News for Florida animal advocates

After 14 years of hosting weekly rodeos, the Kissimmee Sports Arena (958 S. Hoagland Blvd.) will host its final weely rodeo tomorrow night. The owners of the arena have chosen to take a break. We think that’s a great idea!
The Orlando Sentinel wrote that events such as goat tying, were “geared for competitors as young […]

Fortunately, Tropical Storm Ernesto did not turn out to be that bad, but the storm proved to be a test-run for Palm Beach County’s new “pet”-friendly shelter. “It was a drill for us,” Animal Control & Care Director Dianne Sauve said.
The Sun-Sentinel reported that the shelter, at the West Boynton Recreation Center, was prepared for […]

Miami New Times printed a review of Anokha Fine Indian Cuisine, in Coconut Grove.
Reviewer Lee Klein wrote: “The mushroom papad is just one of numerous vegetable-based items, and there are quite a few vegan offerings as well (clearly delineated on the menu). Vegetarians are drawn to Indian restaurants for the rare opportunity to indulge in […]

Pizza Fusion (196 N. Federal Highway, in Deerfield Beach) is a new pizza place that’s worth a visit.
They use locally grown, organic ingredients (when available). We enjoyed their Greek pizza: olives, artichokes, and vegan soy cheese (make sure you ask them to leave off the Ricotta). For more info, and directions, call (954) 427-5353 or visit […]

Recently, the Naples Daily News reported on Manley Fuller, President of the Florida Wildlife Federation, hunting alligators in Hendry County. After he snagged an alligator with a hook attached to a fishing rod, “The alligator soon tired and Fuller pulled it to the surface, where it took three shots from the bang stick to subdue […]

Today’s Orlando Sentinel features an article about the growing number of animals brought to area shelters. The paper reported that despite efforts to teach people responsible pet ownership, including educational programs in elementary and middle schools, “there has been a 76 percent increase in the number of animals being brought to the Orange County shelter.” The […]

The Miami Herald printed a profile of Four Legged Advocates, a wonderful new organization based in Winter Haven that uses dogs, “to help children and teens victimized by sexual abuse or domestic violence get through Florida’s legal system.” The organization makes a dog available to attend court appearances and interviews with law enforcement, “with the […]

In June, a black bear was found dead in Putnam County. X-rays revealed that the bear had been shot several times with a .22 cailber rifle. A University of Florida biologist said, “That poor bear suffered greatly, and took nearly a week to die.” An anonymous tip lead to the arrest of Ralph Paul Jr., of […]

The Naples Daily News reported that a Florida panther was killed in a collision with a truck on Corkscrew Road in Lee County. The panther was killed 300 feet from an underpass that was constructed to avoid such accidents. So far in 2006, eight panthers have died in vehicle collisions.
Despite this horrible statistic, Chris Belden, […]

Last April, Aihab Gerges spotted a man on a bike dragging a dehydrated puppy by a rope down the street in Ruskin. “I saw that and was just infuriated,” he told the St. Petersburg Times. Gerges confronted the man and tried to give the dog some water; the man responded by attacking Gerges with a […]