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KINSHIP CIRCLE UPDATES: May - July 2006
KINSHIP CIRCLE Primary List: FOCUS: 501c3 animal advocacy organization covers animal cruelty issues worldwide. Empowers activists with tools to WRITE/SPEAK/ACT influentially on behalf of animals in areas of: Companion animals, animals in entertainment, animals in laboratories, animals farmed for food, wildlife issues, animals in fashion industry, etc. Subscribers receive 2 to 4 action campaigns per week, campaign updates, and infrequent announcements. Kinship Circle is action oriented, seeking legal and social reforms for animals. It is NOT a bulletin-board or rescue list. Visit: http://www.kinshipcircle.org Letter Library: http://www.kinshipcircle.org/letter_library/default.html SUBSCRIBE: subscribe@kinshipcircle.org TELL US: Subscribe to Kinship Circle Primary KINSHIP CIRCLE Animal Disaster Relief List: FOCUS: Gulf Coast relief efforts + other disaster-related animal rescue as it unfolds -- i.e., Northeast (USA) floods and Lebanon/Israel animal relief. In the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Kinship Circle united with Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) under the banner Grassroots Effort for Animals of the Storm, mobilizing volunteers/supplies to almost 80 relief missions across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Texas. In early October, we were among the founding coordinators of Animal Rescue New Orleans (ARNO) under co-directors Jane Garrison, Pia Salk, David Meyer. SUBSCRIBE: kinshipcircle@brick.net TELL US: * Subscribe to Kinship Circle Animal Disaster Relief List * If you are a resident of LOUISIANA or MISSISSIPPI 1. Pain Ends For Dancing Bears Kinship Circle: 7/1/04--When Bears Weep: India's Forgotten Dancing Bears SOURCE: WSPA, http://www.wspa.org.uk/news.asp?newsID=271 7/26/06--WSPA is working with member society the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) on a project to release dancing bears from their cruel captivity. The surrender of these bears marks a new epoch in captive sloth bear welfare in India. These bears are the first in Chattishgarh, to begin a new life, free from the pain and shame of the degrading profession that formed a part of their daily life. We hope that this step will encourage other Kalandars too to join this programme. There are some 16 dancing bears in Chattishgarh, most in remote areas, but five more owners have already approached the WTI project to discuss handing over their bears.  The cutting of a nose rope with a pair of household scissors marked the poignant beginning of a cruelty-free and more dignified life for two dancing bears in India. Two bear owners (known as Kalandars) approached the WTI project this week and agreed to hand over their captive bears in exchange for help and support in making new livelihoods for themselves. The Sloth Bear Welfare and Conservation Project is a joint venture of WSPA and WTI. The bears will be cared for in a temporary enclosure at Kenan Pendari Zoo before eventually being released into a forested sanctuary. Wildlife Trust Of India: http://www.wildlifetrustofindia.org/ Dancing Bears, A Long Cruel Tradition: http://www.wspa.org.uk/campaigns.asp?campaignType=4 Back to top 2. USDA Cites UConn In Monkey Mutilating Experiments Kinship Circle: 3/23/06--Call for End To Primate Research at UConn edited for length SOURCE: Feds cite UConn for research monkey death - http://www.thechronicle.com/ 7/22/06--Feds cite UConn for research monkey death, 7/22 The Willimantic Chronicle, By KIMBERLY GRAVES Chronicle Staff Writer--STORRS: The U.S. Department of Agriculture has cited multiple violations in the death of a monkey during a brain research study by a member of the University of Connecticut Health Center faculty, but has issued no fines or other disciplinary action. Several violations were found during a routine inspection of the Farmington health center in March after issues of noncompliance surfaced in November, when Cornelius died during a study conducted by Dr. David Waitzman. USDA cited noncompliance as failure to "painlessly euthanize an animal who would otherwise experience severe or chronic pain" in its March inspection report, just obtained through the Freedom of Information Act by the university's Storrs-based Animal Rights Collective... In November 2005, following the death of Cornelius, graduate student Justin Goodman, who is also the president of the university's Animal Rights Collective, began a campaign to end research on primates at the UConn Health Center. Goodman said the studies are "cruel" and the "research is neither necessary nor useful for the treatment of any degenerative human neurological disorder. Our claims and concerns about Waitzman's sloppy research practices have now been substantiated and echoed by the UCHC's foremost oversight organization," said Goodman. "Not only is he engaged in a morally and scientifically bankrupt enterprise, but David Waitzman and the university administration are apparently unable to abide by even the most rudimentary of animal protection guidelines," he said. Goodman said the research entails "drilling holes into the heads of otherwise healthy monkeys, implanting steel springs in their eyes, intentionally inflicting brain damage and measuring its effects on eye movements." Goodman said the monkeys are killed at the end of the study. He said Cornelius was in "perfect health" before arriving at the UConn Health Center, where he was subjected to stainless steel being drilled into his head while in a straightjacket. The inspection report said the primate continued to experience episodes of seizure activity despite the administration of anticonvulsant medication, but the animal was not euthanized and remained on study. Among other improprieties identified in the inspection report include employment of personnel who are not appropriately qualified and trained to handle nonhuman primates and a failure to provide appropriate sedatives to animal research subjects. The health center was also cited for failing to provide a complete description of the proposed use of the animals in the study to the oversight committee... According to USDA spokesman Darby Holladay, there isn't any open investigation involving animal care into any branch of UConn. He said the last action involving the University of Connecticut was in January 2002, when UConn was fined $129,500 for inadequate veterinary care at Storrs campus... Back to top 3. Joanna Burke, The Elephant Sanctuary, Killed On The Job Kinship Circle: 11/25/04--Let Zoo Elephants Retire In Peace SOURCE: DawnWatch, news@dawnwatch.com USA Today: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-07-21-elephant-attack_x.htm?csp=34 edited for length 7/21/06--Joanna Burke, beloved member of The Elephant Sanctuary team, is killed. Many in the animal advocacy community have already heard the devastating news: Joanne Burke, a handler at Carol Buckley's wonderful elephant sanctuary in Tennessee, was killed on Friday July 21, by Winkie. The USA Today story, headed "Elephant kills handler in Tennessee sanctuary," opens: "A 36-year-old woman whose love for pachyderms led her from her native Maine to rural Lewis County, Tenn., was attacked and killed Friday morning at a preserve for aging elephants, authorities said. Also, a man who handles the 22 Asian and African elephants at The Elephant Sanctuary was injured and hospitalized late Friday at Maury Regional Medical Center in Columbia, Tenn." (At the time, their names had not been released. We now know that Joanna was killed instantly and that Scott Blais, who tried to help, has been released from the hospital with minor injuries). We read that Joanna, according to Doug Markham, spokesman for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, "was apparently on the side where the elephant had an injury, an eye injury... This was not the first time Winkie, born in Burma (now called Myanmar) and captured as a calf, had tried to harm a handler. According to the sanctuary's website, the animal hurt several keepers at the Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, Wis., her former home for three decades...” On the sanctuary's website, http://elephants.com/pr/joanna_burke.htm, you can read a touching tribute to Joanna, see photos of her with "her girls" and read part of an email written the day before she died in which she reaffirms her commitment to her mission. The tribute tells us: "Joanna made it perfectly clear in word and deed that no harm should come to any elephant no matter their action. She shared the Sanctuary's philosophy that Winkie will not be punished for her actions but managed in a way that keeps another innocent caregiver out of harm's way..." Yours and the animals', Karen Dawn / (DawnWatch is an animal advocacy media watch that looks at animal issues in the media and facilitates one-click responses to the relevant media outlets. You can learn more about it, and sign up for alerts at http://www.DawnWatch.com. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.dawnwatch.com/cgi-bin/dada/dawnwatch_unsubscribe.cgi You are encouraged to forward or reprint DawnWatch alerts but please do so unedited -- leave DawnWatch in the title and include this tag line.) Back to top 4. More Med Schools Evolve To Animal-Free Research Kinship Circle: 4/20/06--Dinosaurs: Last Big Med Schools With Animal Labs SOURCE: Neal Barnard, M.D., info@pcrmfoundation.org http://www.pcrm.org/resch/anexp/alertliveanimallabs.html 7/19/06--Recent Successes in Alternatives to Animal Testing--PCRM has two more victories to report in our campaign for alternatives to animals in medical education. The University of Illinois and East Tennessee State University had been quite reluctant to eliminate animal laboratories from their curricula--we have been working for years to persuade them on this issue. And now our hard work has paid off, both schools made the leap and went to a completely animal-free teaching program. Currently, of the 125 U.S. medical schools, 19 still use animals in education. We are now gearing up for our fall initiative focusing on these schools. You may recall that the American College of Surgeons recently had a controversial teaching laboratory using live pigs. After many discussions with our doctors, ACS has now adopted an official policy favoring non-animal teaching methods in surgical education, which is a great step forward, because ACS sets the tone for surgical education. Our cruelty-free laboratory method for measuring insulin is now commercially available to scientists worldwide. The method was promoted at the American Diabetes Association meeting in June. The journal Trends in Biotechnology has published our review on eliminating animal serum in scientific tests, which reflects the knowledge we gained as we developed the insulin assay. Back to top 5. Michigan Shelter Suspends Sale Of Animals For Research Kinship Circle: 4/5/06--Dealing Dogs And Cats For Research Kinship Circle: 10/10/03--Precedent Setting Bills To End MI Pound Seizure SOURCE: Justice4them@aol.com 7/18/06--NO MORE RESEARCH SELLING. Great news for Jackson County, MI! Please let everyone in the animal community know that we got a complete ban on the sale of shelter pets to research in Jackson County, Michigan. The vote was 11-1. It's important to cross-post this because we heard people from out of state are calling the county shelter and bothering them. This harms the ability of people to find out if there lost pet is missing. Thanks! Judy D. Back to top 6. Light Sentence For Big Pet Theft Thug, C.C. Baird Pet Theft Thugs: They're real. They're nearby. By Brenda Shoss, 3/24/05 Kinship Circle: 3/24/05--Stolen Love: Demand USDA Crackdown Kinship Circle: 2/5/05--BAIRD BUSTED/6 pm News, CBS affiliate Kinship Circle: 4/6/04--C.C. Baird Charged With 1000+ Cruelty Violations   SOURCE: http://www.dealingdogs.com/ C.C. Baird LCA Campaigns Department, campaigns@lcanimal.org 7/14/06--Breaking News: C.C. Baird Sentenced! C.C. BAIRD AND HIS WIFE ARE CONVICTED FELONS! As you may recall, Class "B" Dealer C.C. Baird settled his civil case for violations of the Animal Welfare Act back in February 2005. TODAY, Friday, July 14, 2006, BAIRD WAS SENTENCED IN FEDERAL COURT! The largest USDA-licensed Class "B" animal dealer and pet theft ring operator was sentenced to 3 years probation and 6 months home detention following his guilty plea in August 2005 to felony charges of conspiracy to launder money in an operation involving the sale of dogs and cats to research laboratories. Baird's wife, Patsy, was sentenced to 2 years probation for misprision of felony mail fraud. The Baird's criminal fines were $10,000. "Justice is served as the Baird case has set a precedent for future prosecutions against violators of the Animal Welfare Act. Now that Baird has been successfully prosecuted and is a convicted felon, prosecuting future abusers will be much easier. Baird's conviction will also help immensely in the fight to pass the Pet Safety and Protection Act. This is a great victory and an important step in realizing LCA's goal of bringing justice to those that abuse animals." LCA President Chris DeRose The case against Baird comprised the largest multi-agency (federal, state and local) investigation of animal abuse in U.S. history. LCA's investigation was also the subject of the recent HBO America Undercover documentary, Dealing Dogs. Back to top 7. Media Exposes July 4th Terror For CA Shelter Animals Kinship Circle: 6/29/06--July 4th: Blast of Terror For CA Shelter Animals SOURCE: Barb Dunsmore BbytheSea@san.rr.com, Marie Bennett marieis@bigplanet.com edited for length 7/7/06--UPDATE on fireworks boycott: Fortunately, the word got out about this atrocity and many in the local rescue community stepped up, taking many of the animals out in time. Word is that there were only about 90 animals left to deal with the fireworks, still not good, but better than 400... Quota of 40 volunteers allowed in shelter to comfort animals... Boycott group was small, only 7 of us. Still, I think we got the message out very well... Marie Bennett and her husband Anson McLauchlan were both inside and Anson snuck in video cam and did get some footage. Media from Ventura County Star were also inside getting footage. Pictures that both Anson and I took are here: http://poodles.smugmug.com/gallery/1634416 July 4, 2006: NBC, ABC, CBS each weighed in with KEYT joining ABC to do early evening 5 - 6 o'clock reports. [Thank you Tracy Lehr http://www.keyt.com/about/bios/news/2178057.html for your compassion]. Once again FOX 11 did not disappoint with a wonderful story by Jane Yamamoto http://www.fox11.com/sections/newsteam/yamamoto.asp and her team]. The L.A. Times and the Ventura County Star both had teams working over time on this story too! Right up until the last minute people wanting to volunteer phoned and showed up at the doorstep of the shelter. To the Editor of the Ventura County Star: Whoops, they did it again! Well, once again the Pleasant Valley/Somis Lions Club hosted their night of torture for the animals located 500 yards away from their launch pad for the fireworks display. Again, I was a volunteer with 40 plus other volunteers to calm and soothe these helpless and homeless animals. As I tended to a young sweet female Australian Cattle Dog mix, I sat on her kennel floor watching her go into a frantic panic. After the first few blasts, I began to well up with tears, trying to calm her, wondering why this could be permitted year after year. Did I mention that this dog bit her tongue and had blood in her mouth and some on my sleeve too as proof. I left this pup briefly to tend to my other dog to care for, this one a tiny male Silky Terrier. This poor dog did not display the frenzy as the other dog but was trembling and panting with his eyes wide open in fear. I picked him up held him close, only to feel his heart pounding out of his chest. At this moment, Supervisor Kathy Long walked by me and I said, Kathy, this is what you cannot see with your eyes, I held the dog out for her, and said feel this dogs heart beating in fear. She backed away and declined to verify (feel) the condition of the dog. I felt she was not very concerned about the condition of this dog and perhaps will once again go on record and say that this is nothing out of the ordinary for shelter animals. WRONG. This is not normal behavior for these animals, it is cruel and abusive to be subjected to loud thunderous explosions set such a short distance away... To the Lions Club I say, you are not a welcome visitor on Fourth of July. Your show of patriotism is shameful. The community has numerous shows to see fireworks shows that do not torture animals. Do the right thing, stop the cruelty now. No more! Carole Hunter / 11799 Pradera Road; Camarillo, CA 93012 Back to top 8. De Beers Diamond Producers Publicly Condemn Seal Cull Kinship Circle: 7/5/06--Slaughter Of Nursing Seal Pups In Namibia Below is the response from Francois Hugo (SA SealAlerts), whose information we used as a background source for Kinship Circle's sample letter. Please note that Kinship Circle's letter was directed to De Beers--but also to Namibian and South African government officials: SOURCE: SealAlert-SA Francois Hugo, sasealion@wam.co.za Francois Hugo, sasealion@wam.co.za writes, 7/6: The issue to De Beers is as follows: * Seals on two mainland colonies, Wolf and Atlas Bay (Namibia), killed annually since 1947. * These two colonies fall within the diamond restricted area known as the sperrgebiet. * The sperrgebiet stretches 300km along the coast and 100km inland. De Beers, through its partnership with Namibia and itself, in a company called Namdeb, have the rights to mine diamonds in this area, and control access to this entire area. The question I have put to De Beers, is why as rights holders to this area, do they allow sealers to come in and kill seals (amongst other issues)? What we needed the world's largest gem diamond producer to say or acknowledge, is that they do not support sealing or culling of seals. Today, they publicly acknowledged this. That De Beers does not support seal culling. This is indeed very positive, but it certainly does not mean the cull will not go ahead or that sealing has stopped. It simply means De beers does not support it... I suggest we promote this very positive move by De beers, and recommend them and at the same time continue to attack Namibian government to end sealing. PRESENT ACTION SOURCE: SealAlert-SA Francois Hugo, sasealion@wam.co.za It is now one month into the Namibian Sealing Season - Seal Pup Death Toll 19,530 with sealers still required to club a further 65,470 nursing baby seal pups to fill their 2006 Seal Harvest Quota by November 15. I've urged the Namibian Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources Mr. Abraham Lyambo to use this opportunity to come in line with international standards and norms and like South Africa did in 1990 - announce its end to sealing in Namibia on August 4, 2006 in Pretoria - in so doing end 500+ years of sealing that has already driven the species close to extinction once before.   Clubbing and Stabbing Nursing Baby Seals in Namibia I therefore urge everyone to write a short request to the following and request the Namibian Minister, Abraham Iyambo to announce an end to sealing in southern Africa on 4th August 2006. CONTACT: Namibian Ministry Spokesperson, Mr. A. Mbanga: ambanga@mfmr.gov.na Namibian Broadcasting Corporation, Mr. I. Zemburuka: izemburuka@nbc.com.na The Namibian Newspaper, Elma Robberts: news@namibian.com.na The Windhoek Observer, Donna: donnanews@africaonline.com.na SAMPLE LETTER PROVIDED BY: SEAL ALERT-SA, League member of OIPA a Non Governmental Organization Associated to the UN Department of Public Information HOUT BAY HARBOUR - SOUTH AFRICA sasealion@wam.co.za, +27-21-790 8774 His Excellency Wibard Hellao High Commission of the Republic of Namibia 702 Church Street Pretoria, South Africa Your Excellency, On July 1, Namibia started its annual harvest of 85 000 pups and 6000 bulls. Minister Abraham Iyambo of the Namibian Fisheries and Marine Resources has stated that seals are harvested in Namibia in accordance with Article 95 (1) of your Constitution which requires the State to adopt policies aimed at "the utilization of living natural resources on a sustainable basis for the benefit of all Namibians". Cape fur seals have a distribution range covering Mozambique, South Africa, Namibia and Angola. Seals are currently protected under the United Nations of CITES as an Appendix II species. In South Africa under the Seabirds and Seals Protection Act No.46 of 1973. The findings of the Public Protector of South Africa in his report No. 51 released 15th November 2005 states, "The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism has a constitutional obligation to protect and promote the conservation of South Africa's seal resource". The Namibian 2006 seal pup production is according to Minister Iyambo is 27% below pre-1993 population levels and this year's TAC (Total Allowable Catch) pup quota is 68% higher than 1994 quota. Since Namibia's independence in 1990 - the Cape fur seals in Namibia have experienced mass die-offs from starvation and or disease in 1994, 1995, 2000 and 2001, and in 2006 have still not recovered. It is therefore on this basis that the harvest of seals is no longer being conducted on a sustainable basis under your Constitution and we are therefore calling for an immediate end to the Seal Harvest in Namibia as it is now in direct conflict with our Constitution in South Africa. Seal Alert-SA would like to bring the following to your attention: * In 2000 with the Seal population 10% lower than pre-1993. Namibia doubled its sealing quota to 60000 pups and 7000 bulls. One month after the sealing season had ended which runs from August 1 to November 15. Minister Lyambo announced that the seals had suffered their highest mass die-off to date where 300 000 seals had starved to death. Involving one third to one half of the seal population. * In 2001, Minister Lyambo announced he was lengthening the sealing season to July 1 and I quote "This is because past experiences indicate that the season was not long enough for concessionaires to fully harvest their TAC and I have decided that this TAC should be a 3 year rolling TAC.” * In 2002, Namibia exported 117,400 sealskins on a sealing quota of 60,000. As per CITES Animal Committee Namibia has not applied for an export permit on this tax on. 5000 raw Cape fur seal skins were seized by US NOAA officials that were illegally imported into the US from Namibia. * In 2003, a South African was convicted of importing two consignments of Cape fur seal skins from Namibia and received a R10 000 fine or 10 months in prison. * In 2004, at the 20th Meeting of the CITES Animal Committee Meeting, it was decided to put Namibia under review in a "Review of Significant Trade". I refer you to clause 1 of Appendix II specimens - "An export permit certificate issued by the Management Authority of the State. An export permit may be issued only if the specimen was legally obtained and if the export will not be detrimental to the survival of the species". * In 2005, Minister Lyambo further increased the Sealing TAC to 65 000 pups. During a recent "question and answer" session arranged by the Ministry of Fisheries in Namibia Minister Lyambo stated pups between the ages of 7 to 9 months are harvested. In 2000, Dr Burge Oelofsen of the Namibian Fisheries stated and I quote, "Females suckle their pups on the colonies from birth to weaning. This is a period of about 10 months." * In 1972, the US Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) banned the import of all Cape fur seal skins as it contravenes their regulations which states, "the taking of a nursing pup is inhumane". This was further validated by the US Appeal Court in 1977. Since 1987, the world's sealing nation of Canada, Norway, Greenland and Russia, has banned the "taking of nursing pups in birthing or breeding grounds". Seal Alert-SA is therefore supported in this call to "End the Last Baby Seal Hunt on Earth" by over 12 million supporters from organizations and individuals in over 140 countries around the world. As founder of Seal Alert-SA I respectfully urge you to bring these concerns to the attention of the Namibian Government and to support our call for an immediate end to the Namibian Seal Harvest in 2006. I attach the following letters of support. Save our Seals UK, International Doctors - LIMAV and OIPA International and the Humane Society of the United States and its international arm, Humane Society International (HSUS/HIS). For the Seals, Francois Hugo, Seal Alert-SA AUGUST 4, 2006 PROTEST SOURCE: SealAlert-SA Francois Hugo, sasealion@wam.co.za  1st International Protest Against Namibia's Seal Pup Genocide in 16 years 8/1/06--12 Million Supporters Call for an End to the Last Baby Seal Hunt on Earth, Namibia--Seal Alert-SA would like to announce the 1st South African Protest in 16 years in the Call to End the Last Baby Seal Hunt on Earth. Thanks to the work of Lejane Hardy of Animal Activist Network News, Katy Roberts and Chris Prestana a legal Protest will be held on the 4th August between 12 and 2 outside the Namibian High Commission at 702 Church Street, Pretoria, South Africa. For further details contact: Lejane Hardy on 083 651 1120 or lejane@bunnyhuggers.co.za or for UK, Garry Sheen at ESSEX ANIMAL FREEDOM, essex.a.f@btinternet.com Back to top 9. Navy Sonar Drills Restricted Near Marine Mammal Habitat Kinship Circle: 8/27/04--Whales: Casualties Of Navy Training SOURCE: Fleet will limit exercises with sonar, St. Louis Post Dispatch, AP newswire http://www.stltoday.com 7/8/06--Los Angeles--The Navy can use high-intensity sonar for Pacific warfare exercises but must stay away from some sensitive marine habitat and increase monitoring for whales, under an agreement reached Friday with environmental groups. Four days earlier, a judge banned the sonar over concerns it could harm marine mammals. The settlement bars the Navy from using the sonar within 25 miles of the newly established Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument during its current exercises, and also imposes a variety of methods to watch for and report the presence of marine mammals. Environmentalists say whales have stranded themselves on beaches after being exposed to high-intensity mid-frequency sonar. In some cases, whales bled around the brain and in the ears. The sonar is also claimed to interfere with the ability of marine mammals to navigate, hunt, take care of their offspring and avoid predators. Back to top 10. Louisiana's Pet Evacuation Bill Is Now Law Kinship Circle: 4/19/06--Pet Evacuation Bill Needs Your Voice Again Kinship Circle: 3/29/06--Critical State Pet Evacuation Bill SOURCE: Cathy Wells, wellsc@legis.state.la.us 6/27/06--On the morning of June 27, 2006, Louisiana's Governor Blanco signed the Pet Evacuation Bill into law. Cathy Wells, wellsc@legis.state.la.us, writes: Yes, she signed it!! Act 615. Thank you for all of your efforts, time, and patience in getting the email messages out. This bill would not have passed without your assistance and all of the emails your readers wrote to legislators. Back to top 11. Whales Suffer Hit At Annual IWC Meeting Kinship Circle: 5/21/06-- PART #1: Humanity's War On Whales Kinship Circle: 5/21/06-- PART #2: Humanity's War On Whales SOURCE: DawnWatch, news@dawnwatch.com Time: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1207813,00.html Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2006/06/25/AR2006062500737.html. edited for length Week of 6/20/06--Whale vote loss at IWC covered in Time Magazine 7/3/06 and other articles 6/26/06. Last week the whales suffered a hit at the annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission. The July 3 edition of Time Magazine has summarized the situation in, "Revenge of The Whale Hunters; Japan says the giant mammals have recovered in the 20 years since whaling was banned. Tell that to the whales." It tells us that in 1986, with most species of whales in serious decline, the International Whaling Commission (IWC) voted to prohibit whaling, "allowing it only for scientific purposes or, in a handful of cases, such as among native peoples in Alaska and Greenland, to preserve ancient food-gathering practices..." But the treaty has proved all too easy to get around. Japan, Iceland and Norway, in particular, have slaughtered tens of thousands of whales in the past 20 years. The first two countries claim they are doing it for science, although much of the meat they take ends up on dinner tables. Norway...openly flouts the IWC's rules. And at last week's meeting Japan pushed through a resolution calling for a repeal of the whaling moratorium. We read, "Fortunately for the whales, the resolution isn't binding. The vote was 33 to 32 in favor, but it would have taken a 75% majority to overturn the ban." However, "it takes only a simple majority to make other changes--to take future votes on secret ballots, for example, so that nations can't be held accountable for their positions, or to exclude antiwhaling groups from IWC meetings." The Monday, June 26 Washington Post has covered the issue (Pg A3) in, "U.S. Joins Anti-Whaling Effort; Nations Respond To Panel's Vote." It tells us that "Bush administration officials said they were alarmed by the 33 to 32 vote in favor of the nonbinding declaration" and that "Environmentalists are hoping that the Bush administration will take the lead in blocking any expanded whale hunting. They are pressing the president -- who has raised the issue before with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi -- to bring it up again when the two meet later this week... The New Zealand Herald has two interesting pieces on the issue. One, by Sea Shepherd's Captain Paul Watson, is headed, "Power of one can end the killing of the whales." It opens: "One person can make a difference. Because of Dian Fossey the mountain gorillas of Rwanda were saved. Because of Birute Galdikas, the orangutans of Indonesian have been protected. Because of David Wingate the Bermuda storm petrel is not extinct. "Last week, Bruce Foerster, demonstrated this principle when Belize surprised everyone by voting against all five Japanese motions at the International Whaling Commission meeting in St Kitts & Nevis. Everyone had assumed that Belize was a bought and paid for nation recruited by Japan... The other interesting piece on the issue from The New Zealand Herald is headed, "Spare a thought for the poor bunnies" by Lincoln Tan. Tan tells us that eating whale meat is part of Japan's cultural heritage, "So an attack on whaling is seen as an attack on Japanese tradition..." Various articles have pointed out that a grave concern amongst animal advocates is the length of time it takes some whales to die after being harpooned --see http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=67711 -- a length of time that would be considered unacceptable under the humane slaughter laws of most Western nations. However humane slaughter laws are widely flouted, and in the US they even exempt over 90% of all land animals slaughtered for food; animals classified as poultry are exempt... Yours and the animals', Karen Dawn / (DawnWatch is an animal advocacy media watch that looks at animal issues in the media and facilitates one-click responses to the relevant media outlets. You can learn more about it, and sign up for alerts at http://www.DawnWatch.com. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.dawnwatch.com/cgi-bin/dada/dawnwatch_unsubscribe.cgi You are encouraged to forward or reprint DawnWatch alerts but please do so unedited -- leave DawnWatch in the title and include this tag line.) Back to top 12. Elephant Gita Dies Inside L.A. Zoo Exhibit Kinship Circle: 6/15/06--Gita's Death Sparks Cry To Close LA Elephant Exhibit Kinship Circle: 7/25/04--Ruby's Prayer: Sanctuary Instead Of Servitude SOURCE: In Defense of Animals, http://www.HelpElephants.com 6/10/06--We are sad to report that 47-year-old Asian elephant, Gita, who has long suffered from chronic foot disease and arthritis that were a direct result of keeping her in inadequate conditions at L.A. Zoo, died this morning. In an incident hauntingly reminiscent of the death of 39-year-old Tara in December 2004, Gita was found collapsed this morning in her enclosure and died a short time later. "We hold L.A. Zoo, the mayor, and the city accountable for Gita's death. They all failed her," says Catherine Doyle, representative of IDA and head of the local group Los Angeles Alliance for Elephants. "It was criminal not to have moved Gita to a sanctuary a couple of years ago, before her condition worsened due to standing on concrete in her enclosure, one of the conditions known to be the cause of lethal foot and joint problems in elephants. It's time for the city to admit it just can't properly care for elephants." Zoo medical records indicate that Gita began to suffer from foot infections while still in her teens and developed arthritis in her 20s. Last September, Gita underwent surgery for her steadily deteriorating foot condition, so severe bone in one of her toes had "disappeared" -- literally rotted away due to advanced infection. Advocates have long warned that Gita's health would continue to deteriorate if she remained in zoo conditions that are known to cause irreparable damage to elephants' feet and joints, including restricted enclosure space and concrete flooring, yet the Zoo refused to place Gita in more a more suitable, natural habitat environment. "I believe Gita's condition is poor to guarded. I will be astonished if she lives another six months," said 23-year zoo and wildlife veterinarian, Dr. Mel Richardson in October 2005, after reviewing Gita's medical records from May 20, 2005 through August 9, 2005 and observing her at LA. Zoo. "Gita is in this condition directly because of the over forty years of inactivity and over forty years of standing on concrete and/or hard packed substrate." Asian elephants in the wild are known to reproduce into their 50s and have a natural lifespan of 70 years. Of the 12 known elephant deaths at L.A. Zoo, more than half the elephants did not live to see age 20. Field scientists report that ailments plaguing elephants in zoos, such as foot infections, are unheard of in wild elephant populations, where elephants' ability to travel over thirty miles a day helps to maintain healthy feet and joints. Arthritis and foot problems are the two leading causes of euthanasia in captive elephants in the United States. * SAMPLE LETTER: Gita's Death Sparks Cry To Close LA Elephant Exhibit http://www.kinshipcircle.org/letter_library/letter.asp?LetterID=1518&seriesfirst=true Back to top 13. Polo Ralph Lauren Cuts Fur From Collection Kinship Circle: 12/18/04--'Tis The Season To Buy Fur? Kinship Circle: 10/4/04--Neiman Carcass & Other Fur Mongers Kinship Circle: 12/2/03--Ask Top CEOs For Fur-Free Stores SOURCE: Animal Rights Action Network (ARAN) arancampaigns@eircom.net edited for length 6/8/06--Polo Ralph Lauren to Eliminate Fur From All of Its Apparel, Home Collections, By Anne D'Innocenzio, AP Business Writer, NEW YORK (AP)--Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. said late Thursday that it is eliminating fur from all of its apparel and home collections, starting with the holiday 2006 season. In a press release, the New York-based fashion house said that fur had only been "used on a limited basis as an accent in some collections." "We are publicly announcing this decision because the use of fur has been under review internally and we feel that the time is right to take this action," the company said in a statement. The move by Polo Ralph Lauren represents the first major designer house to abandon fur since designer Calvin Klein did so in the mid-1990s, according to animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which was involved in negotiations with Polo Ralph Lauren since March. "This is one of the biggest victories in the fur campaign," said Dan Mathews, vice president at PETA. PETA, known for disrupting fashion shows, and storming Seventh Avenue fashion houses, has been mounting pressure on other designer fashion brands, including Donna Karan International and luxury goods brand Burberry Group PLC. Late last year, J. Crew Group Inc. stopped selling fur after PETA launched a boycott campaign and staged protests outside the retailer's doors nationwide... Back to top 14. Governor Vetoes Bill To Classify Pup Mill Dogs "Products" Kinship Circle: 5/12/06--Don't Let Puppies Become Livestock In Iowa SOURCE: Press Release from Iowa Governor's Office, Eve.Palmer@Iowa.gov Josh Heggen, Correspondence Coordinator, Office of the Governor, josh.heggen@iowa.gov edited for length 6/2/06--Governor Vilsack Takes Action on Final Day of Bill Signing Period: Vetoes canine breeding facilities provisions, signs nine other bills, DES MOINES--The Governor vetoed certain provisions of House File 2797 relating to canines from licensed breeding facilities: Section 81 - This provision adds "canines from licensed facilities" to the list of farm products under chapter 352 of the Iowa Code, which allows counties to regulate land use through adoption of zoning ordinances if a county so chooses. Including licensed canine facilities to the list of farm products would eliminate a county's ability to address the concerns of neighbors and the impacts such operations would have on adjacent property. Section 83 - This provision adds "canines from licensed facilities" to the definition of an "agricultural product" under chapter 423.1 of the Iowa Code, thereby eliminating the sales tax on inputs for commercial dog kennels. Breeding dogs is not equivalent to any of the other activities that fall within the definition of an agricultural product, which includes "flowering, ornamental, or vegetable plants..." Back to top 15. Louisiana Cockfighting Ban Fails In Committee Kinship Circle: 5/9/06--Louisiana: Ban Cockfighting. Become State #49! SOURCE: http://www.nola.com/newsflash/louisiana/index.ssf?/base/news-25/1149189562216870.xml&storylist=louisiana animalconcerns@gmail.com 6/1/06--Proposed cockfighting ban fails in Louisiana House committee * BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)--A proposed ban on cockfighting in Louisiana failed to pass a House committee Thursday after opponents called the chicken fights essential to the economy of rural Cajun towns. The bill's failure means it is probably dead for the legislative session that ends June 19, meaning New Mexico and Louisiana will remain the only two states where cockfighting is legal. Sen. Art Lentini, R-Metairie, introduced the measure to outlaw what he called a "barbaric embarrassment to Louisiana," the practice of holding rooster fights in pits, in which the animals' claws are outfitted with sharp blades, often ending in death for the loser. The bill would close a loophole in state animal cruelty law, which does not cover cruelty to chickens. Rep. Troy Hebert urged members of the House Agriculture Committee to reject the ban, saying it would eliminate the profession of many small farmers who raise and fight the birds. He said those farmers treat their chickens better than poultry companies that raise them for human consumption. "I'd rather be a rooster at a cockfight any day of the week than a chicken at Winn-Dixie," said Hebert, D-Jeanerette... Back to top 16. U.S. House Approves Pet Evacuation Act Kinship Circle: 9/28/05--Never Again: Animal Evacuation Law Now SOURCE: http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/05/22/pet.evacuations.ap/index.html edited for length 5/22/06--Congress considers pets' place in disaster plans * House approves legislation; similar measure in Senate, WASHINGTON (AP)--A television shot of a little boy losing his dog during Katrina rescue operations was the catalyst for the House to pass legislation Monday that would require pets to be considered in emergency-preparedness plans. "The dog was taken away from this little boy, and to watch his face was a singularly revealing and tragic experience," said Rep. Tom Lantos, a California Democrat and sponsor of the Pet Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act. "This legislation was born at that moment." The bill, which passed 349-24, would require state and local preparedness offices to take into account pet owners, household pets and service animals when drawing up evacuation plans. Offices that fail to do so would not qualify for grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Republican Rep. Christopher Shays of Connecticut, with Lantos a co-chairman of the Congressional Friends of Animals Caucus, said estimates are that some 600,000 animals died or were left without shelter as a result of Hurricane Katrina. He added that the lack of pet rescue plans also put many pet owners in danger. "When asked to choose between abandoning their pets or their personal safety, many pet owners chose to risk their lives," he said. The Humane Society of the United States cited a recent Zogby International poll that found that 49 percent of adults say they would refuse to evacuate if they couldn't take their pets with them... In the Senate, Sens. Ted Stevens, an Alaska Republican, and Frank Lautenberg, a New Jersey Democrat, have introduced similar legislation that also would give the FEMA director authority to grant funds to state and local agencies for animal-preparedness projects, including the building of emergency shelters... Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. * SAMPLE LETTER: 7/4/06 - Dear Senator: Remember Katrina. Pass PETS Act. http://www.kinshipcircle.org/letter_library/letter.asp?LetterID=1527&seriesfirst=true Back to top 17. U.S. House Okays Horse Protection Amendment Kinship Circle: 6/23/06--Grant Horses Immunity From Butchers (URGENT) Kinship Circle: 5/17/06--ACT: Save U.S. Horses - Call/Email This Week Kinship Circle: 1/11/06--Don't Let USDA Send Horses To The Kill Floor SOURCE: http://www.hsus.org/pets/pets_related_news_and_events/house_approves_wild_horse.html 5/18/06--House Approves Wild Horse Protection Measure--With tremendous grassroots pressure bearing down on Congress this week, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously approved a measure late Thursday to protect wild horses from slaughter. The outpouring of support from the American public was so overwhelming that House leadership conceded to the provision without a vote by individual members. Reps. Nick Rahall (D-WV), Ed Whitfield (R-KY), John Sweeney (R-NY), and John Spratt (D-SC) successfully offered an amendment to the spending bill for the Department of the Interior for fiscal year 2007. The measure would end commercial sale and subsequent slaughter of wild horses and burros... Back to top 18. Drugmaker Glaxo Wins Injunction Over Activists Kinship Circle: Ongoing - Target HLS Customers, Suppliers, Financiers SOURCE: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4756381.stm edited for length 5/9/06--Glaxo wins injunction over threat, UK demo against Huntingdon Life Sciences--GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has obtained a High Court emergency injunction against animal rights extremists who threatened the drugs group's investors. The injunction prevents the Campaign Against Huntingdon Life Sciences from sending more letters and from revealing personal details of GSK shareholders. Meanwhile, pro-research group Pro-Test has bought GSK shares as a "gesture of solidarity" with GSK and its investors. The government has also pledged to look at ways to protect investor privacy. Police are investigating the letters, which threatened to reveal the names and addresses of GSK shareholders on the internet if they did not sell their shares in the firm within a fortnight... 'Victimised' "Animal research saves lives, it is ludicrous that people are threatened in this way," it added. Fellow medical research group, the Research Defence Society (RDS), meanwhile, defended animal testing as a "small but vital" part of medical research which has helped save millions of lives... However, animal rights groups, such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, have defended the campaign. "If you invest in a company that is involved in animal torture, then you should expect - it's a public limited company - that information is open to the public," one campaigner, John Curtin, said... Delisted Activists have targeted animal testing firm Huntingdon Life Sciences and its business partners for years. An intimidation campaign led to Huntingdon being delisted from the London Stock Exchange, and its US parent company had its listing on the New York Stock Exchange postponed last autumn... Back to top 19. Activist Who Filmed Inside Wegmans Egg Farm Acquitted Kinship Circle: 5/1/06--Wegmans Food Markets Profit From Pain SOURCE: DawnWatch, news@dawnwatch.com New York Times article: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/07/nyregion/07hens.html 5/7/06--Update NY Times story on Wegmans Cruelty activist--The Sunday, May 7, New York Times has a good story (Section 1, pg 40) on the Wegmans egg case, headed, "Hen Activist Says the War On Cages Will Go On." It opens: "An animal-rights activist acquitted of burglary and other charges after admittedly sneaking onto a large commercial egg farm to film conditions there said his group would continue to pressure the company to stop caging hens... Some 750,000 hens at the Wegmans farm in Wolcott, N.Y., are kept in wire cages, as are the vast majority of the nation's hens used for commercial egg production... A Wegmans spokeswoman, Jeanne Colleluori, said the film was not representative of the farm." Regarding the film, the article mentions that Durand had taken footage including "video of some hens stuck in the wires and others wandering in the manure pits" and it tells us that at the trial Durand, "showed video images, for example, of a hen submerged up to its neck in manure." Watch the film online: http://www.WegmansCruelty.com Yours and the animals', Karen Dawn / (DawnWatch is an animal advocacy media watch that looks at animal issues in the media and facilitates one-click responses to the relevant media outlets. You can learn more about it, and sign up for alerts at http://www.DawnWatch.com. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.dawnwatch.com/cgi-bin/dada/dawnwatch_unsubscribe.cgi If you forward or reprint DawnWatch alerts, please do so unedited -- leave DawnWatch in the title and include this tag line.) Back to top Remembering Shannon Moore http://memoriesofshannon.blogspot.com/ Grant Giving / Investment Opportunity: The Next Step to Reduce Animal Testing Cruelty-Free * Human Rights-Friendly * Sustainable Please contact ethicalinvestment@gmail.com for information. TO SUBSCRIBE TO KINSHIP CIRCLE: subscribe@kinshipcircle.org TO UNSUBSCRIBE: PLEASE DO NOT USE YOUR JUNK MAIL FILTER! * Select a Kinship Circle ALERT received in your mailbox. * Hit “FORWARD” * Enter kinshipcircle@brick.net and send. [Type UNSUBSCRIBE in your subject line]. Make sure the “To” line from our original alert is in your email, LIKE THIS: -----Original Message----- From: Kinship Circle Sent: Monday, April 10, 2006 11:34 AM To: 7. KINSHIP CIRCLE Subject: LETTER/ Costco Brings Back Baby Seal Oil Capsules *DISCLAIMER: The information in these alerts is verified with the original source. Kinship Circle does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information or for the consequences of its use. Nothing in this email is intended to encourage illegal action in whatever country you are reading it in. Kinship Circle does not engage in, nor support, any form of harassment or unlawful activity. Nothing in this alert serves to promote such conduct. *Kinship Circle cannot guarantee the validity of email addresses. During a campaign, recipients may change or disable their email addresses. BEAR WITNESS. SPEAK. DEMAND. ACT. Kinship Circle - Action Campaigns I Literature I Voice For Animals Nonprofit working in animal protection/cruelty + animal disaster relief campaigns Brenda Shoss, president * Janet Enoch, vice-president info@kinshipcircle.org http://www.KinshipCircle.org Kinship Circle is a non-profit organization. DONATE ONLINE: http://www.kinshipcircle.org/donation/donations.html We are grateful for your support! |