Hi lawrence,

I hope all projects are important here. But I only want to expose my humild opinion.

During last years several serious diseases are transmiting from animals to humans as Creutzfeldt jakob disease.
I hope it is time not also think about us, instead of think in all of us..as a complete ecosystem or an ecuation with millions of variables as humans ,animals and vegetables and fruits,etc.

Some changes in this "known as world" ecuation can transform the result as a litle disarter.

For example if we not resolve how to clean air, or water or food ( fishes , meat, vegetables,etc )

For example I have read in my newspaper that they are investigating hamburger meat by pesticides and now there is a little crisys about hamburguer meat in my country.

And I hope a little, but useful part of these ecuation are our pets, I for example think we are humans and some of us have them as a therapy for sick people.

I only express my little very little opinion... sorry , my apologies if my thoughts bother you

Leishmaniasis affects mammals including dogs, as do many other diseases which also affect humans, and are spread by ticks, and flies.

see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leishmaniasis

Also it's often the case that if humans are in better health, then they are more able to look after the welfare of their animals.