Dozens of dogs abandoned, left unable to escape as Irma bears down

This story is just sad, pitiful, and flat out disgusting! Yet, after these types of hurricanes and natural disasters, its inevitable to come across such stories. How anyone could do such a thing to an animal, who was once a pet, a 'member' of one's own family is revolting.

I'm one who has provided 'shelter' for stray neighborhood cats, for the past 5 or so years. It all started out as a result of a neighbor who abandoned her pet cat. After she'd moved, I began noticing a cat roaming around the next door house, where it and the owner once lived.

I live up north, and would see this cat more and more to the point it became a daily basis in which this cat would be seen by myself walking around the house it once lived inside. I took pity on the cat realizing it was homeless. I immediately took to the cat, and the cat took to me. I gave it a name, and would feed it daily, and send it off on its way. Little did I know 'it' was a female.

Yet by then I and this new friend of mine bonded, and I took the cat in. Though I couldn't bring her into the home, I made a home for her inside my garage. Being a female, and with other stray cats around, she ended up pregnant, as I'm sure anyone who's been in my position knows- the rest is history. I currently take care of around 25 'homeless,' yet very adorable cats. I've made an outdoor home for them, and make sure they're fully taken care of. Though I cannot afford to have them take care of medically, I was lucky enough to have gotten them at least 'fixed,' to help control their continual breeding.

But those cats are loved and cared for like any family member would be. Even the local village community and police department have 'thanked me' for being of assistance to those innocent cats. The honor has been all mine.

So obviously, being a pet lover it breaks my heart to think anyone could be so 'cruel' and make no mistake about this- it is 'cruel and inhumane' to allow a one time 'indoor pet' to go its own way, and attempt to (if lucky enough) find a new home.

And I am the biggest proponent of 'any anti-cruelty laws!' In the state in which I reside, thankfully animal cruelty is NOT taken lightly. I happen to live in a state which is one of the 'toughest' against animal cruelty, rightfully so.

While I help as much as I do, I always wish I could do so much more! If I could, I would one day love to have a house with a lot of land and provide a huge animal sanctuary for not only cats, but for any animals (four legged preferably, lol) that I could help. In the meantime, I will continue to remain doing all that I can to help any animal in need.

All those who have left their pets and taken off without them, should by law receive the biggest legal punishment allowable by law thrown against them! I can't put into words how cowardly, and low of a person I view anyone who would do such a thing. And in the middle of a storm no less. Those persons need to be thrown into jail. Sorry, no compassion for such morons (and I'm being nice calling them this).

And while 'shelter' may be helpful for temporary purposes, ultimately animals unfortunate to be there for any length of time will be 'euthanized!' Don't believe in 'no kill shelters!' This is why any animal is better off being helped by anyone who is capable of, rather than remaining at an animal shelter.

Orangutans are dressed up and made to box each other to entertain visitors at a Thai zoo leading to animal rights activists demanding it is shut down

Again, I'm not one of those "militant animal rights activists," but there are some things that are just flat out messed up. There's reasons why 'cock fighting,' and 'dog fighting' shows are illegal. Why do these people, whom I look down upon as being inferior to these apes, due to this stupid stunt, why do these people need to do this?

Leave this animals alone! Forcing Orangutans to fight for the amusement of others is just wrong! But consider the source, Thailand. They probably allow these 'cock and dog fights' to be legal there.

This is one of those cases where I would love to see a Planet of the Apes moment, where these 'fight promoters,' are they themselves put at the mercy of the very apes they've enslaved and made to do things they didn't want to do, or would do naturally. Leave the damn apes alone!