November 2004 Volume XIII, #9
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FUNDRAISERS & PRO-ANIMAL DONOR STRATEGY (page 3) Chinese live Frogs, chemicals, & talk of confused markets feed gender identity shake up bureaucrats ST. PAUL––An apparent attempt some other wildlife. the fur trade to muzzle University of California at Atrazine may also trigger prostate Berkeley biologist Tyrone Hayes instead cancer in male humans, Hayes said, citing NEW YORK CITY––“Real Fur Is enabled him to tell the world in October studies of men who work in proximity to it Fun Again,” headlined the October 11 edition 2004 that frogs, toads, and salamanders and the results of laboratory testing on vari- of N e w s w e e k . “It’s less expensive and more appear to be abruptly disappearing due to ous mammal species. popular than ever. But as young people snug- the effects of atrazine. “Hayes was invited to speak to gle up, where are the protesters?” Atrazine, an endocrine-disrupting the Minnesota Senate Environment and Fur appeared on 36 of the 270 pages herbicide, is used on two-thirds of the corn- Natural Resources Committee after in the “Women’s Fashion Fall 2004” edition of fields in the U.S. and 90% of the sugar cane Minnesota Pollution Control Agency com- The New York Times Style Magazine: as many plantations. Popular with farmers for 45 missioner Sheryl Corrigan withdrew an ear- pages as in all editions from 2001 through 2003 years, it may be the most-used farm chemi- lier offer for him to make the keynote combined. cal worldwide. Residues can persist in soil speech at an agency-sponsored conference,” Fur is more visible now than at any for more than a year and in groundwater for explained Dennis Lien of the St. Paul time in the past 20 years. Furriers are buying Much of the fur on the streets now is cat, longer, but by comparison to paraquat, a Pioneer Press. more ad space in The New York Times a n d dog, or rabbit––from southern or coastal leading rival herbicide, atrazine breaks Denying that Hayes’ speaking other periodicals known to reach affluent China. This cat is safe at the Beijing Human down relatively quickly, and is safer for appearance was cancelled due to objections younger women, anticipating a profitable win- & Animal Environmental Education Centre, applicators and field workers who may have from farmers, Corrigan eventually offered ter––if the economy holds up. a first-rate shelter, far from the regions accidental exposure. Hayes a lesser speaking role under pressure But furriers have often misread mar- where cats are often eaten. (Kim Bartlett) Unfortunately, Hayes testified at from a coalition of 20 environmental groups ket demand. Expecting a boom in the winters an October 26 Minnesota Senate hearing, including the National Audubon Society of 1993/1994 and 1997/1998, chiefly through retailers exhaust the unsold back inventory even low levels of atrazine “chemically cas- and the Sierra Club, but Hayes declined, believing their own propaganda, furriers drove from the last time they misread the indicators. trate and feminize” male frogs, fish, and opting to testify to the lawmakers instead. fur pelt prices up at auction with panic buying The current buzz in the industry is “Initially, before the Minnesota to increase inventory, stepped up their adver- that in 2004 the women who were born at the Pollution Control Agency uninvited me, tising, and experienced busts instead. beginning of the last fur boom turned 30, they asked if I would remove the words The recent history of the fur trade is (continued on page 9) that booms are anticipated whenever the big (continued on page 16) ANIMAL PEOPLE News For People Who Care About Animals November 2004 Volume XIII, #9 (Robert L. Harrison) ANIMAL PEOPLE arranges rare show-and-tell Procter & Gamble meets Best Friends C I N C I N N A T I ––Fifteen founders • Northeast community programs and senior staff of the Best Friends Animal manager Beth Mersten formerly worked in a Society on October 22 talked shop with three New Jersey animal research lab. Mersten Procter & Gamble senior scientists and two changed jobs because she preferred rescuing senior representatives of pet food maker Iams animals, but her knowledge of the often-at- Inc., a P&G subsidiary. odds cultures of both laboratories and humane Convened by ANIMAL PEOPLE, work, and her ability to talk science with the preceding the October 22-24 “No More scientists, helped to further the discussion. Homeless Pets” conference in Cincinnati, the Language was an immediate prob- meeting introduced key personnel from one of lem. Twice ANIMAL PEOPLE i n t e r r u p t e d the fastest-growing and most increasingly the proceedings to clarify scientific jargon that influential animal charities in the world to confused the animal advocates. counterparts at one of the most controversial Notably, in discussing the species companies engaged in animal research. used in testing, P&G director of product safe- Procter & Gamble since 1984 has ty and regulatory affairs Barb Slatt mentioned invested more than $190 million in developing “animals” as one category from whom data are alternatives to animal testing, including $152 collected, and “rats and mice” as another. million since 1994. Yet P&G has also been Slatt referred to the status of the continuously under boycott by PETA and species under the U.S. Animal Welfare Act. Ty, an ex-racing greyhound adopted by Mary Ellen Goodridge of Salem, Massachusetts, allied animal rights groups. She was not denying the capacity of rats and won the January/February 2003 Lewyt Award for Heroic & Compassionate Animals, given by Procter & Gamble and Iams got the mice to suffer, or their need for care, and the North Shore Animal League America. (Louise Coleman/Greyhound Friends) opportunity to present a rare technical show- indeed was acknowledging and addressing it, and-tell for animal advocates. but the context might not have been evident to Best Friends got the chance to ask anyone unfamiliar with the Animal Welfare Shooting geese kills Kerry hard questions, from a variety of informed Act. The AWA requires individual tallies of perspectives: the use of dogs, cats, nonhuman primates, Voting machines steal greyhound victory in Florida • President Michael Mountain co- rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, wildlife, and C L E V E L A N D––Democratic Party castic about Kerry for most of 1,000 words. authored a book attacking vivisection in the farm animals, but exempts record keeping presidential nominee John Kerry either forgot The young voters and anti-hunting early days of the society. pertaining to rats, mice, and birds. or took for granted the 40% of Ohio voters women of Ohio didn’t need 1,000 words to be • Director of animal care Faith The scientists in turn were confused who supported a failed 1998 ballot initiative convinced by the photos of Kerry red-handed Maloney brought to the table extensive experi- by some terms used by animal advocates, that sought to reinstate a ban on dove hunting. that there was no difference between him and ence at supervising shelter medicine and hous- especially “vivisection” and “pound seizure.” The initiative was heavily supported by young Bush big enough to be worth casting ballots. ing, as did communications director Bonney To scientists, “vivisection” is inva- voters and women. Kerry won the Humane USA Politi- Brown, who is also a former shelter director. sive surgery done to display a bodily function On October 21, 2004, Kerry in the cal Action Committee endorsement despite • Dog training and care consultant as part of a teaching or research procedure, words of New York Times columnist Maureen shooting two pheasants in a Halloween 2003 Sherry Woodard specializes in maintaining the Dowd “cooked his own goose.” photo-op, during the Iowa primary campaign. psychological health of dogs in confinement. (continued on page 18) Wrote Dowd, “In yet another Ohio Representative Dennis Kucin- attempt to prove to George W. Bush that he is ich, a longtime vegan, was the only non- man enough to run this country, John Kerry hunter to enter the primaries, and was never a made an animal sacrifice to the political gods strong contender. in a cornfield in eastern Ohio…Tromping But Kucinich is strong in Cleveland. about in a camouflage costume and toting a Elected mayor at age 31, after two terms as a 12-gauge double-barreled shotgun that city councilor, Kucinich later served in the shrieked ‘I am not a merlot-loving, brie-eat- Ohio Senate. On November 2, 2004 Kucinich ing, chatelaine-marrying dilettante,’ the won 60% of the votes in his fifth election to Democratic nominee emerged from his shoot- the House of Representatives. ing spree with three fellow hunters proclaim- Kerry took 67% of the record turnout ing, ‘Everybody got one,’ showing off a hand in Cuyahoga County, where Cleveland is stained with goose blood.” located, and actually won two and a half times Dowd, no fan of Bush, waxed sar- (continued on page 6) 2 - ANIMAL PEOP LE, November 2004 Well, I’ve fed dogs and cats in the wilderness, rescued and cared for them every day of my life during those same years. Between the ages of 30 and 55, I have not had even one vacation, I have gone to only one wedding, I have not taken up even one friend’s invitation for a weekend getaway . there has been no time for any of this . and I have asked for only one thing in return for these 25 years of sacrifice . your regular financial support. 25 years ago, whenever I said I was going to have the first big “no-kill” shelter, I was widely ridiculed.