Kinship Circle - Wins For Animals In 2006

2010 • 2009 • 2008 • 2007 • 2006

•  12/14/07: Pet-Killing Dogcatcher Fired & Investigation Opened
•  12/10/07: Vick Sentenced To 23 Months For Dogfighting & 47 Surviving Dogs' Lives Are Spared
•  11/26/07: New York Medical College Drops Live Dog Lab — Washington University Med School Ends Pig Lab
•  9/21/07: Last U.S. Horse Slaughterhouse Banned In Illinois — 3/7/07: Texas-Sized Victory For Horses
•  9/20/07: Mercy's Killer Behind Bars For Four Years
•  8/31/07: Saint Louis University Phases Out Live Pig Lab
•  6/28/07: Louisiana Votes To End Cockfighting
•  6/21/07: European Union Dog And Cat Fur Ban
•  6/1/07: Philippines - Ban On Sale Of Dog Meat Becomes Law
•  5/3/07: Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act Is Law
•  3/16/07: Mauler of Dog With Chainsaw Gets 2.5 Years In Jail
•  3/21/07: Ruby Finally Wins Reprieve From L.A. Zoo
•  2/16/07: Camarillo Fireworks Move AWAYFrom Animals
•  2/9/07: Brothers Get 10 Years For Baking Puppy In Oven
•  1/18/07: Pomegranate Juice Maker Halts Cruel Experiments

12/14/07: Pet-Killing Dogcatcher Fired & Investigation Opened

PHOTOS depict the type of trusting companion animals killed, but are NOT actual animals from Gerald, Missouri. PHOTOS, Kinship Circle

After no response from other animal groups, a Gerald, MO woman asks Kinship Circle how to stop the town's dogcatcher from luring and shooting family cats. As of 11/14/07, he's reportedly trapped seven companion dogs and destroyed two. At least 10 cats have been shot. None are strays.

Our source learns about the animals' makeshift grave by a lagoon on public works grounds. One young girl's family, who lost their cat to this "serial pet killer," plans to file charges. But law enforcers are slow to investigate or book anyone. The killings are not covered in area media.

We launch a global campaign reminding the town's mayor, aldermen, police chief and prosecuting attorney about Missouri Revised Statues, Chapter 578, Miscellaneous Offenses, 578.012 — which make animal abuse a class D felony when "suffering involved...is the result of torture or mutilation, or both, consciously inflicted while the animal was alive."

When Dean Todaro, Gerald's dogcatcher, shot trapped cats at point blank range, Kinship Circle's sample letter contends, he "consciously inflicted torture, mutilation, or both." We implore Gerald law enforcers to file charges. We ask the Franklin County prosecuting attorney to advocate maximum incarceration for class D felony animal abuse. We ask Mayor Otis Schulte to fire this city employee. And we show irrefutable studies that link violence against animals to violence against humans.

Ultimately, Gerald City Hall is flooded with letters from as far as England. The killings get wide coverage in print and broadcast media. Humane Society of Missouri vows to open a cruelty investigation and Gerald City Council votes to fire dogcatcher Dean Todaro. Our source tells us about a packed City Council meeting where "the City Clerk spoke of being swamped with calls, faxes, etc. to the point [at which] they couldn't conduct business. The Council voted to fire the dogcatcher, to get a license, and abide by the regulations of the state. So, thanks to Kinship Circle's immediate help... We WON for the humane treatment of all animals in our small town!"

In February 2008, the Humane Society of Missouri's Cruelty Task Force issues a final offense/incident report. Investigator Bonnie Dean advises "appropriate disciplinary action against Dean Todaro, including criminal charges by the City of Gerald and Franklin County." Gerald is also told to acquire a Missouri Department of Agriculture license for their animal holding facility, host an Animal Welfare Law class for law officers, and draft municipal ordinances for the care/control of animals within city limits.

"All involved are excited about the outcome and thank Kinship Circle. The report noted that the state had comments from across the country. Let all know justice is served in Gerald for helpless animals!"

KINSHIP CIRCLE ACTION CAMPAIGNS & EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS:
• 2008 UPDATES / JAN - MARCH: Report Calls For Prosecution Of Pet-Killing Dogcatcher
• 12/7/07: "Serial Pet Killer" Goes Unpunished In Small Town

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12/10/07: Vick Sentenced To 23 Months For Dogfighting & 47 Surviving Dogs' Lives Are Spared

Kinship Circle follows Michael Vick's dogfighting case from its inception through federal and state prosecutions. Our members call, email and fax authorities, demanding maximum penalties for Vick, and his codefendants, for their dogfighting ring, "Bad Newz Kennels," plus related charges.

When time to determine the fate of Vick's surviving dogs, we implore the U.S. Attorney's Office (Eastern District of Virginia) and later, the court-appointed Guardian/Special Master of the dogs, Professor Rebecca J. Huss of Valparaiso University School of Law, to spare their lives. In the end, 47 pit bulls are divided among eight rescue groups for rehabilitation and possible adoption to the public.

Kinship Circle's Brenda Shoss speaks to Virginia Commonwealth Attorney Gerald Poindexter, and learns details about evidence found at the crime scene. She supports Mr. Poindexter's early intent to prosecute Michael Vick (state level) on felony charges for dogfighting, animal cruelty and killing dogs. Mr. Poindexter asks Kinship Circle to relay a message to the animal advocacy community that the state plans to conduct a thorough investigation and has probable cause to believe crimes were committed. He believes Vick and three co-defendants can be convicted...

PHOTOS: A Second Chance For The Vick-tims

FROM FIGHTERS TO FRIENDS, AT:
Best Friends Animal Society, Kaneb, Utah (22 dogs)
BAD RAP, Oakland, California (10 dogs)
Richmond Animal League, Richmond VA (4 dogs)
Georgia S.P.C.A., Suwanee, GA (3 dogs)
SPCA of Monterey County, CA (3 dogs)
Recycled Love, Inc., Baltimore, MD (3 dogs)
Animal Rescue of Tidewater, Chesapeake, VA (1 dog)
Our Pack, Inc. (1 dog)

KINSHIP CIRCLE ACTION CAMPAIGNS & EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS:
•  2008 UPDATES / OCT - DEC: Michael Vick: Early Release & Back To NFL?
•  2008 UPDATES / JAN - MARCH: The Dogs That Vick Hurt
•  12/10/07 UPDATES / SEPT - DEC: Vick Sentenced To 23 Months For Dogfighting
•  12/4/07 UPDATES / SEPT - DEC: Vick's Dogs...You Helped Save Their Lives
•  10/29/07 KC DIGEST - Ensure Vick's Dogs Are Spared, As Promised
•  9/30/07: Vick Teammate Faces Unrelated Cruelty Charges
•  8/28/07: Salvation For Vick's Dogs?
•  Sick Vick Updates & Feedback
•  8/19/07: No Deal For Sick Vick's Dogfighting Crimes
•  8/2/07: Michael Vick Dogfighting Files: Action & Updates
•  JUNE 2007 KC DIGEST: Massive K-9 Grave Found On Michael Vick's Property
•  FACT SHEET: Fatal Fights

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11/26/07: New York Medical College Drops Live Dog Lab — Washington University Med School Ends Pig Lab

In many lettering-writing campaigns, Kinship Circle targets more than 20 medical schools with live animal labs in physiology, pharmacology, and/or surgery curricula. We stress that old-fashioned animal labs not only numb students to pain and suffering, but also dissuade them from learning about human-focused technologies.

Schools that ditch animal experimentation in favor of non-animal systems include: New York Medical College (NYMC) announces it will replace live dog lab for a first-year physiology course with non-animal alternatives. Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, ranked no. 4 among U.S. med schools, terminates use of pigs in a student cardiovascular lab.

PHOTO courtesy of Kinship Circle

KINSHIP CIRCLE ACTION CAMPAIGNS & EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS:
•  4/20/06: Dinosaurs: Big Med Schools With Animal Labs
•  ACTIONS CAMPAIGNS: Animal Experimentation
•  FACT SHEET: ANIMAL EXPERIMENTATION
•  FACT SHEET: Sacrificing One Won't Save The Other
•  FACT SHEET: Vivisection: You Paid For It
•  COLUMNS & ARTICLES: Animal Experimentation

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9/21/07: Last U.S. Horse Slaughterhouse Banned In Illinois
3/7/07: Texas-Sized Victory For Horses

A federal ban on horse export for slaughter is still not law. Still, Kinship Circle embraces court rulings that outlaw horse slaughter in the U.S. and close the last three equine kill plants: Beltex in Fort Worth Texas; Dallas Crown in Kaufman, Texas; and Cavel International in DeKalb, Illinois.

The Texas 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals upholds a law that prohibits the sale of horsemeat for human consumption. Later, the Illinois 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals sustains its ban on horse slaughter for human intake. As a result, spent racehorses, companions, Premarin-industry foals, draft horses, ponies, donkeys and mules are spared slaughter on U.S. soil. Kinship Circle continues to lobby Congress to pass the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, which illegalizes horse export to Mexico, Canada, and other nations for crude slaughter — often with knife stabs around the withers while horses are still conscious.

PHOTO: Sadly, the few individuals profiting from the horse slaughter industry have spent vast sums of money to mislead US Congress. Animal Welfare Institute

KINSHIP CIRCLE ACTION CAMPAIGNS & EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS:
•  10/2/08: Call/Write To End Horse Slaughter For Good
•  10/7/07: Horses Agonize In Mexico As Federal Slaughter Ban Stalls
•  7/30/07: Ask House To Uphold Horse Slaughter Ban
•  3/29/07: 1 Horse Plant Left...And Now There Are None?
•  3/7/07 UPDATES / JAN � MAR: Federal Court of Appeals: Horse Slaughter Illegal in TX
•  1/29/07: Horse Slaughter Bill Renewed In 110th Congress
•  12/7/06: Horse Slaughter Prevention Act Down To The Wire
•  11/3/06 UPDATES / OCT � DEC: Horses Hurt in Wreck Spared from Illinois Slaughterhouse
•  10/6/06: Give Slaughter-Bound Horses A Second Chance
•  9/7/06 UPDATES / AUG �OCT: U.S. House Passes American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act
•  6/23/06: Grant Horses Immunity From Butchers
•  FACT SHEET: The "P" In Premarin Stands For Pee
•  COLUMN: One Country's Companion Is Another's Cuisine

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9/20/07: Mercy's Killer Behind Bars For Four Years

Each animal abuse case in court sets precedent for future litigation. Every abuser in jail sends a message: Animal cruelty is a crime. Kinship Circle regards singular incidents of animal cruelty as "building blocks" for a justice system (and society) to view animals as living beings, not property.

When Deshawn Brown of Dallas is charged with animal cruelty for drenching his 10- month-old pit bull in gasoline and lighting her on fire (4/13/06), Kinship Circle members ask the District Attorney's office to pursue felony penalties of 2 to 10 years in jail, plus fines up to $10,000. They ask the D.A. to ensure Brown undergoes psychological counseling and is barred from possessing, harboring or living with animals. In fact, Prosecutor David Alex does ask jurors for the maximum 10-year incarceration — 1 year for each of 10 days Mercy suffered before dying. Instead, Brown goes to jail for 4 years. While many are disappointed, a 4-year jail sentence for animal cruelty is significant.

PHOTO: Operation Kindness

KINSHIP CIRCLE ACTION CAMPAIGNS & EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS:
•  9/5/07 UPDATES / JUNE - SEPT: Mercy's Killer Faces Bond Increase
•  12/6/06 KC DIGEST: Mercy's Killer Will Stand Trial On April 23, 2007
•  4/29/06: A World Without Mercy - Justice For Tortured Pup

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8/31/07: Saint Louis University Phases Out Live Pig Lab

Kinship Circle's letter-writing campaign to Saint Louis University School of Medicine brings thousands of comments to the dean's desk — asking for termination of a cardiovascular physiology pig lab in which students inject pharmaceuticals into anesthetized pigs who are killed after the drill.

Stressing that everything from incision pressure to size, location, texture and elasticity of internal organs varies between pigs and people, we ask the university to replace animal experiments with non-animal teaching tools. A rebuttal from the dean of the school of medicine states: "As of August 15, 2007...animals are no longer used for teaching purposes in the M.D. curriculum of our School of Medicine."

This photo depicts a pig used in animal research, but is not from St. Louis University.

KINSHIP CIRCLE ACTION CAMPAIGNS & EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS:
• 6/25/06: End Old-Fashioned Pig Labs At St. Louis University
• 4/20/06: Dinosaurs: Big Med Schools With Animal Labs

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6/28/07: Louisiana Votes To End Cockfighting

Years of letters, calls, and emails to Louisiana legislators finally pay off in a resolution to phase out cockfighting by August 2008. We are pleased Louisiana lawmakers passed a cockfighting ban, but would have preferred a more immediate and comprehensive ban.

Cockfighting is a lesson in violence. To intensify aggression, cockfighters dose roosters with stimulants, steroids, and blood-clotting drugs. They arm birds with razor-sharp gaffs to extend feet up to 3 inches.

In the ring, birds shred each other's lungs, livers, wings and legs. They gouge out eyes and detach spinal cords. Moreover, animal fighting networks are associated with drug trafficking, prostitution, illegal gambling and firearms sales.

PHOTO courtesy of Kinship Circle

KINSHIP CIRCLE ACTION CAMPAIGNS & EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS:
•  JUNE 2007 KC DIGEST: Don't Give Up On Louisiana Anti-Cockfighting Bill
•  4/19/07: Louisiana - Ban Chicken Blood Sport Now
•  4/12/07: About Time! U.S. Animal Fighting Bill On President's Desk
•  1/25/07: Animal Fighting Bill Back In 110th Congress
•  2007 UPDATES / JAN-MAR: New Mexico Nixes Cockfighting; Louisiana Sole State
•  11/24/06: Don't Let Animal Fighting Bill Die In Committee
•  10/24/06: Pass The Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act
•  2006 UPDATES / MAY - JULY: Louisiana Cockfighting Ban Fails In Committee
•  COLUMN: Fatal Fights - Dogs On The Underground Circuit
•  FACT SHEETS: Animals Used For Entertainment & Exhibition

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6/21/07: European Union Dog And Cat Fur Ban

Humane Society International (an arm of Humane Society of the U.S.) approaches Kinship Circle to create a global letter campaign to European Commissioners. We ask that a Written Declaration in the European Parliament be enacted to ban the import, export, sale and production of cat and dog furs/skins in Europe. Kinship Circle's European members write their MEPs and non-Europeans contact other EU officials... After January 1, 2009 cat/dog fur imports are outlawed and a loophole that permitted commerce in companion-animal furs not "specifically" killed for their fur is closed.

12/29/08: EU's ban is confirmed — A total ban on the trade in dog and cat fur comes into force across Europe, just as fur fashion is staging a revival. The man who has campaigned for the ban for nine years, Conservative MEP Struan Stevenson, welcomed a move he said would save the lives of millions of animals slaughtered every year in Asia (mostly in China) to serve a European market. Europe bans cat and dog fur trade... Europe bans cat and dog fur trade

PHOTO: OIPA, International Organization for Animal Protection

KINSHIP CIRCLE ACTION CAMPAIGNS & EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS:
•  5/1/07: Stop Dog/Cat Fur Imports To U.S. And Europe
•  2/8/07 KC DIGEST: Faux Fur Found To Come From Dogs, Cats
•  11/20/06 UPDATES / OCT-DEC: Cat/Dog Fur: European Commission Proposes Ban
•  10/24/03: Letters NOW For EU Ban On Cat/Dog Fur
•  FACT SHEET: The Fur Trade

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6/1/07: Philippines - Ban On Sale Of Dog Meat Becomes Law

Kinship Circle letters and emails encourage the Philippines president and government officials to crack down on illicit dog meat markets in northern regions in and near Baguio City, where residents eat some 200 dogs daily. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signs the "Anti-Rabies Act of 2007" into law, with language to ban commerce in dog meat and prevent rabies through required dog vaccination.

PHOTO: OIPA, International Organization for Animal Protection

KINSHIP CIRCLE ACTION CAMPAIGNS & EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS:
•  11/8/07: No More Dogs For Dinner in Philippines
•  FACT SHEET: One Country's Companion Is Another's Cuisine
•  JAN 2007 KC DIGEST: Philippines: Save Man's Best Friend from the Dog Meat Trade
•  COLUMN: Canine Cuisine: A Custom Or A Crime?
•  3/16/05: Korea Moves To Legalize Dog Meat

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5/3/07: Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act Is Law

After nearly a decade of letters, calls, emails and meetings with elected officials to urge passage of the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act — Kinship Circle's dedication pays off. A federal law is enacted to assign felony penalties to selling, buying, transporting or receiving animals over state or international lines for animal fighting purposes. The law also bans the interstate and foreign commerce of knives, gaffs, or other sharp implements used in cockfighting.

PHOTO courtesy of Kinship Circle

KINSHIP CIRCLE ACTION CAMPAIGNS & EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS:
•  COLUMN: Fatal Fights - Dogs On The Underground Circuit
•  FACT SHEET: Fatal Fights
•  JUNE 2007 KC DIGEST: Don't Give Up On Louisiana Anti-Cockfighting Bill
•  4/19/07: Louisiana - Ban Chicken Blood Sport Now
•  4/12/07: About Time! U.S. Animal Fighting Bill On President's Desk
•  2007 UPDATES / JAN-MAR: New Mexico Nixes Cockfighting; Louisiana Sole State
•  1/25/07: Animal Fighting Bill Back In 110th Congress
•  11/24/06: Don't Let Animal Fighting Bill Die In Committee
•  10/24/06: Pass The Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act
•  2006 UPDATES / MAY - JULY: Louisiana Cockfighting Ban Fails In Committee
•  5/9/06: Louisiana: Ban Cockfighting. Become State #49!

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3/16/07: Mauler of Dog With Chainsaw Gets 2.5 Years In Jail

Kinship Circle's action campaign asks litigators to levy the maximum penalty of five years in state prison (or 2.5 years in the house of correction) for Randall R. Mason, a Monson, MA man who attacked a friend's dog with a chainsaw, nearly severing off two feet. The dog, who sustained deep scalp gashes, was later euthanized. Mason receives what Palmer District Court claims is the utmost sentence: 2.5 years behind bars.

KINSHIP CIRCLE ACTION CAMPAIGNS & EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS:
• 1/9/07: The Devil Made Him Shred Dog With Chainsaw

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3/21/07: Ruby Finally Wins Reprieve From L.A. Zoo

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, city council members, and Los Angeles Zoo commissioners are asked (over a series of letter campaigns) to reclaim Ruby the elephant from the Knoxville, TN Zoo to reunite her with longtime companion Gita at the Los Angeles Zoo. But Ruby and Gita's reunion ends in 2006 when keepers find Gita, 48, motionless on the ground. She later dies from complications related to the foot disorders and arthritis that plague captive elephants.

After Gita's death, Kinship Circle lobbies for Ruby's relocation to the Performing Animal Welfare Society's (PAWS) Ark 2000 elephant sanctuary in San Andreas, CA — where she can savor freedom in 70 acres of natural habitat, with African elephants. The city and zoo eventually vote to retire Ruby to PAWS, rather than shuffle her to another zoo.

PHOTO: Ruby at Los Angeles Zoo

KINSHIP CIRCLE ACTION CAMPAIGNS & EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS:
•  11/3/06: Ruby's Abbreviated Life In The L.A. Zoo
•  9/5/06: Captive Elephants Belong In Natural World
•  6/16/06: Gita's Death Sparks Cry To Close LA Elephant Exhibit

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2/16/07: Camarillo Fireworks Move AWAY From Animals

A Kinship Circle campaign asks the City of Camarillo, CA to relocate its July 4th fireworks display near the Ventura County Animal Shelter. Each year, some 400 abandoned animals endure explosive pops. Spooked animals leap over fences, sever chains, and even shatter glass windows to escape the clatter. Animals may critically injure themselves or die during frantic efforts to flee.

Our contact in Camarillo writes: "Dear Kinship Circle: Last year you picked up a cause near and dear to my heart — community Fourth of July Fireworks set off by the City of Camarillo and the local Lions Club within 400 yards of already terrorized dogs and cats housed at the Ventura County Animal Shelter. Thanks to your subscribers help, even though the Lions Club had sponsored fireworks at that location for 20 years, they decided that last year was to be the last."

KINSHIP CIRCLE ACTION CAMPAIGNS & EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS:
• 6/29/06: July 4th - Blast of Terror For CA Shelter Animals

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2/9/07: Brothers Get 10 Years For Baking Puppy In Oven

District Attorney Howard and Governor Perdue in Atlanta hear from Kinship Circle subscribers about the case of Justin, 17, and Joshua Moulder, 18, brothers charged with burglary, criminal damage to property and felony aggravated cruelty to animals. When the teens vandalized a recreation center at an apartment complex, they brought a five-month-old puppy along. They doused the dog in paint, hog-tied his feet, duct taped his mouth, and attempted to burn him alive. Flames didn't kill the alert puppy, so they baked him to death inside an oven... Each brother winds up with a 10-year prison sentence for animal torture/killing, burglary, criminal property damage, and terrorist threats and cruelty to children.

KINSHIP CIRCLE ACTION CAMPAIGNS & EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS:
•  2/14/07 KC DIGEST: Re-sentencing For Boys Who Baked Puppy Alive?
•  1/12/07 KC DIGEST: Atlanta Puppy-Baking Trial Date Set For 1/29/07
•  12/20/06 KC DIGEST: Atlanta Puppy-Baking Trial Ends In Hung Jury
•  9/10/06: Justice For Puppy Baked Alive In Oven

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1/18/07: Pomegranate Juice Maker Halts Cruel Experiments

POM Wonderful juices, teas and fruits get not-so-wonderful backlash from Kinship Circle for the company's use of outdated animal experiments. Our sample letter points out that animals undergo invasive procedures, taxing behavioral drills, isolation and death, primarily to demonstrate redundant information with no bearing on human health. We ask POM Wonderful to replace animal toxicity tests with sophisticated non-animal systems and join Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc., Welch Foods Inc., Sunny Delight Beverages Co., Naked Juice Company, Campbell Soup Company, Newman's Own, Inc., and more competitors who evaluated the evidence against animal testing and chose to no longer fund it.

Kinship Circle shares a victory with other animal advocacy groups when Lynda and Stewart Resnick, owners of POM parent company Roll International, inform all POM retailers: "POM Wonderful pomegranate juice has ceased all animal testing and we have no plans to do so in the future."

KINSHIP CIRCLE ACTION CAMPAIGNS & EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS:
•  8/24/06: POM Wonderful - Cruelty In A Cup
•  ACTIONS CAMPAIGNS: Animal Experimentation
•  FACT SHEET: ANIMAL EXPERIMENTATION
•  COLUMNS & ARTICLES: Animal Experimentation

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