"All lives matter" Photo credit: Rachael Christman
ELEMENT 1: Two interviews showing how domesticated animals should be treated
Town of North Hempstead Animal Shelter
Interview with Kennel Attendant, Kim Lasek.
Town of North Hempstead Animal Shelter
Interview with Kennel Attendant, Kim Lasek.
Photo Credit: Michael Greener
- What type of animal shelter is this? This is a Town Municipal Animal Shelter in the Town of North Hempstead.
- What types of dogs/animals do you accept? The shelter accepts dogs surrendered by town residents, strays, and canines that are seized when the situation deems necessary (i.e. dog fighting ring, hoarding situations, and evictions).
- What is the average number of dogs that occupy the shelter and what is the maximum capacity the shelter can hold? The average number of dogs that occupied the shelter from 2/16/15-3/8/15 was 34 dogs. Our kennels can house 60 dogs, and if needed, additional crates can be set up in emergency situations like in the case of hurricane Sandy.
- What programs are available at the shelter? The shelter provides a free rabies clinic to the town residence. The feral cat program which provides free spay/neuter surgeries to the town residence to help control the feral cat population. The Progressive Pit Program which trains and socializes our shelter pitbulls by our volunteers. Mend-a-paw which fundraises by our volunteers to assist with medical cost that the town can not cover.
- How often do the dogs go outside? The dogs go outside everyday, either with handlers or kennel attendants.
- How are the volunteers involved with the animals? The volunteers are our adoption advisors, some are handlers. The adoption advisors bring the public to see the dogs and give them the basic info before a kennel attendant shows the dog. Our handlers work with assigned dogs socializing and working on obedience.
- Is the food specialized for each dog if it is necessary? Yes, food is specialized for individual needs (i.e. allergies, weight control, gastro issues.)
- How do you help the animals that need help? The shelter addresses the individual needs of each dog- providing time out of the kennels, time to play with other dogs, and walks off the property to change the scenery.
- Do you provide the medical needs for them? Each dog is examined by the vet, updated on vaccinations, and given medication if necessary. We also have a vet tech on staff that works at the shelter.
Flint Hill Farm, Coopersburg Pennsylvania
Interview with farm owner, Kathy Fields
1. How many animals do you have and what types of animals? This is a small, family-owned farm in Coopersburg, Pennsylvania called Flint Hill Farm. The animals for nonprofit include 9 horses and 3 pigs. The animals that are used for profit include 47 goats and 4 cows.
2. What do you use the animals for? The horses are used for riding and lessons, the goats are used for milk and to produce more offspring. The cows are used for milk. Female offspring are kept with the farm, while a lot of the male offspring are sent away for meat. The pigs on the farm were taken in with no where else to go.
3. How are the animals treated compared to factory farms? All of the animals have room to roam and wander. They are fed nutritious food and receive enough water. The animals are able to go outside and are provided shelter. On factory farms the animals are trapped in cages, get very little, non-nutritious food, and in most cases are trapped in a cage their whole lives.
4. On average, how much milk will one cow produce? After the cows are pregnant and give birth they can produce up to 8 gallons of milk a day for the first couple of months. Towards the end of their cycle, the cows produce up to 2.5 gallons of milk a day from about the 7th to 10th month.
5. How long will a cow produce milk for? A cow will produce milk for about 10 months after giving birth.
6. What happens to the calves after they are born? If the calves are male they are shipped off for meat and female they are kept at the farm.
7. Do you know how many animals factory farms carry at a time? The number of animals depends on the size of the farm.
8. What are the benefits of a family-owned farm over a factory farm? Factory farms tend to be high polluting and high waste. Family farms are more environmentally friendly and more diverse. They tend to have a conservation and water management plan, so to prevent less run-off. The animals are also treated better on most family-owned farms.
9. What happens to the manure? The manure is composted and put back in soil.
If you would like to learn more or help out the farm, click the button below!
Interview with farm owner, Kathy Fields
1. How many animals do you have and what types of animals? This is a small, family-owned farm in Coopersburg, Pennsylvania called Flint Hill Farm. The animals for nonprofit include 9 horses and 3 pigs. The animals that are used for profit include 47 goats and 4 cows.
2. What do you use the animals for? The horses are used for riding and lessons, the goats are used for milk and to produce more offspring. The cows are used for milk. Female offspring are kept with the farm, while a lot of the male offspring are sent away for meat. The pigs on the farm were taken in with no where else to go.
3. How are the animals treated compared to factory farms? All of the animals have room to roam and wander. They are fed nutritious food and receive enough water. The animals are able to go outside and are provided shelter. On factory farms the animals are trapped in cages, get very little, non-nutritious food, and in most cases are trapped in a cage their whole lives.
4. On average, how much milk will one cow produce? After the cows are pregnant and give birth they can produce up to 8 gallons of milk a day for the first couple of months. Towards the end of their cycle, the cows produce up to 2.5 gallons of milk a day from about the 7th to 10th month.
5. How long will a cow produce milk for? A cow will produce milk for about 10 months after giving birth.
6. What happens to the calves after they are born? If the calves are male they are shipped off for meat and female they are kept at the farm.
7. Do you know how many animals factory farms carry at a time? The number of animals depends on the size of the farm.
8. What are the benefits of a family-owned farm over a factory farm? Factory farms tend to be high polluting and high waste. Family farms are more environmentally friendly and more diverse. They tend to have a conservation and water management plan, so to prevent less run-off. The animals are also treated better on most family-owned farms.
9. What happens to the manure? The manure is composted and put back in soil.
If you would like to learn more or help out the farm, click the button below!