January 21 - My Mission

I am not sure that I have a specific mission narrowed down, but I have things that I am passionate about.  One thing I am passionate about is animals, in particular dogs.  I am so passionate about animals that I became a vegetarian in May of 1999, after reading a book about how animals were mistreated.  I felt that I could no longer eat meat.  I avoid leather as much as I can and I try to only use hair and skin care products that are vegetarian or vegan.  I support the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), and American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).  There are so many animals that are abused, abandoned, or misunderstood that it makes me sick.  Animals can’t speak for themselves; that is why we must stand up for them to be treated humanely.  It is our responsibility to take care of animals.  I wish I could rescue all dogs, but that isn’t feasible for me. 

Dogs provide so many benefits to their owners, and other people.  They provide health benefits as lowering blood pressure, reducing stress, improving your mood, and there are many more benefits.  Dogs can provide assistance to those who are disabled.  They can also help detect seizures before it occurs.  A Dog’s keen sense of smell is able to detect cancer or they are able to detect insects that need to be exterminated.  These are just a couple of examples of the benefits that dogs are able to provide.   There are many more instances of the benefits that animals provide to the people that care for them.

In order to save dogs the word must get out.  I think the most prominent technologies are video/television, photography, and the internet.  I think these traditional technologies must show issues that dogs and animals face.  There are many rescue organizations that are already utilizing television/video and the internet to get the word out about issues related to dogs.  I have seen commercials and television shows spotlighting the issues that animals face.  Best Friends Animal Society has been in national news regarding their rehabilitation of the Michael Vick dogs.  They have been able to rehabilitate a lot of these dogs and they have been placed in homes.  Some examples that dogs face are being abused, being abandoned, dog fighting, and breed discrimination (outlawing the ownership of pit bulls)  just to name a few.    When I searched the internet for “technologies to save dogs” I didn’t find much related to the topic I am discussing here.  I did find technologies created to help owners and people. 

Dogs are also being outfitted with technologies to help benefit people.  An example I found of technology being used to assist people is Canine Augmentation Technology (CAT) system.  This technology is a system that is used to assist in search and rescue missions.  The CAT “system consists of twin infrared cameras, headlights, a microphone, a small computer, a Wi-Fi node and a server attached to a harness worn by the dog”.  This technology is extremely helpful for rescuers since dogs are able to search places that people are unable to.  To read more about the CAT system, please visit the following link http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2009/06/24/tech-dog-rescue-technology-award-ferworn-ryerson-ge-itac-hero.html.
 
 You can now purchase a GPS pet collar.  The RoamEO PuP Location System collar allows you to track two pets simultaneously, contains a GPS enabled receiver, it displays the distance and the direction of your pet, and you are able to track your pet up to 3 miles away.   This device allows owners to find lost pets.  It is obvious that technology is aiding the rescue of lost or missing animals.

There are many examples of the benefits that animals provide to people.  People need to protect animals from abuse.  Technologies are emerging everyday that will be beneficial to people and animals.