs to concentrate on what they were elected to do - they should put more effort into providing services and spend less time imposing draconian penalties for minor, harmless breaches of outdated laws. (Our Note: We emphasise HARMLESS and relate it to a $330 fine for walking your dog on an empty beach at 7.30am in Sydney).

From The Castle movie:
Federal court judge: And what law are you basing this argument on?
Darryl Kerrigan: The law of bloody common sense!

"It is often easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission."
"If it's a good idea, go ahead and do it. It's much easier to apologise than it is to get permission."
One of my heroines, a fellow engineer and a co-worker at Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) for one amazing year before she died at age 85 in 1992. - Grace Murray Hopper. For several years I was the only female hardware engineer for DEC in Australia - I left in favour of corporate environmental management when things started to go the way of desktop, PC computing. (Oceancare link, computer recycling link, bush walking link)

From the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing 1994: "When Admiral Grace Murray Hopper died, the world lost an inspiration to women and scientists everywhere. Her outstanding contributions to computer science benefited academia, industry, and the military." I lost an inspiration too, but of course her brilliance and brazenness (meaning she was not a lady-in-waiting) continue to inspire me. She believed that the decisions of the past were not the best method to choose the way forward. How novel!

Last week I worked on a case to keep pets in a NSW Strata. The owner's corporation objection to the application was based solely on the premise that the past predicts the future. How annoying...but none-the-less we achieved pets in strata, a success no doubt aided by such a illogical argument.

Political Party: Vote Dog-Friendly, Pet Friendly

2009-04-06T19:38:00.008+10:00

Barking Mad will be putting up a candidate for the next Senate election. Name our party is back on the agenda - seriously. See previous post.

So, please help with a name (not more than six words).
Here is a start:

People and Pets
Citizens with Pets (CWP)
People with Pets (PWP)
Our Families, Our Pets (OFOP)
Responsible Pet Owners of Australia (RPOA)
Family Pet Reform Party (FPRP)
Citizens for Pets (CFP)
Family Pet Advocacy Party (FPAT) FP Advisory Party?
People/Citizens with Companion Animals/Pets (PWCA, CWCA, CWCP, PWCP)
Family Companion Animal Advocacy Party (FCAAP)
Pawlitically Correct (huh?)

Funny links: democats, repuppycans - for politically minded pets.
Image from MyDogVotes
AEC Party Registration Handbook
Vote now so you can vote for your pet in the next election.

Another win in court

2009-03-26T22:24:00.007+11:00

Remember when we got dragged of the bus and arrested by three pushy cops who were called by the State Transit Officers who didn't even know the regulations they are suppose to enforce?
Daily Telegraphy Story

State Transit pursued their prosecution of me even after the Transport Minister confirmed the regulations. What a WASTE of time and court resources. And they lost, their case was dismissed. Fools? Thugs in uniform? Illiterate? A transit authority that wants LESS passengers on their services in off-peak periods? Back to fools.

READ THE APOLOGY FROM THE TRANSPORT MINISTER, WRITTEN IN APRIL 2008 - IT DIDN'T STOP THEM FROM PROSECUTING.

Our most recent day in court

2009-03-24T12:05:00.019+11:00

Bias: a personal view that has the tendency to interfere with the ability to be impartial, unprejudiced or objective. Bias is not something the general public expects from a judge - or do we?

What a fascinating day! With a full court room waiting for more than 30 minutes past the scheduled start time, a judge walking in late without so much as an apology, a judge with a 'good' reputation, but known to be 'grumpy', a judge with a strong Labor past, we were in for a day of surprises - and a good display of 'grumpy' and 'past'.

If you actually get to have your matter heard on the day it is scheduled, you're lucky (a bit like our hospitals perhaps?) So in that way we were lucky. First up was a team of 4 lawyers and barristers getting their matter adjourned until tomorrow. Took a few minutes and probably cost the clients $5000 combined. As a criminal matter, those clients legal costs may well be paid by the tax-payer!

What would YOU do with $5000? These guys charge for a full day in court, even if the entire day was spent waiting. Can we charge our doctors for the hours we wait?

We've been waiting for this day for nearly two years; since our legal assembly on Long Reef Beach back in May 2007. Without getting technical, our system of government invites and respects protests and criticism (think the Opposition). Even without a bill-of-rights, this expression is long established in case law and even statute. The Right of Peaceful Assembly by R.M. Hope QC.

Barking Mad conducts our assemblies legally - they are 'authorised' by law which means with permission of the commissioner of police. This allows us to express an opinion peacefully, without menace. However, as we've said and continue to say, Warringah has been successfully menacing with us for quite some time.

If an authorised public assembly is held in the way it was approved by the Commissioner, a person is not guilty of any offence relating to participating in an unlawful assembly . . .if done for the purpose of participation. Reference.

PS: 14-April-09 The cost-effectiveness of being a criminal. Our District Court appeal was dismissed so we're off, two years after having a dog on a beach, to the next court up.

And, what everyone has asked about this day in court: It was Judge Finnane who showed us an amazing display of judicial intelligence (or some other term that makes it ok for judges to show what 'normal people' would call bias).

After judgment and before the sentencing, for the purpose of leniency, I was explaining my extensive environmental contributions in the fields of organic waste, composting, corporate environmental management and computer recycling . But I was interrupted with the rhetorical question: HOW CAN YOU BE FOR DOGS IF YOU ARE AN ENVIRONMENTALIST - DOGS DEFECATE, DOGS BITE. And I said, we defecate too, every day if it's a good day! (And I'm not sure how you eat your steak, but I like to bite mine). We await the transcript. We point you the reader to all about dog poo...

Read the continuing story and our very exciting next action on the members web.

New poster and membership form

2009-03-20T19:45:00.000+11:00

Download our brochure and membership form and let your friends know that we CAN create pet-friendly communities.

Not Happy, Dog

2009-03-12T18:01:00.005+11:00

Well, here is Pema two days after surgery and after her first full day at home in recovery. I'm adjusting to being nurse. I had the privilege of spending time outside under the stars and as the full moon was rising over the ocean at 3am today, thanks to the toilet needs of dog. It was really quite pleasant and I'm sure 6 weeks of on-lead will perfect her toileting on command. There has to be a positive in all this somewhere?

Dog off Duty - Pema

2009-03-08T18:11:00.017+11:00

THE CRUX, THE CRUCIATE AND THE CROSS.
Only last week I was finally able to articulate the crux of the work of Barking Mad. I refer to the precise argument that each and every matter dealing with access for pet owners can be distilled to, which is:

It's easier to make bold, unsupported, unrelated claims and follow those with policy decisions than it is to use a scientific method which delivers a logical and relative outcome.

I arrived at this crux while researching the pets on public transport briefing document that argues for a policy just like the one in London and continues our bible-bashing thread of 'regulate for societal benefit, not for intolerant people who complain'.

Today I learned that the origin of the word crux is from 1635-45 Latin meaning cross - as used in executions. At the same time, I learned that cruciate has the exact same origin.

And I learned the word cruciate today because Pema has been hopping around on three legs since having a jubilant play on the beach with a two other dogs on Friday morning. Ouch, she said...and stopped playing. Ouch, I said worrying simultaneously about her health and our finances. And we hobbled back to the car with me carrying her some of the way. Today our vet diagnosed that Pema has torn her cruciate ligament. The anti-inflammatory medication has made her much brighter as she hops around; and I have to choose what type of surgery she will be having (and find a way to pay for it). Pema is a working dog with a lot of jobs - looking after me, weekly visits to a medical ward in a public hospital, visits to a aged care hostel and a dementia unit, our mascot, the sook at Parliament House and more. Exactly one year ago, after being in the Mardi Gras parade, I got rid of the pram I used to put Pema in. (The point being you could take a dog anywhere if it was in a pram and not obvious!) It looks like we'll need a pram again for her 4-10 week post-op rehab, all going well. It's frightening, and the irony that she can get surgery this week and a public hospital patient may well have to wait months, is not lost on us.

So there you have it - the cross we bear.

Please make sure to contribute to our pets in advertising campaign.

Sponsor Wanted: Dogs in Advertising

2009-03-07T14:14:00.023+11:00

It's really annoying to see how companies who can afford advertising use dogs to sell their product or service. It's annoying because these dogs are often in places where 'no dogs are allowed.' It's annoying because a false impression is created, such as a new housing development in Randwick Council showing an off-leash dog playing on the adjoining beach. Even the TV series Home and Away has dogs on the beach where us normal folks are told not to The last Federal election had an off-leash dog on the cover of the election guide, in 2008 and 2009 dogs have featured in Reg Mombassa's classic images created for Australia Day.

So, help us compile this list. We're going to target these organisations for sponsorship and to advertise honestly!

Tropical Pineapples No kidding, click to view the TV ad.
XXXX Beer - off leash dog on beach, near pub. View.
More Beer - view
And More Beer - dogs in the pub.
A VW CAR - view
Softdrink - view
Electricity Supply - view
A shipping company.
Paint. And another one from Hungary.
Toilet Paper.
Warringah Council web site - dog off leash walking on track in an area where rangers regulatrily issue fines.
Warringah council - had a dog on beach photo on the web until the day before Barking Mad's assembly at Curl Curl Beach.
Channel 7: Home & Away - dog on beach in Pittwater Council.
Still more Beer (USA)
Yes, more Beer, very funny.
Another Car
A vacuum! (USA)
Insurance (Queensland), also funny. Thanks for sending this one to us!

Stupid Dog Laws - yet another example

2009-03-06T16:28:00.010+11:00

Transport with pets in Australia:

Dogs and other pets are allowed on metro trains in Melbourne, but not on buses.

Dogs are allowed on buses in NSW, but the majority of bus drivers don’t know their own regulations.

In Queensland, the Regulations permit a passenger to bring an animal on a bus with the driver’s permission. However Translink decided that only approved assistance animals are allowed.

Queensland claims that pets present a risk – but they haven’t done a risk analysis!

Although dogs are allowed on buses and ferries in NSW, they are not allowed on trains.

Yet they are allowed on trains if the dog provides ‘therapeutic benefit to its owner or another person’. Most dogs provide this.

RailCorp goes one better, requiring an annual pass for an Assistance Dog with medical proof of a disability (of the person), and proof of toileting on command (the dog, we hope.)

RailCorp further outdo themselves by prohibiting an animal to drink water on the train OR at the station. Logically it follows, that dog is not allowed to wee on railway property either.

It gets better – dogs, actually animals, are not allowed onto railway land. A level crossing is railway land. Don't let your sheep or cattle cross the tracks. Even disused tracks like the Cooma-Bombala line are still railway land.

Sydney Monorail and Metro Light Rail allow dogs, cat, birds or other animals and they sign-post it.

Most private ferries and punts in NSW welcome pets, with operators stating they are usually better behaved then children.

Barking Mad has correspondence from the NSW Transport Minister and the Director General stating pets are permitted at the discretion of the driver/operator. This discretion is a rare display of common sense that considers the cleanliness and control of the animal. Similar considerations for letting people on board are taken all the time!

Manimalis

2009-03-02T20:49:00.000+11:00

Sometimes it takes a while to find your friends or to find out who your friends really are. We've found quite a friend - called Manimalis!

Manimalis believes that all people have the right to be close to animals in any stage of life, as long as the animal is properly cared for and does not disturb those who do not wish to be close to animals.

They are a Scandinavian organisation working to increase awareness of companion animals' positive effects. "Manimalis strives to create a society that is planned and designed with the specific needs and desires of pet owners in mind". Sounds quite a bit like the work of Barking Mad to create safe and pet-friendly communities.

It was founded in 1989 (the year Barking Mad's proprietor (that's me) met the shores of Australia having crossed the Pacific by yacht to participate in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race). The name Manimalis, is an abbreviation of Man and Animal in Society.

Manimalis is sponsoring the People and Animals: For Life conference in Stockholm 2010. This is the 12th conference for IAHAIO. I.A.WHO? That's the International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations. Barking Mad needs to be with I.A.Who....

The Good, the Dog and the Ugly

2009-02-28T21:41:00.035+11:00

We have draconian dog laws. Dog on an empty beach at 7am with their responsible owner is fined more than parking in a pedestrian crossing in school zone! It does not make sense and such a fine does not take into account the REAL risk or public nuisance factor.

Barking Mad has been researching for our public transport briefing/policy document. Are pets a public health risk; and if so, how? What about allergies, and how important it is to consider this with pets on public transport and in public spaces? I prefer logic to rhetoric, though the latter (think talk-back radio, MirandaNotDevine, media that makes an emergency out of everything) gets much more airplay. Often that rhetoric turns into public policy, and that is good for no-one in the long term.

I've had this data to hand for some time, and with hesitation, I now put it out to you, the reader. A child is at a greater risk of harm from their parent than from a dog. More children die at the hand of their parent than by a dog each year; a tragic but politically repulsive fact.

Each year about 300 Australian children (aged 0-14 years) are killed and 60,000 hospitalised by unintentional injuries (accidents). 75% of these come from just four causes: car crashes, pedestrian accidents, drowning and house fires. (Children under 5 and the elderly are at the greatest risk from a dog related injury, so appropriate measures are still required).

If we followed the numbers about risk logically we would ban the car, ban walking where we have cars, ban swimming pools and access to the ocean and water if we want to keep our children immune from risk. Although we have fenced most of our rail tracks in urban areas, we have yet to fence around every other risk. Logic is not the main driver of legislation.

Death resulting from dog-related injury is a rare event. During the seven year period 1997–2003, 11 deaths were registered as being due to this cause.

Reports on the number of lives saved, such as a relatively common event of a dog alerting an owner to the presence of a venomous snake, or barking at an intruder would be useful for comparison, but this data is not available. The story of a dog protecting a child from an Eastern Brown Snake can be found here and a similar story of a dog and an adult here.

It is important to consider the public health risks of pets, dogs in particular, in context. The media has been the dog’s worse enemy, creating public outcry that some short-sighted politicians have responded to with poorly thought out laws. Consider:

Abuse, Crime

6 people are killed, by people, each week – a total of 319 in 2006
465 people are assaulted by people each day; that’s 171,000 in 2006
50 people are sexually assaulted every day; 18,211 a year.
331 people are violently robbed each and every week
In 2006, there were 207,446 incidents of violent crime, over 550 each day.

Vehicles

1616 people died on our roads in 2007 including 41 cyclists and 201 pedestrians. That is more than 4 deaths for each day of a year.

Other

There are 1000 heat-related deaths a year.
400 people die a year from Asthma and in W.A. the Premier claimed that 150 people die a year while waiting for a hospital bed!
In the most recent data, 134 babies died a year from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Manage the public health risks of pets in context. The media has been the dog’s worse enemy, creating public outcry that some short-sighted politicians have responded to with poorly thought out laws.

My dog, my pet, my property, my responsibility - paws off

2009-02-20T23:21:00.015+11:00

We work for the rights of responsible pet owners to live a normal life.

We've had a lively conversation here about public access rights for pets on PUBLIC transport.

Let's look at renting with pets.

In Australia, there are commonly used tenancy agreements claiming to be prepared in accordance with tenancy law. From my research, I can't ever see this premise being tested.

In NSW, these agreements state that an animal or bird can not be kept at the premises UNLESS PERMISSION IS OBTAINED. (No such clause is in the legislation). Think about this. The law gives the tenant full right of access to the property as long as they pay rent, act legally and behave.

Dogs are chattel - full stop. In other words, they are no different than a handbag, briefcase or a pair of shoes. So why are renters are being told to ASK and OBTAIN PERMISSION to live with their dog or cat? Legally, it is the same as having to ask if we can have a pink handbag with matching pink shoes in the home we are renting.

What's chattel? Chattel is an item of personal property which is movable. It can be bought, owned, sold and stolen. The dog or cat is owned in law by its owner or politically correctly, its guardian. Because Barking Mad works with responsible pet owners, we will presume that we all legally own our pets meaning we register them as required by our local regulatory authority.

SO HOW CAN A RENTAL AGREEMENT REQUIRE YOU TO OBTAIN PERMISSION TO HAVE A DOG - OR, THE LEGAL EQUIVALENT, A PINK HANDBAG AT YOUR HOME?

I ask for your thoughts - and please consider the following:

Residential tenancy laws hold the tenant liable for damages they cause - from pets, kids, parties, accidents or negligence.
Dog laws hold the owner responsible for actions of a dog.
Nuisance laws cover bad bahaviour, which may include a barking dog.
Animal protection laws cover cruel pet behaviour, such as keeping too many animals or not providing adequate care. (Isn't is cruel to deny housing to a responsible pet owner?)
Strata laws require a 'good reason' to deny keeping a pet. An example of a good reason would be a strata complex for people with asthma where someone wants to keep a cat.
Rental laws do not have this 'good reason' logical clause.

Senate Inquiry into Public Transport - submissions closing soon

2009-02-13T19:36:00.018+11:00

Greens launch Senate Inquiry - Have your say on Australia's Public Transport

Submissions are due by Friday 27 February 2009

Details - terms of reference and how to make submissions.

Barking Mad will be making a submission based on our draft policy. We've had quite a lively debate on this blog about pets on public transport and our proposed 'doggie license' that provides training for dog and handler so that when passed, allows a dog into more public spaces.

You can download our draft Senate submission and Georgie's transport story (Georgie in the bag in this photo) here.

The Greens want to increase the use of public transport; here are some of their media releases:
Government should not waste opportunity to create sustainable cities

Greens turn up the heat on transport

Greens: PM should boost public transport spending

Bushfire Pet Assist

2009-02-10T19:22:00.013+11:00

If you would like to make a donation toward helping dog owners and their pets who have been affected by the bush fires, here are some suggestions:

Animal Aid - The Victorian Animal Aid Trust is providing free vet care and supplies for cats, dogs, horses, goats, etc. Make a financial donation at Bendigo Bank or supply badly needed hay or oaten chaff.

Fun4Paws - Offering homes for emergency care for dogs.
Accepting cash donations via bank deposit.

Lort Smith Animal Hospital - Pets caught in the cross fire.
Accepting donations of pet food, blankets and money to support their provision of free vet care and foster care.

RSPCA Victoria Please check their website for the latest updates and needs.
Make a financial contributions and donations of pet bedding, food and animal care-packs.

DOGS Victoria Bushfire Appeal
Support the appeal financially, offer pet accommodation and participate in the International Virtual Dog Show.

Our Families, Our Dogs

2009-02-09T03:26:00.001+11:00

The media reported as follows: "Dave Twentyman plays with his dogs in the blackened landscape left by the bushfires at Steels Creek. Picture: Stuart McEvoy."

At a loss for words with the devistation of familes, homes, businesses, livestock and entire towns, I can only comment on the media's realistic reporting of the importance of the family pets in such a disaster.

Hot Dogs in the Adelaide Heatwave

2009-01-31T22:12:00.006+11:00

As Sydney is stuck on 30C degrees, the Queensland coastal area is flooding, Melbourne had several 43 degree days until a cooling change last night and Adelaide has had more 40 degree days in a row since records were kept, I found this gorgeous picture of titled "Roxy is no longer a hot dog" at news.com.au.

All I want to say is GET DOGS ON BEACHES!!!! Most of us live in the 'coastal fringe'. We are told to SWIM BETWEEN THE FLAGS. We have thousands of kilometres of coastline and endless remote or empty beaches and we want our dogs AND our human family at the beach together. We're a beach culture - our dogs should be able to be at the beach with us and we'll compromise by keeping them on a lead or away from crowded or flagged areas!

I live 30 seconds' walk from a dog-friendly ocean beach. Sometimes it's just too scary, maybe dangerous for me to swim at my beach, so I walk a few minutes to one of two patrolled areas. But these areas are usually not in the dog beach area - but in a strong NE swell the flagged area is in the dog area - OH JOY!

Many dogs sit on my beach and wait while their owners surf. Other dogs play with visiting dogs while their owners swim. This beach has lots of holiday houses, so throughout January the beach and lagoon is full of kids, families, dogs, surfers and fishers. It's gorgeous and it all works. A few of us 'full-time' residents noticed that A LOT more 'tourists' brought their dogs this year. It seems that having dog-friendly beaches, and dog-friendly/family beach houses is the way to attract tourists and visitors. We even welcome dogs on the ferry from Palm Beach to the Cental coast.

It's been a gorgeous summer and a joy to meet all the visiting dogs from Sydney. I even saw two Labradors the other day that had never been in the ocean before. Sydney, and other coastal suburbs that try to ban dogs from beaches, are cruel. Cruel to Animals - isn't there a law against that?

Members Only

2009-01-25T18:34:00.008+11:00

Barking Mad is for responsible pet owners. There are more than 6 million pet owners in Australia and about 3.5 million dog owners. More households have dogs than children, and the largest demographic of dog owners is homes with children 16 and under.

We started this lobby group in 2007 on the hope of achieving membership from the crème de la crop of pet owners, the pick of the bunch, the 5-10% of dog owners willing to annually fork out $40, less than the cost of a bag of good dog chow, to support a full-time lobbyist. This has not been achieved.

I am sorry to say that I can no longer work for the 'greater good', and I need to move to a 'members only' model. I'm dealing with health issues that have reduced my work capacity to 10%. If you feel so inclined, please join as a member. If you have skills to offer to keep our lobby group active, email. Thank you. Eedra

We need to find Stuart - do you know him? He is hiding. . .

2009-01-08T18:56:00.007+11:00

Do responsible pet owners REALLY need a lobby group? Does any other Australian industry that contributes nearly $5 billion per year to the economy not work with government for fair policy? Is a $40 membership too much to ask? Or do we let Stuart make policy and influence public opinion. Gotta love Stuart; but will he IDENTIFY HIMSELF and help us create safe and pet-friendly communities that incorporate his need (or need to whinge)? That's our challenge to him - come forward citizen!

We well know Stuart will find it very easy to complain and very hard to make change. HELP US FIND STUART! (And PS Stuart, humans are animals too.)

Stuart has left a new comment on your post "What is acceptable behaviour?":
Dogs ARE NOT part of the PUBLIC - they are animals and have no right to be on public transport of any kind. I will not share a train carriage or bus with a dog - they smell, they defecate and pee whenever and wherever they want, they can be vicious.

This campaign of yours comes from a position that assumes dogs are equal to humans - they are not - they are animals and there are far too many of them. Far too many owners are:

irresponsible
do not pick up their dogs poo
do not obey regulations pertaining to keeping their dog on leads, which has personally caused me injury after hitting a dog not on a lead while cycling.

My local park is covered in dog poo but I get abused by owners if I dare to suggest they pick up their dogs poo or put it back on a lead. Dogs are not people - get a grip you lot and keep your dog on a short lead, off public transport, out of restaurants and cafes and pick up its poo.

Come on out Stuart. What is your local park and who are you? And will you work with us or are you simply a (simple) whiner? Don't ducks and other birds, possums, rats, koalas, kangaroos, cows, pigs, sheep and human babies poo/wee whenever or wherever they want or have I missed Stuart's training of these animals?

No chocolate or macadamia nuts

2009-01-04T19:40:00.011+11:00

DOG NIGHT at the movies - in Australia, not Austria like our previous report of movie night for dogs.

If you would like to attend and meet up with other Barking Mad members, just email me. I'll send your details to other members in your city who have sent me their details.

DIGGING DEEPER:
You can ALWAYS bring your well-behaved dog to Moonlight Cinema, at least in Sydney; that's right, every screening, not just dog night. (Just like you can take "any" properly behaved dog to visit hospital or aged care patients (NSW) without involving payment to a charity, or for you to travel for 'special' training, or subject your dog to excessive testing....but I digress...again.)

Centennial Parklands Home - Sydney Moonlight Cinema

Moonlight Cinema - City Specific Site (change city at bottom right of page)

Just A Dog, Just a New Year, Just Celebrate

2009-01-02T19:00:00.007+11:00

"From time to time, people tell me, lighten up, it's just a dog, or, that's a lot of money for just a dog. They don't understand the distance travelled, the time spent, or the costs involved for just a dog.

Some of my proudest moments have come about with just a dog. Many hours have passed and my only company was just a dog, but I did not once feel slighted.

Some of my saddest moments have been brought about by just a dog, and in those days of darkness, the gentle touch of just a dog gave me comfort and reason to overcome the day.

If you, too, think it's just a dog, then you will probably understand phases like just a friend, just a sunrise, or just a promise. Just a dog brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust, and pure unbridled joy. Just a dog brings out the compassion and patience that make me a better person.

Because of just a dog, I will rise early, take long walks and look longingly to the future. So for me and folks like me, it's not just a dog but an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past, and the pure joy of the moment.

Just a dog brings out what's good in me and diverts my thoughts away from myself and the worries of the day. I hope that someday they can understand that it's not just a dog but the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being "just a human."

So the next time you hear the phrase just a dog. Just smile, because they just don't understand. By Richard Biby

Training and busing with our dogs - Column 8 continued

2009-01-01T12:14:00.007+11:00

Column 8 Today - Sydney Morning Herald
"Fixing RailCorp's grammar (December 23) might be of academic interest," comments Richard Ure, of Epping, "but the point raised by Eedra Zey from Woy Woy in Friday's Column 8 is more fundamental.

If a dog is not allowed on a level crossing, how about a horse?
Or a mob of sheep crossing a line in the bush?
Or a dog in a ute?
For city folk, how about a dog, or any animal, caged or otherwise, crossing railway station concourses at places like Epping, Eastwood, Chatswood, Meadowbank and many similar urban crossings?

RailCorp owes us guidance. Or does it just want the fine?" We, too, cry out for guidance from RailCorp, in these troubled, uncertain times.

Dec 23
About the 'No pets not allowed' State Rail business of Friday," writes Teena Hughes, of Rozelle: "I was thinking that perhaps a shiny new comma or full stop could make this poster make sense. As in, 'No, pets not allowed', or, 'No pets. Not allowed'. I suggest everyone who travels near these signs can fix them immediately by adding either one - we'll leave it up to the public, shall we? Take a black marker pen with you, just in case.

Column8 Dog Train - Sydney Morning Herald

2008-12-22T17:06:00.007+11:00

Friday 19 Dec:

"State Rail have these large glossy posters at most stations stating the rules," reports John Blackhawk, of Umina Beach. "One rule states 'No pets not allowed'. I emailed, asking if we'd all been breaking the law by not travelling with our dogs, cats, axolotls etc. They asked for clarification - was it me who was travelling with a pet, or had I seen others doing so? I pointed out it was a humorous attempt at pointing out their double negative, and I looked forward to taking my groodle to work on the train. The posters remain unchanged. But I believe it is legal to travel on trains, buses and ferries if your pet is 'under control' anyway. It is, isn't it?" We're not sure. Guide dogs have always been OK, but as for groodles …

Today 22 Dec:
"I got fined for being on 'railway property' with my dog," writes Eedra Zey (Column 8, Friday). "I have in writing from RailCorp that a level crossing is railway property. Therefore, I cannot cross from home to the shops at Woy Woy with my dog without committing an offence."

Barking Mad comments: We look to Column 8 (Column8?) to show us the rules of punctuation,"(_).**

The Silly Season Woofs and Wags

2008-12-16T16:10:00.017+11:00

Thanks to a member (and Dulux Paint) for these light-hearted doggie Christmas Carols. Click here to sing three well-known carols along with the dogs. Make sure your speakers are on and your doggie is around to join in too. My dog woke from her post-beach slumber briefly, and my old cat is close to deaf so I had to sing solo; it's wasn't good so lucky for you there is no sound on this BLOG.

And thanks again to member SB (above). I didn't know how I was going to get beyond the last post. I had backed myself into a corner hard to get out of and not dissimilar to the corner the Opera House is now in from their choice to wave 150 pages of 'we are so good' and ignore eye-witness statements and video showing 'we may be so good usually, but we sure failed on this occasion,' but I digress.....again...it is MY blog....

We have found out that the mother actually called the police for help before the police killed her child. I, like many of you reaading this, am still disturbed by all this. For me, I can be sure this is at least partly due to my own experience with police thugs earlier this year. (And just to re-iterate, I was travelling legally with my dog as per the 2007 Transport Regulations).

So when is having Glandular Fever a fabulous Christmas Present? (Yes, I have it.) It's a fabulous gift for me because I've been dealing with debilitating medical conditions that do not have direct causal relationships; I have had symptoms exasperated 6 months into treatment and no one knew exactly why; and because it's a diagnosis based on a blood test that is fully accepted by the medicos. Yeah for me - certainty. I like certainty. Now I can rest, enjoy summer, albeit slowly and know that functioning at 10-40% is actually OK because it's temporary.

The benefit to you as a Barking Mad member is that I will be working throughout the Christmas break. So if you and Fido get into strife on a beach or a bus with those revenue protection people, remember that members can call me 24 x 7 for information or advise. In addition, the Barking Mad beach house still has a few vacancies during the silly season. 90 minutes north of Sydney on a dog friendly beach; members welcome by donation.

gang of police kill solo youth of same race and we're not protesting like Athens is?

2008-12-12T21:43:00.009+11:00

Updated post after a few phone calls and inquiries. I'M (any expletive here) OUTRAGED! Shooting a gun 'to maim' works ONLY IN THE MOVIES but it doesn't work in real life. Am I really reading this quote from the Victorian Police Assistance Commissioner? Yes, I am.

The Commissioner continues 'we want our police to be trained to 'shoot-to-kill.'

I am so upset by what seems to be a murder of a juvenile by THREE Victorian police in Melbourne. Howard's lie about children overboard got more press than this.
“Why was he slayed to death when it was so unnecessary?”

The entire incident took less than three minutes to unfold, but police had done everything possible to avoid his death, he said.

THREE SHORT MINUTES FOR THREE (now I hear there were FOUR) THUGS IN UNIFORM TO DECIDE THEIR BEST OPTION WAS TO OPEN FIRE ON A TEEN-AGE MALE AT LEAST 10 METRES AWAY; A MALE YOUTH WHO HAD A COUPLE OF KNIVES? (Gordon Ramsey - you're next?)

Postscript March09 - Story on 60 Minutes

el Loco & el Lobo: A line in the sand

2008-12-11T19:15:00.005+11:00

Cross Post: "Today's visit to the beach was a lot of fun until a couple of guys, each with a pair of muzzled greyhounds, turned up and thuggishly started trying to order us off the beach...." Read the rest of the story from an Aussie who travelled Europe for 2 years with a BIG dog...then (for those readers who are not members) rethink your view of pets in our communities.

Apathetic or Anarchistic

Chicago!

2008-12-07T22:35:00.014+11:00

Hasn't Chicago (and surrounds) been in the news? USA President Elect Obama aside, Chicago city ran a high school art contest TO CREATE CITY-WIDE AWARENESS OF DOG-FRIENDLY CHICAGO. Ok, we love it, see previous post. Here is the winner - to be displayed on 1.3 million vehicle parking stickers.

AND, Michigan car insurer Progressive offers Pet Injury Coverage if your dog or cat is injured in a car accident - regardless of fault! As an ex-yank, I can say that ANYTHING offered 'regardless of fault' is indeed progressive.

The Detroit News reported Auto insurers add pet policies. Stating the bleeding obvious:

The coverage reflects what pet owners have known for years and some corporations are just now realising: The bonds run deep with fluffy friends.
It's an opportunity to provide a new coverage that right for the market.
The market is huge with 2 million dogs and 2.5 million cats.
Customers love their cats and dogs.

Our comments - DUH! Most domestic pets in Australia carry $10 MILLION liability insurance with your home contents policy (check with your insurer). Common law clearly puts pets as chattel; yep, same as a handbag. This is an interesting angle when dealing with legal stuff. I digress: chattel means no innate rights - that's why Barking Mad is about pet Owners, not dogs or cats, or horses.

Animal rights organisations state their preference clearly in their name - rights for animals meaning a reform of common law/chattel/pet. Barking Mad has an interesting case on foot as a dog was present in a legal assembly (our right of political expression), but the owner was fined for dog in prohibited space. If the dog is chattel (so too a banner, or a loud-speaker), necessary for political expression then how can its owner be fined under council by-laws?

Barking Mad contacted both AAMI and NRMA insurance asking them to promote a product (pet liability insurance) that they currently offered. Both declined. What are they missing? With 2 out of 3 homes with pets, when will they switch on? I recall working with a major industry around the Sydney Olympic Site (and time) to install water tanks. They had a mega-huge flat surface; a perfect catchment with drainage in place. They thought I was nuts. Need I say more?

A Special Collection of Video for You

2008-12-06T22:01:00.005+11:00

Look, it's back. Be touched by Mankind is No Island. Take a moment for yourself and watch. The images were captured on a mobile phone from the streets of New York and Sydney. The story is there for you to grasp, to feel. Who says we need big budgets to create change? Who says our doggies need $69 collars?

I hope to have several video links on the BLOG for you to enjoy, to learn and to celebrate and laugh. Have a look on the menu on the right side of the screen. I hope this will be a 5* service for Barking Mad members and supporters. Send in your video or link to be included.

Current Videos:

Bella, Old dog new tricks "I've always been terrified of dogs..."
Diabetic Dog Discrimination in Western Australia
Cancer Sniffing Dogs

Tails of the city: Sydney's passion for pets

2008-12-05T21:41:00.008+11:00

Don't miss this exhibition from Saturday 13 December 08 through Sunday 22 March 09. $10 entry (and we're trying to get a members discount and invitation for our well-behaved pets).

Importantly, this is at The Museum of Sydney (MOS). If you ever lose hope working for change, or get frustrated at our nanny state laws, think about MOS. It is on the site of Australia’s first Government House, built in 1788 as a home and office for the colony’s Governor, Arthur Phillip. Many people fought long and hard to prevent this site from becoming another light-restricting soul-less high rise. We owe it to those people, as well as our pets to make a trip to Sydney to see this show. Bookies, be warned. The MOS book shop is known to capture people for hours, only letting them out with a massive credit card purchase!

From the MOS website: "Australians are one of the biggest owners of pets in the world, with two in three households living with animal companions. Along with dogs, cats, birds and fish, we have shared our homes and lives with a variety of animals, from axolotls to yabbies, budgerigars to stick insects, and many in between.

Discover Sydney’s surprising social history of pets, from the early days of the colony where favoured animals served practical purposes for their masters, through to today's indulged furry and feathered family members. Tails of the city is an exhibition for the whole family that explores our passion for pets through photographs, paintings, objects, hands-on activities and film."

Should we know what an axolotl is? . . . And don't miss the talk about keeping a pet in the city by the wise, learned, experienced and lovely (my comments) Tara Mai Dethridge, Companion Animal Liaison Officer, City of Sydney Council (official comments). Tara's talk will cover de-sexing, obedience training, kids and dogs, off-leash parks and the importance of micro-chipping and registration. Sunday 18 January 2 - 2:30pm, free with museum entry, no bookings.

NSW has gone to the dogs … and fish and birds: Sydney Morning Herald article.

Doctor's Orders - Dog is Good

2008-11-30T22:10:00.008+11:00

Remember when our national broadcaster the ABC generously offered two VIP tickets to Barking Mad members with assistance dogs to the outdoor opera back in March this year? And then they were denied entry - something to do with multiple agencies being the ABC, Opera Australia and the Opera House Trust. The first two accommodated their guests, and the later did not, and refused to contact the first two to get this sorted. The result: DRAMA !

And now a complaint of disability discrimination after an offer to show the video claiming ''only guide dogs''' was refused by the Opera House CEO. Now that a formal complaint has been lodged, what did Sydney Opera House do with this complaint? They submitted 160 pages saying they did the right thing; the big bank strategy. And finally, they asked to see the video which we have put on YouTube. In their 160 pages, they claim to be experts about assistance dogs and people with disability. This is timely with the International Day of People with Disability this week, the 3rd of December. So we thought we would offer Richard Evans, CEO of Sydney Opera House, a man with a bigger budget than ..... a quiz on disabilities and assistance animals. This is one of the questions:

The 16 photos above are of dogs and the dog’s main carer/guardian. All are legitimate photos taken recently. 9 of these photos are of assistance dogs with the person they provide assistance to (a person with a disability). All of the assistance dogs in these photos are ‘working’ (on-duty, not resting) at the time the image was taken.

Please circle or put a cross in the 9 images where Sydney Opera House would allow dogs on site because they are assistance animals as defined by the DDA.

We will let you know how we go!

Dog Friendly Big City + Poster

2008-11-26T23:48:00.007+11:00

What a great example of the marketing and financial power of being dog-friendly; not to mention engaging youth in a big design contest. Vote now for your favourite! The winning 2009-2010 sticker design will be displayed on 1.3 million automobiles.

Chicago. Home to president elect Obama. He promised a puppy for his family in his victory speech and the city he is leaving to take up residence in the White House runs a campaign for a DOG FRIENDLY image. Love it, don't you?

Our families, our pets. Just like we previously shunned, but now embraced seat-belts and home water tanks, our culture will change (back) to one that recognises the important contribution of pets to individuals and communities.

Need we say more?

2008-11-25T00:11:00.001+11:00

We are grateful for the images and stories our members send in. This one is timely with our meeting about pets on trains coming up soon. (A policy we have multi-partisan support for). Check out the comments on this image here.

I guess no one's gonna tell the dude that dogs aren't allowed on the subway.
Did you ask him if the dog was a service animal?
I take it the fur coat was his "first dog?"

A post from....

2008-11-24T01:05:00.001+11:00

I feel very strongly about this.

I have worked hard to train my dog to walk with me politely in most places (he is two and has been attending weekly obedience training for 18 months), but never on public transport.
I would only rarely need to use public transport because I have my own car, but for instance, I’d love to be able to catch a bus with my dog on weekends and take him into the city.

For larger dogs (that aren’t carried in bags etc) perhaps there could be an examination day, where dogs catch a bus and a train, and are watched, and as long as they don’t cause a problem they gain a ‘travel licence’ or similar.

I have seen guide dogs for the blind crawl under the bus seats so that the dog is out of the way. I would need to train my dog before he was able to do this. Perhaps the testing day could also have some public transport furniture so that we could train our animals to be as non-invasive as possible.

I am worried about there being a single carriage for animals. I don’t think the numbers travelling with animals will be huge. In situations where there more than one dog is travelling on a train, placing them all in the same carriage is inviting problems. My dog is most unreliable where he meets another dog – he wants to greet it, mark territory and other typical dog behaviours. I can manage this by sheer force, but the easiest thing to do is to place greater distance between the dogs. Not to get onto the same carriage, or to sit upstairs when the other dog is downstairs.

Many RTA workers (and others in our community) come from countries where dogs are not kept as pets . Perhaps we dog owners could offer to work with our well behaved dogs and these people to show them how we expect dogs to behave in situations on public transport so they feel less threatened about managing dogs and dog owners on public transport.

Furthermore, those with perfectly trained dogs may forget that many well trained dogs are not perfect in all circumstances. Pretending anything else is probably inviting any progress to be undone by people naively presenting the training of large dogs for unfamiliar on-lead situations as totally routine. A better approach is to emphasise everyone’s willingness to work towards ensuring their dogs can travel on public transport without causing any problems.

Contributed by an owner of a gundog who lives in the northern suburbs of Sydney. The points mentioned are issues where discussion in invited, especially in our multi-cultural society.

What is acceptable behaviour?

2008-11-22T14:32:00.009+11:00

And who says so? (And how much grief am I going to get from this post?). We need to have this discussion.

This is NOT what is responsible pet ownership. This is what is acceptable behaviour for a handler and their dog/s travelling on public transport, and it's a discussion that needs to be had from those travelling with dog and those observing or opposed.

We've all seen breed-ist behaviour, most ill-advised. "Alsatians are dangerous, big dogs are worse than little dogs, little dogs are harmless, Labradors are perfect and don't get me started on Staffies!"

What to we expect from ourselves and what do we expect from other - specific to using public transport across Australia?

I will start with someone else's opinion: (with comments).

Accepting a friendly stranger (is this necessary?)
Sitting quietly
Clean (what happens with wet dog coming back from the beach or having walked in the rain?)
Walking on a loose lead.
Calm walking through a crowd
Sit or down on command and staying in place (may need to use both hands to get through ticket barriers or buy a ticket).
Coming when called (necessary if we have the dog on lead for the entire journey?)
Reaction to another dog (compare this with humans, we don't like everyone, do our dogs need to?).
Reaction to distraction (do we want a dog howling when the train goes over a noisy railway bridge - but they it could be very funny....)
Supervised separation (again, needed if we have the dog on the lead for the entire journey?)

I look forward to your comments with some trepidation and thoughts about cans and worms.

MEMBERS SPEAK OUT: Transport

2008-11-21T16:41:00.012+11:00

We've received buckets of mail about our upcoming meeting with a public transport provider. Here is a selection:

I'm in favour of anything that allows us to take our dogs on public transport. Training, registration - whatever it takes really. J.T.

I would love to be able to take my dogs on a train and bus so I would be happy to comply with any form of test/ fee/ regulation. All I want is to be able to catch a train so I can meet friends in the park or on the beach, be able to have a few drinks and then get home safely. S.A.

We should be able to take our dogs onto public transport as long as they are well behaved, and on a short lead. In Europe dogs traveling on trains are so well behaved, there are times you would not notice the dog at all even sitting next to it. I feel we have so many restrictions on where we can take our dogs, in the end it has caused so many problems as they are not socialised enough. D.O.

If someone (pet or people) does not behave well on public transport they should not be allowed to use it. The problem is to define what is bad behaviour. There have to be some guidelines (that are almost the same as for humans).

Pets not on seat - no shoes on seats
No noise - barking, whining, excessive use of mobiles and loud Ipods
No aggression - growling, lunge, elbows, stepping on toes
Other traveller should not be soiled - jumping, dribble, sweat and alcohol perspiration
No food/feeding.

So basically the same as for humans - which shows that there are no extra rules necessary really; and it shows as well what a highly regulated society we already live in. Definitely all rules should be applied with the same lenience as towards the human travellers. It is up to the conductor/driver to enforce good behaviour in their vehicles; the are the only ones that would need training. A.A.

Barking Mad Comments: Self regulation is another option. I've seen people sharing a train or bus take on people using offensive language and it worked.

I would really appreciate being able to take my dog on public transport and into more public places. I subscribe to the notion that the dog should be well behaved and under the total control of the owner (carer) at any given time. It is time that we the dog lovers/owners voiced our opinions to the many and various councils around this great country. I also think it would help if it was a federal ruling so that the rules would be the same all over the country. L.P.

To facilitate pets to travel on trains and avoid animal haters from complaining I think the dedicated pet-carriage is a good idea. Then people who like animals can choose to travel in that compartment with other people and their pets. Then you won't have the others complaining about noise, smell etc.

Clearly identify that persons and their companion animals can travel in a particular carriage. This will provide persons who do not have private transport the ability to commute without having to pay expensive pet taxis. Additionally, it will also create a community environment, because you know that people who travel in that dedicated area are pet lovers, whether they have one or not.

My dog is the love of my life. He currently travels on my motor scooter with me and is the reason why I got my scooter license. I can't afford a car and wanted to take him everywhere I could with him. Its not particularly good on longer trips and when weather is inclement. Having the option to travel by train to see my parents would be great. Currently I would not attempt the trip on the M5 on my bike...far to dangerous, so my elderly parents have to drive down to my place in Redfern.

I am one of the many pet owners with an unseen disability. For nearly 20 years I have suffered with (edited for privacy). Although I am still on medication and probably will be for the rest of my life, my dog has helped me so much I can't explain. He knows when I'm not well and snuggles with me. He gives me a reason to wake up, get out to the park and feel better. He is priceless and there is nothing I wouldn't do for him. Congratulations on all your hard work and dedication. (private)

Thanks for all your good work. I think some sort of test to gain a 'ticket' for dogs to travel on public transport would be necessary. Maybe this would act as an encouragement for dog owners to train their dogs adequately. No one wants an antisocial dog next to them on public transport - but then a well-behaved one would be a great advertisement! D. B.

Barking Mad Comments on the great advertisement: We know! Pema travels on public transport with her command of 'in your house' that sends her under the seat. However, when people DO notice her, over and over and over, they want to pat her, meet her, have her entertain their child in a pram. She either goes unnoticed, or is the facilitator of a community of joy created on a train or bus giving people 20 minutes of connection, joy and laughter. Today we visited Gosford Hospital (as we have done on Fridays for two years), a mental health clinic and a bank. It took A LONG TIME to get out of the bank as Pema had 5 staff enjoying her company while I dealt with a foreign currency exchange. Joy. Bliss. Community. The bank staff got out their photos - printed or on their phones or computer backgrounds and showed me their dogs. What a cack!!!

I'm a single woman with one small dog and two cats. I don't drive or have access to a car. For me to get my pets to a vet costs me at least $30 each way in a cab, which isn't cheap! Generally the cab drivers are quite rude as they don't want 'hair in their cabs' and so it is difficult to pin one down- not helpful in emergencies.

I think it is vital to have a service for people with pets who don't have cars to be able to transport their pets. Public transport is paid for by tax payers and we have the right to be able to use it for ourselves and our animals. Obviously the animals need to be restrained, confined and should be well behaved. But we really need this. I'd hate to think of animals going untreated due to the difficulties getting them to a vet.

I would also love the opportunity to be able to take my dog to agility classes, dog training etc (as there is none available in my area) on public transport. I lived in London where pets are always allowed on public transport and there is never any problems. Done properly, this is a vital service for communities and individuals.

Not everyone can afford to own a car or even get access to one when it is needed. We need to be able to provide a service for all pet owners. J.L.

Most dog owners that I know have had their dogs do some sort of training. Mine, for example, has a Canine Good Citizen certificate, which means that he is well behaved and can follow commands. I support your efforts and also think that some sort of training/certificate should be sufficient for the powers that be. U.A.

I think it is very important to have some sort of training program in place as a large or even a small poorly controlled dog with aggression issues (either to other dogs or humans) could put the whole cause back in the dark ages. Socialising dogs and teaching them appropriate manners is a lot different from an obedience trained dog. Some sort of temperament testing as well as handler control testing, maybe even requesting that some dogs be required to wear a muzzle on public transport might not be as bad as it sounds to some people. There will be always be people who think their dog is perfect but in fact the opposite is the case. Also there are people who will abuse the system.

I would suggest a list of criteria the dog must be able to pass before it is allowed to travel on public transport. As an example just expecting a dog to have say the Community Companion Dog (CCD -gained through dog obedience trials) certificate would not be enough. I have seen dogs who have this title or higher but can be aggressive towards certain other dog types.

I think allocating carriages for people to travel on is also an excellent idea. It allows people who are not dog friendly (either psychologically or physically) to be sure they will not have to have dogs in their faces. I would love to be able to get on the ferry at Stockton and cross the harbour across to Newcastle with my 2 dogs. It would mean an easier access to the dog beach at Horseshoe Beach on Newcastle Harbour. Also being able to travel by train & bus from Newcastle to Sydney with my dogs would be great.

Read our letters from the transport and other ministers in support (link in progress, the writer has problems with her scanning technology!)

It's Ba ack! And it's NOTA Loophole

2008-11-17T17:43:00.016+11:00

Remember the bus arrest? Well, it's back. The NSW Police realised they could not uphold a conviction, but that logical approach has not spread to the State Transit Authority. In fact, we have recent correspondence from our big-salaried Chief Executive of Sydney Buses (Safe, Clean & Convenient, Peter Rowley) stating that the issue of the fines has been reviewed and he is satisfied that they were correctly issued. Guess we'll see as the hearing is tomorrow at Ryde Local Court.

Has he read the legislation/regulations? Well, here it is, straight from the NSW Govt. website; Section 52 (1) A passenger must not take into or on any public passenger vehicle any dog, cat, bird or other animal: (b) in the case of a bus or ferry - except with the permission of,and in the manner permitted by, the driver of the bus or the ferry master.

Eedra Zey walks onto the uncrowded L20 bus at Ryde going to the city. She is obviously with a dog as Pema the border collie is by her side, on-lead. Driver asked destination, Eedra replies, driver says $4, Eedra provides a $20 note and apologises for not having the correct change, driver gives Eedra ticket and change. Eedra sits in the front of the bus and Pema is under the seat, virtually invisible. All is well.

Transit blokes board for routine ticket check. Eedra shows ticket, guys behind her do a dash, transit blokes go towards the back of the bus, but then 'their stop' comes up and they have to move on. Bloke Anal says to bloke Real, what about the dog? Real says to Anal what about it, she has a ticket. And the rest is dramatic history of which we have some very interesting video!

Responsible pet owners will make appropriate decisions about where and when to take their pet into public space. Many of us will even have our dogs 'public access trained' to earn back our privileges. It's time for common scents!

Dogs sniffing for your health

2008-11-11T11:25:00.012+11:00

I hope you enjoy the latest videos on our amazing canines - those disguised as 'regular' dogs that actually save lives. Cancer and Bio-detection Dogs mission is "To improve the detection, recognition and diagnosis of human diseases and other medical conditions by the use of dogs and other animals trained in the recognition of relevant stimuli." A worthy mission indeed.

Barking Mad is on a mission too: "Creating a safe and pet-friendly society." Another worthy mission, I hope. It seems we need to appreciate the utilitarian aspect of something to give it deserving respect. As dogs become more "useful" to us, then we may become more pet-friendly in public spaces.

Did you know that both dogs in the photos are assistance animals with the same legal rights as dogs for the vision and hearing impaired? Yet, you can not register them such in NSW because the silly Dept. of Local Government doesn't recognise dogs trained by agencies or people other than the THREE they list! And yes, I have that in writing.

Pets are terrific company, man's best friend and all the rest in their own right, regardless if they help us live healthier, build our compassion or ease our anxiety. Yet, Australian cities have become SO dog-hostile. How local councils (Newcastle, Noosa as examples) can ban dogs from cafes is madness - and this is outdoor seating as well! It simply does not make economic sense. The pet industry is booming and now contributes more to our economy than fishing and forestry combined (the QUIZ answered).

You can read about Grace and her black lab Garbo here. Grace says everyone at her Tennessee, USA school loves the dog. Not so Australia! Remember when a Perth school refused to let a student take his specially trained dog to class? They used the lame excuse of 'concern' about how the dog will fit into a classroom environment and other students possible allergies. So, a child in a life-threatening seizure would fit better into a classroom environment than that child's' assistance animal? Thankfully for this family, another school with more common sense welcomed Corey and his scents dog Oscar.

Dr. John Church: Every family should have a dog.

2008-11-10T14:42:00.004+11:00

60 minutes on dogs sniffing to benefit our health. Watch this story here.

An excerpt:
LIZ HAYES: And for those who have been saved by their pets, well, they'd be happy to see a good old-fashioned personal consultation. The dog sitting beside the doctor in the surgery as a way of scanning people?

GILL LACEY: It would be great fun, wouldn't it, and actually I think it would make visits to the doctors much more pleasant.

LH: The possibilities, it seems, are endless. We've all heard it a million times but has it ever been more true - the humble pooch really is man's best friend. For those mums and dads who are listening to you now what would you say to them?

DR JOHN CHURCH: You realise that they are wonderful, majestic creatures in their own right and watch their behaviour. If there is something for good or ill, if the dog is behaving in a funny way take note. Take note.

LH: It also makes a compelling argument for a family dog.

DR JC: Every family should have a dog.

US President Elect promises puppy for his family.

2008-11-05T16:27:00.016+11:00

As a yank in political exile for the past twenty-five years, I watched Barack Obama's victory speech today with a sense of pride and hope I do not remember ever feeling for my country of birth. I grew up with racial segregation, race riots at my school and memories of knives, burnings and fear (as well as mass-consumerism, 24 x 7 shopping and a yes we can attitude that still drives some Australians' mad).

So how special was it that after nearly two years of campaigning, president elect Obama could share with the world his promise to his daughters of a puppy. Very special indeed! At least we know it won't be the first black puppy at the white house...

He said, thanking his wife Michelle - "the love of my life and the nation's next first lady", for the journey they had endured and said he loved his two young daughters "more than you imagine, and you have earned the new puppy that is coming with us to the White House".

Speaking of which, we STILL have not received our reply from the guardians of Abby, the dog at the Lodge. We resent the letter in September. Pema, the Barking Mad mascot is becoming quite the campaigner herself. She has met most of the NSW MP's, and several Senators and Federal MP's. (Because she is so quiet, our most common joke is that she found the proceedings exceedingly boring!) Our most recent function was at the NSW Cabinet forum on the central coast.

Pets on Public Transport

2008-11-04T19:10:00.011+11:00

Barking Mad (and mascot dog Pema) attended the Central Coast NSW Cabinet Meeting tonight.

Bag the government all you want, focus on the cuts to the department bureaucrats, the new budget deficit, scandals involving behaviour from MPs we would otherwise adore if from our footie teams. However, the opportunity to spend a few hours with all the State government ministers who have travelled to your regional area should not be bagged. Just because you are dissatisfied with community infrastructure, years of un-fulfilled promises, marginal seat financial gifts, etc., when an entire state government travels to your area, it's democracy in action.

Barking Mad as an organisation is cynical too - why fine a mother with her toddler as sole attendees at a playground $330 because she has her dog with her? Why fine people who park where they reduce visibility in pedestrian/school crossings less than the mum, bub and dog at the playground?

Just 200 people attended Toukley Senior Citizens auditorium to be part of the government’s roadshow which allowed people access to the Premier and his ministers.

Community Cabinet Meetings

Barking Mad fielded two questions at Premier Nathan Rees, including our suggestion the government use valet parking at railway stations (fit more cars into existing spaces and providing employment and security), and the ability to travel on public transport with our well behaved pets.

My DOG isn't invisible - but my medical condition IS

2008-11-02T16:59:00.012+11:00

Just 29 days to go until our events supporting the International Day of People with Disability. Barking Mad founded "MY DOG ISN'T INVISIBLE, BUT MY DISABILITY IS" last year and this was welcomed by many health care professionals. We want to make a bigger contribution this year, showing off the positive health contributions of dogs!

Please have a look at the IDPwD website and those in each State.

NSW - Don't Dis my Ability
Victoria
Queensland - making a difference for people with a disability
Northern Territory
ACT - try sailing (wonder how they will accommodate assistance dogs).
WA - at time of posting, nothing listed.
SA - a variety of events, but no state based organisation found.

Videos - only the best

2008-10-30T19:01:00.010+11:00

Check out our new video channel on this blog. We'll show you only the best pet videos available - and a few special non-pet ones as well. Members are welcome to submit YOUR videos to be published. We know you all secretly (or not so) take pictures of your dogs and cats often!

We start off with the story of a woman whose full life with her children and grandchildren took an unexpected turn in her 70's - and no surprises here, it's because of the love of a dog.

Following is a touching reminder of our shared humanity shot entirely on a mobile phone in New York and Sydney - A Tropfest winner.

Ponder on these imponderables

2008-10-28T14:41:00.006+11:00

Sent in from a member of Barking Mad - obviously thinking the way we do!

If people from Poland are called Poles, why aren't people from Holland called Holes?
If a pig loses its voice, is it disgruntled?
If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular?
Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker?
Why is a person who plays the piano called a pianist but a person who drives a racing car not called a racist?
Why are a wise man and a wise guy opposites?
Why do overlook and oversee mean opposite things?
'I am' is reportedly the shortest sentence in the English language. Is 'I do' the longest?
If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, doesn't it follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted, cowboys deranged, models deposed, tree surgeons debarked, and dry cleaners depressed?
__________________________________________________
What hair colour do they put on the driver's licences of bald men?
Why isn't the number 11 pronounced onety one?
Why do they put pictures of criminals up in the Post Office? What are we supposed to do, write to them? Why don't they just put their pictures on the postage stamps so the posties can look for them while they deliver the mail?
You never really learn to swear until you learn to drive.
No one ever says, 'It's only a game' when their team is winning.
Ever wonder about those people who spend $4 on a little bottles of Evian water? Try spelling Evian backwards: NAIVE.
Isn't making a smoking section in a restaurant like making a peeing section in a swimming pool?
Why if you send something by road it is called a shipment, but when you send it by sea it is called cargo?

National Disability Strategy

2008-10-27T14:39:00.004+11:00

Have your say about the National Disability Strategy Submissions must be received by Monday 1 December 2008.

Dogs, and pets in general, are extremely useful in dealing with the majority of disabilities. Remember that one in five Australians has a disability, and that 88% of these are invisible!

We have an appalling legal situation in regards to Assistance Animals. Although we have excellent Federal legislation, and court cases to support self-trained assistance animals, we have State Laws that DO NOT acknowledge these animals. For example, in NSW a dog trained to assist a person with an invisible disability (such as diabetes, epilepsy, phobia etc) simply CAN NOT be registered as an assistance animal. Help us help dogs help people. You can make your own submission, or send your views to Barking Mad and I will include them in our submission.

Snorkeller dies between flags and your BBQ

2008-10-23T19:27:00.027+11:00

A man has died while snorkelling between the flags in shallow water at a patrolled beach near Cairns. "He was swimming between the flags on the public beach on Green Island, which is a well-populated patrolled area with a lifeguard on duty." No less than four tourists have died in the waters off the island in the past three years.

Barking Mad asks, why not ban swimming - it can kill. We ban dogs, also accused of killing.

Swimming and dogs provide an undisputed benefit to our society. Why then, does one death from a dog (prov0ked by the victim) result in a virtual ban on hunting dogs that protect the pastures required so we can have our steaks, BBQ snags and lamb roasts?
_______________________________________

Barking Mad: While I grieve for the family and try to comprehend their loss (I lost a sister to cancer at age 30 and several friends to 'early' deaths), the fact that this story has received virtually NO media coverage and NO legislative changes bothers me. PLEASE read this with a view to the bigger picture and not the individual suffering to those immediately involved. Sudden and unexpected death is becoming socially unacceptable in our medical-miracle society despite the fact that death is the only certainly in our lives.

In NSW, we had one 'tragic' death of a child that could be blamed on DOGS (not DocS), and it was. Even though in the subsequent inquiry it was found that 20, YES TWENTY risk of harm reports were received at the DoCS helpline concerning domestic violence, alcohol and drug use in the family of the child involved in the incident blamed on DOGS.

Before the facts were determined, legislation was brought in so that any dog that caused a person to feel afraid could be declared 'dangerous'; guilty before proven. It was a haven for dog-haters; don't like your neighbours dog - call your local council and say you felt fear - your identity would be protected and the dog would be guilty before proven. The proof may come out a year and $30,000 later, but in the interim pooch (if not put down) would be living on a 10M x 10M concrete slab with 2M high fences.

_______________________________________

YOUR BBQ & YOUR LAMB ROAST: How eating beef and pork contributes to animal cruelty.

The coroner has recommended enforcement of the dangerous dog provisions for hunting dogs.
Cattle and sheep are grazing animals for the majority of their life.
Feral pigs "are a problem in NSW, QLD and NT. Impacts include pasture damage, water fouling, disease spread and the huge costs of control. Lamb losses of 15% to pigs is common, and can be up to 38%." Factsheet.
On the ground hunting with pig dogs is an effective control method.
But hunting dogs must now be de-sexed, muzzled and kept in an enclosure with a concrete floor.
Just like any other working dog, you want to breed from your best. But if they have to be de-sexed before they even start working - how will this work?

Swim Between the Flags

2008-10-19T15:20:00.006+11:00

As Sydney swelters in 30 degree summer weather, and residents with dogs spend time 'illegally' at beaches, up here on the Central Coast - our flagged area was in the DOG BEACH. What joy! At last though, we have an elected Council in Warringah willing to consider dog owing rate payers' needs.

Dogs on! Sydney Northern Beaches - 2nd post

2008-10-13T22:20:00.009+11:00

You can download our briefing document to Warringah here and one page summary here. You are welcome to attend the meeting. Wear red. Need more info? Call, don't email and see previous post. Thanks.

Dogs on! Sydney Northern Beaches

2008-10-11T21:57:00.017+11:00

OUR ELECTION LOBBYING IS PAYING OFF:
COUNCIL MEETING TUESDAY, 14th October. Notice of Motion No 5/2008

Equitable Access to Community Space for Unleashed Dog Walking and to Beaches for Swimming, Submitted by: Cr Vincent De Luca OAM

That this Council resolves to:

Note that 42% of Warringah’s residents own a dog.
Note that currently there are no swimming areas available for dogs in the Warringah Council area.
That Council officers conduct public consultation with Barking Mad Australia and members of the community as to options for unleashed dog walking and access to beaches for dog swimming and furnish a report to Council within three months regarding results of public consultation and options available.

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT: (Must include full name and address to count).

CLICK TO SEND your support to Barking Mad
CLICK TO SEND an email to The Mayor

Barking Mad is ready with a consultation plan and questions, the beach areas we want and the case-law to take away any doubt that Warringah Council has the legislative instrument & imperative to make this happen without the approval of 13 other State agencies.

BARKING MAD is funded by responsible pet owners and carers. If you support what we do for you, please MAKE A DONATION.

Sydney Harbour Picnic: Salty Dogs Day Out

2008-10-01T16:23:00.004+10:00

Doggie Play Picnic & Info Day

Harbourside - Under the Suspension Bridge

Sunday, 23rd November 2008
11am – 2pm All invited.

Information about Barking Mad will be available.

RSVP to Kate, (requested but not required).

Mortlock Reserve Tunks Park, Cammeray
For you, your family, friends & pets

How would you feel if you planned a day out with the kids at the park and decide to take the dog too; then you get there to only find a NO DOGS ALLOWED sign?

Come along and show your support for a fair share of public spaces including transport, beaches, parks and accommodation. Gold coin donation for a hot dog & drink.

Our event is in Dog Friendly North Sydney Council. Dogs may be exercised off-leash in all North Sydney Council parks and public reserves, with a few exceptions.

Many thanks to Alan of Walk Syndey Streets fame for this image of the Cammeray Suspension Bridge

Poo Park Council Event Sunday

2008-09-24T22:24:00.005+10:00

Please help us raise awareness. Pittwater Council have generously accommodated us at Dog Day by the Bay - Sunday 28th September from 10am - 3pm,

Thanks to members who are helping out, but we need a few more please. Email if you can help at our stall. Held at Rowland Reserve, Bayview (known as poo park). Poo Park is an excellent example of why having one-only swimming area for the 15,000 local dogs is a really bad policy decision.

Barking Mad, in alignment with the State Plan, the Local Government Act, and the Federal Greenhouse Strategy requires at least 40% of beach areas to be dog-friendly.

Dissenting View and (not) endangered species

2008-09-20T20:56:00.015+10:00

I received a very interesting response in regards to the previous post. I am always grateful to people who take the time to write their dissenting view, and even more so when they do it politely and with facts.

First, I must clarify that our assembly at Long Reef Beach in May 2007 said nothing about that area becoming a dog-friendly beach. It was about the requirement of council to provide equitable access to resources for all their residents. The beach is a resource and 40% of Warringah residents have dogs.

Secondly, as I researched the dissenting view offered to, I found errors of fact. Had it been based in fact, it would most certainly been something that we would have to consider and accommodate. HOWEVER, I am willing to be shown that I am in error, and that's why Barking Mad, as a professional lobby association, welcomes those with a dissenting view. Our only requirement is that you can argue your point without arguing people out of a room! But please come to us with research and facts - it will help us create a safe and pet-friendly community that both pet owners/lovers and pet haters can cope with.

HERE IS THE COMMENT WE RECEIVED:
While we agree that you and your dog have rights, the endangered species of birds in the wildlife refuge at one end of the beach and the marine sanctuary at the other are incompatible with the rights of you and your dog.

Please be aware that birds will not nest anywhere, or will abandon existing nests, that they can detect dogs have been near. They are endangered, your dog is not.

The marine reserve is home to endangered little penguins who are also very sensitive to the presence of dogs. Already there have been attacks by dogs whose owners are sure that their dog would not do something like this. The doggy ban is there for a reason. C.C,

HERE IS MY RESPONSE AFTER RESEARCHING 'endangered little penguins'.
In my quest for facts, I have researched your assertion that “marine reserve is home to endangered little penguins” and have found it to have no basis in fact. If you can show me otherwise, I would appreciate it.

There are NO endangered or critically endangered penguins in Australia. There are three species that are vulnerable, which does not include the little fairy. There is one colony of penguins that are an endangered population, and that is at Manly.

AND MY INITIAL RESPONSE (edited for length) BEFORE RESEARCHING THE PENGUIN CLAIM:

Thank you for taking the time to share your opinion, but I must say au contraire and ask for your qualifications. I have an environmental science background.

The doggie ban is for a reason and it’s revenue raising. Shorebird nesting areas are not related to this specific ban. Knowing your shorebirds and their nesting cycle AND their threats may lead you to a more informed response. The constitution, our federation and the High Court are there for reasons too. Think Aboriginal citizenship, Mabo, maybe even suffragists. Barking Mad supports legislation that protects shorebird nesting areas.

Of course, dogs off leash are a threat to little penguins – but NOT during the day. Also, these are seasonal, albeit a long season, and have must greater risks than dogs.

The other reason for dog bans is that it is much EASIER to get the dog owner than the parent whose youth drinks underage, drives like an idiot, swears constantly in public, likes to graffiti things etc. How many offenses are related to litter – and we all see a LOT more non-poo litter like drink bottles and cigarette butts. How about enforcing the alcohol free zones?

Endangered? We humans are the most endangered with the senseless way we interfere instead of integrate with our surroundings. Think cars and all they have done to our world, think import/export, shipping, mining. Sorry, my dog is down on the list and she is also a 24 x 7 health care worker – maybe even to your parent at a home that you visit once a week. She visits twice a week at least, and provides respite to the under-payed aged care workers as well. The benefits rein.

And just to clarify, my dog does not have rights as she is chattel. People have rights. A lot of animal welfare people want non-human animals to have rights – there is an argument for and against it, of course.

Ultra vires, meaning: Warringah drop dog poo on our Federal Constitution

2008-09-19T19:57:00.022+10:00

Manly Daily Article ~~ Barking Mad Media Release (delayed, went sailing & have a Newcastle event Sunday) ~~ Ultra vires definition
Wow, this is hard. How do I explain to you why this lower court judgment favouring Warringah Council is but a drop of water in a bucket, on the wrong field, on the wrong issue? (Trying not to use military analogies...). How do I explain it is yet another example of small-government-syndrome which implies a right to act independently of the principles of our federation?

How to I explain to anyone new to Barking Mad that we are not about dogs or pets, but about our access as pet-owners to a fair-share of public and living space? (Or how CUTE that photo of Pema is...)

And, how do I explain our federal Constitution? (Big sigh). Or how our signing of an international treaty, in this case the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) gives regulatory power to the Federal government OVER State government, when generally, our Constitution is prohibited from such power?

Attempt #1:

When a law of a State is inconsistent with a law of the Commonwealth, the latter shall prevail, and the former shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be invalid. (Section 109 Inconsistency of laws).
So, let's take that as an admission that this inconsistency can and does exist. When it does, it's not OK for Warringah Council to act beyond the power of their authority.
Because, as stated in the first point, the Commonwealth law prevails.

What is this Commonwealth law that we accuse Warringah Council of shitting upon? In addition to our implied right to political expression, we have ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which includes Article 21:

The right of peaceful assembly shall be recognized. No restrictions may be placed on the exercise of this right other than those imposed in conformity with the law and which are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, public order, the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.

Well, our assembly never interfered with these conditions, nor did Warringah argue that we did. (Probably because they don't see Constitutional law applicable to their small-government-syndrome).

In summary we won. After 18 months of winning cases assisting our members in 'baby courts', we finally have one we can appeal to a jurisdiction that sets precedent. As this is a constitutional issue, we are looking at our options in the higher courts. NOW WE ARE BARKING UP THE RIGHT TREE. Thank you Warringah. We are THRILLED you read our website and blog and look forward to working with you from the same side of the table.

(PS: Our newly elected Warringah Councillors will table a Notice of Motion for equitable access to off leash walking areas and beaches at the first meeting of Council in late October.)

Dog is my witness

2008-09-18T20:14:00.003+10:00

A dog nicknamed Scooby has become the first animal in the world to appear as a witness in a murder trial. The animal is believed to have been with his 59-year-old owner when she was found hanging from the ceiling of her Paris flat. (source: Ananova.com, image doglaw)

Police believe it was suicide but her family demanded a murder investigation. During a preliminary hearing the pet was led into the witness box by a vet to see how it reacted to a suspect. It is said to have "barked furiously". The aim was to decide if there was sufficient evidence to launch a full murder inquiry. The judge praised the animal for his "exemplary behaviour and invaluable assistance".

This is no surprise for many of us pet owners; we know they are excellent judges of character and they don't need 400 years of legal texts to make their decision!

Beach Dog

2008-09-17T21:25:00.006+10:00

Need some fun - too much lobbying with NSW Local Government Elections, change in NSW State Ministry, WA change of government and new Federal Opposition. LET'S GO WALKIES.

The purpose of the proposed assembly:

Call attention to the requirement of Newcastle Council by way of the Local Government Act to provide adequate, equitable and appropriate services to the community, and that dog-friendly beach access for 40% of ratepayers with dogs is a service that is not now being adequately provided.
Promote the integration of responsible dog owners in society.
Demonstrate the health and fitness aspects of exercising on beaches for humans and supervised dogs.
Call attention to the hierarchy of governance, Local Government’s lack of a Crown to govern in its own right.
Promote peaceful political expression as an implied right in the constitution.
Invite Newcastle Council to respect this constitutional right without the need to undermine it by touting council by-laws.

Assembly invitations, details and conditions here.

The 12th leader of the Liberal Party

2008-09-16T19:58:00.015+10:00

Since Barking Mad started, our members urged us to contact Malcolm Turnbull for support. We have engaged in repeated contact with Mr. Turnbull, on the federal election, the 2020 Summit, ageing and climate change and the need for public transport and other campaigns. Despite an impromptu meeting face-to-face at Bronte with that silly dog-line, we have yet to receive any response from the man who is now the 12th elected leader of the Liberal Party. Malcolm is known amongst dog owners for his Dog Blog.

Mr. Turnbull: It is time now for you to walk your talk, as well as well as you walk your dogs. We wrote the new leader today:

Will you support federal guidelines to make public transport accessible for the 65% of Australians with pets? We have a draft policy based on the current policy in London. We have national RSPCA support.

We have contacted you numerous times since our work on the dog line, the federal election and the 2020 summit. Please, we request that you walk your talk, not just the dogs. We look forward to working with you. Pets are a health, ageing, public safety and climate change issue. Please contact Barking Mad Equity for Pet Owners.

Life as a Dog or a Lobbyist?

2008-09-15T22:54:00.014+10:00

OK, lots of members were not aware of the NSW local government elections. Lots of folks in NSW were not aware of the WA election, or that WA is now the work-horse of our economy. Liberals, Nationals, Labor, Greens and Independents - yes, it can be a bit much when day to day life of family and meals on the table is paramount. However, as a lobbyist representing the 4 million or so responsible pet owners, in addition to our agenda of a fair-share of public space, public transport, strata, renting and holiday accommodation, this is what we've got on the agenda:

Change of government in WA, with the Nationals holding the balance of power. We are lobbying the Nats in the belief that they more than any other party will recognise the economic importance of the dog to our communities.
Change of leadership and cabinet in NSW government - so we start again with the new ministers relevant to our agenda (ageing, police, health, local government, etc.).
Change of leadership in the Federal Opposition - to a professed dog lover. Time to walk more than the dog! Plus, an impending change in his ministry.
Working with newly election Local Government councillors in about 35 councils in NSW where we have pet issues affecting members.

All this work? THAT'S WHY BARKING MAD IS OFFERING FREE BEACH-SIDE ACCOMMODATION IN EXCHANGE FOR ADMINISTRATION WORK! If you would like to spend two weeks or more in the bush next to a dog & surf beach, please contact us urgently and provide details of your admin experience and skills!

Local Gov't Election ~ NSW

2008-09-14T19:08:00.010+10:00

Barking Mad, represented by Eedra and Pema helped residents 'vote for their families and their dogs' in four NSW local government areas from 8am - 6pm on polling day. (We have members in 59 local governments in NSW). We offered our support to the candidates who acknowledged the importance of pets to our community well being.

A very exciting thing is happening! The political parties are starting to GET:

that 42% of voters have dogs and 65% have pets
that pet-owners are a demographic that have been un-represented excepting the 'guns, dogs and 4WD' lobby of the Shooters Party
that the current laws are not acknowledging the importance of the pet industry that is worth $4.6 BILLION annually
that pets are a positive contribution to health and aged care because they are really 24 x 7 health care workers to countless aged pensioners.

Barking Mad has been working hard for about 18 months, and our lobbying is starting to pay dividends. NSW councillors (set your cynicism aside) are starting to recognise that they have a statutory obligation to provide equitable services, including services to pet-owners by way of access to community resources such as beaches, parks and public transport.

Keen citizens with a view to influence policy by getting into local government recognise how easy it is to get the support of pet owners with sensible pet policies. The NSW local government campaign combined with the sudden WA State Election has provided responsible pet owners with a PAW into policy. We are over-joyed with the recognition our policies are receiving (and our push to get NSW Local Government to behave properly as per their requirement under the Local Government Act). These are exciting times. Please, do not miss your opportunity to make a difference. Support the lobby group for responsible pet owners with your $40 membership.

DETAILS: We have done well in this NSW Election. Final results are several days away due to preferences. (Simply clicking on our advertisers will support us financially.)

NSW local government ELECTION

2008-09-12T22:40:00.007+10:00

We have surveyed and rated as many candidates as possible. We have recommendations on HOW TO VOTE for "our families, our dogs" in the following areas:

Coffs Harbour
Gosford
Manly
Mosman
North Sydney
Randwick
Sydney
Tweed
Waverley
Warringah

Have a look at our candidates and find out who is BEST IN SHOW, TOP DOG, IN TRAINING or JUST IN PUPPY SCHOOL.

WA Election Update

2008-09-09T22:02:00.006+10:00

To the WA Nationals
Congratulations – Royalties For Regions
BARKING MAD ® –WILL THE NATIONALS SUPPORT OUR FAMILIES & OUR DOGS?

Congratulations are due to the WA Nationals for a strong policy in Royalties for Regions and for holding this policy as a baseline for negotiations to form a government. Well done!

Barking Mad is the national lobby group for responsible pet owners. We suspect the Nationals more than any other party would recognise the importance of the dog to our way of life, our community, families, livelihood and our safety.

Dogs have played an important role in the welfare of our community and for companionship throughout the history of human settlement in Australia.
Our European history is said to be off the sheep’s’ back - a history dependant on the working dog and the Aboriginal stockman as much as it was on the European farmer.
Many of us know those sheep would not have been yarded without the dog; nor would the sow destroying the pastures providing feed to the cattle destined to be the city folks’ evening meal been brought down without a dog.

Both the Liberals and Labor have campaigned on a policy to increase public transport. Will this infrastructure be available to the 65% of voters with pets?

The Issue: Clean, well-behaved pets should be able to accompany their responsible owners on buses, coaches, ferries, trams and trains throughout Australia.

The Solution (London Style): You can travel with your dog or other inoffensive animal, unless there is a good reason for us to refuse it (such as if the animal seems dangerous or is likely to upset other customers).

“The RSPCA believes that dogs play an important part in the
lives of their owners and families. We would like dog owners to have the
opportunity to include their dog in activities which may involve travel on
public transport provided that the dog involved could deal with this sort of
situation and it could be managed in such as way so as to not impact on other
transport users.” RSPCA Australia
Australians have the highest rate of pet ownership in the world.
1. At least 40% of homes have a dog, a greater percentage than homes with children.
2. 20% of those homes have more than one dog.
3. The largest category of dog owner is a family with children.
4. Pet owners contribute $4.6 billion annually to the economy and this market is expanding rapidly.
5. Dogs are now more than the family pet; they are a family member.

Companion, assistance and working dogs are a positive contribution to:
health (walking)
mental health (socialisation and caring)
ageing (safety and socialisation)
safety in the home (an early warning system to intruders)
public safety (police statistics show people out walking reduces incidents of street crime and those with dogs are less likely to be the victim of an assault)
Barking Mad asks the Nationals to use their position to ensure that responsible pet owners are not excluded from public transport, including new infrastructure, with their pet. We look forward to a positive response.

RSPCA Australia, Dogs, Climate Change & Public Transport

2008-09-08T16:27:00.013+10:00

We contacted Western Australia RSPCA during the State Election Campaign to gain their support for pets travelling with their responsible guardians on public transport. As Labor was running a public transport campaign, we thought we better get in and make sure the 65% of us with pets are not left out of this infrastructure plan. Read our transport briefing paper here.

Due to some quick action from the WA RSPCA office (thank you!), we have achieved support from RSPCA AUSTRALIA as follows:

"The RSPCA believes that dogs play an important part in the lives of their owners and families. We would like dog owners to have the opportunity to include their dog in activities which may involve travel on public transport provided that the dog involved could deal with this sort of situation and it could be managed in such as way so as to not impact on other transport users."

We will continue to lobby the W.A. government, along with all other governments for a national policy allowing pets to travel with their responsible owners. We watch with interest as the National leader Brendon Grylls (and his beloved three-legged dog) looks to hold the balance of power.

Going to the Loo & our Federal Government

2008-09-05T21:36:00.002+10:00

Do you know how your federal tax dollars are being spent? Hopefully, they are not being flushed down the toilet!

While Barking Mad was doing a search for human rights lawyers (reference the story about Warringah Council acting as though they have authority to over-ride State Laws and disrupt peaceful, legal and police-sanctioned protests), we came across this choice site, just by chance.

The National Public Toilet Map, a project of the National Continence Management Strategy

Western Australia Snap Election

2008-08-31T18:28:00.010+10:00

A snap election has been called by the Labor Premier Alan Carpenter. (link to ABC summary).

We have written to party leaders, transport and environment/climate change ministers for both parties. We want a promise that voters with pets will be accommodated with access to public transport. (link to current Labor public transport promise).

Our question: Access to reliable and safe public transport is essential. As 65% of voters have a pet, what will you do to ensure that pet-owners' right to travel on public transport is established and maintained? (Note that with that right, responsible pet owners accept social responsibly as pet guardians and respectful members of a diverse community).

The Issue:
Clean, well-behaved pets should be able to accompany their responsible owners on buses, coaches, ferries, trams and trains throughout Australia.

The Solution – London Style

You can travel with your dog or other inoffensive animal, unless there is a good reason for us to refuse it (such as if the animal seems dangerous or is likely to upset other customers).

You must keep it under control on a lead or in a suitable container, and must not allow it on a seat.

No responses yet, but we've got our WA members on it, and will update you on this blog.

88% of disabilities are invisible

2008-08-29T23:23:00.014+10:00

One out of five Australians has a disability. 40% of Australians have dogs. A dog trained to assist this person to alleviate the effect of the disability, or because of any matter related to that fact is an assistance animal. Invisible disability link.

A disability can be permanent, long term or short term. A DSM-IV diagnosis is useful if you have trained your own dog, or have obtained a trained dog that assists you. Invisible disabilities include depression, mood disorders such as bipolar, panic, agoraphobia, OCD and post traumatic stress as well as more socially accepted conditions such as epilepsy and diabetes. (You asked...alcohol abuse is a symptom of some of these conditions, but although it can be disabling, it is not a disability).

Notably, for our ageing population, bereavement from the loss of a life partner can become a disability.

Assistance animals come in all shapes and sizes. Does your dog assist you to function in life, or does it keep you from becoming a statistic? The disability laws in many countries are the only legislation legitimising what so many of us know, especially health care professionals; that is that pets are a benefit to our society and our well-being. Join Barking Mad as a member to find out more.

The death of Tyra Kuehne

2008-08-19T21:10:00.013+10:00

Neglect is a word that comes to mind. Then again, I savour the idea of a safe community where our young ones can run around free without risk of crime; in a place where neighbours watch not for judgment and gossip, but for community. Tyra lived a long way from Sydney, a long way away from the source of mass media. I doubt that I am able to pass any judgment not having lived in a small rural centre with children; is any other capital-city dweller qualified to do so?

The media is a fickle lover. The headlines sell, the comments decide the verdict and, in this case, NSW Parliament reacted with a 'guilty before proven' regulation to declare dogs dangerous if they only appear threatening. That was 2006, when a four year old (allegedly) left unsupervised for several hours in a small town in sheep & cotton country NW of Dubbo (allegedly) climbed in an enclosure with several (alleged) pig dogs that she had (allegedly) known for years.

But now, in the first day of a coronial inquest into the child's death, one paper reported: A parent's supervision of a girl mauled to death by trained hunting dogs was "questionable," with the girl and her siblings allowed to roam the streets for extended periods, including at night.

Will we find out that an unsupervised child taunted (i.e. played) with dogs with a hose and/or a dead chicken?
Will we find out that fencing was not 'adequate'?
Will we find out that everyone did what was right and responsible and this was an accident - an accident and like most, painful for those involved.

Our free membership.

2008-08-17T14:22:00.002+10:00

Our free membership with survey has brought in many members, some of them actively participating. To an active member, I asked: Why don't they pay? (It's a lot less than a big bag of good dog chow and lasts longer). The response I got:

"They don't pay because they yet don't realise what Barking Mad is!!! They live in a take-your-dog to the beach paradise, and it hasn't entered their minds that they might go to the beach one day and find it covered in 'no dogs' or 'dogs must be on leash' signs (as happened recently just 1/2 hour away) and rangers hiding in the bushes, on a public holiday, waiting to pounce on people/dogs!!! They haven't read the whole Barking Mad site and haven't thought about discrimination of rentals to pet owners, or think it's something one must put up with."
To those folks who live where dogs are still welcome - enjoy; we hope it lasts.

And another view: lots of good people who volunteer struggle financially, lots of good people who have terrible health problems depend on their pet for companionship and joy. Our free membership makes sure we can include these passionate people in our pack.

VOTE: for our families, our dogs

2008-08-16T15:03:00.010+10:00

The NSW Local Government Election is on. We are contacting all candidates and creating a scorecard. Click here for our service to you - the responsible pet owner.

Given that about 40% of households own a dog, and given that the Local Government Act requires councils to equitably supply services, will you use your vote in council to make about 40% of parks, beaches and other recreation areas open to free use by dog owners and their dogs?
Through council, will you urge the State government to allow pet owners in need of public transport to use buses, trains and ferries with their pet?
Do you agree that responsible tenants should have more legal protection against discrimination by landlords on the grounds of pet ownership. Victoria has such legislation.
What will you do to ensure that responsible pet owners are represented at council and are given equitable access to community resources?

Name our Party

2008-08-14T18:17:00.028+10:00

Should we form a political party? Currently, responsible pet-owners are unrepresented. The Shooters look after the 'guns, dogs & 4WD' folks, but who represents us? Some food for thought on forming a party.

Tools to get us ahead:

Disillusionment with the current political landscape
A dream for the future, howevery flimsy
A catchy grab to sum up you dream for the future
Too much time
A knack for avoiding questions
A scapegoat
Our very own trumpet

OK - SUGGEST A NAME FOR OUR PARTY.

Thanks to Sian White for this post.

Poo News You Should Know

2008-08-13T07:08:00.000+10:00

Do you believe every sign? Do you comply with every direction from someone who thinks they have authority? Is your pet important enough to you to question the proliferation of people stating 'no dogs allowed'? Are you sick and tired of being unwelcome because of your companion dog? I am! And I am grateful when facts support our work. I urge everyone to read this recent report. (html version)

REALLY REALLY STUPID

2008-08-12T10:12:00.018+10:00

We were alerted to this farce on an Australian government website. Our comments follow, and we are taking this up with the publisher as a matter of urgency. With this sort of STUPID stuff being printed by our government,what hope is there for people who apply logical thought and use evidence-based facts?

Native animals see dogs as predators. The lasting scent left by dogs can easily scare small animals and birds away from their homes, often causing them to leave their young unprotected. Any evidence of dog scent affecting wildlife is overshadowed by that of humans, foxes and feral cats. Birds normally leave their young to get food; the nest is protection!

Dog faeces carry diseases which can be harmful to wildlife and people, and also add nutrients to the soil, increasing the spread of weeds. Birds carry weed seeds, not dogs! Dog poo is blessed by Australia's climate. The minute pathological risk from poo is almost non-existent due to our hot and dry. Reference

If dogs and other domestic pets have frightened native animals away from popular visitor areas, there will be no wildlife for other visitors to see. Is this honestly a claim that native animals are comfortable around PEOPLE , just not their dogs? Such non-sense is frightening. Popular visitor areas are typically overrun by ferals such as Indian Myna birds and Ibis.

Dogs can interfere with the enjoyment of other park visitors. At last, a true statement, but people who are loud or litter can interfere with other park visitors as well. How about sharing the space with all our families?

FACT: The massive number of feral animals that arrived in the first hundred years of European settlement have permanently and drastically altered the Australian environment, introduced disease, caused land degradation and are implicated in the extinction of most of the 27 mammals in NSW.

Today, feral animal and plants are the second greatest international and national threat to biodiversity after habitat destruction such as land clearing. In some parts of NSW feral species are now the greatest threat. (NPA NSW).

Dogs flogging products in the 19th century

2008-08-10T22:22:00.020+10:00

Nipper was born in 1884 in Bristol, England and lived to 1895. He was named Nipper because he tried to bite visitors in the leg! (I once had a horse named Kicker - no guesses!)

Three years after Nipper's death Francis Barraud painted a picture of him listening intently to a wind-up Edison-Bell cylinder phonograph, because cylinder phonographs were capable of making home recordings. This picture shows Nipper listening to Nipper's previous owner, Francis's deceased brother, Mark. In 1899 the painting was bought by the Gramophone Company, which painted out the Edison-Bell machine and replaced it with one of theirs.

Technically, this was non-sense as gramophones were not capable of recording, but the public seemed not to have noticed this error, (oh the non-questioning public!) as this modified form became the successful trademark of Victor records, HMV music stores, and RCA.

Barking Mad comments: It's OK to use dogs to advertise homeware and media stores, new housing developments, banks and more - yet take pooch to these places and see if you are welcome. Our pets are not an advertising tool, they are part of our family.

Remembering David (my Dad)

2008-08-08T20:50:00.010+10:00

Remembering David (his memorial as written by his mates in Niagara Falls, NY).

"It's been a good ride" said David Zey, Save-A-Pet volunteer, shortly before he passed away at The Niagara Hospice House on Monday, July 14th. You may remember him from Pick-A-Pet Shows, fund-raisers, or spay/neuter clinics. He was at all of them. He would help in any way he could but you will probably remember him as our unofficial greeter with an infectious smile and outgoing personality.

David was an indispensable volunteer although he would deny it. As much as we would love to, David understood that we could not save all the animals. He refused to be discouraged and did what he could which lifted our spirits when we were frustrated. Try to thank David and he would modestly say "We choose to do this."

"I can carry boxes," he would say. He helped with so much of the hands on, grunt work necessary for any successful event. Save-A-Pet President Chris Halvorson described him as "a modest person who consistently UNDER estimated his impact on out group."

We love David not only for what he did for the animals and us but for who he was- compassionate about animals and passionate about irresponsible people. He has left a huge hole in our organization but more of an empty place in our hearts. We will remember you, David. Thank you. We love you and thanks for letting us come along on your ride.

(David's daughter, Eedra, lives in Australia. Visit her website http://www.barking-mad.com.au/ to read her tribute to her Dad.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Eedra's comments: As my Dad was intolerant of irresponsible people, so too I. I choose a slightly different approach that is supporting the responsible pet owners instead of cleaning up after those we are intolerant of. Fortunately, these are the majority in our Lucky Country. Responsible pet owners need to be allowed to live a 'normal' life with their pets, such as having access to beaches, parks, cafes and transport. Let those keen rangers go after the idiots, not us. I ask everyone who is involved in pet rescue to join Barking Mad so that we can limit pet surrenders by making pet ownership more welcome in our communities

Manly Event Sunday

2008-08-06T15:36:00.002+10:00

Hope to see you at Manly/Queenscliff Lagoon this Sunday. We will be there from 9:30 - 2:30.

I do dog tricks

2008-08-01T17:16:00.004+10:00

Obedient Puppy - click here then type in a command and see what happens. Sit, roll over, sing, kiss, dance, fetch, play dead etc. And, it's also very cute if you type in a command that's not recognised.

This little gizmo is from a pet pharmaceutical company; how nice to have the budget to do cute things. I would like to see these companies stand up for common scents in pet laws - including puppy farms!

Irony: What's wrong with this picture?

2008-07-31T22:10:00.015+10:00

Barking Mad welcomes the CCAC. They "take a fresh approach to solving animal management issues", argue against 'quick-fixes' and advocate using high quality evidence based information. We LOVE using facts instead of political point-scoring! However, we can not tolerate double standards.

This lovely photo, found at 'about us' on the Centre for Companion Animals in the Community website depicts a normal day-to-day action of many carers for children, yet in NSW it is "against the law". Why? Well, pooch is just too close to a child's play area, and yes, the fine is at least $330.

This is a stupid law; it discriminates against the largest demographic of dog owners - families with children. Are we being trite? No way. Dogs are shown in television shows and advertising on the beach, yet Sydney councils claim they have a right to declare 'no dogs on beaches', Lotto used a border collie on a beach pushing a lotto ball to advertise our gambling culture. It goes on and on. Dogs are used in real estate and home furnishings advertising, yet try to rent with a pet and see how you are treated. Take you dog to an open house and see if you are welcome inside! The value of a companion dog is not in marketing or advertising; the value is to the loving owners and a community that experiences their loyalty and companionship. We need this value to be recognised in policy so we don't get stupid laws that say Mum can't can't toddler and dog to the local park.

Killing Good Aussie Dogs - a whinge.

2008-07-28T17:22:00.012+10:00

Is Barking Mad next? To those who support Barking Mad with your free membership or your $25/$40 memberships, I thank you. To the three million other dog owners, to the hundreds of people at Sydney dog parks who think Barking Mad is great, but haven't joined, to the vets and big pet shops that won't join as a member, why?

WHY? The cost of owning a dog is $500 - $1000 a year. A bag of dog chow costs more than a membership to the lobby group challenging stupid laws that say no dogs on beaches, no dogs in rentals, etc. Yet, you won't join. You want to get your dog park in your area, but don't see that each time you win a campaign in your area, no precedent is set. Some other area will be doing the exact fight at the same time with no sharing of resources. One more dog beach might satisfy the big dog owners, but terrify some small dog owners because of the concentration of dogs in just one area. One area is not ok - 30 - 40% is because that's how many ratepayers have dogs. We asked each member to sign up five others - only the member in the Tweed who came up with the idea did such. That's it. It's not enough. We need 10,000 members - paid or surveyed, to get our amendments up. I need a P.A. or I'll be back in the hospital with stress. I would like an income.

I'm called constantly to help people present a strategy for a pet-friendly workplace, or to mitigate a dispute with a neighbour, or to help change by-laws in a unit. I offer this service as a consultant and that's the end. They won't even join as a member, let alone pay for a service or even transport costs. They want it for free but won't work to find a sponsor for us. And by the way, we haven't lost ONE legal matter we have worked on with members yet.

Today I received a PhD survey about pet ownership with lots of questions about registration, microchipping, dog health and cost. Then bang - it asked about how you think you will be affected when your dog dies. WELL somewhere around 25% - 35% of dog owners won't see that day because THEY WILL SURRENDER THE DOG FIRST. Why? Because they don't have a car and can't use public transport with dog, because they do have a car and its too expensive to drive to the only good dog park, because they leave dog at home when cafe owner says dog can't even join them at an outdoor table, because they move to a unit that says no pets, they buy a pet friendy unit that then changes the by-laws, the decide to travel around the country and can't find accommodation that welcomes their dog. It's Barking Mad!

We HAVE a compromise position - train dog and guardian to a high standard and give US more access. My tail is between my legs and I am sad, and tired. I'm working on educating NSW transit authorities who continue to refer to the 'no pets on transport' in the regulation, when the Director General changed that in 2002! Only two people have signed up to help in our upcoming events. We have local government working to submit the user-pays dog license to the local government conference. Guys, I don't walk on water. This organisation needs help to survive.

Six Years of Hiding our Right to Public Transport

2008-07-25T12:25:00.007+10:00

"Just thought you’d be pleased to hear I was successful yesterday in taking my dog on Newcastle buses for the first time. I had the support of a letter dated 14/2/2002 from Michael Deegan, Director General, Transport NSW advising that 'companion animals are permitted to board bus or ferry services. … at the discretion of the operator, keeping in mind the safety of other passengers, the cleanliness of the animal and whether the animal is restrained.' The driver was somewhat sceptical but acquiesced nonetheless."
Ian McKenzie
Councillor (Greens)
Newcastle City Council

Barking Mad Comments: YES, that is a letter dated 2002 - what other rights do they try to keep hidden from responsible pet owners? How about Council's lack of authority on beaches as stated in a plan of managment?

Manly - We're IN Dogs Day OUT August 10

2008-07-24T07:44:00.012+10:00

To quote Council: The aim of the Dogs Day Out is to be a fun and informative day and to promote responsible pet ownership. We say there is a profit motive in there as well due to the commercial stalls at last years' event!

Let's just call it a 'misunderstanding' that Council found Barking Mad material on our web "in conflict with Council's policies" so therefore unable "to be displayed at our stall". Maybe they just talked to Warringah whose unelected top dog administrator uses funds from the 40% of his rate payers who own dogs to publicise that dogs and beaches don't mix. (A page in the Manly Daily costs $4000 and this is where this was published).

We asked Manly how a not-for-profit organisation that:

promotes a safe and pet-friendly community is in conflict with Council policies?

exposed the positive climate-change policy of our legal right to travel on public transport with our pets in conflict with Council policies?

has assisted your residents to (rightfully) keep their beloved and well-behaved pets in their units is against Council policy and would council rather support rescue organisations than the causes of pet surrenders?

has Federal government recognition for raising the profile of the domestic dog as a 24 x 7 health care worker is in conflict with Council’s policies?

We didn't receive an answer.

We reminded Council that they are only a regulatory authority and don't make the laws. In fact, at last years' event the rangers used their statutory discretion to let dogs play with their families in the playground - the mum's and bubs were NOT fined $330 for having a fun time together.

Thanks to the intervention of Independent Councillor Mark Novak, the misunderstanding has been resolved and we will be attending Dogs Day Out. Mark says "for 4 years I have frequently been a lone voice on this Council appealing for change. Following this Council election, the change agents must be in the majority." Mr. Novak is standing for mayor in the upcoming Council election; I support him and hope you can too.

Manly also let us know that they are also working to support pets on public transport, and wrote to the relevant ministry after the bus arrest in February. Even better, we're slowly gaining support for a Salty Dogs' Day Out on a section of the beach - just like a surf club event. We would love to do with working with Council.

Will you help us on the stall on Sunday 10th August?

Super Dog Registration?

2008-07-23T14:42:00.004+10:00

Barking Mad has a draft ‘user-pays’ companion dog policy. This policy may best be explained by a comparison to your driver’s licence. A ‘normal’ licence requires a certain test and fee. To obtain further privileges such as driving a heavy vehicle or riding a motorcycle, additional training and financial contribution is required. In other words, you earn and pay for those privileges.

The ‘dog debate’, unlike many environmental issues, does have edges on both sides of a line. One edge is ‘no dogs as pets or companions in my town’ and the other is ‘dogs anywhere on a lead’. These edges give us a defined area in which to work to achieve our goal of a safe and pet-friendly society where companion animals and their utilitarian values are recognised and utilised. A middle ground.

We are conducting ongoing research from dog owners; in asking the question ‘Are restrictions on where you can take your dog fair?’ our response to date has been:

Yes 2%
Fair? We’re 2nd class citizens 25%
It MUST change 44%
No 29%

Community expectations and tolerance of dogs in urban Sydney has changed dramatically in the last thirty years. (Barking Mad notes a greater tolerance in other cities and states). No longer are we tolerant of the off-lead dog visiting us during the day or of dogs on our beaches. Barking Mad accepts that we have to work with the community expectations as they are today. (Take the dangerous dog provisions of the Act and substitute with dangerous youth and you may be enlightened at how our need to blame has shifted to the domestic dog).

A dog user pays policy would involve training for the dog and owner to a certain standard, an additional fee paid, and would provide an ID for dog and owner. Should the dog change owners, the ‘privilege’ would not transfer. Should the owner obtain another dog, the training process would have to be completed again for that guardian/dog partnership. The recent achievement of unifying the microchip database provides the technical capabilities for this system of identification to be implemented now.

The ID would provide regulators (rangers) with a level of confidence and mitigate the effects of dealing with the constant complainers each council encounters. An additional part of the ID would be requiring proof of vaccination (as is the case with any dog school) and also insurance (which is not yet required, but often in existence).

The Local Government Act has provisions to accommodate this user-pays system such that it does not discriminate against the economically disadvantaged. Barking Mad does not advocate for this system; rather we recognise that it may be a way to ‘earn back’ our rights as dog owners even if those rights were taken away unfairly. Our research shows that:

88% of dog owners would attend training if this would allow them greater access with their pets.
66% would pay more for registration if this would allow them greater access with their pets.

Please add your comments...

One member's view - and question

2008-07-22T14:55:00.001+10:00

WHY ARE DOGS NOT ALLOWED? It is always a pleasure travelling through Europe with your pets; you can enter airports, hotels, clubs, pubs, restaurants, boats and maybe I've left a few things out. That was our life before returning back home to Australia.

Now it's a nightmare. You can find lovely accommodation to stay but, and that's a big but where to go? In some places you can have a coffee, but go back when the staff has changed and the rules have also.

We are so backward regarding enjoying travelling or just going out for a coffee with ones pet. There will come a time when it shall be accepted. TOO many so called do gooders and rule makers.

Lets wake up. Stop using our fears. If someone takes their pets out for what ever reason they must care. The RSPCA has enough unwanted animal don't you think so?
We keep hearing we are the best in the world, leaders or everything. Well how do we rate with animals? Think? And answer with truth .

Diamond IT Doggy Day Out:Sept 21

2008-07-21T16:35:00.000+10:00

Join us where Barking Mad is most welcome. Cooks Beach Surf Club Fundraiser. Sunday 21st September 2008.

COMMENDATION EVENT OF THE YEAR – The Diamond IT Doggy Day Out event was inspired by the Year of the Lifesaver. The event brought together business, government and the broader community in an attempt to recruit new members to the volunteer services the lifesavers provide. The event has generated the potential for growth and the attraction of tourism. Furthermore the events contribution to the community included support for other charities involved in pet services.

Dad - and even more . . .

2008-07-19T19:55:00.000+10:00

In memory of my Dad and all the other pet-rescue people, lets sing “Out in the Catskill Mountains” from the Garrison Keillor CD "Songs of the Cat"

On an afternoon in the month of June,
A wistful cat sat cryin’
For her owners were not good to her,
A cousin of the lion.
On her plate was glued some dried-up food
She cared not to examine.
And as she wept, she sat and dreamt
Of the land of milk and salmon

CHORUS:
Oh the fresh cat fish in the china dish
Where the cream flows from a fountain.
On the high plateau where the catnip grows
Out in the Catskill Mountains

Out in the Catskill Mountains
The land of the big feed trough.
The couches all are comfortable
And no one kicks you off.
The dogs are tough to honor cats
As beautiful and holy.
And the birds are found right on the ground.
And the mice run very slowly……..

Dad - more . . .

2008-07-18T19:31:00.002+10:00

Cancer took another friend July 15. This gentle man, volunteer for Save-A-Pet , humble lover of non-humans, was one of "the last boy scouts," David Zey was a light in every dark room and my heard can hardly beat knowing what a sad loss this is for our communities. David was not about ego, power trips, accolades, limelight or the shallow places we sometimes find ourselves in. he was just a quiet generous man who work up at 5am every week to help other volunteers to drive 20-25 cats to a spay neuter clinic in Buffalo on this time, his dime, because it helped relieve the suffering of animals. What a gift he was to us.

I can remember my first Pick-a-Pet show. I was transporting a cat that was scared and had done her business all over herself, the pet taxi and me. Running over to help me was David. He cleaned everything up, calmed the cat and then me. He was doing what he did the best - selfless regards for others; always the boy scout.

Our small contingent of volunteers at Save-A-Pet have a black hole of grief. In his honour, if you read this, please spay and neuter your pets. Understand the beauty of being kind rather than rights. I need the community to know David Zey indeed was here. Deborah Keller, Medina.

My Dad

2008-07-16T16:25:00.025+10:00

My dad rescued cats. He rescued HUNDREDS of cats. Not everyone understood, some thought him nuts, obsessed or some other psycho-babble. At times he was fostering more than 10 cats at his trailer-park home. But the fact is, he was an immensely compassionate and caring man. He had time for animals and time for people who were kind to animals. But he was also a very angry man; full of pain and anger about people who let their cats have kittens, angry at people who did not see kitty as a life-long responsibility and enraged at people who were knowingly careless or cruel.

Like many of us, he chose to 'do his bit', to do what he could to alleviate the suffering dished out to felines from 'human stupidity' (his words). Of course, he would also take cats who outlived their guardians. Now there are four cats he was fostering that need homes, as his last four have outlived him and gone back to save-a-pet.

My Dad lost his appetite after the sudden death of his brother (and only sibling) a couple months ago. After an MRI he received a diagnosis and did not elect treatment - just like he said he would. I LEARNED stubborn from him! His last time out of bed was to feed the cats one week ago. When he knew his cats would be safe, he moved to Niagara Hospice and after a stay of just 5 days, passed on. If all our pets go to the Rainbow Bridge when they leave us in sickness or early death, is that where their family goes too?

My Dad was really frustrated with stupid pet laws (no mandatory de-sexing, discrimination against renters with pets, too easy to get a pet etc.) and 'idiots' (his word). He chose to alleviate his frustration with the daily loving care of discarded pets. I too am frustrated with stupid pet laws and I choose to keep only my 15 year old cat and border collie Pema and work politically to make it easier to keep a pet, and make it harder to obtain a pet.

My Dad always told me he was proud of me and that makes me happy. I am proud of my Dad, and he has taken his caring one huge step further. He dedicated his body to medical research at the Uni of Buffalo. He always joked that they would fight over his fit body when they got it at the lab. My Dad worked in surgeries for years, and I bet, right now, as his body is disassembled for the benefit of other people, he is a happy and satisfied soul - and I bet he is purring.

Return Shane to the Front Page

2008-07-12T00:16:00.006+10:00

Shane Warne had as big a run with photos in the Herald as have Belinda and Co. We now know who they all are. How come we have a court MAGISTRATE, Pat O'Shane pleading guilty to drink driving after months of denial and no photos with her nickers on the washing line, or her walking into work, etc? It would take a reporter just a morning or two at Downing Centre local court to observe her demeanor while at the bench (not a public servant and not answerable to parliament), and without doubt leaving Belinda’s alleged short-temper and abusive language fading into nothingness when compared to the words of Ms. O’Shane. People DIE from drunk driving, do they DIE from providing customer service in a restaurant? No, they don't. The media is a powerful and fickle lover.