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| ANIMAL MEDIA ALERTS
NOVEMBER 2005
COURIER MAIL (AUSTRALIA) ON BEAR BILE FARMING, AVIAN FLU BIRD CULLING AND FACTORY FARMING 11/1-11/2 Below are two pieces from Queensland's Courier Mail. The first is a November 1 article on Queensland support of efforts to rescue bears from China's bear bile industry. The second is a November 2 op-ed, from the World Society for the Protection of Animals, on the cruel methods of culling being used to fight avian flu, and the broader issue of the cruelty of factory farming. The back to back pieces in the Courier Mail present great opportunities for letters to the editor on various aspects of how we treat other species. The Courier Mail takes letters at http://thecouriermail.com.au/extras/forms/letter.htm The Courier Mail (Queensland, Australia) November 1, 2005 Tuesday HEADSTART; Pg. 104 Too much to bear Queensland has joined the effort to rescue China's moon bears from bile farming IN CHINA there are more than 7000 Asiatic black bears -- also called moon bears because of the yellow crescent of fur on their chest -- kept in cages no bigger than their bodies. Here they are "milked" twice a day for a substance found in their gall bladders called bile. Bile is a liquid that the bear's liver produces to help the bear digest fat. It is also used to make medicines from traditional Chinese recipes even though there are many herbal and synthetic alternatives available, which are just as effective. Sometimes an oversupply of bile means it is also used in other products with no medicinal value such as shampoos, skin cream and even soft drinks. To extract the bile, long metal catheters are surgically implanted into the bear's gall bladder, next to the liver. The procedure to insert these tubes is unhygienic and as a result many bears develop painful infections and die. Another method of extraction is "free-dripping". Thought to be more humane, it involves creating a permanently open wound in the abdomen allowing bile to constantly seep out. The bears that don't die of infection spend the rest of their lives suffering in tiny cages unable to stand up, stretch or enjoy simple pleasures like the sun on their backs or grass under their feet. Moon bears are highly intelligent creatures and some bite the bars of their cages or bang their heads just to help relieve their boredom. Sadly, many "farmed" bears live in these terrible conditions -- and in constant pain -- for more than 20 years. When Jill Robinson discovered a bear farm in 1993, she was determined to do something to help and sent pictures of the sad but beautiful bears in their rusting metal cages around the world. Shortly after, Jill founded Animals Asia Foundation, and in July 2000 -- after seven years of hard work and culturally sensitive negotiations -- an agreement was signed with Chinese officials to rescue 500 bears from farms across China. This historic agreement was the first accord between the Chinese Government and any outside animal welfare organisation. Since then, 194 bears have been rescued but, sadly, not all of them have survived. The 161 bears that have can look forward to living out the rest of their days in a sanctuary in Chengdu, China. Jill and her dedicated team were recently visited by Steve Irwin who will be dedicating an episode to the sanctuary in his new Vet show on Channel 7 early next year. A great deal of time, money and love goes into rehabilitating the rescued bears. When they first arrive, Animals Asia's expert veterinary team undertake marathon surgeries to remove the catheters and repair other damage before the bears are placed in special recovery cages. These new cages give them a chance to get accustomed to having extra room while safely recovering from surgery. When the time is right they are released into large dens complete with hanging beds, swimming pools and space to lie around and enjoy a life free from pain and fear. Every day brings new surprises -- food hidden around the den to encourage them to stretch and explore and new toys to keep their minds and bodies active. For more information: ring 1800 666 004. For details: Animals Asia: NAME THE BEAR THE Animals Asia Support Group of Queensland has adopted a new bear that will be relocated to the Chengdu Sanctuary by the end of next month. Headst@rt, in association with Animals Asia Qld Support Group, is running a naming competition for this bear. The winner will receive a handmade Moon Bear worth $400, two T-shirts, cap, stickers and a fridge magnet. The names submitted will be judged by Sharon Holden, Queensland's top animal behaviourist, and Dr Jon Hanger, Steve Irwin's head vet at the Steve Irwin Wildlife Hospital. Name the Moon Bear competition is open to all readers of The Courier-Mail. Competition closes on Tuesday, November 22. Winner will be contacted by phone and announced in Headst@rt on Tuesday, December 6. To enter put your name, address and phone number, along with your suggested bear name on the back of an envelope. Send entries to Name the Bear Competition, Locked Bag 8902, GPO Brisbane 9003. --------------------- The Courier Mail (Queensland, Australia) November 2, 2005 Wednesday FEATURES; Pg. 19 Cruel blow for crook chooks Jordan Burke THE recent outbreaks of avian flu worldwide have highlighted a sad fact about our misguided attitude to farm animals -- that these miserable creatures tucked away in the darkness of factory farms are mere production units, not the sentient beings they actually are. The latest avian influenza outbreak has seen chickens being beaten, buried alive, poisoned, left in bins to die and even set on fire while still alive. Sadly, culling is the most effective way to contain such outbreaks. Yet there has been little debate about how these animals, already confined to lives of misery in intensive farming operations worldwide, have been callously disposed of in the interest of public safety. The World Society for the Protection of Animals through its World Farmwatch campaign has been leading the call for more humane slaughter methods for infected birds, including using gas, hand-held stunners, electric baths and lethal injection of anaesthetic by veterinarians. When properly administered, these methods could kill the animal immediately and further prohibit direct transmission to humans, averting further risk of a pandemic. This type of humane slaughter and the confirmation of death before disposal are vital if animals are to be culled as quickly and painlessly as possible, and the risk of infection to people minimised. The FAO (the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation), OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health) and WHO (World Health Organisation) must take responsibility for implementing a global culling program that ensures animals are dealt with as humanely as possible. They must also accept advice from organisations such as WSPA on the development of the poultry industry in countries hit by bird flu to improve animal welfare and future disease control. The extremely inhumane culling of infected birds is another example of the tragedy that is industrial farming -- a complete denial of the farm animal as a living being with particular needs and nature. Worldwide, billions of animals on industrial farms live in overcrowded and poorly ventilated environments -- prime conditions for disease. The repeated outbreaks of animal diseases around the world in recent years, from avian flu outbreaks to England's mad cow disaster, may well be linked to the over-expansion of industrial animal agriculture. Despite factory farming being implicated in the many repeated threats to public health and the overwhelming animal cruelty involved, we seem all too eager to ignore the issue of industrial animal agriculture. The reason is a moral one, according to Matthew Scully in his superb account of animal protection in today's world, Dominion. Scully poses the thorny question: "How can we not bestow our kindness on the animals we name and know, while viewing as nothing the nameless, faceless animals we condemn in our farms to lives of ceaseless misery?" Indeed, the moral status we grant one, we must surely grant to all that come within the scope of our power. If factory farming is responsible for the global health crises of recent years, it is no longer just a moral dilemma but a potential human disaster that must be addressed immediately. For the welfare of animals and humans alike, it's time for effective legislation to stop the expansion of factory farming and encourage humane and sustainable forms of animal agriculture. --- Jordan Burke is the communications manager for the World Society for the Protection of Animals (END OF COURIER MAIL PIECES)
CHICAGO TRIBUNE ON FUR -- 11/1/05 The Tuesday, November 1, Chicago Tribune had a strong article on the fur debate, opening the door for letters to the editor. Unfortunately the article includes a quote suggesting that video of the Chinese fur industry is misleading (please visit www.furisdead.com if you have never seen it) because US suppliers are highly regulated. Conditions on US fur farms are, in fact, abysmal. More importantly, much of the fur we see trimming jackets this season comes from China. The Chicago Tribune takes letters at http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/letters/chi-lettertotheeditor.customform OR http://tinyurl.com/4lsug Chicago Tribune November 1, 2005 Tuesday RedEye Edition Pg. 8 When animals attract; Stars, PETA continue to debate: Is fur fashion or murder? By Maegan Carberry, RedEye. It's getting colder every day, and that means one thing for Chicago fashionistas: It's time to dig your winter wardrobe out of storage. But looking stylish this season is an ethical dilemma for some fashion-forward folks who are wary of committing a fur-pas. Despite recent animal-rights groups' campaigns against Jennifer Lopez and other fur-wearing celebs, fashion experts say fur is still hot. "It's not met with the negativity it has been met with in the past," said Marshall Cohen, a fashion analyst for the NPD Group, who said fur was a $1.8 billion industry in 2004. People "gravitate towards fur as a statement, much like they would a designer pair of jeans or a designer handbag," he said. Even though fur is popular this fashion season, according to celebrity stylist Phillip Bloch, many stars are staying away because it remains controversial. "Hollywood is still very leery of it," said Bloch, who has dressed stars such as Halle Berry and Salma Hayek. "No one wants bad press." Activist groups like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals often target high-profile celebs who wear fur. Vogue editor Anna Wintour was hit with a tofu pie last month by anti-fur demonstrators as she attended a fashion event in Paris. A PETA spokesman said the vegetarian tofu tart--the second to be thrown at Wintour this year--was retaliation for Vogue's decision to run fur ads while refusing to print PETA's anti-fur messages. Lopez also is a frequent PETA target. A group of protestors gathered outside Mashall Field's on State Street in September to oppose the opening of her World of JLO boutique, which features fur from Lopez's Sweetface and JLO collections. PETA stands by its in-your-face approach to raising animal rights awareness, said Brandi Valladoliv, manager of the organization's anti-fur campaign. On furisdead.com, a Web site run by PETA, graphic videos show animals being electrocuted and slammed against the ground before they are skinned--sometimes while still alive, according to the site. "Anybody who is wearing fur is supporting a bloody and violent industry," Valladoliv said. Keith Kaplan, executive director of the Fur Information Council of America, a trade association for furriers, said these videos can be misleading, since they do not necessarily represent what happens at most U.S. fur farms. Most furriers follow animal welfare guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the American Veterinary Medical Association, which regulates cage sizes, food requirements and killing methods, according to Rebecca Jewbury, a spokeswoman for the USDA. "The particular methodology for an animal may not look pretty to you and I, but research has determined it is the most humane," Kaplan said. Most people probably don't think about where the fur they are wearing comes from, said Danielle Marino, director of the Chicago chapter of Mercy for Animals, which plans to hold anti-fur demonstrations this winter. "As a society we need to ask ourselves if death and cruelty is justifiable in the name of fashion," Marino said. She argues that if people were more educated, they wouldn't wear real fur. "The saddest part about the fur industry--or fur trim--is that it's completely unnecessary with warmer synthetic options available." PETA encourages people who want to have that furry look to wear faux fur, Valladoliv said. Some people think that because synthetics look real, they send the message that wearing fur is OK, she said, but "the bottom line is there is no suffering. It's not something we're opposed to." The group has given awards to upscale designers such as Stella McCartney and Vivienne Westwood, who offer synthetic alternatives for people who don't want to wear real fur. Couture designer Marc Bouwer, who has dressed celebs like Angelina Jolie and Charlize Theron, offers clothes with fake fur, and he says it is as good as the real thing. "I just think killing animals for vanity's sake is completely wrong," he said. "As designers we have the responsibility of telling people what to wear and what not to wear. We should be part of the solution." At Marshall Field's stores, both real and fake fur garments are popular, said company spokeswoman Andrea Schwartz. "The average shopper definitely has something embellished with real or fake fur," she said. "It's showing up on many things: sweaters, jackets, coats or on collars and sleeves." Schwartz said Field's respects the beliefs of animal rights activists who would prefer that the company did not sell real fur, but she said "we also trust that they will respect our decision to provide furs for our guests who want them." Fur also is a special luxury item for customers who want to treat themselves, said Michael Otis, a salesman at Andriana Furs on Michigan Avenue. "It's an accessory like a diamond," he said. "A woman can feel pretty and princess-y and rich. It's out there at reasonable prices. You put on a fur and you just feel fabulous." - - - Are they fur-real? To wear fur or not to wear fur? That is the celebrity question. Check out who's for it--and who's against. Against fur: Pamela Anderson The "Stacked" star has a cruelty-free, PETA-approved clothing line and has appeared in anti-fur advertisements. Charlize Theron The Oscar-winning actress has appeared in anti-fur ads with her dog, Tucker. She told a French newspaper last year, "It doesn't make sense to me to let animals suffer for fashion." Russell Simmons The music mogul signed his name on an anti-fur ad that ran in Women's Wear Daily last summer. He also is a vegan. Martha Stewart The head honcho of homemaking made an anti-fur video for PETA this fall. In the video she says, "I used to wear real fur, but ... I had a change of heart when I learned what actually happens to the animals." Dennis Rodman The former Bull posed nude for a PETA ad that read, "Think Ink, Not Mink: Be Comfortable in Your Own Skin and Let Animals Keep Theirs." Wear fur: Jennifer Lopez J.Lo's Sweetface and JLO clothing lines are routinely the target of animal rights groups. Cindy Crawford The supermodel appeared in PETA's "I'd rather go naked than wear fur" campaign, but last year she wore fur in advertisements for Blackglama, a mink retailer. Beyonce Knowles PETA took out a full-page ad in Billboard magazine that encouraged the singer to "do the decent, humane thing and stop wearing fur." Kobe Bryant The L.A. Lakers star ranked third on PETA's worst-dressed celebrity list in 2004 behind Diana Ross and Martha Stewart (who has since renounced fur). Paris Hilton PETA has criticized the heiress for wearing Mukluk boots, which are made of real rabbit fur. - - - REDEYE ON THE SPOT Would you wear fur? Why or why not? "I wouldn't wear fur. I just don't like fur on my clothes. It's a bit too much." --Danielle Sass, 19 Lincoln Park, student "I would wear fur because it's warm. It's baller status to have a good fur coat." --Chris Shenvar, 22 Portage Park, student "It's not my style. I don't like the way it looks." --Stacey Tuggle, 17 Bronzeville "I think fur looks gaudy. I wouldn't wear it, and it's wrong to kill animals for their skins." --Joan Smith, 18 Rogers Park, student "Absolutely not. I wouldn't wear fur whether it's fake or real. I think it's gaudy and tacky." --Ian Millington, 24 Wicker Park, payroll specialist -----------------
NEW YORK POST ON CHANGE IN EVACUATION POLICY TO ALLOW FOR PETS 11/1/05 The story below, great news for New York, opens the door for appreciative letters, perhaps discussing the importance of the PETS Act ( https://community.hsus.org/campaign/pets_act_house/explanation ) which will similarly protect animals across the country, or perhaps on New York's pet overpopulation crisis that kills as many animals every year as this year's Hurricane Katrina catastrophe. The New York Post November 1, 2005 Tuesday All Editions; Pg. 4 CITY'S PET CAUSE - ANIMALS CAN STAY WITH OWNERS AT STORM SHELTERS RICH CALDER You don't have to die for Fido - the city will change its rules to allow people to bring pets to public shelters during severe hurricanes or other disasters. Office of Emergency Management Commissioner Joseph Bruno told a state Assembly committee yesterday that Hurricane Katrina proved that far too many people tragically put themselves at risk by not going to shelters when it means abandoning their pets. OEM's existing evacuation plan allows for evacuees to bring only service animals - such as guide dogs - with them to the Big Apple's 800 or so emergency shelters. But Bruno said his office would revise the policy in upcoming months to make some of the shelters "pet friendly." Other shelters would be set up specifically for pets. OEM would spread the word through brochures and by working with pet stores and veterinarians, he said. It was also revealed that the state Department of Health is now requiring all city health-care facilities to develop new evacuation plans and file them with DOH and OEM for review by the end of the year. DOH oversees the sites. The new plans would address transportation problems associated with evacuating disabled and other special-needs people during major storms. Nursing homes and hospitals will now be required to have plans in place for transporting patients out of dangerous areas. The Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions on Sept. 15 issued a scathing report, alleging the city's evacuation plan was outdated and filled with flaws. State Assemblyman Richard Brodsky, the committee's chairman, said that the pressure he and his committee put on OEM in recent weeks helped push the agency to revise its evacuation plan. But Brodsky (D-Westchester) said the plan still needs a lot of tweaking. Bruno disagreed, insisting OEM started updating the plan months before the critical report was made public. Bruno, who testified under subpoena, was also ordered to supply the committee with the city's evacuation plan and dozens of other related documents - some of which were not provided. Both sides conceded that litigation might be needed to decide whether the committee gets everything it wants. Bruno also said the city is considering increasing the number of reception centers to which people must first report before being moved to emergency public shelters. RUFF GOING New York City Population: 8,000,278 New Yorkers living in high-risk zones: 2,267,196 Total New Yorkers expected to evacuate: 3,415,412 Total New Yorkers who would go to public shelters:" 727,745 Seniors and "special-needs residents" who would evacuate: more than 700,000 Vehicles available specifically designated to transport special-needs residents: 4,576* Sources: New York City Office of Emergency Management and 2000 U.S. Census data. *Excludes 16,000 city buses and privately owned school buses that are available for all residents - including seniors and special-needs residents. (END OF POST STORY)
NEW YORK TIMES ON ORGANIC STANDARDS LOOKS AT DAIRY INDUSTRY 11/1/05 The business section of the Tuesday, November 1, New York Times had a cover story (pg.C1) headed, "What Is Organic? Powerful Players Want a Say" which was of interest to animal advocates as it included a discussion of dairy industry standards. The article tells us that last week, "Senate and House Republicans on the Agriculture appropriations subcommittee inserted a last-minute provision into the department's fiscal 2006 budget specifying that certain artificial ingredients could be used in organic food. The Organic Trade Association, an industry lobbying group that proposed the amendment and spent several months pushing for its adoption, says that the measure will encourage the continued growth of organic food. Some advocacy groups, however, say the amendment will weaken federal organic food standards, first established under a 1990 law. Ronnie Cummins, national director of the Organic Consumers Association, calls the initiative a 'sneak attack engineered by the likes of Kraft, Dean Foods and Smucker's.'" We read about the ties between industry and government: "One of the lobbyists for Altria, Kraft's majority owner, Abigail Blunt - the wife of Representative Roy Blunt, Republican of Missouri, who recently became interim House majority leader after Tom DeLay of Texas resigned from the post - has been working on the issue, the company says." In the section on dairy cows we learn: "The National Organic Standards Board has been trying to persuade the Agriculture Department to clarify its vague rule that to produce organic milk, dairy cows, besides receiving only organic feed and avoiding growth hormones and antibiotics, must have 'access to pasture.' It wants to require that milk labeled organic come from cows that get at least 30 percent of their diet from pasture grass for a minimum of 120 days a year. "Mr. Kastel of Cornucopia estimates that roughly 30 percent of the organic milk sold in the United States comes from cows that are not on pasture, most of them from two large dairies run by Aurora Organic Dairy, an offshoot of what was once the country's largest conventional dairy company. Organic milk is the most popular organic product and sells for up to twice the price of regular milk. "On a recent visit to Aurora's farm in Platteville, Colo., at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, thousands of Holsteins were seen confined to grassless, dirt-lined pens and eating from a long trough filled with 55 percent hay and 45 percent grains, mostly corn and soybeans. "Of the 5,200 cows on the farm, just a few hundred - those between milking cycles or near the end of their lactation - were sitting or grazing on small patches of pasture. "Aurora executives say that despite the lack of pasture, their cows are 'very healthy and happy.' The 10 million gallons of milk the farm produces each year are supplied mainly to supermarkets and sold under store brands like Safeway Select, Kirkland at Costco and Archer Farms at Target." It may have surprised many New York Times readers to learn that 30% of Organic milk comes from cows that are never on pasture, and that the rule that the National Organic Standards Board is shooting for as an improvement would still allow organic dairy cows to have no pasture access for two-thirds of the year. But then thanks to the California Happy Cows campaign, many Americans have been given the impression that most dairy cows, even those whose milk is not labeled organic, graze on rolling hills. Those new to the animal protection movement may not familiar with PETA's fight against that campaign. PETA sued the California Milk Advisory Board for false advertising arguing that most California dairy cows live miserable lives on overcrowded dirt lots, generally with no shade from California's blazing sun, until, at about age 5, they are turned into hamburgers. PETA's suit failed on the grounds that government bodies are exempt from fair advertising laws. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that the heavily subsidized dairy industry in being allowed to label milk organic when the treatment of cows is different from that which most organic milk purchasers might expect. You'll find the full New York Times article on line at It presents a great opportunity for letters to the editor about the Dairy Industry. A good resource is PETA's fun site www.MilkSucks.com The New York Times takes letters at letters@nytimes.com Always include your full name, address, and daytime phone number when sending a letter to the editor. Shorter letters are more likely to be published.
SACRAMENTO BEE ON COMCAST REFUSAL TO AIR VEG-FRIENDLY COK ADS 11/2/05 The Sacramento Bee has a great story in the Wednesday, November 2, "Scene" section (Pg E1) on Comcast's refusal to air commercials from Compassion Over Killing promoting vegetarianism and portraying the cruelty of the meat industry. I will paste it below. Please send supportive letters to the Bee. The paper takes letters, from those who live within the paper's "home circulation area" at opinion@sacbee.com Include your full name, address, and daytime phone number. Comcast nixes animal-welfare ads By Cynthia Hubert -- Bee Staff Writer November 2, 2005 http://www.sacbee.com/content/lifestyle/story/13802724p-14644107c.html Jennifer Fearing sold her piano recently and decided to donate some of her windfall to one of her most passionate causes: promoting vegetarianism. Fearing contacted a national nonprofit organization called Compassion Over Killing and offered to underwrite the costs of airing advertisements in Sacramento that decry the treatment of farm animals. She wrote a $2,600 check to the animal group, which negotiated a deal with Comcast cable company to air the ads on MTV four times a night for a month. Comcast cashed the check. But the ads, which show graphic images of animals housed in cramped, filthy conditions in slaughterhouses and "factory farms," and urge people to adopt a vegetarian lifestyle, never aired in Sacramento. They have been shown in other markets across the country. "We were told they were rejected. We were not given any specific reason," said Erica Meier, executive director of the animal group, based in Washington, D.C. "We were very surprised. We have never had any similar complications." Only one company, in Alabama, has refused to air the ads, but no money changed hands in that case, she said. Erica Smith, spokeswoman for Comcast in Sacramento, said Tuesday she was looking into the matter. The ads may have been rejected, she said, to allow staffers to evaluate claims of animal mistreatment. If the company gets proper documentation, she said, the ads might be reconsidered. Meier said Comcast never asked her group for documentation. "They rejected them without explanation," she said. "But we would welcome any opportunity to validate their content." As a private company, Comcast has the right to reject advertisements it deems inappropriate or offensive. The company has said it will reimburse the group if the ads never air, but Fearing doesn't want her money back. She intends to bring the situation before the Sacramento Metropolitan Cable Television Commission, which is scheduled to hold its monthly meeting Thursday afternoon. "This is something that I believe in very strongly, and I'm not going to roll over on it," said Fearing. She runs a local nonprofit group, United Animal Nations, that benefits animals, but she stressed that the battle with Comcast is entirely personal. "These ads are not obscene. There's no cursing in them. Are they violent? They just show where your food comes from. It never even occurred to me that they might be censored." Rich Esposto, executive director of the local cable commission, said Fearing is welcome to appear before the panel and make her case. He questioned Comcast's handling of the matter but said Fearing probably has no legal standing to challenge the company's decision. "It takes a willful, conscious, knowing violation of the regulations for me to bring enforcement action," he said. "Disagreeing with someone's politics and refusing to take their money is not illegal, although I would like to know more about this from a fairness standpoint." Meier, of Compassion Over Killing, said the two advertisements that Comcast initially agreed to air are "pro-vegetarian commercials" that "expose the horrors" inflicted on farm animals. Among other things, the 30-second spots show chickens, alive and twitching, hanging by their feet in a slaughterhouse. The images were taken in Arkansas by investigators for the group, she said. "It's simply the reality of where our meat and eggs and milk come from," Meier said. The advertisements have been shown in more than 50 cities across the United States, including Los Angeles, Detroit, Boston, Denver and Fresno, she said. In early October, staffers for Comcast in Sacramento reviewed the advertisements, negotiated a schedule to air them and accepted a check for $2,561 from the animal group, Meier said. "We had no indication whatsoever that there might be a problem," she said. The first ads were scheduled to air Oct. 17 on MTV, which has the young-adult audience targeted by the animal group. If Fearing loses her skirmish, she said, she may consider pitching the advertisement to another cable provider, even though the audience would be smaller. "I want people in Sacramento to see this," she said. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To view the ads in question, go to www.cok.net/feat/mtvfall2005.php and click on "If You Knew." About the writer: The Bee's Cynthia Hubert can be reached at (916) 321-1082 or chubert@sacbee.com. ------------------- (END OF BEE PIECE)
CHICAGO CBS AFFILIATE AIRS RINGLING BROTHERS FLUFF PIECE -- 11/3/05 On Thursday, Nov 3, CBS 2 Chicago aired a fluff piece on the Ringling Brothers circus. The piece did include a few lines from Debbie Leahy of PETA. She was holding a bullhook, the sharp metal hook used to train elephants. But assuming she referred to the bullhook during the interview, that reference was edited out, so viewers would not have made the connection. At www.Circuses.com , if you click on "Ringling Brothers Exposed" under "PETA TV," on the right side of the page, you can see footage of Ringling Brothers elephants being whacked with those bullhooks. If you click on "Make em Scream" you see Carson and Barnes circus elephants being trained to do the kinds of tricks we see in the CBS footage of Ringling Brothers. The young elephants are shrieking as they are stabbed with bullhooks and electric prods. On the left side of the www.Circuses.com home page, the "Ringling Brothers" box has links to a fact sheet and a page about Ringling Brothers headed, "Fact vs Fiction." And at http://cbs2chicago.com/topstories/local_story_307180547.html you can see Chicago CBS affiliate's unfortunate portrayal of circuses that use elephants, which ends with these lines: "PETA also wants a new Chicago ordinance to force circuses to provide 10 times as much living space as these elephants are getting. Ringling Bros. says if it becomes law, the circus will be forced to pass Chicago by. The circus moves from Rosemont to the United Center for its Chicago run Nov. 15. If the new elephant protection ordinance passes soon, that could be the final engagement of 'the greatest show on earth' in Chicago." Please check out the footage and the information at www.Circuses.com and then the CBS fluff piece, and send a polite complaint to the station, and a request for more balanced coverage of Ringling Brothers that includes information on its violations of humane laws and some of the footage the company would rather we not see. CBS 2 takes comments at: http://cbs2chicago.com/contact Leaving your phone number on the form is optional. Only those in the
Chicago viewing area, who are open to talking with the station, should do
so. A polite conversation with a reporter can have a tremendous impact on
coverage.
BATTERY CAGED HENS ON ABC 7 IN SAN FRANCISCO -- 11/4/05 On Friday, November 4, San Francisco's ABC affiliate aired a piece on eggs from battery caged hens, and the push to persuade Trader Joe's to stop selling them. You can watch the story, which includes footage from one of the supplying farms, on line at: http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=i_team&id=3605581 That page also has a text version of the story, which I will paste below. At the bottom of the web page there is a link where you can "E-mail the ABC7 I-Team": http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=i_team&id=3308976 On that comment page, the I team says, "You are our most important resource. Your tips can bring about change. Please share them using this form." In an interview, last year, with reporter Dan Noyes, for an essay on animals and the media, (for "In Defense of Animals: The Second Wave") he told me "The contact from the public reinforces that we are reporting stories our audience finds important.” So please thank the I-team at the link above. And the page also gives contact information for Dan Noyes if you would like to email to him directly: Dan.Noyes@abc.com It only takes a moment to send a note, and positive feedback for these kinds of stories is vital, so please take that moment. Here is the local ABC story: Trader Joe's Embroiled In Egg Farming Dispute By Dan Noyes Nov. 4 - The Humane Society of the United States has launched a campaign against Trader Joe's because the grocery store chain refuses to stop selling eggs produced in what are called "battery cages." It's a common farming system in which a hen's confined to a space the size of a sheet of paper for its entire life. The I-Team went to the Trader Joe's in Emeryville this week and bought a dozen of the store's ranch fresh eggs. We took the code stamped on the carton and plugged it into a government Web site. It gave us the farm that produces Trader Joe's brand name eggs. Gemperle has offices in the Central Valley town of Turlock and 10 massive barns in nearby Hilmar that house more than one-and-a-half million hens. The company wouldn't let us inside the barns, but this activist has been going to the farm on and off for the past year - by herself, late at night. Undercover Activist: "I just felt like there was animal cruelty going on and I had to do something about it." She took a picture of a newspaper placed next to the hens to document her last trip, the weekend of September 9th. Up to eight hens fill a single cage. It's such a tight fit, their beaks have to be clipped so they won't cannibalize each other. The rows of cages extending the length of the barn are stacked five high. And, the system to channel waste into manure pits below the cages is not all that efficient. Undercover Activist: "So, the chickens on the bottom are getting pooped on by the ones above, so the ones on the bottom layers are literally caked in poop." The hens have no chance to do what comes naturally& foraging, dust bathing, just spreading their wings -- as seen with these former egg hens at a sanctuary in New York. The undercover tape also shows the casualties that are inevitable with such a large battery cage operation -- birds stuck in cages, paralyzed, ones that have fallen through the floor into the manure pit. The activist took dozens of injured birds and rehabilitated them. She admits it's a crime to trespass and take chickens. Undercover Activist: "If I can do anything to stop just a little bit of animal suffering, it would be worth it to have to deal with law enforcement." We drove the two hours here to Turlock to show this undercover tape to the farm's owner, Steve Gemperle. We wanted to verify the authenticity of the tape and get his comments on the issue. But Gemperle refused to be interviewed, as did officials from the United Egg Producers, the industry's trade group; the Pacific Egg and Poultry Association; U.C. Davis poultry expert Dr. Francine Bradley; even Trader Joe's. It's an especially sensitive issue because 95-percent of the eggs produced in this country come from battery cage operations just like this. Demonstrator: "This piece of paper right here, the size of this piece of paper is the amount of space these chickens have for their entire lives." Trader Joe's is feeling the heat from the Humane Society campaign. Activists have been protesting outside stores, such as this one in San Francisco. And, they took out a full page ad last month in the Los Angeles Times titled, "Why won't Trader Joe's give an inch?" Paul Shapiro, HSUS: "Most people, if they knew how abused these birds actually are would be appalled and they would never buy these eggs, they would leave battery cage eggs out of their shopping carts." Trader Joe's has also sold cage-free eggs since 1993, but the Humane Society is pressuring the company to take the lead of its competitor Whole Foods and stop selling any eggs from battery cages. Justin Jackson, Whole Foods: "And I think overall, when you have a cage free egg, you're going to have a better egg, you're going to have a better product, the chickens are treated better, you're going to have a better tasting product. I think our customers will be hard-pressed not to appreciate that." Justin Jackson says cage free eggs are more expensive, but not enough to spark complaints from customers. And now, Bon Appetit Management is taking action. The company runs 200 cafeterias at colleges and companies across the country, such as Oracle. Starting tomorrow, they are phasing out the use of eggs from battery cages, and Bon Appetit chefs use eight million eggs a year. Maisie Ganzler, Bon Appetit Management: "We strongly believe that if we take a leadership position that other restaurant companies, other grocery stores will follow." But Trader Joe's is refusing. In letters to the Humane Society, the company's chairman and CEO Dan Bane writes, "We receive many requests & to tackle a myriad of social, economic, political, humane and environmental issues. We elect not to partner with any one group or organization." "Our customers are smart, and we give them the opportunity to make their own decisions." Trader Joe's will continue to receive pressure from people like the undercover activist. Undercover Activist: "Behind every carton of battery eggs, there's just a tremendous amount of animal suffering, and it doesn't have to be that way." She took a global positioning satellite reading during her last late-night visit. We plugged the numbers into a Web site. That gave us an aerial photograph of the farm -- it confirms the activist was there at Gemperle. You can do what the I-Team did, and trace the origin of the eggs you buy in any store. Just take the number stamped on the carton and plug it into that government Web site. E-mail the ABC7 I-Team: http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=i_team&id=3308976 Contact Dan: Dan.Noyes@abc.com (END OF ABC story)
KGO's TRADER JOE'S BATTERY CAGE FOLLOW-UP NOTES HUGE PUBLIC RESPONSE -- 11/8/05 On Tuesday, November 8, the KGO I-Team, on San Francisco's ABC affiliate, ran a follow-up to the Friday, November 4, Trader Joe's battery cage eggs story. During the follow-up, Wayne Pacelle, CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, credits the I-team, and the public pressure the report instigated, with a promising new development: "All of the Trader Joe's brand name eggs will be converted to cage-free by February 1." Reporter Dan Noyes notes, during the follow-up report, that KGO "received more than 100 e-mails since our investigation Friday night." At the end of the story, the anchor also mentioned that there has been "a lot of reaction to this piece." And Noyes shared that KGO is posting, on its website, the emails it continues to receive about the report. The links where you can read those posts, and where you can send your own note to KGO, are at the bottom of the web-page report, which I will paste below. I send a huge thank you to those who have already written, making it clear to KGO that this is an issue viewers care about. If you have not yet written, please do. You can watch the follow-up story, which includes much of the disturbing battery cage footage from the Friday night story, on line at: http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=i_team&id=3617827 And here is the print version: Trader Joe's Makes Change To 'Egg' Policy Worldwide Reaction To I-Team Report By Dan Noyes Nov. 8 - KGO - There's a major announcement from the Humane Society of the United States and Trader Joe's. It comes just four days after an I-Team investigation showed the grocer's brand name eggs come from hens kept in what's known as "battery cages." The I-Team has gotten reaction from around the world to our investigation that aired Friday and Trader Joe's has been feeling the heat. The deal reached Tuesday could keep about 380,000 hens a year out of those battery cages. A word of caution -- some of the images from an undercover tape are disturbing. The I-Team traced eggs bought at the Trader Joe's in Emeryville last week to a huge farm near the Central Valley town of Turlock. Gemperle Enterprises keeps more than 1.5 million hens in what are called battery cages -- it's a common farming technique in which a hen's confined to a space the size of a sheet of paper its entire life. An undercover activist has been going to Gemperle on and off for the past year -- walking past the 'keep out' and 'no trespassing' signs to document the conditions. Undercover activist: "If I can do anything to stop just a little bit of animal suffering, it would be worth it to have to deal with law enforcement." Up to eight hens are crammed into a single cage. It's such a tight fit they can't even spread their wings. Their beaks have to be clipped so they won't cannibalize each other. Cages are stacked five high and some hens on the bottom row are covered in feces. The activist's undercover tape also showed the casualties that are inevitable in such a large battery cage operation. The I-Team report featuring those pictures four days ago had a big impact on the negotiations between Trader Joe's and the Humane Society of the United States. Wayne Pacelle, HSUS President & CEO: "And then the retailer really took action because they knew they could not withstand the public scrutiny." They reached a two-part agreement: All of the Trader Joe's brand name eggs will be converted to cage-free by February 1st. All store promotions will feature only cage-free eggs. Trader Joe's currently sells 100 million eggs under its own label. Converting those could affect about 380,000 chickens. It's welcome news for some Trader Joe's customers. Customer: "I think that's good. Don't let the chickens be cooped up." Others are upset that the company refuses to stop selling any eggs from battery cages, the way Whole Foods has done. Matt Haupt, Trader Joe's customer: "I don't think they actually care about the issue, though, because they're still offering the old eggs." The I-Team's received more than 100 e-mails since our investigation Friday night from England, Italy, Australia and people across the Bay Area -- like Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, who's thrilled with today's news. Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, e-mailed I-Team: "I'm glad they made this change. It's really amazing they made this change so quickly." Through a spokesman, Trader Joe's chairman and CEO Dan Bane declined our request for an interview, but issued a statement saying: "Trader Joe's is pleased to have addressed the concerns of our customers and the Humane Society of the United States." HSUS President and CEO Wayne Pacelle is considering his next move in the battery cage campaign. Wayne Pacelle, HSUS President: "All of the major chains that sell eggs, we want them to offer consumers the option of cage-free eggs and frankly to move the battery cages off the shelves because we should not tolerate this form of cruelty." We reached the owner of the farm, Steve Gemperle, by phone on Tuesday. We wanted to ask him how the announcement affects his business and whether he would move to a cage-free system. But he declined to comment. We're posting all of the e-mails that continue to come in from people interested in this story. Click here to read what people are thinking about this issue: http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=i_team&id=3617183 E-mail the ABC7 I-Team: http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=i_team&id=3308976 (END OF KGO REPORT)
PETA'S INGRID NEWKIRK INTERVIEWED ON NATIONALLY SYNDICATED SHOW "ON POINT" --11/9/05 On Wednesday, November 9, WBUR's nationally NPR syndicated show "On Point," aired an interview with Ingrid Newkirk, head of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Here is the station's web promotional blurb on the show: PETA's Mastermind By host Tom Ashbrook: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, has been called the most successful radical organization in America. The group's animal rights commandos are famous and infamous for their high-drama stunts and claims. PETA activists have thrown paint on fur coats, gone naked for animal rights, thrown a dead raccoon on Vogue editor Anna Wintour's plate at the Four Seasons in New York, and compared America's treatment of animals in factory farms to slavery and the Holocaust. Behind it all stands Ingrid Newkirk, who started the movement twenty-five years ago in revulsion at the sight of dead kittens. Hear a conversation with Newkirk on twenty-five years of pushing the envelope for animal rights. You can listen to the interview on line at http://www.onpointradio.org/shows/2005/11/20051109_b_main.asp It is a terrific interview. Newkirk is briefly joined by Wayne Pacelle,
CEO of HSUS, who tips his hat to PETA's success at bringing attention to
animal protection issues and points to some of the ways in which the two
organizations agree and differ. And Ingrid Newkirk takes questions from
callers. I urge anybody interested in animal protection issues, whether
you tend to agree with or oppose PETA tactics, to listen. And please thank
"On Point" for giving an hour to these issues. On Point takes
comments at onpoint@wbur.org
HORSE SLAUGHTER COMMENTARY ON NPR'S MORNING EDITION --11/9/05 I hesitate to flood my subscribers with email, but today is simply a wonderfully animal friendly major media day. I thank Susan Clay for making sure we knew about a superb piece on horse slaughter that aired on National Public Radio's "Morning Edition," Wednesday, November 9. It was by Frank Deford as part of the "Sweetness and Light" series. You can listen to the piece on line at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5005333 and I will paste the transcript below. The piece refers to the Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. You can find out more about that, and send a letter to your legislators in support of it, at https://community.hsus.org/campaign/2005_horse_slaughter2 "Sweetness and Light" takes comments at http://www.npr.org/templates/contact/index.php?columnId=4499275 Please send a note of thanks. Here is the piece: Commentary: Cruel retirement for racehorses November 9, 2005 from Morning Edition RENEE MONTAGNE, host: For many racehorses, life after the track is spent lazing in a pasture and producing the next generation of thoroughbreds, but as commentator Frank Deford explains, that's not always the case. FRANK DEFORD: Some time ago, I had a thoroughbred colt named after me. Frank Deford was a nice little horse but I'm afraid not very fast, and eventually, my equine namesake was retired from competition. I assumed that he lived out his life gambling in green pastures, maybe being somebody's weekend hunter. Only recently did I learn that instead that there is a very good chance that Frank Deford ended up as somebody's lunch in Europe. There are now, you see, three horse slaughterhouses in the United States--two in Texas, one in Illinois. All three owned by foreign investors. Every year, more American horses are killed and chopped up for export cuisine, 65,000 last year. Thoroughbreds, standardbreds, quarter horses--for animals who've used up their ability to be competitive on the track, to amuse us betters, who are geldings or simply not good enough to breed, off they go to the abattoirs in Texas and Illinois. They're killed in the same way that cattle are, with a stun gun. But unlike cattle, horses have long necks and are fractious. Too often, the guns miss their target and the poor horses die an agonizing, horrible death. We used to joke about old nags going to the glue factory. Well, at least it was our glue they made. It has never been the custom in this country for humans to dine on horse meat. Indeed, we no longer even put horse meat in pet food. No, it's not our business to tell other people what to eat, but that doesn't mean we have to supply meals for foreigners. In some parts of the world, they eat dogs and cats. Would we permit slaughterhouses for our Fidos and Tabbys so that their meat could be exported to far-away dinner tables? Well, that's what we're doing with our horses. Despite a growing public revulsion and overwhelming bipartisan political support, a few members of Congress--notably Texas Republican Congressman Henry Bonilla--have managed to stall federal legislation to outlaw horse slaughter. Last month, finally, Bonilla was thwarted and a temporary measure was amended to an agriculture bill to end horse carnage. It won't be implemented for a hundred and twenty days and it will only be in effect for a year, but a permanent horse slaughter prevention act has already been introduced in the Senate by Republican John Ensign of Nevada and a companion bill in the House by Democrat John Sweeney of New York. Hopefully, joint legislation will be passed soon, and the slaughterhouses in Texas and Illinois will be shuttered forever. Perhaps now the thoroughbred industry will admit that it has some blood on its hands, too. Too many horses race when they're hurting, too often able to get to the starting gate only because of drugs. No wonder so many of our horses break down so young. And even though there are many organizations that adopt and tend to retired racehorses, we need to invest in more care for these animals that we breed so they might entertain us. But first, end the slaughter. MONTAGNE: The comments of Frank Deford, senior contributing writer at Sports Illustrated. He joins us each Wednesday from member station WSHU in Fairfield, Connecticut. (END OF COMMENTARY ON MORNING EDITION)
ROME'S UNPRECEDENTED PET ORDINANCE - LA TIMES AND OP-ED BY INGRID NEWKIRK, MYRTLE BEACH SUN NEWS 11/9/05 Last month, Rome, Italy, introduced a new Ordinance which made news worldwide. It is covered in the Wednesday, November 9, Los Angeles Times in an article headed, "Rome's Pet Ordinance Has Tails and Tongues Wagging; Rules aimed at protecting animals' rights are praised by activists, but can the city really enforce them?" We learn that in Rome, goldfish can no longer be confined to bowls. They are "entitled to a proper, full-sized aquarium, and they can no longer be given out as contest prizes." And "In addition to affording protection for fish, the measure requires dog owners to walk their canines daily or face a $625 fine. It also bans the display of pets for sale in store windows, and gives legal recognition to Rome's famous 'gattare', the 'cat ladies' who feed an army of strays. Also forbidden: choke and electrical collars and, for dogs and cats, declawing and the clipping of tails and ears for cosmetic reasons." The article tells us that activists express reservations about enforcement -- always an issue with animal protection laws. But we read that Christian Bedini, from Rome's animal rights office "said enforcement will rely more on education than police action." Indeed, just having such laws on the books are a way of letting citizens know that society considers certain treatment to be unacceptable. The laws will not easily stop people intent on abusing animals but will certainly influence the behavior of those who have no wish to do the wrong thing, for example those, in Rome, who might not previously have considered the cruelty of a goldfish bowl, or cosmetic surgery for pets. You'll find the whole article on line at: Los Angeles Times The story presents a great opportunity for letters encouraging similar legislation in the United States. The Los Angeles Times takes letters at The story is also on the websites of the following papers: Sydney Morning Herald, Australia eTaiwan News, Taiwan Salt Lake Tribune, UT Canton Repository, OH New York Newsday, NY The Register-Guard, Oregon Newark Star Ledger, NJ Seattle Times, WA You'll find links to the story in above papers at: http://tinyurl.com/7cmvy If one of the above is your local paper, please consider writing a quick letter to your editor. If you have any trouble finding the correct address for a letter to your editor, don't hesitate to ask me for help. And I am always happy to edit letters. Finally, the Myrtle Beach Sun News (SC) website has an opinion piece on our treatment of animals by Ingrid Newkirk. It uses the new Rome law as a jump-off point and addresses many issues beautifully. I will paste it below. The paper takes letters at opinions@thesunnews.com and advises, "Because The Sun News verifies all letters before publication, writers should include their names, addresses and daytime and evening phone numbers. Letters will be edited for clarity and length. Priority will be given to letters that are 150 or fewer words..." The paper avoids publishing "Letters published in other publications" and "Copies of letters sent to someone else." Here is the piece: --------- Animal treatment reflects on country INGRID NEWKIRK While some residents of the last hurricanes were abandoning their dogs and cats as if they were candy wrappers and some rescuers were threatening to leave even sick and old people behind unless they disentangled themselves from their beloved dogs, legislators in Rome were deliberating a bill, which has just passed, that affords proper respect even to pet fish. Now, if you live in Italy, you may face a hefty fine if you keep a goldfish in a small bowl, fail to provide the dog with a decent walk three times a day, use an electric-shock collar or declaw a cat. Why are we such laggards in the U.S.? Americans have access to the same scientific data as the Italians, so we certainly should be aware of studies showing that fish have long-term memories, communicate to each other and have chums and enemies, as well as likes and dislikes. Common sense tells us it can't be easy for a dog to be left alone, crossing his legs, for 12 hours a day. Our own veterinarians should be warning us that electric-shock collars hurt and that declawing involves cutting off the phalanges, the muscle and flesh, at the joint on each "finger," not just the nail. Italians are now expected to understand these facts and follow the law. Offenders face fines of 50 to 500 euros, which is enough to make most people pay attention, even if they would have ignored the fish circling the bowl and the dog scratching the door. The Times of London quotes Monica Cirinna, the city councilor responsible for animal welfare, as saying: "The civilization of a city can be measured by the way it looks after its pets. It is good to do whatever we can for our pets, who fill our existence with their attention in exchange for a little love." Before Italy began debating the rights of animals, Germany changed its constitution to recognize other species. In 2002, the German Parliament amended the constitutional clause obliging the state to respect and protect the dignity of humans to include animals. Yet in the U.S., it's often a monumental battle to pass far less advanced laws, such as banning or restricting the chaining of dogs and mandatory spay/neuter ordinances to reduce the euthanasia rate. The only law protecting animals in laboratories and on factory farms, the Animal Welfare Act, specifically excludes mice and chickens, the two species most commonly used for experimentation and food, respectively. Lawyers who have sought the right to sue on behalf of abused animals have seen their cases dismissed time after time for decades. In the eyes of the American legal system, animals are property and their value is based solely on monetary worth. Legally, a monkey in a laboratory has no intrinsic value as a living being. Her worth is determined on what her captors can do to her and what that might tell them. A pharmaceutical company may shove a tube up her nose, pump chemicals into her stomach every day for eight weeks and then kill and dissect her. If they do, the monkey is "valuable" in the eyes of the company and the law. If the monkey's sinus is ruptured by misapplication of the tube and the monkey is left to suffer, untreated for days, until a lab technician gets authorization to destroy her, the monkey has no value. An undercover investigator on my staff documented this last year at a large pharmaceutical testing laboratory, yet People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals cannot legally sue on behalf of this monkey, who was a living, breathing, feeling, thinking being who never knew a moment's joy in life, and died in great pain. Surely a country as progressive as America can extend respect and some legal rights to animals. This concept is not about radical change. It's about basic human decency. Contact Newkirk, president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, at 501 Front St., Norfolk, VA 23510. (END OF MYRTLE BEACH SUN NEWS PIECE.)
GALVESTON DAILY NEWS PIECE ON ETHICS OF PRIMATE TESTING 11/9/05 On October 16, and article in the Galveston Daily News explored the possible use of primates in testing at the University of Texas Medical Branch. See http://galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=28a66d5118966c23 for that October 16 article. On Wednesday, November 9, the paper ran something like a counter piece, by Gayle Dean, opening with the same words but pointing to the institutional cruelty of animal testing. I will paste it below. Please send supportive letters to the editor. The Galveston Daily News takes letters at http://www.galvestondailynews.com/letter.lasso +++ Animal exploiters should be held accountable By Gayle Dean Published November 9, 2005 http://galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=53a32dcac7649ceb When the Galveston National Laboratory opens in 2008, it will find itself in the middle of growing controversy over the use of animals for medical research. Cities and universities, lured by promises of money, seem eager to welcome animal research labs, despite the recent investigations that have exposed the cruelty going on behind closed doors in facilities across the country. Recently, the U.S. Department of Agriculture charged the University of California in San Francisco with 75 animal abuse violations and assessed more than $90,000 in fines — the largest ever imposed for animal abuse. The animals fare no better when the dirty work is farmed out. This spring, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals went public with an undercover investigation inside a lab, a biomedical research company that documented shocking abuse of monkeys. The university settled by paying the fines without admitting responsibility. The company went to court, trying to suppress the evidence and silence the whistleblower. This is typical damage-control strategy for animal-exploiters: When caught red-handed, they suppress the evidence, pretend the abuses are isolated incidents or, as in the University of California case, simply deny the abuse, pay the fines and carry on business as usual. Meanwhile, the heroic whistleblowers risk lawsuits and prosecution. Animal exploiters all insist, of course, that their policy is to treat animals humanely. But this is simply industry propaganda. For example, although the company claims to treat animals with “care and respect,” a judge viewing the evidence called the difference between the company’s claim and the reality “a comparison between two different worlds.” As Matthew Scully, former assistant and speechwriter for George W. Bush, wrote, our cruelty statutes “address mostly random or wanton acts of cruelty. And the persistent animal-welfare questions of our day center on institutional cruelties on the vast and systematic mistreatment of animals that most of us never see.” Ultimately, the responsibility for institutional cruelty falls squarely upon us. When large companies deny abuse in the face of incontrovertible evidence and go to court to silence the whistleblowers, when major universities deny responsibility for abuse, all the while paying the fines — we must ask ourselves some serious questions. Do we really want to accept the idea that businesses and universities can engage in immoral and illegal practices, and when caught red-handed, simply pay the fines and write it all off as just another cost of doing business? If so, then surely we have degenerated as individuals and as a society. +++ Gayle Dean is a resident of Jacksonville, Fla. (END OF GALVESTON DAILY NEWS PIECE)
EDMONTON JOURNAL FRONT PAGE ON RODEO LAUGHS -- 11/10/05 The Thursday, November 10, edition of the Edmonton Journal has a front page story headed,"So a cow walks into a barn ...: It's not standup, or fall-down, comedy, but there's lots of laughs in the rodeo ring." I will paste it below. Interestingly, on the same day, the paper has run a letter from a reader headed, "Watching animals in pain is not 'entertainment'." Unfortunately that letter is not on front page. (I will paste it, too, below.) However, the letters page is one of the most read sections of many papers, so your letters matter. Please respond to Dan Barnes's article. A great source of information on rodeos is SHARK's website, www.RodeoCruelty.com The Edmonton Journal takes letters at letters@thejournal.canwest.com Always include your full name, address, and phone number when sending a letter to the editor. Here is the front page piece: Edmonton Journal (Alberta) November 10, 2005 Thursday NEWS; Dan Barnes; Pg. A1 So a cow walks into a barn ...: It's not standup, or fall-down, comedy, but there's lots of laughs in the rodeo ring Dan Barnes, The Edmonton Journal The Canadian Finals Rodeo can be as serious as a sharp horn in the groin. Every cowboy has a war story to tell and most of them are true. Broken legs, broken dreams, that sort of thing. But let's face it, rodeo smells funny. It looks funny. It even sounds funny. Take the stock, for starters. They're not just horses and bulls. The worst of them are crow hoppers, dinks, Buffords, bloopers, floaters, hat blenders, head hunters, honkers, hogs, loungers and sunfishers; colourful cowboy vernacular for animals that just don't buck the way you want them to buck. My favourite moniker is the union animal, the one that bucks for eight seconds and quits as soon as the horn goes. Probably takes all of its sick days, too. The stock has funny names. Erotic Margie is a bareback. Of course. One of the events has a funny name. In tie-down roping, the cowboy sits aboard his trusty steed in something called the box. The tie-down is next to him in a chute. The tie-down starts running for daylight like a small, four-legged animal. Like a miniature version of a cow. You know, like a calf. The cowboy rides his horse after the tie-down while fashioning a lariat with his rope. Before you know it the tie-down is tied up, lying on its side in the dirt, the cowboy is back on his horse and the animal activists are none the wiser because no calves were involved in this event. Wink, wink. The rodeo clown is also a funny animal. He wears outlandish clothes. He says crazy things. He paints his face. He wears over-sized shorts. But he's not an NBA player. His job is to make fun of the cowboys who are doing their serious jobs, riding sunfishers and head hunters in order to scrape up enough money for a new truck. Or an old girlfriend. The rodeo clown is not to be confused with the bullfighters. They wear outlandish clothes. They paint their faces. But they're not teenage girls. They're grown men who step into the arena during the bull-riding event. They are there to distract the bull from its duty: Killing the bull rider. The bullfighters don't think that's funny at all. "You gotta definitely take it seriously because your opponent has the ability to take you out," said bullfighter T.J. Baird. Not on a date. On a stretcher. Most of the cowboys protected by the bullfighters are honest, hard-working, tough as nails guys named Rocky, Todd, Rod, Dusty, Ty and Billy. If you've been to the CFR before, you know that. What you might not know is they find humour where others wince. "The most funny thing I ever see," began bareback rider Roger Lacasse, "is a bull rider after he got bucked off. He went about 15 feet in the air, the bullfighter got underneath him, and the cowboy landed with his legs spread apart on the bullfighter's head. "The bullfighter got a sore neck. The cowboy got a sore butt or something." The cowboy, it turns out, was Lacasse himself, who used to ride bulls. His "or something" was sore for a couple of days. But he still thought the incident was hilarious. Former saddle bronc rider Duane Daines told a story on himself too. He was a rookie on a rank beast at a California rodeo back in the day. "He bucked me off so hard I was knocked out. I opened my eyes and was seeing about a million flashbulbs going off. But pride makes you get up, you know. So I got up and was trying to pick my hat up. But I seen about five of them. So I was walking around in circles trying to pick one of them up. I could hear everyone at the chutes laughing, because they knew I wasn't really hurt." Nobody laughs when there's a cowboy down in the dirt, not moving. But every cowboy who falls off a beast he should ride and damages only his pride is fair game. "You don't make fun of getting hurt," said bareback rider Kyle Bowers. "But nine out of 10 times when you get bucked off you don't get hurt. And when your buddy gets bucked off one of the easiest horses in the pen, then people will laugh. All you can do is laugh at yourself. It's a big joke. It's not a very funny joke because you're not getting paid and you fell on your butt. You just gotta laugh at it and go to the next one." Barrel racer Sierra Stoney has been to plenty of rodeos and she laughs every time she sees a steer wrestler catch a horn and rip his Wranglers. "They're walking back with their hands covering themselves up. That's funny." That's rodeo. dbarnes@thejournal.canwest.com ---- And here is a letter to the editor from Laurie Young November 10, 2005 Thursday LETTERS; Pg. A17 Watching animals in pain is not 'entertainment' It is the time of year that I am ashamed to be an Edmontonian. The rodeo is in town and there's a run on animal cruelty. Electric prods, spurs, and bucking straps are used to irritate and enrage animals used in rodeos. The flank or "bucking" strap or rope used to make horses and bulls buck is tightly cinched around their abdomens, which causes the animals to buck vigorously to try to rid themselves of the torment, which is what the rodeo promoters want the animals to do in order to put on a good show for the crowds. The flank strap, when paired with spurring, causes the animals to buck even more violently, often resulting in serious injuries. Former animal control officers have found burrs and other irritants placed under the flank strap. In addition, the flank strap can cause open wounds and burns from when the hair is rubbed off and the skin is chafed raw. It saddens and astounds me that people find this entertaining. I wonder what is coming next -- puppy tossing? What a cruel city we live in. Laurie Young, Edmonton (END OF EDMONTON JOURNAL PIECES)
MIAMI HERALD FRONT PAGE ON PLIGHT OF WILDLIFE POST HURRICANE WILMA 11/10/05 The following article, from the front page of the Thursday, November 10, Miami Herald, closes with this welcome line: "They're homeless and trying to get by just like we are. We have to live with them and respect them.'' You can send an appreciative letter to the editor at http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/contact_us/feedback_np1/ The Miami Herald November 10, 2005 Thursday A; Pg. 1 Scattered wildlife draws too close for comfort; Animals in South Florida are facing the same housing plight that people are facing after Hurricane Wilma -- no place to stay. TODD WRIGHT, twright@herald.com Armed with a flashlight, hand mirror, and ladder, animal trapper Corey Holender tried to evict a tiny tenant from a three-bedroom Miramar home. The unwanted houseguest, an opossum the size of a small dog, snuck into the house through a hole that Hurricane Wilma punched in the roof. Much to homeowner Alessandra Bond's dismay, the marsupial has been squatting in the ceiling above the master bathroom for several days. ''My roof is caving in. My house is a mess and we just got power,'' said Bond, watching cautiously as Holender tried to capture her new roommate. ''I love animals more than anything, but this is too much. I have enough problems,'' she said. Hurricane Wilma left behind a growing number of problems for homeowners, like Bond, already hit with power outages, roof damages and a ruined landscape. Now, piles of curbside debris and holes in roofs and porches have become inviting, temporary lodging for wildlife in search of new sleeping quarters after having their tree homes destroyed. An auto-body shop's garage makes a good home for burrowing owls. Attics are comfortable spots for iguanas. Raccoons, usually seen scurrying into the nearest bush as humans approach, have been caught napping in doorways. Mice, rats and other rodents seem to prefer setting up housekeeping in the mounds of debris. Yards have become a happy hunting ground for hawks, vultures and snakes. FREE HOTEL ''There are a lot of displaced animals out there and your home is just as good a place as any for them to live in,'' said Gary Curto, a supervisor at Fort Lauderdale's Wildlife Care Center. ``It's like a free hotel room.'' Although more wild animals are surfacing in neighborhoods, people are in little danger, he said. ''Nothing is going to be jumping out of the wood pile,'' he said. ``Most animals, when given the opportunity to leave, will always leave.'' But the situation could become worse if debris piles are left standing and vacant buildings are not patched up quickly, Curto said. THIRTY ANIMALS A DAY After Hurricane Katrina in September, the Wildlife Care Center was admitting about 150 displaced and injured wild animals a day, mostly babies. The center is averaging about 30 animals per day after Wilma, Curto said. The hurricane also may have affected the flight pattern of migrating birds, which has made for good bird-watching for people and harrowing times for pets. Baltimore orioles, woodpeckers and warblers all have been spotted in neighborhoods across Broward since the storm, Curto said. Normally, the birds would be on their way farther south. Curto said his center has received calls about red-tailed and red-shouldered hawks attacking birds in backyards and eyeing the family poodle or cat from telephone wires. ''Until we get some of our canopy back, we are going to hear about a lot of animals moving close to people,'' Curto said. "They're homeless and trying to get by just like we are. We have to live with them and respect them.'' (END OF HERALD ARTICLE)
ARMY RESERVE CAPTAIN RESCUES DOG FROM IRAQ-- CBS EVENING NEWS 11/11/05 "TONIGHT ON THE CBS EVENING NEWS .... "And finally, Army Reserve Captain John Smathers befriended a stray puppy while serving in Iraq. He named him Scout and the two kept each other company for a year. But, when Smathers was seriously injured and flown home for medical care…Scout was left behind. Smathers spent months emailing troops looking for Scout. And tonight, Richard Schlesinger brings us the happy ending to Smathers' final mission." CBS Evening News airs at 6:30pm in many markets, but check your local listings. If you enjoy the piece, please send comments to CBS after it airs. Positive feedback for animal friendly coverage is invaluable. CBS Evening News takes comments at evening@cbsnews.com Note: If you miss the story, CBS Evening News has an online edition you
can watch on the website, which may include it. (As I send this out the
Wednesday edition is still up, but the Thursday edition should be up later
tonight.) You can watch on line at http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/eveningnews/main3420.shtml
CBS's '60 MINUTES' ON ANIMAL LIBERATION FRONT AND EARTH LIBERATION FRONT 11/13/05 This Sunday, November 13, CBS's "60 Minutes" will air a piece titled, "Eco-Terror's Growing Threat." The web promo for the piece is at http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/11/10/60minutes/main1036067.shtml I will paste the text below, but the site also includes a two minute video interview with correspondent Ed Bradley about the upcoming piece. The piece apparently focuses on two activists, Rod Coronado, who has been convicted of arson, but who stresses his opposition to violence against people, and Dr Jerry Vlasak, who does not voice that opposition, and says that non human animals should be saved "by any means necessary." Given that the animal rights movement includes millions of advocates who are opposed to violence, it is unfortunate that the piece does not appear to include the voices of those who wish to see radical change in the way human society treats other animals but who do not support violent means. It is vital that '60 Minutes' hears from those viewers. Watch the piece if you can, and if you do not feel that it fairly representatives the animal rights movement, please let the show know. You may also suggest that '60 Minutes' run a piece that focuses not on the radical violent fringe of the animal rights movement but on the issues themselves, that attract so many people, mostly law abiding, to the cause. 60 Minutes takes comments at: 60m@cbsnews.com Yours and the animals', Karen Dawn Here is the '60 Minutes' promo: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (CBS) Despite racking up over $100 million in damages using arson and sabotage, environmental and animal rights extremists still haven’t stopped Americans from driving gas-guzzling SUVs, developing pristine land or conducting animal research. Now, some of the extremists say it’s time to start killing people to make their point. 60 Minutes correspondent Ed Bradley reports on extremist groups collectively known as eco-terrorists, which the FBI says are now the biggest domestic terror threat, this Sunday, Nov. 13, at 7 p.m. ET/PT. A spokesman for extreme animal rights groups believes killing humans is justified. “I think people who torture innocent beings should be stopped,” says Dr. Jerry Vlasak, a California trauma surgeon. “If they won’t stop when you ask them nicely, they don’t stop when you demonstrate to them what they’re doing is wrong, then they should be stopped using whatever means are necessary.” Though Vlasak wouldn’t kill any researchers himself, he hopes others will use "whatever means necessary" to stop the use of animals in experiments. The FBI thinks that scenario is possible. “There have been multiple statements made regarding assassinations and or killing of individuals involved in…biomedical research and that kind of thing,” says John E. Lewis, deputy assistant director for counter terrorism at the FBI. The bureau is actively investigating more than 150 crimes claimed by groups like the Animal Liberation Front or its spin-off, the Earth Liberation Front. Individuals claiming to represent these groups have incinerated SUVS, fire-bombed buildings and released lab animals, destroying decades of invaluable research over the last 15 years. In its largest act, the ELF burned down a nearly-completed $23 million apartment complex near San Diego to protest urban sprawl. The question of violence is causing a rift in the movement. ALF and ELF members who use arson claim to be non-violent, saying they are simply destroying property. Rod Coronado, a former ALF cell leader who served jail time for arson, says, “For every arson that I’ve carried out, there’s probably three or four not carried out for that fear of injuring someone.” Dr. Vlasak disagrees, saying the use of arson while espousing a no-harm-to-humans rule is “disingenuous.” “We have to look at what works,” he tells Bradley. The FBI is afraid that a “lone wolf” member of these loosely-organized groups will do something to up the ante. They have identified one suspect who may be just such a threat. Daniel Andreas San Diego, a 27-year-old fugitive from San Rafael, Calif., is suspected of planting three bombs late at night near two companies targeted by animal rights groups. In the first case, a second bomb was deliberately set to go off an hour after the first – a method used to kill or injure first responders like police, firemen and medics. The third bomb, detonated a few weeks later, was strapped with nails. Asks the FBI’s Lewis, “Why does someone build an improvised explosive device with shrapnel if they are not intending to cause someone grievous harm, if not worse?” (END OF 60 MINUTES PROMO PIECE)
ATLANTA AQUARIUM IN USA TODAY AND JOURNAL CONSTITUTION, AND ZOO ELEPHANTS IN WASHINGTON POST 11/14/05 Today, Monday, November 14, we see various stories in the major media on the use of animals in entertainment. The travel section of USA Today has a piece headed, "World's largest, 'most unique' aquarium set to open in Atlanta." The Atlanta Journal and Constitution has an opinion piece by HSUS's Naomi Rose headed, "Whales, dolphins don't belong in tanks." And a Washington Post piece asks, "Are Zoos Good Homes for Elephants?" The USA Today article, "World's largest, 'most unique' aquarium set to open in Atlanta," tells us: "When the aquarium, bankrolled almost exclusively by a $200 million gift from Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus, opens Nov. 23, it will officially become the world's largest by virtually all major standards." The article discusses the size of the aquarium and then mentions its most controversial occupants: "Also featured will be five beluga whales, two of them rescued from an amusement park in Mexico, that will take up residence in an 800,000-gallon tank." There is an interesting section about Bernie Marcus: "Listed by the Chronicle of Philanthropy as one of the nation's largest charitable donors, Marcus says his Jewish faith teaches that those who have enjoyed financial fortune should give back to their community. "'This is a legacy my family can leave to the state,' said Marcus, who initially planned to be the sole sponsor, but eventually took on corporate sponsors to expand the aquarium's offerings even further. Plus, he said: 'This is a lot more meaningful to me than a yacht.'" And we learn, "Marcus became part of an emotional fight over an Atlanta ordinance banning panhandling in downtown's tourism district when he wrote a letter in support of the plan. Advocates for the homeless called the plan, which was approved in September, discriminatory." The article opens the door to letters on the cruelty of holding marine mammals captive for human entertainment, an argument Naomi Rose makes beautifully in the piece I will cite below. Further, there are those in the animal protection movement who have pointed to the strong Jewish tradition of kindness to animals, which is spelled out in various parts of the Bible. Those who write on that issue may wish to address it in response to this article which makes much of the Jewish tradition of philanthropy, but ignores the suffering of the whales. You'll find the full article on line at http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2005-11-14-atlanta-aquarium_x.htm USA Today takes letters at http://asp.usatoday.com/marketing/feedback/feedback-online.aspx?type=18 Naomi Rose's piece in the Monday, November 14, Atlanta Journal and Constitution, headed, "Whales, dolphins don't belong in tanks" tells us that two of the beluga whales to be exhibited were originally captured from the wild in Russia. She explains that the Atlanta aquarium is bucking a national trend, as "New aquariums in the United States have rejected proposals for cetacean exhibits since the early 1990s and only two existing facilities have added them. In the same period, at least 10 cetacean exhibits have closed." In her final paragraphs she challenges the idea that such exhibits are educational, or acceptable: "That such display is educational has simply been repeated endlessly over the decades, perhaps since P.T. Barnum first put a beluga in a small box filled with water as a side show exhibit. The beluga, of course, died soon after. "In fact, no one has looked objectively to assess the educational value of marine mammal exhibits. Just as in 'The Emperor's New Clothes,' observers don't examine the 'facts' too closely. Public display facilities ask their visitors if they find wildlife exhibits to be educational, and the visitors, satisfied after an enjoyable day watching animals behind Plexiglas, respond with an enthusiastic 'Yes!' But the pollsters rarely ask, 'So, what did you learn at the aquarium today?' "The Georgia Aquarium is a state-of-the-art facility, and its belugas and other novel exhibits, like the whale sharks, will get the best care possible in captivity. But the question more people in the world are beginning to ask — and more members of the media should be asking — is: 'Is this best care good enough?' "Barnum had an excuse for his cruelty — he didn't know any better and he was just out for a buck. This comparison to a 19th-century huckster will undoubtedly offend the Georgia Aquarium, but the fact remains that although the box is definitely bigger and better designed, compared to the ocean and from the perspective of an intelligent mammal, it is still just a box." You can read the full piece on line at: http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/1105/14edwhale.html Please send appreciative and supportive letters to the editor at http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/letters/sendletter.html The Monday, November 14, Washington Post piece, headed "Arthritis Case Adds to Debate: Are Zoos Good Home for Elephants?" (Pg B4) opens: "An ailing elephant at the National Zoo is giving a local focus to a growing debate about whether zoos offer a suitable environment for elephants, particularly if the animals are often confined to small spaces. "Toni, one of four Asian elephants at the animal park, is receiving treatment for arthritis in her legs. The zoo said in September that if the condition worsens, she might have to be euthanized -- a possibility that has prompted two animal rights groups to push to have Toni moved to an elephant sanctuary, where she would have more room to exercise and be on softer ground." However the Post reports that the zoo's new director, John Berry, said in an interview last week, "We're nowhere near that worst-case scenario. All the discussion and plans now are on her care and keeping her happy and healthy." We read, "Toni, 39, came to the National Zoo in 1989 from Scranton, Pa., where she lived alone in a decrepit concrete enclosure and was afraid to step on dirt. She suffered an injury there to her left front leg, causing her to walk stiffly and stand awkwardly. The zoo's staff helped Toni learn to socialize with the other elephants, encouraged her to swim in the elephant yard pool and nursed her through kidney problems in 2001. Barthel said the leg injury caused Toni's arthritis. "Berry said a sanctuary is not the answer for Toni, who needs constant medical care. He does not want to separate her from the only elephants she has known, and he said experts have told him that Toni probably would not survive being trucked to Tennessee." "Elephants, who can live into their sixties, typically walk 30 miles a day in the wild in search of food. Captive elephants often develop foot problems and arthritis. There are about 150 Asian elephants and 150 African elephants in zoos in North America, though some zoos, particularly those in colder climates, have been reevaluating whether they should exhibit them because of insufficient exercise space in winter. The Detroit Zoo recently transferred its two elephants to a sanctuary in California. "Carol Buckley, who co-founded the Tennessee sanctuary in 1995, said she has seen dramatic improvements in arthritic elephants brought to the 2,700-acre complex. The sanctuary, she said, has the equipment to successfully move even ailing elephants long distances. Without the move, she and other advocates for animals said, Toni's condition will worsen and she will face a premature death." Though one might argue about whether a move for Toni would now be beneficial, there seems little doubt that it would have been far better for her to go from the zoo in Pennsylvania to a sanctuary, and that zoos, which simply cannot provide enough space for elephants, should not be housing them. You'll find more information on that issue, including specific information on Toni, at www.SaveZooElephants.com. You can read about Carol Buckley's animal sanctuary at www.Elephants.com The full Washington Post article is on line at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/13/AR2005111301152.html The Washington Post takes letters at letters@washpost.com and advises, "Letters must be exclusive to The Washington Post, and must include the writer's home address and home and business telephone numbers." Shorter letters to the editor are more likely to be published. Thank
you for taking a few minutes to send a letter on behalf of those who
cannot.
KATRINA STORIES IN NEW YORK TIMES, HOUSTON CHRONICLE, CHICAGO TRIBUNE, MSNBC, ANIMAL PLANET AND PBS -- NOVEMBER 2005 The Katrina animal disaster is also much in the news today, Monday, November 14. The New York Times has a large story on the wealth of donations to animal groups. The Chicago Tribune, almost sadly ironical, has a story telling us that Jane Garrison is still desperate for volunteers. Friday's (Nov 11) Houston Chronicle had a front page story also on the Katrina animal donations. And a recent story on the MSNBC website pointed to the continuing trauma caused by FEMA's no-pet policies, for example no-pet polices in the mobile homes FEMA has provided for those that the hurricanes have left homeless. This alert also notes specials coming up on Animal Planet and PBS. The New York Times story is headed, "An Outpouring for Other Victims, the Four-Legged Kind." (Pg F.24) It opens: "While the outpouring of donations for the human victims of Hurricane Katrina was overwhelming, even more remarkable were the tens of millions raised to help their pets. "The Humane Society of the United States received the largest amount, more than $20 million, said Wayne Pacelle, the society's president and chief executive. 'It was off the charts,' he said. "Other animal welfare groups also generated large sums. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals took in $13 million, and the American Humane Association received $1.6 million, although neither group's main mission is disaster response. Another group, Noah's Wish, which was founded three years ago to serve that purpose, raised $5 million. "Terri Crisp, the founder and director of Noah's Wish, said that the news media's intense focus on animals for the six-week-long duration of the rescue effort was critical in galvanizing sympathetic donors. Typically, she said, animals are stranded for just a few days, far less time to win public attention. '''Anytime they would see a dog on a roof, people's hearts went out, and they just wanted to make sure they got help,' Ms. Crisp said." On that note, I send a whole-hearted thank you to anybody who sent a note to the media asking for coverage of the animal issue, or in appreciation when they saw animal coverage. You made a difference. The article discusses the "range of purposes" on which HSUS used the money. You can read the whole article on line at: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/14/giving/14animal.html The Houston Chronicle's Friday, November 11 story on the same topic, headed, "Faces of Fido, Fluffy stirred folks to give" can be found on line at http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/special/05/katrina/3453906 The paper takes letters at viewpoints@chron.com and has a fun and informative page about its letters policy at: http://webadv.chron.com/ads/ads_i/insidestory/your_letter.html The Monday November 14 Chicago Tribune piece, by Maureen Ryan, headed, "More dog days in New Orleans" plugs an Animal Planet special that will air on November 26 and also advertises the continuing need for volunteers in New Orleans. It is brief, so I will paste it here: "On 'Animal Planet Heroes: Hurricane Reunions,' a big, burly resident of New Orleans recounts how he had to leave his dog behind when he escaped the flooded city. In the middle of his story, he stops. Tears come; the memory is too painful. "There's a happy ending to this tale; he was reunited with his beloved dog on the special, which airs Nov. 26. "Readers may be amazed to learn animals are still being rescued in New Orleans, where thousands were made homeless by the storm. "'Just last week, we rescued a cat named Tigger,' says one of the special's stars, Jane Garrison, an animal rescuer who has been in the city for two months. 'The cat was between the floorboards and the insulation. These animals have such an incredible will to live.' "Though 9,000 animals have been rescued in New Orleans, the task of rescuing and feeding the thousands of animals that are still homeless is 'daunting,' Garrison says. "'These animals can't even find a drop of rain to quench their thirst. We have to do food drops to keep them alive, but the volunteer base has dropped drastically,' Garrison says. She refers anyone who wants to help to www.animalrescueneworleans.com. (END OF TRIBUNE PIECE) The situation in New Orleans changes frequently, with recent reports suggesting that the state is blocking animal rescuers. However Jane's site gives contact information for volunteer coordinators who will be abreast of the situation and can tell you how you can shore up that drastically dropping volunteer base. A piece on the MSNBC.com website, headed, "Shaggy survivors hanging on after Katrina -- Rescuers are still finding pets — starving but alive — in New Orleans" describes the desperate state of the animals still alive in New Orleans. In describing the plight of a Vietnam veteran who hopes to be reunited with his dogs who were rescued by 'Best Friends,' (www.BestFriends.org ) the article gives us important information about FEMA policy, as related by Michael Mountain, president of Best Friends: "Gary is going to be getting or may already have a mobile home from FEMA, but they have one of those no-pets rules, so he can’t take the dogs back at this point. We'll be hanging onto his dogs until he can get out of the trailer and make other arrangements." A bill in the legislature, the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act, or PETS Act, would mandate states and municipalities to provide evacuation plans for pets and service animals in order to qualify for FEMA funding. You can find out more about that bill, and even send a letter to your representatives in support of it, at the HSUS website at https://community.hsus.org/campaign/pets_act_house/explanation and sign a petition in support of it at http://go.care2.com/e/gfO/bR/oco4 The MSNBC article suggests, however, that it is not only states' policies, but FEMA policies, that must change. You can read the full MSNBC article on line at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9900273/ At the bottom of the page is a place where you can "rate this article." High ratings from many readers will encourage more animal friendly coverage. Please take a moment to rate the story. Finally, PBS will air a special on Sunday, November 20, 8pm ET (check local listings) on Katrina Animal Rescue. You'll find the press release at: http://www.thirteen.org/pressroom/release.php?get=1778 If you enjoy the show, please make sure to thank PBS. The station takes comments at: http://www.thirteen.org/homepage/contact.html The stories cited above present opportunities for letters to the editor on various companion animal issues. You may wish to write in support of the PETS Act, or against FEMA and Red Cross "no pet" policies. Or, if reading about the attention paid to the animals affected by Katrina makes you feel for the millions of other animals who will be killed in the US this year for lack of homes, you can use these stories as jump-off points for letters to the editor on the joys of adoption and the importance of spay-neuter legislation. The New York Times takes letters at letters@nytimes.com The Houston Chronicle takes letters at viewpoints@chron.com and advises, "Letters, 250 words or less to be considered for publication, must include the name, full home address and daytime and evening telephone numbers for verification purposes only." The Chicago Tribune takes letters at http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/letters/chi-lettertotheeditor.customform I send another big thank you to all who have volunteered, and all who
have done something to encourage media attention on the animals and the
families that are devastated by their loss, and to those who write letters
on behalf of the companion animals currently awaiting death in shelters.
USA TODAY ON EFFECT OF UK FOX HUNT BANS -- 11/16/05 The Wednesday, November 16, edition of USA Today has an interesting article headed, "British hunters bristle under new fox rules; Restrictions on hounds don't keep prey from being killed, and alternatives more cruel, some say." (Pg 6A) It tells us: "Though hunters no longer can legally allow their hounds to tear apart a fox, they can trail hunt: Hounds follow the scent of fox, laid down along a trail through the countryside, instead of the real thing. The scent comes from water in which a dead fox, caught by means other than hunting, has been placed, says the Countryside Alliance, a lobby group fighting to overturn the ban. The law also allows hunters to use dogs to flush a fox from cover, but only if a bird of prey, such as a golden eagle or a hawk, accompanies the hunters to carry out the kill. Other regulations allow the killing of rabbits, but not hares." A hunter is quoted: "There's more foxes killed in a worse way. If you see a fox torn to pieces by a hawk, it's far more cruel." And we read "The ban does allow hunters to shoot foxes after they have been flushed out by two hounds. About 21,000-25,000 foxes are killed by hunts annually, and 70,000-80,000 are shot annually, says Becky Hawkes, a spokeswoman for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Britain's fox population is about 252,000 adults." And we read that, "A report the league issued in early November found that 40% of hunts have been the subject of 'credible allegations' of illegal activity since the new law went into effect. There have been no public prosecutions so far, according to the Crown Prosecution Service. The article points to some of the dangers inherent in trying to make a difference to the treatment of animals by banning specific activities rather than addressing society's attitude as a whole. But, on the other hand, bans, even if they can be evaded, send a message that types of behavior are repugnant to society, so bans can be part of a paradigm shift. The article opens the door for letters to the editor about hunting, or any animal cruelty for the purpose of human entertainment, or on the broader issue of how human society treats members of other species. You can read the whole article on line at http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-11-15-fox-hunt_x.htm USA Today takes letters at http://asp.usatoday.com/marketing/feedback/feedback-online.aspx?type=18
CANADA'S NATIONAL POST ON SOLOMON ISLANDS DOLPHINS -- 11/16/05 National Post November 16, 2005 All but Montreal & Toronto Edition Pg. A7 Canadian in hot water over quest to export dolphins: Plan to ship 40 bottlenoses to Bahamas resort Randy Boswell, CanWest News Service
A controversial Canadian is at the centre of an uproar over reported plans to export 40 bottlenose dolphins from the South Pacific nation of Solomon Islands to a tourist resort in the Bahamas. The governments of New Zealand and Australia have expressed their concern after an environmental group raised alarms, despite a ban imposed by Solomon Islands following a previous global furor over dolphin exports. In 2003, former Vancouver Aquarium animal trainer Christopher Porter -- who operates a captive dolphins facility in the Solomon Islands -- arranged for 30 of the mammals to be flown to a Mexican amusement park. The deal, reportedly worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, prompted a chorus of condemnation from several governments, animal rights groups and the Solomon Islands' tuna industry, which feared an international consumer backlash over dolphin exports. At the time, the British high commissioner to Solomon Islands, Brian Baldwin, described Mr. Porter as a "shadowy figure" who was using his Marine Mammal Education Centre as a "front" to make a fortune by selling captured Pacific dolphins -- at up to US$30,000 each -- to private zoos around the world. Critics argued the Mexican sale violated international treaties protecting wildlife. The Solomon Islands government denied such claims. But under international pressure it said it would halt dolphin exports, and Mexico banned further imports. This week, however, the World Society for Protection of Animals revealed details of another planned shipment of 40 dolphins from the open-air sea pens at Mr. Porter's remote Gavutu Island centre to a Bahamian water park. New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark and Australian diplomats immediately asked the Solomon Islands government for assurances its ban on dolphin exports is still in place. Although the islands' government has since stated that the ban remains in effect, some officials there are also said to be considering a new export application from Mr. Porter. At the same time, officials in the Bahamas were confirming plans to import 40 dolphins from the Solomon Islands and defending their right to allow tourism developer Kerzner International to use the animals in a "swim with the dolphins" attraction in the Caribbean nation. "We are not too concerned about these animal rights activists because if you listen to them, quite frankly, you would not catch a fish to eat, or you would not cut down a tree to build a house," the country's fisheries minister, Alfred Gray, told the Bahamas Journal. Mr. Porter came under fire two years ago after orchestrating the capture of about 100 dolphins off the Solomon Islands in what has been described as one of the largest roundups of the creatures to ever take place. The two groups of dolphins sold came from that catch. Although dolphins are plentiful in the region and even eaten, a report by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature concluded "this episode of live-capture was undertaken with little or no serious investment in assessing the conservation implications for the affected population." Critics say political instability and corruption in the Solomon Islands mean dolphins will remain at risk of being exported until Mr. Porter's colony of captives is returned to the wild. Mr. Porter, 35, has been quoted only briefly during the latest controversy, rejecting claims that dolphin exports would damage the Solomon Islands tuna industry in Europe. "We were in contact on numerous levels with EU representatives in the Solomons as well as overseas who stated this was not the case and tuna export is not related to dolphin export but to food quality," he told an Australian news agency yesterday. Officials from the Solomon Islands have previously praised Mr. Porter's desire to invest in the islands' struggling economy and to build a marine mammal attraction that would generate tourism. Julie Woodyer, Toronto-based campaign director with Zoocheck Canada, said that "as long as Porter is sitting on those dolphins" he appears to believe "he can wing this [export] through at some point." Mr. Gray, the Bahamian fisheries minister, has said: "Quite frankly, dolphins are used all over the world, including the United States, including most of the islands in the Caribbean, including most of the islands in the South Americas, for purposes related to that which Kerzner International will use the dolphins, for commercial purposes." (END OF NATIONAL POST PIECE)
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