To Huntingdon He Did Go: Inside DOGS WHO BARK in the NIGHT the World’S Most Controversial Lab (PAGE 16)
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To Huntingdon he did go: inside DOGS WHO BARK IN THE NIGHT the world’s most controversial lab (PAGE 16) CAMBRIDGESHIRE, U.K.––Few animal advo- cruelty of two technicians shown allegedly punching a beagle. the major funders of the biggest street dog rescue projects in cates have actually been inside the controversial Huntingdon Even fewer animal advocates have been inside both Turkey and Romania, were two exceptions. They spent Life Sciences complex at Alconbury, Cambridgeshire, Huntingdon since the December 1999 debut of a group called several hours inside Huntingdon recently, having wangled invi- England, a sporadic focus of antivivisection protest since 1972, Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty, whose sole mission is seek- tations through an acquaintance with well-placed contacts. and virtually besieged since the July 1997 television airing of ing to drive Huntingdon out of business. The SHAC founders “Alice and I were shown around on March 4, 2002 an undercover video which led to the firing and convictions for previously orchestrated campaigns that eventually closed the by marketing director Andrew Gaye,” Smith told A N I M A L Herefordshire beagle-breeding firm Consort Kennels and the PEOPLE. Smith described Gaye as “an excellent communica- Oxfordshire cat-breeding firm Hill Grove Farm. Both compa- tor, well versed in the pros and cons of animal research.” nies produced animals for lab use. As a business person himself, Smith inquired first Like the Huntingdon campaign, the Consort Kennels into the economic status of Huntingdon, asking almost the and Hill Grove Farms campaigns often turned violent. Former same questions at about the same time as U.S. News & World Hill Grove Farms owner Christopher Brown, 64, told news Report investigative writer Michael Satchel. media in August 1999 that he quit breeding cats for labs, after Satchel wrote in the April 8, 2002 edition of U . S . 30 years, because “I have been beaten up, my wife has been News & World Report that “In January 2001, as Huntingdon attacked, and my staff have been attacked.” teetered on the brink of bankruptcy, the company was rescued Also like the Huntingdon campaign, the Consort by a $33 million loan from the Stephens Group, a privately Kennels and Hill Grove Farms campaigns did not verifiably held $5 billion Arkansas-based investment firm, and the lab’s save even one animal life. The Royal SPCA found homes for largest shareholder, with a 16% stake. Last October, more than 800 animals who would otherwise have been sold to Huntingdon restructured as a U.S.-based company to help hide laboratories––but the laboratories bought beagles and cats from the identity of shareholders,” who had often been targeted at other sources and carried on as usual. their homes by SHAC, “and prepared to quit the London stock Consort Kennels and Hill Grove Farms, however, exchange and list its shares on the NASDAQ board. were relatively unfortified compared to Huntingdon. “But in February 2002,” Satchel continued, Huntingdon keeps anyone without official business far from the “President and CEO Warren Stephens suddenly capitulated. main offices and animal facilities. That includes any and all Stephens dumped his company’s stake in Huntingdon at a animal advocates. reported $6 million loss, and sold the $33 million loan to a But textile magnate Robert Smith and his wife Alice, secret foreign buyer, insisting that the protests did not influ- This little guy was rescued by Primarily Primates. (Kim Bartlett) (continued on page 6) ANIMAL PEOPLE News For People Who Care About Animals May 2002 Volume XI, #4 Dalai Lama hits sport hunting DHARAMSALA, India– – M a k i n g “I therefore appeal to all concerned in perhaps his strongest statement yet on behalf of Mongolia not to indulge in trophy hunting of animals, the Dalai Lama on March 29 remind- rare and endangered species,” the Dalai Lama ed Buddhists that sport hunting is contrary to concluded. “I make this appeal as a Buddhist the teachings of the Buddhist religion. because of our respect and compassion for all The Dalai Lama had been asked to living beings.” address the growth of trophy hunting in The condemnation of sport hunting Mongolia by Fund for Animals spiritual out- by the Dalai Lama will have resonance with reach director Norm Phelps, who practices Buddhists around the world––and among other Tibetan Buddhism. Phelps outlined the recent people where the moral legitimacy of hunting is heavy investment of trophy hunting outfitters in currently at issue, especially in India, where promoting safaris to kill argali sheep, snow the Dalai Lama lives in exile at Dharamsala; leopards, Bactrian camels and other species, Nepal, the other ancient Himalyan mountain many of which may not be legally hunted any- kingdom; and the U.S. where the life of the where else. Dalai Lama has been subject of several popular Phelps pointed out that “An estimated films, many books, and celebrity press cover- 95% of the Mongolian population of 2.5 mil- age for more than 40 years. lion are Tibetan Buddhists.” The opposition of the Dalai Lama to The Dalai Lama responded with an sport hunting may also cause discomfort to open appeal issued in his official capacity as many well-placed Republican conservatives, Pit bull terrier at DELTA Rescue. (Kim Bartlett) spirtual head of the Tibetan Buddhist religion. who have long embraced the Dalai Lama as a “I am deeply saddened to learn that living symbol of resistance to Communism, Mongolia encourages trophy hunting of rare and frequently cite the forced annexation of and endangered species for tourism,” the Dalai Tibet in 1953 in statements of opposition to lib- Fewer fighters, more dogs Lama wrote. “We all know that taking others’ eralizing trade and political relations with the PUEBLO, Colorado––Issuing one been taped off into the dimensions of a dog- lives is in general against Buddhist principles. Chinese Communist regime. of the stiffest sentences yet given to a con- fighting ring. Evidence,” Malone wrote, How can we destroy and play with the lives of The strength of Tibetan Buddism in victed dogfighter, District Judge Scott “included a poem Speer wrote about Gatoree, animals merely for fun, pleasure, and sports? Mongolia despite decades of Communist Epstein of Pueblo, Colorado, on April 15, a prize dog of his, dying in his arms after a It is unthinkable. Tibet, as a Buddhist country, repression is still evident, but during the past 2002 sent Brian Keith Speer to state prison valiant effort in the ring.” in the past had banned hunting of animals in 20 years the Safari Club International has prob- for six years. The prosecution indicated that any form. Today there is greater awareness ably had more access to political decision-mak- Speer, 32, of Colorado Springs, is Speer was associated with dogfighters in worldwide for the protection of not only the ers there than the Dalai Lama has ever enjoyed, to serve 18 concurrent three-year sentences many other states and possibly in Mexico. environment but also of animals, their rights, beginning with back-door entry during the for 18 felony counts of animal fighting, plus The Speer sentencing came five and their protection against torture. And there- Communist era. three more years for his felonious mistreat- days after Associate Judge Diane Brunton of fore, even in countries where there are strong Mongolia under Communism was ment of one especially badly injured pit bull Macoupin County, Illinois, ordered accused traditions of hunting, people are passing laws mostly aligned with the former Soviet Union. terrier found in his possession during a June dogfighter Jeffrey M. Giller to post bond of to ban it. A good case in point is the recent ban The constant presence of Soviet troops from the 2000 raid on his trailer home near Boone. $90,000 or forfeit 17 pit bull terriers. on fox hunting by the Scottish Parliament. (continued on page 13) Speer was convicted on February Arrested on March 28, Giller, 24, was jailed 11, after a four-day jury trial. in lieu of posting bail of $300,000 on four “In June 2000,” reported Patrick counts of felony dogfighting, plus $20,000 Malone of the Pueblo Chieftan, “36 adult pit bail on misdemeanor charges of domestic vio- bulls and eight puppies were confiscated” lence and aggravated assault. from Speer, almost all of whom were later “Sheriff’s deputies noticed the killed at the Pueblo animal control shelter dogs,” wrote Robert Goodrich of the St. because of aggressive behavior. “Animal Louis P o s t - D i s p a t c h , “when they went to control officers also seized performance- Giller’s property to investigate a domestic enhancing drugs commonly used by breeders violence complaint by a girlfriend.” who train dogs to fight. Many of the animals “These are violent crimes,” com- had severe wounds at various stages of heal- mented attorney Ledy Van Kavage, repre- ing, indicating they had been involved in senting the Belleville Area Humane Society fights over an extended span. In addition, and the American SPCA. “Dogfighting is a officers seized a bloodstained rug that had (continued on page 18) 2 - ANIMAL PEOP LE, May 2002 with her canned food. And my hunch paid off. She ate, then she picked up a mouthful of hot dogs and carried them off to feed her children. I just fell in I followed her as best I could to get a sense of where she might be headed. But then, as I made my way through the brush toward Caroline, I heard some screeching in the sky. It was a hawk, being held love again at bay by a small band of ravens.