Final Project

The Bond Between Humans and Animals

My Infographic - The Pet Owner

Adopting a Pet

This Xtranormal animated video describes a conversation between two friends whom have a discussion on owning a pet and the importance of adopting a shelter animal as opposed to buying one from a breeder.  Breeders operate puppy mills (puppy farms), where pure bred dogs are continuously breeding as a form of profit for the owner, at the expense of the health of the animals that are multiplying without cease.  The majority of these farms are in poor conditions for the breeding animals as well as the puppies, and many of the dogs spend their lifetime reproducing in a locked up environment.  Spreading awareness on the harsh reality of puppy mills will encourage others to adopt animals that are known by society as the "less desirable" pets. Owning a pet is not limited to a luxury, but as well, has the power to heal a saddened heart. Many retired folk who live alone rely on the companionship of an animal. Psychologists rely on a trusted companion as an apprentice for their practice, which has been proven to have speedy results for people who suffer emotional, mental, and physical trauma.

When Animals Attack...with Love!!!

When Animals Attack...with Love!!!

This slideshow depicts different scenarios of various non-human animals showing love and affection to respectable human animals that understand the concept of granting love and respect for all living creatures. When a human being can understand and appreciate the love of an animal, it can broaden the sixth sense of love and in return, it can teach humans to respect all human and non-human animals.

Slideshare Video

Slideshare Video on Narrative, Documentary, Aesthetic, and Emotional Structure


The narrative structure tells the story of when I visited Sea World and encountered the different animals. Most of these animals on display were saved and all are very well taken care of by the zoologists and zoo keepers of Sea World.

The Aesthetic is a mass of pictures that I have collected throughout the years about my toy poodle, whom I've had for 9 years, wearing all sorts of eccentric and colorful costumes and clothing.

The Emotional structure is pictures of different dogs/animals that I have owned throughout the years including a pit bull and a bunny.

Assignment 6: Video Clip Key Concept

Animal Abuse PSA

The phenomenology of the non-human animal has been the topic of discussion for many years, and most recently, for sociologists arguing that non-human animals deserve equal rights and should not be exploited nor tortured for the selfishness and vanity of the human animal.  When a human being abuses an animal, it reflects an obsession to feel superior as a lack of insecurity, which can as well translate as a sign of aggression.  Abusing an animal without remorse can give leeway for the abuser to feel comfortable enough to abuse a human being as well.  This video clip depicts the life of a young boy who gets adopted and later realizes that his parent’s love has diminished the moment they begin to abuse him.  Animals have the disadvantage of not speaking out about the actions of abuse that are being performed on them, just as this deaf boy.  Even though bruises and scars may fade, the traumatization, the hurt, the pain, and the tears remain the same.  As human being beings, we must speak up for those who do not have a voice.  As sociologists, we must continue to fight for the legal rights of the non-human animals.

Momma, what is fur?

Momma, what is fur?

This is an animated short that depicts the life of a typical mammal who is bred and killed for its skin in order to manufacture coats and other clothing items for human consumption. These animals are not only killed, but they are skinned alive, continuously bashed over the head, or receive anal electrocution in an attempt to save the skin from damage.  People like Jennifer Lopez and Kim Kardashian are well known for selfishly wearing fur. Fur is murder, and no human being should ever accept the abuse and torture of an animal in order to wear its skin just to satisfy their own vanity.

ASPCA Puppy Mill Investigation

ASPCA Puppy Mill Investigation

ASPCA investigators received a call from the Marshall County Prosecutor's Office complaining about a couple who are operating a puppy mill in Holly Springs, Mississippi.  Upon arrival, dispatchers from the ASPCA Field Investigations and Response Team were horrified to encounter 95 dogs of different toy breeds in unsanitary and unlivable conditions.  All dogs, including the puppies, were seized from the property and the couple, John and Nancy Garrison were charged with 96 counts of animal cruelty leading to 6 months in jail and 12 months of probation.

Puppy mills are operations that are common throughout the United States.  Used as breeding stock, these animals are confined in wire cages throughout their entire lives, and being limited to any playful and/or social activity.  Many of these dogs live a life of continuous breeding for the purpose of making profit for the selfishness of the human puppy mill operators.  Many pet stores are guilty of buying from puppy mills for the sake of selling the high profiting breeds at their stores.  Thanks to organizations like the ASPCA (amongst many others), many puppy mills have been raided and ceased, ending just one of the many types of animal abuse and neglect that continues to exist. The ultimate goal of animal activists is to encourage adoption of animals who are "less desirable" or animals who have been seized from previous owners who have abused them in hopes for these animals to get a second chance.

February 5, 2010

ASPCA Puppy Mill Investigation

Assignment 5: Defining and Visualizing Concepts

Assignment 5: Defining and Visualizing Concepts

The main topic of focus that I have decided to explore proficiently is the idea of animal rights.  Do non-human animals deserve the right to obtain equality and legal protection against humans who exploit and abuse them?  What is the reasoning behind exploiting an animal?  There could be a variety of answers.  Maybe these particular humans choose to operate a dog fighting ring as their source for income or maybe humans believe animals are merely undignified beasts of nature that are only good for nutrition or an accessory.  These are the particular questions I would like answered as I further study society’s decision to objectify animals as merely a representation for the human’s own selfish benefits.

As I begin my multimedia project, I intend to focus on people’s honest opinions on animal rights, therefore, I plan to interview different groups of people from different ethnic and social classification backgrounds.  Aside from personal interviews, I will also explore more proficiently through journal articles and any published media and input a voice over into the project.  Basically, I plan to create a documentary-styled project.  I have already found a few articles from the American Sociological Review, one in which explains the idea behind social movements of animal rights and why certain people choose to support it while others reject the idea.

I have chosen a more visual approach to conceptualize and operationalize.  The two broad types that I feel are more convenient for the viewer to understand as well for me to portray are the informational visualization concept and the second is the concept visualization.  As far as the information visualization, I will pursue the idea of a data map in order to visually portray any statistical information in which could depict any particular social class, race, or any other societal group that neglects the idea of animal rights and/or is prone to exploit animals for profit and other purposes.  For the concept visualization I will pursue the cause and effect chain.  This will give the opportunity for a better insight on the reason for choosing to exploit or abuse an animal.

According to the American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, the definition of animal rights is: the rights to humane treatment claimed on behalf of animals, especially the right not to be exploited for human purposes.  In my opinion, animal rights is just that; equality and respect for all living non-human animals in which not only should they not be exploited, but they should not be subjected to abuse of any kind by any human kind.

Assignment 4: Illustrating Concepts

Assignment 4: Illustrating Concepts

After 10 minutes of merely listening to a talking head speak in the second video of Philip Zimbardo’s lesson of “The Secret Powers of Time”, I began to drift off into other memories.  My brain shifted into a new direction.  I became progressively bored and quickly lost interest in the video, and therefore, it led me to turn it off 15 minutes before it was over.  As I began to watch the first video on the same concept, I was quickly drawn into the animation and the visualization of Zimbardo’s same lesson.  My eyes were drawn to the visual concepts of the characterization and thus focusing my brain to the lesson.

'Kill a Pitbull Day' Sparks Online Fire!!

'Kill a Pitbull Day' Sparks Online Fire!!

Alison Smith, the Director of the Walker Counter Animal Shelter in Georgia, is outraged after a series of comments surfaced on various social websites proclaiming that Halloween will soon become "National Kill a Pitbull Day." This hoax has worried Smith and suggests to all pitbull owners that they maintain their pets indoors as a precautionary.

Published Friday, September 21, 2012

By: Tim Omarzu

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/sep/21/kill-a-pitbull-day-sparks-online-fire-chattanooga/?local

The Conundrum of Animal Rights

"The Conundrum of Animal Rights"

Do animals actually have rights?

Many careless animal owners disregard the importance of ethical treatment of animals. As well, many bistanders who observe cruelty as it is being performed towards these animals are reluctant to comprehend the severity of the situation and the consequences that erupt for these animals after being mercilessly abused and tortured. 

But what is considered animal rights?

This article depicts the conundrum of the animal rights movement and if what we (pet owners) perceive as caring and nurturing behavior is actually stripping these pets of their natural and instinctual rights.

By: rjmaratea, Feb 3, 2012, at 04:50 pm

http://thesocietypages.org/sociologylens/2012/02/03/the-conundrum-of-animal-rights/

Pet Tales: Lawyers go to bat for Pit Bulls

Pet Tales: Lawyers go to Bat for Pit Bulls

"Some dogs are feared and hated just because of the way they look. Some dogs are feared and hated because of their breed, even if they've never bitten anyone and are the well-trained, much-loved pets of responsible, law-abiding dog owners."

By: Linda Wilson Fuoco / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

September 22, 2012 12:06 am

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/life/pets/pet-tales-lawyers-go-to-bat-for-pit-bulls-654426/#ixzz27LGiwa7o