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Tadpoles screaming underwater show unsuspected sentience BUENOS AIRES––The ethical sig- screaming when threatened for more than 200 nificance of the discovery that tadpoles scream million years before Guillermo Natale, Ph.D. of when threatened may take some time to occur to the National University of La Plata in Buenos scientists, ethicists, and animal advocates. A Aires, Argentina heard the multi-note metallic breakthrough in scientific recognition of animal sound emitted by tadpoles of the horned frog sentience, the finding took more than three Ceratophrys ornata. years just to win widespread notice after formal Natale published a brief article about publication in a leading journal. it in 2007 in Acta Zoologica, produced since Tadpoles might have been audibly 1920 by the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences & Letters. Then three years passed before Matt Walker, editor of the BBC publication E a r t h N e w s, noticed Natale’s article and shared the news of the screaming tadpoles with the world on April 13, 2010. Within a month Walker’s write-up was amplified by more than 6,200 Brown pelican in flight. (Kim Bartlett) other broadcast, print, and web media. Yet few if any of tens of thousands of Gulf oil spill rescuers prepare & wait online commentators appeared to consider the ethical implications of a finding mostly reported NEW ORLEANS––Almost a Janet McConnaughey. as news of the weird. month after the British Petroleum drilling “The wading pools have remained “The discovery could have far-reach- platform Deepwater Horizon exploded on stacked,” McConnaughey wrote. Also ing implications for our understanding of the April 20, 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico, 45 unused were “3,000 extra-large dog crates behaviour and ecology of amphibians,” wrote miles southeast of Venice, Louisiana, res- that were trucked to Venice for the use of Walker. But that was as far as discussion of the cuers from Texas to Florida were still await- boat-based bird rescue crews.” meaning of Natale’s finding appeared to go. ing an anticipated influx of animals from a “Every zoo in the country, practi- “That tadpoles communicate some- disaster projected by many experts as per- cally, has offered help,” Aububon Nature how is simply amazing,” said Natale. “They haps the worst-ever oil spill for wildlife. Institute spokesperson Sarah Burnette said. possess the structures to do so within three days “I think we ruined every child’s The Institute for Marine Mammal of life,” Natale told Walker. summer in New Orleans, because we bought Studies in Gulfport, Mississippi prepared to “It is the first time any vertebrate all the kiddie pools,” Louisiana state marine take in “possibly hundreds of oily sea mam- larva has been found to use sound to communi- mammal and sea turtle stranding coordinator mals,” reported Associated Press writer Froglet evolving from tadpole. (Robert L. Harrison) (continued on page 9) Michelle Kelley told Associated Press writer Brian Skoloff. Institute director Moby Solangi expected to receive sea turtles, man- atees, and especially dolphins. “Solangi said there are up to 5,000 dolphins between the Mississippi and Louisiana coasts and the oil rig, many giv- ANIMAL PEOPLE ing birth right now,” wrote Skoloff. Yet the institute’s holding tanks were empty. News For People Who Care About Animals British Petroleum brought a team from Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research in Delaware to lead the wildlife rescue effort. Arriving in Louisiana on April 26th, Tri- May 2010 State partnered with the California-based International Bird Rescue Research Center Volume 19, #4 and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to set up bird cleaning stations in Fort Jackson, Louisiana; Theodore, Alabama; Gulfport, (continued on page 14) U.S. Supreme Court strikes down law that banned cruelty videos WASHINGTON D.C.––The U.S. Hayn could not be prosecuted for Supreme Court on April 20, 2010 by a vote of poaching because the DVD does not identify 8-1 struck down 18 U.S.C. § 48, the 1998 fed- exactly where or when the deer were killed. eral law that prohibited interstate sales of video The Supreme Court in the Stevens depictions of illegal cruelty to animals. decision rejected the contention of the U.S. The law was written to ban “crush Department of Justice, the Humane Society of videos,” a form of pornography in which the the U.S., and the American SPCA that the pro- participants trample small animals, but the duction, distribution, and possession of only case brought to court under 18 U.S.C. § images of cruelty to animals should be prohib- 48 was U.S. v. Stevens, a 2004 federal prose- ited under the same narrow exceptions to the cution in Pennsylvania of Virginia resident First Amendment that were created to ban Robert G. Stevens for selling videotapes of child pornography by the 1982 Supreme Court Japanese dogfighting and “hog/dog rodeo.” ruling in New York v. Ferber. A second case, pending in Missouri, But the Supreme Court largely was dropped on April 22, 2010, because the framed the Stevens verdict as an affirmation of Supreme Court ruling meant it could not be the need for news media and animal advocates prosecuted. Jarrod Hayn, 38, of Kampsville, to be able to expose cruelty to animals by mak- was indicted on March 11, 2010 for selling a ing use of visual images. The Jakarta Animal aid Network has initiated efforts to help the working horses of 40-minute DVD inviting viewers to “Come and The Supreme Court reasoning paral- the Gili Islands in Indonesia. See article on page 12. (Femke den Haas) ride along with me while I drive on some of the leled an amicus curiae brief submitted by the most deer-infested roads in the Midwest and Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press Undercover footage of horse use my vehicle to run them down.” and 13 other news media organizations, whose The DVD reportedly shows Hayn arguments were based primarily on uses of hitting deer, mostly in Illinois on his com- undercover video to expose cruelty, including slaughter shocks the world mutes to a job as an Illinois Department of by Fund for Animals founder Cleveland FORT MacLEOD, Canada; do not import horse meat from outside Corrections officer. Attorney Ed Fanning, Amory in 1970, and by the Humane Society of FRANKFURT, Germany– – U n d e r c o v e r Europe,” Meadows added. representing Hayn, told Robert Patrick of the the U.S. in recent exposés of slaughterhouse video of horse slaughter in Canada, Mexico, Meadows said Animals’ Angels’ St. Louis Post Dispatch that the case cost Hayn abuses. Altogether, the Reporters Committee and Brazil, and horse transport for slaughter shared evidence about cruelty to horses in the position. (continued on page 6) from the U.S. shocked the world in April slaughter and transportation to slaughterhous- 2010, after broadcast by the leading Canadian es with European Commission members in ANIMAL PEOPLE and European networks and postings of graph- November 2009. Although Animals’ Angels PO Box 960 Nonprofit Organization ic clips to YouTube. “filed an official complaint with the Clinton, WA 98236-0960 U.S. Postage Paid The Canadian Broadcasting Commission,” little happened until GAIA Corporation aired video obtained by the “asked Animals’ Angels for footage from ANIMAL PEOPLE, Inc. Canadian Horse Defence Coalition three days Mexico and the U.S. to help with a European after networks in The Netherlands, France, campaign to publicize the conditions endured and Belgium aired video from Animals’ by horses in the slaughter pipeline. GAIA had Angels, a 12-year-old organization with recently finished undercover investigations in offices in Germany, Britain, and the U.S. South America and had gathered their own “The eight-minute news segment” ample evidence,” Meadows explained. shown in Europe “was produced by GAIA, a The Canadian exposé brought respected animal welfare organization from immediate announcements of investigations Belgium,” said Animals’ Angels USA presi- by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the dent Sonia Meadows. “Within hours of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and the broadcast, supermarkets responded with Alberta SPCA, reported Richard Cuthbertson promises to investigate. Delhaize, the second of the Calgary Herald. largest retailer in Belgium, asked their suppli- However, RCMP Sergeant Patrick er to remove affected meat from their shelves. Webb told CBC News on May 11, 2010 that Two other major grocers told consumers they (continued on page 11) May 2010 3/22/13 11:25 PM Page 2
2 - ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 2010 May 2010 3/22/13 11:25 PM Page 3
Editorial feature ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 2010 - 3 Rethinking adoption screening in the computer age ANIMAL PEOPLE first examined shelter dog and cat adoption procedures in depth This is a growing issue, integrally intertwined with adoption screening, as shelters in our April 1993 edition. Innovations we helped to introduce have increased the pet acquisi- struggle to cope with pit bull terrier intake that for the past decade has accounted for upward of tion “market share” for adopted animals from about 15% then to more than 25% now. Older 25% of all dogs received and 50% of all dogs killed in shelters. Pit bull rescuers working to animals and animals with disabilities, then rarely even offered for adoption, are now among reduce the toll have helped shelters to increase pit bull placements to 13% of all dog adoptions those who usually find adoptive homes. in 2009, compared to 5% of dog purchases made through classified ads. Unfortunately, many prospective pet adopters still find the adoption application Ideally, the dogs, the public, and other animals are protected by improved behav- process unnecessarily intrusive and invasive, much as they did in 1993. ioral screening, improved adoption screening, and careful screening of rescue groups, too. In business the customer is always right, and in facilitating adoptions, competing As third party liability settlements in nonfatal dog attack cases now exceed $2 million, the use with breeders and stores that sell animals from puppy and kitten mills, shelters and rescues of screening to try to ensure that adoptions are safe is likely to increase, but whether any sort must realize that they are participants in an increasingly competitive business. of screening really works for this purpose is unclear. Streamlining pet adoption screening to make adopting animals more pleasant need Fatal and disfiguring attacks by shelter dogs have soared from none reported between not require relaxing any meaningful standards. Yet it will require discarding outmoded ideas 1989 and 2000, to 17 in 16 months at this writing. Among the dogs involved in the recent about how and why adoption screening should be done. This begins with recognizing the attacks were 13 pit bulls, a Rottweiler, a Great Dane, and a Great Dane/Doberman mix. nature and magnitude of the changes that have overtaken the adoption universe. Eight of the dogs, six of them pit bulls, had apparently cleared behavioral screening at shel- Gina Spadafori, author of the now 27-year-old syndicated weekly column P e t ters, were released to rescuers who had passed screening, and were then rehomed to adopters Connection, contributed a guest essay to our April 1993 edition introducing our readership to who passed screening. Yet even these multiple levels of screening did not prevent the injuries. breed rescue networking, a concept which to that point had scarcely been mentioned in Shelters and rescuers are also at frequent odds over the tendency of some rescuers to humane society and animal rights literature. Members of many dog breed fancies, most of “rescue” more animals than they can actually look after. More than 11,200 dogs and cats them breeders or former breeders, had begun redeeming dogs of their favorite breeds from required rescue from self-described rescuers in 2007-2009, and 1,915 were impounded in sim- pounds and finding adoptive homes for them, but few at that point were working in formal ilar cases during the first four months of 2010. partnership with either the pounds or humane societies. Typically rescuers want to be exempted from having to go through adoption screen- Shelter personnel tended to regard rescue network people as poachers, who stripped ing for every animal they take, but the experience of many shelters is that rescuers often shelters of their most adoptable animals, then collected much higher adoption fees for them require continuous supervision to ensure that they do not become animal hoarders. than the shelters could, leaving the shelter staff to kill the animals who were left behind. Despite the ongoing friction, most shelters now work in partnership with some trust- There was in 1993 only one shelter in the entire U.S. designed primarily to facilitate ed shelterless rescues. Together, the shelter and rescue communities have learned the lesson adoptions, opened in 1991 by the North Shore Animal League. PetSmart Charities had just fundamental to retailing that more points of sale tend to produce greater sales volume. In 1993 introduced the in-store adoption boutique concept, although Petco had offered in-store adop- there were about 7,500 places in the U.S. where adopters could acquire former shelter animals. tions since 1968. The first adoption centers designed to resemble shopping malls––Maddie’s There are today upward of 15,000. Adoption Center in San Francisco and the current Wisconsin Humane Society shelter––were still three and six years from completion. Questionaires vs. credit checking Breed rescuers, often operating through PetSmart adoption boutiques, successfully challenged the entire concept that adoptions had to be done from shelters. Cumulatively, shelters and rescues are rehoming about the same number of animals Spadafori pointed out that the first edition of a breed rescue directory, published in as in 1993––about four million per year–– but back then the majority of rehomed animals were 1990, listed about 1,500 participating individuals. The 1993 second edition listed 2,900. Such puppies and kittens. Today, through the success of dog and cat sterilization programs, pup- a directory today might list more than 30,000 individuals who help to foster and rehome ani- pies and kittens relatively seldom come to shelters. Most of the animals who are rehomed mals, working under more than 10,000 organizational affiliations. today would have been killed in 1993, or earlier, and are finding homes now through the vast- The Worldwide Web debuted in 1994. Within a year both rescuers and progressive ly expanded adoption network, which gives them much more individual attention, promotion- shelters discovered the value of posting dog and cat photos to the web. An explosion of inter- al exposure, and––most importantly––time to be noticed. est in shelterless dog and cat rescue followed. Though many rescuers remain focused on just The longest article in our April 1993 edition considered whether use of the then stan- one breed of dog, the concept of breed rescue long ago broadened into home-based placement dard 115-question adoption screening questionaire contributed to high rates of shelter killing. of any animal, including feral cats, who might be rehomed if removed from a stressful envi- Introduced by the American Humane Association in 1948, the 115-question screen was adapt- ronment––especially shelters, but not exclusively––and given individual attention. ed from a questionaire probably first used in the late 19th century to try to protect human orphans from exploitation and abuse. Prospective child adopters in the West and Midwest were to complete it in the presence of a clergy member or town clerk who would attest with a Screening the rescuers seal and signature to the veracity of the information before it was sent by mail to eastern There remains considerable tension between shelterless rescuers and the sheltering orphanages, who might send back a boy or girl by train. community. Shelter personnel often still resent rescuers who claim the most adoptable shelter The questionaire was dusted off and applied to animal adoption at a time when labo- animals, instead of focusing their efforts on the hard cases. Many shelter personnel also dis- ratories were looking toward shelters as a source of inexpensive experimental subjects, and like the term “rescue” itself, feeling unfairly indicted by the notion that animals have to be when denied, would often obtain shelter animals by ruse. “rescued” from agencies that do the difficult and often dangerous work of impoundment, and In May 1994, in our second long look at adoption technique, ANIMAL PEOPLE strive to rehome animals, even if those who are not rehomed promptly are killed. published a copy of a 20-question screen developed by then-North Shore Animal League shel- Rescuers in turn often accuse shelters of needlessly killing animals whom shelter ter manager Mike Arms. The 20-question screen produced as much useful information as the staff deem unsuitable for rehoming, chiefly due to dangerous behavior. Animal control shelter old 115-question screen. Most pet adoption screening today appears to use locally customized directors, in particular, frequently counter that rescuers often take too cavalier an attitude variants of the 20-question screen, though descendants of the 115-question screen are also still toward the risks inherent in rehoming potentially dangerous animals. in use, usually shortened to about 80 questions. Arms has for the past decade headed the Helen Woodward Animal Center in Rancho SEARCHABLE ARCHIVES: www.animalpeoplenews.org Santa Fe, California. At the North Shore Animal League he boosted annual adoptions from circa 5,000 a year, which then led the world, to nearly 45,000 at peak. Also originator of the annual Pet Adoptathon at the North Shore and the Home-4-the-Holidays program at the Helen ANIMAL PEOPLE Woodward Center, Arms has helped to facilitate more than a million adoptions in his 44 years News for People Who Care About Animals in humane work. His innovations in animal display and advertising, emulated by more than Published by Animal People, Inc. 700 PetSmart Charities Luv-A-Pet adoption boutiques, have contributed indirectly to rehom- President & Administrator: ing at least another three million dogs and cats. But Arms himself no longer favors the 20-question screen. Instead, Arms since Kim Bartlett – [email protected] 2005 has recommended just asking prospective adopters for a piece of photo identification, Editor: Merritt Clifton – [email protected] such as a driver’s license, plus a major credit card. The photo ID establishes that the person is Web producer: Patrice Greanville whoever he or she claims to be. The major credit card enables the adoption agency to run an Newswire monitor: Cathy Young Czapla online credit check. While an adoption counselor helps the adopter to choose and become P.O. Box 960 acquainted with a pet, a data processing clerk quickly accesses all of the information that could be obtained through a lengthy questionaire––and it is all pre-verified by the agency that Clinton, WA 98236-0960 compiles the credit history report. If people are negligent about paying their bills, they might ISSN 1071-0035. Federal I.D: 14-1752216 be negligent about taking care of a pet, so asking direct questions about their petkeeping knowledge and history may be necessary. If they don’t own their own home, a call to the Telephone: 360-579-2505. Fax: 360-579-2575. landlord will be in order to verify that they have permission to keep a pet. Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org It is also possible to find out within minutes at Pet-Abuse.com if a prospective Copyright © 2010 for the authors, artists, and photographers. adopter has ever been charged with cruelty or neglect. Reprint inquiries are welcome. Because most people are used to providing photo ID and a credit card when making ANIMAL PEOPLE: News for People Who Care About Animals is published even minor transactions, asking for the cards does not seem to be invasive or intrusive. The nine times annually by Animal People, Inc., a nonprofit, charitable corporation dedicated focus of the adoption interview can be kept on the special needs and personality of the animal to exposing the existence of cruelty to animals and to informing and educating the public of the person wants. Rarely are there complications requiring anyone to ask any question more the need to prevent and eliminate such cruelty. Donations to Animal People, Inc. are tax- difficult than requesting the adoption fee and perhaps an additional donation. deductible. Financial information on Animal People, Inc. and other charities can be Arms throughout his career has emphasized making pet adoptions as easy as possible accessed at
4 - ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 2010 Rethinking adoption screening in the computer age (from page 3) Also featured in our April 1993 edition was the promotion of John Stevenson to head Unfortunately, many shelters and rescues get the timing of an in-home visit back- the North Shore Animal League, and the introduction of the North Shore policy of paying for ward, and make the in-home visit before making the adoption. This often seems invasive and the sterilization of every adopted animal. Though North Shore was far from the first shelter to intrusive to the adopter, and tells the adoption agency nothing about the actual care of the ani- do this, it was the biggest, and the North Shore action raised the standards for all shelters. mal. The visiting adoption counselor may note the height or absence of fences around a Non-governmental shelters today typically sterilize every animal before the animal is prospective adopter’s yard, for example, but will not see whether the animal has frequent even offered for adoption, but in 1993 most shelters merely required adopters to sign a con- access to the yard, or is being left alone in the yard on a tether for most of each day. tract agreeing that they would have the animal they chose sterilized within six months. Adoption screening then and for the preceding 30-odd years often focused on trying to ensure that an adopted animal would be promptly sterilized, since most shelters had no effective Matchmaking vs. adjustment means of following up adopted animals to enforce sterilization contracts. Over time, screening as practiced by most shelters and rescuers evolved into Now that most animals are sterilized before even being offered for adoption, this is attempted matchmaking. The idea is to ensure that the pet an adopter chooses is really suitable less and less an issue. Whole batteries of questions can accordingly be eliminated. for the adopter’s needs and lifestyle. This approach has some value, but Arms is skeptical if it Indeed, Arms points out, all of the traditional questions about who the animal’s reg- is taken beyond suggestion, into actually denying a would-be adopter the opportunity to adopt ular veterinarian will be have become irrelevant. Apart from wanting to be able to verify if an the “wrong” pet. Arms has observed that when animals and people bond, people often adjust adopted animal was sterilized, shelters and rescues like to be reassured that an animal will their lives to accommodate the animals’ needs, so his emphasis is on looking for indications receive care if ill or injured. But since the advent of large franchised veterinary clinics, veteri- of bonding. Arms, like most people who arrange pet adoptions, tries to avoid mismatches, nary specialists, and overnight emergency clinics, many of the most caring and responsible such as pairing a high-energy young dog with a person of limited mobility who lives in a high- pet keepers seldom see the same veterinarian twice. People relocate much more often now rise apartment. But Arms does not say that the person cannot have the dog. Instead, he asks than a generation ago, and so do vets. what the exercise plan for the dog is. Hiring a dog-walker can often make that scenario work. Much more useful than asking about veterinarians, especially before the adopter Other solutions may be found for most other common issues that lead to adoption failure. even has an animal, is asking the adopter to call the shelter or rescue for a veterinary referral if Many people besides Arms can be credited with major contributions toward improv- one is ever needed. A shelter receptionist with a geographically organized list of vet clinics ing shelter animal rehoming. Warren Cox, most recently interim director of the Lakeland and specialists can do more to ensure that a sick or injured pet gets appropriate help than any SPCA, more than 50 years ago was the first person to promote shelter adoptions on television. amount of adoption screening. Also more than 50 years ago, the late Mel Morse––who cofounded the Helen Woodward Animal Center––was first to use a computer to help process adoptions. Alex and Elisabeth Lewyt, who took over the financially failing North Shore Animal League in 1969, were the Screening vs. follow-up first to use paid advertising to place shelter animals. Richard Avanzino, then executive direc- The original reason for adoption screening was just trying to ensure that a shelter ani- tor of the San Francisco SPCA, was first to recognize the importance to adopters of being able mal would not be exploited, abused, abandoned, or returned to the shelter after just a short to choose an animal in a no-kill environment, where selecting one animal did not leave the time in a home. Yet another of Arms’ discoveries, decades ago, was that traditional screen- adopter feeling guilty for leaving others to die. ing does little to prevent any of this. Nationally, the adoption failure rate was about 20% Over the years, however, no one has been right about more aspects of adoption pro- before adoption screening was introduced, and 40 years later was still about 20%. motion than Arms––which led ANIMAL PEOPLE editor Clifton to discover one point that People who exploit, abuse, or abandon animals tend to lie on questionaires, Arms Arms may now be wrong about. Attempting to quantify the likelihood of would-be adopters realized––and often they are much better at giving the answers that adoption counselors want going to breeders and pet stores to buy animals after being rejected by adoption screening, than the counselors are at detecting untruths. Further, people never adopt animals in the Clifton collected a geographically representative selection of 200 recent web postings from expectation that the adoptions will fail, but problems nonetheless occur with pets (regardless people who complained about screening procedures. Barely 10% mentioned going to a breed- of where the pets come from) that the people eventually despair of solving. er or pet store instead. The other 90% merely turned to other shelters and rescues. Rather than Instead of trying to use screening to eliminate mistreatment of animals and shelter complaining about shelter screening in general, their complaints focused on the particularly returns, Arms introduced adoption follow-ups. His recommended procedure came to include invasive and intrusive approaches of specific shelters or rescues, in contrast to others nearby. follow-up calls to all adopters, days or weeks after the adoption, to identify any problems and Arms will probably consider this a positive finding, because it means that enough provide remedial help; follow-up visits to the homes of first-time adopters, dropping off a shelters and rescues are now paying attention to his teachings to reclaim most of the would-be complimentary pet toy, bowl, or leash as pretext for doing a quick informal inspection to see adoption traffic that used to be driven to breeders and pet stores. An Associated how the animal is looked after; and sending follow-up “birthday cards” annually, to remind Press/Petside.com survey released on May 12, 2010 affirmed this, showing that 30% of the adopters of the need for pets to receive wellness examinations and vaccination boosters. pets now in homes came from shelters, compared to 26% from breeders, and that 54% of pet- keepers would prefer to acquire their next pets from shelters. Arms lowered the adoption failure rate at his shelters to less than 5%. Though some At the same time, Arms is certain to point out that some adoptive homes are still shelters and rescues still admit adoption failure rates of as high as 25%, most now provide needlessly lost to breeders and pet stores, and these too can be reclaimed by rethinking screen- some adoption follow-up service, and a 5% adoption failure rate is now close to the norm. ing to better accomplish what shelter animals need.
We invite readers to submit letters and original unpublished commentary –– LETTERS please, nothing already posted to a web site––via e-mail to
ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 2010 - 5 Non-surgical fix BAWA battles rabies outbreak Thanks for “The search goes on for a Thanks for your great April 2010 editorial feature single-dose non-surgical way to sterilize dogs “How to introduce neuter/ return & make it work.” I wish we E nchanted Nights B&B & cats.” You did a great job in getting a num- could get back to spay/neuter work––hopefully soon! We are 1890 Victorian ber of sources and separating fact from fiction. still sterilizing animals in our clinic but not in the field, due to Thanks for reaching out to the the necessity of focusing on rabies vaccination. The good news Kittery-Portsmouth Harbour Alliance for Contraception of Cats & Dogs on is we should be finished in Gianyar by the end of May. We On Scenic Coastal Route 103 this, as we strive to be a credible source of recently vaccinated 870 dogs in one day! We average 400-500. information for the public on the subject of The World Society for the Protection of Animals Kittery Maine non-surgical sterilization and contraception. offered the government an island wide vaccination program that ––Linda Rhodes, VMD, PhD. was turned down, but they agreed to let us vaccinate in Bangli, * * Pets Stay Free !! Vice President for Clinical Development the next region over to the east. We will start in early June. Whirlpools, Fireplaces, Free WIFI AlcheraBio LLC Hopefully it will go smoothly, as Gianyar has, but there is 304 Amboy Avenue already a lot of rabies up there. A wonderland of Fanciful French & Victorian Metuchen, NJ 08840 I just flew someone to Jakarta who will bring back Phone: 732-205-0192 possibly the last six vials of rabies immunoglobulin in Antiques & Elegant Vegetarian Breakfast
6 - ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 2010 U.S. Supreme Court strikes down law banning cruelty videos (from page 1) for Freedom of the Press cited 27 examples plained, “presented a special case: The mar- against animal cruelty. For example,” the them with the intent to make a profit may be involving collaborations among news media ket for child pornography was ‘intrinsically Supreme Court said, “endangered species pro- similarly culpable. and animal advocates which it contended related’ to the underlying abuse, and was tections restrict even the humane wounding or “The criminal acts shown in crush would have been criminalized if 18 USC § 48 therefore ‘an integral part of the production of killing of animals. The statute draws no dis- videos cannot be prevented without targeting had been enforced to the letter. such materials, an activity illegal throughout tinction based on the reason the conduct is the conduct prohibited by §48––the creation, the Nation.’” made illegal…and includes, for example, the sale, and possession for sale of depictions of Hunting videos The Ferber Court noted that the humane slaughter of a stolen cow.” animal torture with the intention of realizing a Secondarily, the Reporters Com- value of child pornography “is exceedingly The Supreme Court was further trou- commercial profit,” Alito contended. mittee for Freedom of the Press cited the pos- modest, if not de minimis,” and that since the bled that 18 USC §48 “extends to conduct that “The evidence presented to Congress sibility that 18 USC § 48 might prohibit the nature of child pornography and the harm to is illegal in only a single jurisdiction,” so that posed a stark choice: Either ban the commer- use of video to expose illegal or ethically ques- children involved in producing it are already “A depiction of entirely lawful conduct runs cial exploitation of crush videos or tolerate a tionable hunting, fishing, and trapping. well understood, there is no need for examples afoul of the ban if that depiction later finds its continuation of the criminal acts that they The possible application of 18 USC of child pornography to be published by news way into another state where the same conduct record,” Alito wrote. “Faced with this evi- § 48 to hunting videos was the focal concern media or other participants in public debate. is unlawful. This provision greatly expands dence, Congress reasonably chose to target of amicus curiae briefs submitted by the The Ferber argument fails as applied the scope of §48,” the Supreme Court majori- the lucrative crush video market.” National Rifle Association and Safari Club to depictions of cruelty to animals, the ty held, “because although there may be ‘a Alito argued further that 18 USC International. The NRA and Safari Club Supreme Court reasoned, in part because there broad societal consensus’ against cruelty to §48 should apply to dogfighting as well as argued that 18 USC § 48 “would have imposed is ongoing societal debate about what acts con- animals, there is substantial disagreement on crush videos. Repeatedly citing the HSUS felony penalties for creating, possessing or stitute cruelty to animals. Visual documenta- what types of conduct are properly regarded as amicus curiae brief, Alito wrote that “because selling mainstream hunting images,” summa- tion of various controversial acts, both illegal cruel. Both views about cruelty to animals and videos depicting live dogfights are essential to rized NRA Institute for Legislative Action and still legal, is involved in much of the dis- regulations having no connection to cruelty the success of the criminal dogfighting subcul- executive director Chris W. Cox. cussion as to what should be prohibited. vary widely from place to place.” ture, the commercial sale of such videos helps Said an NRA press release acclaim- 18 USC §48, said the Supreme to fuel the market for, and thus to perpetuate ing the Stevens verdict, “Before becoming Court, “addresses only portrayals of harmful Alito’s dissent the perpetration of, the criminal conduct president of HSUS, Wayne Pacelle said, ‘The acts, not the underlying conduct. It applies to Justice Samuel Alito in the lone dis- depicted in them.” definition of obscenity on the newsstands any visual or auditory depiction ‘in which a senting opinion wrote that his fellow Justices Among the consequences of the should be extended to many hunting maga- living animal is intentionally maimed, mutilat- had reviewed the wrong issue. “Instead of Stevens decision is that the Supreme Court in zines.’ This is precisely what the law did.” ed, tortured, wounded, or killed,’ if that con- applying the doctrine of overbreadth,” Alito effect legalized one of the most profitable Both the Supreme Court verdict and duct violates federal or state law where ‘the wrote, “I would vacate the [Stevens] decision aspects of professional dogfighting, and made a dissenting opinion by Justice Samuel Alito creation, sale, or possession takes place.’ and instruct the Court of Appeals on remand to catching dogfighters in the act more difficult. appeared to find most relevant to the Stevens Another clause exempts depictions with ‘seri- decide whether the videos that respondent sold As U.S. law now stands, participating in a case the examples of potential applications of ous religious, political, scientific, educational, are constitutionally protected. dogfight is a federal felony and a felony in 49 18 USC § 48 to hunting. journalistic, historical, or artistic value,’” but “I would hold that §48 does not of the 50 states. Attending a dogfight is an Held the verdict, “Limiting §48’s that very exemption, meant to preserve the apply to depictions of hunting,” Alito contin- offense in 48 states. However, the Stevens reach to crush videos and depictions of animal constitutionality of the statute, instead ran ued. “First, because §48 targets depictions of verdict means that dogfights conducted outside fighting or other extreme cruelty…requires an afoul of previous Supreme Court verdicts. ‘animal cruelty,’ I would interpret that term to the U.S. might be telecast into the U.S. with unrealistically broad reading of the statute’s “Since its enactment,” the Supreme apply only to depictions involving acts of ani- impunity. U.S.-based dogfighters, instead of exceptions clause. The statute only exempts Court recounted, “the First Amendment has mal cruelty as defined by applicable state or charging admission and collecting bets, at risk material with ‘serious’ value, and ‘serious’ permitted restrictions on a few historic cate- federal law, not to depictions of acts that hap- that a spectator or bettor may be an undercover must be taken seriously. The excepted speech gories of speech––including obscenity, pen to be illegal for reasons having nothing to investigator, might exclude everyone but must also fall within one of §48(b)’s enumerat- defamation, fraud, incitement, and speech do with the prevention of animal cruelty. themselves from a dogfight and just distribute ed categories. Much speech does not. For integral to criminal conduct.” However, Alito argued that the reasoning of videos of the proceedings. example, most hunting depictions are not “While the prohibition of animal cruelty has a the Ferber verdict should apply in Stevens too, obviously instructional in nature. The excep- long history in American law,” the Supreme since the crush videos share the characteristics Source material tions clause simply has no adequate reading Court found, citing examples dating to 1641, of child pornography cited by the Supreme The major concern of the Reporters that results in the statute’s banning only the “there is no evidence of a similar tradition pro- Court in the Ferber ruling. “The conduct Committee for Freedom of the Press, the depictions the Government would like to ban.” hibiting depictions of such cruelty.” depicted in crush videos is criminal in every commttee brief explained, was the portion of Even if such a tradition existed, the State and the District of Columbia,” Alito 18 USC § 48 providing that anyone who Ferber not precedent Supreme Court objected that “The statute’s noted. “Thus, any crush video made in this knowingly possesses “a depiction of animal Reminded the Supreme Court, “The definition of a ‘depiction of animal cruelty’ country records the actual commission of a cruelty with the intention of placing that depic- First Amendment provides that ‘Congress shall does not even require that the depicted conduct criminal act that inflicts severe physical injury tion in interstate or foreign commerce for com- make no law...abridging the freedom of be cruel. While the words ‘maimed, mutilated, and excruciating pain and ultimately results in mercial gain” faced up to five years in prison, speech.’ As a general matter, the First [and] tortured’ convey cruelty, ‘wounded’ and death. Those who record the underlying crimi- unless the depiction itself had ‘serious’ value. Amendment means that government has no ‘killed’ do not…Section 48 does require that nal acts are likely to be criminally culpable, Explained the Reporters Committee, power to restrict expression because of mes- the depicted conduct be ‘illegal,’ but many either as aiders and abettors or conspirators. “Reporters are in the business of intentionally sage, ideas, subject matter, or content.” federal and state laws concerning the proper And in the tight and secretive market for these placing such depictions ‘in interstate or foreign Ferber, the Supreme Court ex- treatment of animals are not designed to guard videos, some who sell the videos or possess (continued on page 7) Massachusetts bans devocalizing dogs B O S T O N ––Massachusetts governor Massachusetts Act Prohibiting Devocalization, Deval Patrick on April 24, 2010 signed into law but the ASPCA and the Massachusetts SPCA An Act Prohibiting Devocalization, only the endorsed the bill. Veterinary societies mostly second state law to ban debarking dogs, the first still oppose laws against devocalization, but to cover almost all dogs, and the first anti-devo- support for the procedure has weakened. calization law covering most dogs to advance Minnesota Board of Veterinary Medicine execu- with a strong chance of passage since 2000. tive director John King, for instance, in 2006 “New Jersey has a law banning devo- told Minneapolis Star Tribune intern Jenna Ross calization, but there are a number of broad that there is no good reason for devocalization. exceptions that make it generally unenforce- The Massachusetts anti-devocalization able,” explained Animal Law Coalition attorney bill was introduced into the legislature in Laura Allen, who drafted the Massachusetts December 2008, as result of petitioning by law. “The only exception in the Massachusetts then-Needham High School freshman Jordan law,” Allen said, “is for medical necessity as Star. Efforts were made to promote it as determined by a licensed veterinarian for dis- “Logan’s Law,” named after a devocalized ease, injury or a congenital condition that is Belgian sheepdog who was adopted from Texas causing or could cause the animal harm or pain by Friends of the Plymouth Pound founder and suffering.” Gayle Fitzpatrick and her husband Tom. The United Kingdom banned devocal- However, “Logan’s Law” has been ization in 1993, along with ear cropping, tail prominently used to describe at least three other docking, and de-clawing cats. items of legislation. Still before Congress is a Groups representing police and fire- “Logan’s Law” proposed by U.S. Representative fighters joined with humane organizations in Raymond Green (D-Texas), which would 2000 to push anti-debarking legislation in require the addition of child safety features to California, New Jersey, and Ohio. Police and culverts. Introduced several times in West firefighters became involved after several dis- Virginia is a “Logan’s Law” which would coveries of devocalized pit bull terriers guarding strengthen legislation against sexual predators facilities used for the production and distribution who prey upon children. of illegal drugs. Because the dogs could not The original “Logan’s Law,” or bark, law enforcement agents only discovered “Logan Act,” was passed by Congress in 1799 their presence when the dogs attacked. in opposition to diplomatic initiatives undertak- The California bill introduced in 2000 en by physician George Logan, who had inter- died due to the concerted opposition of the vened to help prevent war between the U.S. and American Veterinary Medical Association, France in 1798. The law prevents U.S. citizens American Animal Hospital Association and the from conducting unauthorized foreign relations. American SPCA. The New Jersey and Ohio Still on the books, updated in 1994, it has never bills were weakened by amendment. been used to prosecute anyone. Logan himself New Jersey now bans devocalization was later elected to the U.S. Senate, but was surgery except for medical or therapeutic rea- unable to get “Logan’s Law” repealed. sons, defined more broadly than in Massa- chusetts. Ohio prohibits devocalizing only dogs who have killed or disfigured humans or other animals, are pit bull terriers, or have otherwise NAYCAD been designated dangerous. WWW.TEXAS-NO-KILL.COM The Massachusetts Veterinary Medi- IT’S YOUR FIGHT, YOUR REWARD cal Association led the opposition to the May 2010 3/22/13 11:25 PM Page 7
ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 2010 - 7 EU General Affairs Council approves new draft rules on animal experiments B R U S S E L S ––The European Union the council said in a prepared statement. ensure that all breeders, suppliers and users “Worse,” said the coalition, “the General Affairs Council on May 11, 2010 “Experiments with great apes will be are authorized and registered with the compe- new law would allow animals to be used even approved a new draft directive on animal prohibited,” the statement added. Exceptions tent authority,” the EU statement continued. where there is an adequate replacement,” if experiments. The present directive has been in may be made for research “essential for the “The new directive,” the EU statement stipu- the replacement is not listed in European legis- effect since 1986. The new directive is expect- survival of the species itself or because of an lated, “will cover vertebrate animals, includ- lation. “Based on the latest EU statistics,” the ed to be approved by the full European unexpected outbreak of a life-threatening or ing larval and foetal forms of mammals from coalition said, “this would account for around Parliament in September 2010. debilitating disease in humans. Non-human the last third of their normal development, and 78% of all experiments, such as those con- “Under the new provisions member primates [of any species] may only be used if cephalopods (for instance squid).” ducted for basic research.” states will be required to ensure that experi- they are the offspring of animals bred in cap- The European Coalition to End The European Coalition to End ments with animals are replaced, wherever tivity, or if they are sourced from self-sustain- Animal Experiments objected that the 1986 Animal Experiments questioned whether any possible, by an alternative method; the num- ing colonies.” The latter provisions bring the directive already requires that animal experi- of the goals of the draft directive were ber of animals used in projects is reduced to a EU directive into conformity with the require- ments must be replaced wherever possible and achieved, in view of the many exemptions minimum without compromising the quality of ments of the Convention on International that animal use must be kept to a minimum, so included due to lobbying by the biomedical results; [and] the degree of pain and suffering Trade in Endangered Species. that claiming this provision as an improvement research and pharmaceutical industries. caused to animals is limited to the minimum,” “Member states will also have to is misleading. “Eurogroup for Animals,” repre- senting animal welfare organizations in all EU Extended Canadian seal hunt kills fewest seals since 1993 member states, “welcomes the Council’s deci- sion,” Eurogroup said in a written statement, ST. JOHNS, Newfoundland––Canadian Fisheries Minister tion,” Fink continued, “one wonders what hope there is for fish who “but remains concerned that the new EU law Gail Shea on May 11, 2010 announced that the close of the 2010 rely on them for conservation.” does not go far enough in promoting the use of Atlantic Canada seal hunt would be extended to the end of May. “Most of Canada’s 6,000 sealers stayed home, unable to non-animal alternatives.” The sealing season was lengthened to give sealers an find buyers for their catch or stymied by a lack of ice floes for the first Eurogroup director Sonja Van “extended period of time to take advantage of potential market oppor- time in 60 years on the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, which usually host Tichelen called the draft agreement a “positive tunities,” said the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in a prepared hordes of seals birthing pups,” reported Michel Comte of Agence step forward, but still not the U-turn needed to statement. Earlier, Shea increased the sealing quota to 330,000, from France-Presse. “Fewer than 50 sealing ships launched from adequately protect animals used in research. It 280,000 in 2009, even though the European Union in July 2009 Newfoundland, down from 500 in past years.” The only ship from is disappointing that issues including a proper banned imports of seal products. the Magdalen Islands hunting seals in 2010 was the J e a n - M a t h i e u , system of authorisation of animal use and of The DFO and Newfoundland media disagreed about how which brought back 2,200 seal carcasses from the Labrador ethical review, and minimal standards for ani- many seals had been killed as of the extension––the DFO said 57,000, Front––half as many, Compte said, as the crew hoped to kill. mal accommodation and care, proved so con- while The Beacon, of Gander, said 48,000, and the Western Star, of An Ipsos Reid poll of 181 Newfoundland sealers and vessel troversial,’’ Van Tichelen said. Corner Brook, said 60,000. Any of the figures were the lowest since owners, commissioned by Humane Society International/Canada, “Previous drafts of the directive a 10-year suspension of the offshore phase of the hunt ended in 1994. found recently that 49% believe the market for seal pelts is likely to seemed set to severely hamper European bio- “The Minister has unwittingly shortened the seal slaughter continue to decline. Eighty-three percent believe the fishing industry medical research,” wrote Allson Abbott for by two weeks. Under the Marine Mammal Regulations the closing is also in decline and unlikely to recover. Half of the sealers said they N a t u r e, after the draft that was approved on date of the commercial harp seal hunt is, in fact, June 15,” responded would favor a governmental buyout which, as outlined by the poll- May 11 was released for comment on April 7, International Fund for Animal Welfare representative Sheryl Fink, of sters, would “involve fishers and vessel owners being compensated 2010. “The final directive,” Abbot assessed, Guelph, Ontario, in a letter to the National Post. “When the DFO for their sealing licences, and money being invested in economic “has largely diffused scientists’ concerns.” manages to screw up something as simple as reading their own legisla- alternatives for affected communities.” U.S. Supreme Court strikes down law banning cruelty videos (from page 6) commerce for commercial gain.’ And even Unaware of that case, then-America Thomas, and Roghair. distributing the crush video that was posted to the creation of indisputably ‘serious’ journal- Online “Animals & Society” host Susan 18 USC § 48 was not used in win- the web in China was not illegal. However, ism often will require the possession of source Roghair independently discovered several web ning any of the ensuing convictions. individual Chinese citizens rapidly identified materials that are not exempt as ‘serious’ sites which promoted and sold crush videos. Capriola in December 2000 pleaded the “actress” who stomped a kitten to death as works. For example, an investigation of ani- Roghair in October 1997 sought help in doing guilty to misdemeanor cruelty to animals and hospital nurse Wang Jue, of northern mal fighting, or inhumane slaughtering. something about the business from ANIMAL fifth-degree possession of marijuana, and was Heilongjiang province, and posted her person- “The same could be said,” the P E O P L E , PETA, AnimalTalk host Dick sentenced to serve 280 hours of community al data, along with that of the videographer. Reporters Committee brief continued, “of ani- Weevil, and Ohio animal rights attorney service with three years on probation. Wang Jue lost her job. The produc- mal rights groups that possess graphic source Shawn Thomas, who turned out to be pursu- The original investigation brought er, identified as Luobei Television cameraman material for use in their work. The Humane ing a parallel investigation of his own, after the August 1999 arrests and eventual plea bar- Li Yuejun, wrote a published apology and Society of the U.S. and People for the Ethical finding some of the same web sites. gain convictions of “crush video” star Diane self-criticism. The state-run China Daily edi- Treatment of Animals operate YouTube chan- Att Thomas’ request, A N I M A L Aileen Chaffin, 35, of La Puente, California, torially argued for the national cruelty law that nels that feature explicit images of animal cru- PEOPLE in October 1997 postponed publish- and producer Gary Lynn Thomason, 48, of has finally begun to advance. elty, often in combination with fund-raising ing an article about crush videos to avoid jeop- Anaheim. Each drew a year in jail and three The Stevens case, leading to the appeals. Anti-dog-fighting campaigns even ardizing the investigation. Cassandra Brown years on probation. U.S. Supreme Court verdict, originated when used portions of Stevens’ videos in their work. in November 1997 scooped ANIMAL PEO- Convicted in Britain were Craig Stevens advertised his videos in the S p o r t i n g If fundraising were construed as use for ‘com- P L E . Learning thereby of the British investi- Chapman, 27, Christine Besford, 26, Sarah Dog Journal. Sporting Dog Journal publisher mercial gain,’” as other court cases have at gation, ANIMAL PEOPLE introduced the Goode, 22, and Tharaza Smallwood, 22. James Fricchione was convicted in March times held that it is, even when funds raised British and American investigators. Chapman was in May 2002 sentenced to serve 2004 of six felonies and five misdemeanors for are used for charitable purposes, “their pos- Unknown to any other investigators, two years in jail. The three women drew four allegedly promoting dogfights. session of source materials could constitute a the Suffolk County SPCA was separately clos- months each. All four defendants were also Only days after the Supreme Court felony. Such possession and use for the pur- ing in on crush video producer Thomas fined and banned for life from keeping pets. struck down Stevens’ conviction and 18 USC poses of exposing acts of animal cruelty Capriola, 30, of Islip Terrace, Long Island. Yet another crush video case sur- § 48, Representive Gallegly and more than 50 should be encouraged, not criminalized.” Two days after Capriola was arrested in May faced in China in March 2006. China has only cosponsors introduced HR 5092, seeking to 1998, ANIMAL PEOPLE introduced the within the past year published several variants restore the intent of 18 USC § 48 in terms that History of the law Suffolk County SPCA investigators to Daly, of a draft anti-cruelty law. Thus making and will be constitutional. ––Merritt Clifton Authored by Elton Gallegly (R- California), 18 USC § 48 was introduced and passed with unusual speed for a pro-animal bill, receiving the support of many pro-hunt- ing members of Congress, and of President Bill Clinton, who at the time was opening National Parks to hunting at an unprecedented pace, preliminary to then-Vice President Albert Gore running to succeed Clinton. The crush video traffic prompting the Gallegly bill came to light when British Customs in mid-1997 intercepted several videos mailed by one “Jeff Vilencia” of “Squish Productions” in California. British Customs took the videos to Martin Daly of the Royal SPCA. Daly eventually enlisted inves- tigative help from Cassandra Brown of the London Sunday Telegraph. May 2010 3/22/13 11:25 PM Page 8
8 - ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 2010 Gassing in animal shelters nears abolition, but continues on farms & in fields Momentum toward abolition of “heart stick” method of injection killing, as Moeller. “The machine broke down and dangerous dogs, and retain $100,000 liability gassing shelter animals was evident in seven of well as gassing, “unless the animal is uncon- couldn’t be repaired, said Irene Brown, man- insurance,” wrote Byers. the last states where gassing continues as the scious or rendered completely unconscious and ager of the shelter. The shelter couldn’t afford A 10-year dispute over heart-sticking May 2010 edition of ANIMAL PEOPLE insensitive to pain “ by pre-sedation. $30,000 for a new one, so now all euthanasia at the Robeson County Animal Shelter in went to press, but a faxed publicity release The Michigan bill to ban gassing went at the shelter is done by lethal injection.” North Carolina ended on April 20, 2010 when received near deadline made clear that abolish- to a legislative hearing in May 2010. Moving opposite to public opinion and county health director Bill Smith told a news ing carbon monoxide chambers will be just the The Pennsylvania anti-gassing bill the national trend, Illinois Republican candi- conference that shelter staff would switch to start of abolishing gassing altogether. cleared the state senate agricultural and rural date for governor Bill Brady in late February the AVMA-recommended intravenous injec- The publicity release touted kits for affairs committee, but with an amendment to 2009 briefly sponsored a failed bill to require tion method. “There was talk of a new law at connecting the exhaust pipes of cars, trucks, exclude “activity undertaken in a normal agri- animal shelters to cut costs by gassing multiple the state level, so we decided it would be better and lawn mowers to hoses, in order to gas cultural operation.” The exemption would animals at a time. to go ahead and switch now,” Smith told burrowing animals with unfiltered hot fumes. allow continued use of exhaust fumes to kill The argument that gassing is easier on Fayetteville Observer staff writer Mike The American Veterinary Medical animals such as woodchucks. Mounting air- staff is often disputed by shelter personnel, Hixenbaugh. Association still accepts use of gassing to kill tight tents over poultry barns and then killing including Pocatello Animal Shelter manager Heart-sticking without pre-sedation is small animals, including dogs, cats, and cap- the birds inside with gas is also standard proce- Mary Remer. “To watch a dog go to sleep in already illegal in South Carolina. Three tive wildlife, but not gassing with exhaust dure in response to outbreaks of contagious ill- your arms, I don’t see how that can be inhu- Cherokee County Animal Shelter personnel fumes. “Fumes from idling gasoline internal nesses such as exotic Newcastle, a fungal mane,” Remer told Moeller. “Putting them in with fined $237 each for heart-sticking in combustion engines…are associated with infection, and avian influenzas. the chamber and walking away––it does feel April 2009. One of them, who resigned, had problems such as production of other gases, The Utah anti-gassing bill was disabled cruel, and we don’t like to use it.” previously been fined $200 for shooting a dog. achieving inadequate concentrations of carbon by amendment after North Utah Valley Animal Other common arguments for gas “Testimony showed Cherokee County officials monoxide, [and] inadequate cooling of the Shelter director Tug Gettling testified to the chambers are that the security requirements for who operate the shelter did not receive a gas,” summarizes the AVMA publication Utah House government operations committee possession of sodium pentabarbitol are diffi- license to possess the drugs used to properly Guidelines on Euthanasia. “Therefore, the that, as Tony Semerad of the Salt Lake Trib- cult for shelters to meet, and that staff without carry out the procedure until April 2009,” only acceptable source is compressed carbon une paraphrased, “Gas chambers give shelter extensive training in the use of sodium penta- wrote Janet S. Spencer of the S p a r t a n b u r g monoxide in cylinders.” workers some distance from the animal’s barbital often will resort to the heart stick. Herald-Journal. Sixteen states have banned gassing death, while also providing a safer option for The security issue in February 2010 Shooting animals surfaced as an issue shelter animals, including Illinois, New putting down wild or aggressive animals.” brought an investigation by the Missouri in early 2010 in Houston, Alaska; Canton, Mexico, New York, and West Virginia in Bain Cate, public health director for Department of Agriculture of procedures at the Mississippi; and Hinckley, Utah. 2009. The legislatures of five states–– Victoria, Texas, and Victoria shelter assistant Jefferson County Animal Control Center, after The Houston animal shelter was closed Georgia, Louisiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, manager Heather Kern made similar argu- Jefferson County animal control director for the balance of the 2010 fiscal year, ending and Utah––considered bills to prohibit gassing ments in April 2010 to Gabe Semenza of the acknowledged that shelter veterinarian Sherry in July, after mayor Roger Purcell failed in an during their spring 2010 sessions. Victoria Advocate, in response to protest Torregrossa is rarely present when animals are attempt to fire police officer and animal con- Georgia banned installing new gas against gassing led by Austin nurse Sheila killed––which is common throughout the U.S. trol supervisor Charlie Seidl. chambers in 1990, but allowed existing gas Smith. “Austin, San Antonio, Corpus at shelters that employ trained euthanasia tech- Canton animal control officer Alonzo chambers to remain in use. The Georgia bill, Christi, Houston and many other Texas cities nicians. Torregrossa said she had visited the Esco was fired in January 2010. A hearing to sent to Governor Sonny Perdue on April 29, [have already] banned the method,” Semenza shelter only once in three years. Most of her decide whether Esco should be charged with 2010, would require the 11 agencies that still mentioned. work for the county, explained Christine cruelty and illegal animal dumping is to be gas animals to stop by January 1, 2013. In Ohio, Licking County animal con- Byers of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, is steril- held on June 21, 2010. Esco was charged in The Louisiana bill was approved by the trol director Jon Luzio in early 2010 resisted izing animals who are offered for adoption. April in an unrelated domestic violence case. Louisiana Senate 35-0 on April 27, 2010, and pressure to replace gassing with lethal injec- By federal law, however, the posses- Hinckley mayor Christie Tolbert was referred to the state House of tion, also in the belief that gassing is easier for sion and use of sodium pentobarbital must be denied as categorically false a report posted by Representatives. staff, but in mid-March agreed to phase out under veterinary supervision. the Helen Woodward Animal Center in The Louisiana bill began moving after gassing. About 70% of the animal shelters in The case arose out of a dispute over the Rancho Santa Fe, California, and amplified Humane Society of Louisiana founder Jeff Ohio had reportedly already switched from shelter’s decision to euthanize an owner-sur- by Fox 15 News of San Diego, that stray ani- Dorson toured the Terrebonne Parish animal gassing to sodium pentobarbital injection. rendered Sharpei mix for dangerous behavior, mals in Hinckley are shot, run over, and then shelter on March 12, 2010, “in response to In Idaho only the animal control shel- after the dog had been claimed by a local res- thrown into sewage treatment ponds. three written complaints alleging that the gas ters in Chubbock and Pocatello still gas ani- cuer who planned to return him to his previous “Hinckley Town contracts with a local chamber malfunctioned on occasion, employ- mals, Idaho Humane Society director Jeff home. The dog was surrendered after he veterinarian for euthanasia services. Animals ees did not properly use it, and condemned Rosenthal told Katy Moeller of the I d a h o escaped from the home and attacked another are held between five and seven days depend- animals suffer as a result,” reported H o u m a S t a t e s m a n in April 2010. “The Idaho Falls dog. The dog’s family were advised that to ing on the temperament of the animal,” Courier senior staff writer John DeSantis. Animal Shelter recently dismantled the gas keep him, they would have to “pay for 10 cita- Christie said. Afterward, Christie added, The Louisiana bill would ban the chamber that it had used for years,” wrote tions, build a concrete-based enclosure for most dogs and cats are adopted. May 2010 3/22/13 11:25 PM Page 9
ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 2010 - 9 With your help we can find families for 1.5-million orphaned pets this holiday season! The 11th annual Iams Home 4 the Holidays adoption drive placed more than 1.3-million pets in their new homes. Be a part of the largest pet adoption drive in history! Log on to www.Home4theHolidays.org for more information. Tadpoles show sentience (from page 1) New threat to Kenya hunt ban cate underwater,” Walker wrote. “The dis- ers,” according to University of Ottawa biolo- N A I R O B I ––A draft Wildlife Bill parliament through a late night pre-holiday covery that frog tadpoles can make sounds gist Vance Trudeau. Seeking a way to breed proposed to the Kenyan parliament but not yet recess voice vote. The bill was vetoed by raises the possibility that a host of aquatic lar- Ceratophrys ornata in captivity, Natale netted raised for debate would split the Kenya Kenya president Mwai Kibaki after Ngonyo, vae communicate in a similar way.” a Ceratophrys ornata tadpole and “heard a Wildlife Service into three separate agen- then heading Youth for Conservation, mobi- The finding demonstrates sentience brief, clear, very audible metallic sound,” he cies––and ease the way for reintroducing sport lized last-minute opposition. in vertebrates at an earlier stage than has ever told the BBC. hunting to Kenya, after a 33-year hiatus, “The proposed Wildlife Regulatory before been scientifically established. The Successful captive breeding enabled charges African Network for Animal Welfare Authority is another consumptive utilization tadpole scream is usually not a response to a Natale to study Ceratophrys ornata in his lab. founder Josphat Ngonyo. vehicle,” Ngonyo told ANIMAL PEOPLE. direct physical stimulus, Natale found. Most Natale discovered that Ceratophrys ornata Kenyan wildlife policy formation “One of the ways it will raise funds for its often it is anticipatory, meaning that the tad- tadpoles are “naturally aggressive and carniv- would be done under the Ministry for Wildlife, operations is through issuing licenses for pole must recognize a threat and perceive an orous, often eating the tadpoles of other frog rather than within KWS under ministerial wildlife harvesting and sale of game trophies. advantage in communicating, rather than just species,” Walker recounted. authority. A new Kenya Wildlife Regulatory Of course the more licenses they issue, the trying to escape, evade notice, or fight. Yet, “Much to our astonishment, Authority would be created to supervise more the money they will make! This regula- The discovery of the tadpole scream they do not eat each other,” Natale said wildlife management on private land. The tory authority came through back door,” may challenge the idea, sometimes advanced “Producing distress calls is likely to present Kenya Wildlife Service would contract Ngonyo charged, “as it was not in the original as part of a “reduction, refinement, replace- help prevent the tadpoles from cannibalising to focus on managing the 61 Kenyan national document that the national steering committee ment” strategy, that animal experiments each other,” summarized Walker. “They con- parks and wildlife reserves, conducting law agreed upon. This was a committee of mem- might be made less inhumane by using ani- tinue to emit distress calls underwater both as enforcement, and doing wildlife research. bers representing all stakeholders nationally, mals at earlier stages of development. tadpoles and after they have begun metamor- The draft Wildlife Bill has received that I sat among,” Ngonyo added. “We have definitely underestimated phosis, when they become froglets. The tad- little media notice since March 30, 2010, “Local communities coexisting with their abilities,” said Natale. poles also produce the sounds when removed when Kenya Wildlife Service director Julius wildlife in Kenya and those of us in civil soci- Natale was originally studying the from the water.” Kpng’etich outlined the key provisions to The eties who speak for the animals and work with mating calls of adult Ceratophrys ornata. Some insect larvae are known to Nation, a leading Nairobi newspaper. Efforts those communities are immensely unhappy Native to Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil, communicate with sounds, but many insects to repeal the sport hunting ban in effect since about this,” Ngonyo continued. “Obviously Ceratophrys ornata are sometimes sold in pet spend most of their lives in a larval stage. 1977 have advanced by stealth before, backed our concerns have been ignored. We will be shops as the so-called Pacman frog. Vertebrates by contrast tend to evolve rapidly by many of the same private landholders. consulting all the concerned stakeholders and Ceratophrys ornata “is now endan- out of the larval stage, undergoing most of In December 2004 a bill to revoke the communities involved to come up with a gered as it gains popularity among pet own- their development later. the hunting ban slipped through the Kenyan way forward.” Events May 23: Intl. World Turtle Day. Info: American Tortoise Rescue,
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. May 2010 3/22/13 11:25 PM Page 10
10 - ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 2010 Is Zimbabwe loading animals two-by-two to send to North Korea? H A R A R E ––“We were recently “A National Parks informant has dential decree here at parks,” Chadenga said. informed that two of every species of animal in confirmed,” Rodrigues said, “that the animals “But I can confirm that we received an appli- Hwange National Park are to be sent to a zoo are being kept in quarantine in bomas a t cation from the Democratic Republic of North in North Korea,” charged Zimbabwe Umtshibi in Hwange National Park, and will Korea,” Chadenga added, “and we are still Conservation Task Force chair Johnny leave for Korea very soon. Elephant experts processing the application.” Rodrigues in a May 13, 2010 e-mail alert. think there is little chance that the two young “Of the animals requested, only the “According to the report,” elephants will survive the trip.” two elephants are endangered. The others, Rodrigues said, “the animals will include two Mugabe has courted Kim Jong-il like giraffes, zebras, and warthogs, are not 18-month-old elephant calves. It is believed with gifts of animals before. Recalled David endangered according to the Convention on that this is a gift from Robert Mugabe, presi- Smith, Johannesburg correspondent for T h e International Trade in Endangered Species,” dent of Zimbabwe, to Kim Jong-il, president Guardian, “Two rhinos, a male called Zimbo Chadenga said. Chadenga said experts had of North Korea. and a female called Zimba, given to Kim by been sent to North Korea to assess the new “Capture and spotting teams have Mugabe in the 1980s, died a few months after home for the animals and that a report on their been seen in the park,” Rodrigues continued, their relocation.” findings was being compiled. “and there have been reports of armed men Vitalis Chadenga, director general “The move is likely to stoke fires in standing around key waterholes waiting for the for national parks, told ANIMAL PEOPLE Matabeleland and Midlands,” assessed animals to appear so they can radio the infor- freelance correspondent Barnabas Thondhlana Thondhlana, “where the Gukurahundi mas- mation back to the capture teams. There have that Mugabe was not involved. “I can tell you sacres are still an emotive subject. North Mahlangu and Women of Zimbabwe Arise co- also been reports of National Parks vehicles that the president or even the minister is not Korean instructors trained the Zimbabwean 5th founder Jenni Williams. towing cages around. involved in this, there is nothing like a presi- Brigade, blamed for the murder of more than In Kenya, public opposition rallied 20,000 civilians in Matabeleland and Midlands by Youth for Conservation in 2005 halted a AWBI chair Kharb makes an example of Ahmedabad provinces between 1982 and 1987. Last comparably politically motivated attempt by A H M E D A B A D – – Animal Welfare Municipal Corporation “to cancel your ABC month, activists from Matabeleland and the Chiang Mai Night Safari Park in Thailand Board of India chair Rammehar Kharb on contract awarded to Animal Shelter & Hospital Midlands protested against plans by govern- to buy elephants and more than 300 other ani- April 20, 2010 warned the Ahmedabad at Ahmedabad Foundation, which is not rec- ment to bring the North Korean national soccer mals from Kenya. The deal was reportedly Municipal Corporation against “persisting with ognized or registered with AWBI, failing team to Zimbabwe for a training camp ahead brokered by acting Kenyan tourism minister the completely outdated, barred practice of which AWBI will be constrained to initiate of the World Cup in South Africa next month. Raphael Tuju, who accompanied then-Kenyan dumping, and even destroying dogs” by cap- action in the matter.” The visit is now uncertain.” president Mwai Kibaki on a state visit to turing them violently with iron tongs and aban- Kharb notified ABC providers after U.S. President Barack Obama Thailand. Josphat Ngonyo, founder of Youth doning them at desert dump sites. the 2009 publication of the AWBI Standard described the Gukurahundi killings when on for Conservation, later formed and now heads “Not only are the Animal Birth Operating Procedure Manual for Sterilization November 23, 2009 he presented the Robert the African Network for Animal Welfare. The Control rules being flagrantly violated,” of Stray Dogs that they must comply with the F. Kennedy Human Rights Award to Zimbab- ANAW mission includes helping to empower Kharb wrote, “but the Prevention of Cruelty to SOP to continue to receive AWBI funding. wean human rights activist Magodonga animal advocates throughout Africa. Animals Act is also being violated. Your actions, and the actions of your employ- ees, constitute an offence under the Penal Code.” Kharb released his warning to Ahmedabad media less than 60 days after asking the Ahmedabad More events July 23-26: Taking Action for Animals conf., Wash- ington, D.C. Information: < w w w . h u m a n e s o c i e t y . o r g / - about/events/tafa/>. August 25-28: W o r l d Conf. on Bioethics & Animal Rights, S a l v a d o r , Brazil. Info:
ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 2010 - 11 Undercover footage of horse slaughter shocks world (from page 1) no criminal charges would be filed because the unwanted horses,” reported Joan Barron of the Tribune Eagle, “We think we will probably Wrote Paula Bacon, formerly mayor RCMP investigation found no intent by Casper S t a r - T r i b u n e capital bureau. “The work up to killing 20 horses a day,” mainly to of Kaufman, Texas, in an open letter to pro- slaughterhouse staff to cause cruelty. horses would be screened and provided reha- feed zoo animals and pets. “We already have horse slaughter legislators, “You should ask The Canadian Food Inspection bilitation, training, or slaughter, depending on customers for those products,” Wallis said. yourself why the residents of Texas and Agency probe meanwhile expanded beyond their condition. The plan is ultimately to mar- Illinois worked so hard to rid their states of the Bouvry Exports horse slaughterhouse in ket horse meat in the state,” Barron added. More schemes horse slaughter plants. The industry caused Fort MacLeod, Alberta, where the Canadian Wallis acknowledged that U.S. fed- Horses have not been slaughtered in significant and long term hardship to my com- Horse Defence Coalition video was made, to a eral law allows horse meat to be shipped any- the U.S. for human consumption since the last munity, which was home to Dallas Crown,” plant that Bouvry owns in Massueville, where for animal food, but not across state two horse slaughterhouses in Texas and one in one of the last three horse slaughterhouses that Quebec, called Viande Richelieu, reported lines for human consumption. Illinois closed in 2007, but schemes to revive operated in the U.S. “Dallas Crown had a very John Gibson of the CBC. “Yet since Wyoming is one of 22 or the industry have also been advanced in long history of violations of their industrial “I don’t believe that in an assembly 23 states that have meat inspection programs, Montana, Missouri, and Tennessee. waste permit,” Bacon wrote. “Odor problems line situation horses can be humanely slaugh- Wallis said, the horses can be slaughtered and Montana state representative Ed resulting from the outside storage of offal and tered,” said Canadian Horse Defence Coal- used for human consumption in state restau- Butcher (R-Winifred) “is confident that hides persisted. Dallas Crown had a negative ition executive director Sinikka Crosland. rants or state institutions,” Barron wrote. investors he’s working with,” who have effect on the development of surrounding Canadian Horse Defence Coalition Wyoming Governor Dave Freuden- claimed connections in China, “will be able to properties, and the horse slaughter plant was a member Twyla Francois told Cuthbertson of thal recently signed legislation to enable the open several horse slaughtering plants in the stigma to the development of our city. the Calgary Herald that the Fort MacLeod Wallis scheme. “The new law allows the U.S., possibly including one in Montana,” “These problems were mirrored at video was made on February 19, 2010, as Wyoming Livestock Board to enter into agree- reported Ed Kemmick of the Billings Gazette the other two plants,” said Bacon. “Fort could be verified by the audio from a ments with licensed meat processing plants to on April 28, 2010. However, Butcher’s Worth’s Beltex horse slaughter plant violated Lethbridge radio station heard in the back- process meat from livestock” collected as stray attempt to convert an abandoned sugar plant in wastewater regulations several times, clogged ground. Altogether, Francois told Cuthbert- or abandoned by the Livestock Board, and Hardin, Montana into a horse slaughterhouse sewer lines, and both spilled and pumped son, the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition “disposed of by slaughter. The meat must be was thwarted, Kemmick explained, when in blood into a nearby creek. The horse slaughter collected 10 hours of video from the Fort sold to state institutions or to nonprofit organi- March 2010 “the Hardin city council passed an plant in DeKalb, Illinois had a similar pat- MacLeod horse slaughterhouse on that day. zations for no more than the board’s costs,” ordinance prohibiting facilities that would tern,” Bacon added. “It was charged and fined “Some of the video shows horses not summarized Barron. slaughter more than 25 animals within any by the DeKalb Sanitary District almost every being knocked unconscious when shot,” sum- “That’s not going to happen,” seven-day period from opening in Hardin.” month from 2004 until it closed in 2007 for marized Cuthbertson. “Instead, when the gun Wyoming Livestock Board director Jim A Missouri bill to enable horse exceeding wastewater discharge guidelines.” is fired, another part of the horse’s head is hit, Schwartz told Barron. Sending horses to slaughter apparently died in committee in early Legislators in Florida apparently lis- and the animal is left suffering,” while the slaughter “is not an option, in my opinion,” May 2010, but resurfaced just a few days tened. Both houses of the Florida legislature slaughterman reloads the single-shot weapon. Schwartz said. “In Wyoming, people love later. A similar bill introduced into the unanimously passed and on April 30, 2010 “The horse defence coalition alleges the heads horses. We’ll continue to do what we’ve Tennessee General Assembly by representa- sent to Governor Charlie Crist a bill which of the horses are not being secured properly, always done and try to get them sold and find tive Frank Niceley (R-Strawberry Plains) died would make horse slaughter in Florida a felony and the shot is being taken at an incorrect good homes for them,” Schwartz pledged. in committee on May 4, 2010. Nicely is offense, with a mandatory minimum sentence angle,” Cuthbertson continued. “Some hors- Meanwhile, Wallis told Michael expected to reintroduce it in the fall 2010 leg- for violators of $3,500 and a year in prison. es, the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition Van Cassell of the Cheyenne-based W y o m i n g islative session. ––Merritt Clifton says, are being hoisted from one leg while still showing signs of consciousness.” Commented Colorado State University livestock han- dling expert and slaughterhouse designer Temple Grandin, “Most of the problems in the horse slaughter videos are due to poor management and lack of supervision of employees. I am a big supporter of video audit- ing where auditors can tune in over the Internet,” Grandin told ANIMAL PEOPLE. “ T h i s prevents a plant from ‘acting good’ when an auditor is there,” only to falter later. “The Fort MacLeod horse stun box needs to have high solid sides and a non-slip floor,” Grandin added. Horse slaughter is sometimes done at former cattle or pig slaughtering plants, where all of the facilities were built for animals of less height and a less flighty nature. “I don’t know the his- tory of Bouvry Exports,” Crosland told ANIMAL PEO- P L E , “but I do know that a standard cattle stun box is being used to stun horses there. Bouvry slaughters bison as well.” Crosland said. Wyoming state legis- lator Sue Wallis (R-Gillette) meanwhile claimed to be con- sulting with Grandin about a plan by members of the pro- horse slaughter nonprofit United Organization of the Horse––an organization she cofounded––to get into the horse slaughter industry. “The plan by mem- bers of the United Organization of the Horse is to set up some- thing like a triage operation at the old railroad stockyards in Cheyenne for abandoned or TRIBUTES In honor of all God's creatures, great & small. ––Brien Comerford May 2010 3/22/13 11:25 PM Page 12
12 - ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 2010
JAAN reaches out to horses in the Gili Islands of Indonesia (from page 1) J A K A R T A ––Encouraged by suc- drinking water from Lombok. But to reduce Because there are no veterinarians, Sumbawa are brought there by truck. The cess with a working horse aid program in costs, sufficient water is not provided. If the farriers, or blacksmiths on the islands, den horses come to the Gili islands after they have Jakarta initially funded by ANIMAL PEO- recommended amount is 10 gallons a day,” or Haas saw, the horse owners rely on ineffective been trained to pull the carriages.” PLE, the Jakarta Animal Aid Network hopes 15 gallons for hard-working horses, “at Gili and often cruel folk remedies for injuries and Den Haas visited the Masbagik mar- for similar results in the Gili Islands. Meno the average horse drinks five gallons. disease, neglect hoof care until the horses can ket on April 5, 2010, “and observed the dis- Located off the north coast of “Horses on Gili Trawangan are pro- barely walk, and use ill-fitting horseshoes tress of the horses for sale,” she e-mailed. Lombok, Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili vided salty well water only,” den Haas found. haphazardly held on with construction nails. Den Haas and JAAN ventured to the Air offer reef diving and night life that attract “Salty water leads to serious dehydration and A further problem endemic to the Gili Islands a little more than a year after tourists from around the world. “No motor- kidney problems. The horses refuse to drink Gili Islands, den Haas observed, is that “The beginning work on behalf of Jakarta carriage ized vehicles are allowed on the islands,” the water, so water is mixed with their food. sand is so deep on some roads that the horses horses. The Jakarta horses “are all now explains JAAN founder Femke den Haas. The horses are continuously thirsty. Some can hardly pull their heavy loads through it,” tagged with a microchip and the owner regis- Horses are the main means of transport. hotels have started to provide fresh water for and are flogged to keep them moving. No tered,” de Haas explained. “With ANIMAL Surveying the condition of the Gili the working horses in buckets,” den Haas restrictions are enforced on either how much P E O P L E ’s help, we educated drivers about horses during the first nine days of April 2010, noted. “But the horse owners and drivers say weight a horse may be asked to pull, or how horse care, trained ten farriers, and provided den Haas “learned that the horse owners all they can’t let their horses drink, as they will long per day the horse might be worked. free medical treatment to the horses. Carriage came from Lombok in the 1990s,” she told have to take off their mouthpieces, which “The average life of a horse on Gili owners who were willing to improve the care ANIMAL PEOPLE. “Many,” den Haas causes them to lose control over the horses. Trawangan is three years only,” den Haas told of their horses were provided with license found, “started with little to no knowledge Also they are afraid the horses will get colic ANIMAL PEOPLE. “The horse owners in plates and regulation cards, which they placed about horses, as they were mostly fishers.” after drinking fresh water,” den Haas added. Gili Trawangan make the most money, inside their carriages, including a number for The peak summer and winter tourist Ironically, the water the horses are because it is the busiest island and construction passengers to call if they have complaints. seasons are both dry seasons in the Gili given is severely contaminated with fecal col- work is going on all around the island to build “JAAN is willing to implement a Islands. None of the islands have much natur- iform bacteria, den Haas learned by having new hotels. The owners just buy new horses similar system for carriage horses in the Gili al shade. Only Gili Air has fresh water. several samples tested. “The horse owners when their horses are too ill to work or drop Islands,” den Haas pledged. “Hotels can then “All of the horses are fed grass were unaware that serious dehydration also dead.” Replacement horses “are purchased at ensure that only carriage horses who are well which is obtained from Lombok,” den Haas leads to colic and that salty water leads to the Masbagik market in eastern Lombok,” den cared for can serve tourists from their hotels learned. “All horses at Gili Meno are provided dehydration,” den Haas reported. Haas learned. “Horses caught in the wild in and be endorsed by the hotels.” May 2010 3/22/13 11:25 PM Page 13
ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 2010 - 13
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. Royal SPCA of Great Britain “prioritizes” by declining to accept surrendered pets L O N D O N – –Non-Royal SPCA British animal shel- added. “We’ll pick up what ever we can, but will need some about two-thirds of the RSPCA network would continue to ters and some RSPCA affiliates are still assessing the impact of proper stats before a longterm plan can be put in place.” accept all animals. an RSPCA policy decision to “prioritize” shelter admissions to Asked Lesley Slater, founder of the Freshfields Channel 4 News said it had received documents say- “RSPCA-generated” animals. Animal Rescue Centers in Liverpool and North Wales, “Where ing “The move will allow the RSPCA to become more efficient, “The only change,” insisted RSPCA chief superin- will all the strays go now? There is a great need for rescue ken- by reducing the need for the organisation to pay to house ani- tendent Tim Wass to the Times of London, “is that spaces in nels,” Slater continued, noting that the Freshfields facilities mals in private boarding facilities.” our own animal centres are being prioritised for animals res- “will not provide enough shelter for the many dogs who are Noted Channel 4, “The RSPCA had an income of cued by RSPCA inspectors from cruelty and neglect. This going to be picked up. It is going to be a disaster for the canine £119 million in 2008 and is Britain’s eighth largest charity. means that the abandoned, abused, sick or injured animals population,” she predicted. This latest move is part of a £54 million savings scheme over who are most in need receive our care before animals whom “It is too early to tell really what the impact of the three years,” instituted “after donations fell in the recession.” people simply don’t want any longer. We will never turn away RSPCA decision will be,” Mayhew Animal Home vice chair The RSPCA is handling steeply increased numbers of an animal in need,” Wass said. James Hogan told ANIMAL PEOPLE, “but as yet we have “RSPCA-generated” animals in recent years. Investigating “Several RSPCA animal centers have been doing this not noticed anything more than the usual overload. It is our 110,841 alleged cruelty and neglect cases in 2005, RSPCA for a number of years,” Wass continued, “and have found understanding that the RSPCA said their local shelters will be inspectors handled 140,575 cases in 2008. members of the public have been very supportive––it is com- encouraged but not be forced to comply. We believe it w i l l “The rise is in part the result of the Animal Welfare mon sense for us to make space for animals in imminent danger take some time before it is possible to accurately d e t e r m i n e Act, which came into effect in 2007, which introduced new or who have been abused.” how this directive will operate in practice.” offences of failures in animal welfare, rather than just cruelty,” Elaborated RSPCA operations director Nigel Yeo to Said Bath Cats & Dogs Home chair Chris Pope, “We Channel 4 News said. ANIMAL PEOPLE, “The RSPCA comprises a national soci- have spent the last 70 years caring for local animals in need. British Veterinary Association president-elect Harvey ety and about 170 separate branch charities under our banner We operate independently of the RSPCA and therefore decide Locke supported the RSPCA policy change, but acknowledged and standards but not our control. The new policy applies to our own priorities. Thanks to our independent status, Bath “concern that more unwanted pets may be left to fend for them- the 17 national centers and to a degree the four hospitals and six Cats & Dogs Home will not adopt the RSPCA’s proposals.” selves, that people will just leave them on the streets or turf clinics run nationally–– although the policy is less strict there at The first major no-kill animal shelter in Britain, Bath them out of their cars on the motorway. I would like to think this time. I do not know how many branches will follow the Cats & Dogs Home rehomes about 3,000 dogs, cats and other that that would not happen,” Locke said, “but that is a risk.” national lead,” Yeo said. Added Yeo, “We have been turning small animals per year. The new RSPCA policy was introduced just at the away animals for years because of lack of space. We took “I think when it comes to the branches,” predicted peak of “puppy and kitten season,” when accidental spring lit- about 20,000 animals into our national centres [last year], RSPCA governing council chair Angela Walder to BBC ters flood shelters worldwide. including those seized as part of an investigation.’ Channel 4, “they will do what they’ve always done, which is Tracing the use of the terms “puppy season” and “kit- The 169 RSPCA affiliate shelters collectively rehome take in as many animals as they can.” Walder chairs the ten season,” ANIMAL PEOPLE learned that since shelter about 70,000 dogs and cats per year. The next largest British RSPCA branch in Isle of Sheppey, Kent. intakes of puppies and kittens began to be quantified in the sheltering organization, Dogs Trust, rehomes about 10,000 The RSPCA policy change reached the public via 1970s, available records from shelters mostly in the U.S. but dogs and cats per year through 17 shelters. Channel 4 News on April 20, 2010, after Channel 4 received a also in other nations indicate that about 30% of all puppies and Asked what the fallout from the RSPCA policy leaked copy of a memo circulated that day to affliliates and kittens received have come in the months of March and April; change was on Dogs Trust, chief executive Clarissa Baldwin headquarters staff. The policy change was tested, according to 30% have arrived in the single month of May; 30% have come told ANIMAL PEOPLE, “In great frustration, the short an RSPCA media statement, by the Ashley Heath Animal in June and July; and only 10% have arrived during the other answer is no news. We are trying to get a handle on the num- Center near Ringwood, Surrey, and the Millbrook Animal seven months of the year. bers” of animals who might be refused by the RSPCA and Centre in Chobham, Surrey. The total numbers of puppies and kittens received by come to Dogs Trust instead. “RSPCA headquarters branches “This comes after the RSPCA itself complained that shelters have fallen by upward of 90% in many cities, to the will undoubtedly be following the new regime,” Baldwin said, the number of abandoned animals is soaring as a result of reces- point that puppies and kittens are no longer a large part of shel- “but there are a large number of autonomous branches who may sion,” Channel 4 reported. According to Channel 4, the ter intake in much of the U.S. and Britain, but the seasonal pat- not acquiesce. There are 58 members of the Association of RSPCA expected 17 shelters operated by RSPCA headquarters tern of births and arrivals of puppies and kittens has changed Dogs & Cats Homes and I am in touch with them,” Baldwin and 40 affiliates to accept the policy change, meaning that relatively little. ––Merritt Clifton Money crunch brings another leadership change at Wild Animal Orphanage SAN ANTONIO––Under new management for the Wild Animal Orphanage showed up to feed the animals but litigation also expected from Nicole Garcia. Elise Matthes said second time since September 2009, Wild Animal Orphanage found the locks had been changed. Police were called and more than $100,000 had already been spent, with $19,000 remains mired in litigation pertaining to the leadership transi- eventually opened the doors so that the animals could be fed.” owing in cases involving Wild Animal Orphanage. “To spend tions, and in a cash flow crisis coinciding with the national Garcia said “the animals are not in danger and will not be euth- these astronomical monies on legal fees with donations made recession of the past two years. But ANIMAL PEOPLE was anized,” added Christopher Heath of KENS 5 News. by generous contributors t o feed and care for the animals is told by sources with conflicting views about a variety of other Appealing to animal advocates and other animal char- unconscionable,” Elise Matthes said, but did not say what matters that many of the most alarming rumors about the sanc- ities for emergency help, Sumner Matthes on May 5, 2010 options Wild Animal Orphanage might have to avoid legal fees tuary circulating in early May 2010 appeared to be exaggerated. announced that Jamie Cryer, husband of Wild Animal after being sued. “Our office has taken no legal action against this San Orphanage board member Michelle Cryer, would succeed Sumner and Elise Matthes resigned from the Wild Antonio facility nor do we anticipate any, at this point,” Texas Garcia on an interim basis. Animal Orphanage board on May 12, 2010, requesting repay- Office of Attorney General spokesperson Tom Kelley told Said Matthes, Jamie Cryer “willingly agreed to work ment of a personal loan to the sanctuary of $2,000, made on ANIMAL PEOPLE. “We are monitoring their efforts daily, without compensation to assure the feeding and care of the 400 May 4. “Two weeks ago there was $400 in the bank,” Elise nothing more.” resident animals,” including 57 tigers, 24 other big cats, 219 Matthes said, “but thanks to that plea we sent out, $13,000 “We have made the proper arrangements, are cur- monkeys, 22 bears, and 16 chimpanzees. came in. So, there is a little money to pay animal caregivers rently in good standing, and are in no way getting foreclosed,” “Compassionate caregivers are still reporting to work and purchase animal food. I haven’t a clue what the future will acting Wild Animal Orphanage director Jamie Cryer told ANI- to feed, clean, and care for the animals,” Sumner Matthes bring.” ––Merritt Clifton MAL PEOPLE. said. “However, six caregivers are tem- “The Wild Animal Orphanage properties are not in porarily working without compensation.” foreclosure,” confirmed Elise Matthes, director of Sarasota In Jamie Cryer, 41, has started and Defense of Animals, who served temporarily on the WAO sold three businesses, Sumner Matthes told board with her husband Sumner during the most recent leader- ANIMAL PEOPLE, and “says he does ship change. The original property, purchased in 1990, was not have to work for compensation.” fully paid off in 2008, Elise Matthes said. Larger properties “I have worked for Wild Animal acquired in 1999 and 2001 are 62% and 84% paid off, respec- Orphanage since Hurricane Katrina,” tively, with about $93,000 remaining to pay, according to fig- Jamie Cryer told ANIMAL PEOPLE, ures Elise Matthes provided. “during which time I spent months in and Wild Animal Orphanage founder Carol Asvestas, around Louisiana rescuing all kinds of ani- who lives next door to the original property, told A N I M A L mals and transporting them to the Best P E O P L E that she had not heard the foreclosure rumor, and Friends temporary shelter in Mississippi. I knew of no reason to believe it. still transport dogs and cats from Asvestas directed Wild Animal Orphanage from 1993 Mississippi to no kill shelters in New York, through September 2009, assisted by her husband Ron, but New Jersey, Florida, Arizona and after years of controversies inflamed by the San Antonio California. I have also done rescues with Lightning news web site, Asvestas was ousted on October 4, the International Fund for Animal Welfare 2009 by a coup d’etat led by her daughter Nicole Garcia. and Big Cat Rescue,” a sanctuary in south- Telling ANIMAL PEOPLE that much of the L i g h t n i n g ern Florida. reportage was accurate, Garcia dropped a libel suit against the The Wild Animal Orphanage Lightning filed by her mother on behalf of the sanctuary. facilities are near the Friends of Animals ANIMAL PEOPLE learned on April 26, 2010 that subsidiary Primarily Primates, Wildlife Wild Animal Orphanage board members had begun seeking a Rescue & Rehabilitation, and the Born replacement for Garcia. “On April 30, 2010 Garcia was termi- Free Primate Sanctuary. Sumner Matthes nated,” 13-year Wild Animal Orphanage board member confirmed that “We have been in contact Sumner Matthes said. “We learned that the board was not with several organizations to seek options,” truthfully informed about numerous important issues,” Matthes but this initiative ran into conflict with the explained, alleging that Garcia had “opened a secret bank Texas Office of Attorney General, Elise account,” and had “not advised the board that Wild Animal Matthes told ANIMAL PEOPLE. Orphanage was broke.” ANIMAL PEOPLE did not succeed Elise Matthes questioned “contin- in reaching Garcia to get her response. uing to run up huge debts with attorneys” in The situation went public on May 1, 2010, when response to wrongful dismissal litigation KENS 5 News in San Antonio reported that “Volunteers at the brought by Carol and Ron Asvestas, with May 2010 3/22/13 11:25 PM Page 14
14 - ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 2010 Kinship Circle & Chilean coalition help in earthquake aftermath ST. LOUIS––While U.S. animal animal rescue volunteers from coast to coast deploying to work with the Chilean vets and sold. Towler also recommended that Kinship rescuers watched and waited for the Deepwater during Hurricane Katrina and aftermath in SACH through at least June.” Circle teams should “build a dog park area Horizon oil slicks to drift ashore and wreak 2005. Beginning as an activist alert network, Kinship Circle personnel including within tent cities, to contain dogs for people havoc, Kinship Circle founder Brenda Shoss Kinship Circle has matured into a disaster veterinarian Dan Meakin and information offi- without room, or who don’t want dogs inside tried to alert the world to a little noticed relief organization with paid consultants coor- cer June Towler averted a dog massacre near their tents,” and should “work with tent city humane crisis in Chile––including a growing dinating volunteers in the field––but the Talquahano on May 7, Towler reported, but mayors to implement a poop-and-scoop pro- risk that dogs might be massacred in the tent Kinship Circle work in Chile has barely been Towler expected that the risk would recur. gram,” but precautions would have to be cities housing much of the displaced popula- noticed by U.S donors. “Too many dogs roam the narrow taken, she said, to ensure that the necessary tion of Talquahano. “We’ve had a lot of publicity on the corridors of this cramped tent city,” wrote tools would not be stolen and sold. Aftershocks from the February 27, Chilean side,” Shoss told ANIMAL PEO- Towler, paraphrasing the camp mayor. Earlier reports from Kinship Circle 2010 Chilean earthquake and tsunami contin- P L E , “but have struggled tremendously to “People cannot even feed themselves. How team members Cheri Deatsch and Sister ued into May. The initial earthquake measured raise funds in the U.S. because Chile has been can they feed their dogs? Strays mix with the Michael Marie described treating between 30 8.8 on the Richter scale, among the strongest sandwiched between Haiti, the oil spill, and pet dogs. Dogs defecate everywhere. No one and 100 injured animals per day, often strug- ever recorded. The entire captial city of the recent floods,” which hit Nashville hardest disposes of the feces. This is a public health gling with a lack of resources. Veterinary sup- Santiago was moved 11 inches to the west. and obliged the Humane Society of the U.S. to concern. In Chile, animals don’t live inside plies must be purchased within Chile, Deatsch Because Chilean buildings have been move the Animal Expo 2010 conference from homes. Here, animals live in tents that are so explained, because “Chile basically doesn’t built to withstand earthquakes since the rise of the flood-damaged Gaylord Opryland Resort closely aligned, there is literally no outside allow people to bring animal-related goods the ancient Andean civilization, more than to the Nashville Convention Center. space around them. Some animals are well into the country.” 1,000 years ago, the 521 human deaths were “Kinship Circle has been working behaved. But some cause conflict with others. Field clinics often consisted of just fewer than in some individual building collaps- with Socorro Animal Chile, a coalition of 15 Most of the people truly love their animals,” “a door-sized board laid atop two sawhorses” es in other recent disasters. Chilean animal groups and affiliated veterinar- Towler said. “They welcome our treatment to improvise an examination table, Deatsch But the earthquake, aftershocks, ians, since shortly after the earthquake,” visits. But despair propels them to euthanize wrote. Dogs and cats arrived in wheelbarrows, and tsunami caused ongoing fires and oil Shoss said. “We have been traveling with their animals, rather than watch them starve.” bird cages, and sugar sacks, brought by peo- spills. Half a million houses were damaged or SACH staff and veterinarians north and south Towler recommended that Kinship ple who often waited for hours for their pets to destroyed, displacing about two million peo- of Concepcion to 30 tent camps since the Circle teams should “establish a daily tent city receive treatment. ple. Tens of thousands remain displaced, with quake and tsunami. Most of the long-term route to treat dogs for mange, fleas, and other [Contact: Kinship Circle Animal their animals, nearly three months later. damage and reason for evacuation was due to parasites, and distribute food. However, we Disaster Aid Fund, 7380 Kingsbury Blvd., Shoss, of St. Louis, won a reputa- the tsunami. We need money for continued cannot leave full, unopened food bags,” St. Louis, MO 63130;
ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 2010 - 15
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 2009 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. Ringworm, rabies, parvo, feline calicivirus, & FIP challenge animal shelters Reminders of the importance of dis- with saliva from the rabid dog had to be killed. and fluid losses, controlling vomiting and diar- a role in the disease itself. Antibody titres are ease control in animal shelters came in April “This was even if their only contact rhea, and preventing secondary infection. Sick meaningless for diagnosis or prognosis. A 2010 from five shelters whose staff cumula- was walking on the same ground,” Moen told dogs should be kept warm and receive good vaccine is available, but there is no consensus tively euthanized more than 400 exposed ani- ANIMAL PEOPLE. Fourteen people who care. Isolation of infected dogs is necessary.” on its efficacy or safety.” mals due to disease outbreaks. had adopted potentially exposed dogs were FIP originates as a rare mutation of Most controversially, the Ontario given a choice between quarantining the dogs Feline calicivirus feline enteric coronavirus, known as FECV, SPCA announced on May 11, 2010 that it for two weeks each or having them euthanized. Nicky Ratliff, executive director of which is common and relatively harmless. would kill about 350 animals due to ringworm, Moen said she did not know what they each Humane Society of Carroll County in “Recent research has shown that mutant FECV after containment and treatment efforts begun decided. No other rabies cases were reported. Maryland, in late April 2010 suspended cat arises within an individual cat,” Garland said. on February 22 repeatedly failed. Six workers adoptions for more than two weeks to combat “Thus, we now know that the vast majority of were also infected. Tests showed that every Parvo an outbreak of feline calicivirus. cats do not ‘catch’ FIP, but develop it them- room at the Ontario SPCA branch shelter in Parvovirus caused the Royal SPCA “Ratliff said the symptoms of the selves from their own mutant FECV.” Newmarket, Ontario had become contaminat- shelter at Townsville in north Queensland, infection showed up a few weeks ago, but Although transmission of FECV is ed. Said Canadian Press, “The branch will Australia to euthanize more than 200 dogs, shelter staff and local veterinarians thought it common, Garland explained, “Transmission undergo a thorough cleansing and an inspec- including 50 puppies, spokesperson Michael was just an upper respiratory disease,” report- of FIP from cat to cat is considered rare. This tion to ensure the ringworm is eradicated.” Beatty told Josh Bavas of the Australian ed Carroll County Times staff writer Carrie has caused leading FIP researchers to state that The Ontario SPCA reversed course Broadcasting Corporation on April 12, 2010. Ann Knauer. Ratliff et al recognized feline cats who are ill with FIP are unlikely to be a under a storm of protest on May 13, after Parvo did not wholly engulf the shelter, which calicivirus after one cat developed ulcerations risk to other cats and thus do not need to be killing 99 animals. Ontario SPCA chair Rob adopted out 340 animals during the dozen in her mouth. Highly contagious among cats, isolated” from other cats who have already Godfroy told media that protesters took about weeks that the outbreak continued, Beatty feline calicivirus can be spread by all body shared the same environment for some time. 15 animals from the Newmarket shelter before said. However, the outbreak was prolonged secretions. The incubation period varies from However, a cat with FIP can potentially infect police restored security at the building. by arrivals of more dogs who had parvo. one to five days, while infected cats can shed other cats with FECV. “It seems out of place for the SPCA The parvo variant that hit Townsville the virus for as long as a month. “The peak ages for losses to FIP are to be euthanizing such a large number of ani- emerged between 30 and 40 years ago, and Continued Knauer, “All felines at from six months to two years old,” Garland mals,” commented International Society for has mutated several times, said Garland. the shelter who had the virus have been eutha- said, “with the highest incidence at 10 months Infectious Diseases ProMed forum moderator “Recently a new strain has been nized, Ratliff said. All strays who are brought of age. Age-associated immunity to FIP Tam Garland. “While some may argue that it reported in Europe, Asia, and South Amer- in are immediately vaccinated. The shelter appears to be possible. Transmission of FIP may be humane to do this, one has to wonder ica,” Garland warned. Parvo “is highly con- staff have been thoroughly and continuously from a queen to her unborn kittens has not since the disease can be self-limiting, why tagious and is spread by direct dog-to-dog con- disinfecting the cat housing at the shelter.” been shown to occur.” euthanasia is the only answer here?” tact and contact with contaminated feces, As with rabies and distemper vacci- Preventing FIP requires preventing The Humane Society of Greater environments or people,” Garland added. nations, which protect animals from becoming FECV. “Two main patterns occur with Dayton, in Ohio, fought a similar outbreak in “The virus can contaminate kennel surfaces, infected in the future but do not cure animals FECV,” Garland continued. “Most cats will September 2009 by allowing individual foster food and water bowls, collars and leashes, who are already infected, vaccination against become infected and recover, but will not be caregivers to treat infected animals at home. and the hands and clothing of people who han- calicivirus will not eradicate the virus in a cat immune. They are susceptible to reinfection. Only 10 Humane Society of Greater Dayton dle infected dogs. It is resistant to heat, cold, who has already contracted it. A calicivirus A small number of cats become infected but do animals were killed, all of them after develop- humidity, and drying, and can survive in the infection may contribute to a cat developing not recover. They become persistent shedders ing serious secondary infections. The Ontario environment for long periods of time. Even dental disease years later. of FECV and are the source of reinfection for SPCA attempted that approach with about 90 trace amounts of feces containing parvo may the other cats. The key to eliminating FECV, animals early in the outbreak, Godfroy told serve as environmental reservoirs of the virus. FIP and thus the risk of FIP, would be the identifi- media, but ringworm continued to occur in the “All dogs are at risk,” Garland In Michigan, the Shiawassee cation and removal of chronic shedders. Newmarket shelter, forcing a suspension of explained, “but puppies less than four months Humane Society fought feline infectious peri- Currently, however, there is no easy way to adoptions. The outbreak began among cats, old and dogs who have not been vaccinated tonitis––an incurable, invariably fatal form of determine which cats are persistent shedders. then spread to dogs and rabbits, said Ontario against canine parvo are at increased risk. No coronavirus. About 35 cats and kittens were “FECV is spread primarily by the SPCA spokesperson Roslyn Ryan. specific drug is available that will kill the virus euthanized, board president Robert Meihls fecal-oral route and, to a lesser degree, “We have some standard protocols in infected dogs,” Garland said. “Treatment is and executive director Sandi Wright told the through saliva or respiratory droplets,” when there is an outbreak of this type,” intended to support the dog’s body systems Argus Press. Garland said. “The virus can persist in the Ontario SPCA chief executive Kate Mac- until the dog’s immune system can fight off Posted Garland of ProMed, “Feline environment in dried feces on cat litter for Donald told Canadian Press. “Due to human the infection. Treatment should be started coronavirus operates differently from any three to seven weeks, so scrupulous cleaning error,” MacDonald added, “the protocols immediately and consists primarily of efforts other feline virus. Systemic antibodies have of cages and litter pans is important to reduce were not followed.” to combat dehydration by replacing electrolyte no protective function for the cat and may play the amount of virus in the environment.” Shelter manager Denise Stephenson was fired on April 30, 2010 for failing to con- tain the outbreak, she told Toronto Star urban affairs reporter Gail Swainson. Stephenson ANIMAL PEOPLE insisted she had followed Ontario SPCA proto- col for disease outbreaks “to the letter.” thanks you for your generous support The outbreak was detected soon after the Toronto SPCA was closed for six weeks of Honoring the parable of the widow's mite––in which a poor woman gives cleansing and staff retraining, by court order, but one coin to charity, yet that is all she possesses–– ––Wolf after five months of Ontario SPCA administra- we do not list our donors by how much they give, Clifton tion. The Ontario SPCA charged seven but we greatly appreciate large gifts that help us do more for animals. Toronto Humane Society key personnel with neglect and conspiracy, in part due to alleged Heather Abraham, Jean Adamiec, Adirondack Save-a-Stray, Elizabeth Adjan, Ginette Anttila, John Arnold, Mary Ruth Aull, Nelson Babb, failure to control disease outbreaks. Dianne & Michael Bahr, Gini Barrett, Cathy Bazarian, Mary Beauchamp, Leonard & Ellen Berger, Dr. Manny Bernstein, Frances Bialek, Robert Biastre, Doris Bickford, Meredith Bishop, Laura Black, Melanie Blake, Merry Blake, Mary Beth Brown, Elizabeth Buley, Rabies Kathryn Burton, Michael Burton, Erika Brunson, Jean Carr, Donna & Jim Carter, June Carter, John & June Caspersen, Grover Chapman, The Circle of Friends Humane Roberta Ann Claypool, Gale Cohen-Demarco, Nancy Comeau, Brien Comerford, Deb Congdon, David Conklin, Peggy Conyers, Society in Grand Forks, North Dakota, on Jane Courtney, Bonnie Crecelius, Susana & Dave Crow, Bruce Dailey, Phyllis Daugherty, Katia Davis, Diane Davison, March 9, 2010 received two dogs who were Dr. John de Planque, Richard DeBenedictis, Ross Draper, Patricia Ducey, Madeline Lia Duncan, Linda Dyer, Beverly Englishman, found roaming at large. Sent to a foster home La Rue Ewers, Troy Fogle, Linda Forsberg, Sylvia & Herb Forsmith, Mr. & Mrs. J. Fulton-Scott, Fundacion Federico, Mildred Funk, in nearby Grafton on March 20, one dog dis- Karen Garett, Phyllis George, Debra Giambattista, John Gill, Florrie Goldman, Laurie Goldstein, John Green, Mary Jo Greenberg, played rabies symptoms on March 25, and Martha Grimes, Odette Grosz, Judy Grunger, Roger Gurner, Holly Gurry, Clifford Hayman, Richard Heaning, Judy & Pedro Hecht, was euthanized on March 27. Claire Heiser, Audrey Hill, Holly Hilton, Helene Hoffman, William Holliday, Mildred Huey, Elizabeth Javens, Jerome Kahn, “Tissue samples tested positive for Eleanor Kaufer, Susan Keeney, Susan Kosakowski, Joel Krupnik, Sybil Landau, Cathy LaSusa, Christina Leverenzzi, Peggy Lieber, rabies. Officials were notified on March 31,” Mark Lieberman, Susan Lobonc, Laurel Lyall, Mariana Manzo, Joan Marsh, Tim & Jackie Martin, Linden Martineau, Richard McCrea, wrote Ryan Johnson of the Grand Forks Melissa's Rescue, Nazen Merjian, Lola Merritt, Marilee Meyer, Melvin Miller, Dr. Joyce Murphy, Norman Nikodym, Lynne Ninonuevo, Herald. “State veterinarian Susan Keller said Deborah Nuzzo, Alice O'Reilly, Steven Pagani, Margot Palma, Damon Phillips, Richard Pollak, Leslie Fay Pomerantz, Thomas Porreca, the state Board of Animal Health assessed the Michael Porteus, Dr. Princess, Mrs. John Pyner, Randy Randall, Lynn Rasmussen, Dr. Scott & Ellen Robinson, Carol Rocci, dogs who were at the facility from March 15 to Ronald Rosenkranz, Dr. Rhoda Ruttenberg, Laine Ruut, Dairne Ryan, Sally Sandquist, Andrea Sandstrom, Cindy Sautter, Lela Sayward, 20, the time frame of possible contact with the Marietta Scaltrito, Jill & Bill Sedam, Stephen Serota, Jacqueline Seuss, Robin Shaug, Gloria Shell, Kathleen Shopa, Magda Simopoulos, rabies carrier.” Circle of Friends executive Cheryl Simpson, Martha Skleder, Floyd & Sally Socia, Lindy & Marvin Sobel, Kathleen Spain, Elizabeth Stacy, George Stassinopoulos, director Arlette Moen explained to Keller that Beverly Steffens-Claudio, Al Stein, Janet Steinberg, Katherine Stires, Joseph Swierkosz, Tanya Szuba, Ann Tanner, Donald Tayloe, dogs at the shelter do not have direct contact Margaretta Taylor, Mimi Taylor, Dee Tharpe, Alice Timothy, Seth Vaughn, Edith von Fraunhofer-Brodin, Kristin von Kreisler, with each other, but Keller ultimately directed Christine Weiskopff, Ronald Winkler, Nancy Withers, James Woodruff, Judy Youngman that about 20 dogs who might have had contact May 2010 3/22/13 11:25 PM Page 16
16 - ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 2010 Made for Each Other: The Intimate Ape The Biology of the Human-Animal Bond by Shawn Thompson by Meg Daley Olmert Kensington Publishing (119 West 40th St., New York, Da Capo Press (11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142), NY 10018), 2010. 320 pages, paperback. $14.95 2010. 291 pages, paperback. $26.00. “I know more about orangutans animal. Thompson profiles Rosa Maria Made for Each Other is densely So does this make them act more maternal? In than any normal human being should and Garriga, a wildlife veterinarian who is origi- packed with scientific facts and theories about the 1990s Thomas Insel, Lawrence Young and apparently not enough about human nature,” nally from the Catalan region of Spain. She the biology of the animal-human bond. other researchers at Emory University in says Shawn Thompson in his new book, The now works at an orangutan clinic in Pasir Hundreds of citations back up or question the Atlanta studied genetically engineered animals Intimate Ape, his account of living among Panjang, operated by the U.S.-based evolution of the human relationship with to investigate the bonding effects of oxytocin these fascinating yet sometimes unpredictable Orangutan Foundation International. She species including dogs, baboons, and horses. and vasopressin, a closely related brain hor- creatures and the people who care for them. patches up animals who have been slashed by So many intricate details are thrown mone. Knock-out mice, as they were called, Thompson’s relationship with machetes after running afoul of loggers or at the reader, however, that the pacing is without the gene for oxytocin, would not orangutans, a threatened species, began in farmers protecting illegal palm oil crops. sluggish and the material is hard to digest all at make friends. They lost their ability for social 2001 on a trip to the swampy jungles of Garriga copes with nervous orangutans who once. Chapter one, for example, discusses recognition. Borneo. At age 50, some people think of life try to bite her hands off. She could work the work of nine researchers, including E.O. A lengthy discussion of oxytocin fol- after retirement. Not Thompson, a writer and almost anywhere, yet she chooses to stay in Wilson, Elizabeth Lawrence, and Stephen lows in chapter four. Oxytocin has a multitude editor. At 50, he expanded his career by the jungles with the orangutans. Kellert. Ensuing chapters follow a similar pat- of functions, such as regulating eating habits. studying orangutans. The best-known orangutan advocate tern, as Olmert condenses lifetimes of study to A powerful neurotransmitter, oxytocin has a The Intimate Ape invites the reader may be Birute Galdikas, sent by Louis make her points, centering on her idea that “dynamic chemistry” that produces satisfying into the complex lives of orangutans. Four Leakey to study orangutans in 1971, about a there is an inherent chemical attraction among social bonds, including with animals. feet tall, they are strong, yet shy and with- decade after he sent Dian Fossey to study living beings. Olmert nicely summarizes how and drawn. They are intelligent, using rudimenta- gorillas and Jane Goodall to study chim- Chapter two discusses the birth of when our relationship with dogs probably ry tools. But as babies, they are as helpless panzees. Galdikas has had many run-ins with the animal-human bond and how oxytocin, started. “Eating leftovers does not make a wolf as human infants. Orangutans live primarily loggers. Kidnapped at one point, she was not to be confused with the popular and often into a dog,” she writes, “but it’s a start.” alone in the vast rain forests of Sumatra and punched in the face and has a few chipped abused painkiller oxycontin, plays a role in Common ancestors of wolves and dogs scav- Borneo––as long as they are left alone. teeth from it. that relationship. enging for food around human settlements Illegal logging strips away their The Intimate Ape treats the reader to Discovered in 1902, oxytocin is a may have begun the domestication process as habitat. They are captured by humans, most- an unforgettable journey in the steamy jungles hormone found in the pituitary gland that acts long as 400,000 years ago. ly out of ignorance. Sometimes they are of Southeast Asia. Some of the people whose on the uterine muscles to produce labor con- Made for Each Other is obviously stolen from the jungles for transport to zoos. work on behalf of orangutans Thompson tractions. Both males and females produce the product of hard work and painstaking Encroachment on orangutan habitat describes are heroic, and a few are prickly, oxytocin. Rats deprived of oxytocin ignore review of scientific literature. But animal peo- has reached such a critical point that the but most are just dedicated. Thompson also their offspring. Some species, such as prairie ple don’t need a long line of theories to help World Conservation Union and the introduces orangutans themselves, struggling voles, produce greater densities of oxytocin. them appreciate their pets. ––Debra J. White Convention on International Trade in to live in a world that scarcely changed in Endangered Species list orangutans as endan- millenia, but is now in constant transforma- gered. Sumatran orangutans are critically tion. Some orangutans are brave, some are Second Nature: endangered. schemers, and some act out from abuse. One The Inner Lives of Animals Many dedicated scientists, prima- hopes these are not profiles of a species we tologists, conservationists, and volunteers are have come to know just as they are driven to by Jonathan Balcombe working tirelessly to save this magnificent extinction. ––Debra J. White Palgrave MacMillan (175 5th Ave., New York, NY 10010), 2010. 242 pages, hardcover. $27.00. The Man Who Lives with Wolves Jonathan Balcombe, in S e c o n d attributes are actually evolutionary adaptations Nature: The Inner Lives of Animals, wrote of behavior shared by many and perhaps most by Shaun Ellis with Penny Junor the book that the long forgotten Royal Dixon animal species, even some of the most primi- Random House (1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019), 2009. tried to write in The Human Side of Animals tive. Also like Dixon, Balcombe segues from 288 pages, hardcover or e-book. $24.99. 90 years earlier. discussing animal behavior and appeals on Structurally, Second Nature and The behalf of individual animals’ rights into an Living among wolves, not bathing For months he had been Human Side of Animals are so similar as to appeal on behalf of species conservation. for years and eating out of a carcass, is Shaun accepted as part of the pack, but he wondered seem to have been written from the same out- Writing relatively close to the begin- Ellis at best guilty of bad taste, or is he just if the wolves would finally recognize that he line. This may be because any examination of nings of conservation funded by hunting extraordinarily dedicated to his work? was not one of them. animal sensitivity, intelligence, emotions, license fees, before the idea had actually been Ellis bonded with animals as a child Ellis entered a relationship with a awareness, communication, sociability, and enacted into law in more than a handful of in the English countryside. His companions woman named Jan, who had three children “virtue” might logically progress from looking states, Dixon did not anticipate that conserv- were frogs, ducks, and dogs. His love for from a previous relationship. Together they at how animals perceive the world and each ing species might clash with respecting the animals collided with fox hunting. had four more children. For a while, Ellis other, to how they use their perceptions. lives and welfare of individual animals. “Many were the times I came across worked in a dog kennel while Jan immersed The major difference is that Balcombe wrote Second Nature more than 70 a den where the vixen had gone to ground and herself in wolves. Balcombe has the advantage of being able to years after species conservation came to be co- the huntsmen had dug her out and gassed and Word traveled about Ellis’ work. cite almost another whole century’s worth of opted by “hunter/conservationists,” whose killed the kits,” says Ellis. That they killed The BBC broadcast an interview. So did scientific findings in support of his case, espe- chief interest was and is in producing abun- for sport, not for survival, upset him. National Geographic. A movie was made cially in an extensive discussion of behavior dant “game,” and about 30 years after killing “No one would listen to me when I about Ellis, called Living With Wolves. Ellis that indicates animal altruism and a sense of wild predators to encourage “game” species tried to protest that foxhunting was cruel,” became known as the Wolfman. fair play. Dixon had a scientific education, morphed into killing any “non-native” species Ellis remembers. Foxhunting was officially Frequent trips to Idaho, forays to and styled himself a scientist, but in his time as well, to try to prevent habitat transforma- banned in the United Kingdom about 30 years live among wolves, demands by the press, few peer-reviewed studies existed of animal tion through species competition. later, but is still practiced through various and a decision to raise wolves took a toll on behavior, and much of the scientific commu- Balcombe rejects this approach, loopholes in the law. his marriage. “My preoccupation with wolves nity vehemently insisted that animals are which is in essence trying to prevent evolu- Ellis dropped out of school at age and building a home for them hadn’t helped essentially instinct-driven automatons, in tion. “We may sympathize with efforts to 16. He worked at a few petty jobs, then my relationship with Jan,” Ellis admits. order to excuse and defend vivisection. Thus secure the protection of endangered species,” joined the military, serving in Northern The Man Who Lives with Wolves is a Dixon often fell back upon anecdote, albeit says Balcombe, “but doing so at the expense Ireland and Cyprus. After discharge, he land- peculiar story. On the one hand, Ellis digs with a preference for anecdotes offered by of other animals is misguided and hypocritical ed a job at the privately owned Dartmoor deeply into the lives of wolves, an often mis- well-respected scientific observers, to make when we continue to threaten the endangered Wildlife Park, which keeps captive wolves. understood creature who has been both points that Balcombe makes by citing peer- species through our own activities.” His obsession with wolves began. maligned and inappropriately romanticized. reviewed studies. Balcombe goes on to describe many “I found myself looking forward to On the other, Shaun Ellis goes well beyond The parallels between S e c o n d examples in which animals are massacred in the end of each day when I could go and be the experimental eccentricities that Farley Nature and The Human Side of Animals a r e the name of conserving rare species, while lit- with them again,” Ellis recalls. The more Mowat acknowledged in Never Cry Wolf, incidental. Balcombe shows no sign of having tle or nothing is done to prevent the human time he spent with the wolves, the more he published in 1963. ever heard of Dixon, at least before ANIMAL activity that puts the rare species in jeopardy. learned about their behavior. Alphas are the Sacrificing family, regular meals, P E O P L E extensively examined his life and Unfortunately, toward the end of decision makers and the leaders of a wolf hygiene and sanitation to follow a passion can works in October 2009. Though the entire more than 200 pages of critically reappraising pack, but the social structure of wolf packs be ascribed to scientific dedication, but could animal rights movement might have been kin- commonly held but erroneous dogmas about otherwise varies. The member wolves each also be ascribed to derangement. Not bathing dled by Dixon’s work, it wasn’t. Espousing animals, Balcombe accepts completely uncrit- have different jobs. for months is frightful. goals and a philosophy that were at least 50 ically the oft voiced claim that the earth is Ellis broadened his experience on What about keeping and breeding years ahead of their time, Dixon cofounded the experiencing an “extinction crisis.” Indeed, several trips to the Wolf Education & wolves in captivity? Among the lessons short-lived First Church of Animal Rights in as Royal Dixon knew and explained, species Research Center in Idaho, directed by Nez learned from the red wolf reintroduction in the New York City three years after publishing whose habits or habitat needs conflict with Perce tribe member Levi Holt. The center was Great Smokies, the Mexican gray wolf rein- The Human Side of Animals. The First Church those of humans are often pushed to the brink involved in the Yellowstone wolf reintroduc- troduction in the Southwest, and the of Animal Rights made a flamboyant and of extinction. Some have documentedly gone tion. By day Ellis worked at the center. At Yellowstone wolf reintroduction is that cap- well-publicized debut, endorsed by celebri- extinct. Yet the numbers of species existing in night he patroled the woods studying wolves. tive-bred wolves tend to fare badly in the wild. ties, but failed within just a few weeks. almost every habitat are equally documentedly Then he began living in the wild among The successful Yellowstone releases were of Dixon thereafter lapsed into obscurity, spend- much greater now than when they were first wolves, much as Never Cry Wolf a u t h o r wild wolves recently captured in Canada. ing most of 60 years as an itinerant lecturer. catalogued, when Dixon as an employee of Farley Mowat did in 1948-1949, seventeen Reputable wildlife centers rehabilitate injured Balcombe has now been involved in the Field Museum in Chicago was among the years before Ellis was born. wolves, and when possible, release them. animal advocacy, often as an itinerant lectur- taxonomic cataloguers. “Above all things, I wanted to be Only when a wolf is so severely injured or er, for more than 20 years, working for the What is actually occurring is a vast like a wolf,” Ellis says. That included eating habituated to human contact as to be unsuit- Humane Society of the U.S. and more recently reshuffling of the relative abundance and raw meat like wolves. He lived completely able for release is the wolf kept in captivity. for the Physicians Committee for Responsible breadth of distribution of species, as humans apart from civilization. “I hadn’t changed my Does living with wolves and under- Medicine. He became widely recognized in move organisms around both deliberately and clothes in months or done more than splash standing their behavior ethically entitle Ellis to 2006, after publication of P l e a s u r a b l e accidentally. The killing in the name of con- water from the river now and again over my keep wolves indefinitely and perhaps for all of K i n g d o m, a pioneering look at animal play. servation that Balcombe deplores is often face, my crotch, and under my arms. My their lives in a captive environment? Second Nature builds to some extent on rationalized as an urgent response to a crisis, hair was uncombed and my beard unshaven,” Readers of The Man Who Lives with Pleasurable Kingdom, but examines the when in truth it is nothing more than scape- he recounts. Wolves will find Ellis either a fascinating per- whole spectrum of animal activity. goating an adaptive species for habitat changes Ellis returned to normal living, at son who truly follows his dreams, or feral and Like Dixon, Balcombe explains that that only humans could introduce. least temporarily, during breeding season. outrageous. ––Debra J. White what are usually believed to be unique human ––Merritt Clifton May 2010 3/22/13 11:25 PM Page 17
ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 2010 - 17 Filling the Ark: Animal Welfare Why We Love Dogs, in Disasters by Leslie Irvine Eat Pigs, & Wear Cows: Temple University Press (1852 N. 10th St., Philadelphia, PA 19122), 2009. 176 pages, hardcover. $24.50. An introduction to carnism Who fills the ark in time of disaster? stranded by flooding were by Melanie Joy, Ph.D. Leslie Irvine in Filling the Ark examines who fed and watered once, a week after Katrina, is evacuated and who is left behind? and then killed the following day. Conari Press (65 Parker Street, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA Practically everyone old enough to Farm animals fared little better. 01950), 2010. 204 pages, hardcover. $19.95. watch TV remembers gut-wrenching scenes of Ranchers mostly discussed their tens of thou- Melanie Joy opens Why We Love workers in factory farming and slaughter, National Guard troops yanking bewildered sands of cattle losses in economic terms. Dogs, Eat Pigs, & Wear Cows by describing who are typically uneducated and are often dogs and cats away from the arms of hysterical Relatively few expressed concern that the ani- guests sitting around a dinner table. The host undocumented foreigners, with little concep- children during the evacuation of New Orleans mals suffered from the hurricane winds and smiles as she dishes out a savory stew. Oh, tion of having any rights for themselves, let after Hurricane Katrina hit in late August floods, and went weeks without adequate food by the way, did I tell you it’s made from five alone that rights might exist for animals. 2005. Some pets were shot in the streets by or palatable water. Farm organizations fed pounds of golden retriever? Do the guests Meatpacking is among the most dangerous sheriff’s deputies. Charges against the stranded herds, but rescuing individual cattle vomit? Storm out in protest? Or slap their and unwanted jobs in the U.S., with one of deputies were dropped in 2008. Other animals was often left to nonprofit horse rescuers who napkins across the cook’s face? the highest job turnover rates. were tied up and shot sadistically in a school pulled cows out of the muck as well. In a second scenario the savory Information about the meat industry that had served as an evacuation center. No Animals endure pain and misery stew is made from marinated beef tips in a red reaches the public from time to time, mostly one was charged with those killings. Tens of from many other types of disasters. Irvine wine sauce, served over a bed of steaming through hidden camera exposés conducted by thousands of pets were left to fend for them- reviews the effects of oil spills on birds, fish, white rice. Most people dig in and perhaps animal advocates working under cover. The selves. Many were rescued by the largest and sea otters, and many other marine species who ask for seconds. public repeatedly expresses disgust at images longest sustained animal rescue operation in lose their lives and habitat. Rehabilitation of Why do humans eat beef, chicken, of cattle, pigs, or poultry being kicked or the U.S. ever, but many others died before oil-injured animals tends to be slow, costly, lamb, pork and seafood without blinking, yet beaten by brutish workers, but consumes help could arrive. Others escaped and went reaches only a small portion of the animal vic- in much of the world are repulsed and out- burgers, steaks, wings, and chops anyway. feral. Some may still live in the debris. tims, and has a notoriously poor success rate raged by the idea of dining on dog? Joy suggests that putting pictures of Katrina brought passage of the fed- with many species. Joy describes great differences in the animals on packaged meat might influ- eral Pets Evacuation and Transportation Irvine points out in her discussion of how most people experience dogs. Even ence a change in behavior. But our ancestors Standards act, enabling pet keepers to take animals and disasters that species matters, just those who don’t have dogs often see neigh- and people in other nations were and are not pets when forced to evacuate by disaster. as at other times. Dog and cat owners pump bors with them. Dogs star in advertisements less carnivorous as result of their much more One of the major pet rescue centers their fists in anger when domestic pets are lab- and screen entertainment. Dogs guide blind frequent exposure to animals who were raised operated on the campus of the Louisiana State oratory subjects, but few people become exer- people, sniff out bombs, and detect acceler- for slaughter. In most of the world and University veterinary school. Yet about 8,000 cised over the treatment of rats and mice in ants at suspected arson sites. We share our throughout most of history, meat consump- mice, rats, dogs, and monkeys died in the research labs, who are exempted from protec- lives with dogs, but not with cows or pigs. tion has risen with affluence, declining only LSU laboratories, acknowledged LSU Health tion by the U.S. federal Animal Welfare Act. A college professor, Joy asked her due to hard times. Sciences Center School of Medicine dean Filling the Ark challenges readers to students for their opinions about pigs. She People do often identify with and Larry Hollier. Only 16 dogs and an unspeci- demand better treatment for all animals, was told that pigs are lazy, stupid, and spare animals who make an inspired effort to fied number of chinchillas were rescued. including lab rats and mice. “gross,” but that bacon tastes good. She escape from slaughter. Fiction about such At Tulane University, 175 boxes of “Instead of getting a bigger boat,” asked if any of them had ever met a pig. cases forms a literary genre, including the transgenic mice were rescued. Other Tulane Irvine concludes, “perhaps we can turn the None had. She asked why we eat pigs and 28-volume “Freddy the Pig” series produced lab animals who survived the storm but were ship around.” ––Debra J. White not dogs? Students believed that pigs were by Walter R. Brooks from 1927 to 1958, and bred to be eaten; dogs were not. But few had Charlotte’s Web, by E.B. White, twice dra- ever considered why. matized in successful films. Naming Nature: Joy calls this behavior “carnism.” Joy describes a 1995 episode in The clash between instinct & science Eating certain species is usually believed to which a cow eventually named Emily fled be ethical and appropriate. Why? Just from a New England slaughterhouse. by Carol Kaesuk Yoon because it has always been done. Purchased for $1.00 by Peace Abbey founders W.W. Norton & Co. (500 5th Ave., New York, NY 10110), Carnism is an entrenched ideology Lewis and Megan Randa, Emily spent the 2009. 344 pages, hardcover. $27.95. that is hard to change. I recently overheard a last 10 years of her life with the Randas. man say that if he couldn’t eat steak, he’d Unfortunately, Joy stretches the Taxonomy is the science of naming cards––or baseball cards, or any of myriad shoot himself. Yet he had a dog at home. truth a few times. For example, she says that and cataloguing life forms. What taxonomists other objects that give them practice in order- His was an extreme reaction, but according non-meat alternatives must be actively sought do is order biological knowledge. The 18th ing the world in a taxonomic manner. to Joy most people eat meat without consider- out. Most major grocery stores now stock century botanist Carolus Linnaeus is widely Taxonomy, according to Yoon, was ing the violence in the meat industry. Besides non-meat burgers and sausages, made by recognized as the originator of scientific tax- the original and still the most universal expres- the abject cruelty, there is contamination to some of the biggest U.S. food processing onomy, but as Carol Kaesuk Yoon points out sion of the impulse to order. She pays particu- worry about. But that’s another story. companies. Most chain restaurants serve veg- in Naming Nature, Linnaeus’ contribution was lar attention to the parallel evolution of what Meat is big business. At least ten etarian burgers. chiefly that he found a means of reconciling she terms “folk taxonomies” worldwide. billon animals are slaughtered each year just In a sidebar about suffering, Joy older taxonomic constructs to accommodate Yoon discovers that experts in any in the U.S. The USDA estimates that Ameri- says that doctors did not use anesthesia or the findings of the Age of Discovery. given field are able to hold in readily accessed cans annually eat an average of at least 87 painkillers on infants until the 1980s. This is Heraldic taxonomy, ranking species memory about 600 definitions within each of pounds of chicken, 17 pounds of turkey, 66 not a universal truth. Doctors disagreed about as “higher” and “lower” according to recog- their spheres of expertise. This is, for pounds of beef, and 51 pounds of pork. the age when babies feel pain, but medical nized traits, had been recognized in various instance, about the number of baseball cards Including other meats, such as seafood, literature shows that many doctors believed forms throughout Europe, Asia, and much of in each year’s most popular set. It is also the that’s over 223 pounds consumed per person. that infants and third trimester fetuses feel Africa for thousands of years before Linnaeus. number of stocks that a leading stock trader Joy describes the deplorable condi- pain decades earlier, and tried to avoid caus- Totemic taxonomy, even older, can track at a time, and has many other correl- tions for animals in factory farm, and the ing them pain. ––Debra J. White appears to have been practiced wherever there atives, but the prototypical set of definitions are traces of human culture. appears to be the number of species that or anything else, be charted on a flat plane. If exist, because they do not all share common Taxonomic classification is implicit experts in hunter/gatherer cultures recognize. everything living today could be placed on a ancestors who were fish, and do not all have in Neolithic cave paintings, ancient Egyptian As societies become more techno- flat plane, there would still have to be dimen- descendants who are fish. As Yoon explains, hieroglyphics, and even in the structure of lan- logically sophisticated, the uses of taxonomic sions above and below to represent what the lungfish are more closely related to cows than guage. Yoon traces the taxonomic impulse all systems change, for example to recognizing present evolved from and what it is evolving to to salmon. “Fish” may describe an evolution- the way back to the need of primitive animals tools and machine parts. Yet we still use simi- become in the future. The ongoing post- ary phase, and a state of being, but is not a to recognize threats, find mates, and avoid lar organizing methods, even in setting up Darwinian socio-political tumult over teaching cladistic category. eating their young. Babies often practice tax- computerized data bases. evolution reflects the difficulty of learning to That cladists no longer recognize onomy even before they speak, “naming” ani- Since Linnaeus, new approaches to think in multiple dimensions. A case can be “fish” as a grouping of species, Yoon argues, mals by mimicking their sounds. ordering life have twice challenged both folk made, however, that the rapid progress made does not invalidate “fish” as a useful taxonom- Raised in environments where the taxonomy and science. The first was Charles in almost every branch of science, technology, ic concept. Understanding evolutionary taxon- opportunity to mentally catalog nature is rela- Darwin’s recognition of evolution. Introduc- and even moral and political philosophy since omy is essential to much work in the life sci- tively restricted, children collect Pokemon ing evolution to taxonomy necessitated begin- Darwin has resulted from broad use of multi- ences, but other taxonomic approaches are ning to think of ple dimensional thinking of a sort rarely prac- still more useful in day-to-day human pursuits. Hit them with organization in ticed––or taught––pre-Darwin. Yoon touches only lightly in the 299 three dimen- The Darwinian world view led even- pages of Naming Nature on the applications of a 2-by-4! sions. No longer tually to the introduction of cladistics. A clad taxonomy to animal adovacy. Yet humane could all of life, is a biological grouping of an ancestral species work, animal rights theory, and species con- More than 30,000 and all of its descendants. Clad- servation are all founded on concepts of taxon- people who care about Please make the most istics are the study of clads. omy, recognizing classes of beings who suffer animals will read generous gift you can to help Cladists are the people who do the as result of mistreatment, and succeed or fail studying. As simple and logical as to the extent that animal advocates are able to this 2-by-4" ad. ANIMAL PEOPLE shine the bright light on cruelty and greed! cladistics seem to be, as a method persuade others to accept or reject adjustments We'll let you have it Your generous gift of of organizing evolutionary discov- in taxonomic definition, for instance in legally ery, they cut diagonally through distinguishing “pets” from “farm animals,” for just $75––or $195 $25, $50, $100, $500 or more the approaches of all previous tax- and “native” from “non-native” species. for three issues–– helps to build a world where onomy. For example, every folk Efforts to establish rights for great or $515 for a year. caring counts. taxonomy Yoon has discovered has apes, based on human rights, proceed from Then you can let Please send your check to: recognized “fish” as a unique taxonomic recognition that humans essentially ANIMAL grouping of animals who live in an are great apes, but if the test for cultural and them have it. aquatic environment. Some tax- intellectual likeness to humans crossed cladis- PEOPLE onomies have included shellfish tic categories, pigs, dogs, and several bird It's the only 2-by-4 to use P.O. Box 960 and marine mammals among the species might have a equal claim to rights. in the battle Clinton, WA “fish,” but despite the seemingly Speciesism, in light of Yoon’s for public opinion. 98236 obvious “errors” around the edges work, may be defined as simply a matter of of “fish,” the existence of “fish” as people self-interestedly accepting one taxo- ANIMAL PEOPLE a natural taxonomic grouping nomic approach over another, which might be (Donations are tax-deductible) appears to be self-evident. every bit as logical but is not as easily bent to 360-579-2505 To cladists, “fish” don’t human purpose. ––Merritt Clifton May 2010 3/22/13 11:25 PM Page 18
18 - ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 2010 OBITUARIES Commissions to probe death of Kyiv Zoo elephant KYIV––The Kiev city government and German zoo experts. Tarnawska has long Gopal Tanti, 56, died on May 11, Sylvia Bancroft, 93, died on May on May 5, 2010 announced that two separate campaigned against substandard conditions at 2010 after a six-year struggle with a neurologi- 8, 2010 in Menlo Park, California. “I met commissions of senior personnel from other the zoo, which was considered particularly cal disorder that ended his career as “the guru Sylvia in the early 1970s,” Animal Switch- zoos in the Ukraine and Russia would investi- unsuitable for an elephant. of tranquilization,” as Tanti was memorialized board founder Virginia Handley told A N I - gate the April 26, 2010 death of the Kyiv “In 2008, as part of a campaign to by Sunderban Tiger Reserve assistant field MAL PEOPLE. “She was among the first Zoo elephant Boy, 39. urge citizens to help support the zoo, Kyiv director Anjan Guha. “In 33 adventurous animal people I met. With Ginny Shefchick Kyiv Zoo director Svitlana Berzina mayor Leonid Chernovetsky said he personal- years, Gopal Tanti is believed to have tran- she started the Humane Legislative Network, claimed Boy had been poisoned, but SOS ly pays $6,000 a month for the feeding and quillized 84 tigers, a dozen elephants and sev- to alert constituents when their legislators were Animals Ukraine founder Tamara Tarnawska care of Boy,” recalled Svitlana Tuchynska eral rhinos,” recalled Prithvijit Mitra of the voting on a California bill.” After many years produced skeptical statements from British of the Kyiv Post. Times News Network. Tanti joined the of work with the Fund for Animals and the Suderban Tiger Reserve in 1977. Standard Palo Alto Humane Society, Bancroft in 1985 Stanley E. Curtis, 68, died on becoming able to ask the animals what they practice, pioneered by Man-Eaters of Kumaon founded the Humane Education Network, April 25, 2010 of a heart attack. “The fore- want, in terms of flooring, pen design, and author proto-tiger conservationist Jim Corbett, which developed a mailing list of 2,200 sup- most champion of science-based criteria for number and nature of companions. What he was to kill any tiger whose activities appeared porters, and evolved into the Animal evaluating animal welfare,” according to Pork did, however, was demonstrate the intellectu- likely to incite hostility toward all tigers by Protection Information Service online data News, Curtis “essentially created the specialty al capacity of pigs. The experiment became neighbors of tiger habitat. Shankar Ghosh had base. Bancroft came to animal advocacy, of environmental physiology within the field central to the arguments of animal advocates introduced the use of tranquilizer darts, to after a career as a dancer, as a doctoral candi- of animal science,” recalled University of including psychologist Jeffrey Masson in T h e capture rogue tigers instead of killing them, date in experimental psychology who did rat Illinois animal science department colleague Pig Who Sang to the Moon (2004) and Amy but Tanti discarded his methods and instead studies at Stanford University in the mid- Jim Pettigrew. A 1964 Purdue University Hatkoff, author of The Inner World of Farm emulated Corbett, who emphasized getting 1950s. “One night,” she told Jackie Dove of graduate, Curtis taught dairy husbandry for Animals: Their amazing social, emotional close enough to do the job with a single well- the San Jose Mercury News in 1996, “the two years at the University of Missouri, but and intellectual capacities (2009). placed shot. “He would walk straight into the thermostat went haywire and all the rats baked specialized in pig studies after moving to the tiger’s den and shoot a dart from very close to death. I was concerned and upset, and I University of Illinois in 1970. From 1990 until Kathyrn Denise Geiger Gilpatrick, range,” wrote Mitra. Like Corbett “Tanti expressed it. I told them if it happened again 1998 Curtis headed the Pennsylvania State D V M , 37, of North Knoxville, Tennessee, often went alone. Once he tranquilized a I’d call the SPCA. Everyone thought I was University department of dairy and animal sci- on April 16, 2010 was struck and killed by a Bengal tiger in the dark, shooting the animal funny, ridiculous, because they were rats. ence, before returning to the University of hit-and-run driver. Walter Gary Flynn, 53, of in the dim light of a torch. On another occa- That left an indelible memory, a feeling about Illinois, where at hs death he was a professor Knoxville, was charged on April 20 with leav- sion, he kept a drowsy tiger he had tranquil- the quality of caring that students were indoc- emeritus. A longtime advisor to the National ing the scene of an accident, criminally negli- lized floating in a village pond,” to ensure that trinated into––that a living, breathing animal Animal Interest Alliance, Curtis contended gent homicide, driving on a revoked license, the tiger did not drown. “Tanquillizing opera- is a tool, not a creature who feels pain and that the welfare of farm animals is best mea- and driving without insurance. The incident tions have repeatedly gone awry in his fear.” Bancroft quit the Ph.D. program, but sured by physical health and productivity. began, recounted Kristen Letsinger of the absence,” lamented Mitra and Monotosh told Dove she was not opposed to animal “Until a pig learns to talk,” Curtis often said, Knoxville News Sentinel, when two dogs Chakraborty of TNN. “In 2007 a tigress experimentation if it is “demonstrably vital to “pig performance will remain the best indica- named Rosalyn and Chewy escaped from the mauled four villagers half an hour after she human welfare and there are no alternatives,” tor of animal wellbeing.” Curtis “wrote over home of a neighbor, Amy Leming. Rosalyn was ‘tranquillized.’ Last December a tiger and is done with consideration for the animal. 135 peer-reviewed journal articles, 150 scien- was hit by a car. A police officer rushed to her died after being shot, apparently due to an “I describe myself as working in animal pro- tific-meeting papers, and two books,” P o r k aid. Gilpatrick came out of her home to help. overdose. The animal had mauled three, tection rather than animal rights,” Bancroft News recalled––but his best known study tend- Knoxville Police Department spokesman including shooter Krishnapada Mondol.” added, “because the term ‘animal rights’ as ed to contradict many of his own most cher- Darrell DeBusk said the officer “told ished arguments. Beginning in 1995, Curtis Gilpatrick to wait to enter the street until he Devra G. Kleiman, 67, died of currently used seems to indicate that non- and Oregon State University Department of moved his car to block it. As he went to move cancer on April 29, 2010 in Washington D.C. human animals have inalienable rights which Animal Sciences researcher Candace Croney his cruiser, she stepped out into the street and As a University of Chicago undergraduate, are now being violated. In our society animals taught four pigs to push a tractor gear-shift was working on the dog when she was hit.” recalled Washington Post staff writer Emma have pitifully few such rights. I would like to lever with their snouts, using it like a joy-stick Chewy was hit seconds later and died at the Brown, Kleiman “raised a baby dingo in her persuade our society to give them some.” to play video games. The pigs were later scene. Gilpatrick, employed by the Cat Clinic apartment one summer and took a part-time Patricia Bravo, 68, died on March retired to sanctuaries. Curtis intended, he told in Knoxville, died the next morning. Rosalyn job as an assistant on a research project to 5, 2010 in San Francisco. A retired travel media, to improve factory farm production by survived, after surgery. tame wolves. She spent hours in their cages agent, and longtime subscriber to A N I M A L doing crossword puzzles and homework P E O P L E , Bravo donated to many animal Suicides of suspects may be trend in animal cases assignments.” Joining the National Zoo staff charities. M I S S O U L A––A coroner’s jury on “Autopsies revealed that each subject died in 1972, at about the same time the pandas John C. Pyner, 88, a frequent April 16, 2010 ruled that accused cat torturer from a single self-inflicted gunshot wound to Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing came as gifts from donor to animal charities and longtime sub- Gary Lee Bassett, 63, shot himself on the head from separate firearms.” China, Kleiman tried for 17 years to coax scriber to ANIMAL PEOPLE, died on February 4, 2010, seconds after Missoula Brown and Vetterlein were each them to reproduce. Eventually, Brown wrote, March 21, 2010. she “concluded that pandas are social creatures police with a warrant for his arrest on felony charged with 14 counts of animal cruelty and who need to interact. When the National Zoo’s charges kicked his door open. 14 counts of animal abandonment on second pair of pandas arrived in 2001, they Bassett was among four animal cru- September 28, 2009. Deputies on September were allowed to play together in a large enclo- MEMORIALS elty and neglect suspects who were found to 7 found two dead horses on their property. have shot themselves in February 2010, while “Another horse died after being removed from sure studded with sand wallows, ponds and In memory of John Pyner. accused in cases that provoked community the property and three others had to be eutha- trees. In 2005, the couple successfully pro- ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– outrage. Criminal suspects in cases that bring nized,” recounted Gainesville Sun staff writer duced Tai Shan, the first panda born at the In memory of Patricia Bravo. strong public shame have long been known to Karen Voyles. The Florida Department of National Zoo to survive longer than a few ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– be at steeply elevated risk of suicide. Crimes Agriculture & Consumer Services’ Office of days.” Kleiman and Brazilian biologist In memory of Sheba. against animals have usually not been associat- Agricultural Law Enforcement on September 8 Adelmar Coimbra Filho meanwhile rebuilt a ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ed with suicide, but the flurry of recent cases impounded 10 horses, two dogs, a donkey, a captive population of just 75 golden lion In memory of Miso. suggest that this may be changing. goat, and a bull, all severely emaciated. tamarins, who were almost extinct in the wild, ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– into a wild population of about 1,600, plus Responding to a domestic distur- Brown and Vetterlein apparently about 500 more distributed among 145 zoos bance call at Bassett’s home on February 1, shot themselves on November 16, 2009, two worldwide. Before the golden lion tamarin Missoula police rescued a badly injured kitten, days after the Union County sheriff’s depart- project, which had a short-term mortality rate who was later euthanized. Found abandoned ment last communicated with them about the of more than 50% among the first specimens in November 2009, the kitten had been nursed neglect case. returned to the wild, only the North American back to health and adoped to Bassett by In Washington, the Snohomish plains bison had been restored to the wild suc- Missoula Animal Control. County Medical Examiner’s Office and sher- cessfully through captive breeding––and that The case received prominent news iff’s department did not disclose the identity of restoration was begun by the Bronx Zoo more coverage, naming Bassett, on February 2. a 56-year-old man who shot himself on than 70 years earlier. There are now about a Returning with a search warrant on February 24, 2010, nearly four months after dozen other restorations through captive breed- February 2, the investigating officers found shooting a neighbor’s golden retriever in early ing that are widely considered successful, that Bassett was uncooperative and heavily November. The suspect was charged with first armed, and “contacted mental health profes- degree cruelty on February 2. A bench war- though none of the restored species have been In honor of all animals everywhere –– sionals,” reported Tristan Scott of T h e rant for his arrest was issued on February 19, removed from endangered species status. past, present and future. M i s s o u l i a n. A February 3 search facilitated after he did not appear for arraignment. May they all live forever in paradise. by the intervention of mental health counsel- If you know someone else who might ––Mimi Wriedt lors produced evidence that Basset might have There is no better way to like to read ANIMAL PEOPLE, Melissa's Rescue, Clewiston, Florida please ask us to send a free sample. abused another cat, who was missing. remember animals or animal people Bassett shot himself one day after than with an ANIMAL PEOPLE sheriff’s deputies in Union County, Florida, memorial. Send donations CLASSIFIEDS––$1.00 a word! • [email protected] found the remains of Jeannette Lyn Brown, (any amount), with address for 53, and Tina Marie Vetterlein, 39, at their acknowledgement, if desired, to POB 960, Clinton, WA 98236 • 360-579-2505 • fax 360-579-2575 Lake Butler residence. “Evidence reveals a double suicide,” the Union County sheriff’s P.O. Box 960 SUBSCRIBE NOW TO VEGAN VOICE, www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0JXcPxkSGE office said in a prepared statement. Clinton, WA 98236-0960 Based on Hindu mythology, this is Australia's celebrated and singular quarterly the story of Yudisthira, a pious king whose magazine! www.veganic.net place in Heaven is determined by his love ______Your love for animals for a dog. Animated by Wolf Clifton in the Want Art that Reflects Your Values? style of an Indonesian shadow puppet play. W W W . L I T T L E G I R L L O O K I N G . C O M ______sells unique Art for Animal/Environmental can go on forever. FREE SPAY/NEUTER for stray and feral Advocates. Dogs Deserve Better or your The last thing we want is to lose our friends, cats and dogs in Arad, Romania. Please favorite Animal Charity receives 15-50% of but you can help continue our vital educational mission help us with a donation: www.animed.ro the profits. with a bequest to ANIMAL PEOPLE ______(a 501(c)(3) charitable corporation, federal ID# 14-1752216) Holy Lance SIGN THE PETITION TO HTTP://HOLY-LANCE.BLOGSPOT.COM THE UNITED NATIONS to adopt the Animal People, Inc., ______Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare: PO Box 960, Clinton WA 98236 Register your pro-animal organization at www.animalsmatter.org www.worldanimal.net Ask for our free brochure Estate Planning for Animal People May 2010 3/22/13 11:25 PM Page 19
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