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 UPDATES / APRIL - JUNE 2007 1) Europe's Last Dancing Bears Sheltered After Years of Abuse2) Tragic Update: Dog Cull In Chongqing3) Progress In Battle To End The Farra do Boi4) Man Who Throws Puppy On Grill Gets 3 Years In Prison5) Coca-Cola Pulls Funding For Animal Tests!6) Healthy Pets Act Passes State Assembly7) $45 Million Damage For Menu Foods8) Texas-Sized Victory For Horses9) Actress and Animal Advocate Gretchen Wyler Dies at 7510) U.S. Stops Breeding Chimps For Research11) Grimes Wins Award For Her Art Honoring Dog She Saved12) Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act Signed Into Law13) Horse Slaughter Bills Move Forward In Congress14) High School Rodeo Loses National Sponsor!
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1. Europe's Last Dancing Bears Sheltered After Years of Abuse EDITED FOR LENGTH "What was going on here was slavery," veterinary doctor Amir Khalil, who manages the Dancing Bears Park near Belitsa, told AFP. He said the bears were captured as cubs and forced to 'dance' on hot metal plates while their gypsy masters played music on their rebecs. Once fully trained, they were led around town on a chain fixed to their nose-ring and made to jig about to the sound of music. "The bears' nails were cut regularly and cutting one nail off a bear hurts like cutting a whole human finger without anaesthesia," Khalil said. His Austrian-based organisation Vier Pfoten (Four Paws), together with French animal rights activist Brigitte Bardot, founded the Dancing Bears Park in 2000 and had already taken in 22 of Bulgaria's officially registered 25 dancing bears. Misho, Svetla, and Mila were the last three to go and according to Vier Pfoten data, they were also the last of their abused kind in the whole European Union... Most dancing bears were chronically misfed, beaten and often inebriated with liquor by their gypsy owners. Two bears at the park have already died of incurable conditions and the others are slow to recover, park workers said... Once the bears arrive in Belitsa, they will be fed tomatoes, apples, pears, carrots and other fruit, as well as some bread. They will also be encouraged to search for food hidden around the park which comprises 12 hectares (30 acres) of forests and mountains, 12 caves, seven artificial ponds and a number of dens. Misho, Svetla and Mima...will never be able to live outside this artificial habitat as their natural instincts have long been suppressed by captivity. • 7/1/04: When Bears Weep: India's Forgotten Dancing Bears 2. Tragic Update: Dog Cull In Chongqing I am not sure who the the author is in this emailed update about the June dog cull in Chongqing — but based on past massacres, I do not doubt the validity of the horrible words below. While it's too late for these dogs, and some of their people who died alongside them, it is important to keep the protest alive. China continually resorts to mass slaughter as a means of rabies and population control. It is obscene, and while we cannot expect a nation with little regard for its humans, let alone animals, to care — we can shame them before the 2008 Beijing Olympics. And we can boycott Chinese goods and tourism. Bad press (and petitions from dog guardians) essentially prompted Chinese President Hu Jintao to suspend a Beijing crackdown on dogs last December. Hu's chief secretary said at the time: "Mr. Hu was unhappy about the complaints and international media coverage of the campaign, and had put a stop to the programme late last month..." EDITED FOR LENGTH Before the deadline of June 10, local government called for pet dog owners "solve" their own dogs themselves, otherwise they'll have to "help" them solve problem. Under high pressure and out of irresponsibility, many owners drown their own dogs with plastic bags with its throats tightly tied. Everyday since June 1-10, people salvaged several dozens of bodies of dogs died this way... Mr.---- has had his man shot all the process with a video. Yesterday, three volunteers he sent to take pictures saved two half dead dogs from the butcher knife of the killers. Two of them are young girls and they told the "dog killing teams" the two dogs are theirs...They have pictures of the process of dog saving. However, later when they witnessed and shot the garbage trucks with bags of bodies of killed dogs and the horrible killing instruments, one little dog's eyeball were beaten off/out... they've got a paralysis on the ground... One of the dog they saved is about 2 kg weight and was hit by thick wood stick on the head. Other major trapping and killing instruments include iron fork bamboo staff, dog clincher clip, etc. Amazing news: for the "dog killing teams", they receive 30 yuan or $4 once they killed a dog. There's a place called Guang Kou where by the end of the day, all the "dog killing teams" meet up and count on their "results of battle" and silently count how much they can earn that day. Good business for them. The "dog killing teams" members are mainly from neighborhood committee and assistant policemen and gangsters. In the countryside, before June 10th, the village committee gave each family a bag of poison and asked them to kill their dogs. Every bag of poison costs about 5 yuan or $0.7 according to M----. Ju Wei Hui - the neighborhood or residents committees - the lowest level of Chinese government, have all the list of families who have dogs. Since now almost all the stray dogs have been killed, next step would be the pet dogs. Many pet dog owners say the police don't have the right to force into any citizen's home. OK, now, they've worked out something smart - a general forage for order is ready and they can get into anybody's house now. The policy would most likely be: first, mobilize or threaten the owners to surrender their pet dogs themselves. Otherwise they won't be polite any more. They'll use any instrument they think necessary to trap and kill the dogs. A true story happened in Changshou: an elderly lady has kept her two dogs at home for so long that one day she silently opened her door hoping to walk her dogs. As soon as the dogs were out and she found everything was too late: there standing the "dog killing team". The dogs were caught and killed by the impatient team immediately. Two more true stories: A 15-16 years old Beijing girl has a pet dog whom she regards as her best friend, sister or brother. The police came to her home to take the dog away. Knowing what kind of fate is waiting for her friend, she told the policemen: if you dare to take him away, I'll jump from the roof of this building. The policemen did take her words seriously. They forced into her room and killed the dog in front of her. She cried like hell and run to the roof of her building and jumped from there... An elderly lady in Shenyang, northeast China, was on the way taking her dog to the police station to get her dog registered before the deadline. They were caught by a "dog killing team". They didn't listen to her at all and killed the dog in front of her. She has had a heart attack and slipped up on the ground. Before she died, she used her last strength try to creep/approach her dog and hold him. Their bodies can't be aparted... Let's pray for the poor souls together and may they rest in peace in heaven... Forgive me for my poor English, spelling and grammar mistakes... Many thanks! • 6/8/07: Stop China's Massacre Of Dogs • 3/12/07: Fax Protest Against Latest Dog Cull In China • 11/6/06: Beijing Dog Cull Begins 11/7. Write now and don't stop. • 8/3/06: China's Slaughter Of Innocents: 50,000+ Dogs In 5 Days • Oct. - Dec. 06 UPDATES: Chinese President Hu Jintao Halts Dog Cull 3. Progress In Battle To End The Farra do Boi Brazil's Farra do Boi takes place in over 30 coastal villages throughout Santa Catarina, where adults and children annually observe "Oxen Fun Days" with the brutal torture of several hundred oxen. Revelers armed with sticks, knives, whips, stones, bamboo lances, and ropes chase a terrified ox through the streets for three or more days of stabbing and bludgeoning. In the frenzy, participants flick pepper into the ox's eyes and often gouge them out. Partakers break the ox's horns and legs and sever his tail. World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) correspondents in Brazil have observed gasoline-soaked animals set on fire. Finally, the besieged animal is drowned in the ocean or killed and butchered for consumption. EDITED FOR LENGTH
Thanks again for the support of the Anti-Fur Society. It has been very very important for us. I don't want to cry anymore watching what those bad people do with bulls here. You can't imagine what this absurd people do to make them suffer in "farras." Best regards, Alejandro Caprario, Green & Blue World, Florianopolis - SC 
• 4/2/05: Farra do Boi - When Cruelty Poses As Custom • FACT SHEET: Tourist Beware: Bullfights & Blood Fiestas Free, 8.5 x 11, high-resolution download for your advocacy materials PLEASE DONATE toward printing our educational literature for national distribution. Your contribution helps us spread the word on essential animal cruelty/protection issues! 4. Man Who Throws Puppy On Grill Gets 3 Years In Prison EDITED FOR LENGTH 
• FACT SHEET: Animal Victims, Human Victims Free, 8.5 x 11, high-resolution download for your advocacy materials Can you help Kinship Circle recover by DONATING to the printing of our educational materials? We don't have the funding, but we do have the facts and creativity to produce uncommonly effective literature. Your donation is deeply appreciated. 5. Coca-Cola Pulls Funding For Animal Tests! EDITED FOR LENGTH Coca-Cola's senior vice president and chief innovation and technology officer, Danny Strickland, wrote to PETA on May 22, 2007: "...The Coca-Cola Company does not conduct animal tests and does not directly fund animal tests on its beverages... We are sending letters to our partners and research organizations who may conduct safety evaluations on ... ingredients insisting they use alternatives to animal testing, when such testing is both available and accepted by governments. We encourage the use of alternative testing methods whenever and wherever possible and financially support research to develop alternative methods." Strickland also wrote to PETA about a deadly physiology test on sour taste reception in rats that Coca-Cola was funding: "Recently senior management became aware research involving rats was being conducted as part of a grant we had funded at Virginia Commonwealth University to study taste reception. We have contacted the University and discontinued our funding." 
• FACT SHEET: Animal Victims, Human Victims Free, 8.5 x 11, high-resolution download for your advocacy materials Can you help Kinship Circle recover by DONATING to the printing of our educational materials? We don't have the funding, but we do have the facts and creativity to produce uncommonly effective literature. Your donation is deeply appreciated. 6. Healthy Pets Act Passes State Assembly EDITED FOR LENGTH The California Healthy Pets Act, which would mandate spaying and neutering for pets within four months of their birth, passed by a 41-38 majority in the State Assembly late Wednesday evening. AB 1634, authored by Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, D-Van Nuys, now goes to the State Senate for consideration... Supporters say the measure is needed to save money and lives. "This is a hugely serious problem," said Levine. "It's a fiscal problem and it's a humanitarian problem." Some registered breeders and service dog users could get an "intact permit" to exempt their animals from being spayed or neutered. But the permits would have fee attached, an amount established by local animal control agencies. Violators of the proposed law would be subject to a $500 fine. 
• 6/11/07: The Woman Behind The Mandatory Spay/Neuter Bill We regret this excerpt from a KC DISASTER RELIEF NEWSLETTER is not yet available online. • APRIL/MAY 2007 DIGEST: Make Model Spay/Neuter Law Reality • FACT SHEET: Dying For A Home Free, 8.5 x 11, high-resolution download for your advocacy materials PLEASE DONATE toward printing our educational literature for national distribution. Your contribution helps us spread the word on essential animal cruelty/protection issues! 7. $45 Million Damage For Menu Foods EDITED FOR LENGTH "Menu Foods has been in business in various sizes and different scales and the intent will be that we will continue to be around," Paul Henderson, the company's president and chief executive officer commented. The pet food crisis that has been tossing the company around since March 16 is expected to cost Menu Foods at least $45 million. The recall crushed Menu Foods' first-quarter results, as it reported a loss of $17.5-million on sales of $64.5-million, compared with a profit of $1.3-million on $93.9-million in sales in the first three months of 2006. In addition, the company has been confronted with a number of lawsuits against it, as well as a probe by the FDA. 
• 5/8/07: Our Companions Count - FDA Must Monitor Food • 4/25/07: Pet Food Saga Hall Of Shame • 4/14/07: PET FOOD RECALL: News, Updates, Action • 4/2/07: TOXIC FOOD - Updates And Action Against Menu Foods • FACT SHEET: IAMS Doublespeak: Experiments On Cats And Dogs Free, 8.5 x 11, high-resolution download for your advocacy materials PLEASE DONATE toward printing our educational literature for national distribution. Your contribution helps us spread the word on essential animal cruelty/protection issues! 8. Texas-Sized Victory For Horses EDITED FOR LENGTH But our fight is not over; we still need to pass a federal ban. Otherwise, our horses can still be trucked hundreds of miles to slaughterplants in Canada and Mexico where they will be cruelly butchered and their meat shipped overseas as a "delicacy" for foreign dinner tables. Please help pass the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act... • 3/29/07: 1 Horse Plant Left...And Now There Are None? • 1/29/07: Horse Slaughter Bill Renewed In 110th Congress 9. Actress and Animal Advocate Gretchen Wyler Dies at 75 EDITED FOR LENGTH Wyler created the Genesis Awards, which honors the media and entertainment industry for shining a spotlight on animal cruelty. The awards program began in 1986, and this year marked the 21st anniversary of the celebration. Known as the nation's premier consciousness-raiser for animal protection issues, the awards are bestowed by a host of celebrity presenters such as James Cromwell, Pierce Brosnan, Martin Sheen, Kelsey Grammer, Alicia Silverstone, Wendie Malick, David Hyde-Pierce, Dennis Franz and Sidney Poitier, among others. This year, the first Gretchen Wyler Award was bestowed on Paul McCartney, for a lifetime of activism for animals. Wyler's theatrical career spanned 50 years and encompassed eight Broadway shows, including the original "Guys and Dolls," "Silk Stockings," "Damn Yankees," "Bye Bye Birdie" and "Sly Fox" with George C. Scott. She was a regular on the CBS television series... She formed The Ark Trust in 1991 and ran the organization until it joined forces with The HSUS in 2002. Wyler was named Vice President of The HSUS' Hollywood Office... In lieu of flowers, Gretchen asked that donations can be sent to the Hollywood office of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSUS last year also created the Gretchen Wyler Legacy Fund, and donations and bequests may be directed to The HSUS for that fund, which supports the work of the Hollywood Office and The Genesis Awards... For more biographical information on Wyler: www.gretchenwyler.com 10. U.S. Stops Breeding Chimps For Research EDITED FOR LENGTH MONUMENTAL DECISION In a statement on its Web site, NCRR said it acknowledges the continuing importance of chimpanzees to biomedical research, but cited "fiduciary responsibilities" to maintain the health and well-being of chimpanzees already in its care... The advocacy group Project R&R: Release and Restitution for Chimpanzees in U.S. Laboratories said about 1,300 chimpanzees are currently in U.S. laboratories. Some were caught in the wild as babies in Africa while others were born in laboratories or sent from zoos, circuses and animal trainers. Theodora Capaldo, the group's executive director, said that "not only U.S. but also world sentiment is growing in support of the day when no chimpanzees will be used in laboratory research." 
• LETTER LIBRARY: Animal Experimentation • COLUMNS: Product Testing, Biomed Research, Non-Animal Tests • FACT SHEET: Vivisection - You Paid For It Free, 8.5 x 11, high-resolution download for your advocacy materials Can you help us recover by DONATING to the printing of our materials? Unlike big national groups, we simply don't have the funding, but we do have the facts and creativity to produce uncommonly effective literature. Your support is deeply appreciated. DONATE NOW 11. Grimes Wins Award For Her Art Honoring Dog She Saved EDITED FOR LENGTH Grimes, scheduled to stand jury trial in June 2007 after her arrest for helping the dog who lay chained and unable to stand, created the piece as a tribute to Doogie and all others like him suffering and dying in backyards across America. "When the Circle of Compassion Extends to All" puts forth the questions uppermost on the minds of Grimes and her supporters: "How long must we wait until the Circle of Compassion extends to ALL? How long must we wait until life is more valuable than property?" States Grimes, "I am deeply moved by the Honorable Mention for Circle of Compassion, and very thankful that the emotion put into the piece was visible and noticed. I will always be proud of coming to the aid of Doogie, and I know if he could thank me, he would. Nothing man can do to me could ever take that feeling away." ...50% of profits from sales of "When the Circle of Compassion Extends to ALL" benefit Dogs Deserve Better through June 2007. Other art sales continue to donate 20% of proceeds. Artwork viewed here: www.littlegirllooking.com/circlecompassion.html Grimes can be reached at 814-941-7447 or Tammy@littlegirllooking.com for comment, and is available for art shows, commissioned works, or interviews. Dogs Deserve Better was founded in 2002, is an international nonprofit with 150 area reps in the U.S., France, and Canada, and works to bring dogs out of the backyard into the home and family. The site can be viewed at www.dogsdeservebetter.org • Jan-March 2007 UPDATES: Free From Chains, Doogie Has Died • Oct-Dec. 2006 UPDATES: Jury Trial Set For Dogs Deserve Better Founder • Aug-Oct 2006 UPDATES: Arrested Dog Rescuer Tammy Grimes Visits One Happy Dog! • 9/29/06: 2 Charges Dropped For Grimes; No Charges For Arnolds • 9/20/06: Tammy Grimes Update: Vet Says Doogie Is Victim Of Abuse • 9/15/06: Tammy Grimes: Save A Life, Go To Jail? • 9/12/06: JAILED - SHAC 7 / Tammy Grimes, Dogs Deserve Better 12. Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act Signed Into Law EDITED FOR LENGTH Cockfighting is outlawed in every state except Louisiana, although there is mounting pressure in that state to ban the practice. Many states still have misdemeanor penalties for cockfighting. The federal law slaps felony penalties on interstate cockfighting trafficking, and this should provide an enormous deterrent for the tens of thousands of people involved in this criminal industry. The law will have a devastating impact on major breeders of fighting animals, who depend on customers from all over the United States and abroad. Dog kennels rely on transporting their fighting dogs across state lines and across the world to customers. The new law should substantially curb the transport of fighting animals across state and U.S. borders... The Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act will help end the export of fighting animals to other countries. Selling roosters to customers in the Philippines and other nations can be lucrative for American cockfighters. The new law puts increased pressure on the airlines to stop shipping roosters to cockfighting hot spots... If your state only has misdemeanor penalties, urge STATE legislators to make animal fighting a felony. Map of State Animal Fighting Laws: www.animallaw.info/articles/armpusanimalfighting.htm 
• FACT SHEET: Fatal Fights - Dogs On The Underground Circuit Free, 8.5 x 11, high-resolution download for your advocacy materials Can you help us recover by DONATING to the printing of our materials? Unlike big national groups, we simply don't have the funding, but we do have the facts and creativity to produce uncommonly effective literature. Your support is deeply appreciated. DONATE NOW 13. Horse Slaughter Bills Move Forward In Congress EDITED FOR LENGTH April 26, 2007 — The U.S. House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly (277-137) to restore a 34-year-old ban on the commercial sale and slaughter of America's wild horses and burros. These victories move us even closer to banning horse slaughter in the United States permanently. • 3/29/07: 1 Horse Plant Left...And Now There Are None? • 1/29/07: Horse Slaughter Bill Renewed In 110th Congress 14. High School Rodeo Loses National Sponsor! EDITED FOR LENGTH Let Choice Hotels know that you support the company's responsible and compassionate decision by emailing Anne Madison, Vice President of Corporate Communications at Choice Hotels at: Anne_Madison@choicehotels.com. This great development came primarily from the efforts SHARK staffer, Janet Enoch. Ms. Enoch contacted Choice months ago in connection with our www.IllinoisCorruption.com campaign, and then followed up by sending video documentation and continuing communications.. If you have time and talent to volunteer, please contact Janet Enoch at jenoch@sharkonline.org Kindest Regards, Steve Hindi, SHARK | Showing Animals Respect and Kindness 
• FACT SHEET: The Myth Of The Cowboy Free, 8.5 x 11, high-resolution download for your advocacy materials PLEASE DONATE toward printing our educational literature for national distribution. Your contribution helps us spread the word on essential animal cruelty/protection issues!  GET COOL CLOTHES: www.kinshipcircle.org/store/ Kinship Circle is a nonprofit organization serving the animal advocacy community. Donations help us meet expenses for the literature, website, research/campaigns and outreach — that let YOU take action for animals. DONATE: www.kinshipcircle.org/donation/ SUBSCRIBE TO EMAIL LISTS
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