#LoveWins: Historic Victory for Marriage Equality in Ireland
GLOBAL MOMENTUM
International Progress Toward the Freedom to Marry
“The global momentum for the freedom to marry reflects and reinforces the progress we are making here in the U.S. – and we look now to the Supreme Court to bring our country to national resolution,”
Evan Wolfson said today about historic Ireland marriage vote.
Nineteen countries have approved the freedom to marry for same-sex couples nationwide (Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Iceland, Argentina, Denmark, France, Brazil, Uruguay, New Zealand, Britain, Luxembourg, Finland and Ireland), while two others have regional or court-directed provisions enabling same-sex couples to share in the freedom to marry (Mexico and the United States).
In Slovenia, Parliament approved a marriage bill in March 2015 and is headed to the president’s desk. Many other countries provide some protections for such couples. As more and more countries and parts of the United States win the freedom to marry, we see that families are helped, and communities and countries made stronger, by protecting all loving committed couples.
Slovenia became the first Central European country to pass marriage equality
On March 3, HRC commended the government of Slovenia for passing legislation that will make it the 21st nation to grant full marriage rights to all of its citizens.
“We commend the elected representatives of Slovenia for passing such historic legislation ensuring the nation’s LGBT citizens receive the rights they deserve, and we congratulate the LGBT activists and advocates who helped make this momentous day possible,”
said Ty Cobb, Director of HRC Global.
Slovenia’s national parliament approved the bill by a vote of 51 to 28. The bill will be sent to President Borut Pahor to sign into law.
Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark,France, Iceland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Uruguay, as well as England and Wales in the United Kingdom, have marriage equality laws that have gone into effect. In addition, Finland is set to extend full marriage rights to their LGBT citizens in the coming year.
The situation for LGBT people around the world varies widely, as some countries embrace equality, while in others, LGBT people continue to suffer from discrimination, persecution and violence.
Same-sex conduct is criminalized in 76 countries
In 10 countries same-sex conduct is punishable by death
So-called anti-LGBT “propaganda” laws inhibit LGBT advocacy in three countries
Same-sex marriage licenses are issued nationwide in 21 countries
In 2014 there were over 200 documented reports of transgender people murdered in 28 countries.
There continue to be countless undocumented cases of violence against transgender people throughout the world.
a time of balancing – completing old business and welcoming in the New
Why Google has given the shortest day of the year a doodle?
Google has marked the shortest day of the year with an animated Doodle on its homepage.
The Doodle depicts a cartoon Father Christmas helping two children to build a snowman before the children’s mother appears and produces a carrot from her shopping bag to use as the snowman’s nose.
The winter solstice occurs when the sun’s daily maximum elevation in the sky is at its lowest and the North Pole is tilted furthest away from the sun. This results in the least number of daylight hours and the longest night of the year. This astronomical phenomenon occurs in December in the Northern Hemisphere and in June in the Southern Hemisphere.
The event has been marked by many cultures throughout history with festivals, rituals, celebrations and the mating of animals, and even today people gather at Stonehenge to watch the sunrise and sunset. The ancient stones are carefully aligned on a sight-line that points to the winter solstice sunset, and it is thought that this event was actually more important to those who constructed the site than the summer equivalent.
I have had cats all my life. I know how painful the scratches from those claws can be. I know how destructive they can be on furniture, clothes and any object that would serve as a scratching post. However, never once did I consider the practice of “declawing” even though I didn’t know what it entailed.
For some reason, I never considered that option. I was talking to an animal activist about the dear cat that I have now. She really really pesky and gets into plenty of trouble. Hence the name: Double Trouble.
The kids call her “Kitty“.
However, now that I’ve researched, I know that this would be something I wouldn’t do to any cat.
“DO NOT DECLAW YOUR CAT…. keep your hands of the mittens of your kittens.”
~~Double Trouble~~
Onychectomy, popularly known as declawing, is an operation to surgically remove an animal’s claws by means of the amputation of all or part of the distal phalanges, or end bones, of the animal’s toes. Because the claw develops from germinal tissue within the third phalanx, amputation of the bone is necessary to fully remove the claw. The terms “onychectomy” (origin: Greek ὄνυξ onycho, nail + ἐκτομή ektome, excision) and “declawing” imply mere claw removal, but a more appropriate description would be phalangectomy, excision of toe bone.
Although common in North America,declawing is considered an act of animal cruelty in many countries (see “Declawing practices” below).
A lot of people take the idea of declawing their cat too lightly. Many do not understand what declawing is, thinking that it is some form of simply clipping the cat’s claws.
Too frequently, vets and clinic staff deliberately misinform and mislead clients into believing that declawing removes only the claws in the hopes that clients are left with the impression that the procedure is a “minor” surgery that doesn’t involve amputation of the end of the toe, ligaments and tendons.
In fact, this is a mutilating surgery that is banned in some countries due to its abusive and inhumane nature. These countries include, but are not limited to England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Slovenia, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Brazil, Australia and New Zealand.
~~8 Reasons Why You Should Never Declaw Your Cats~~
Many people falsely assume that declawing is just like trimming your nails or getting a manicure. In reality, it is a painful and permanently crippling procedure.
The following are eight reasons why you should never declaw your feline friend
Ouch!
Cats scratch to exercise and enjoy themselves, maintain the condition of their nails, and stretch their muscles.
While we hope that your cat remains safely indoors at all times, if he or she were ever to get outside without claws, your cat would be far more vulnerable to predators and abusers.
Many people think that declawed cats are safer around babies, but in fact, the lack of claws makes many cats feel so insecure that they tend to bite more often as a means of self-protection.
Cats are in pain when they awake from the surgery, and the pain continues afterward. Nails can grow back inside the paw, causing extreme pain that you can’t see.
Without claws, even house-trained cats might start “doing their business” outside the litter-box in an attempt to mark their territory.
Our toes are crucial to our balance, and it’s no different for cats! Because of impaired balance after the procedure, declawed cats have to relearn how to walk, much as a person would after losing his or her toes.
Nearly two dozen countries — including Australia, England, and Japan — ban or severely restrict declawing surgeries. And many veterinarians in the United States refuse to perform the procedure.
~~What You Can Do Instead~~
Trim your cat’s nails regularly. When the cat is relaxed and unafraid, gently press on his or her toes until the claws extend. Use a pair of nail clippers, and cut only the tip of the nail, taking care not to damage the vein, or “quick.” The nail hook is what tears upholstery, so removing it virtually eliminates the potential for damage. Buy multiple scratching posts. Ideally, you should have two or more scratching posts in your home. Make sure that they’re sturdy and tall enough to allow your cat to stretch (3 feet or taller). Soft, fluffy carpeted posts won’t fulfill your cat’s clawing needs, so look for rougher posts. Teach your cat where to scratch and where not to scratch. Encourage your cat to use the scratching posts by sprinkling catnip on the posts once a week. Discourage your cat from scratching furniture by using a loud, firm voice whenever he or she starts to scratch—cats don’t like loud noises! Never use physical force. Instead, you might try using a squirt gun full of lukewarm water directed at your cat’s back.
Laws and policies governing onychectomy vary around the world. For example, many European countries prohibit or significantly restrict the practice, as do Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Turkey. It is banned in at least 22 countries. The list below gives an overview of the situation in different parts of the world.
~~Australia~~~
In Australia, declawing has never been common, and for all practical purpose, does not exist. Nationwide legislation was recently enacted that prohibits the declawing of cats except for medical need of the cat. The Australian Veterinary Association’s policy states: “Surgical alteration to the natural state of an animal is acceptable only if it is necessary for the health and welfare of the animal concerned. Performance of any surgical procedure for other than legitimate medical reasons is unacceptable.”
~~Brazil~~
In Brazil, declawing is not allowed by the Federal Council of Veterinary Medicine. [34]
~~Israel~~
In Israel, the Knesset Education Committee voted unanimously to send a bill banning the declawing of cats not for medical reasons. The bill has passed second and third readings on November 28, 2011, effectively making declawing a criminal offense with penalty of 1 year in prison or a fine of 75,000 Shekels.
~~Europe~~
In many European countries the practice is forbidden either under the terms of the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals or under Local Animal Abuse Laws, unless there it is for “veterinary medical reasons or for the benefit of any particular animal.” Some European countries go further, such as Finland, Estonia,[37] the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland, where declawing cats for non-medical reasons is always illegal under their laws against cruelty to animals.
~~Austria~~
In Austria, the Federal Act on the Protection of Animals, in Section 7, states, surgical procedures “carried out for other than therapeutic or diagnostic purposes…are prohibited, in particular…declawing.”[
~~United Kingdom~~
In the United Kingdom, declawing was outlawed by the Animal Welfare Act 2006, which explicitly prohibited “interference with the sensitive tissues or bone structure of the animal, otherwise than for the purposes of its medical treatment.” Even before the 2006 Act, however, declawing was extremely uncommon, to the extent that most people had never seen a declawed cat. The procedure was considered cruel by almost all British vets, who refused to perform it except on medical grounds. The Guide to Professional Conduct of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons stated that declawing was “only acceptable where, in the opinion of the veterinary surgeon, injury to the animal is likely to occur during normal activity. It is not acceptable if carried out for the convenience of the owner … the removal of claws, particularly those which are weight bearing, to preclude damage to furnishings is not acceptable.”
~~United States~~
Declawing is legal in most U.S. jurisdictions. It is estimated that 25% of owned cats in the United States are declawed (Patronek 2001).
~~Declawing: Jackson Galaxy Just Says No!~~
~~Published on Jan 6, 2014~~
Is declawing bad for cats? You bet it is! Jackson Galaxy sets the record straight in today’s episode of Cat Mojo.
Welcome to Cat Mojo! Each week Jackson will share his thoughts on everything from cat-related issues like declawing and squirt gun diplomacy to his craziest behind the scene stories as a cat behaviorist. Come join the feline frenzy, feel the mojo, share your love of cats and delve deep into the mind of Jackson Galaxy. We are all #TeamCatMojo!
It Is What It Is 