Animal People News
June 2011 3/22/13 11:39 PM Page 1
National Zoo bird researcher is charged No more live birds with attempting to poison feral cats sold at San Francisco WASHINGTON D.C.––Alley Cat munity cats in her neighborhood of Columbia farmers’ markets Allies and Alley Cat Rescue on May 26, 2011 Heights, in Washington D.C.,” elaborated the SAN FRANCISCO––Live bird asked the Smithsonian Institution to suspend Alley Cat Rescue blog. “Alley Cat Rescue sales ended at the Heart of the City Farmers’ National Zoo Migratory Bird Center researcher vehemently disagrees with keeping Dauphine Market on May 27, 2011––the only one of the Nico Dauphine. Dauphine was charged three in her current position at the National Zoo and three San Francisco farmers’ markets at days earlier with attempted animal cruelty for believes she should be removed until an inves- which live birds were sold. allegedly trying to poison feral cats. If convict- tigation into these allegations of animal cruelty Two vendors, Raymond Young ed, Dauphine could be fined up to $1,000 and has been completed.” Poultry and Bullfeathers Quail, were notified could be sentenced to 180 days in jail. As well as requesting that on May 3 that live bird sales would no longer Dauphine denied the offense in a Dauphine be suspended from her job, Alley be allowed. “The market has announced that brief statement issued by her attorney. Cat Allies asked the Smithsonian “for confir- it plans to expand 25% and is seeking new “Evidence shows she was putting rat mation that she is no longer conducting her vendor applications, so we can look forward poison and antifreeze in cat food left for com- domestic cat research,” said Alley Cat Allies to the area that was previously filled with president Becky Robinson. abused animals and filth to be used for some- Dauphine, until the cruelty charge thing better!” exulted Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual- Leghorn hen at Pasado’s Safe Haven. became public, was seeking partic- Transgender Compassion founder Andrew (Kim Bartlett) ipants in a study in which small Zollman, 43, who with fellow live market cameras were mounted on free- protester Alex Felsinger, 25, had picketed 1947, since 2009, when an LGBT Compas- roaming cats to document how they the twice-weekly market for about two years. sion campaign closed New Long’s Live hunt birds. Raymond Young Poultry and Poultry, which had operated from a nearby “We know what she’s Bullfeathers Quail reportedly began selling parking lot. Live birds have reportedly never doing would in no way jeopardize live birds at Heart of the City, in United been sold at the Ferry Plaza Farmer’s Market, our animal collection at the Nations Plaza, about 10 years after the mar- begun several years after Heart of the City. National Zoo or jeopardize ket debuted as a Quaker community develop- LGBT Compassion also influenced wildlife,” National Zoo associate ment project in 1981. the Old Oakland Farmers’ Market, across the director of communications Pamela Live birds, frogs, snakes, and San Francisco Bay Bridge, to discontinue Baker-Masson told ABC News, other animals continue to be sold for human live bird sales. “so we feel perfectly comfortable consumption from storefronts in San The San Francisco humane commu- that she continue her research.” Francisco’s Chinatown, but Heart of the City nity has often conflicted with the owners and “Residents living near was the only live market in the city outside of customers of live markets, who today are Malcolm X Park have long seen Chinatown. Live birds have not been sold at mostly ethnic Asian. In earlier times San Feral cats (Marvin Sobel) (continued on page 8) the Alemany Farmer’s Market, founded in Francisco also featured live markets serving mainly Italian and Hispanic customers. Before the LGBT Compassion cam- paign, however, the live markets had usually withstood humane pressure, beginning in 1868, when banker James Sloan Hutchinson ANIMAL PEOPLE became so upset at the abuse of a pig he saw dragged to slaughter that he founded the San News For People Who Care About Animals Francisco SPCA. The San Francisco SPCA grew into one of the largest and most influen- tial in the world, yet never succeeded in clos- ing a live market or in passing local legisla- June 2011 tion to restrict their activity. The LGBT Compassion campaign Volume 20, #5 uniquely morphed into a clash between San Francisco’s two most prominent minority cul- tures, especially after alleged assaults and (continued on page 6) Fundraising turf war brings California groups’ complaint against the ASPCA EL CERRITO, California– – California, such expenditure is insignificant in Alleging “unfair and deceptive fundraising comparison to the amount of money the orga- practices which harm local humane societies nization raises in this state,” Hughes charged. and SPCAs,” the State Humane Association of “For example, according to the ASPCA, it California on May 3, 2011 filed a complaint received $116.5 million in revenue in 2009. against the American SPCA with the California However, [California organizations] in 2010 Office of the Attorney General. received a total of only $352,100 from the Explained State Humane Association ASPCA. That is only .03% of the ASPCA of California executive director Erica Gaudet income, while California represents 13% of Hughes, “The complaint alleges that ASPCA the national economy and undoubtedly donates capitalizes on, and intentionally reinforces, proportionately to the ASPCA, especially [in the widely held mistaken belief that it is a par- response to] targeted ASPCA solicitations.” ent or umbrella organization to the thousands Asserted Hughes, “Since such of humane societies and SPCAs across the aggressive fundraising by the ASPCA in country. In reality,” Hughes said, “the California began several years ago, humane ASPCA operates only one animal shelter, in societies and SPCAs throughout the country Pup rescued from Fukushima nuclear disaster exclusion zone. (Kinship Circle) New York City. While it does fund projects in have suffered. The State Humane Association of California does not take issue with the work done by the Far from Fukushima, helpers find ASPCA,” Hughes said, “and has been involved in cooperative themselves near the eye of the storm efforts with them. We simply want TOKYO, ST. LOUIS––Six thou- tions in 2005, realized the need to do their the ASPCA to stop capitalizing on sand miles from the earthquake, tsunami, work well away from the excitement. and reinforcing public confusion and triple nuclear meltdown that hit northeast- “I never get to do the exciting regarding its relationship to local ern Japan on March 11, 2011, and six weeks stuff,” Shoss joked. SPCAs and humane societies.” after the crisis began, Kinship Circle execu- But in late April a flurry of torna- A subsection of the State tive director Brenda Shoss and Best Friends does culminating in the “2011 Super Humane Association of California Animal Society community relations special- Outbreak” briefly put Shoss and Lea close to web site explains that neither the ist Troy Lea remained on post-disaster over- the eye of the storm. ASPCA nor the Humane Society load in late May, even though they never left “I was lucky, but my neighbors not of the U.S. is an umbrella organi- their home offices near St. Louis, Missouri. so lucky,” Lea told ANIMAL PEOPLE on zation representing SPCAs or Shoss, of University City, used April 24. “My house and my mom’s house humane societies. Skype telephone calls, Facebook, and e-mail are still standing,” Lea said, “but right down “I’ve witnessed the prob- to coordinate animal rescue efforts involving the street a tornado took out a bunch of lem firsthand,” wrote Whole Dog 10 Kinship Circle volunteers and about 30 homes. Thankfully no one was killed, but a Journal editor Nancy Kerns. “As a volunteers from other organizations in the lot of people are now going to have to rebuild. volunteer at the North West vicinity of the stricken Fukushima nuclear It was so damn scary! Tornadoes were touch- SPCA,” in Oroville, California, reactor complex. ing down all over the place right around us.” “I’ve frequently had people tell Lea, of Maryland Heights, not The tornadoes ripping through St. me, ‘I give money to you guys all actually part of the Best Friends disaster relief Louis were only the first of a five-day the time. The ASPCA loves me!’ team, handled extra calls about routine ani- onslaught during which 327 tornadoes hit 21 When I inquire, gently, whether mal problems to help cover for personnel who states, killing 344 people. April 27, the peak they gave money to the NW/SPCA were more directly involved, either in the day, brought 292 tornadoes. or the ASPCA, they are always Fukushima crisis or in response to flooding In Tuscaloosa, Alabama, scene of confused as to the difference—and along the Mississippi River and tributaries. 41 human fatalities, “More than two weeks dismayed, and sometimes angry, Most of the calls to which Lea responded after twisters shattered the South, teams from when I explain that none of any would never make headlines, yet involved a the Humane Society of the U.S. are still money they sent to the ASPCA has life-and-death crisis for an individual animal. rounding up stray animals and pets in the ever made its way to the shelter Shoss and Lea, both veterans of most heavily damaged areas,” reported Jay (continued on page 14) post-Hurricane Katrina disaster relief opera- (continued on page 12) June 2011 3/22/13 11:39 PM Page 2
2 - ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2011 June 2011 3/22/13 11:39 PM Page 3
Editorial feature ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2011 - 3 Slaughtering animals, crime, & societal health Phillip Danforth Armour (1832-1901) is today remembered only for the meatpacking graphic characteristics of the workers, social disorganization in the communities, and company he founded, but in his own time was lauded for allegedly contributing to the increased unemployment rates. But these explanations have not been empirically tested, and progress of civilization by moving animal slaughter out of sight, smell, and sound of women, no research has addressed the possibility of a link between the increased crime rates and the children, and decent men. violent work that takes place in the meatpacking industry.” Born into an upstate New York farming family, Armour drove barge-hauling mules Therefore Fitzgerald, Kalof, and Dietz did a complex set of statistical comparisons of alongside the Chenango Canal in his teens, then walked all the way to California at age 19 to the demographic variables in 581 counties from 1994 to 2002, compared to the FBI’s Uniform join the Gold Rush. He soon discovered that more gold was to be made by starting a Crime Report database. “The findings,” they concluded, “indicate that slaughterhouse Placerville butcher shop than in mining. employment increases total arrest rates, arrests for violent crimes, arrests for rape, and arrests Returning east with savings of $8,000, Armour founded a pig slaughtering business in for other sex offenses in comparison with other industries. This suggests the existence of a Milwaukee in 1867, moved it to Chicago, and within 20 years was killing more than 1.5 mil- ‘Sinclair effect’ unique to the violent workplace of the slaughterhouse, a factor that has not lion pigs and cattle per year. Though others shared in the invention of high-speed, high-vol- previously been examined in the sociology of violence.” ume mechanized slaughter, Armour more than anyone else is credited with conceptualizing the “disassembly line,” leading to the rise of industrial slaughter. Findings parallel hunting studies This was considered a significant advance for many reasons beyond merely making meat more accessible and affordable to urban Americans. Concentrating stockyards and Fitzgerald, Kalof, and Dietz used similar methods and some of the same raw demo- slaughter at a single location served by railways helped to make cities more tolerable places to graphic and crime data that ANIMAL PEOPLE used in a 1994-1995 set of comparisons of live than when livestock were driven through the streets, the odors and screaming of animals hunting license sales with child abuse convictions in the 232 counties of New York state, assailed senses and sensibilities in every neighborhood, blood flowed through the gutters, and Ohio, and Michigan. The initial study, covering the 62 counties of New York state, found offal heaps were dumped for dogs and pigs to scavenge in vacant lots and alleys––as continues that in 21 of 22 direct comparisons between counties of almost identical population density, in much of the developing world. The term “shambles” originated in 16th century Britain to the county with the most hunters also had the most child molesting. Twenty-eight of the 32 describe the place where slaughter was done, and remains a common description of disrep- New York counties with rates of child molesting above the state median also had more than the utable properties. median rate of hunting. The second ANIMAL PEOPLE study demonstrated that among the Removing slaughter from the local commercial districts serving residential neighbor- 88 counties of Ohio, those with more than the median number of hunters per 100,000 residents hoods also removed slaughtermen, whose working practices and recreational pursuits, includ- had 51% more reported child abuse, including 15% more physical violence, 82% more ing brawling, public drunkenness, and gambling on animal fights, had already been widely neglect, 33% more sexual abuse, and 14% more emotional maltreatment. The third ANI- decried by humanitarian reformers for more than a century before Armour’s time. Bull-bait- MAL PEOPLE study found that Michigan children were nearly three times as likely to be ing, in particular, had evolved directly from the medieval European practice of using bulldogs neglected and twice as likely to be physically abused or sexually assaulted if they lived in a to hold cattle while their throats were cut, and contributed to the development of dogfighting. county with either an above average or above median rate of hunting participation. Cockfighting was also a “sport” of butchers and their suppliers. Though gambling and animal ANIMAL PEOPLE concluded that the parallels prevalent in all three states support a fights had been banned in many communities since Puritan times, they tended to remain ubiq- hypothesis that both hunting and child abuse reflect the degree to which a social characteristic uitous until after slaughter was banished to the margins of cities. called dominionism prevails in a particular community. Stephen Kellert, in a 1980 study Phillip Armour toward the end of his life attracted the fawning attention of Orison commissioned by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in part to discover effective defenses of Swett Marden (1850-1924), a prolific author of self-help books. “It is after business hours, hunting, defined dominionism as an attitude in which “primary satisfactions [are] derived not in them, that men break down,” asserted Marden in Cheerfulness as a Life Power (1899). from mastery or control over animals,” a definition which other investigators extended to “Men must, like Philip Armour, turn the key on business when they leave it, and at once include the exercise of “mastery or control” over women and children. Kellert––a hunter who unlock the doors of some wholesome recreation.” for 30 years has struggled to deny the import of his findings––reported that the degree of Marden wrote of how Armour personally distanced himself from slaughter at the very dominionism in the American public as a whole rated just 2.0 on a scale of 18. Humane soci- height of the 1898-1899 tainted beef scandal involving the Armour slaughter empire that ety members rated only 0.9. Recreational hunters, however, rated from 3.8 to 4.1, while inspired Upton Sinclair (1878-1968) to author The Jungle, a novelized exposé of the slaughter trappers scored 8.5. industry published in 1906, five years after Armour’s death. Fitzgerald, Kalof, and Dietz found much the same tendencies in their study of slaugh- Observed Sinclair, “Men who have to crack the heads of animals all day seem to get tering and crime, including “sexual attacks on males, incest, indecent exposure, statutory into the habit, and to practice on their friends, and even on their families, between times. rape, and ‘crimes against nature,’” they reported. “Many of these offenses are perpetrated This makes it a cause for congratulation that by modern methods a very few men can do the against those with less power,” Fitzgerald, Kalof, and Dietz noted. “We interpret this as evi- painfully necessary work of headcracking for the whole of the cultured world.” dence that that the work done within slaughterhouses might spillover to violence against other Industrializing the mayhem moved it out of the daily experience of most people, but less powerful groups, such as women and children. scarcely changed the psychological effects of killing animals, quantified in our own time by “The use of the term spillover here derives from the cultural spillover of violence theo- Amy J. Fitzgerald of the University of Windsor and Linda Kalof and Thomas Dietz of ry developed by Larry Baron and Murray Straus (in 1987-1988),” Fitzgerald, Kalof, and Michigan State University in a 2009 study entitled Slaughterhouses and Increased Crime Dietz explained. “The central tenet of this theory is that the more a society tends to endorse Rates: An Empirical Analysis of the Spillover From “The Jungle” Into the Surrounding the use of physical force to attain socially approved ends—such as order in the schools, crime Community, published in the journal Organization & Environment. control, and military dominance––the greater the likelihood that this legitimization of force “More than 100 years after Upton Sinclair denounced the massive slaughterhouse com- will be generalized to other spheres in life, such as the family and relations between the sexes, plex in Chicago as a ‘jungle,’ qualitative case study research has documented numerous nega- where force is less approved socially. Although the authors did not specifically discuss the tive effects of slaughterhouses on workers and communities,” Fitzgerald, Kalof, and Dietz slaughter of animals as part of this process, we argue that it is a possibility.” opened. “Of the social problems observed in these communities, the increases in crime have Concluded Fitzgerald, Kalof, and Dietz, “The results presented here therefore demon- been particularly dramatic. These increases have been theorized as being linked to the demo- strate significant and unique effects of slaughterhouse employment on several crime variables. These effects are not found in [other industries with a demographically comparable work- SEARCHABLE ARCHIVES: www.animalpeoplenews.org force], and they cannot be explained by unemployment, social disorganization, and demo- graphic variables…In particular, our results lend support to the argument, first articulated by Sinclair, that the industrial slaughterhouse is different in its effects from other industrial facili- ANIMAL PEOPLE ties. We believe that this is another of a growing list of social problems and phenomena that News for People Who Care About Animals are undertheorized unless explicit attention is paid to the social role of nonhuman animals.” Published by Animal People, Inc. President & Administrator: Temple Grandin found hints Kim Bartlett – [email protected] Ironically, much as research meant to help promote hunting produced hints pointing Editor: Merritt Clifton – [email protected] toward the association of hunting with crimes against children, research commissioned by the slaughter industry pointed more than 20 years ago toward the association of slaughter with vio- Web producer: Patrice Greanville lent crime and crimes of sexual exploitation. Newswire monitor: Cathy Young Czapla Summarized Colorado State University professor of psychology and animal science P.O. Box 960 Temple Grandin in her 1988 Anthrozoos commentary Behavior of Slaughter Plant & Auction Clinton, WA 98236-0960 Employees toward the Animals, “Abuses of animals at auctions and slaughter plants occur often. In 1984, an investigator was hired to make unannounced visits on sale day at 51 live- ISSN 1071-0035. Federal I.D: 14-1752216 stock markets in 11 southeastern states…32% had either rough handling or acts of cruelty. Telephone: 360-579-2505. Fax: 360-579-2575. Twenty-five federally inspected U.S. and Canadian slaughter plants were visited by the author Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org between 1975 and 1987,” at which eight had “acts of deliberate cruelty occurring on a regular basis.” At three others Grandin observed “rough handling occurring as a routine practice.” Copyright © 2011 for the authors, artists, and photographers. Found Grandin, “Approximately 4% of the employees directly involved with live- Reprint inquiries are welcome. stock committed acts of deliberate cruelty,” while “In some poorly managed plants and auc- ANIMAL PEOPLE: News for People Who Care About Animals is published tions over half the employees engaged in rough treatment of animals. Personal observations nine times annually by Animal People, Inc., a nonprofit, charitable corporation dedicated indicate that severe rough handling, abuse, and neglect on farms, ranches, markets, and feed- to exposing the existence of cruelty to animals and to informing and educating the public of lots have remained at a steady 10% to 15% of operations for the last ten years over the entire the need to prevent and eliminate such cruelty. Donations to Animal People, Inc. are tax- United States.” deductible. Financial information on Animal People, Inc. and other charities can be Grandin was optimistic, based on results from slaughterhouses where she was able accessed at
4 - ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2011 Slaughtering animals, crime, & societal health (from page 3) tle up the chute made it easier to maintain a humane attitude. It ever be done without emotional consequence to those who do There is also increasingly broad public recognition of is also easier to maintain a good attitude in plants with a slower the killing, regardless of the purpose and regardless of the the need to improve the welfare of farmed animals, indicated line speed. At 1,000 hogs per hour it is almost impossible to approach of the person doing the killing. by the success of pro-farm animal welfare ballot initiatives, handle the hogs properly. The constant pressure to keep up Phil Arkow in The Humane Society & the Human petitions seeking to place more such initiatives before voters, with the line leads to abuse. Maintaining respect for animals is Animal Bond: Reflections on the Broken Bond (1985) quanti- and expanding commercial interest in labeling products as much harder at 1,000 hogs per hour compared to 500 hogs per fied the psychological effects of killing dogs and cats on shelter humanely produced. hour.” workers. Killing nearly five times more dogs and cats then than Though many of these measures fall disappointingly But even Armour’s slaughter lines worked at what now, shelter workers mostly took what Grandin described as far short of achieving the substantive improvements they would now be considered very slow line speeds. At slower line the “sacred ritual approach,” and still do. promise, that they are advancing at all is a remarkable turn- speeds, employees may be able to work more precisely, caus- Shelter workers have rarely ever been involved in about from the century-plus of “out of sight, out of mind” atti- ing less suffering to each animal they kill, if they make this a violent crimes against anyone else, but in the mid-1980s had tudes toward farmed animals that Phillip Armour introduced. priority, but the underlying psychological issue is still the rates of alcoholism, other substance abuse, clinical depression, Yet most of humanity has not so far recognized that cumulative effect of taking lives, at whatever speed and in and suicide comparable to those of Vietnam War combat veter- killing fewer animals to eat––or best, none––would also con- whatever environment. ans. The introduction of psychological counseling programs tribute to becoming a healthier society, both physically and The butchers who used bulldogs at the London sham- for shelter workers may have helped, but post-traumatic stress psychologically. Much research, before Fitzgerald, Kalof, bles when the Royal SPCA was founded in 1824 usually killed among shelter workers has receded mainly coincidental with and Dietz, pointed toward positive effects on physical health just one or two animals per day. Recreational deer hunters typi- shelters killing far fewer animals. from not eating animals. Now studies of the societal health cally kill only one or two animals per year, yet the association There is now widespread public recognition that effects of killing animals as an industry have begun. of hunting with spillover into violence against children was killing fewer dogs and cats at animal shelters, for whatever As academic papers stereotypically conclude, “More starkly clear in the ANIMAL PEOPLE studies. cause, is an indication of progress toward becoming a healthier study is necessary,” since no one study will sway the world. Ultimately the question is whether killing animals can society, in which life and well-being are more highly valued. But relevant questions are at last under examination. We invite readers to submit letters and original unpublished commentary –– LETTERS please, nothing already posted to a “Islam Cares for Animals” web site––via e-mail to Animal welfare is a relatively new Islamic boarding schools led by renowned and
ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2011 - 5 Objections to “Getting wise to ‘invasive species’ rhetoric” editorial I would like to point out that your argument in the sympathy for sea bird chicks who get eaten alive in a cruel and habitats where biodiversity is already sparse. It is in such May 2011 ANIMAL PEOPLE editorial “Getting wise to gruesome fashion by these vicious rodents. sparse habitats, where the species inventory is not constantly ‘invasive species’ rhetoric” that an increase in local biodiversity Animal lovers have to keep in mind that invasive increased and challenged by newcomers, that extinctions most is compensation for loss of biodiversity at a global level is species eradication is often a one-time process, when done effi- often occur. flawed. If the earth consisted of 10 equally sized islands, it ciently in a planned manner, and is not a cycle of cruelty. The discussion of rat predation on sea bird chicks would be better both from an ecological and economic perspec- People with genuine care for animals should channel overlooks that predation is the fate of most chicks and eggs in tive that each island had only 500 species, out of which 400 are their energies towards fighting systemic inbuilt cruel systems most habitats. Whether the predator is a rat or a native avian unique to that particular island, rather than having an earth which are designed to carry on for generations, namely factory predator such as skua on a remote island makes no difference where each island had 1,000 species, out of which only 100 farming, wherein millions of animals suffer extremely inhu- to the suffering individual. We can, as letter author Avin Deen species are unique, with 900 species common to all. mane conditions, and don’t die a decent death either. Both in points out, eliminate our own participation in predation and The importance of global biodiversity is never to be terms of number of animals killed and the methods used, inva- significantly reduce the universe of suffering by ceasing to con - underestimated, especially for a purely whimsical concept that sive species eradication pales in comparison to factory farming. sume animals, including ceasing to breed animals to be con - all individual animal lives are equally important at any cost. I Conservationists struggle in tough conditions against sumed. But we cannot reduce suffering by intervening in find it highly hypocritical that animal rights activists shed copi- great odds to achieve a very lofty goal. They have enough trou- nature to replace one predator with another. ous tears about rats getting trapped or poisoned, but have no bles to deal with and needn’t be a soft target for misplaced It is rarely true––if ever––that “invasive species compassion. eradication is often a one-time process.” On Macquarie ––Avin Deen Island, for example, one of the most remote habitats on earth, Sai Baba on dogs Bangaluru, India the Australian government spent 15 years eradicating feral As one who had his first meeting with Sathya Sai
“Incredible spiritual teacher”
Thank you for your wonderful May 2011 article “Spiritual leader & vegetarian advocate Sathya Sai Baba dies at 84.” He truly was an incredi- ble spiritual teacher. I have been helping his follower Clementien Pauws at the Karuna Society animal hospital and shelter for a few years now, and go to Puttaparti regularly. ––Jennie Cornsweet Encinitas, California
6 - ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2011 No more live birds at S.F. farmers’ markets (from page 1) anti-gay remarks by some of the live marketers led to Zollman some cleanliness recommendations,” Kwong and Felsinger filing a complaint with the San Francisco Human continued, “and Young complied. He renewed E nchanted Nights B&B Rights Commission. his license with no complaints from the city.” 1890 Victorian About 45% of the San Francisco population are of Heart of the City manager Christine Asian descent, according to recent polling; 14.5% declare Adams “declined to give a reason” for banning Kittery-Portsmouth Harbour themselves to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. the sale of live birds, Kwong said, but she On Scenic Coastal Route 103 Zollman and Felsinger subsequently contended in a acknowledged that the pending Zollman and pending three-part lawsuit that live poultry seller Raymond Felinger lawsuit was involved in the decision by Kittery Maine Young, his employees, and Heart of the City violated their the market board of directors. right to free speech; that the City of San Francisco failed to “The poultry stall remained popular * * Pets Stay Free !! enforce applicable health laws against the live marketers; and with its largely Chinese clientele in spite of an Whirlpools, Fireplaces, Free WIFI that the city has also improperly excluded poultry from the ever-present throng of protesters,” reported scope of humane law enforcement. Heather Mack for the San Francisco Bay A wonderland of Fanciful French & Victorian Food writer Brock Keeling of SFist.com may have Guardian. But the Department of Animal Care inflamed matters––after the end of live bird sales at Heart of the & Control, “which had cited Young hundreds of Antiques & Elegant Vegetarian Breakfast City had already been announced––with a column referring to times for practices such as unsanitary condi- in honor of our Non-Human Friends LGBT Compassion as a “kooky animal rights advocacy group.” tions, lack of water, and improper handling of According to an LGBT Compassion press release, the chickens, viewed the decision by the market $35 to $250 Daily * Weekly * Monthly the organization “was founded by Andrew Zollman and Warren to ban sales as good news,” Mack wrote. Apartment available Jones, who have long suffered oppression and threats of vio- “Animals are food for a lot of people,” lence because of their minority status, and continue to fight for SF/DACC director Katz acknowledged, “but 207 439-1489 their own rights. Zollman and Jones work to inform the com- people do care about the treatment of them. If munity of the parallels between oppression and abuse of ani- the vendors had been able to treat the animals enchantednights.org mals and certain groups of humans, as well as promote the ani- appropriately, I don’t think the live sales would Mention this ad, 50% donated to Animal People mal welfare, health and environmental benefits of a vegan have become an issue.” lifestyle.” The LGBT Compassion campaigns against live mar- After the LGBT Compassion campaign and lawsuit Supervisors president David Chiu, and assessor/recorder Phil kets have always emphasized animal issues first, but have not attracted major media notice in early 2011, Kwong reported, Ting,” observed Robin Hindery of Associated Press. backed away from the lifestyle issues in response to name-call- “Raymond Young Poultry’s sales dropped 40%, said Christina Wrote Heather Knight of the San Francisco ing and violent incidents. Ly, Young’s daughter. The Modesto-based operation sold C h r o n i c l e , “Chinese immigrant voters in the city prize shark LGBT Compassion thanked many other animal advo- chickens every Wednesday and Sunday in San Francisco. With fin soup as a delicacy and consider it part of their heritage. But cacy organizations for supporting the Heart of the City cam- the ban, they will be left with one market day––Friday, at the there are also thousands of voters who shudder at the thought of paign, including United Poultry Concerns, In Defense of Certified Farmers Market in the city of Richmond.” illegal shark finning, in which fisherman cut the tails and fins Animals, Bay Area Vegetarians, Farm Sanctuary, Harvest Young has reportedly sold about 100 chickens per off living sharks and throw them back in the water to die. They Home Animal Sanctuary, MickaCoo Pigeon & Dove Rescue, week in Richmond for about five years. “The Richmond City say a ban on fin sales would help curb the practice. Palo Alto Animal Services, and the San Francisco Department Council is the bottleneck on banning live chickens at the “With a Jaws-like tenacity,” Knight said, she of Animal Care & Control. “Animal Care & Control had some Certified Farmers Market,” e-mailed Zollman. In November “hounded Chinese American politicians running for mayor in concerns about the treatment of chickens at the market,” 2009,” Zollman recalled, “city personnel recommended a ban November to pin them down on the issue. Chiu supports a ban, recalled San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Jessica Kwong, due to a public nuisance ordinance and complaints, but the at least until the dwindling shark population rebounds. Ting “but the district attorney said live poultry is exempt from council voted against it. supports the ban because he doesn’t believe shark finning is a California’s animal cruelty laws. After the last SF/DACC Wrote Karl Fischer of the Contra Costa Times, sustainable practice. Yee made waves when the bill was intro- check, made in mid-March 2011, agency director Rebecca “While Contra Costa County officials say they have no record duced,” posing for photos with bowls of shark fin soup, but Katz said Young,” the chicken vendor, “met the permit guide- of serious health code violations,” at the Richmond market, “has since back-pedaled a bit, saying he opposes the ban but lines. Late last year, the Department of Public Health made “LGBT Compassion organizers say they routinely document supports the federal law against shark finning. problems such as cramped cages, no access to water, and birds “The proposed ban has been big news in the Chinese- Indian judge rules that wild birds and feces too close to produce, eggs and customers.” language press throughout the city and state,” Knight contin- held by vendor must be set free The prominently politicized community divisions in ued. “The overwhelming majority of editorials have been San Francisco appear to be markedly less in Richmond. against it. David Lee, executive director of the Chinese AHMEDABAD, India––Gujarat High Court “Chickens are living creatures, and I feel their pain,” protester American Voters Education Committee, said the candidates Justice M.R. Shah on May 12, 2011 ordered the release to Sonya Lee of the neighboring city El Cerrito told Fischer. could find themselves in hot water over the ban when campaign freedom of 494 parrots, doves, pigeons, lovebirds, dogs, fundraising gets going. In Chinatown, Chinese restaurants are and rabbits who were seized by Surat police on May 30, Shark fins at the center of political organizing, fundraising, and 2010 from vendor Abdul Jalal Kadar Sheikh. The victory over live bird sales at Heart of the City events––and they’re adamantly opposed to the ban.” The animals have been held at an animal hospital came amid continuing heated debate statewide over a bill intro- But Lee said the Chinese American Voters Education for almost a year at Sheikh’s expense while he pursued a duced by California Assembly Members Paul Fong and Jared Committee is neutral on food issues. series of appeals, expected to continue. “The manner in Huffman, which would prohibit the sale of shark fins in One San Francisco Chinese restaurant owner and which the birds are kept in the small cages, with their wings California. San Diego and Los Angeles are believed to be two chef, Alexander Ong of Betelnut, told Kwong of the and tails cut, wings taped together, and rings put on their of the ports handling the most shark fins entering the U.S. Chronicle that he supports the Fong/Huffman bill because shark feet––nothing can be more heinous,” Shah said. “It is the State and federal laws prohibit killing sharks in U.S. fin soup is “deeply rooted in the culture,” and without legisla- fundamental right of a bird to live freely in the open sky. The waters just to take their fins, but do not prohibit imports of fins tion, restaurants will probably not withstand customer pressure only order which can be passed in such circumstances,” from other nations. to sell it. Shah ruled, “would be to set the birds free.” California State Senator Leland Yee, who represents “A new poll, however, shows that a surprising num- PETA/India on May 18 honored Shah with a com- San Francisco and San Mateo counties, and San Francisco ber of Chinese American voters back the ban,” wrote Kwong. passionate action award, but longtime Blue Cross of India mayor Ed Lee have prominently opponed the Fong/Huffman “Commissioned by the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the poll chief executive Chinny Krishna warned that the birds would bill, calling it an “assault on Asian cultural cuisine.” found that 76% of California voters favor making it illegal to be unable to survive in the wild. But the Fong/Huffman bill is endorsed by Houston sell or distribute shark fins. The real surprise, though, was “They will die painfully after being let go in the Rockets star center Yao Ming, a citizen of China, who flew to that 70% of the 218 Chinese American voters surveyed favored wild,” agreed Best Friends Animal Society correspondent San Francisco to videotape a public service announcement a ban, said Michael Sutton, the aquarium’s vice president and a Sharon St. Joan, a licensed bird rehabilitator in the U.S. “Of favoring the bill for the San Francisco-based international con- supporter of the legislation.” course they should not be given back to the bird sellers to servation group WildAid. Said Sutton, “Chinese Americans feel no different suffer an even worse fate. The judge has the principle cor- “Shark fins may prove to be an unexpected ingredient than the rest of the community. This is a bipartisan issue. Men rect,” St. Joan said, “that birds should fly free, but it will in this year’s San Francisco mayoral race, which includes three and women, liberals and conservatives, of all generations, not work without rehabilitation first.” prominent Asian-American candidates: Yee, Board of voice concern about shark finning.” ––Merritt Clifton Mercy for Animals video brings charges in Texas & fuels “ag gag” debate LUBBOCK––Castro County, Texas a public that is beginning to think seriously largest meat recall in U.S. history.” district attorney James Horton on May 26, about animal rights and the way food is pro- Mercy for Animals undercover Other bad state bills 2011 issued felony warrants for five former duced,” editorialized The New York Times. videos have since since 2007 embarrassed the In addition to killing the Florida and employees of the E6 Cattle Company, in Hart, “These bills share common fea- turkey producer House of Raeford Farms, sev- Minnesota “ag gag” bills, the close of 2011 and Class A misdemeanor warrants for E6 tures,” the Times continued. “Their definition eral California egg ranches, Willet Dairy in legislative sessions meant the demise of a owner Kirt Espenson and foreman Arturo of agriculture is overly broad; they include upstate New York, the Hy-Line North Nevada bill which, “If passed, could have cut Olmos. All seven defendants could receive jail puppy mills, for instance. They treat under- America chicken hatchery in Iowa, the off wild horses and burros from water on all time. The charges resulted from undercover cover investigators and whistle-blowers as if Country View Family Farms pig farming com- lands in Nevada,” summarized the American video collected by the Chicago organization they were agro-terrorists, determined to harm plex in Pennsylvania, and Quality Egg in Wild Horse Preservation Campaign. Mercy for Animals, disclosed to media on livestock or damage facilities. They would Maine. Earlier in 2011 Mercy for Animals Also defeated––for now––was a April 20, 2011. criminalize reporting on crop production as exposed workers skinning catfish alive at the Colorado bill which would have undone a “The video shows workers bashing well. And they are supported by the big guns Catfish Corner hatchery in eastern Dallas 1992 ban on spring bear hunting, enacted in the skulls of calves with hammers and pick- of industrial agriculture: Monsanto, the Farm County, Texas. through a ballot initiative. “The bill would axes, dragging them by their ears, standing on Bureau, the associations that represent pork “The frequency with which these have kept in place the voters’ bans on hunting their necks, and leaving them to die without producers, dairy farmers and cattlemen, as videos appear prohibits us from considering with dogs or bait or killing bears with cubs,” veterinary care,” summarized Mercy for well as poultry, soybean, and corn growers.” them as isolated incidents, or accepting the wrote Joe Hanel of the Durango Herald. “It Animals publicist Gary Smith, who described Concluded the T i m e s , “Factory excuse that the producers were unaware that passed an initial vote in the house, with sup- E6 as “a factory farm which rears nearly farming confines animals in highly crowded, the abuses were taking place,” said American port from most Republicans and a couple of 10,000 calves [per year] for dairy farms.” unnatural and often unsanitary conditions. We Veterinary Medical Association chief execu- Democrats. But three or four members of both need to know more about what goes on behind tive Ron DeHaven. DeHaven, who formerly parties wavered during the debate. Targeted Two “ag gag” bills die those closed doors, not less.” headed the USDA Animal & Plant Health lobbying appeared to snuff out the bill,” Hanel The cruelty charges were filed one Agreed Humane Society of the U.S. Inspection Service, called for “more veteri- said. Bill author J. Paul Brown (R-Ignacio) day after the Minnesota legislature adjourned factory farming campaign manager Paul nary oversight on ranches and farms, and at indicated that he might reintroduced it in 2012. without acting upon a bill which would have Shapiro, “The efforts to ban such whistle- livestock markets and slaughter facilities.” criminalized producing and distributing under- blowing are an attempt to prevent investiga- Calling the E6 video “probably the cover film or video exposés of agribusiness, tions such as our exposés of egg producers worst depiction of animal cruelty I’ve ever and just over two weeks after a similar bill Rembrandt, Rose Acre, and Cal-Maine, the seen,” Beef magazine contributing editor Troy NAYCAD died in Florida. Parallel bills remained pend- turkey hatchery Willmar Poultry, and t h e Marshall admitted, “The activists may be able ing in the Iowa and New York legislatures. pork producer Smithfield Foods—as well as to teach us a few things. They have proven “The legislation has only one pur- our 2008 investigation of a ‘downed’ cow much more adept than our internal mecha- WWW.TEXAS-NO-KILL.COM pose: to hide factory-farming conditions from slaughter plant in California that led to the nisms at uncovering this kind of abuse.” IT’S YOUR FIGHT, YOUR REWARD June 2011 3/22/13 11:39 PM Page 7
ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2011 - 7 Australia halts cattle sales to 11 Indonesian abattoirs CANBERRA––Australian agriculture minister Guardian, of London. But even setting aside the pre- Joe Ludwig on June 1, 2011 suspended live cattle stunning issue, clear violations of halal requirements exports from Australia to 11 Indonesian slaughterhouses, were evident in White’s videography. Halal slaughter and warned that exports to more slaughterhouses may be done according to the Q’ran is supposed to be done with suspended as an investigation proceeds. “I will appoint a single cut, using an extremely sharp blade. Killing an independent reviewer to investigate the complete sup- animals within sight of others is strictly haram––forbid- ply chain for live exports up to and including the point of den––as is harming animals in any way before slaughter. slaughter,” Ludwig told media. “RSPCA chief scientist Bidda Jones, who Ludwig acted within hours after the Australian analysed the video slaughter of 50 cattle, said the Broadcasting Corporation program Four Corners a i r e d slaughtermen used on average 11 cuts to the throat to kill undercover video collected by Animals Australia cam- each animal, and as many as 33,” said The Guardian. paign director Lyn White, a former police officer, dur- The video showed frequent violent abuse of animals in ing investigations at the 11 randomly selected halal preparation for slaughter. “At an abattoir in Medan in slaughterhouses in Jakarta, Bogor, Bandar Lampung, north Sumatra, cattle are seen tied and trembling as they and Medan in March 2011. watch other cattle slaughtered and skinned in front of Animals Australia and the Royal SPCA of them,” added The Guardian. Australia oppose all live exports of livestock. This is About 100 Indonesian slaughterhouses have partly because most Australian livestock exports go to killed about 6.5 million Australian cattle during the past halal slaughterhouses, which mostly do not pre-stun ani- 20 years. Indonesia in 2010 spent more than $400 mil- mals before killing them, in the belief––disputed among lion to buy about 60% of Australian cattle production. Islamic scholars––that pre-stunning is not allowed by the Stung by past Animals Australia exposés, the Australian rules of halal. “There are about 770 slaughterhouses in livestock export industry and Australian government Indonesia and only five pre-stun, so only five would have spent about $4 million over the past 10 years to have remotely acceptable standards,” White told T h e improve procedures in Indonesian slaughterhouses. Missouri & Oklahoma puppy mill legislation is diluted before taking effect JEFFERSON CITY, OKLAHOMA CITY– – dent Kathy Warnick. But the Humane Society of the U.S. and to repeal or amend any citizen-passed initiative in Missouri.” Missouri Governor Jay Nixon and Oklahoma Governor Mary the American SPCA, the major funders of the Proposition B HSUS issued a similar statement. Fallin on April 27, 2011 and May 17, 2011 each endorsed into campaign, were considerably more critical of the deal. Oklahoma Governor Fallin signed SB 637 and House law two-bill packages substituting weaker regulatory packages “The compromise removes the requirement that dogs Joint Resolution 1045. “Initially, SB 637 would have disal- for anti-puppy mill legislation passed in 2010. The substitu- get rest between breeding cycles as well as the limit on the lowed all of the rules adopted by the recently created tion means the laws passed in 2010 never took effect. number of breeding dogs a breeder may keep,” noted the Commercial Pet Breeders Board,” wrote Barbara Hoberock of In Missouri, wrote Kansas City Star c o r r e s p o n d e n t ASPCA. “It also removes the requirement for prompt veteri- the Tulsa World Capitol Bureau. Momentum for the formation Jason Noble, “parallel bills constituted an agreement between nary treatment of an illness or injury, gives dogs less space in of the board developed largely in response to multiple T u l s a the Democratic governor and the Republican-led General cages,” even after the phased expansion Warnick mentioned, World exposés of puppy mills. Assembly to overhaul Proposition B, approved by voters last “and replaces criminal penalties for violations with civil penal- As passed, SB 637 stipulates that the Commercial November. Nixon signed SB 113, which substantially watered ties, except for repeat offenders. We’ll watch closely to see if Pet Breeders Board “shall not hire any humane society group or down the restrictions enacted by Proposition B. In exchange, abuses in Missouri’s large-scale breeding facilities continue member of any humane society group to perform any inspec- lawmakers quickly pushed through SB 161, which contained unabated,” the ASPCA pledged. “If the situation does not tion required by the Commercial Pet Breeders Act,” and also compromise language brokered by Nixon.” improve, we’ll consider another ballot initiative to restore the excludes the use of veterinarians employed by animal control “Immediately, dogs in large breeding facilities will Proposition B standards. The ASPCA is also joining other ani- agencies. In addition, SB 637 and HJR 1045 prevent the be assured hands-on veterinary care, continuous clean water, mal welfare groups in actively supporting a proposed constitu- Commercial Pet Breeders Board from excluding convicted nutritious food twice daily and, within a very short time, con- tional amendment to require a three-fourths vote in both houses felons from breeding dogs, unless they have been specifically siderably more space,” said Humane Society of Missouri presi- of the legislature, or a subsequent vote of the people, in order convicted of cruelty to animals A zebra dies of officially “unknown causes” as tear gas hits the Giza Zoo GIZA, Egypt––Amid drifting tear scene, said that some protesters burned tires in wildlife unit coordinator Dina Zulfikar told failed within less than two years, allegedly gas, as demonstrators and police clashed on the middle of the road and threw stones.” ANIMAL PEOPLE. “Even though I arrived due to lack of maintenance. May 15, 2011 just outside the Giza Zoo, a The Israeli embassy is directly at the zoo [to investigate] after 1:00 p.m.,” A frequent critic of the Giza Zoo zebra died of officially unknown causes. across a normally busy street from the Giza nearly 24 hours after the fighting erupted, “I management, Zulfikar credited the manage- “At least 120 people were injured,” Zoo main gate. Opened in 1891 by Ottoman could smell easily the tear gas. My eyes ment with “doing their best to protect the zoo” reported Al Jazeera, “when Egyptian security governor Khedive Ismail on the grounds of his burned and I sneezed a lot. I was told that the during the rioting outside. f o r c e s fired tear gas and rubber-coated steel palace, then located in the countryside tear gas formed a powder which remained on Zulfikar received a briefing from bullets at pro-Palestinian protesters who were between the Cairo metropolis and the Giza the leaves of the trees,” Zulfikar said. former zoo director Nabil Sidki, now an advi- trying to storm the Israeli embassy. Protesters pyramids, the Giza Zoo––and the pyra- “The first enclosure facing the Israeli sory consultant, who filled in as acting direc- gathered to commemorate the 63rd anniversary mids––are today engulfed by the metropolis. Embassy is for the ostriches,” Zulfikar contin- tor during the crisis while current director of the “Nakba” or “catastrophe” ––the day Noisy traffic and bus fumes are a constant. ued. “The zebras are beside the ostriches. Fatma Tammam attended a conference in Israel declared independence and hundreds of But the often troubled zoo had not before been Behind them is the lions’ exercise space. South Africa. “At 3:00 p.m., he received a thousands of Palestinians fled or were expelled caught up in civil unrest. Things seemed quiet. I noticed the keepers call that more protestors were gathering,” from their homes. At least 20 people w e r e “There were more than 50 tear gas were paying much more attention and being Zulfikar e-mailed to ANIMAL PEOPLE. arrested. Al Jazeera’s Rob Gilles, at the bombs,” Egyptian Society of Animal Friends more affectionate than usual toward the ani- “He ordered that if the gathering continued, mals. I have to mention that I the staff should close the gates.” Criminal case opened against former Kyiv Zoo director saw technicians working to On May 16 the Egyptian army man- KYIV, Ukraine––The Kyiv Prosec-utor’s “The Kyiv zoo was expelled from the European maintain the cooling system at aged to disperse the demonstrators without Office on May 3, 2011 announced that it had opened Association of Zoos and Aquaria in 2007,” after the the bear’s enclosure,” Zulfikar renewed tear gassing and tire-burning. a criminal case against former Kyiv Zoo director deaths of as many as 300 animals amid rumors that added. Zulfikar in 2008 helped But what killed the zebra? All Svitlana Berzina, who now heads the city dog licens- the city was trying to force the zoo to close. to arrange a donation of air con- Zulfikar could learn was that another zebra ing bureau. “Berzina is suspected of embezzling “Let’s not forget the price of land parcels in ditioning for the bears that zoo died in the same enclosure approximately 45 some $47,000 from the zoo by commissioning pro- Kyiv, especially close to the city center,” reminded management promised to obtain days earlier. No one could tell her why that jects that weren’t fully carried out, if at all,” reported local political writer Andriy Kapustin. “We are talk- 18 years earlier. Once installed, zebra died, either. “The zoo is not being Associated Press. ing millions of dollars. I can assure you the plan to however, the cooling system transparent,” Zulfikar finished. “Berzina was fired last year,” Associated move the zoo out of Kyiv is alive and well,” Kapstin Press recalled, “after nearly one-half of the zoo’s ani- told Tuchynska. “If the population of the zoo is gone, mals either died or disappeared. Rights groups the city administration might argue there is no point claimed the deaths were caused by mistreatment, for it to occupy such a big territory.” with rare animals illegally sold to private collectors.” Former Kyiv Zoo administrator Serhiy Neglect of Kyiv Zoo animals became a pub- Hrihoryev described to Tuchnynska “attempts to sell lic issue after the April 2010 death of the zoo ele- the unfinished vet clinic at the zoo, suggestions to phant, Boy, 39. “In 2008, as part of a campaign to rent a parcel to a private company for construction of urge citizens to help support the zoo, Kyiv mayor a dolphinarium,” and a proposal by a “very large pri- Leonid Chernovetsky said he personally paid $6,000 a vate company to buy the zoo and turn it into an enter- month for the feeding and care of Boy,” recalled tainment center with animals occupying just a small Kyiv Post staff writer Svitlana Tuchynska. area. I am sure all these initiatives are still on the Other early 2010 Kyiv Zoo deaths included table,” Hrihoryev said. a tiger, a giraffe, a camel, a zebra, a bear, an The goal of closing the zoo is shared by ani- armadillo, and a bison named Viya. Berzina con- mal advocates including John Ruane, president of the tended that the elephant Boy and other animals had British-based Naturewatch Foundation. Naturewatch been poisoned by someone who was trying to make has long partnered with SOS Animals Ukraine to her look bad. Investigation eventually determined expose abuses at both the zoo and within the notori- that many of the deaths were due to organ failure, but ously thuggish Kyiv animal control department. that the cause was inadequate and/or improper feed- Originally a budka, which supported itself ing, not poisoning. by selling dog and cat pelts during Communist times, “Berzina became zoo director in 2008,” the Kyiv animal control department was accused of wrote Tuchynska. Berzina succeeded Oleksiy poisoning dogs and cats in the streets as recently as Tolstoukhov, the then 28-year-old son of the Minister November 2010. of Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers Anatoliy Berzina was suspended from running the Tolstoukhov, who had held the job for four months. Kyiv Zoo in June 2010, but was returned her post on “Before that, Christian Janatsch, the head July 2. The animal deaths continued. A six-year-old of the Animal Protection Society of Austria, video- chimpanzee named Johnny arrived in August 2010, taped dog fights in Kyiv with a hidden camera and for instance, but died on September 1. Three pen- held a press conference in Kyiv,” recalled guins died on September 4. Tuchynska. “He accused Berzina of being among the Berzina was transferred to direct the Kyiv organizers. However, problems at the Kyiv Zoo dog licensing office in October 2010. Oleksiy began long before Berzina,” Tuchynska continued. Tolstoukhov returned to manage the Kiev Zoo. June 2011 3/22/13 11:39 PM Page 8
8 - ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2011 Another mega-cat rescue in China Protesters confront fur trade in Seoul Y U N C H E N G ––“If cats could talk, Bureau pronounced the condition of the cats S E O U L – – Fur will be exhibited dog and cat fur used to trim garments, and perhaps the matter could be much simpler,” unacceptably cruel, but in absence of long- after all at a June 2, 2011 show by the Italian historically a difficult venue for activism. observed the Qianjiang Evening News on May awaited national anti-cruelty legislation, could fashion house Fendi on a new artificial “float- As recently as 2005 the only hints of 3, 2011––and that was before the latest mass find no way to impound the cats. The truck ing island” in the Han River in downtown anti-fur protest in Seoul were occasional brief rescue of cats being trucked to slaughter in and cats were released at 1:00 a.m. on May 2. Seoul. But there will be less fur, city officials demonstrations by PETA representatives visit- Guangzhou became much more complicated. Alerted by television news reports said on May 23, after announcing on May 16 ing from other nations. South Korea counted The incident began on the evening of that the truck was coming, activists and local that fur would be banned to avoid confronta- the fur trade as a growth industry, led by the May 1, the Qianjiang Evening News reported, authorities intercepted it again in Yuncheng, tion with protesters organized by the local Seoul-based Jindo global retail fur empire. when Hangzhou Public Security officials spot- Jiangxi province. “The ending was glorious, group Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth. South Korean retail fur sales reportedly checking vehicles at a busy intersection inter- as activists were finally able to rescue the Fendi “originally planned to present peaked at about $400 million per year, about cepted a conspicuously stinky truck. The truck cats,” e-mailed People4ChineseAnimals. 20 fur items,” reported Agence France-Presse. 25% of the U.S. volume in a nation with 16% was found to be hauling 2,000 cats and kittens, Details, unfortunately, were still unavailable “A Seoul city official said Fendi pledged to of the U.S. human population. both alive and dead. Some kittens appeared to as the June 2011 edition of ANIMAL PEO- ‘redesign’ the lineup to reduce the number of Vegan.com speculated that “the live have been born in the transport cages. The PLE went to press. fur items displayed.” In response, Coexist- burial of pigs and cattle has galvanized the five men in the cab had papers indicating that The rescuers reportedly formed the ence of Animal Rights on Earth “called for country’s animal protection community and they acquired the cats in Anhui province. Zhejiang Animal Protection Association on protesters to picket the show,” AFP added. given them substantial political clout.” Inspector Tao Xiaobing of the May 9, as umbrella for 14 smaller groups The site of the Fendi fur show is just South Korea culled more than 3.47 Hangzhou Economic and Technological with combined membership of more than 100 across the Han from the Moran live market, million cows, pigs and other animals in 2010- Development Zone Rural Development people. the largest in the nation, a longtime source of 2011 to combat hoof-and-mouth disease. National Zoo bird researcher is charged with trying to poison feral cats (from page 1) feral cats in the neighborhood, some even set- conducted by the founders of ANIMAL PEO- Christmas bird count and the USFWS ship—citing David Jessup’s unattributed ‘esti- ting out food for the animals,” reported Tim P L E ; and projects done in the Washington Breeding Bird Survey produce seasonal esti- mate’ of “60 to 100 million feral and aban- Persinko and Derrick Ward of D.C. area, beginning in 1990, by Becky mates of species in particular habitats, which doned cats in the United States,’ for example. NBCWashington.com. “But some neighbors Robinson, now president of Alley Cat Aliies, are difficult to extrapolate into year-round esti- Or ignoring the results of multiple surveys believed that someone was trying to harm the and Louise Holton, cofounder of Alley Cat mates of all species in all habitats. suggesting that roughly two-thirds of pet cats cats, and they alerted neighborhood animal Allies, now president of Alley Cat Rescue. The American Bird Conservancy are kept indoors, in stark contrast to advocates to the problem.” Robinson and Holton started in the Adams/ web site provides links to two of Dauphine’s Dauphine’s assertion that ‘65%, or 57 mil- A Washington Humane Society Morgan neighborhood of Washington DC., a r t i c l e s , Impacts of Free-Ranging Domestic lion, are free-ranging outdoor cats for at least stakeout, including video surveillance video, just a few blocks from Columbia Heights, Cats (Felis Catus) on Birds a n d W h a t some portion of the day.’ produced the evidence leading to the charges where Dauphine was allegedly caught. Conservation Biologists Can Do to Counter “Dauphine also authored Follow the against Dauphine. “If she did do this,” Dauphine in March 2009 com- Trap-Neuter-Return. Money: The Economics of TNR Advocacy,” Washington Humane Society vice president plained to Blake Aued of the Athens (Georgia) Wolf recalled, “where she does to the political for external affairs Scott Giacoppo told ABC Banner Herald that “her yard is a wildlife Vox Felina and economic aspects of the debate what she News, “we naturally would be concerned habitat, and feral cats nearly wiped out all the Both have been extensively critiqued and her colleagues have been doing to the sci- about her being around all animals. Whoever birds that live there,” Aued wrote. by Vox Felina blogger and science writer Peter entific side of the debate for years now,” would do such a thing is a threat to all animals. Previously associated with Cornell J. Wolf, who describes Vox Felina as “a exaggerating the feral cat defense budgets of It [poisoning] is a slow and painful death. It University and the Zoological Society of repository of research notes, news stories, organizations such as the Best Friends Animal was callous and showed complete disregard London, Dauphine “is known for her articles correspondence, and associated commentary Society, while understating the resources of for animals’ well-being.” on cat predation and anti-TNR sentiments,” focused on a range of issues related to ‘the anti-TNR organizations including the “The Humane Society of the United summarized Alley Cat Allies. “Back in 2008 plight’ of feral cats in general, and trap- American Bird Conservancy, National States applauds the Washington Humane when she lived in Athens, Georgia, Dauphine neuter-return in particular.” Audubon Society, and her own employer, the Society for its investigation into the alleged wrote to the St. Petersburg Times saying, ‘Cats Wolf focuses on what he terms “the National Zoo Migratory Bird Center. illegal poisoning of feral cats, and urges full may be the single biggest direct cause of bird lack of rigorous research related to the efficacy “If these charges prove to be true,” prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office if mortality, far outnumbering all other causes and impact of TNR, the flawed science pro- Wolf concluded, “Dauphine is going to have a warranted,” commented HSUS chief operat- (including human hunters) put together!’” moted by many TNR opponents, the unbal- lot of explaining—and perhaps a little t i m e — ing officer Mike Markarian. “Regardless of The usual range of bird deaths anced—often dishonest—nature of the feral to do.” one’s views on cat-bird conflicts, poisoning caused by cats found in data-based studies is cat/TNR debate, and the disastrous conse- Dauphine was charged two weeks feral cats is short-sighted, criminal, and just from about 100 million, projected by U.S. quences. There are legitimate issues to be after Hawaii Second Circuit Judge Richard the wrong response,” Markarian said. Fish & Wildlife Service ornithologist Albert debated regarding the efficacy, environmental Bissen upheld a felony cruelty charge filed Markarian is also president of the Manville, to about 134 million, projected in impact, and morality of TNR,” Wolf against Krister Garcia, 21, one of four men Humane Society Legislative Fund, which ear- 2000 by Carol Fiore of the Wichita State acknowledges. “But attempts at an honest, who allegedly used hunting bows to kill three lier in 2011 fought what Markarian termed University Department of Biological productive debate are hampered—if not feral cats between August 23 and September 2, “the most absurd bill of 2011,” introduced in Sciences––and Fiore estimated that approxi- derailed entirely—by the dubious claims so 2010. The cats were part of a sterilized colony Utah, “which would have allowed the shoot- mately twice as many pet cats are allowed to often put forward by TNR opponents.” maintained by caretaker Jody Sparks. Bissen ing or bludgeoning of any stray cat believed to roam as other studies showed. Blogged Wolf after Dauphine’s rejected the contention of Garcia’s attorney, be feral. That bill was sent to the litter box,” A variety of recent studies put bird arrest, “Regular readers will recognize Ben Lowenthal, that feral cats are not protect- Markarian noted, “and instead, Utah enacted mortality from roadkills at about 220 million Dauphine’s name immediately, as I’ve been ed by the Hawaiian felony cruelty law. “The a positive measure that officially sanctions per year, from agricultural spraying at upward highly critical of her work from the very Legislature found that violence, whether trap-neuter-return (TNR) as a humane method of 320 million, and from collisions with win- beginning of Vox Felina. It was, for example, against humans or animals, must not be toler- of managing feral cat populations.” dows at circa 100 million. Hunters shoot a paper she co-authored with Robert J. Cooper, ated in our society,” responded Bissen. TNR was popularized in the U.S. about 74.4 million wild birds per year, includ- published in the Proceedings of the Fourth But Galveston Ornithological largely through the success of a project begun ing about 35 million mourning doves. International Partners In Flight Conference, Society founder Jim Stevenson won a mistrial at Stanford University in 1988 by volunteers Total U.S. wild bird mortality, from that Steve Holmer, senior policy advisor for on November 16, 2007 when four jurors were including then-undergrad Nathan Winograd, all causes, may be about five billion per year, American Bird Conservancy, used to justify unalterably persuaded that killing feral cats is who now heads the No Kill Advocacy Center but few studies have tried to determine either his bogus claim that “there are about…160 not illegal in Texas. Stevenson admitted in Oakland, California; a 1991-1992 project total bird population or total mortality. Studies million feral cats” in the U.S., about 10 times shooting a cat from a colony attended by San in northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, such as the annual National Audubon Society more than recent data-based estimates indicate. Luis Pass toll bridge employee John Newland, “I’ve pointed out, more but Stevenson contended the killing was nec- Romanian pound dog massacre was a test of than once,” Wolf continued, essary to protect endangered piping plovers. pending legislation, veterinarian charges “Dauphine’s dubious scholar- ––Merritt Clifton BOTOSANI, Romania––A May 10, 2011 would mobilize,” Gaita charged. dog massacre that shocked Romania was undertaken Backed by Romanian president Traian as a political trial balloon, Bucharest veterinarian Basescu, PL 912 initially appeared positioned to Liviu Gaita alleged to news media. become law without effective opposition. As mayor of The killing occurred in Botosani, a small Bucharest from 2000 to 2004, Basescu ordered and city in the extreme northeastern corner of Romania, presided over the most aggressive street dog culling in about six hours’ drive from Bucharest. Volunteers Romanian history prominently opposed by Liviu who fed the dogs at the Botosani city pound arrived on Gaita. As Gaita predicted, the Bucharest street dog the morning of May 10 to find that more than 230 population was not lastingly diminished. dogs had already been killed by muncipal workers, PL 912 was derailed after intensive lobbying purportedly by order of mayor Catalin Mugurel Flutur. by the National Federation for Animal Rights The killing was still underway, said to be necessitated Protection in Romania and by the opposition of by a disease outbreak that the volunteers were unaware Princess Maja von Hohenzollern, granddaughter of of. “The volunteers called the TV stations and the King Ferdinand I (1865-1927), who ruled Romania police but nothing happened,” said an anonymous from 1914 until his death. message distributed within minutes via Facebook. “If I were a dog in Romania, I’d euthanize “They were in shock and tried to get out of the shelter politicians,” von Hohenzollern declared. the last few puppies that were alive. They were Returned to committee by a vote of 70-37 on assaulted and offended by the guards.” March 8, 2011, PL 912 remains stalled, Bucharest The message, accompanied by many pho- activist Carmen Arsene e-mailed to ANIMAL PEO- tos, was amplified by recipients as far away as Laval, PLE two days before the Botosani massacre. Quebec, Canada––which is Botosani’s sister city. “Catch-and-kill has already been tried and Rumors held that the dogs were killed to dis- has failed in every town in Romania, and in many pose of evidence that Botosani pound staff and/or city other countries,” observed Foundation for the officials had diverted the dogs’ food to fattening pigs. Protection of Community Dogs founder and president Gaita acknowledged that Romanian pounds are often Robert Smith. The FPCD street dog sterilization and corrupt, but pointed out that, “Some political forces adoption program in Oradea, in the far northwest of still hope to pass through Parliament a bill,” PL 912, Romania, is the nation’s largest. “In Oradea,” Smith “which allows the killing of strays in local pounds,” said, “neuter/eturn, implemented by FPCD since currently illegal, “and they want to see how the peo- 2004, has reduced the number of dogs on the streets to ple would react to implementation of this ‘final solu- about 15% of the starting level, despite constant tion.’ They wanted to see how the public opinion dumping of fertile dogs from other towns.” June 2011 3/22/13 11:39 PM Page 9
ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2011 - 9
Ecuadorans pass constitutional amendment to ban cockfighting & bullfighting Q U I T O ––Ecuadoran voters in a including control over mass media, and dent Tom Hennigan. “The result does allow expression and cultural heritage,” Hennigan May 7, 2011 referendum voted to ban bull- included the ban on lethal animal fighting to bullfighting to continue so long as the bull is said, “and claimed an end to the spectacle fights and cockfights that result in the animals’ help attract voters to the polls. not killed, as in Portugal,” Hennigan added. would leave 100,000 people out of work. deaths, as part of a 10-point package of con- Correa muddled the scope of the ban “In 2004, Ecuador’s third city, Cuenca, However the poor indigenous majority, from stitutional amendments proposed by President on animal fighting during the referendum cam- banned killing the bull and only allowed the which Correa draws his support, was little Rafael Correa. paign by telling Radio Huancavilca in Portuguese version. Since then, bullfighting moved by the appeals to what many see as a All 10 amendments passed, several Guayaquil and the government news agency has almost disappeared from the city,” European tradition.” after trailing at mid-count. Topics included Andes that cockfighting would not be banned, Hennigan said. Bullfighting has historically been limiting banking activity by financial service but he also told Andes that he was unaware Introduced to Ecuador by Spanish shunned by native Andeans as contrary to the firms, prohibiting ownership of news media that cockfights usually end only after one bird conquistadors in 1536, bullfighting and cock- teachings of the nature goddess Pachamama, by non-media companies, and prohibiting is mortally injured. fighting remain mostly pursuits of the relative- and as symbols of ethnic repression. Correa casino gambling. Opponents of the amend- “As well as ending killing bulls in ly affluent Spanish-speaking minority. won the addition of a constitutional amend- ment package alleged that Correa used the ref- the ring, voters outlawed cockfighting,” con- “Supporters sought to portray the ment requiring respect for Pachamama via ref- erendum to strengthen his political position, firmed Irish Times South American correspon- proposed ban as an attack on their freedom of erendum in 2008. European Union follows U.S. in reinforcing truth in fur labeling
STRASBOURG, WASH- INGTON D.C.––U p d a t e d European Union and U.S. truth- in-fur-labeling legislation will be in effect by the start of the 2011-2012 “fur season.” Beginning the day after U.S. Thanksgiving, called “Fur-Free Friday” by anti-fur protesters, and ending at Valentine’s Day, the “fur season” annually accounts for two-thirds or more of all retail fur garment sales. The new European Union regulation requires that clothing makers must include the phrase “contains non-textile parts of animal origin” in labeling any garment containing fur, leather, feathers, or any other material of animal origin. “Many people presume that animal fur will be automatically listed on a garment’s label, but until now there has been no legal obligation in the EU for manufacturers to do this,” said Humane Society International EU director Joanna Swabe. Introduced by the European Parliament’s Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee, the new EU regula- tion was adopted by the Council of the European Union despite having failed on first reading. The new U.S. Truth in Fur Labeling Act cleared Congress and was signed into law by President Barack Obama in December 2010, three months after then-California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed a similar bill that had been approved by the state legisla- ture. The U.S law updates a version in effect since 1952, which exempted garments priced at $150 or less. “HSUS investigations have found jackets trimmed with ani- mal fur being sold across the country without labels or falsely advertised as ‘faux fur,’” said Humane Society Legislative Fund president Mike Markarian. The updated law took effect in March 2011. June 2011 3/22/13 11:39 PM Page 10
10 - ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2011 ESA protection lifted, wolf killing accelerates Avoiding leopard trouble NEW DELHI––Relocating leopards increases WASHINGTON D.C.––“Interior Announces Next killing early by hiring USDA Wildlife Services to shoot wolves human/leopard conflict, as the leopards try to find their way Steps in Protection, Recovery, and Scientific Management of from a helicopter in an area where wolves are blamed for an elk back to their home ranges through unfamiliar habitat, while Wolves,” Kendra Barkoff of the U.S. Department of the population decline. “Gunners killed five wolves before the Interior and Chris Tollefson of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service helicopter was grounded because of costs and because of diffi- other leopards move into the temporarily vacated territory, headlined a May 17, 2011 joint press release. culty targeting radio-collared wolves under the cover of trees,” emphasize new Indian national guidelines for preventing What “protection, recovery, and scientific manage- wrote Laura Zuckerman for Thomson/Reuters. leopard trouble. Introduced in April 2011 by minister of state for environment and forests Jairam Ramesh, the guidelines ment” meant was that wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains, “The state has recruited outfitters to kill another 55 seek to reduce the rising death toll from avoidable incidents western Great Lakes region, and Oregon may now be shot, wolves in the area,” Zuckerman added. In addition, among leopards, humans, and livestock. trapped, poisoned, and strafed from aircraft as state govern- Zuckerman wrote, “The state of Idaho has authorized sheriff’s Eighty leopards have been killed in Maharashtra ments see fit, so long as they do not actually reduce wolf popu- deputies to kill a pack of about seven wolves near Elk City, a lations to the verge of regional extinction. community of 200 residents in north central Idaho.” state alone since January 2010; 89 humans were killed by Wolves in most of the Lower 48 states where they Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife personnel leopards in Uttarakhnad state in 2007-2009. exist were removed from Endangered Species Act protection by killed a young male wolf on a ranch near Joseph on May 17, The guidelines recommend that a leopard who has killed livestock should be allowed to consume the dead ani- Congress through an April 14, 2011 budget rider. The rider the very day of the Department of the Interior “next steps” mal. Chasing leopards off their kills leaves them hungry–– was challenged as unconstitutional on May 5 by the Alliance announcement, shot another 10 days later, and in between and increasingly likely to perceive humans as rivals for pos- for the Wild Rockies, Friends of the Clearwater, and issued permits to 12 ranchers that allow them to shoot any wolf session of a carcass. Leopards may then attack humans as WildEarth Guardians, and was subsequently challenged in a they see in the acts of biting, wounding, or killing livestock. separate filing by the Center for Biological Diversity. The Congressional Representative Candice Miller (R- they would attack wild predators and scavengers. cases were judicially consolidated. Friends of Animals then Michigan) meanwhile on May 10 introduced legislation which The guidelines are based largely on the findings of filed a Motion to Intervene on May 27. would remove all wolves in the Lower 48 from federal protec- Project Waghoba, in western Maharashtra. Begun by the Junnar Forest Department in 2007, the project cut the num- Expecting the case to fail, the Montana Fish, tion. “Backed by extremist groups like Sportsmen for Fish & ber of leopard attacks on humans from 56 in 2000-2005 to 26 Wildlife, & Parks Department tentatively approved a plan to Wildlife and Big Game Forever,” fumed Defenders of Wildlife from 2006 to January 2011, even though the numbers of allow hunters to kill as many as 220 wolves in fall 2011, about president Rodger Schlickeisen, “this shows what a dangerous 40% of the present estimated state wolf population of 566. “It path we are on. Congress should uphold America’s commit- leopards and humans sharing the habitat reportedly increased. would be Montana’s second wolf hunt since 2009, when 72 ment to protecting imperiled wildlife,” Schlickeisen said, Idaho and Montana, while remaining protected in Wyoming, wolves were killed,” wrote Scott Volz of Associated Press. “rather than trying to appease radical special interest groups the policy was successfully challenged in a federal court lawsuit The Idaho Department of Fish & Game was reported- that are working against the public interest.” by a coalition of 13 environmental advocacy groups and the ly also considering setting a quota of 220. About 705 wolves No longer responsible for wolves in most states, the Humane Society of the U.S., who argued that political bound- are believed to inhabit Idaho. Like Montana, Idaho authorized U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service quietly dropped a policy intro- aries have no relevance to conservation status. The August a wolf hunt in 2009, with a quota of 220. Idaho hunters actual- duced during the administration of former President George W. 2010 ruling, by federal District Judge Molloy, led to the Act of ly shot 188 wolves. While the Idaho quota will not be finalized Bush which allowed endangered species listing decisions to Congress that stripped most wolves in the Lower 48 of until August, the Department of Fish & Game started the vary from state to state. Allowing wolves to be downlisted in Endangered Species Act protection. Events
June 10-14: Asia for Animals conf., Chengdu, China. Info:
IF YOU ARE HOLDING AN EVENT, please let us know––we’ll be happy to announce it, and to send free samples of ANIMAL PEOPLE for your guests. June 2011 3/22/13 11:39 PM Page 11
ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2011 - 11 Learn "The Business of Saving Lives" at Helen Woodward Animal Center's next FREE 3-day "Animal Center Education Services" (ACES) workshops! Increase adoptions, raise more money, educate children, and get better publicity. Why is ACES free? Because the value of life is priceless. Plan to attend an upcoming ACES workshop at Helen Woodward Animal Center in beautiful Rancho Santa Fe, California. Learn more. Log on to www.animalcenter.org, then click on "Global" and "ACES." Some Zimbabweans begin to question the wisdom of promoting trophy hunting H A R A R E ––Seven years after land invasions and occupations of private con- From 1989 through 2004, USAid Carefully worded criticisms of USAid quit subsidizing the Communal Areas servancies by Mugabe supporters. “Urbanites pumped more than $40 million into CAMP- CAMPFIRE surfaced in Zimbabwean non- Management Programme for Indigenous who were never part of CAMPFIRE suddenly FIRE, essentially subsidizing trophy hunts. government media soon after Wongai Resources program to promote trophy hunting became farmers,” paraphrased Masara. CAMPFIRE raised about $2.5 million per year Zhangazha of the Harare-based Z i m b a b w e in Zimbabwe, some Zimbabwean sources are Said Kasere, “Naturally, they start- in revenue, more than 90% of it from hunting. I n d e p e n d e n t disclosed a proposal by Deputy cautiously beginning to recognize that CAMP- ed to cut down trees and kill animals, because Mostly, though, CAMPFIRE rewarded Minister of Justice Obert Gutu to feed elephant FIRE was a boondoggle which chiefly benefit- they had no knowledge of viable land use Mugabe regime insiders for neglecting the meat to prisoners. Zimbabwean prison meals ed insiders of President Robert Mugabe 31- options other than agriculture. In the former promises to nationalize resources and redistrib- “do not meet the approved dietary standards as year authoritarian regime––as long pointed out CAMPFIRE areas, key personnel moved to ute land that brought them to power. stipulated by the law,” Gutu told Wongai by ANIMAL PEOPLE. new resettlement areas, leaving C A M P F I R E Beginning in 2000, however, Mugabe began Zhangazha. “In one of our meetings it was dis- “Reports from the Zimbabwe institutions ineffective. So the land reform encouraging land invasions, to placate sup- cussed extensively how the problem could be Conservation Task Force and the World was not accompanied by the necessary institu- porters who had lost patience after 20 years of solved,” Gutu elaborated. “It was at this Wildlife Fund clearly indicate that the coun- tional arrangements to save wildlife. Hence a waiting to be given land. meeting that the ministry and the Prison try’s wildlife population continues to dwindle lot of wild animals were killed while natural By 2003, Child acknowledged in a Services Commission considered elephant drastically,” wrote Chipo Masara for the resource institutions collapsed.” 2007 paper published by the Property & meat as an option.” Zimbabwe Standard on May 1, 2011. Summarized Masara, “What is Environment Research Center, of Bozeman, Zimbabwean Parks & Wildlife The CAMPFIRE scheme to promote important is to admit that the wildlife manage- Montana, “The central [CAMPFIRE] institu- Management Authority spokesperson Caroline “sustainable utilization” of wildlife “was wel- ment strategies that Zimbabwe has adopted are tions had all but collapsed in function and, Washaya-Moyo told Wongai Zhangazha that comed by many Zimbabweans,” Masara just not working, and to urgently seek to recti- fueled by vast amounts of donor money espe- she had heard nothing about the idea. recalled. “Unfortunately, most appear to have fy the situation, if the country’s wildlife is cially from USAid, had become bloated.” Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force missed the bit about utilising the resources in a ever to be saved. But Child insisted that CAMPFIRE founder Johnny Rodrigues told Wongai sustainable manner.” The CAMPFIRE program was engi- was still a success, because “Almost half the Zhangazha that despite official claims that Steven Kasere, who directed CAMP- neered by Brian Child, originally from money generated from the sale of wildlife was Zimbabwe currently has about 100,000 ele- FIRE in Zimbabwe from 1999 to 2001, par- Zimbabwe, now an associate professor of still getting to the communities, albeit this was phants, the actual population is about 35,000. tially “blamed the apparent failure of CAMP- geography at the University of Florida. down from about three-quarters” eight years “We should be looking after these intelligent FIRE on greed,” wrote Masara. “Animals are CAMPFIRE was funded by USAid in connec- earlier, when Child left Zimbabwe to push the animals so that they are not killed. killed for financial gain without allowing them tion with a package of political trade-offs CAMPFIRE approach in Zambia. Government should actually be putting in a chance to regenerate.” which in 1989 won an international embargo Child has also urged Kenya to emu- harsh laws to protect these animals,” But Kasere also blamed 10 years of on trade in elephant ivory. late the CAMPFIRE program. Rodrigues said. More events (continued from page 10) Sept. 21-22: World Rabies Day Intl. Webinar. I n f o : < h t t p : / / w e b i n a r . w o r l d r a b i e s - day.org/html>. Sept. 25: Puttin’ On The Dog fun dog show to benefit Adopt-A-Dog, Greenwich, Conn. Info: 203-629-9494;
Please make the most generous gift you can to help ANIMAL PEOPLE shine the bright light on cruelty and greed! Your generous gift of $25, $50, $100, $500 or more helps to build a world where caring counts. Please send your check to: ANIMAL PEOPLE P.O. Box 960 Clinton, WA 98236
(Donatations are tax-deductible) June 2011 3/22/13 11:39 PM Page 12
12 - ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2011 Far from Fukushima (from page 1) Reeves of Associated Press on May 13. animals was magnitudes larger, but rescuers “More than 350 dogs, cats, birds, snakes, had few opportunities to help farmed animals. lizards and even a tarantula already have been “The Alabama Department of Agriculture and found in the shattered neighborhoods around Industries reports that at least 514 poultry Tuscaloosa, and the local animal shelter is so houses were damaged by the storms,” summa- full it had to erect tents for additional space,” rized Florence Times Daily staff writer Dennis Reeves wrote. Countless other pets remained Sherer. “At least 206 poultry houses were missing––many of them still at large, eluding destroyed and more than 3.1 million chickens two trapping teams. “Humane Society worker were killed, including at least 1.4 million in Connie Brooks of Key West, Florida just Franklin County, Alabama,” Sherer added. returned to the U.S. after two weeks of round- “In addition, 70 cattle were killed, including ing up animals in the tsunami zone in Japan,” 30 in Franklin County, officials said.” Reeves noted. “Now she is answering calls The Tuscaloosa twister remained the about all sorts of animals lost in the Southern most damaging of the spring for less than four tornado outbreak.” weeks. A twister that hit Joplin, Missouri on The impact of the twisters on farmed May 22, 2011 killed at least 132 people and left 156 still missing and unaccounted for a week afterward. The Joplin Humane Society posted photos and descriptions of more than 400 dogs, cats, and rabbits who were found amid the ruins of more than 8,000 buildings. Among the animal relief first respon- Montage of another happy reunion. (Kinship Circle) ders, American SPCA field investigations and Joplin Humane Society to Wayside Waifs in Fukushima nuclear power plant are dying in response team senior director Tim Rickey was Kansas City and the Humane Society of droves. Farmers working anxiously to make a Joplin native, and former Joplin animal con- Southwest Missouri in Springfield to enable arrangements to move their animals to a safe trol officer. The ASPCA team “coordinated the Joplin shelter to accept incoming animals area are now hampered by extensions of the the transport of nearly 150 animals from the displaced by the disaster,” said ASPCA media no-go area, and strict restrictions on access, contact Emily Schneider. with nobody but authorized personnel permit- LEFT: This evacuee from Iwaki City fed The Humane Society of Missouri, ted to enter. With no food or water available, and walked his 15-year-old Shiba Inu mix, which had fielded 22 people for 10 days in the animals are slowly starving to death. Chappy, until he was moved to no-pets- response to the Mississippi basin flooding, “On April 24,” Robinson continued, allowed government housing in Tokyo. sent 15 personnel. Best Friends sent two. “the Fukushima government decided to eutha- Relatives could not find Chappy, but Last “Bonnie Morrision, Kinship Circle’s nize farm animals who were severely ill, Chance for Animals volunteer Charles disaster management director, is there now to injured or in distress within 20 kilometers of Harmison trapped her. Kinship Circle has determine what extra help is needed,” Shoss the power plant, and planned to start disposing housed her with Animal Friends Niigata until e-mailed to ANIMAL PEOPLE. “We are of [otherwise healthy] animals by permission the man can again keep her. (Kinship Circle) forming standby teams at this point. As you of their owners on April 26. Without access to know, but most of the public does not,” Shoss the area, volunteers and owners cannot recover explained, “in the U.S. a group has to be offi- the thousands of animals who are still healthy. cially invited to work at the scene of a disaster, Animals Asia is supporting local rescue groups so we can’t go until an emergency manage- in their appeals to Japanese authorities to allow ment or appointed nonprofit organization willing volunteers into the area to carry out enlists our help. The Humane Society of rescue and removal of these animals. Some Missouri, the state-appointed lead animal aid 30,000 pigs, 630,000 chickens, 2,500 beef organization, has one of the more sophisticat- cattle, and 870 dairy cattle are still at risk and ed state rapid response teams,” Shoss contin- need help urgently.” ued, “and they are there doing search-and-res- Pledges of a forthcoming govern- cue, while coordinating emergency sheltering mental response to the Fukushima farm ani- with Joplin Animal Control on the campus of mals continued for more than a month, while Missouri State Southern University.” rescuers on the scene reported seeing little vis- ible action. On May 12, e-mailed Animal Still busy in Japan Refuge Kansai founder Elizabeth Oliver, para- Meanwhile, Kinship Circle and phrasing official circumlocutions used to avoid other animal aid charities working in Japan assigning responsibility for making controver- still had more than enough to do. sial decisions to specific individuals, “The “The situation grows more desperate Japanese cabinet officially announced that the by the day,” e-mailed Animals Asia director-general of nuclear emergency Foundation founder Jill Robinson. “Animals response headquarters,” in other words the left alone in the no-go area around the (continued on page 13)
Amala Akkineni, a longtime vegan who starred in 84 films made in the Tamil, Telegu, Hindi, Malayalam, and Kannada languages before founding the Blue Cross of Hyderabad in 1992, recently posed as a mermaid to help launch the PETA-India campaign against eating fish. Royal SPCA & seal-shooting salmon farmers I just checked my e-mail to learn seal attack. The only way for salmon farmers that the Royal SPCA of Britain has announced to properly protect the fish, and meet the a campaign to get people to buy sandwiches requirements of the Animal Health & Welfare with “fairer fillings.” The idea is to get carni- (Scotland) Act 2006, is to install and maintain vores to buy meat and eggs from animals who high strength, fully tensioned anti-predator are raised according to “better” welfare stan- nets to keep the seals well away from the fish. dards. They recommend buying sandwiches Only 20% of fish farmers given licenses containing Scottish salmon qualifying for the to shoot seals have anti-predator nets in place. RSPCA Freedom Food label. The other 80%, including many RSPCA These are fish reared in floating fac- endorsed Freedom Food farms, shoot tory farms where they are given a bit more seals as a first, not a last resort. space to swim around. Astonishingly the I first asked the RSPCA to condemn RSPCA allows Freedom Food-endorsed seal shooting by salmon farmers in December salmon farmers to shoot and kill seals. The 2005. Three years later I discovered they were Scottish Government gives these fish farmers actually endorsing salmon from seal shooting licenses to kill seals in a futile bid to protect farms as part of their Freedom Food initiative. the salmon from seal attack. Next month it will be three years since I As I have explained to the Scottish specifically asked the RSPCA to insert a total Government and the RSPCA, letting salmon ban on shooting seals into their Freedom Food Kinship Circle volunteers rescue an Akita resembling the legendary Hachiko from within the farmers shoot seals does not protect fish from salmon farm contracts. They could have done Fukushima nuclear radiation exclusion zone. (Kinship Circle) this at the stroke of a pen. Even taking into account the decision-making processes of a Cut animal research Founded JEARS large organization and making a time In thinking about what is going on Carey Vail was mentioned in your allowance for the farmers to install the anti- April 2011 article “Animal rescuers respond predator nets, RSPCA endorsed Freedom in Congress––the budget crisis––and the need to seriously cut the U.S. budget, this seems to the crisis in Japan” as “founder of the Food Scottish Salmon could easily have been Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue & Support seal friendly by the end of 2008. It still isn’t. like the ideal time for a writing campaign to Congress. This is the perfect time to argue for page on Facebook.” The founders of JEARS Instead of encouraging people to pay are myself, Susan Mercer of Heart for bullets to shoot seals by buying RSPCA cutting the funding of grants for animal research, which is duplicative because the Tokushima, and Isabella Gallaon-Aoki of endorsed salmon sandwiches, the RSPCA Animal Friends Niigata. Carey Vail did not should be joining the fight to protect seals. results are already known in many cases, wasteful because the results do not accurately start the JEARS Facebook page. I did. ––John F. Robins, Campaigns Consultant ––David Wybenga Animal Concern transfer to humans, and extravagant, because animal research is more expensive than alter- Director P.O. Box 5178 Japan Cat Network Dumbarton, Scotland G82 5YJ native methods. So far I have not seen any efforts to this effect. Hikone City
ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2011 - 13
Please enter my subscription for: ____ One year (9 issues.) Enclosed is $24. YES! I’M AN ____ Two years (18 issues.) Enclosed is $38. ANIMAL PERSON! ____ Three years (27 issues.) Enclosed is $50. ____Please send additional subscriptions as gifts to the addresses I have listed below or on a separate sheet. Enclosed is $24 apiece. ____Please send the 2010 ANIMAL PEOPLE Watchdog Report on Animal Charities, which provides the background I need to make my donations more effective. Enclosed is $25. ____I want to help support your outreach with a tax-deductible contribution of: $25 ____ $50 ____ $100 ____ $250 ____ $500 ____ Other ____ Name: Name of gift recipient: Number and street: Number and street: City and state: City and state: ––Wolf Clifton ZIP code: ZIP code: Please make checks payable to: ANIMAL PEOPLE, P.O. Box 960, Clinton, WA 98236, or call 360-579-2505 to order by MasterCard or VISA. Far from Fukushima, helpers are near the eye of the storm (from page 12) prime minister, “ordered the Fukushima gov- ernment of Japan has launched an operation to April, is an animal death camp with invisible was to end around June 1-2,” Shoss said. ernor to euthanize all of the farm animals in remove abandoned animals from inside the walls. People were evacuated with little “After that, we don’t have the financial the no-go zone and apologized to the farmers evacuation zone. Officials are allowing resi- notice, and many domesticated animals, resources to send sponsored teams, pay for in this area. The cabinet advised that this act dents back into the evacuated zone,” IFAW farmed and companion, were trapped without rental vehicles, pay for tolls, gas, and so would be carried out partly to protect the envi- said, “and including animal rescue as part of food, water or care. They die from dehydra- forth. However,” Shoss said, “I am search- ronment, and they ‘expect’ the Tokyo Electric the campaign.” Reportedly starting on May tion at a faster rate than starvation. ing for a few volunteers with veterinary expe- Power Company,” the operators of the 10, eight days before the IFAW announce- “While the Japanese government has rience and shelter experience, or large animal Fukushima reactor complex, to compensate ment, the government teams “removed at least created a shelter in a converted warehouse in rescue experience, who are competent to work the farmers for their losses.” 27 dogs and two cats from the danger zone” in Fukushima for exclusion-zone animals, along overseas, to deploy via Kinship Circle, but On May 16, posted the California- the first week,” said IFAW. “According to with making some attempts to retrieve them work under Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue based Hachiko Coalition, “the Japanese Prime reports,” IFAW continued, “officials in from what I call ‘nuclear ghost towns,’ the Services,” a coalition of four Japanese organi- Minister said to [Member of Parliament] Fukushima have also allowed evacuees to effort is spotty at best,” Shoss charged. “A zations, “once on the ground.” Tsutomu Takamura, ‘If there is a way [to let bring pets out of the danger zone and continue staff of 3-4 people from Ministry of Noted Shoss, “This has used the the animals in the radiation zone live], please to live with them in temporary housing.” Environment, with 2-3 people from Fuku- most money we’ve ever invested in a disaster work on it.’” But reports about evacuees keeping shima’s Environment, Food & Health deployment. Tsunami and earthquake-affected The Hachiko Coalition funded post- pets in temporary housing had already been Division, comprise their animal rescue effort. areas run nearly 500 miles along Japan’s tsunami relief work in memory of an Akita circulating for more than two months. They leave food for animals, but only in areas northeast coast. Further inland, the expanding named Hachiko, acquired in 1924 by “Two disaster phases are occurring they can reach in a single day. They predict a radius of exclusion zone cities and villages University of Tokyo agricultural professor simultaneously,” assessed Shoss. “Most of three-month recovery. Many animals, like the covers a wide area. The emergency shelters H i d e s a b u rō Ueno. For about a year Hachiko the post-earthquake and tsunami search and cows we found, will not survive this long. are far to the south, in Niigata and Tokushima. greeted Ueno every day at the Shibuya train rescue is over. We are in the appropriate Animal rescuers do not, and will not, get per- So transporting animals can require eight-hour station. Then Ueno died from a cerebral hem- phase of emergency to establish long-term mission to enter the exclusion zone. There is drives, and Japanese tolls are sometimes as orrhage. For the next nine years Hachiko went sheltering. So the type of volunteer needed no magic piece of signed paper that grants high as $240. Multiply that by the two months daily to the Shibuya train station to look for has shifted to veterinarians, vet techs, and entry. We’ve certainly tried to find the so- we’ve already been on the ground and you can him. When Hachiko died on March 8, 1935, animal shelter workers. called permit. It simply does not exist. see why the deployment is so costly.” commuters funded a monument in his honor. “For the radiation component,” “The Japan SPCA, Japan Animal Elizabeth Oliver celebrated success- The name of the Hachiko Coalition meant to Shoss continued, “it is as if someone has hit Welfare Society, and two other organizations ful rescues one at a time. On May 28, for remind Japanese officials to repay the loyalty the rewind button on ‘crisis’ over and over. operating under the banner Earthquake Animal example, she e-mailed to supporters about of the many animals who still await their peo- Each time mandatory evacuation empties a Rescue Disaster Headquarters have said that having reunited with family in Fukushima a ple at their homes within the evacuation zone district, the area is sealed under nuclear emer- they will not enter the exclusion zone them- dog who was found on April 15. Another dog surrounding the Fukushima nuclear reactors. gency law. Police blockades go up and tres- selves,” Shoss told ANIMAL PEOPLE. who was found with that one was reunited On May 18, the International Fund passers risk arrest, fines and/or jail time. The “They sponsor the sheltering component only. with his people earlier. for Animal Welfare announced that “The gov- 20-kilometer zone, sealed since the end of “Kinship Circle’s Japan deployment ––Merritt Clifton Refusing to make “donation” to politicians, Visakha SPCA loses animal control contract; rabies outbreak follows suspension of subsidized dog sterilization & vaccination service V I S A K H A P A T N A M ––Rabies is the River Godavari. The sterilization and vaccination of the city. reportedly raging again in northern Andhra Unclear, however, was if the region work was partially subsidized after 2003 by Named GVMC veterinary officer, Pradesh state, India, a year after a newly actually had an increase in rabies cases, or just the Indian federal Animal Birth Control pro- B. Rammohana Rao announced soon after his elected Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal had heightened awareness of rabies as result of gram. By the time political control of the appointment that the ABC and anti-rabies vac- Corporation government took responsibility media attention to deaths and dog attacks. The Visakhapatnam regional government changed cination programs would henceforth be done for operating the local Animal Birth Control H i n d u reported that 20 human rabies deaths hands in November 2009, the amount of fund- under his auspicies. The programs appear to program away from the Visakha SPCA. occurred in East Godavari in 2010, 42 in ing involved looked to some of the newly have been started only after rabies cases were The action in effect dismantled what 2009, 23 in 2008, and 54 in 2007. elected GVMC officials like a significant again reported within the GVMC. was by far the largest anti-rabies campaign in From 1998 to June 2010 the Visakha patronage plum to reallocate to supporters. the region, and led to the Visakhapatnam SPCA sterilized and vaccinated dogs for To keep the ABC contracts, Visakha ABC India street dog population reportedly increasing Visakhapatnam, replacing a corps of for-profit SPCA founder Pradeep Kumar Nath told ANI- Nath meanwhile kept the Visakha from about 7,000 to as many as 10,000. dogcatchers who electrocuted strays, sold dog MAL PEOPLE, he was asked to pay “astro- SPCA veterinary team together by forming At least seven human rabies fatalities leather, and responded to losing the dog con- nomical sums” to the parties in power, and to ABC India, a teaching-and-training program and incidents of rabid dogs and even a rabid trol contract with a combination of violence agree to allowing city dogcatchers to dump now deployed against the rabies outbreaks. horse running amok, biting dozens of people, and defamatory political attacks. outside of town any dogs whose behavior pro- “Dog culls have been reported in were reported in May 2011 from around a Persevering to eradicate rabies from duced complaints. Nath refused both condi- Rajahmundry, Vizianagram, and surrounding crescent extending from Srikakulam and the inner metropolis by 2007, the VSPCA tions. The municipal dogcatchers began areas,” ABC India managing director Lisa Parvathipuram in the northernmost panhandle gradually extended sterilization and vaccina- dumping dogs outside of town anyway, lead- Warden told ANIMAL PEOPLE. “ABC of Andhra Pradesh, above Visakhapatnam, tion service into the suburban areas known as ing to complaints to local newspapers about India teams are doing anti-rabies vaccination through the Visag and Aruku districts to the the Visakhapatnam Circle, which have problem dogs finding their way back even in Rajahmundry in extreme heat and occasion- west of Visakhapatnam, to Kakinada and approximately quadrupled in human popula- from 20 miles away, and to dogs being al heavy rain. Anti-rabies vaccination has Rajamundry, south of Visakhapatnam, along tion since the VSPCA program began. dumped near Nath’s home, in the oldest part begun in Kakinada. We hope to contribute teams there to expand their capacity. We expect to begin anti-rabies vaccination in Visakhapatnam forthwith. The programs in each locale need to be expanded at the earliest ANIMAL PEOPLE to ensure adequate coverage,” Warden said. ABC India has also begun educating thanks you for your generous support against translocating dogs, implicated in Honoring the parable of the widow's mite––in which a poor woman gives spreading rabies from place to place. “Rabies keeps appearing in different places in Andhra but one coin to charity, yet that is all she possesses–– Pradesh that are not close enough to each other we do not list our donors by how much they give, to be within a dog's regular range,” Warden but we greatly appreciate large gifts that help us do more for animals. explained. As an unvaccinated dog may incu- bate and transmit rabies through bites for Heather Abraham, Elaine Adair, Violet Aharonian, Susan Allred, Barbara Aster, Mimi Barnes, Gini Barrett, Robert Berman, weeks before active symptoms appear, seem- Pamela Bishop, Laura Black, Nancy Bogenberger, Paula Bowker, Estate of Patricia Bravo, Natasha & Noah Brenner, Jacqueline Bulmer, ingly healthy dogs are often rabies vectors. Jean Burns, Michael Burton, Derek Busch, Patricia Cade, Jean Carr, Donna & Jim Carter, Jan Cezka, Gale Cohen-Demarco, “We have prepared a short film Brenda Cosgrove, Susana & Dave Crow, Jane Cullen, Rae Domingues, Madeline Lia Duncan, Leah Frankel, Dr. Susie Fromm, about rabies prevention to show throughout William Gerhart, Debra Giambattista, Edith J. Goode Residuary Trust, Pauline Gounaris, John Green, Judy & Pedro Hecht, Claire Heiser, Andhra Pradesh,” Warden added. “It is cur- Audrey Hill, Holly Hilton, Mary T. & Frank L. Hoffman Family Foundation, Jerome Kahn, Sharon Kilburg, Heather & Lawrence Kren, rently being translated into the Telegu lan- Larson Charitable and Testamentary Trust, Gina Lee, Richard Leonard, Chuck Levin, Carol Lushear, Meredith MacCracken, guage. We will provide it to all districts and Greta Marsh, Patricia McGuire, Melissa's Rescue/Mimi Wriedt, Lola Merritt, Marilee Meyer, Mr. & Mrs. George Nader, local television stations and it will be available Christina Negrete, Carlos Neyra, Janna O'Connell, Evelyn Oynebraaten, Steven Pagani, Natalie Pepper, Damon Phillips, on our website. Additional teams, vaccines, Richard Pollak, Toni Rapone, Ronald Rosenkranz, Dr. Rhoda Ruttenberg, Andrea Sandstrom, Cindy Sautter, Robert Schmidt, and financial support are urgently required,” Robert Schwartz, Kathleen Shopa, Magda Simopoulos, Lindy & Marvin Sobel, George Stassinopoulos, Carolyn Stephens, Mimi Taylor, Warden finished, “to prevent further human Dee Tharpe, Margaret Tilbury, Mary Walsh, Ronald Winkler, James Woodruff, Louise Wunsch, Jim Zabcik deaths and dog culls.” June 2011 3/22/13 11:39 PM Page 14
14 - ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2011 Fundraising turf war brings complaint against the ASPCA (from page 1) they are standing in. Here’s hoping that New York state, some of which predated the print disclosure,” White alleged, “that the sto- tions, and animal advocacy groups operating SHAC’s complaint results in, at a minimum,” existence of any enforcement entity. Outreach ries reported in their request were composites in California. It has sponsored an annual Kerns said, “a disclaimer at the bottom of the to other states initially took the form of provid- rather than real animals. Animal Law Enforcement Training Academy ASPCA’s heart-wrenching ads and commer- ing organizational help to the founders of other “I have no quibble with North Shore since 1980, and co-hosts the annual California cials, letting people know that donations to the humane societies. nor any doubts of the value of their programs,” Animal Care Conference in partnership with ASPCA don’t necessarily benefit animals in Recognizing a conflict of interest White continued. “My only point is that direct the California Animal Control Directors their community.” between doing law enforcement in New York mail sent into a community which does not Association and the California Veterinary Responded the ASPCA in a May 4, state and serving as a national umbrella for the benefit from direct services from that organi- Medical Association. 2011 prepared statement, “While the ASPCA fast-growing U.S. humane movement, the zation should, in my opinion, be clear about The State Humane Association of has not seen the actual complaint, based solely ASPCA in 1877 participated in forming the that. Donors should of course support the California complaint against the ASPCA may on the press release we believe the State American Humane Association to become a work they choose to support. Whether it is be the first complaint in half a century by local Humane Association of California claims are national umbrella. local or not should be entirely their decision. humane societies against the fundraising prac- incorrect and completely without merit. The Though the ASPCA remained active However, donors should have it clearly tices of national organizations with similar ASPCA is a national organization founded in in federal lobbying, it focused on providing explained to them when they are being asked names to take the form of a legal filing. 1866,” the ASPCA statement explained. “Our animal sheltering service for New York City to support work done for animals outside their Filing on behalf of local and regional activities include funding programs connected from 1895 through 1994. Post-1994, howev- own community. I do not believe it is an acci- humane societies, the American Humane to local shelters nationwide, but also encom- er, the ASPCA has expanded activity beyond dent that many groups who fundraise national- Association in 1954 sued the then-newly pass a wide range of other activities that are New York in almost every year, adding leg- ly are a bit vague, if not evasive,” White incorporated National Humane Society for vital to the care and safety of animals. The islative offices and field representatives and alleged, “about the relationship between the alleged misleading solicitation. ASPCA is among the top three providers of becoming a leading responder to disasters. donors being solicited and the location of the Former AHA employees had found- grant funds to local animal welfare organiza- The Peninsula Humane Society & animals being served. A direct mail solicita- ed the National Humane Society after numer- tions in the U.S. SPCA, among the oldest and largest in tion ought to be very clear about the facts of ous rifts within the AHA over policies. “In California alone,” the ASPCA California, is not a member of the State the program, including the geography. A Among the disagreements, the AHA weak- said, “the ASPCA’s average grant total per Humane Association of California, but joined direct mail piece sent into the Bay Area ought ened previous opposition to the use of shelter year for the past four years will be nearly $1 the lawsuit against the ASPCA as a coplaintiff. to be clear that the donor is being invited to animals by laboratories and for sport hunting, million by the end of 2011. The ASPCA has “Back in October of last year,” assist animals in a different location.” but remained adamantly opposed to sterilizing already pledged a total of $4.2 million through explained Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA pets, a position originally taken more than 30 230 grants nationwide so far in 2011, includ- president Ken White in a column at MSPCA vs. ASPCA years earlier in an attempt to be philosophical- ing $250,000 in grants to animal shelters and SFGate.com, “I posted a piece in response to a Agreed Massachusetts SPCA presi- ly consistent in opposition to forced steriliza- rescue groups in the Los Angeles area. fundraising letter sent by ASPCA to families dent Carter Luke, to David Abel of the Boston tion of human female orphans. “While we do not have a formal here in the Bay Area. The letter described the Globe, “If they wish to do national ads, they In settlement of the 1954 case over affiliation with local SPCAs throughout the abuse of a particular dog named Brutus and should say where they do their work.” names used in solicitation, the original country,” the ASPCA acknowledged, “we asked for donations to help fight animal cruel- The ASPCA, founded in 1866, and National Humane Society became HSUS in assist SPCAs, humane societies and local ty. My point then and now,” White wrote, the MSPCA, founded in 1868, have for most 1956. Two different unrelated organizations shelters around the country.” quoting the ASPCA appeal, “is that it is not of their existence been two of the three most now use the name “National Humane Society.” Elaborated ASPCA president Ed honest to say to people who live in the San affluent humane societies in the U.S., with A parallel case filed in California Sayres to ANIMAL PEOPLE, “I think the Francisco Bay Area that sending ‘the largest few visible policy conflicts and little evident obliged HSUS to start the long dormant HSUS [State Humane Association of California] mis- gift you can manage to help the ASPCA’ in fundraising rivalry. California Branch Inc. in 1959. construes our national reach working with Manhattan is the best way for them to help But the recession that struck the U.S. Direct mailings done for the shelters all over the country.” ‘protect an innocent and helpless animal,’ a in 2008 hit the ASPCA and MSPCA to quite National Humane Education Society drew After meeting with State Humane ‘particular animal,’ an animal ‘not far from’ different effect. Both organizations suffered grumblings from the humane community, Association of California representatives in where that donor lives. My point then and serious investment losses. Neither was legally beginning in 1986, but apparently did not 2009, Sayres said, “we stepped up our pro- now is that the work of protecting such ani- permitted to cover the losses with funds drawn attract a legal response. The typical National motional messages on helping local shelters. mals falls to the local SPCA, the local humane from permanently restricted bequests. Humane Education Society appeal format for Thank you letters from me to direct mail society, and/or the local government animal The ASPCA, however, actively many years opened, “The National Humane donors advise donating to local shelters. Our care and control agency.” soliciting funds nationwide for decades, was Education Society is now conducting its (year web pages encourage the same. Our national able to survive the crisis without sacrificing and name of city) Annual Fund Drive.” services program is more robust than ever, Other agencies major programs and without laying off staff. When the mailings began, the with partner cities, field investigations, and Just a month before joining the State The MSPCA, whose financial assets National Humane Education Society operated disaster response. Grants are also an important Humane Association of California complaint had already declined by about a third from only one shelter in Virginia, and the mailings part of our national strategy. We will be dis- against the ASPCA, White posted a similar peak value, kept four shelters and two animal themselves were the only visible NHES tributing more than $11 million in grants to column to SFGate.com criticizing an appeal hospitals open by turning three other shelters national education program. The only local organizations this year. That is almost mailed by the North Shore Animal League. over to other animal charities. Thirty-eight National Humane Education Society shelter equal to the Maddie's Fund annual distribu- “My issue with this,” White reiterat- staff were laid off. currently operating is in West Virginia. tion,” Sayres said, citing the wealthiest grant- ed, “is about asking for financial support from “We have no problem with someone HSUS ran into litigation again over making foundation in the animal welfare field. communities with their own community needs, taking ads out,” Luke continued. “We just alleged misleading fundraising soon after “In my discussions with donors,” with animals in communities being rescued by think they should say where the money is forming the Humane Society of Canada in Sayres added, “they do understand how local community-based animal welfare organi- being used and that it doesn't go to help ani- 1993. Founding president Michael O’Sullivan national organizations help local organizations, zations which need local community support mals in Massachusetts.” alleged in a 1996 lawsuit that HSUS improper- and how important it is to contribute to their to continue to save lives.” Even as the MSPCA struggled, the ly and illegally claimed $1 million that was local organization. We all play a vital role in North Shore Animal League senior ASPCA raised $10.6 million in Massachusetts raised in Canada. Ontario Court of Justice improving the welfare of animals,” Sayres fin- vice president of operations Joanne Yohannan in the three years 2007-2009, MSPCA staff Judge Bruce C. Hawkins in January 1997 ished, “and it is disappointing to see this kind “called me within a day or two after my post- told Abel. “What we're trying to say,” Luke ordered HSUS to repay $740,000 to the of fractious communication.” ing,” White told ANIMAL PEOPLE. “She explained to Abel, “is that the ASPCA does Humane Society of Canada––the only cash Before becoming ASPCA president acknowledged that they had not taken any ani- some nice things in Manhattan, but we want award in such a case known to A N I M A L in 2003, Sayres headed St. Hubert’s Giralda, mals from this area, but seemed to feel that everyone to know that they are not our parent PEOPLE. a small shelter in New Jersey, within the their scope,” which includes sponsoring Spay organization.” Luke said. “We just want to The Edmonton SPCA & Humane greater New York City metropolitan area; the USA and the national Pet Adoptathon held make sure they are not leading people to Society, Moose Jaw Humane Society, and American Humane Association animal protec- each May, and accepting animals for adoption believe that they are the place to go to prevent Nova Scotia SPCA in December 2006 raised tion division; PetSmart Charities; and the San from Los Angeles Animal Services, “did in cruelty to animals in New England.'” public objections to national mailings by Francisco SPCA. Each position involved fact justify their asking for donor support Countered ASPCA spokesperson Humane Society of Canada and the Montreal- fundraising in possible competition with the locally. I disagreed,” White said. Alison Jimenez, “How the problem [of animal based Canadian SPCA, which operates a shel- prominence of the ASPCA, but Sayres is not “At least, unlike with Bide-A-Wee,” cruelty] is dealt with is not a local-versus- ter and sterilization clinic in Montreal and is known to have complained about it. White added, citing a shelter which also national issue; it is about effectivenes.” better known as the Montreal SPCA. Though Allegations about the ASPCA “med- imports animals for adoption from other states incorporated as the Canadian SPCA in 1869, dling” or “poaching” beyond the actual reach but is more closely focused on New York City Parallels the Montreal SPCA has never operated nation- of ASPCA authority and activity are nearly as and Long Island, “it is real animals being Founded in 1909, the State Humane al programs, and has not used the Canadian old as the ASPCA itself. The original ASPCA helped. Bide-A-Wee’s [recent] direct mail let- Association of California includes nearly 140 SPCA name in fundraising since an April 2008 activity was enforcing humane legislation in ter to the Bay Area included the very small humane societies, animal control organiza- leadership transition. ––Merritt Clifton Ireland will not sell greyhounds to China VictoryLand greyhound track closes Hit them with D U B L I N ––Irish racing grey- made clear that I am not in a position to SHORTER, Alabama––Greyhound racing ended hounds will not soon be exported to China, approve the project as presented. It was at VictoryLand in Shorter, Alabama on May 30, 2011, 27 a 2-by-4! Irish agriculture minister Shane McEntee agreed,” McEntee said, “that Bord na gCon years after the track opened in September 1984. told the Dail [Irish parliament] on May 3, would modify its proposal to exclude the Then called the Macon County Greyhound Park, More than 30,000 2011, but the announcement did not end export of greyhounds from Ireland, but the track at peak employed 2,000 people. Only 200 people people who care about the efforts of greyhound racing opponents would continue to explore developing the worked there when spokesperson Bill Cunningham animals will read to deter Irish investment in trying to devel- proposal to assist in the management of announced the end of daily racing on May 10, 2011. Five this 2-by-4" ad. op a Chinese greyhound racing industry. greyhound racing in China.” more racing days were held to fulfill contractual agreements. McEntee, a member of the Fine Assessed Bernie Wright of Grey- The track was reportedly six months in arrears on property We'll let you have it Gael majority, responded to a question hound Action Ireland, “Irish greyhounds taxes. “The only viable way to keep the live greyhound rac- for just $75––or $195 ing was to have electronic bingo,” Cunningham said. asked from the Dail floor by Labour Party could not be exported legally, as no wel- for three issues–– member Joe Costello. Asking if McEntee fare agreement exists between Ireland and VictoryLand owner Milton McGregor, 71, who would allow the export of greyhounds to China. Gambling on dogs and horses, it also owns the Birmingham Race Course, “faces trial on or $515 for a year. China, Costello noted that China “has no appears, is still not legal in China, so this June 6 on charges of buying votes for legislation that could Then you can let animal welfare legislation and no regula- ill-conceived cruel money-grubbing idea have protected electronic bingo games,” noted Donathan tion, supervision or mechanism for protect- was a no-go from that respect also.” Prater of the Opelika-Auburn News. McGregor introduced them have it. ing such animals. There is no ban on However, e-mailed Greyhound electronic bingo at VictoryLand in December 2003, and at It's the only 2-by-4 to use the Birmingham Race Course in 2005, but lost a December killing dogs there,” Costello emphasized, Crusaders/South West Animal Protection in the battle “and we are all aware that some dogs are UK, “This vital campaign is far from over, 2006 ruling by the Alabama Supreme Court that the bingo for public opinion. eaten. Obviously there is considerable as the Irish greyhound board are now insist- games violate the state law against slot machine gambling. scope for abuse.” ing that they will help to set up five grey- Greyhound racing continues in Alabama at the Responded McEntee, “Today I hound stadiums in China. Where will the Birmingham Race Course and the Mobile Greyhound Park. ANIMAL PEOPLE met the chair and chief executive of B o r d greyhounds come from? All countries that Nationally, greyhound racing continues at 24 tracks in na gCon,” the Irish greyhound board, “and export greyhounds please be on the alert!” seven states, down from 50 tracks in 15 states in 2001. 360-579-2505 June 2011 3/22/13 11:39 PM Page 15
ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2011 - 15
The Watchdog monitors fundraising, spending, and politi - The cal activity in the name of animal and habitat protection—both pro and con. His empty bowl stands for all the bowls left empty when Watchdog some take more than they need. Case against Martin Balluch and fellow Austrian activists is thrown out of court V I E N N A ––Austrian federal judge variety of “direct action” offenses that Judge Arleth ruled that “the police week hunger strike, at least his fifth hunger Sonja Arleth on May 2, 2011 dismissed all occurred between 2002 and 2007. conducted illegal investigations and cover-up, strike since his conviction. Involved in animal charges against Association Against Animal Judge Arleth halted the trial proceed- then lied in court,” summarized the Farm advocacy since 1983, Horne had reportedly Factories (VGT) founder Martin Balluch and ings after hearing 97 days of prosecution testi- Animal Rights Movement (formerly Farm been arrested at least five times and convicted co-defendants, just three weeks short of three mony between March 2, 2010 and April 1, Animal Reform Movement), which had sup- at least twice before in connection with “direct years after Balluch and 11 others representing 2011, including several 15-hour nonstop ses- ported the defense case with a series of action” protest between 1988 and 1996. seven animal advocacy organizations were sions as the prosecution case wrapped up. The demonstrations outside the Austrian embassy Balluch has by contrast tactically arrested in dawn raids on at least two dozen prosecution case reportedly disintegrated after in Washington D.C. Balluch contended from favored classic civil disobedience and main- homes and offices on May 21, 2008. numerous errors of attribution were exposed in his arrest forward that the intent of the case stream political organizing. Three of the arrestees were released texts of e-mails, letters, and articles said to was to silence Austrian animal advocacy, just In March 2003 Balluch conducted an without charges soon afterward. Balluch and have been authored by Balluch. Four of the as VGT was preparing to introduce an initia- “open rescue” of seven battery-caged hens in a nine others were released on bail 104 days actual authors testified for the defense during tive campaign on behalf of farm animals. case in which the farmer was ultimately fined later, charged with alleged involvement in a cross-examination. “At the end of 2006,” Balluch 200 euros and ordered to reduce his caging charged in a July 2008 statement, “the owners density. Balluch was convicted of theft, but of Kleider Bauer [an Austrian furrier] and rep- the Austrian High Court in June 2004 reversed Awards & Honors resentatives of the Conservative Party as well the conviction, two weeks after the Austrian The 37th annual Animal Trans- heading HSUS companion animal welfare as high ranking police officers met and spoke parliament banned battery caging. portation Association conference, held May programs sine 1998, announced his retire- about how to destroy [the Association Against Balluch in January 2008 lost a year- 22-25, 2011 in Brussels, Belgium, honored ment after 36 years in the animal welfare Animal Factories]. The minutes of those long bid to have a chimpanzee named Matthew Sharon Cregier, Ph.D., of Montague, field. Recipients of Humane Society meetings are now in our hands.” Hiasl Pan declared legally a person, when the Prince Edward Island, for lifetime achieve- I n t e r n a t i o n a l awards for animal advocacy After other tactics failed, Balluch Austrian Supreme Court rejected his last ment in promoting the welfare of animals in included Tsunami Animal People Alliance asserted, “a special police unit consisting of appeal. Balluch sought personshood status for transport. An ANIMAL PEOPLE c h a r t e r founder Robert Blumberg. Newly arrived in more than 32 agents from the secret service, Matthew Hiasl Pan as a test case, hoping to subscriber, Cregier may be best known for Sri Lanka when the December 26, 2004 the murder division, and from the anti-terror prevent him from being sold abroad, beyond research demonstrating that the safest way to tsunami hit, Blumberg with initial funding police was formed with the sole purpose of Austrian legal protection. Captured in Sierra haul horses is facing backward––exactly the from ANIMAL PEOPLE hired mobile vet- framing us. The telephone and e-mail conver- Leone in 1982, Hiasl Pan was smuggled into reverse of the most common configuration of erinary teams to help displaced and injured sations of more than 30 people were moni- Austria for laboratory use, but was rescued by horse trailers. animals, halted a rabies panic by vaccinating tored. Seventeen people were followed and Austrian customs agents. The Humane Society of the U.S. more than 14,000 dogs during the next two watched 24 hours a day. More than a dozen in May 2011 received a 2011 People’s Choice months, and then transitioned the program potential targets of animal rights activists were Gojira is now Brigitte Bardot Telly Award for the video Stallone: The into sterilizing dogs and cats. TAPA has now under permanent surveillance. “To justify this LA CIOTAT, France––The Sea Face of Dogfighting. “In addition to receiv- sterilized more than 30,000 animals, many of operation,” Balluch said, “the secret service Shepherd Conservation Society fast intercep- ing a 2011 Telly Award, this video also them in areas that have only just become drew up a list of 240 acts of criminal damage tor and scout vessel that pursued Japanese played a key role in HSUS winning the Pepsi accessible, after 30 years of a recently ended and arson from the past 13 years, and claimed whalers in the Southern Ocean Whale Refresh Challenge grand prize of $250,000,” civil war. Animal advocacy awards also were there was one big international criminal orga- Sanctuary in 2010-2011 as the G o j i r a , said HSUS publicist Katie Jarl. presented to the Sociedad Protectora de nization responsible for all of them.” Japanese for “Godzilla,” was on May 25, Lifetime achievement awards Animals de Colombia, operating in Holding a double Ph.D. in physics 2011 renamed in honor of French actress- were presented at the HSUS Animal Care Medallin since 1917, and to Du Yufeng, and philosophy, Balluch is a former colleague turned-activist Brigitte Bardot. The owners E x p o in Orlando in May 2011 to C h i n n y director of the Universal Love Animal of Stephen Hawking at Cambridge University. of the Gojira and Godzilla film monster K r i s h n a and John Snyder. Krishna, B l u e Protection Center in Guangyuan, Sichuan While in Britain, however, Balluch was also trademarks had objected to further Sea Cross of India chief executive since 1964, in state, China. In addition, HSI honored Xiao an associate of Barry Horne, a British activist Shepherd use of the names. Launched as the 1966 introduced the street dog sterilization B i n g , director of the Animal Protection who was convicted in November 1997 of com- Cable & Wireless Adventurer, the vessel project which in 1997 evolved into the Indian Education Committee in Xiamen, China, for mitting arsons against druggists. Sentenced to now called the Brigitte Bardot in 1998 set a national Animal Birth Control p r o g r a m outstanding accomplishments in public edu- serve 18 years in prison, Horne died on record for powered craft by circling the (federally funded since 2003). Snyder, cation for animal protection. November 5, 2002, at age 49, after a two- world in 74 days. Pennsylvania SPCA closes two more shelters, renegoiates Philadelphia contract P H I L A D E L P H I A ––Downsizing for the fourth time The Pennsylvania SPCA and the city of Philadelphia Howard Nelson resigned in February 2009. Cosby succeeded in four years, the Pennsylvania SPCA on April 30, 2011 are currently renegotiating the contract under which the SPCA him in June 2009. “At the time the 142-year-old group was closed its Wellsville shelter and transferred the Montrose shel- Animal Care & Control Team provides shelter services to the reporting $500,000 a month in losses,” reported Philly.com ter in Susquehanna County to a new organization which will city. The contract expires at the end of June 2011. blogger Amy Worden. “In a year Cosby reduced that figure to operate the shelter as True Friend’s Animal Welfare Center. The Pennsylvania SPCA in 2002 turned over the ani- $100,000 a month, according to a report in the P h i l a d e l p h i a The Pennsylvania SPCA in January 2008 closed its mal control contract to a new entity called the Philadelphia Daily News. Cosby survived a board dispute later in 2009 that former shelter in Clarion County, and closed its Monroe Animal Care & Control Commision. At the time, the contract led to the departure of then-board president Harrise Yaron and County shelter in Stroudsburg at the end of January 2009. paid about $790,000 per year, and caused the Pennsylvania her sister, Jodi Goldberg.” Managing six branch shelters at the close of 2007, the SPCA to kill about 27,000 dogs and cats per year. Then- Amid the most recent downsizing, Yaron’s succes- Pennsylvania SPCA now has only two branch shelters, in Pennsylvania SPCA president Eric Hendricks estimated that sor Valerie Ogden Phillips, a board member since 1998 and Danville and Centre Hall. fulfilling the contract cost the organization at least three times president since April 2010, “resigned, along with three other Said the organization in a prepared statement quoting as much as the contract paid. board members,” Worden wrote on April 26, 2011. “A fifth chief executive Sue Cosby and True Friend’s founding presi- The Pennsylvnaia SPCA won the Philadelphia shel- member of the 12-person board has opted not to run for another dent Dory Browning, “The Pennsylvania SPCA, headquar- tering contract back in 2008, with a bid of $2.9 million, after three-year term,” Warden added. “When asked if the resigna- tered in Philadelphia, has found that transitioning some of its which PACCA was dissolved. In 2010 the Pennsylvania SPCA tions were a vote of no confidence in chief executive officer distantly located shelters throughout the state to local manage- estimated that the actual cost of the services provided to the city Sue Cosby, Phillips said, ‘The hiring of Sue was not unani- ment teams is a successful model for the long-term financial was about $3.8 million. This includes killing about 19,000 mous. Read it as you want to read it.’” sustainability of the facility.” dogs and cats per year. Nelson, noted for a flamboyant management style, IRS Form 990 filings show that the Pennsylvania Considerable internal controversy has accompanied led the Pennsylvania SPCA in several high-profile law enforce- SPCA lost $3 million in 2008, and $4.2 million in 2009. the downsizing. Former Pennsylvania SPCA chief executive ment actions against alleged puppy millers and animal hoard- ers. But Lancaster County District Attorney Craig Stedman Dogs Deserve better lands ex-Vick property refused to prosecute charges resulting from an October 2009 action undertaken with Main Line Rescue, in which dogs from T I P T O N , Pennsylvania– – T h e Ci Thayne. Dogs Deserve Better raised a Pennsylvania breeders were purchased at an Ohio dog auction anti-dog chaining organization Dogs down payment of $178,500, Ci Thayne and brought back to Philadelphia as alleged evidence of neglect Deserve Better on May 27, 2011 closed a said, “but we still need to fundraise to pay by the breeders. deal to buy the site of football player and the remainder, build a fence around the Cosby has been criticized for taking a quieter convicted dogfighter Michael Vick’s Bad property to keep the dogs inside and safe, approach to law enforcement. On April 11, 2011 however, Newz Kennels, on Moonlight Road in rural and install temporary housing for dogs,” the Pennsylvania SPCA and Philadelphia police accomplished Surrey County, Virginia. until funds are secured to build “a state-of- one of the largest-ever dogfighting raids in state history. The property is to become the the-art rehab center for chained and penned Seventeen people were arrested, several of them on drug new Dogs Deserve Better head office and dogs, as well as to maintain a memorial for charges. Twenty dogs were impounded from two locations. rescue center, called the Good Newz the dogs who lost their lives” in the Vick Heeding Pennsylvania SPCA testimony in an earlier Rehab Center for Chained & Penned Dogs. dogfighting operation. case, Philadelphia Common Pleas Court judge Glenn B. Arrested in April 2007, Vick in Ci Thayne herself and more than Bronson on May 4, 2011 sentenced John Taliaferro, 63, to August 2007 pleaded guilty to related fed- 100 Dogs Deserve Better regional represen- serve five to 10 years in prison for alleged animal fighting and eral felony charges. He served 21 months tatives have fostered “as many as 400 dogs illegally possessing firearms. in prison, plus two months of home con- per year out of our homes,” Ci Thayne Reported Philadelphia Inquirer staff writer Joseph A. finement. In November 2007 he sold the said. “With a center to call our own, we Slobodzian, “Taliaferro was arrested in November 2008 after Bad Newz Kennels location to developer hope to rescue at least another 500 chained police searched his house, believing he was selling drugs, Wilber Ray Todd Jr., of Carrollton, or penned dogs per year,” Ci Thayne pro- according to Assistant District Attorney Peter Erdely. Instead, Virgina, for $450,000. Todd reportedly jected, “and move them on to better lives police found four malnourished dogs with both old and recent invested $50,000 in clearing the property of as members of a real inside home and fami- fighting scars covering their faces, tickets for sale, dogfighting Vick’s dog housing and training facilities. ly. Dog lovers and supporters of our work paraphernalia, and literature and medicine for treating wound- “The 15-acre property, including will be welcome to visit us and our rescue ed dogs. Taliaferro had been arrested in 2000 during a raid on a house and sheds, is selling for $595,000,” dogs, as well as to take a moment to honor dogfight in a North Philadelphia garage,” Slobodzian recalled, said Dogs Deserve Better founder Tamira the memory of those who died there.” “but a jury acquitted him of animal-cruelty charges.” June 2011 3/22/13 11:39 PM Page 16
16 - ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2011 Verdicts split in recent cases with implications for animal shelter liability SACRAMENTO, SALT LAKE Past rulings in various states which have found appealed and upheld. The legal reasoning Gosse told the dispatcher that she would CITY, ST. LOUIS––Three court cases with animal shelters responsible for attacks by involved, however, parallels the considera- inform Forest Service officials about the implications for animal shelters and adoption adopted dogs have mostly involved dogs who tions that might be involved in cases in which attack, but she also mentioned that she was agencies that hold and rehome dogs who sub- were rehomed within 48 hours of a fatal attack a dangerous dog attacks a visitor to an animal off-duty,” Hull continued. “Gosse failed to sequently attack a person recently split with or disfigurement. shelter who somehow enters an insufficiently contact anyone or take any action of any kind,” one verdict for the defendant, two for the The breed of the dog whom Rich secured restricted area. the ruling states. “Consequently, no one else plaintiffs. adopted and the extent of the injuries to the For example, on March 16, 2010 employed by the Forest Service knew about In the one case actually involving an victim were not disclosed in the verdict. six-year-old Zachary Handzel of Noblesville, the incident, and as a result, no action was animal shelter, the Missouri Court of Appeals “By the time this case reached the Indiana opened the door to a visitation room at taken by defendant [the U.S. Forest Service] to Eastern District on April 26, 2011 upheld a appellate level,” wrote Fenske, “Rich and the Hamilton County Humane Society and was warn potential campers about the bear attack.” previous circuit court ruling that the Humane Miles had already come to a settlement [cover- attacked by a pit bull, suffering injuries to his A possible legal parallel would be an Society of Missouri should not share liability ing the injuries]. The only question remaining face, hand, wrist, ankle, and foot. Hamilton instance in which a shelter employee is told with adopter Linda D. Rich of St. Louis for a was whether the Humane Society of Missouri County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson that an impounded or surrendered dog has dog attack that occurred more than a year after should also be on the hook. With that settled, Vicky Dunbar told Melanie D. Hayes of the attacked someone, but fails to enter this infor- Rich adopted the dog. this lawsuit appears to be dead.” Indianapolis Star that the dog was secluded in mation into the shelter tracking system and The dog, who apparently had no the visitation room because he had been med- record it on a cage card. known bite history, reportedly resided at the Deputies “negligent” icated for a pinched nerve. Signs warned that Two Utah wildlife agents “unsuc- Humane Society of Missouri shelter for two Also on April 26, 2011, Andy the room was a restricted area, but the doors cessfully hunted for the bear with dogs for months prior to adoption. Several weeks after Furillo of the Sacramento Bee reported that a were not locked. At last report the Handzel about five hours,” Hull wrote, but they left the adoption, Rich testified, she notified the Sacramento Superior Court judge found the family was investigating a lawsuit. the scene shortly before the Ives/Mulvey fami- humane society that the dog had bitten a child. Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department neg- ly arrived, and left no warning behind. Rich alleged that she was encouraged to “give ligent for an August 2008 attack in which two Bear case raises issues the dog more time,” and to enroll the dog in a pit bulls belonging to purse snatching suspects U.S. District Judge Dale Kimball, of No legal immunity behavior modification class, but was not told Cynthia Michelle Peters and Mark Steven Parr Salt Lake City, Utah, on May 5, 2011 award- The Forest Service “argued that it that the Humane Society of Missouri has a pol- mauled Motel 6 janitor Miguel Gutierrez while ed $1.9 million to the family of Sam Ives, 11, was immune from suit, or, alternatively, that icy of itself “not retaining” dogs who bite. deputies were serving a search warrant on who was killed by a bear at a U.S. Forest the killing was the fault of the state and the Peters and Parr. Peters and Parr, now 43 and Service campsite in the American Fork Mulvey family. The government claimed that Not isolated incident 46, later received two-year sentences for Canyon. Though the death was inflicted by a Sam took a cola and granola bar with him to “A year later the dog bit another grand theft. The detectives serving the warrant wild animal, the Ives case was closely bed that attracted the bear,” Hull continued. child, Marissa Miles. It’s easy enough to see fatally shot both pit bulls, but only after watched by lawyers who handle dog attack Judge Kimball, following a five-day why Miles and her family thought Rich had Gutierrez had already been injured. cases involving animal shelters, because the bench trial in February 2011 and more than been negligent,” assessed Sarah Fenske for After the finding of negligence, central issue was the extent to which a public two months of consideration of the evidence, Zifflaw.com. “This bite was not an isolated Furillo wrote, the jury in the case brought by agency may be held liable for the actions of an found the Forest Service 65% responsible for incident. But the court decided that was not Gutierrez against the Sheriff’s Department animal who is not under the control of the the death. Assessed Hull, “The judge found the Humane Society’s fault, no matter what its “awarded Gutierrez $974,000 in damages, agency. This might include animals who are that the Forest Service was not immune from advice to Rich.” including $850,000 for pain and suffering. But adopted out despite known high risk based on suit under the Federal Tort Claims Act because “The Humane Society did not pos- the jury found the Sheriff’s Department only past behavior, or animals who are not prompt- its failure to warn campers about the previous sess, harbor, or control the dog when it bit liable for 20% of Gutierrez’s injuries from the ly impounded after high-risk behavior is attack ‘did not involve considerations of public Ms. Miles,” wrote the appellate judges. “As a attack––about $170,000 of the pain and suffer- reported to an animal control agency. policy.’” Judge Kimball found the U t a h result,” they found, “it had no duty under ing award,” Furillo continued. “The county Ives and his mother, brother, and Department of Wildlife Resources 25% at fault common negligence principles to prevent the did not contest Gutierrez’s nearly $125,000 in stepfather Tim Mulvey set up camp on because it “had a duty to communicate its des- harm to Ms. Miles.” Rich contended that the medical bills. The jury found the dogs’ own- Father’s Day 2007. “The family did not know ignation of the bear as a [dangerous] bear.” Humane Society “assumed a duty to take steps ers liable for 40% of the damages and Motel 6 that about 12 hours earlier, at the same spot, a Judge Kimball held the family 10% to prevent injury to Ms. Miles by screening management liable for the other 40%. But camper had been attacked by an aggressive responsible because Ives had food in his tent. dogs it put up for adoption and preventing their Gutierrez’s lawyer, Robert Thurbon, said that black bear who showed none of the natural Concluded Hull, “Kimball awarded release to the public,” the judges continued, his client will not collect any damages from fear of humans common in a healthy wild ani- the family $3 million in damages, 65% of but they concluded that is not the case. “The those two sources because they are not defen- mal,” summarized Tim Hull for Court- which comes out to $1.9 million. The family question of whether a duty exists depends dants in the suit. houseNews.com. In that early-morning attack, has a separate action pending against the Utah upon a calculus of policy considerations,” the “The managers of the Motel 6 told the bear hit camper Jake Francom at least Division of Wildlife Resources in the Third judges found. deputies that there were no dogs in the room,” twice on the head, and retreated only after District Court for the state of Utah.” Two factors central to the verdict Furillo noted. Though misinformed, the Francom and fellow camper threw rocks at the U.S. District Court decisions do not appear to be that the Humane Society of Sheriff’s Department was found to be negli- bear and shot at the bear with handguns. have precedental weight in state courts. Like Missouri did not rehome a dog of known prob- gent for failing to keep Gutierrez safely away “Francom reported the bear attack to the ruling in the Gutierrez case, the Ives ver- lematic history, and that both bite incidents from a hazard which could nonetheless have Utah County Dispatch,” Hull recounted, dict will not constitute a precedent until and occurred after the dog had been with Rich for been anticipated. “which contacted off-duty U.S. Forest Service unless it is appealed and upheld by an appel- long enough to have experienced some behav- As the Sacramento ruling was not law enforcement officer Carolyn Gosse at late court. However, the reasoning in a lower ioral change associated with living in a very issued by an appellate court, it will not have home. Francom also called the highway patrol court case may be taken into consideration by different environment from that of the shelter. precedental status until and unless it is and Utah Department of Wildlife Resources. courts hearing legally similar cases. Texas fatal dog attacks bring proposed life sentence & new breed-specific injury data AUSTIN, SAN ANTONIO––The Texas House of fessor Stephen M. Cohn pronounced Cox dead, then assigned of deaths due to dog attacks,” Bini, Cohn, et al affirmed. Representatives on May 4, 2011 approved by a vote of 123 to 7 John Bini, M.D., now chief of surgery at the Wilford Hall Bini, Cohn, et al referenced 44 previous studies, but a bill which could send the keepers of a dog who kills a child or Medical Center, to research the forensics of fatal dog attacks. missed three recent papers that reached similar conclusions. a senior citizen to prison for life. “Texas, the state that leads the nation in dog bite fatali- Head and neck dog bites in children, by Angelo Assigned to the Texas Senate criminal justice commit- ties, is a ‘one bite’ state that prohibits breed-specific laws,” Monroy, M.D., and five others, reviewed comparable forensic tee on May 5, the bill appeared to be unlikely to advance Bini, Cohn and four colleagues summarized in the paper that evidence. It appeared in Otolaryngology–Head and Neck before the May 30 close of the Texas legislative session, but resulted, Mortality, Mauling, and Maiming by Vicious Dogs, Surgery (2009). appeared to have public as well as political favor, and––if published in the April 2011 edition of Annals of Surgery. Laurel Holmquist, M.A. and Anne Elixhauser, Ph.D. of stalled––is likely to be reintroduced in the next session. the Healthcare Cost & Utilization Project and Agency for Current Texas law provides from two to ten years in Dog law vs. wildlife law Healthcare Research & Quality in November 2010 documented prison for the keeper of a dog who injures a human without “In Texas, the laws regarding dogs that have been an 86.3% increase in U.S. hospital stays resulting from dog provocation, or if the dog is unsecured and attacks someone deemed dangerous are quite strict,” Bini, Cohn, et al contin- bites during the years 1992-2008. who is not on the keeper’s property. ued. “These laws are similar to those regarding dangerous wild Both the existing law and the proposed law pertain only animals. The difference between the approach to wild animals Spanish findings if the dog has a history of committing previous unprovoked and the approach to dogs is that wild animals are defined as Joan R. Vilabi, M.D., public health director in attacks, or if the keeper has previously been notified by an ani- dangerous on the basis of their species, whereas dogs must Barcelona, Spain, with five colleagues, investigated Decline mal control officer or court notice that the dog is dangerous. cause bodily injury before they can be determined to be danger- in hospitalizations due to dog bites in Catalonia, 1997-2008. The current law is called Lillian’s Law, after Lillian ous. Texas law specifically prohibits municipalities from An effect of government regulation?, for the journal I n j u r y Stiles, 76, of Thorndale, who was fatally mauled in 2005 by enacting legislation specific to dog breeds. Although munici- Prevention in 2010. six Rottweiler/pit bull terrier mixes who escaped from a neigh- palities can ban or restrict the ownership of species of wild ani- “In 1999 and 2002, regulations on dog ownership, bor’s yard. A passer-by who tried to help Stiles was also mals within their jurisdiction,” due to perceived greater risk of with specific reference to potentially dangerous dogs, were injured. Jack Wayne Smith and Crystal Michelle Watson, of the animals harming someone, “they cannot regulate the own- approved by both the Kingdom of Spain and the government of Young County, in 2008 became the first persons convicted ership of specific breeds of dogs.” Catalonia,” Vilabi et al summarized. “They mandated that all under Lillian’s Law, after their two pit bulls killed seven-year- Investigating the consequences of dog attacks, Bini, dogs have to be identified, and that the dog owner is responsi- old Joshua Tanner Monk. Smith and Watson each drew seven Cohn, et al “reviewed the medical records of patients admitted ble for the dog’s actions. The definition of potentially danger- years in prison, plus a fine of $5,000. The 11th Texas Court of to our level one trauma center with dog bites during a 15-year ous dogs included several breeds, those with certain physical Appeals in Eastland in January 2011 upheld the sentences and period,” they wrote. The center in that time treated 228 traits [regarding size, weight, thorax size, muscle, head and the constitutionality of Lillian’s Law. patients for dog bite injuries. Breed-specific information was jaws, etc], and also dogs declared dangerous by a veterinarian not routinely recorded, but the breed of dog was available in because of a history of aggression.” “One free bite” unchanged the treatment records for 82 patients, 29 of whom were injured The breeds restricted in Catalonia include: pit bull The bill to increase dog attack penalties was not by pit bulls. “Compared with attacks by other breeds of dogs, terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier, American Staffordshire terri- endorsed by DogsBite.org founder Colleen Lynn, of Austin. attacks by pit bulls were associated with higher morbidity rates, er, Rottweiler, bull mastiff, Naples mastiff [Cane Corso], “Neither Lillian’s Law nor the increased penalties eliminate the higher hospital charges, and a higher risk of death than attacks Argentinian mastiff [Dogo Argentino], Bordeaux mastiff, ‘one bite free’ rule,” Lynn pointed out. “Unpredictable vio- by other breeds of dogs,” Bini, Cohn, et al found. “Strict reg- Canary fighting dog [Presa Canario], Brazilian Fila [Fila lent attacks by pit bulls and Rottweilers without a history of ulation of pit bulls,” they concluded, “may substantially Brasiero], Doberman, tosa inu, Akita inu, and their mixes. prior aggression, as is often the case in fatal and disfiguring reduce the U.S. mortality rates related to dog bites. “The adoption of stricter government regulations on attacks, are unaffected by these laws.” In addition, Lynn Bini, Cohn, et al compared their findings to both dog ownership in Catalonia was followed by a decrease in hos- noted, increasing the penalties for off-property attacks do noth- contemporary and historical records. Between 1966 and 1980, pitalizations due to dog bites,” Vilabi et al f o u n d . ing to deter on-property attacks, as in cases where a child vic- they found, German shepherds killed 16 humans. Pit bulls Hospitalizations due to dogbite fell 22% in Barcelona, and tim is in a relative’s home. For example, seven-month-old killed just six, but relative to the numbers of either breed, pit 38% across Catalonia as a whole. “The results suggest that a Izaiah Gregory Cox of San Antonio was killed on March 31, bulls were 75 times more likely to kill someone. “As pit bulls regulatory approach may help in reducing serious dog bite 2009 in his great grandmother Irma Garcia’s home, when have become more popular and their numbers have increased, injuries,” Vilabi et al concluded. ‘The current low demand for Garcia’s two pit bulls broke down a baby gate to attack him. so have the numbers of deaths attributable to their attacks. breeds considered potentially dangerous has led to their practi- University of Texas Health Science Center surgery pro- They now are the single breed responsible for the vast majority cal disappearance from pet shops.” June 2011 3/22/13 11:39 PM Page 17
ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2011 - 17 Suryia & Roscoe: HUMANE EDUCATION CLASSIC: The true story of an unlikely friendship The Animal Shelter by Patricia Curtis Lodestar Books (c/o E.P. Dutton), 1984. by Bhagavan “Doc” Antle & Thea Feldman 164 pages, hardcover. $13.95 original price. Henry Holt & Company, Inc. (175 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10010), 2011. 32 pages, hardcover, illustrated. $16.99. The Animal Shelter, by Patricia out,” Silaco said, “we Curtis, introduced a generation of young peo- thought it was the best The color picture on page one of Science Foundation), Antle also claimed to ple to humane work. book on sheltering Suryia & Roscoe sold me on this children’s own the MGM lion, even though Metro- “I wrote The Animal Shelter 28 years ever written. But book before I read a single word of the text. Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. sent him a cease-and- ago, so it is badly out-of-date,” Curtis told maybe,” she speculated, “it was the only The image of a smiling orangutan, Suryia, desist letter, and he implied in his literature an ANIMAL PEOPLE in May 2011, seemingly book on sheltering ever written. I don’t with hairy arms draped around a dog named affiliation with Greenpeace, until he was told surprised to be looked up and asked about it remember seeing anything before that.” Roscoe, is priceless. According to the story, to cease and desist. after all this time. “I hope things have Indeed The Animal Shelter a p p e a r s narrated by South Carolina wildlife exhibitor “Antle is a self-described big-cat improved since then, both in the numbers of to have been the very first book about humane Bhagavan Antle and Thea Feldman, an author conservationist,” Green continued, “who pre- animals surrendered to shelters and in the con- work that was specifically written to help ado- of numerous children’s picture books, Roscoe sides over The Institute of Greatly Endangered dition of shelters. My impression is that the lescents to choose a career path––and, unfor- wandered into Antle’s premises where Suryia and Rare Species (TIGERS), which operates a book got a mixed reception,” Curtis contin- tunately, it appears to be the last. was riding Bubbles the elephant. Hearing mobile petting zoo, leases tigers for TV com- ued. “I hope it did some good. Some shelters To this day, despite a proliferation Roscoe, Suryia jumped down to investigate, mercials, and charges people at shopping wrote to me that they were grateful that I had of books describing the work of individual then hugged and kissed Roscoe like a wel- malls and festivals to have their pictures taken drawn attention to their problems. But some sheltering organizations and arguing the pros comed dinner guest. The two became insepa- with an animal. Antle hauls around a cross- people couldn’t handle the truth as I tried to and cons of shelter management approaches, rable, enabling Roscoe to find his forever bred lion and tiger to such places as casinos in tell it. One woman, a teacher, said she hated there appears to be no other introductory text home at the preserve. Biloxi, Mississippi. He is also known for the book––it made her sick.” suitable for school collections––nothing The photography is stunning. There owning a lion who, in 1991, had to be pulled Open admission shelters commonly between story-books for younger children and is a picture of Suryia sharing her banana with off a terrified model during a photo shoot in killed more than 90% of the dogs and cats they training materials for adults who are already Roscoe, but the dog doesn’t seem to care for Manchester, New Hampshire. That same received when Curtis researched The Animal employed in animal work. tropical fruit. The book ends with a short dis- year, the federal government charged Antle S h e l t e r. Yet, without either denying or dis- Despite the many changes in the cussion about orangutans and their vanishing with repeated violations of the Animal guising that truth, Curtis inspired thousands of field since 1984, The Animal Shelter is still habitat that children can understand. Welfare Act, including substandard housing adolescent readers to volunteer at shelters and structurally sound, and could relatively easily Of note, though, is that Antle has for big cats. To settle the charges he agreed to to prepare themselves for careers in sheltering. be expanded and updated. Curtis even pre- long had a much better record as a story-teller pay a $3,500 fine. He was also cited in Her message was that, grim as shelter work sciently included a still accurate chapter about than as an animal exhibitor. On August 28, Massachusetts that year for illegally displaying could be, compassionate and dedicated per- dogfighting, at a time when most of the U.S. 2010 one of his tigers escaped from a cage at his cats, and was threatened with arrest and sonnel could help to save some individual ani- humane movement believed it had been extin- Jungle Island, on Watson Island near Miami, confiscation of the animals if he didn’t imme- mal lives, and could contribute to turning the guished. Florida. Four people suffered minor injuries, diately leave the state. What’s more, Antle realities around. The only error of note in Curtis’ one was treated for a panic attack, and Antle was the target of an unsuccessful 1991 Now in mid-career, humane work- original text was crediting American SPCA “was charged with one count of maintaining Tennessee lawsuit regarding his alleged beat- ers who encountered The Animal Shelter i n founder Henry Bergh with introducing animal captive wildlife in an unsafe condition, result- ing of a Bengal tiger with a wooden shaft.” school libraries in their middle teens have con- sheltering to the U.S. This is pardonable, ing in threats to public safety,” reported Before all that, Antle was in tributed to reducing the volume of shelter since the same mistake has appeared in practi- Pamela Duque of the Miami Herald. December 1989 investigated for allegedly killing by more than 80%, and in re-inventing cally every history of humane work since This was just the latest of a long abandoning deer and peacocks at a defunct shelter work to emphasize rescue, rehabilita- Sydney H. Colemen authored Humane Society string of “Antle antics.” Alan Green of the roadside zoo in Virginia. Antle contended that tion, and rehoming. Leaders in America for the American Humane Center for Public Integrity recited some of his father-in-law was responsible for the ani- The procedures that Curtis identified Association in 1924. them in Animal Underworld (1999): “An ani- mals. In 2008 the television magazine show and described as best practice are today stan- The ASPCA under Bergh was the mal handler who has claimed to own an Exxon Inside Edition aired a video of people swim- dard practice, while many of the best practices first major animal advocacy organization in tiger is Bhagavan Kevin Antle, who was an ming with tigers at Antle’s facility. Antle told of today had yet to be invented. Fostering ani- the U.S., and the first animal law enforcement assistant to Jack Hanna during his appearances Andy McSmith of The Independent in London, mals for adoption, shelterless rescue organiza- agency, but Bergh tried to keep the ASPCA on Good Morning America and Late Night England, that he had been swimming with tions, neuter/return feral cat control, offering out of sheltering to avoid diluting the advoca- With David Letterman. Known alternatively as tigers for 25 years. As there was no evidence animals for rehoming through pet supply cy focus. Elizabeth Morris and Annie Kevin Bhagavan, Kevin Antle, Mahamayavi that the visiting public was allowed to swim stores, adoption transfer of animals from other Waln––whom Curtis mentions in other con- Bhagavan Antle, Ghagavan Antle, and Dr. with Antle’s tigers, the USDA Animal & communities, and of course anything involv- texts––founded the first U.S. animal shelter, Kevin Antle (he supposedly earned a doctor of Plant Health Inspection Service took no action. ing the Internet and World Wide Web were all the Animal Rescue League of Philadelphia, in natural sciences degree from the Chinese ––Debra J. White still far in the future for all but a handful of 1858, nine years before Bergh started the quiet experimenters. ASPCA. Two existing shelters, the Women’s by Jake McDonald Many of the 25 major sources whom Humane Society and the Morris Animal In Bear Country Curtis consulted in researching The Animal Refuge, are descended from the Morris and (Originally published as Grizzlyville: Adventures In Bear Country, S h e l t e r are now deceased, including Animal Waln efforts. HarperCollins Canada, 2009.) Rights International founder Henry Spira, “I am glad to hear The Animal Lyons Press (246 Goose Lane, Guilford, CT 06437), 2010. whose fiery essays advocating shelter reform S h e l t e r is still relevant, even after all these 272 pages, paperback. $19.99. were eclipsed by his accomplishments toward years,” Curtis told ANIMAL PEOPLE. “I reducing animal experimentation and raising have no plans to update it, though. I am more Winnipeg journalist Jake McDonald subspecies, the California concern for farmed animals. Only a few of or less retired. I wrote an article for a maga- shines in his eighth book, In Bear Country. golden bear, was driven entirely to extinction. Curtis’ sources remain active in the humane zine two years ago, but a book would be a His story begins on the night of The last known living example, Monarch, field. Among them are 34-year Denver Dumb much more ambitious project,” she said. August 13, 1967. Grizzly bears, in two sepa- was the first animal captured for the Golden Friends League president Robert Rohde; Indeed producing a book comparable rate and apparently unrelated attacks, miles Gate Park menagerie, which evolved more Richard Avanzino, who then headed the San to The Animal Shelter for today’s adolescents apart, killed Glacier National Park employees than 30 years later into the San Francisco Zoo. Francisco SPCA and now heads Maddie’s would be an ambitious project. But it would Julie Helgeson and Michele Koons as they Grizzly bears received U.S. Endang- Fund; and Joan Silaco, of New York City, a also be a valuable service to the humane com- camped with friends. ered Species Act protection in 1975. Grizzly lifelong hands-on shelter worker and volunteer munity, and to the generation who will inherit Camping on a “cold, windy night in bears remain an officially endangered species who sent a copy of The Animal Shelter t o from the people Curtis introduced to animal the heart of grizzly country,” McDonald in the U.S. outside Alaska, with only about ANIMAL PEOPLE and recommended it for sheltering the management responsibility for thinks about the grizzly bears who killed 1,000 to 1,200 found mostly in Idaho, retrospective review. nearly 5,000 U.S. open admission shelters. Helgeson and Koons, who were the first griz- Montana, and Wyoming, but are hunted in “When The Animal Shelter c a m e ––Merritt Clifton zly bear fatalities in the history of Glacier Alaska, where there are about 30,000, and in National Park, and wants to know more. western Canada. McDonald doubts that they are just savage In Bear Country introduces a few Snowball’s Antarctic Adventures killers. McDonald and his friend Dave drive lively characters such as Sarah Fairfield, the by Tim Ostermeyer for two weeks through the backwoods in longtime animal control officer in Kenora, search of grizzlies. A villager suggests the Ontario. Fairfield contends with black bears Ostermeyer Photography (1813 Country Brook Lane, Bella Coola Valley in British Columbia, rather than grizzlies, who do not live that far Allen, TX 75002), 2011. 48 pages, hardcover. $18.95. renowned for grizzlies, but they found none. east of the Rocky Mountains. A single mother A few more years slipped by before McDonald of three, Fairfield tells McDonald that she Snowball’s Antarctic Adventures, a harmful effects of climate change on penguins finally met an elusive grizzly. “doesn’t so much have bear problems as peo- new children’s book from photographer Tim and other Antarctic species. I even re-read the In Bear Country is part adventure ple problems.” Residents are repeatedly Ostermeyer, is about penguins. Odd-shaped book to make sure I didn’t miss something. and part bear essentials. Chapter two covers warned not to feed bears. Many shrug off birds, penguins do not lift off and fly like the Among effects on penguins already grizzly bear history from the ice ages to the warnings and demand action if attacked. swallows and swifts who are among their clos- observed for a decade or more are the loss of present. Grizzly bears were abundant when Fairfield refuses to use leghold traps because est relatives. Instead they alternate between much of the Antarctic ice shelf where penguins Europeans explorers arrived in North America, “they’re inhumane pieces of crap.” Instead, swimming astonishing distances at astonishing live, shifts of ocean currents that have moved but slowly dwindled. Spaniards roped grizzly she tranquilizes bears with dart guns, unless speeds and waddling around the ice flapping fish and krill farther from penguin nesting bears for use in bull-and-bear fights. Miners, they are up a tree and might be injured by their stubby wings. Sometimes they lie on habitat, and acidification as result of more car- loggers, and ranchers not only killed grizzlies falling. Then she drives the bear about two their bellies and slide on the ice. bon dioxide forming in the ocean than the nat- but destroyed their habitat. One major grizzly hours away for release. Rounding up stray Emperor penguins grow to four feet ural alkalinity of sea water can buffer. Tiny dogs and cats is also part of her job. If not tall and weigh about 80 pounds. Other pen- crustaceans such as krill are among the species Mississippi felony cruelty law reclaimed, they are killed. Kenora does not guin species are much smaller, but all pen- most likely to be affected by more acid oceans. JACKSON––Mississippi Governor have an adoption program. That’s another guins feed mostly on shrimp krill and small Grade school children can certainly Haley Barbour on April 27, 2011 signed into hard part of the job, she says. Research sup- fish. Ostermeyer notes that some penguins appreciate climate change and the need for law possibly the weakest of the 47 state ports Fairfield’s claim that humans cause most may walk 70 miles from their nesting habitat prompt action. Discussing climate change felony cruelty statues now in effect. The law nuisance bear problems by feeding them. to reach unfrozen sea where they can seek may run afoul of the politics involved in selec- permits filing felony charges only if a person Further, suburbs spill into wilderness, food, and that Antarctic penguins––unlike the tions of school library books, but Ostermeyer previously convicted of intentionally tortur- encroaching on wildlife habitat, destroying penguins of Africa and South American––are appears to have underestimated children’s abil- ing, burning, starving, or physically disfig- some natural food sources and adding tempta- not known to live on land. ity to understand climate change and take uring a cat or dog is convicted again within tions to bears such as bird feeders, fruit trees Ostermeyer’s color photos of pen- action. ––Debra J. White five years of the first conviction. “In other in yards, and ornamental ponds. guins and their Antarctic home are magnifi- words, they get away with it the first time,” For a city gal like me who has never cent, a treat for young readers. I am troubled, If you know someone else who might Pearl River SPCA president Maria Diamond seen a bear except at the Phoenix Zoo, In Bear though, about the lack of discussion in like to read ANIMAL PEOPLE, told Jeremy Pittari of the Picayune Item. Country is a treat. ––Debra J. White Snowball’s Antarctic Adventures about the please ask us to send a free sample. June 2011 3/22/13 11:39 PM Page 18
18 - ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2011 London Zoo blunder kills baby gorilla Cattle disease rinderpest, which once L O N D O N ––Tiny, a seven-month- ing Kesho to the baby, who was the offspring old western gorilla, the first gorilla born at the of the former male. Kesho had been intro- killed millions, is declared to be extinct London Zoo since 1988, suffered a broken duced to the two other female gorillas at the P A R I S – – The World Organisation ment that rinderpest appeared to have been arm and died of apparent internal injuries on zoo, but keepers waited many months for an for Animal Health (OIE) on May 25, 2011 eradicated. The last known outbreak of rinder- May 12, 2011 in an attack by the recently introduction to the youngster and his mother.” formally announced the eradication of rinder- pest occurred in Kenya in 2001. Officially acquired silverback male Kesho. Tiny and his “Any undergraduate student of zool- pest––the first time an animal disease has been pronouncing it extinguished required another mother Mjukuu had just been introduced to ogy could have told you what to expect!” extinguished through human efforts, and only year of observation. Kesho for the second time. responded evolutionary anthropologist Volker the second time that any disease has been The key breakthrough was eradicat- “Kesho's arrival was recommended Sommer, a great ape specialist. “How can it eradicated. The first, smallpox, was last ing rinderpest in Afghanistan, achieved in by experts to create a cohesive social group, be that the London Zoo ignored findings that reported in 1977. 1997. Veterinary epidemiologists feared that after the death of the zoo's previous male have accumulated over the last 40 years?” “It was rinderpest that led to the for- rinderpest would re-emerge during the Taliban gorilla,” reported BBC News. “In the wild Sommer asked in an open letter to the zoo. mation of the OIE in 1924, following a new occupation of Afghanistan that followed, male gorillas often attack the offspring of their “As a logical conclusion, “ he said, “London incursion of the rinderpest virus in Europe, when little follow-up was possible. Veterinary rivals, so staff were cautious about introduc- Zoo should not keep apes any more.” via the port of Antwerp,” recalled British surveillance resumed after the 2003 U.S. inva- Veterinary Medical Association spokesperson sion of Afghanistan discovered, however, Helena Cotton. that the vaccination work done eight years ear- OBITUARIES Rinderpest at peak in the 19th cen- lier had remained effective. “I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. The evil that men do lives after them. tury killed as many as a million hooved ani- Said Peter Roeder, secretary of the The good is oft interred with their bones.” ––William Shakespeare mals per year in central Europe, Asia, and Global Rinderpest Eradication Programme Africa. A third of the human population of from 2000 to 2007, “If we can truly learn the Nina Leopold Bradley, 93, died José Cláudio Ribeiro da Silva and Ethiopia reportedly starved in the 1880s due to lessons from rinderpest eradication there is no on May 25, 2011 at her home in Baraboo, his wife, Maria do Espírito Santo da Silva, livestock losses occasioned by rinderpest. reason why we couldn’t see other diseases Wisconsin. The third of five children born to were shot from ambush on May 24, 2011 near The effects of a rinderpest outbreak brought to global extinction.” Sand County Almanac author Aldo Leopold their home in Nova Ipixuna, Para state, are also believed to have made maneaters of The World Alliance for Rabies and his wife Estella, Nina Leopold in 1941 Brazil. “According to a local newspaper, The Ghost and The Darkness, two maneless Control believes rabies could be the next married zoologist William Elder (1913-2006), Diário do Pará, the couple had not had police male lions who devoured as many as 135 rail- major disease to be eradicated. All rabies who was among her father’s students. She protection despite getting frequent death way workers in 1898-1899 in the Tsavo region strains except bat rabies are believed to be raised two daughters while accompanying threats because of their battle against illegal of Kenya. British military veterinarian Walter wholly eradicable through intensive vaccina- Elder on field expeditions, and assisted him in loggers and ranchers,” reported Guardian cor- Plowright, sent to Kenya in 1944, worked tion. Bat rabies is problematic, however, projects including developing an oral contra- respondent Tom Phillips from Rio de Janiero. from 1956 to his retirement in 1981 to perfect because no efficient means of vaccinating ceptive for birds. Divorcing Elder, Nina Their murders came six years after the similar a vaccine against rinderpest. Plowright died in large numbers of bats who live in inaccessibe Leopold married Charles Bradley in 1973. assassination of U.S. nun Dorothy Stang and February 2010, just ahead of an announce- caves and hollow trees has yet been found. They went on to create the Aldo Leopold 23 years after the murder of rubber-tapper Nature Center, including the 2,000-acre Chico Mendes, who both also fought to pro- Donkey Sanctuary founder Elisabeth Svendsen, 81 Leopold Reserve, which grew out of Aldo tect Amazon habitat. The da Silva killings Elisabeth Svendsen, 81, founder In 1975 Svendsen started a “donkey Leopold’s experiments in restoration ecology, came two days before the Brazilian House of of The Donkey Sanctuary, died of a stroke therapy” program for special needs children. and has influenced several generations of eco- Deputies voted 410-63 in favor of a bill to ease on May 11, 2011 in Exeter, England. She This grew into the Elisabeth Svendsen Trust, logical theorists. Nina Leopold prefaced her restrictions on logging in the Amazon region. appeared to be “the picture of health” two now operating six therapy centers around the web page with a famous passage in S a n d Another anti-rainforest logging activist, days earlier, said Donkey Sanctuary chief U.K. and others in Italy and Spain. The County Almanac in which her father regretted Adelino Ramos, was killed on May 29. executive David Cook, when she gave the newest, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, opened shooting a wolf as a young forester in New Altogether 1,150 rural activists have been closing speech at Donkey Week, celebrated only a few days before her death. Mexico, but––like her father––she discussed killed in Brazil during the past 20 years, at the Donkey Sanctuary headquarters in east Founding the International Donkey the wolf’s death only as a loss to the ecosys- reported Bradley Brooks of Associated Press. Devon. Trust in 1976, to assist the Barrett Animal tem, endorsed recreational hunting, and “Of all those killings, fewer than 100 cases Born Elisabeth Knowles in York- Sanctuary in Liscarroll, Ireland, Svendsen closely managed the Leopold Reserve birdlife have gone to court. About 80 hired gunmen shire, “She became enamored of donkeys later merged the trust with the Sidmouth according to a “hierarchy of priorities,” rather have been convicted. Only 15 or so of the when she was a girl,” wrote Emma Brown of Donkey Sanctuary to form The Donkey than respecting natural selection. people who ordered killings faced charges. the Washington Post. “She worked as a Sanctuary as it exists today. And just one of them is known to be in teacher and a secretary before she and her The Donkey Sanctuary outreach to Isabel Minguez-Tudela, 55, died prison,” Brooks wrote. on April 16, 2011. Trained as a veterinarian husband Niels started a family. They devised Ireland yielded such encouraging results that in Madrid, Minguez-Tudela was for 20 years Edward H. Harte, 88, died on a dryer for baby diapers, sold their invention Svendsen followed up by introducing field a senior scientific officer for the European May 18, 2011 at his home in Scarborough, to a manufacturer, and bought the Salston clinics to help donkeys in Mexico in 1984, Commission in Brussels, Belgium, directing Maine. Succeeding his father as publisher of Hotel at Ottery St. Mary in Devon.” conducted since 1991 with help from the research on zoonotic diseases. “She was an the Corpus Christi C a l l e r - T i m e s , Harte pro- Svendsen acquired her first donkey, International League for the Protection of enthusiastic supporter of the One Health moted the creation of Mustang Island State Naughty Face, in 1969, “quickly followed Horses. The Donkey Sanctuary also started a vision,” which views animal and human Park and Padre Island National Seashore. He by a donkey named Angelina,” recounts the donkey clinic in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in health as a continuum, wrote colleagues J.M. and his brother also donated a 66,000-acre Donkey Sanctuary history. “Svendsen joined 1986, adding mobile units in 1994, and built Sanchez-Vizcaino and Illaria Capua. ranch to Big Bend National Park. Harte the Donkey Breed Society and became their a complete donkey hospital in 1999 at the served for 13 years on the National Audubon area representative. But at the Exeter Market Addis Ababa University veterinary school. A Society board, including five years as chair, one day, she saw seven poor little donkeys second Donkey Sanctuary hospital recently MEMORIALS and established a $46 million endowment to crammed into a small pen,” the history con- opened in the Addis Ababa grain market dis- fund the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of tinues. “She tried to buy the donkey in the trict. Svendsen opened the Lamu Donkey Mexico Studies at Texas A&M University. worst condition, without success, and decid- Sanctuary on an island off the coast of Kenya “In our family, we share a love of birds, ani- ed that instead of breeding donkeys,” as she in 1987. Since 1994 the Donkey Sanctuary mals, anything wild––whether it is on the had intended, “she would try to save them.” has also funded a donkey hospital and harness family ranch in Texas or on the Maine coast,” Forming the Sidmouth Donkey workshop at the Kenya SPCA in Nairobi. Harte said in 2003. “We also share the belief Sanctuary, Svendsen “began collecting blind The Barrett Animal Sanctuary that being involved in a cause is the way you donkeys, old donkeys, obese donkeys, don- became formally affiliated as the Donkey should live your life.” keys with breathing problems,” continued Sanctuary of Ireland in 1988. Donkey Don Merton, 72, died on April 11, Brown of the Washington Post. “By 1973, Sanctuary affiliates in Gurgaon, Bhatti, and 2011. A longtime ornithologist for the New she had 38 donkeys under her care. The cost Ahmedabad, India, debuted in 1998, 2003, Zealand Department of Conservation, Merton was becoming prohibitive. Then she received and 2004. El Refugio del Burrito, a Donkey directed the programs that are credited with a call from a lawyer who said a woman Sanctuary affiliate in Spain, opened in 2003. saving the kakapo flightless parrot, Chatham named Violet Philpin had bequeathed her 204 Altogether, the Donkey Sanctuary Island black robin, Abbot’s booby, and New donkeys.” now operates or sponsors programs in 29 Zealand saddleback from extinction. A fierce Recalled Svendsen, “That’s when I nations, “reaching over 400,000 donkeys in In memory of Jayne Rogers Gordon. foe of non-native predators, Merton also stopped being a hotelier. I had no choice.” our five main overseas project countries ––Jim Zabcik “championed a technique known as ‘close Her marriage ended in divorce, but her career alone,” said Cook. ––Judy and Pedro Hecht order management’ that sought to think in was just beginning, assisted by June Evers, Svendsen wrote books including A ––Elaine and Harold Adair terms of individuals, not just populations, a her best friend since they met in grade school Passion for Donkeys (1989); Down Among distinction that is key to helping to reconcile at age five. “They live together in the ‘big the Donkeys (1995); The Bumper Book of There is no better way to remember two environmental camps that don’t always house’ at the sanctuary, which––showing Donkeys (1996); In Defense of the Donkeys animals or animal people than with see eye-to-eye: animal rights and conservation that The Donkey Sanctuary is not just for (1997); For the Love of Donkeys (1998); and an ANIMAL PEOPLE memorial. biology,” recalled film maker Alison Balance. donkeys––has a huge net aviary attached,” The Professional Handbook of the Donkey wrote the late Bonny Shah for A N I M A L (1998). Svendsen was named a Mistress of Send donations (any amount), with “Without individuals, Don told me and many others,” Balance continued, “there could be P E O P L E after visiting Svendsen and Evers the British Empire, equivalent to a knight- address for acknowledgement, in 2002. Shah, who founded sanctuaries in hood, in 1980, and was honoured by the if desired, to no populations. This might seem obvious, but in the field such reconciliation can take on Texas and India, described her visit as a “pil- Royal SPCA in 2001 for lifetime achieve- P.O. Box 960 extraordinarily complicated dimensions, all of grimage to donkey heaven.” ments in animal welfare. Clinton, WA 98236-0960 which Don endured and worked to overcome.” CLASSIFIEDS––$1.00 a word! • [email protected] Your love for animals POB 960, Clinton, WA 98236 • 360-579-2505 • fax 360-579-2575 www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0JXcPxkSGE Want Art that Reflects Your Values? can go on forever. Based on Hindu mythology, this is W W W . L I T T L E G I R L L O O K I N G . C O M the story of Yudisthira, a pious king whose sells unique Art for Animal/Environmental The last thing we want is to lose our friends, place in Heaven is determined by his love Advocates. Dogs Deserve Better or your but you can help continue our vital educational mission for a dog. Animated by Wolf Clifton in the favorite Animal Charity receives 15-50% of with a bequest to ANIMAL PEOPLE style of an Indonesian shadow puppet play. the profits. [a 501(c)(3) charitable corporation, federal ID# 14-1752216] ______Animal People, Inc., SIGN THE PETITION TO Register your pro-animal organization at THE UNITED NATIONS to adopt the www.worldanimal.net PO Box 960, Clinton WA 98236 Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare: Ask for our free brochure Estate Planning for Animal People www.animalsmatter.org June 2011 3/22/13 11:39 PM Page 19
ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2011 - 19 June 2011 3/22/13 11:39 PM Page 20
20 - ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2011 June 2011 3/22/13 11:39 PM Page 21
A Bond Unique: Thoughts and stories about people and the dogs they love Edited by Reg Green Iroquois County Animal Rescue (100 NW Lincoln, Iroquois, IL 60945), 2010. 60 pages, illustrated, paperback. $25.00 I never tire of reading books about Call and his wife in Savoy, Illinois. “I had dogs and their owners. This one is as uplifting knee surgery a couple of years ago,” says as any other book I have reviewed for Call. “My dogs never left my side.” ANIMAL PEOPLE. Joan Beyer of Oakwood, Illinois, A Bond Unique editor Reg Green is acquired a dog by accident. “My neighbor now a local TV personality, known for profil- found her and didn’t want the dog, so we said ing dogs who are available for adoption with we’d take her,” Beyer explains. Her dog WCIA/WCFN meteorologist Jennifer Bonnie is now spoiled with several dog beds, Ketchmark, but his involvement in animal lots of snacks, and plenty of love. rescue is relatively recent. A few years ago Rascal probably scraped by in the Green was a recently retired Chicago high hills of eastern Kentucky, where he was found school football coach, who conceptualized A and rescued. Now the mixed breed snacks on Bond Unique as an investigation of the rela- pieces of hot dogs and sleeps indoors in Loda, tionships between dogs and humans before Illinois with Norma McGuire. realizing it could be used to help promote In addition to short stories about Iroquois County Animal Rescue. dogs and their owners, A Bond Unique Green began his research by simply includes clever canine cartoons and sayings approaching people who were walking their such as, “A dog fills an empty spot in your dogs at roadside rest stops and asking them to heart that you never knew was there.” tell their dogs’ stories. Thus not every dog All sales benefit Iroquois County profiled in A Bond Unique is a rescue case. Animal Rescue, 100 NW Lincoln, Iroquois, Some came from breeders, including a few IL 60945. Formed as a fostering network in bought on line or in pet stores. All are loved response to massive flooding that displaced and pampered. But the rescue dogs’ stories domestic pets in Watseka, Illinois in 2008, tend to be more interesting. Iroquois County Animal Rescue opened a cat Logan and Pepper are former shelter shelter in 2010 and plans to add a dog shelter dogs who now live the good life with Thomas soon. ––Debra J. White June 2011 3/22/13 11:39 PM Page 23