“Refugee camp children happy their puppy is Tsunami animal rescue coverage from going to be vaccinated,” e-mailed Robert Blumberg with this photo. Quelling post- India, Thailand, Indonesia, too tsunami rabies panics that swept Sri Lanka (pages 3-5, 7-8, 10, 14-18, 20-21) after thirsty dogs drank saltwater and frothed at the mouth, Blumberg began with vaccines and vehicles funded by ANIMAL PEOPLE. Kenya hunting legalization vetoed N A I R O B I ––“Yesterday, 31st away campaigning. An unexpected December 2005, the president of Kenya, The compensation aspects were a His Excellency Emilio Mwai Kibaki, pub- thin disguise for the bill, the central part of licly declined assenting the G.G. Kariuki which would have allowed Kenyan land- hero in Sri Lanka private members Bill passed in Kenya’s par- owners to operate hunting ranches similar to liament on 9th December 2004. This means those of Zimbabwe, South Africa, Zambia, COLOMBO, Sri Lanka––Electrical that the hunting ban of 1977 in K e n y a Mozambique, and Tanzania. engineer Robert Blumberg had just arrived in remains. This is a great victory for Kenya’s “Private property triumphed over Sri Lanka with his wife, a State Department wildlife!” Youth for Conservation president wildlife conservation,” said Masai activist employee, when the December 26 tsunami hit. Josphat Ngonyo declared, seconds after Godfrey ole Ndopaiya when the bill passed. Blumberg had never done disaster midnight, in the first e-mail that ANIMAL “At the centre of the campaign,” relief work, but as a longtime animal welfare PEOPLE received during the new year. wrote East African correspondents John volunteer in Egypt, where he and his wife for- Introduced in June 2004 as a mea- Mbaria and Kevin Kelley, “was Safari Club merly worked, he knew the animals of Sri sure to compensate farmers and others for International, an elitist hunting club with Lanka would need help. harm incurred by wildlife, “the Kariuki bill deep roots in the United States government He began calling Sri Lankan animal was hurried through when there were very and Congress.” welfare groups and e-mailing to the major Blumberg found, not yet able to organize a few Members in the house,” Ngonyo said, Both U.S. President George W. multinational animal charities to volunteer. relief mission. late in the evenings of December 8 and 9. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney are To prepare himself, Blumberg asked “Everyone has been rendered helpless “It was sneaked through Parlia- life members. Bush, while Texas governor, ANIMAL PEOPLE for a list of web sites and are indeed in shock,” said Kandy Associ- ment through the back door,” Kenya was the Safari Club “Governor of the Year” about animal disaster relief and began studying. ation for Community Protection Through Coalition for Wildlife Conservation in 1995 for vetoing a bill that would have While waiting for his many messages Animal Welfare director Champa Fernando. Management Sydney Qutai told Agence curtailed game ranching. to animal welfare groups to be returned, No international group had help on France-Presse. With national elections only “The U.S. government may also Blumberg volunteered at the U.S. consulate. the way yet––but ANIMAL PEOPLE publish- weeks away, many members were already have rendered financial support to local pro- Seventy-two hours after the tsunami, er Kim Bartlett sent Blumberg start-up funding. hunting groups through the United States Blumberg began to realize that organizing ani- “About 90 people per year die from Agency for International Development mal relief would be up to him, ready or not. rabies in Sri Lanka,” Blumberg learned. (USAid),” Mbaria and Kelley continued. Most Sri Lankan animal rescuers Tsunami victims crowded together in tent cities (continued on page 10) were in urgent need of help themselves, (continued on page 7)
News For People Who Care About Animals
January/February 2005 Volume XIV, #1
Cheetah. (Elissa Blake Free) Video law holds up in first test against animal fighter PITTSBURGH––Reaching a unani- 24, and to refrain from any involvement in mous verdict in only 45 minutes, a federal training, breeding, selling or otherwise deal- jury on January 13, 2005 convicted video dis- ing with pit bulls. Stevens also may not asso- tributor Robert Stevens of three counts of sell- ciate with any other persons involved in such ing depictions of illegal cruelty to animals activities, and may not sell any equipment that across state lines. might be used to train dogs to fight. The case was the first court test of Brian Haaser, USDA Office of the 1999 legislation introduced by Representative Inspector General chief special agent-in- Elton Gallegly (R-California). charge of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast U.S. Senior District Judge Alan N. Region, said in a prepared statement that the Bloch rejected federal public defender Michael “landmark investigation and conviction will Novara’s contentions that the law violated open the doors” to further prosecutions of The Spanish organization Amigos de los Galgos recently found homes for these greyhounds, Stevens’ First Amendment right to freedom of alleged dogfighters based on seizures of video- previously used either in racing before bettors or to to chase rabbits in coursing competition. expression, and that it was misapplied taped evidence. because the law was introduced to address The Gallegly bill was introduced in “wanton cruelty to animals designed to appeal response to public outrage over Internet sales Greyhound racing ends on U.S. west coast to a prurient interest in sex.” of “crush videos,” depicting animals being PORTLAND, Oregon– – G r e y - downsizing of the industry, at that time in The law prohibits the interstate dis- crushed to death by scantily clad women and hound racing appeared to be finished on the response to competition from television. tribution of videos or films depicting illegal transvestites. The traffic came to light when west coast of the U.S. on December 23, 2004, The previous dog racing venue in cruelty to animals, if they are without “serious British Customs in mid-1997 intercepted sev- when Magna Entertainment Corporation Portland was reputedly the biggest greyhound religious, political, scientific, educational, eral videos mailed by one “Jeff Vilencia” of announced that it will not reopen the racing stadium in the world, seating 30,000 journalistic, historical, or art value.” “Squish Productions” in California. Multnomah Greyhound Park in Wood Village, bettors, when opened in 1933. Greyhound Stevens, 64, of Pittsville, Virginia, British Customs took the videos to a Portland suburb. racing left the ever more obviously too large in 2003 sold two videotapes of dogfights and Martin Daly of the Royal SPCA. Daly eventu- Multnomah Greyhound Park animal facility after the 1956 racing season. one video of a “hog/dog rodeo” to investiga- ally enlisted investigative help from Cassandra welfare coordinator Patti Lehnert told Eric Converted to use by professional baseball, it tors for the Pennsylvania State Police and Brown of the London Sunday Telegraph. Mortenson of the Portland Oregonian that the has been known since then as Portland Civic USDA Office of the Inspector General. Unaware of that case, then-America 46 dogs left in the kennels at the end of the Stadium, Multnomah County Stadium, and Stevens advertised the videos for sale in the Online “Animals & Society” host Susan 2004 racing season would be kept until currently, PG&E Park. Sporting Dog Journal, whose publisher James Roghair, now producer of Animal Rights rehomed. Magna acquired the rights to run Fricchione, 34, was convicted in March 2004 Online, independently discovered several web “It’s business as usual for the adop- both horse races at Portland Meadows and dog of six felonies and five misdemeanors for sites which promoted and sold crush videos. tion kennel, Lehnert said. “We will find races at the Multnomah Greyhound Park in allegedly promoting dogfights. Roghair in October 1997 sought help from homes; we will place them.” 2001. Based in Toronto, Magna did not oper- Setting Stevens’ sentencing for April ANIMAL PEOPLE, PETA, AnimalTalk Betting at the Multnomah Grey- ate any other greyhound tracks, but owned all 21, Bloch ordered him to surrender to the hound Park fell from $25 million in 1995 to or part of 12 other U.S. horse racing tracks, court any pit bull terriers he owns by January (continued on page 6) $11 million in 2002, reported Mortenson. one in Canada, and one in Austria. Magna attributed the decline to the rise of Among the other Magna horse rac- online gaming and Native American casinos. ing facilities are Santa Anita Park and Golden “Believe me, we know how big this Gate Fields in California, Pimlico in is,” Christine Dorchak of Grey2K USA e- Baltimore, Thistledown in Cleveland, and mailed to ANIMAL PEOPLE. “Our co- Gulfstream in Miami. founder Carey Theil grew up in the shadow of “Ultimately, we don’t believe the the Multnomah Greyhound Park, and dreamed industry in Portland can support both grey- as a young man of closing it. His mother, hound racing and horse racing,” Magna chief Connie Theil, who is president of Oregon U.S. counsel Scott Daruty told Mortenson. Defenders of Greyhounds, is ecstatic.” About a dozen Oregon breeders sup- “I’m ecstatic,” agreed Connie Theil. ply as many as 400-500 greyhounds to tracks The opening of the Multnomah around the U.S., Carey Theil estimated, but Greyhound Park in 1957 actually represented a (continued on page 15) 2 - ANIM AL PEOPLE, January/February 2005 even relatives. Zorro wondered why he was never eaten, or shot, or broken with disease ...... then he remembered being a puppy and having dis- temper (we can tell from his teeth). He remembered being so very sick he almost hoped for death. He probably remembered his brothers and sisters dying in convulsions, so horrible he prayed his would go quickly. And somehow, though every time his legs jerked awake from a nap he thought this was it . . . it wasn’t. Zorro was spared because he has an important message to tell the world. It’s as if the bad guys slaughtered a whole village and left one man alive to tell the other villages what’s in store for them. Zorro was left alive . . . all these years . . . to eventually tell us his story. For now, the only part I understand is the change in Zorro from when I first saw him, to the way he was January 2005 yesterday when I took his picture. Dear Partner, Zorro likes it here. And that makes me feel good. It makes it worth all the struggles I have to endure to maintain our Zorro is an amazing dog . . . to have been in the wilder- integrity. ness for a long time . . . and to be so trusting of us so quickly. Thanks to you, we created a shelter unique in the United You can see his picture above . . . he is worried about all States, a huge care-for-life Supershelter, unlike anything this because just a few days ago he was soaking wet and cold, anyone could have imagined . . . yet again, looking for something to eat. . . . a place where Zorro can now live a life that he could He had no way to even dream of his life being any other never even imagine during his horror . . . a life that will go on. way. And in the end, it was his hunger that saved him. Zorro As we work to rescue Zorro’s family and friends, still out ate his way into our trap, blind to anyone standing there, blind there, more of Zorro’s message will unfold. For now, just look to the cage itself, so hungry he didn’t skip a beat when the door at him . . . and see the profound “thank you D.E.L.T.A. Rescue” came crashing down behind him. in his eyes. He didn’t care . . . even if this was his last meal. All Zorro knew is that he had food and that no matter what happened next, his night terrors were over ...... nights filled with the horrible cries of other abandoned dogs falling prey to hungry packs of coyotes, trying to feed their young . . . Leo Grillo, founder . . . nights filled with the loud blasts of guns and bullets slamming into his friends while gangs of bad humans laughed with the joy of killing yet another living being . . . D.E.L.T.A. Rescue . . . nights of watching his friends slow down with hunger, contract deadly disease, and eventually die . . . good friends . . . PO Box 9, Dept. AP, Glendale, CA 91209 Attention: Rescuers and Shelters Build your own inexpensive straw bale dog house for your pets’ maximum protection, comfort and fun! Here at D.E.L.T.A. Rescue, we invented a better housing system That’s why we now build the deluxe “stucco” version. Our mate- for our more than 859 dogs. Using 25 common bales of straw, and rials cost for this stucco version is about $400, while you can put up three sheets of plywood, two people can build a straw bale dog house the simple building for under $150. Good news! We put all the in under 10 minutes! This is the same simple structure that withstood building instructions for both versions on video tape for anyone to our terrible El Nino rains in 1998. The simple straw design can last use, or copy in its entirety. And it’s FREE! To help us help precious 20 years, but because we are a permanent sanctuary, our houses animals, besides our own 859 dogs and 552 cats, please get this must last longer. video today and pass it around!
Our dogs love to play on the straw ... Simple straw house, 4x6 foot interior, Newly finished “deluxe” stucco version, before, during and after construction! 10 x10 foot rooftop play area, and steps! which will last 100 years or more!
We spent a year making this video tape. Now, for the sake of cold, unsheltered dogs everywhere, we are offering it to anyone for free. To pay for duplication and postage, we are asking for a $6 donation per tape, but only if you can afford it! And we can send the tape to anyone you want. Or you can get one, copy it yourself, then give it to friends. Write today to get your free video, and then build a house your dog will truly love and enjoy. Send to: D.E.L.T.A. Rescue, Our dogs climb their steps and play on top One village at D.E.L.T.A. Rescue. Two P.O. Box 9, Glendale, CA 91209. and inside their houses. They have a ball! dogs per yard, and a deluxe house for both! Or call us at 661-269-4010 and get it faster! ANIM AL PEOP LE, January/February 2005 - 3 Editorial feature First responders respond An earthquake just west of the northern tip of Sumatra triggered the Indian Ocean IFAW, we soon learned. IFAW, to our knowledge, has never had extensive contacts in that tsunami of December 26, 2004 at 4:59 p.m. on Christmas Day, Pacific Standard Time––still region, but Blue Cross of India chair Chinny Krishna is a WSPA board member. officially the day before, on this side of the International Date Line. We began e-mailing to everyone involved with WSPA for whom we had contact Word that the tsunami had hit Indonesia and Thailand reached the outside world at information, trying to find out what was going on. An initial concern was that key personnel 6:58 p.m. The first report that it struck Sri Lanka came at 7:30 p.m., just as it hit India. might have been killed, missing, or injured. In Thailand, prominent animal defender Leone Returning home near midnight from a family Christmas celebration, A N I M A L Cosens was among the first westerners whose remains were found; French dolphin freedom P E O P L E learned of the tsunami through a two-hour-old e-mail from Eileen Weintraub of advocate Natacha Zana is missing and presumed dead. (See Obituaries, page 22.) Seattle, a volunteer fundraiser for the Visakha SPCA in the coastal city of Visakhapatnam, as Overnight several WSPA board members separately leaked to ANIMAL PEOPLE well as for other animal charities in India–– by mostly roundabout means an explanatory correspondence. It began with lower echelon per- Subject: Mild tremors hit Indian coastal areas sonnel sharing early news about the tsunami, speculating about what they might do to help. Date: Sat, 25 Dec 2004 22:01:04 -0800 Mentioned was the idea of recalling as many key people as could be reached from vacation, to get the relief effort started. But that thought was promptly squelched. Merritt, any news about Vizag, Chennai? Are you follow- WSPA director general Peter Davies on December 29 advised member organizations ing this — tsunamis and aftershocks all over the place. thanks, that, “Those whose Societies may wish to donate to disaster relief are asked to hold for the Eileen moment until things are clearer (we have already had a generous financial offer from Hans At 12:03 a.m., after verifying the news reports, ANIMAL PEOPLE editor Merritt Peter Haering from the Swiss Society). In spite of the fact that the London office is closed Clifton sent out quick inquiries to each of our e-mail contacts in the tsunami region–– until 4 January and our disaster relief director does not join until then [replacing the recently retired John Walsh], deputy director general Tim Bowman is doing what is possible to gain a We are hearing reports of catastrophic damage in your clear picture of what is required.” region from tidal waves. Hoping all are well. The December 29 memo from Peter Davies was accompanied by another, from ANIMAL PEOPLE publisher Kim Bartlett at that moment reached Visakha SPCA Bowman. “It is very important,” Bowman said, “that we do not give people the idea that hospital manager Swathi Buddhiraju by telephone, and set up a telephone tree. Buddhiraju making contact means we are going to assist...any contact by ourselves will be latched onto. called Blue Cross of India chair Chinny Krishna, verified that he and the Blue Cross animal We must not get ourselves into a position of providing money without a clear view on how it is hospitals and shelters in Chennai had survived, and promptly informed us of their status. going to be spent effectively...If you are concerned as to how they are going to treat requests Within the hour we had also connected with Margot Park and John Dalley of the Soi for information then it may be best to not contact them.” Dog Foundation in Phuket, Thailand, and longtime animal welfare volunteer Robert Blumberg, who had just moved to Columbo, Sri Lanka, from Egypt. Bob became our repre- “Be prepared” sentative. We had already gathered the basics about who was in trouble, where, and who was Gaining that clear picture should not have taken longer than a quick web-surfing ses- there to help, before the sun rose here on December 26. sion. The animal welfare community has had enough experience with disaster relief to know At 10:48 a.m., aware that Humane Society International Asian representative Sherry some things that are required in all such situations, detailed on at least 25 web sites whose Grant was mobilizing in Bali to help the Sumatran animal victims, but having heard nothing coordinates ANIMAL PEOPLE had already forwarded to Robert Blumberg, at his request, from the International Fund for Animal Welfare and World Society for the Protection of to help him become self-educated, in the absence of experts, about what he should do. Animals, Clifton shared with WSPA director general Peter Davies the first particulars we had The most immediate needs after disasters are always for potable water, food, trans- from Thailand and India, and followed up soon thereafter with details from Sri Lanka. portation, generators, temporary housing, clean work clothes, tools, and medical supplies, By mid-afternoon on Monday, December 27, with still no word about organized along with trained personnel to assist. Veterinary skills are valuable, but truck drivers, relief efforts from IFAW and WSPA, ANIMAL PEOPLE began globally distributing by e- plumbers, electricians, and people who can fix generators and chainsaws may also be needed. mail the details of how to donate to the surviving animal charities in the tsumani zone. Beginning to fill these universal needs does not take a nine-day needs assessment, Our first clear warning that IFAW and WSPA were not yet on the job came from especially when one has the resources and contacts of a global organization and the disaster is Dalley at 9:49 p.m. on Tuesday, December 28: of such a magnitude that no amount of help will be too much. If you have any contacts with organizations willing to Since Hurricane Andrew hit Florida in 1992, impressing upon the animal welfare help, we desperately need to buy large quantities of food. community the need to develop disaster relief plans, leading organizations have hosted hun- Hundreds of dogs who relied on local restaurants are now starv- dreds of disaster relief training workshops, published many good disaster relief manuals, and ing as all the restaurants are gone. trained thousands of volunteers. Seventy-two hours after the tsunami hit, the Soi Dog Foundation had yet to receive Leaders in both teaching and delivering disaster relief have included Noah’s Wish, even an inquiry from any of the multi-national organizations with multi-million-dollar budgets, United Animal Nations, the Humane Society of the U.S., the North Shore Animal League whom animal charity donors are led to believe are first responders to any major disaster. America, the American SPCA, and American Humane. The latter, in institutional disarray ANIMAL PEOPLE is a newspaper and electronic information service, not a disas- since the mid-1990s, is no longer among the most active responders in most disaster situa- ter relief charity, but saw the need to step in with a hand. Kim immediately transferred money tions, but was historically the first to take on the job and train others. for food to Soi Dog. We also forwarded the Dalley message to the Best Friends Animal A focus of much of this effort has been enabling animal charities to begin responding Welfare Society and the Animals Asia Foundation, who each chipped in, and shared the mes- effectively, immediately, as soon as they hear of a crisis developing, so that by the time per- sage with many activist e-mail lists. Concerned individuals as far away as Switzerland and sonnel reach the scene, they are already bringing the most urgently needed material aid. Argentina were soon helping to feed the homeless dogs of Phuket. HSUS is a WSPA founding partner. If WSPA had even paid attention to the disaster Learning of urgent needs elsewhere in the tsunami zone, Kim on December 31 relief protocols accessible through the HSUS web site, and the tsunami updates posted by transferred money to Blumberg for animal relief in Sri Lanka and to the Blue Cross of India, HSI/Asia, some help could have reached the animals of the stricken parts of India, Sri Lanka, and on January 3 sent funds to the Visakha SPCA and the Wildlife SOS/Friendicoes Society Thailand, and Indonesia within 24 to 48 hours, with more to follow. for the Eradication of Cruelty to Animals relief efforts, along with more aid for the Blue Cross. By January 4, when the WSPA head office reopened, starving and injured animals Donors all over the world were by then asking ANIMAL PEOPLE to route their had been at large for nine days. The already overburdened animal welfare societies serving contributions to wherever the need was most severe. Some also began forwarding fundraising several of the poorest nations in the world had been laboring to assist, with next to nothing appeals received by e-mail from WSPA––along with their complaints about getting no answer beyond what ANIMAL PEOPLE and readers of our e-mails sent them, for all that time. when they called WSPA and IFAW to offer assistance. ANIMAL PEOPLE had tried to expedite the response. Neither had the other animal charities in the tsunami zone heard from WSPA and “Among the major threats to public health and morale in the disaster areas will be packs of hungry street dogs, used to living off refuse, forced to scavenge human remains,” SEARCHABLE ARCHIVES: www.animalpeoplenews.org ANIMAL PEOPLE warned Davies on December 30. “They need to be fed, treated for any Key articles now available en Español et en Français! infections, and be impounded if practicable in areas where they might otherwise be shot, poi- soned, or stoned for scavenging. This is an urgent matter. “Rabies can spread in the wake of major natural disasters, where people and animals ANIMAL PEOPLE are all more exposed and vulnerable. Rabies prevention has to be a priority. Vaccines and News for People Who Care About Animals personnel trained to give them were needed yesterday and the day before. “Rounding up, identifying, and rehoming work animals is urgently important, espe- Publisher: Kim Bartlett cially since equines can go many places in disaster areas that motor vehicles cannot. Editor: Merritt Clifton “Finding milking cattle and goats and keeping them healthy is a vital part of main- Web site producer: Patrice Greanville taining the food supply. Newswire monitor: Cathy Young Czapla “Finally, as most seasoned first responders to disasters know, among the best anti- dotes to post-disaster shock is to give the people wandering in a daze something warm to look P.O. Box 960 after and cuddle. Looking after a frightened homeless dog is not a replacement for looking Clinton, WA 98236-0960 after one’s dead children, but can be the beginning of reconnecting with life. ISSN 1071-0035. Federal I.D: 14-175 2216 “We hear over and over from disaster areas that a valuable side effect of animal res- cue is providing therapy to the human victims, and the present case will be no exception.” Telephone: 360-579-2505. As ANIMAL PEOPLE emphasized to Davies, first responders respond. In a crisis, Fax: 360-579-2575. police, firefighters, doctors, nurses, and journalists who have an authentic sense of duty, E-mail: [email protected] commitment, and pride in their work cancel their vacations and get on the job, to relieve as Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org much suffering as possible, as promptly as possible. Donors expect nothing less of humane Copyright 2004 for the authors, artists, and photographers. workers, especially those whose organizations tout themselves as global standard bearers. Reprint inquiries are welcome. First responding agencies, if in need of specialized personnel when a disaster hits, hire or borrow the help they need. They know who to call. We called on Blumberg, for ANIMAL PEOPLE: News for People Who Care About Animals is published example, whose response was magnificent but who was known to us already as a man who 10 times annually by Animal People, Inc., a nonprofit, charitable corporation dedicated to cares about animals and gets things done. exposing the existence of cruelty to animals and to informing and educating the public of Chief executives of credible first responding agencies do the necessary. They do not the need to prevent and eliminate such cruelty. excuse delay, certainly not in advance of delaying. Subscriptions are $24.00 per year; $38.00/two years; $50/three years. “Thank you for your statements. Your earlier emails had not reached me as the Executive subscriptions, mailed 1st class, are $40.00 per year or $70/two years. WSPA office is closed,” responded Davies on December 30. “This is the first message I have The ANIMAL PEOPLE Watchdog Report on Animal Protection Charities, had from you as I am on my laptop working from home as are my other senior staff.” updated annually, is $25. The current edition reviews 121 leading organizations. ANIMAL PEOPLE pointed out that we often work from the road on a laptop, ANIMAL PEOPLE is mailed under Bulk Rate Permit #2 from Clinton, sometimes from remote and difficult places. We nonetheless almost always manage to check Washington, and Bulk Rate Permit #408, from Everett, Washington. our office e-mail at least once a day, in case there is an emergency requiring action. The base rate for display advertising is $8.50 per square inch of page space. At that point we had already been in communication with humane organizations help- Please inquire about our substantial multiple insertion discounts. ing animals in the wake of the tsunami in Phuket, Colombo, Chennai, and Visakhapatnam for The editors prefer to receive queries in advance of article submissions; unsolicit- nearly five days. We had already helped them to meet their immediate animal relief needs, and ed manuscripts will be considered for use, but will not be returned unless accompanied by were routing further aid to them as quickly as we could raise it. a stamped, self-addressed envelope of suitable size. We do not publish fiction or poetry. (continued on page 4) 4 - ANIMAL PEOPLE, January/February 2005 Editorial feature First responders respond (from page 3) Said Davies, “We need some sort of assessment of kets, restaurants, and hotels whose refuse formerly fed the after that we will have to ask the Karuna Society (of Prasanthi the number and types of animals in distress or in need of help; dogs and cats were no more. Nilayam) to help with volunteers to make sure the food reaches the scale of the veterinary drug requirement by medicine type, With 1.5 million people homeless in India, 745,000 the intended beneficiaries. We can directly use about $500 per what cash is needed and for what purpose specifically, who is homeless in Sri Lanka, and a comparable number homeless in day. If we get more, we can use it through Karuna. able to receive and distribute any aid either sent or purchased Thailand, we could crudely estimate even before casualty fig- “Our volunteer Chanda Walke, a teacher, has locally, etc.” ures arrived from Indonesia that at least 150,000 dogs in India, offered to spend six weeks on the road helping, and Mr. S. Easily accessed online references, including those of 75,000 in Sri Lanka, and 75,000 in Thailand needed help—and Raghavan, an insurance agent, has promised to do likewise. the Indian government and ANIMAL PEOPLE, could have dogs were only one of the many species needing to be helped. God bless them because without such volunteers, we cannot informed WSPA, IFAW, and anyone else interested that India undertake this. Ms. Gayathri Ramesh and Shanti Shankar have has national ratios of about one dog per 10 humans, one bovine Better late than never been taking care of all the beach dogs of Chennai the last animal per 35 humans, and more draft animals than cars. Later on December 30, WSPA granted $15,000 in week,” Krishna added. Similar information was quickly accessible for Sri emergency aid to the Blue Cross of India. The amount was The $15,000 substantially helped two of the organiza- Lanka and specifically for the Phuket region of Thailand. substantial, yet still less that the commitments we were aware tions most in need––but by the time WSPA formally reopened Even without knowing the exact numbers of animals of from individuals and small private trusts on that day alone. for business, the Visakha SPCA had made comparable com- involved, there should have been no question that relief aid for “I am touched,” Chinny Krishna e-mailed in thanks mitments with help from concerned individuals such as Eileen dogs, cats, cattle, and equines would urgently be needed. A to Davies, “because the Blue Cross is broke and I am not sure Weintraub and Australian philanthropist Phil Wollen, along mere glance at online satellite photos could confirm that thou- how we have managed til now. We are committed to spending with ANIMAL PEOPLE and the Best Friends Animal Society. sands of acres of former pasture and ponds were now inundated $300 U.S. per day on hired vehicles, grass, hay and dog food. Rahul Sehgal of the Animal Help Foundation in with salt water, mud, and debris, and that the beachfront mar- We can increase our activities to go a little bit further south but (continued on page 5) Editorial Prioritizing animal & human suffering While investigating the WSPA and (we had a lot of trouble logistically trying to ple must be the priority.” “M. Vilmot, 49, a baker whose 14 IFAW responses to the December 26 tsunami, get equipment to Iraq). family members survived, was sure that those ANIMAL PEOPLE on January 5 received “During the last 10 days,” Gamble “Time to stand up” who had lost loved ones were being punished this message from Worldwide Veterinary continued, “I felt that it was important to rec- Responds ANIMAL PEOPLE pub- for some sin,” wrote Waldman. Service chief executive Luke Gamble: ognize the huge loss and devastation of human lisher Kim Bartlett to all such arguments, “I "We earn money the correct way," “With regards to the Asian earth- life in this disaster and to focus all efforts and simply cannot pretend that animals are not our Vilmot told Waldman. "That's why it didn't quake disaster, we are getting a considerable fundraising to human emergency aid. I believe priority to keep from offending people who happen to us." number of e-mails. Although we are very that this should be done on a personal level think that animal suffering is of no conse- Continued Waldman, “He said he grateful for numerous offers of help, it is and I was/am not prepared to advertise quence. It doesn't matter what they think. followed the five Theravada Buddhist precepts essential that the priority continues to be very Worldwide Veterinary Service on the back of Now is the time to stand up for animals. If of not lying, stealing, drinking, philandering much of a humanitarian nature. In a few any fundraising for these tremendously coura- we––the animal protection community––can- or killing animals.” months perhaps there will be a way we can geous and worthwhile human charities. not stand up and say that animals suffer just as Waldman heard the same view from help our associated charities in the affected “It doesn't for a second mean that I much as humans from pain, starvation, and T. G. David, 72, of Nagurasa village in the regions but please be patient with regards this have forgotten about the animals, simply that even emotional distress, then why do we won- Galle district, whom she described as “a and we will keep everyone informed.” I am struggling to come to terms with human der that the general public cares so little for the Buddhist farmer and strict vegetarian whose ANIMAL PEOPLE pointed out to issues,” Gamble went on. “It is a constant welfare of animals?” beard gave him the look of a prophet.” Gamble the immediate need for veterinary dilemma in many of the third world countries I ANIMAL PEOPLE editor Merritt "Fishermen are taking life," David help in the tsunami zone, both to relieve ani- visit and work in as to whether I am ethically Clifton pointed out that regardless of whatever told Waldman. "Farmers have no problems." mal suffering and to protect public health. making the right decision to help the dogs, priority a person assigns to animal suffering Thenahandy Asha, 26, whom “Having been to Aceh and several of cats and donkeys, etc. and not the people. I relative to human suffering, the appropriate Waldman met at the Buddhist temple in the islands off the North coast of Sumatra in wrestled with retraining to become a doctor on response is to use the tools and skills one has Kalatura “blamed carnivorous Christians who the last few years,” Gamble responded, “I numerous occasions. to relieve as much suffering of whomever’s as had ‘killed many animals’ on Christmas, the honestly don't believe that WVS can logistical- “If I think about all the drowning one can right now, not “in a few months.” day before the tsunami. Samantha Silva, 24, ly assist on the ground at the moment, espe- cats and dogs, the strays being caught and New York Times correspondent Amy agreed: God was angry that so many people cially when even the U.S. Army helicopters eaten for food, of course I want to help them,” Waldman on January 12 reported from Sri had eaten meat, and consumed alcohol. “ cannot land with human food and medical sup- Gamble said, “but then I think about all the Lanka that at least some of the survivors are Asha’s own two children, a five- plies due to the looting and state of intense dying children and the destitute separated fam- attributing the tsunami to divine wrath over year-old girl and a two-year-old boy, were panic amongst the people of Northern Sumatra ilies and I decide that at the moment these peo- disregarding animal suffering. among the dead. Stars fight the dog & cat fur trade LETTERS Some time ago I requested asks, “Would you wear your dog as information about the dog fur indus- fur?” (Having nothing to do with us, try. You sent me many wonderful Simon Cowell has done the same Vaccine, poison articles. I am now working with thing––which is fantastic.) Israel is now cooperating Paul and Heather McCartney, Kim We are doing much more, with the Palestinian Authority in dis- Cattrall, Alicia Silverstone and and it all started with you. tributing the oral rabies vaccine in many others to educate people about ––Dennis Erdman Palestinian areas, funded by the this horrific industry. Heather Los Angeles, California European Union. Israel has permis- showed photos and a video on a talk
Fiona Oakes at Florence. 6 - ANIMAL P E OPLE, January/February 2005 Poultry issues Federal video law holds in first court test (from page 1) The Knesset, the Israeli parliament, host Dick Weevil, and Ohio animal rights mal transactions requires putting an undercov- Fifteen hogs seized in the raid were on January 3, 2005 banned force-feeding attorney Shawn Thomas––who turned out to er investigator inside the activity, among peo- left on the premises of suspects Arthur Parker ducks and geese to produce foie gras, effec- be pursuing a parallel investigation of his ple who are typically also involved in drug Sr., 47, his son Arthur Parker Jr., 20, and tive at the end of the month, one day after the own, after finding some of the same web sites. trafficking and other types of violent crime. Mary Evans Luther, 50, all of the same Knesset Education Committee refused a On October 6, 1997, at Thomas’ This is slow and high-risk work. address in Fort Lawn. All three were charged request from the Agriculture Ministry to delay request, ANIMAL PEOPLE postponed pub- Intercepting videos by contrast with felony animal fighting and baiting. the ban until the end of March. Israel ranked lishing an article about crush videos to avoid involves no more risk than routine inspection Arrested later were Thomas Gene fourth globally in foie gras exports, the Israeli jeopardizing the investigation. of materials transmitted by post and other Guffey, 29, of Huddelston, Virginia, for foie gras industry was worth $16.5 million per Cassandra Brown in November common carriers. allegedly attending an illegal animal fight, year, it employed 500 people, and it killed 1997 scooped ANIMAL PEOPLE. Learning and Chester County animal control director about 700,000 ducks and geese per year as of thereby of the British investigation, A N I - High stakes Vicky Stultz Land, 47. August 11, 2003. Then the Israeli Supreme MAL PEOPLE introduced the British and Confirmation of the high stakes Land was charged with animal C o u r t ruled that force-feeding ducks and American investigators by e-mail. involved in animal fighting came on January fighting and baiting and misconduct in office. geese violated Israeli law, but allowed the Unknown to any other investigators, 19, 2005 in Columbia, South Carolina, when State Law Enforcement Division agent Jack industry an 18-month phase-out. the Suffolk County SPCA was separately clos- former state agriculture commissioner Charles Rushing III testified at Land’s arraignment A California Court of Appeals ing in on crush video producer Thomas Sharpe, 66, formally resigned, six months that investigators became aware of her panel in San Francisco on January 11, 2005 Capriola, 30, of Islip Terrace, Long Island. after he was suspended, and pleaded guilty to involvement in March and April of 2004. upheld San Francisco Superior Court Judge Two days after Capriola was arrested in May accepting a bribe of $10,000 from the South Land’s attorney, Leland Greeley, David Garcia’s March 2003 dismissal of a 1998, ANIMAL PEOPLE introduced the Carolina Gamefowl Management Association, acknowledged that on September 11, 2004 lawsuit filed by PETA in December 2002 Suffolk County SPCA investigators to Daly, to protect a cockfighting venue near Land attended a hog/dog contest with five against the California Milk Producers Thomas, and Roghair. Spartanburg. officers of the Chester County sheriff’s office, Advisory Board for alleged false advertising. Capriola in December 2000 pleaded Sharpe was originally charged with wrote Denyse Clark of the Rock Hill Herald, PETA argued that the slogan “Great cheese guilty to misdemeanor cruelty to animals and accepting as much as $26,000 in 2001-2002. but Greeley contended that she was there in comes from happy cows. Happy cows come fifth-degree possession of marijuana, and was A November 2003 raid on the site seized the line of duty. from California’’ misrepresents the reality of sentenced to serve 280 hours of community $50,000 in cash and brought citations against Land was videotaped attending a how dairy cattle are raised. Garcia ruled that service with three years on probation. 118 persons found at a cockfight. hog/dog contest on October 16, 2004, the laws against false advertising and unfair The original investigation brought South Carolina 6th Circuit Judge Rushing told the court. competition laws cited by PETA exempt gov- the August 1999 arrests and eventual plea bar- Kenneth Goode on January 19, 2005 upped ernment agencies. gain convictions of “crush video” star Diane the ante for prosecuting an alleged hog/dog Three-state raids G i n n y C o n l e y , acting executive Aileen Chaffin, 35, of La Puente, California, ring by ordering that 95 dogs seized on The South Carolina arrests were part director of the W e s t Virginia Prosecuting and producer Gary Lynn Thomason, 48, of December 17, 2004 be kept alive, at least of a three-state coordinated crackdown on Attorneys Institute, on January 10 told Vicki Anaheim. Each drew a year in jail and three until a court date is set. The order will signifi- hog/dogging. Smith of Associated Press that 11 former years on probation. cantly increase the cost of pursuing the case. Richard Lee Landers Jr. and his workers at the Pilgrim’s Pride poultry slaugh- Convicted in Britain were Craig A conviction could oblige the defen- wife Shina Giles Landers, of Warrior, terhouse in Moorefield, West Virginia will Chapman, 27, Christine Besford, 26, Sarah dants to make restitution, but the most recent Alabama, were charged with misdemeanor not be prosecuted for allegedly kicking, Goode, 22, and Tharaza Smallwood, 22. precedent was not encouraging, as 8th Circuit cruelty. Seven dogs were seized from them. stomping and slamming chickens against a Chapman was in May 2002 sentenced to serve Judge Wyatt T. Saunders on December 17, They allegedly operated a web site that pro- wall, as captured on video by a PETA under- two years in jail. The three women drew four 2004 reduced from $150,000 to $80,000 the moted hog/dog rodeo. cover investigator. Conley contended that the months each. All four defendants were also restitution assessed to convicted dogfighter James M. Curry and Jodi Marie incidents “need to be handled more on a regu- fined and banned for life from keeping pets. David Ray Tant for the care of 49 pit bull ter- Curry-Liesburg, of Phoenix, Arizona, were latory end than prosecuting someone criminal- riers between his April 2004 arrest and his reportedly charged with child abuse, cruelty ly.” Pilgrim’s Pride, a major supplier to KFC, Following the money November 2004 plea bargain sentencing. to animals, and drug and weapons offenses. fired the 11 workers and provided remedial Dogfighting, hog/dog rodeo, cock- Tant, 57, was sent to prison for 40 Yavapai County Child Protective Services training to supervisors at all of its 24 North fighting, and the sale of videotapes of fights years. He can get five years off for paying took three children into custody. Thirty-two American facilities. and training methods are all magnitudes larger $20,000, and 10 years off for paying the full Russian boars and 17 dogs were seized. McDonald’s Corporation, the than the crush video industry. Affirmation amount, but may never pay any of it, since On January 18, Mississippi state world’s largest restaurant chain, in late that animal fighting can be attacked by prose- most of his assets have been seized by the senator Sidney Albritton (R-Picayune) and December 2004 disclosed in response to a pro- cuting the video distributors allows law Internal Revenue Service. visiting Louisiana state representative Warren posed P E T A shareholders initiative that it is enforcement to strike at a revenue source for The South Carolina State Law Triche (D-Thibodaux) urged fellow legislators studying “controlled atmosphere killing,” i.e. animal fighters which is much more vulnera- Enforcement Division and USDA had placed to join Florida, Alabama, and Louisiana in gassing poultry with nitrogen or argon, as a ble to interception than either betting on fights the dogs seized on December 17 in custody of specifically banning hog/dog rodeo. Albritton possible less stressful alternative to conven- or the cash-only commerce in animals. Chester County Animal Control and represen- has introduced a bill, state SB 2354, modeled tional slaughter. Intercepting either gambling or ani- tatives of the Humane Society of the U.S. on the Louisiana hog/dog rodeo ban authored Enabling caring people to help Band-aid responses MORE LETTERS Concerning your December 2004 editorial “The Thank you for your extremely sensible holiday appeal importance of enabling caring people to help,” fundraising by letter, stressing the usually futile use of band-aid responses to Catholic Concern for Animals needy organizations is very important and all avenues must be cruelty and neglect, instead of working to abolish the causes I know you like to be on top of everything and I explored. I have emphasized the importance of increasing our through education, legislation, and law enforcement. couldn’t find anything about Catholic Concern for Animals in fundraising activity at every Visakha SPCA board meeting in One of the weapons most successfully used by our your archives. the past three years. We are torn between immediate and opponents is the animal shelter. The use of shelters as an all- Catholic Concern for Animals is a British group, urgent field work and the need to raise the money we needed to purpose response to everything diverts energy, time, and active since 1929, now working in 52 countries. They will create awareness, add staff and volunteers, and invest in more money away from outreach to the public, pitting long-term soon be opening a U.S. chapter. fundraising activity, so as to sustain our growth. against short-term programs. This is not to say that a supply of Promoting vegetarianism and an end to all “human I began with field activities, with my salary only band-aids should not be on hand and used when appropriate. inflicted cruelty perpetrated on animals today––in the wild, on meeting my expenses, to prove that this nonprofit organization Another tool of the opposition is the preoccupation factory farms, in laboratories, during long-distance transport, is genuinely working for the cause. Nonprofit organizations are with the tax-deductible status of donations that scares too many and in captivity,” their influence is growing rapidly, especially often suspected of corruption in India, as I heard from animal advocates away from political activity. among Christians who had all but given up on their churches. bystanders on February 19, 2004 while I was under attack by a As you know, I am among your staunch supporters, Their campaign partners include Quaker Concern for group of butchers. The bystanders were saying that I was stop- and will continue to help as best I can (my friend who reads Animals and the Anglican Society for the Welfare of Animals. ping animal slaughter and helping street dogs as part of a each edition to me and is transcribing this, also.) It is good that You can check them out at
might be especially vulnerable to a rabies out- areas we visited were devastated, but the peo- carrying 350 sets of colored pencils and draw- ANIMAL PEOPLE were conducted, so we break, Blumberg saw––and fear of rabies ple do have food and water, which makes a ing paper, donated by the Free Masons. HSI are building an arc of vaccinated regions along might spark dog massacres. big difference in attitude. also left additional puppets for us.” this section of coast.” Finding Pets V Care, a 24-hour clin- “With our limited resources, what Another dog panic crisis erupted Also on January 9, World Society ic with 14 vets on staff and four mobile clinics, we are doing is a drop in the bucket,” within 24 hours. “Last night at midnight a van for the Protection of Animals representative Blumberg recruited Fernando and any other Blumberg admitted. “We know there are ani- set out for Arugam Bay on the east coast,” Gerardo Huertas and Juan Carlos Murillo local animal welfare volunteers he could find mals beyond our reach needing food and Blumberg reported. “Vaccinations were done arrived, “to begin to help develop a proposed to put an emergency vaccination team on the water, but we just don’t have the resources to on one side of the bridge leading to Arugam overall strategy into which all donors can plug road. A local LandRover dealer donated addi- get to them. ANIMAL PEOPLE, the Best Bay, but upon crossing the bridge, we ran and to provide coordination for the relief tional transportation. Friends Animal Society, and the Ahimsa into reports of two to three thousand dogs run- effort,” Blumberg said. Doing human disaster needs assess- Foundation have dispatched additional funds ning amok from hunger, biting people, “They stressed the need for a scien- ment from December 27 through January 3, for these efforts, and WSPA and Humane exhibiting aggressive behavior, spreading tific dog count in several representative areas,” Sri Lankan businessman Michel Nugawela did Society International have advised that funds rabies, etc., with discussion of killing them. already recommended by ANIMAL PEO- what he could to assess animals’ needs as well. are en route. We spoke directly with the Pets V Care vet on PLE, using a methodology Huertas had “Dogs and cats are clustered around “I must make special note of the out- the scene, and the president of the Rotary helped to use in Costa Rica, “so we can shoot camps with displaced people and destroyed or standing cooperation we are receiving from Club chapter that is hosting us at Arugam Bay. down rumors of ‘thousands of dogs running abandoned villages,” Nugawela found. “They Pets V Care,” Blumberg finished, before “While the numbers and incidents amok’ when it may be that a much lower num- are without food and water. In Mutur I saw falling asleep, exhausted. “They are making may be exaggerated, there is an issue. People ber is seen over and over; help determine the dogs drinking puddles of sea water and initial- vets available, with vans and drivers, at about are afraid to go out at night for fear of being resources needed for a vaccination campaign, ly mistook the froth from their mouths for half the usual cost. They are also helping to attacked by dogs, and sleep is difficult from and in the long term, a sterilization campaign; rabies. Food and water, rather than medical buy vaccines, passing them along at cost, and the sounds of barking and dog fights all night. and provide government with updated numbers attention, would be their priority.” providing medical supplies at reasonable cost.” The Pets V Care vet reported that he had not that will help stop purges. Nugawela discovered when he tried personally seen the suspected rabies cases, but “WSPA also suggested rapid prepa- to feed some of the dogs that many seemed Dog panics the descriptions of clinical symptoms fit. The ration of a brochure or flyer that describes dog afraid of kibble, often a hint that poisoned kib- The first post-tsunami outburst of problem may nonetheless be entirely from behavior,” Blumberg continued, “so that peo- ble has been used nearby to kill dogs. dog panic broke out at Paiyagala. Hungry drinking salt water. The French Red Cross is ple can avoid dog bites. It will also stress the “Initially, people were hostile when dogs were allegedly menacing refugees. there, met yesterday with a local health importance of vaccination. This could be dis- I dished out the dog food,” Nugawela said. “One of our group is using 30 kilos inspector, and the decision was reached that tributed along the coasts. Anusha David of our “This eased,” as human needs were better met, of meat scraps donated by the Keel Grocery the situation is beyond control and unfortu- team has a public relations company and can “but I could still sense considerable disbelief and mixing them with rice to take early tomor- nately dogs must be killed. prepare the flyers.” and dislike at what I was doing. row morning for a general feeding, to try to “We focused our limited resources By sundown on January 10 the Pets “The animals are terrified,” keep things calm,” Blumberg told A N I M A L on vaccinating pet dogs, so that they will be V Care teams had vaccinated about 1,200 Nugawela concluded. “The slightest noise, PEOPLE on January 8. safe,” Blumberg said. “We feel as if we have dogs, including hundreds at Trincomalee on a even of a car door shutting, is enough to send HIS/Asia representative Sherry failed and let the animals down, but don’t three-day LandRover trip sponsored by the them running. One dog beside the road was Grant arrived with Bali Street Dogs veterinari- know what we can do. And we are afraid this Best Friends Animal Society. splashed by a puddle of water. The dog ran an Luh Putu Listriani Wistawan to do assess- is only the beginning.” There, Blumberg told A N I M A L out of sight yelping. If I took even one step in ment on January 3, Blumberg said. But the anticipated government dog- P E O P L E , “The Sri Lankan military even the direction of a dog, the dog ran. The situa- “At their suggestion, we will com- killers never came. helped catch strays for vaccinating, and sever- tion was particularly acute in the east.” pletely vaccinate one area before moving on, Instead, Blumberg updated, “The al military personnel expressed an interest in Blumberg’s vaccination effort began so our vaccination team will return to Paiya- HIS-sponsored team returned,” on January 9, adopting one. on January 3 in Moratuwa. The first Pets V gala later,” Blumberg explained. with more supplies, “and vaccinated as many “Noah’s Wish founder Terri Crisp Care team vaccinated 179 dogs at the “Grant and Dr. Listriani left at mid- owned dogs as possible before dark, also giv- arrived today. One of her folks came yester- Moratuwa refugee camps in two days. night to be at Hambantota on the southeast ing advance notice to surrounding areas for day, with two more en route,” Blumberg e- “Using funds from A N I M A L coast by daybreak,” he added. “We vaccinat- folks to bring their dogs for vaccination. mailed on January 11. “One went out today PEOPLE,” Blumberg on January 5 e-mailed ed during their assessment. The HSI team dis- “Another HSI-sponsored team will with a mobile unit. We vaccinated over 600 to other organizations he was asking for help, tributed hundreds of puppets sent from the return to Paiyagala tomorrow to do additional dogs today, really started using the mega- “an additional 500 doses of vaccine have been WSPA-sponsored Kindness Clubs on Bali for vaccinations to ensure this area is covered and phone, and it really helped, so we bought ordered, and a megaphone was purchased in the kids––a huge hit, as the kids in the refugee things remain calm,” Blumberg continued. three more. We’ll have three vans out tomor- response to the first day’s observations that it areas have nothing to. Based on this lesson, “This area is just to the south of Moratuwa, row, and four the next.” would be helpful in spreading the word. The our team heading out tonight to Trincomalee is where the initial vaccination efforts funded by (continued on page 8)
ASPCA 8 - ANIMAL P E OPLE, January/February 2005
By January 14, Blumberg reported, The victim’s condition was not known. In “The Minister advised that a major “We’ve now vaccinated about 2,500 dogs, not Ulle, more than a half dozen people, including difficulty for him was the cost of human post- counting today. We’ve also been vaccinating two foreign relief workers, have been bitten.” exposure rabies vaccine. He sought help to cats, running about maybe 5% of the vaccina- Sri Lankan Army Major Shene acquire more, as he said if he could assure tions given. The International Fund for Gunawadhane told Glionna, “We really don’t people it was available, there would be less Animal Welfare is preparing to establish a vac- want to do this, but dogs are becoming a big pressure to kill dogs. The Minister had said he cination effort centered near Galle, in the problem. We simply cannot afford a major could only give us five minutes, but met with south,” five days after the IFAW web site rabies outbreak.” us for 45 minutes.” described the project as underway, “and we Pets V Care veterinarian Danajaya Back at Ulle, “The flood of red col- are coordinating with them. Now that we have Karunaratna told Glionna that, “In all my trav- lars [denoting vaccination] quickly spread a feel for the situation in various parts of the els throughout Sri Lanka, I have never seen so relief to the community. People are moving country,” Blumberg said, “we are going to many dogs. They need to do something here, back, beginning to rebuild,” Blumberg saw focus on saturating the hard-hit southern area, because there are far too many dogs for a com- by January 18, “and more and more food is and, as resources permit, on the lower middle munity of this size. available to trickle down to the dogs. eastern area. The goal is to vaccinate about “They’re very nice dogs, most of “We were contemplating launching a 10,000 dogs in the next few weeks, while a them,” Karunaratna continued. “It is not their feeding program if the situation warranted,” wider-ranging government program gets start- fault that they have lost their people.” Blumberg said. “The Sri Lankan Association Cat in the rubble. (Robert Blumberg) ed. They need to train additional vaccinators. The emphasis of the January 8-10 for the Welfare and Protection of Animals had “WSPA is developing a larger-scale plan. We “We have decided that all trips vaccination drive in the Arugam Bay area had two staff members ready to set up a feeding had a mobile unit out today, with Noah’s should be at least three days, to minimize dri- apparently been misunderstood. operation, including sending rice, sardines, Wish, who reports that the vets are very ving time,” Blumberg continued. “Some “Since the word seemed firm that the and cooking equipment, and recruiting local enthusiastic about their work, as it enables small hotels are still functioning. Citihealth, a street dogs would be killed the next day, we folks to run the operation. But this does not them to contribute to the national recovery. local medical supply/vet supply importer, has vaccinated as many pet dogs as we could and appear necessary, given the improving situa- “We’ve purchased another 3,000 donated 1.5 liters of Ivermectin, and we have left broken-hearted,” Blumberg explained. tion, though there are still some hungry dogs. vaccine doses and syringes,” Blumberg con- purchased additional Ivermectin. Many of the “This was apparently misinterpreted in a flurry “The team reported that there is defi- tinued, to outfit a team that would go for five dogs have mange and other problems, so we’ll of e-mails forwarded worldwide that the nitely overpopulation on what is now an days “to the east coast above Arugam Bay. give them Ivermectin at the same time as their authorities had stopped the vaccination of non- island, since the bridge to Arugam Bay is Whole villages are just not there,” Blumberg rabies vaccine. We’ve just received an order owned dogs, which was not the case.” gone. Residents pointed out ‘that this dog has said, “but dogs are there and hungry.” of another 3,000 doses of rabies vaccine.” After Glionna’s article hit the inter- had seven litters, and that cat 11 litters,’ and The team would also take 1,000 vac- national newswires, “A WSPA-sponsored they have no vet to do sterilizations at all.” cine doses supplied by Public Veterinary Our donors helped team left for Arugam Bay at 3 a.m. Blumberg “HSI, poised to start a Bali-style Services director P.L. Harischandra, who To that point, the vaccination pro- told ANIMAL PEOPLE, “accompanied by sterilization program in the refugee camps advised that they should emphasize sterilizing gram had received $9,020 from A N I M A L American Humane consultant Dick Green,” starting next Tuesday, enthusiastically agreed roaming female dogs. “Male dogs are usually PEOPLE, including $2,000 relayed from the who took leave from his regular job as emer- to field-test the Sri Lanka operation near kept,” Blumberg said Harischandra told him, Ahimsa Foundation; $ 5,500 from HSI/HSUS; gency response coordinator for the Spokane Colombo, to facilitate press coverage of the “but females are abandoned around temples. $4,008 in cash and pledges from WSPA; $500 Regional Health District in Washington state. same-day release method and to allow obser- Our teams have confirmed this. from Best Friends; and had a pledge of $8,820 “WSPA meanwhile moved forward vation by veterinarians and others who didn’t “The Noah’s Wish team is returning from the RSPA. with establishing operations near Galle in the know such a method can be used. They will to the US tonight,” Blumberg finished, “hav- The Pets V Care team topped 3,000 south,” where the IFAW program was slow to then to head to Arugam Bay for about five ing helped us immensely during a critical time, vaccinations performed on January 16. IFAW develop. “Volunteers in Colombo assisted in days to do saturation sterilization. helping to monitor the pulse of the communi- representatives that day joined a press confer- procuring 34,000 syringes and 75 bottles of “So, while there may be other crisis ties in which we have worked, and doing ence about the vaccination work, but appar- Ivermectin for this operation as well as for the spots, the situation at Arugam Bay appears to whatever needs to be done with a ‘can-do’ atti- ently did not actually vaccinate any animals WSPA-sponsored Arugam Bay trip,” be under control,” Blumberg hoped, convey- tude. Noah’s Wish also sponsored several until the 17th––more than three weeks after the Blumberg said. “WSPA uses three syringes ing “great thanks to John Glionna for bringing vaccination trips. We will miss them, and tsunami, two weeks after Pets V Care started per animal, one for rabies vaccine, one for this situation into the global spotlight.” convey our thanks.” vaccinating at Blumberg’s instigation with Ivermectin, and one for a combination vaccine “The WSPA operation near Galle ANIMAL PEOPLE was still the ANIMAL PEOPLE funding, and more than against other diseases. More megaphones vaccinated about 1,100 dogs in the last two largest contributor to the Sri Lankan relief one week after IFAW claimed to be doing it. were procured to support these operations.” days,” Blumberg added on January 20. effort at that point, having sent more than “In the entire operation we’ve had to Green reported that the euthanize only one dog, and that was due to a “thousands of dogs” supposedly very advanced case of cancer,” Blumberg running amok in Ulle were actually said. “We have had reports of women and only about 500––“Still a sizeable children refusing to move from the refugee number,” Blumberg observed. camps back to their homes near the ocean. “This is an area where dogs are not CHAMP This of course complicates re-situating dis- usually kept as pets. Yet people placed dogs and cats. It’s going to be a long were appreciative that assistance recovery period. We hope companion animals was provided to the animals,” can help,” Blumberg added. Blum-berg noted. For some, famil- The threat of massacre was still iar animals were all that remained pending at Ulle, on Arugam Bay. of their families. “For three weeks,” reported John “Sri Lankan health minis- Glionna of the Los Angeles Times, “hundreds ter Nimal Siripala De Silva, who of dogs have wandered through the rubble in has seven dogs of his own, is keen- search of food, puddles from which to lap, ly aware of the link between the and often just a reassuring pat on the head. well-being of the people and well- “People following the day-by-day progress of The animals are too timid to compete with being of the animals,” Blumberg animal relief work in Sri Lanka may have seen pictures humans for the food that arrives at refugee added. At a January 17 meeting of a vet holding a stick-like device to vaccinate from a camps every day. Yet in Ulle and across this with the vaccination program coor- distance. They are not jabbing the dogs,” Robert poor island nation, some dogs are getting dinators, Blumberg recounted, Blumberg explained, “but using an ‘auto-vaccinator,’ meaner, howling at night, joining wandering DeSilva “strongly stated that his for which Dr. Gamaika of Pets V Care won an award. bands, snarling at one another over the animal policy is to sterilize, not kill. He You just touch the end of the stick to a dog––no jab - carcasses that wash up along the beach. was very happy with our work and bing––while the dog is eating a bit of bait food, snap “Sri Lankan officials began a dog offered his full cooperation. He the release, and the vaccine is injected with minimal eradication program,” Glionna continued pre- was especially glad to hear that HSI stress to the animal. In market areas where the govern - maturely, “after one person in Ampara would start sterilization in the ment has vaccinated every year, some dogs actually province, which includes Ulle, reportedly refugee camps next week. He was come when they see the auto-vaccinator, since they contracted rabies, presumably after a dog bite. also very enthused to hear of the know that for a minimal price they will get a treat. All education component we proposed. the Pets V Care mobile units carry these devices, and because of the gentle nature of the device, we can vac - cinate for rabies, then reload with a shot of Ivermectin Groundbreaking Books for mange.” on Religion & Animal Rights by Norm Phelps
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Fund for Animals 10 - ANIMAL PEOPLE, January/February 2005 Tsunami & vegetarians Kenya hunt ban (from page 1) KHAO LAK––Exposure to death revived “Besides funding a trip by 23 Kenyan officials to countries in the Thai tradition of Buddhist vegetarianism, at least Southern Africa, The East African can reveal today that SCI had among tsunami relief workers, the newspaper been working with an affiliate group of the World Conservation Matichon reported on January 12. Union (IUCN) on a proposed pilot hunting project in Samburu.” “After we turned to vegetarian food and Safari Club director of governmental affairs and wildlife lighting jos sticks to the spirits asking for help, the conservation Richard Parsons told Mbaria and Kelley that the Safari job became much easier,” Khao Lak body recovery Club “had been working with the chairman of IUCN’s Sustainable team leader Chatchawan Suthiarun said. “ Group for East Africa, Eric Bosire, to set up the Samburu project. Indicating that a vegetarian soup kitchen “It is true we have been working with the Safari Club on was among the most popular with Khao Lak this project,” Bosire confirmed to Mbaria and Kelley. refugees, M a t i c h o n quoted a tsunami survivor as “He revealed that the three-year project was to be based in saying that the smell of death had put her off meat. the Wamba area of Samburu, and its goal was to introduce sport Most Thais today eat some meat, chiefly hunting,” Mbaria and Kelley reported. The Kariuki bill rapidly advanced three days after acting fish and poultry, but Thailand was for centuries Parsons acknowledged providing “a very small amount of tourism and wildlife minister Raphael Tuju dismissed the entire ––like India and Sri Lanka––a vegetarian enclave. money” to the Kenya Wildlife Working Group. Kenya Wildlife Service board of directors, for the second time in While the World Conservation Union and “This is an umbrella body,” Mbaria and Kelley explained, two years. The board was dissolved this time after forged papers other environmental organizations pointed out that “that brings together major wildlife forums in Kenya, with offices were circulated which purported to implicate two-time KWS direc- logging coastal mangrove swamps to start shrimp at the East African Wildlife Society premises in Nairobi. It is reput- tor Richard Leakey––and other leading critics of hunting––in farms had left coastal Thailand unprotected against ed to be the local coordinator of the pro-hunting lobby in Kenya.” alleged plots to take over, privatize, and profit from running KWS. tsunamis, the International Vegetarian Union noted Many landowners who want to introduce hunting already KWS director Evans Mukolwe was meanwhile dismissed that the shrimp farms exist to produce meat. raise wildlife for tourist viewing. They have drawn support from after 980 trainee wardens were recruited to fill 460 positions. The “Would this not be the right time,” the subsistence farmers whose crops, homes, and lives are often jeop- East African Standard alleged that many of the trainees were hired International Vegetarian Union online newsletter ardized by rampaging animals, including elephants, leopards, as political favors to members of Parliament. asked, “for bodies such as the United Nations Food lions, and baboons. The farmers have usually blamed the Kenya President Kibaki vetoed the Kariuki bill nine days after & Agricultural Organization, World Health Wildlife Service for failing to control the animals. Tuju appointed Julius Kangogo Kipng’etich, 39, to become the Organization, and European Union to draw up blue- After years of effort reinforcing national park boundaries tenth KWS director in only 12 years. Kipng’etich was managing prints for a future in which vegetarianism plays a to keep animals in, the Kenyan government is increasingly aware director of the Investment Promotion Centre, which seeks to attract much larger role?” that many depredations can be attributed to the wildlife ranchers, foreign business to Kenya, and was previously director of student Meanwhile, announced the vegetarian national security minister Chris Murungu told Amos Kareithi of the welfare and a commerce faculty lecturer at Nairobi University. service group Food For Life on January 1, “We are East African Standard on January 20. Murungu hinted that the gov- Tuju also named a new KWS board, including former serving more than 10,000 freshly cooked vegetarian ernment might expropriate and redistribute to the landless poor the World Bank staffer Shem Migot Adhola, who once worked under meals to tsunami victims per day, consisting of rice, land of ranchers who fail to keep wildlife within bounds. Leakey in an economic recovery project; Helen Gichohi, who dhal, and vegetables.” “Deep and sincere thanks go to everyone who supported heads the Kenyan branch of the pro-hunting African Wildlife Vegetarian food was also served to tsuna- our campaign,” Ngonyo said. “It is our shared victory. But we Foundation; Moi University art professor George Fungo Chengo; mi victims by 11 Indian charities supported by the must not be complacent,” Ngonyo emphasized, noting the influ- Tourism Trust Fund chair Olotisatti ole Kamuaro, who is also an Sabina Fund, a subsidiary of the Farm Animal ence of the hunting lobby and Kariuki’s stated intent to reintroduce International Livestock Research Institute consultant; and Ker & Reform Movement, begun by founder Alex the bill. “We need to embark on an awareness campaign,” Ngonyo Downey Safaris board chair Allan Earnshaw, 53, a photo safari Hershaft in memory of his mother. said, “to prevent any such legislation from being passed again.” guide since 1973, associated with Ker & Downey since1980. Events Jan. 29-30: Equestrians Spa W e e k e n d , in Lenox, Mass., to benefit The Equine Fund. Info: No More Homeless Pets 518-392-5999 or
TEHRAN, BAGHDAD––If humane societies are consists of two Iranian veterinarians and 18 volunteers, most of imagined as a chain of beacons, illuminating their surroundings whom are university students.” and spreading the word, two new points of light just ignited. The Iraqi Society for Animal Welfare formed in mid- “We recently opened the first Iranian shelter for dogs 2003, shortly after the fall of former Iraqi dictator Saddam in Kooshkezar, and the first for cats in Karadj. Both cities are Hussein. Among the cofounders was veterinarian Farah suburbs of Tehran,” wrote Center for Animal Lovers founder Murrani, who helped care for the animals at the Baghdad Zoo Fatemeh Motamedi, “After my husband Sirous provided us after nearby fighting stopped in May 2003. with land, the efforts of dedicated volunteers have made possi- Now doing an internship at the Chyenne Mountain ble building the shelters,” which actually are to function most- Zoo in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Murrani told ANIMAL ly as out-patient hospitals for street dogs and feral cats. PEOPLE that ISAW activities so far have included providing The Center for Animal Lovers’ plan is “to provide care to homeless dogs and cats at Al-Zawra Park in Baghdad care for sick and injured cats and dogs, and also take in strays, and opposing the use of poison for animal control. sterilize them, give them a health check, then release them to Working with the Humane Centre for Animal safe public areas,” Motamedi wrote. “Unfortunately adoption Welfare in Jordan and Military Mascots, founded by Bonnie programs are not socially popular enough yet,” for adoption Buckley in Merrimac, Massachusetts, ISAW has also helped promotion to be part of the regular routine. U.S. soldiers stationed in Iraq to send about 40 adopted pets “At this point,” Motamedi continued, “our team home via Jordan and/or Kuwait, Murrani said. U.S. Army veterinarians have been helping to train the Iraqi staff in small-incision, high-speed dog and cat steril- ization, so that ISAW can assist local neuter/return work. Opening of Iraqi Society for Animal Welfare. Future efforts, Murrani pledged, will include public Inset: veterinarian and cofounder Farah Murrani. education about proper care of pets, working animals, and Las Vegas sports handicapper Wayne Allen Root livestock; organizing vaccination clinics to combat rabies, donated $5,000 to help the dogs via the Las Vegas Valley leishmaniasis, and screwworm; pursuing the passage of animal Humane Society, whose president, Judith Ruiz, began seeking welfare laws; and protecting endangered species. a way to fly pallets of dog food to Iraq. A feeding program for 13 Iraq Interior Ministry Staff of Senator John Ensign (R-Nevada), and police dogs also recently started with U.S. humane community Representative Shelley Berkley (D-Nevada) meanwhile help. The impetus came when U.S. Army Reserve Captain announced on January 7, 2005 that Hill’s Pet Nutrition of Gabriella Cook, of Henderson, Nevada, now stationed in Iraq, Topeka, Kansas, “has arranged for a continuous complimenta- on December 28, 2004 e-mailed to the Las Vegas R e v i e w ry supply of its Science Diet product to be made available” to Journal and other people in the Las Vegas area that “The dogs feed the dogs, wrote Keith Rogers of the Review-Journal. are starving and urgently need dry dog food. Some have Root then asked the Las Vegas Valley Humane already died,” Cook said. “Half are sick. We have no way of Society to use his donation to help Las Vegas-area dogs and Opening of Center for Animal Lovers at Kooshkezar, Iran. buying actual dog food here.” cats, Ruiz told Rogers. More events cates, Las Vegas. Info: L a s Vegas Valley Humane ® Soc,
March 20: Great Ameri- can Meatout. Info: Farm Animal Reform Movement, Maddie’s Fund has revised its grant guidelines to give colleges of veterinary medicine 1 - 8 0 0 - M E A T O U T , more opportunities to apply for shelter medicine funding.
The Watchdog monitors fundraising, spending, and The political activity in the name of animal and habitat pro t e c - tion—both pro and con. His empty bowl stands for all the bowls left empty when some Watchdog take more than they need. Bill introduced to halt wild horse slaughter; horse lovers rally WASHINGTON D.C., RENO– – George W. Bush on December 6, 2004. Increasing public awareness of the U.S. Representatives Nick J. Rahall (D-West “Despite losing most of the plight of wild horses and burros is the first Birds on hit list too Virginia) and Ed Whitfield (R-Kentucky) on California, Oregon, and Idaho delegations goal of the Alliance of Wild Horse Advocates. The Consolidated Appropriations January 25 introduced a bill to restore to wild due to near blizzard conditions over the moun- “While it is not our intent to promote Act also included a stealth rider that exempts equines the full protection extended by the tain passes,” Nevada wild horse enthusiast economic sanctions at this time,” Lamm sug- any birds deemed “introduced” and “non- 1971 Wild & Free-Roaming Horse & Burro Willis Lamm said, “the Alliance of Wild gested, “I think it is not a bad idea for those native” from protection under the 1918 Protection Act. Horse Advocates organizing conference who are involved with campaigns such as ‘Eat Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which animal The Rahall/Whitfield bill, HR-297, achieved most of its objectives. In the years Something Else!!!’ and ‘Quit Beefin’’ to advocates have invoked several times to stop would repeal a stealth rider attached by that I have been involved with wild horse encourage the development of some kind of mass exterminations of mute swans and non- Senator Conrad Burns (R-Montana), to the issues, I have never before seen such cama- cooperative market for mustang-friendly beef.” migratory giant Canada geese. Consolidated Appropriations Act passed by raderie. The conference established a number As ANIMAL PEOPLE went to Many other species may be killed. Congress on November 18, 2004. of working groups, who started addressing a press, both that idea and the idea of trying to “We have tried to make the list as comprehen- “If allowed to stand, the Burns pro- host of specific issues and objectives. These promote boycotts of western range beef and sive as possible,” wrote John L. Trapp of the vision will lead to the slaughter of thousands working groups will confer via the Internet to Montana tourism seemed to be gaining U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Division of of wild horses for human consumption develop and implement their assigned tasks.” momentum. Migratory Bird Management, in preface to abroad,” summarized American Horse The Alliance of Wild Horse “It is fatuous to argue that 30,000 publishing the roster of 113 potential target Defense Fund attorney Trina Bellak. Advocates agreed on a nine-point statement of wild horses roaming the West are degrading species. “It is not, however, an exhaustive An impromptu demonstration of the common understanding of the issue: the region’s arid lands,” Humane Society of list of all the non-native species that could symbolic significance of wild horses to the • In 1971, the Wild & Free-Ranging the U.S. president Wayne Pacelle wrote to The potentially appear in the U.S. or its territories American public came on January 21 at Horse & Burro Protection Act stated that wild New York Times, “when there are more than as a result of human assistance,” Tripp contin- Damante Ranch High School in Nevada. horses were fast disappearing from the four million livestock grazing on those same ued. Any other introduced non-native species Fearing that the Nevada Department American scene. lands. Where population reductions are well might also be designated for massacre. of Agriculture was rounding up mustangs to • Since 1971, the Bureau of Land justified, nonlethal strategies like contracep- The Maryland Department of Nat- sell to slaughter, 30 to 40 students left their Management has not complied with the Act to tion should take the place of costly roundups, ural Resources is preparing to oil the eggs of classes, marched to the temporary corral in protect wild horses and burros on public lands. which are now just an antecedent to the mute swans this spring, and has acknowledgd two separate groups, so that if one group was • Today there are fewer wild horses slaughter of horses for export to foreign mar- that adult swans may be shot this summer. intercepted the other might get through, and and burros on public lands than in 1971. kets for human consumption.” “Federal and state wildlife agencies released about a dozen horses who had already • The BLM has created a myth that But seething rancher opposition to are once again jumping the gun in their fervor been captured with hay as bait. wild horses and burros are overpopulating. sharing leased range with wild horses was evi- to kill mute swans,” said Michael Markarian, The Damante High athletic teams are • The BLM designation of older dent in Elko County, Nevada, on January 10, formerly president of the Fund for Animals called the Mustangs. mustangs as unadoptable is a myth. when the county commissioners discussed and now executive vice president for external Nevada Department of Agriculture • Because of this myth, the BLM suing the federal government to seek expanded affairs at HSUS, following a merger of the spokesperson Ed Foster told Don Cox of the has created a quagmire of wild horses in long- and expedited wild horse roundups––and the two groups that became official on January 1. Reno G a z e t t e - J o u r n a l that the horses were term holding pastures who rightfully belong only reported opposition came from a commis- Markarian hinted that HSUS would captured for relocation, after moving into the back on the range. sioner who said the county couldn’t afford to again seek to protect the swans with a strategy neighborhood during heavy snows in the near- • The Burns stealth rider dismantled fight the Department of the Interior. based on the impact study requirements of the by Virginia Range. Foster said that the stu- the Wild & Free-Roaming Horse & Burro Western States Wild Horse & Burro National Environmental Policy Act, a strategy dents would not be criminally charged because Protection Act. Expo director Nancy Kerson meanwhile found which has had some past success. they “thought they were doing a good thing.” • This was done without the knowl- that the BLM has already removed older hors- “The Maryland mute swan popula- The students acted just under three edge of the American public. es from its online adoption web site. Kerson tion has been unfairly blamed for the loss of weeks after more than 100 wild horse defend- • A majority of Congress were explained on Lamm’s
Paul Siegel
Soi Dog Foundation anchors Thai tsunami animal relief effort PHUKET, Thailand––“We are Society for the Protection of Animals,” said Three monks and fifteen dogs were Veterinarian Kiattisak Rojniran, okay,” Soi Dog Foundation president Margot Animal Guardians Association director Roger killed at the Kamala temple, the team learned. who heads the Foundation for Stray Dogs, Park e-mailed to ANIMAL PEOPLE o n Lohanan––but the arrangement was not offi- The surviving monks, caring for many dis- told Kultida Samabuddhi that, “Many of the December 26, soon after the tsunami, “but cially announced until January 12. placed people, “also fed the remaining dogs,” strays are sick, possibly because they have the devastation is indescribable. Three The Soi Dog Foundation in the inter- Robinson saw. “The dogs looked fit and well, contracted diseases from decomposed bodies.” Norwegians, including a baby, three im became the Phuket animal disaster relief but were clearly upset and traumatized.” Zoonotic disease experts consulted Russians, and a German are stranded at our headquarters, with early financial aid provided “I have never been a fan of shelters, by ANIMAL PEOPLE thought that was house with seven more Norwegians on their by ANIMAL PEOPLE. and the Phuket shelter, built in May 2003, is unlikely, considering dogs’ ecological niche way. Many dogs have lost their homes and “Margot Park started the Soi Dog another disaster,” Robinson emphasized. as scavengers and that decomposing bodies are more will be dumped as people flee. Foundation in October 2003, and has since “The municipality wanted to remove all the much less a vector for transmissible disease “My extremely good friend Leone helped to sterilize and release more than 1,470 dogs from the tourist areas. No one thought than the bodies of living organisms. Cosens has been found dead,” Park added. street dogs and cats,” said Jill Robinson, about the costs of food, veterinary care, and ANIMAL PEOPLE in April 2004 (See Obituaries, page 22.) founder of the Animals Asia Foundation. feces disposal. The municipality hoped that extensively inquired into the reputation and The Phuket Animal Welfare Society, “Soi Dog has recently taken over the restaurants would send food scraps. The shel- operations of the Foundation for Stray Dogs, founded by Cosens in 1992, lost countless organization called Atigaro, previously run by ter turned into a dump. Ads asking the locals after the activities of a fundraiser claiming to local volunteers. Almost a month later the Allison Montgomery of Hong Kong. Margot to donate money to feed the dogs failed. be associated with it roused skepticism in PAWS web site still said nothing of the tsuna- has adopted the principle of neutering ‘every- Instead there was a public backlash. The ads Britain. It did not appear to be well-regarded. mi; there was apparently no one to update it. thing,’ rather than only street dogs, because were pulled and the municipality hoped the The report of alleged corpse-eating “If anyone travels to Phuket,” Park all unaltered dogs contribute offspring to the dogs would disappear…read that as die.” was “a press exaggeration,” John Dalley told asked, “he/she could perhaps bring some stray dog population,” Robinson added. Park, who described her campaign ANMAL PEOPLE the following day. “A things such as long-acting antibiotics, Iver- Flying to Phuket from Hong Kong against starting the shelter in letters to A N I- team from the Soi Dog Foundation and the mectin to treat mange, and suture materials for on January 4, Robinson did relief needs MAL PEOPLE, stepped in to the feed the World Society for the Protection of Animals sterilization surgery. But our most immediate assessment the next day with John Dalley and dogs, provide veterinary care, and sterilize visited the area,” Dalley explained. need,” Park stipulated, “is funds to buy dog HIS/Asia representative Sherry Grant. t h e m . Because of her care, Robinson said, “The dogs from Yanyao temple have and cat food. Many dogs and cats perished, “It was particularly touching to see the pound dogs “were for the most part some been rounded up, and are currently being but those who survived have lost their food John’s devotion to helping the dogs at this were the best looking that I saw in Phuket.” looked after by a local vet. He said he rounded sources and cannot find fresh drinking water.” time, as his wife Gill recently rescued a dog in But since the tsunami, “More dogs them up himself. A few dogs had sniffed Park found on her first post-tsunami a buffalo pond and contracted septicaemia, arrive every day, thrown over the perimeter around around body bags, but nothing more. feeding mission that “Many dogs were totally losing both her legs below the knee,” Robin- fence, dumped on the highway along the We’ll start a clinic there next week,” Dalley dazed. They didn’t want to touch food!” But son said. “Meeting Gill later, I was humbled perimeter fence, or tied to the gate. Fourteen said. “These dogs will be treated and steril- she knew they would be hungry soon. to be talking to someone so upbeat, wanting to came from the island of Khia Paittang,” for ized, with any others we can find.” Her catch-pole was first used after hear all about our day in the field, brushing instance, “where of 300 indigenous people, The work was disrupted on January the tsunami to retrieve the German refugee’s off all reference to her personal trauma. only 85 lived. They are subsistence deer 20, Ken Grant of HSI/Asia reported, when a rented bicycle from underwater. “In mid morning we met Yvonne hunters and don’t want dogs on the island man who appeared to be intoxicated burst into Soi Dog volunteer John Dalley “vis- deGaay Stokelerburg from the group DIDIT,” because they can’t feed them and don’t want the field clinic and in an apparent misguided ited Khao Lak [which literally means “Cow short for Dogs [and Cats] In Distress In them killing the deer. The dogs arrived anes- attempt to treat mange, poured a substance Lake”] and spent two days wrapping bodies as Thailand. “She previously fed at least 150 thetized and woke up confused,” Robinson believed to be a mixture of creosote and mer- well as looking for animals, of which I could dogs every day,” Robinson learned, “but the s a w . “Five were pets who lost their people. curichrome on a dog and three volunteers. find very few alive or dead,” he reported. cafes, restaurants and hotels where she used to Margot photographed the dogs so she can pub- The dog went into seizures and the At Kamala Bay, however, Dalley beg leftovers for the street dogs are mostly lish an appeal to get these dogs re-homed.” volunteers had acute nausea for more than 12 found “Many dogs wandering around lost and gone, and those that remain have little food to hours. Several other volunteers, including dazed. The temple was destroyed,” Dalley offer. Margot and John passed her sacks of Cats emerge Grant’s wife, Sherry Grant, and their daugh- said, “though miraculously about 12 dogs dog food, and promised to follow up. “We did not see many cats,” ter Piper, became ill from fumes. were still in the bell tower. I found a cat nurs- “South Patong is situated beside a Robinson finished. “Those we did see were in ing kittens in a derelict building,” Dalley river. Previously, Yvonne would bring food the areas not impacted by the tsunami and added, “and have no idea how they survived.” and 25 or so dogs would swim across to meet seemed to be well cared for.” Nearby animal care organizations her. Only five or six dogs survived the tsuna- The cats reappeared later. checked in during the next few days. mi and they now refuse to enter the water,” Thai Animal Guardian Association “We are thankfully unharmed by the Robinson observed. “The houses are all rub- director Roger Lohanon removed some cats disaster,” e-mailed PhaNgan Animal Care ble, yet the residents are kind to the dogs, and from Phi Phi island, which he told ANIMAL founder Shevaun Gallwey, “but everyone is generously offered us water.” PEOPLE was deserted at the time, took them sad. We are trying to help those who need it.” Added Grant, “I had to hold back to Bangkok, and was accused of stealing pets. “The Gibbon Rehabilitation Project tears at the sight of a dog standing on the foun- Lohanon responded that Phi Phi residents sanctuary in Phuket was untouched,” relayed dation of a demolished house. He looked out could reclaim their cats after a 15-day quaran- Wildlife Friends of Thailand director Edwin from the rubble to the river as if anticipating tine––but visiting Bangkok will not be easy for Wiek, “as it is high above sea-level and is situ- the arrival of people who would never return.” the islanders. ated on the other side of the island.” About 17,000 dogs, mostly pets, Vacationing in northern Thailand “The Thai Animal Guardians lived along the Soi Dog feeding route before when the tsunami hit, Janet Hultberg, 48, of Association and Wildlife Friends of Thailand the tsunami. About half were missing. Wheat Ridge, Colorado, made her way to the will do animal rescue in coordination with the “After the October 2002 Bali bomb- Soi Dog Foundation with two cases of dog and Royal Thai Tourist Police and the Royal Thai ing we did not see many street dogs for nearly cat food, and spent the last five days of her Forestry Police, supported by the World five weeks,” Grant recalled. trip volunteering. Hultberg, Dalley, and two veterinarians visited Phi Phi after Lohanon did, We have rescued many dogs and cats, Margot Park told ANIMAL PEOPLE, and including this mother and her kittens. found many more cats, who were apparently Your donation to our sanctuary fund will help RescueCastill tsjust, comingInc. outis aof nonprofit, hiding. no-kill, us save many more from the terrible cruelty all-volunteer cat rescue group in Fayetteville, Ga. of the Korean dog and cat meat markets. Kultida Samabuddhi of the Bangkok We have bought the land to build Korea's P o s t onIn Ja 2003nuary we11 placedreported 444that kittens“Packs of first world-class animal shelter and hospital. starvingand stray cats dogs in have new been loving sneaking homes. into the A donor paid for the foundation with a Wat Yanyao and Wat Bang Muang temples and the Bwangww.rescuecats.o Maruan cemetery, whererg some promise to put on the roof if we can raise Please help us continue our work by the money to build the middle. 800 dead bodies are buried, to scavenge. making“Following a tax-deductible complaints donationfrom forensic to: Gifts purchased at Aid For Animals Your generous contribution can experts and voRescueCatslunteers worki nInc.g the r e, the are truly "gifts of life" as 100% of the make this dream come true! Foundation foPr.O. Str a Boxy Do g142882s recentl y sent a net profit is donated for needy animals. Mark your donation for KAPS Shelter Fund, and send to: seven-memFayetteville,ber team to Pha ngngaGA 30214 province to Shop and save lives at the same time round up the strays,” Kultida Samabuddhi at no extra cost! Please remember the Here is my gift of: $10 $25 $50 $100 $250 $500+ International Ai d for Korean Animals / Korea continued. “More than 70 dogs are waiting to Name: ______Aid For Animals online store for your Animal Protection Society be transported to Bangkok,” where the Address: ______holiday and year round shopping. POB 20600, Oakland, CA 94620 Foundation for Stray Dogs runs a shelter. City, State, Zip: ______www.aidforanimalsinc.com ANIMAL PEOPLE, January/February 2005 - 15
Elephants and trained street dogs are heroes of the tsunami in KHAO LAK, Thailand––E l e p h - Phuket with her mother Samantha and stepfa- Arriving in mid-morning, they “got to work on the officials responsible for them.” ants, the totems of Buddhism and Thailand, ther Eddie Mason, “On the day of the big immediately, after a quick shower to cool off But by then one elephant had already were among the heroes of both the December wave I left Mum having breakfast and dashed in the tropical heat,” wrote Richard Vogel of recovered a corpse, Wang Chang elephant 26 tsunami and the aftermath. out to see Ningnong. I climbed on to him and Associated Press. farm director Laithonglian Meepan said. “After the tsunami, reports circulat- we started walking down the beach. The sea “These six were chosen because they ed that elephants became superheroes, snatch- was right out and Yong [his mahout] was are smart and can act on command,” said ele- Dogs help ing up people with their trunks and pulling walking in front, picking up stranded fish and phant farm partner Romthongsai Meephan. The elephants worked in partnership them from harm’s way,” wrote Denver Post putting them in a bag. It was as though “The elephants, all males, were cast with Maklua, Makok and Bua Daeng, a trio correspondent Jeremy Meyer. Ningnong sensed I was in danger. He turned with Colin Farrell and Angelina Jolie in of former street dogs who were trained to sniff “The owners of eight elephants who away from the incoming sea and ran. Then he A l e x a n d e r , recreating their ancient roles as out explosives in 2003, at the suggestion of live in a tourist camp near one of the worst- hit stood really still and braced himself against the battle tanks,” Vogel continued. “Today, they King Bhumibol Adulyadej. areas on Thailand’s southwestern coast say water until Mum came to find me. I love mostly entertain tourists and give them tours “His Majesty advised that Thai dogs they witnessed no pachyderm heroics,” Meyer Ningnong so I wasn’t scared for one minute.” around Ayuddhaya, but they also are experi- can work better in rough areas than imported continued, “but Chain Usak Jongkrit,” one of Added Samantha Mason, “Amber enced at dragging logs through forests.” foreign dogs, so I ordered the army to deploy their mahouts, “believes they may have tried spent the whole holiday with Ningnong. As “They will be assigned to towing Thai dogs to help search for dead bodies,” to warn people of the impending disaster. soon as I got outside I was screaming ‘Where’s heavy objects and pulling out debris,” Phang Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra told “Early in the morning they started the elephant?’ Someone said he was dead, Nga official Siriphong Leeprasit said. Rungrawee C. Pinyorat of Associated Press. making an unusual sound,” Jongkrit told which threw me into a panic as I knew Amber “In Indonesia, another 11 elephants, “The dogs’ small size and agility Meyer through an interpreter. had been on his back. Then I saw Ningnong in native to badly hit Sumatra, were pressed into makes it easier for them than for humans to “Five minutes before the tsunami the distance at the other end of the beach with similar duty because there were few trucks and sniff around in the nooks and crevices of hit,” Meyer wrote, “the elephants, secured by Amber on his back. She started waving at me. other heavy equipment left. A TV report debris and the tangle of mangrove swamps,” chains around their front ankles, began I was almost hysterical with relief.” showed elephants pulling a sport utility vehicle Rungrawee C. Pinyorat observed. “Already screaming again. One broke free and ran from a collapsed building,” Vogel reported. highly disciplined, they still needed a crash uphill. Another also bolted, carrying tourists.” Work elephants “Elephants shouldn’t be used,” course in sniffing out human remains, so they “If the elephants didn’t react to the Machinery and human muscle did objected veterinarian Alongkorn Mahannop to were trained with pieces of rotting pork.” tsunami, more people would have died,” most of the rescue work in the first week after Agence France-Presse, “because they could be “They and the elephants seemed to Jongkrit said. “People saw them running and the tsunami, but Thais on the scene begged for injured by nails and scattered wreckage. It have good teamwork,” a trainer told Rungra- knew something was wrong.” elephant help––even as more than 100 ele- would be better to use backhoes,” he insisted. wee C. Pinyorat. “The dogs sniffed for bodies The Glasgow Herald, in Scotland, phants stood idle at the 15 Phuket elephant ride Contradicting conventional belief and then the elephant used his trunk to remove published confirmation that at least one tourist- facilities, due to lack of tourists. Elephants about the animals with the biggest noses of any the debris and get the bodies out. Bua Daeng carrying elephant bolted, saving a human life were needed, Thai workers insisted, because species, Alongkorn Mahannop claimed that was frightened at first when he looked up and as well as his own. they will stop and alert their handlers to an elephants’ “sense of smell is not good enough saw an elephant nearby,” the trainer added, “Amber Mason, of Milton Keynes, injured person or animal, or remains. to locate bodies,” but asserted that “their res- “but he later worked well with the elephant.” befriended the elephant Ningnong during her On January 2 the Wang Chang ele- piratory systems could be infected by the The dogs found four bodies during holiday at Phuket and was enjoying a ride phant farm in Ayuddhaya trucked six elephants stench of corpses. Their stomachs could be their first two days on the job: two policemen, when the tidal wave struck,” said the Herald. to Khao Lak to show what they could do. harmed if they eat contaminated food,” he a middle-aged man, and a six-year-old girl. Recounted Mason, who visited added. “If they get sick, it would put a burden Greyhound racing ends in Portland, done in Vermont; cruelty exposed (from page 1) Wood Village was their major venue. struggled to break even for 13 years, transitioning briefly to tattoos, which could lead to the arrest of the owners.” “About 520 dogs on Oregon farms will turn one year harness racing before converting to greyhound racing in 1976. Amplified by online activists, the Spanish case drew old in 2005,” Mortenson wrote. “Dogs can race at 15 months.” Dogs last raced there in 1992. condemnation from around the world, as did a British case On January 20, 2005 the Oregon Greyhound In 1995 Scotti Devens, founder of Save The involving a dog who suffered a toe injury, performed poorly, Association, representing the breeders, filed suit against Greyhound Dogs, and Sharon Bucklin, president of and “was discovered by a walker in South Wales, whimpering Magna, seeking to force Magna to host the racing season. Greyhound Rescue of Vermont, won passage of a statewide on a rubbish heap. The dog had been shot through the head The Magna contract with Multnomah Greyhound ban on greyhound racing. Quickly endorsed by then-Vermont with a captive-bolt pistol, his ears cut off to remove identifying Park property owner Art McFadden “prevents anyone else from governor Howard Dean, the bill not only kept the Green tattoos,” wrote Jonathan Brown of The Independent. holding races at the facility,” Mortenson wrote. “As if to Mountain Raceway closed, but also killed 15 years of propos- The dog was euthanized––but in a break with history, emphasize the point, Magna removed the starting boxes and als by Delaware North and other greyhound racing promoters to his remains were identified. greyhound blankets and hauled them to Portland Meadows build a track in St. Albans, to lure gamblers from Montreal. Continued Brown, “In December 2004 at Caerphilly …Dog fanciers wryly note that the starting boxes and blankets Magistrates Court, in a case brought by the Royal SPCA, are too small to be of much use at Portland Meadows.” A rescue in Spain Andrew Gough, 28, a greyhound track groundsman, was sen- Alternatively, Mortenson reported, the breeders may Staff of the Scooby Refuge in Medina, Spain, and tenced to six months in jail for his treatment of Rusty,” as try to hold races at a small track in Silverton. local firefighters on January 6 rescued five galgos, as Spanish activists called the dead greyhound. No other west coast state allows greyhound racing. greyhounds are called, from a deep well near the village of Allegedly paid £10 by the dog’s owner to kill him, Alaejos. Dumped to die, they were heard barking. Gough also was banned from keeping animals for life. No racing revival “It is believed from the stench coming out of the well Two comparable U.S. cases involving many more Two years of rumors that Vermont Governor James that it is a dumping hole for unwanted galgos, and that decom- dogs meanwhile went almost unnoticed: Douglas would seek to revive both horse racing and greyhound posing bodies remain,” said a Scooby press release. • Delroy Reed, 48, of Fort Gibson, Oklahoma, racing at the Green Mountain Raceway in Pownal apparently “Galgos are protected under the Spanish penal code,” faces a February 8 preliminary hearing on 15 felony counts of ended on December 13, 2004, when Progressive Partners Ltd. the Scooby release continued. “There are penalties for dispos- neglecting greyhounds. Reed was charged only with neglecting of nearby Shaftsbury bought the 140-acre site for about $1 mil- ing of unwanted dogs in this manner, which can lead to impris- the greyhounds who survived to be rescued in April 2004. Four lion, and announced plans to demolish the track to clear the onment. Two men have surfaced since the rescue claiming to dead greyhounds were also found on the premises. land for a mixed-use residential and commercial development. own the galgos and demanding they be returned. One man • Kenneth Sherrets Jr., of Independence, Iowa, in Rutland attorney Jack Welch emphasized that showed up at the well just before the dogs were pulled out and October 2004 lost his permits to race dogs in both Iowa and Progressive Partners has no interest in promoting gambling. afterward reported them stolen. On the day after the rescue, Wisconsin, after 33 malnourished greyhounds were discovered Opened as a thoroughbred track in 1963, the track the other man claimed his dogs had escaped. The dogs have on his property. GREYHOUND TALES TRIBUTES TRUE STORIES OF RESCUE, COMPASSION AND LOVE Win or Die. In honor of the Prophet Isaiah, St. Martin de Porres, and Empedocles. edited by Nora Star, with introduction ––Brien Comerford by Susan Netboy. Learn more about these animals & how you can help them. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– In honor of Kartick Satyanarayan. Send $15.95 to: ––Penelope Dixon Nora Star www.GREY2KUSA.org 9728 Tenaya Way Kelseyville, CA 95451 16 - ANIMAL PEOPLE, January/February 2005 Indian humane community rises to meet the challenge of tsunami waves VISAKHAPATNHAM, CHENNAI––“ A r o u n d metres of coastal villages. No one else is covering these areas. 6.30 a.m. the earthquake came. A nearby house collapsed. But “We are presently without a shelter vet,” Nath added, we didn’t feel anything,” said Visakha SPCA hospital manager “because he had to leave suddenly to look for his missing par- Swathi Buddhiraju of Chennai, the first person A N I M A L ents in Tamil Nadu.” PEOPLE reached in the tsunami zone. By January 6 the first Visakha SPCA relief team had At 9.30 a.m. on December 26, 2004 Buddhirjau was covered 305 kilometres of coast. They saw the floating carcass preparing to leave Visakhapatnam to attend a meeting in of a buffalo, and treated a goat whose eyes were injured some- Bhimili, the next city to the north, when “Suddenly one of our how, but “Not many livestock casualities have been reported,” workers started crying and said that the sea was coming for- Nath e-mailed. The official livestock toll was to that point 163. ward,” Buddhiraju continued. While coastal flood plain stretches for miles in the “Then when I came on the road I saw many people Chennai region, steep mountains come almost to the sea near running. A nearby hospital was evacuated and people were car- Visakhapatnam. Being able to reach high ground quickly made Veterinarian Asha Arun of the Wildlife SOS/Friendicoes rying their newborn babies. The water was coming forward a huge difference for both the people and the animals. trying to mobilize water tankers. Since potable water is in very and going back. Pradeep and my mom took all of our birds and The Visakha SPCA rescuers heard “endless stories of short supply even for people, volunteers working in coastal some of our other animals to the Visakha SPCA shelter and beach dogs giving much needed warning to village residents or areas have been told that they should take water bottles to give thought of taking the rest of our pets,” which would have fishers,” Nath reported. “The dogs’ uneasiness gave sufficient to the people, while water is being given to animals, so that required a second trip. warning to the people to be alert. Water entered their homes, people do not feel that animals are being given water when peo- “But by God’s grace,” Buddhiraju said, “the situation but not before they had time to flee and take their livestock. ple do not have enough. calmed down and the sea level stabilized. “This occurred throughout the 11 villages that our “Starting from December 27, Krishna added, “volun- “After talking to you,” Buddhiraju e-mailed later, “I team visited. We have provided counsel to the affected people teers led by Ms. Gayathri Ramesh fed dogs on the city beaches went to the port. The water was black. I could see many fish and fed or rewarded the beach dogs. Our Animal Birth Control once a day. Mrs. Chandralehka prepared the food at her home floating on the surface. Some people starting catching the fish program will work in these villages100%,” Nath anticipated. near the marina. Volunteers led by Ms. Chanda Walke trucked who were washed ashore, still fighting for their lives. A third Visakha SPCA team with a truckload of sup- feed to the cattle in the coastal areas, plus food for the dogs.” “I was at the fishing harbor,” recalled Visakha SPCA plies and the shelter vet, who had returned, on January 8 took The water-hauling was reduced after January 8, due founder Pradeep Kumar Nath. “Just after I left the water started an inland route to Machilipatnam, the hardest-hit city in the to restoration of tap water in much of the tsunami zone. The to swell alarmingly and flowed in with great force, but receded region, and continued south along the coast from there. beach dog feedings ended on January 9, by which time “Most after fifteen minutes. I saw people leaving their houses without “We have a vet coming from Boston,” Nath said, residents in the areas affected by the tsunami had returned and locking them, with pet dogs following. One dog was not lucky anticipating four days of doing without. “With our Animal the dogs did not need our help any more,” Krishna said. enough to jump into the jeep that his people got into. The dog Birth Control program, cattle rescuing, assistance to migratory “A very touching scene in some of the relief camps, ran after the vehicle at a great speed.” birds and sea turtles, and emergency cases, we have 700 dif- including the one at Olcott Memorial School in Besant Nagar,” Nath rescued two dogs and a cat whose people left ferent animals at the Visakha SPCA shelter to look after.” Krishna added, “was the large number of dogs the people took them behind. Another 23 dogs, most of them previously steril- Animal Rescue League of Boston director of veteri- with them, with whom they were sharing the food provided by ized by the Visakha SPCA, required food and water during the nary services Bosmat Gal and Sara Winikoff, DVM, of Blau- relief agencies. As Jack London said, ‘Charity is not giving a next few days. Many other dogs and the local cats remained velt, New York, responded to an appeal for volunteers issued bone to a hungry dog. Sharing your food with a hungry dog temporarily in hiding. by Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights. Winikoff when you are equally hungry––that alone is charity.’ “As the situation eased,” Nath continued, “I stayed spent a week helping the Blue Cross of India in Chennai. “While much goodwill and fellow-feeling was shown back at the shelter working with 110 new calves” who were “Since I was in India recently––I just came back a in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, lorry drivers have impounded on Christmas Eve, with another 120 due to arrive few days before the disaster––I couldn’t turn my head away. I now doubled their charges and price of fodder is up,” Krishna for medication and feeding. We were already having a hectic had a visa and all the vaccinations,” Gal told Kiley Russell of reported as the relief effort continued into a third week with no time,” Nath said, “even before the tidal wave.” the Contra Costa Times. end in sight. Abandoned at the Srikakulam temple as offerings, Both Gal and Winikoff assisted injured search and “Added to this, our volunteers are beginning to tire, the first 110 calves “arrived as Christmas gifts at 4:00 a.m.,” rescue dogs after the terrorist destruction of the World Trade and the daily heavy workload at the Blue Cross is beginning to Nath noted. “They were transported under very bad conditions. Center on September 11, 2001. fall behind. A larger-than-usual number of animals are being Some were dead on arrival. Most were dehydrated, needing left at our shelters. Some people confess that they are surren- lots of fluids and milk replacement feed, donated to us by Dog hero Selvakumar dering their companion animal; many just say that they found Eileen Weintraub of Seattle,” who is now forming a U.S. chari- Some of the first tsunami rescue stories to emerge in the animal in their neighborhood.” ty to help support the Visakha SPCA and several other Indian India involved animals. The most widely circulated was that of Some of the shelter turn-ins were because families in animal welfare programs. Sangeeta, mother of three sons, reported in greatest detail by Chennai were taking in displaced relatives, some because ani- Another 130 calves were seized at Srikakulam on Chris Tomlinson of Associated Press on January 3. Indian mals followed refugees into the city and got lost. Christmas Day. “We sent them to Eluru to be looked after,” news media had already been narrating the incident for days. “We can only imagine the problems that other organi- Nath said. Yet another mass seizure of calves was scheduled A resident of Chinnakalapet, Sangeeta responded to zations like the Karuna Society must be having, with their for the day of the tsunami. “We will put them up in her husband’s warning shout from a rooftop by grabbing the president and others working 600 kilometres away in Srikakulam, encouraging the locals and the veterinary associa- two youngest boys and running, crying for Dinakaran, 7, to Cuddalore,” Krishna mentioned. tion to look after them,” Nath e-mailed amid the chaos. “I follow. Misunderstanding, Dinakaran ran to their hut, 40 have personally donated 2,000 rupees worth of feed” to help. yards from the sea. C.P. Ramaswami Aiyar Their dog Selvakumar raced after him. Nipping, The VSPCA moves out nudging, and finally dragging Dinakaran up a steep slope by Foundation “Domestic animals were worst hit, mostly cattle and the collar, Selvakumar brought the boy to safety. Krishna’s wife, Nanditha Krishna, heads the C.P. dogs, but not those who live in the streets. The street animals “Selvakumar looks much like every other dog in the Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation, whose primary mission is ran. The deaths were among confined animals. Many people village,” Tomlinson wrote. “He hardly ever barks, and lets the social welfare. left their pets behind,” Nath added, “while in some areas dead three boys climb all over him and pull his tail without protest. “We say that when evil walks the land, Mother Earth cows could be seen tied to poles and trees.” At night, he sleeps among the family, no matter how often protests,” Nanditha Krishna said. “After seeing what has hap- After doing what could be done locally, the Visakha they throw him out. Most days he escorts Dinakaran to and pened, I think the Earth must be very angry. The greatest num- SPCA “organized an expedition to access the Andhra Pradesh from school, spending the rest of the day playing with the other ber of dead were children. My office stopped work to mobilize coastline,” Nath said. two boys, or begging for food. Sangeeta’s brother-in-law gave food, clothing, and utensils for the affected. People from all Operating on a budget of less than $100 per day with her the puppy, following the birth of her second son. When the over Chennai bring their contributions to my office. We sort which to hire a veterinarian and animal handlers, rent trans- brother-in-law died in an accident two years ago, they changed out the clothes to make sets which can be distributed easily. In portation, and buy feed and medicines, the first of three four- the dog’s name to his.” the evening our staff takes them to the Red Cross camps in member Visakha SPCA relief teams set out on December 28, coastal villages.” and by December 31 had worked their way 170 kilometres Blue Cross of India “Animals in the Kalpakkam/Marakanam stretch of south to Uppada. “A photograph in The Hindu of a fireman with a Kanchipuram are fed by staff of the C.P. Ramaswami Aiyar A second team pushed 60 kilometres north through bedraggled kitten in his hand and the help given by the police to foundation,” Krishna said. “We are thankful to them for this 20 villages in the Srikakulam region. the Blue Cross ambulances reminded us that in crisis the best in help as well as for much more, including the loan of a mobile “If other volunteers are available, we will send more people comes out,” Blue Cross of India chair Chinny Krishna phone to one of our four teams at Nagapattinam.” materials,” Nath said. “The idea is to inspire local animal wel- e-mailed on December 28. The Tsunami Animal Relief Task Force, formed by fare organizations to continue from where we began, and help “The Point Calimere wildlife sanctuary,” normally Krishna, Commonwealth Veterinary Association chair Abdul them with supplies, because it is difficult to bring injured ani- home to about 1,800 blackbuck and about the same number of Rahman, and Animal Welfare Board of India secretary R. mals all the way back to our hospital. With help from a few sambhars, is reportedly under five feet of water. Two elephants Balasubramanian to coordinate the disaster relief effort, occu- donors we are hiring vehicles and asking for more volunteers to have reportedly been stuck in the water for three days and pied donated space “in the 200-year-old beautiful building of move out further along the coast, as we need to cover 700 kilo- efforts are underway to rescue them,” Krishna said. the C.P. Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation,” Krishna said. “Our volunteers were on the beaches of Chennai “Sir C.P. Ramaswami Aiyar,” Krishna explained, within minutes of the tsunami striking,” Krishna added. “Mrs. “was the Dewan (Prime Minister) of Travancore, and made Shanti Shankar and Mrs. Radha Rajan, president of Vigil, Travancore the first state in India to ban hunting animals.” helped save many tethered animals by cutting them free. Several rat snakes and a cobra rescued from the flood waters Animal Help Foundation were handed over to the Government Forest Department at The two most experienced animal disaster relief Snake Park. Many dead pups were seen. Many surviving pups workers in India may be Rahul Sehgal, who heads the Animal and injured dogs were removed to the Blue Cross shelter.” Help Foundation in Ahmedabad, and Kartick Satyanarayan, Some volunteers housed as many as 15 rescued dogs founder of Wildlife SOS in Delhi. The focal activity of the each in their homes for more than a week, Krishna noted later. Animal Help Foundation is operating an ambitious Animal “On Dec 26 and 27, we were overwhelmed by just Birth Control Program. Wildlife SOS initially handled wildlife helping out, and it was only on the 28th that the real enormity emergencies in partnership with Friendicoes SECA of Delhi, of what we were facing and what had to be done struck us,” and is now best known for operating a sanctuary for rescued Krishna said. “Except for occasional flooding after cyclones, dancing bears near Agra. we have never seen something like this. The situation is much Both organizations fielded disaster relief teams after grimmer than first thought. Healthy cows, goats, ponies, and the January 2001 Gujarat earthquake, working their way dogs are getting unwell due to lack of good water. Many were toward each other from opposite ends of the stricken region. living on salty water, since all water sources were inundated by “Help is never too late and never too little, from any- the sea. The cattle have been living on rotting food. Many where, however distant or close,” Sehgal e-mailed to organiza- have ingested substantial amounts of plastic, which means that tions both in the tsunami zone and abroad, in nations capable Thrown down a well by the tsunami, this calf was rescued by a larger problem––intestinal blockage––is looming ahead.” of providing economic support. the Wildlife SOS/Friendicoes SECA team. (K. Satyanarayan) As a first priority, Krishna said, “The Blue Cross is (continued on page 17) ANIMAL PEOP LE, January/February 2005 - 17 Indian humane groups rise to challenge (from 16)
Sehgal visited Chennai to do one of the first animal “All the cattle we encountered were suffering from relief needs assessments to reach western donors, then returned a c i d i o s i s from trying to eat leftover rice packets given for to Ahmedabad as the first outside relief teams arrived. human relief, and from dehydration,” Satyanarayan found. “The tsunami has made the soil and the wells saline, and have Wildlife SOS/Friendicoes SECA stripped the land of greenery,” Satyanarayan noted. “Wildlife SOS and Friendicoes SECA began work on In Sonarukuppam, Chinoor Puddupettai, “only dead January 1, thanks to the immediate generous support of One animals washed up. Here the team met Rani, who was feeding Voice in France and International Animal Rescue in Britain,” the only survivors of her village, two kid goats, with her share e-mailed Satyanarayan. of milk from the relief workers.” The first animals the Wildlife SOS/Friendicoes SECA Mgrthittu village had vanished, along with the land it team saw were “eight to 10 dogs feeding off of dead goats lying occupied. “This area was rich in mangrove swamps which half buried in the sand at Marina Beach,” Satyanarayan said. housed 4000 feral cattle,” Satyanarayan said, “but our team “The Besant Nagar beach repeated the story.” could not find any of them.” Finally, at Pallavakkam Beach, villagers “pulled for- “Hungry cats and hundreds of cattle roamed the ruins ward 7-8 cows who were treated for bruises; their tethered of Chinnavaikal, a small fishing hamlet, looking for food,” goats had drowned. Fifteen to 20 surviving dogs all were lame Satyanarayan and team discovered. or bruised. After suitable treatment the team moved on,” The cattle were expected, but the cats, relatively few Satyanarayan continued. and seldom very visible in much of India, due to the constant “For the survivors,” Satnarayna soon saw, “livestock presence of street dogs, were something of a surprise. has become a lifeline, and finding even a pet dog or cat is At Pazhayyar, where the tsunami surged more than a assuming a larger-than-life meaning.” kilometer inland, the Wildlife SOS/Friendicoes SECA team At Nalangrai and the Kovalam Estuary the Wildlife found as many as 60 hungry cats. At Thirumalivasal “22 dogs Rani and her two goats were the sole survivors SOS/Friendicoes SECA team “gave first aid to dogs, cows and were fed with bread and milk in plastic bags, and cats came from their village. (Kartick Satyanarayan) goats who had run to safety earlier than the humans,” who running to try the food.” At Chinanguzhi and Tharangampadi were mostly killed. “over 50 hungry cats were fed milk and bread. Goats and dogs fodder or place to graze. A lorry was hired to get fresh fodder At Mayajal and Toll Plaza beaches, however, joined the meal.” At Puthukuppam, “28 dogs were fed and from the AHD center at Pinnathur, 20 kilometres away.” Satyanarayan and team found “nothing but large numbers of five cats joined them, with 30 goats swarming around.” Pauws alerted Chinny Krishna to a more ominous dead animals. We buried some bodies, burned others, and Wrote Satyanarayan, “We have asked our next team problem the next night. The Nagapattinam district collector hoped this would prevent infection,” Satyanarayan said. to bring lots of cat food.” (chief administrator) “wanted the dogs in the area to be At Kannathur Reddikuppam the team met a man who destroyed because there were reports that a dog had been seen “was combing the beach hoping to find his 10 cats and five Reaching Port Blair eating a human corpse,” Krishna said. The district collector dogs,” Satyanarayan wrote. “At that moment our alert paravet By January 10, three Wildlife SOS/Friendicoes also tried to deny Pauws access to the area. noticed a brown blob being washed ashore. It was a tiny mixed SECA teams were in the field, led by veterinarians Cyril Roy, “I asked her to tell the collector point blank that we breed dog, miraculously alive, terrified and shivering, who Asha Arun, Bhavar Singh, and V. Prabhakar. As well as treat- were in the area to help, and that killing the dogs is against the was treated for shock and adopted by the local people. ing sick and injured animals, they distributed up to five truck- law,” Chinny Krishna said. “The team advised everyone to bury or burn the car- loads of green feed per day among the livestock of 35 villages. Overnight Animal Welfare Board of India secretary casses on the beach and moved on,” Satyanarayan continued. “All cats and dogs encountered in these areas were R. Balasubramanian ensured that the Blue Cross/Karuna “At Nainaarkuppam we treated the sole surviving fed dry dog biscuits, and cat food was given to the cats,” Society team received all the papers that anyone could ask for cow for her injuries.” Satnaryayan said. ––but 80 dogs were massacred in Nagapattinam on January 6th. The Wildlife SOS/Friendicoes SECA team finished In the shrine city of Velankanni a woman named “Our protests and the intervention of Balasubraman- their first day in the tsunami zone at Kuppam. Ariammal “returned to where her hut had existed, after days of ian stopped it. We have been assured by the district collector “No medical help had reached them,” Satyanarayan searching for her lost daughter, to find that her three dogs had and the Animal Husbandary Department that this will not be found. “Hence our team switched gears and medicated and returned,” Satyanarayan recounted. “She asked Dr. Cyril for repeated,” Chinny Krishna reported. treated the injuries of old people and children,” including four loaves of bread to feed them. She said, “’At least the sea From more than 1,000 miles away in New Delhi, strapping a broken rib. spared my three sons, even if it took my daughter.’” relying on second-and-third-hand accounts, London D a i l y Like the Visakha SPCA animal rescue workers, “Our teams continue to work in Nagapatinam, Telegraph correspondent Rahul Bedi in New Delhi meanwhile Satyanarayan heard “several tales of how the animals had run to Cuddalore, and Kanyakumari district,” Satyanarayan told amplified the story from one starving dog eating one dead higher ground before the people knew what was happening, People for Animals founder Maneka Gandhi on January 15. body, as described by the district collector, into an alleged and how dogs washed off managed to swim back to shore.” “We also sent over 100 kilos of medicines to Port regional dog panic. Sleeping at Pondicherry, the Wildlife SOS/Friendi- Blair,” the capital of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands,” “Stray dogs are being killed in India’s southern Tamil coes SECA team proceeded the next morning to Cuddalore. Satyanarayan said. The Port Blair animal welfare group, Nadu state after the starving animals began attacking tsunami They began the day by lifting an orphaned calf out of a well in Bharatiya Jeeva Jantu Rakshan Samardhan Parishad, employs survivors, especially children,” Bedi opened. “Municipal offi- Madhavapallam village. a veterinarian, Gita Dodson, who was trained in shelter work cials in the devastated Nagapattinam district, 160 miles south of “She was treated for shock and dehydration and then some years ago by Friendicoes SECA director Geeta the state capital, Madras, said at least 30 dogs had been adopted by delighted villagers, who survived the tsunami but Seshamani, through a program sponsored by the Royal SPCA destroyed after reports that they were attacking and terrorizing lost all their livestock,” Satnarayn said. “But there was noth- of Great Britain and the Animal Welfare Board of India. refugees packed into relief shelters, particularly at mealtimes.” ing to feed the calf. This problem recurred in each surviving Godson treated more than 400 animals in the first few Bedi quoted one “Shantha Sheela Nair, who is in village of the Cuddalore district. Ingenuity prevailed: the days after the tsunami. charge of relief work in the district,” as saying that “The starv- leaves from a sugarcane stockpile were chopped up to feed not Satyanarayan and Jonathan Pearce of One Voice per- ing dogs’ behaviour changed after they began eating animal and only this calf but nearly 60 more cattle surviving on tiny patch- sonally resupplied her. “We encouraged the BJJRSP to go for- human corpses washed ashore after the tsunami.” es of high ground in villages nearby.” ward and establish camps on Little Andaman, Car Nicobar, Continued Bedi, “The bodies since were cleared, but Moving through villages that had been hit without and other affected islands,” Satyanarayan said. the dogs started snarling at people and attacking women and warning by 14 feet of water, Satyanarayan and team found “The tsunami tossed many salt water crocodiles from children. Moving in wolf-like packs they further traumatised only “a few dogs and a woman, Parvathi, who ran to them the Loha Barrack sanctuary several kilometers inland,” tsunami victims, already in shock, by howling at night.” shouting that her bullock was left for dead but her son loved the Satyanarayan found “Due to the availability of easy food in the Neither Pauws, Krishna, Balasubramanian, nor animal and went there to mourn and found him blinking. form of dead bodies, the crocs are staying back, and are con- Commonwealth Veterinary Association chair Abdul Rahman Overjoyed they dragged him to the temple and our team seemed sidered a potential threat to human survivors. The locals also reported hearing of any such incidents, from the Nagapattinam to them to be God sent. Fluid therapy, shock treatment, and report seeing large numbers of snakes.” He anticipated possi- district collector or anyone else. antibiotics soon had the bullock recovering,” Satyanarayan bly needing to do large-scale reptile relocation. Wildlife SOS founder Kartick Satyanarayan did continued, “and the villagers, excited at their luck, led in 25 to encounter one dog “howling loudly at night.” 30 cows and bullocks, followed by 20 goats. Even the stray Karuna Society A t Puthukuppam, Satyanarayan reported, “We dogs scavenging in refuse were collared and dragged to us for Karuna Society for Animals & Nature president walked through the wreckage in the darkness to see if any peo- treatment. Clementien Pauws, her son Arjuna, and three other helpers ple or animals were trapped in the wreckage. A school room began a three-day journey into the disaster area on December lay in ruins, next to a broken hut where a dog howled inces- 31, following three Blue Cross of India teams who worked for santly. After much coaxing and petting, the dog became quiet, 10 days largely under the direction of Shanthi Shankar. but refused biscuits and water. We decided to spend the night From the Karuna Society headquarters in Puttaparthi, in the open, under the stars, to keep the dog company.” in southern Andhra Pradesh, Pauws’ team drove to Bangalore in a rented truck filled with first aid supplies, rice, and drink- Roads & language ing water. In Bangalore they picked up additional supplies col- Congested roads led repeatedly to delayed deliveries lected by Compassion Unlimited Plus Action. Driving on to of relief supplies. “With the roads blocked and officials all the Blue Cross of India head office in Chennai to find out over, movement of vehicles––even ambulances––was very where they would be most needed, they began delivering food slow,” Pauws reported through Chinny Krishna. “One 70-kilo- and water to animals along the coast between Pondicherry and meter feed haul took over five hours. The truck reached Cuddalore on January 2. Cuddalore at about six p.m. and promptly broke down. Hearing that many animals were trapped on an island Fortunately, we were able to hire another lorry to take the feed off Chidambaram, Pauws “went there on January 4 with three on to Nagapattinam. It was unloaded at midnight.” vets from the Animal Husbandry Department in a boat,” Blue Language barriers surfaced, as well. Pauws and her Cross of India director Chinny Krishna recounted. “They found staff speak English and Telegu, but the first language of the about 45 cattle and a larger number of goats. There was a well tsunami region is Tamil. Though Hindi and English are the Vet Geeta Godson at Port Blair. (K. Satyanarayan) from which good water was available. However, there was no (continued on page 18)
Along with almo st every art icle f r om back editions, Please speak up for one the ANIMAL PEOPLE we b of the most maligned and site off ers trans lations of mistreated animals on key it ems into Fr ench and our planet. Go to Spanish...the Lewyt A ward- winnin g heroic & c ompas- www.batworld.org sionate animal stories...vet- and click on erinar y inf o links... ha nd- "Wall of Shame" books for downloading... fundraising how- to ...our to be a voice for those who guide to estate planning... have none. short bios a nd photos of the 18 - ANIMAL P E OPLE, January/February 2005 Indian humane community meets the challenge (from page 17) official national languages of India, many of are being reimbursed by the Blue Cross,” Satyanarayan added, “it would be a pity if the poorest people in Tamil Nadu speak nei- Krishna pledged. these animals were trucked off by unscrupu- ther. lous traders for the meat market.” No matter what else a relief worker Rustlers While investigating the livestock could do, those capable of translating often As the Nagapattinam dog-killing disappearaces and continuing to treat animals found themselves working chiefly as transla- controversy subsided, cattle rustling broke who had ingested polluted water, tors, so that the rest could function. out, apparently first repotted by Wildlife SOS Satyanarayan met a man named Muthuswamy, Sleeping in one of the Blue Cross veterinarian Cyril Roy. who “refused to leave, even when the water vehicles, along with other rescuers, Pauws “In some villages the cattle vanished came in, without his three cows and a calf, eventually fell ill and for at least a day was almost overnight,” Roy told Satyanarayan. and thinks it is a miracle they all survived.” unable to work, Krishna said, but she Many animals were taken by people On January 13, the Nagapattinam remained in Nagapattinam, recovered, and who had lost their own animals, Satyanarayan district collector ordered that cattle may no resumed leading her team at a hectic pace. said, calling this “welcome, as they prevent longer be permitted to roam on the streets, “All expenses of the Karuna Society animals remaining as strays. However,” Satyanarayan said. “They must either be kept tethered by those who claim to be their owners, or be taken to one of the government relief camps,” Satyanarayan said. “The Blue Cross and Karuna Society teams there will ensure their feeding and water supply.” “Many cattle and ponies who were on the beaches have disappeared, the cattle no Wildlife SOS founder Kartick Satyanarayan. doubt transported to Kerala for slaughter,” “Thankfully I was with the animals in our Krishna reported soon thereafter. Efforts shelter. Part of the compound wall collapsed, taken by our teams and the Animal Husbandry but we had no casualities.” Department to set up camps for the cattle have The Compassionate Crusaders Trust come to naught.” and parallel PfA/Kolkata chapter were safely outside the tsunami zone. Intl. Animal Rescue “Everything is okay here,” Among the other early responders Compassionate Crusaders Trust founder was International Animal Rescue. Based in Debasis Chakrabarti e-mailed from Kolkata. Britain, IAR operates an animal hospital in “The pond shook at our Ashari rescue center, Goa and co-sponsors the Wildlife SOS danc- terrifying the staff,” Chakrabarti said, “but ing bear sanctuary near Agra. we had absolutely no problems in the animal IAR founder John Hicks sent veteri- areas. For a while the staff canteen and dormi- narians Kevin D’Mello and Dutch vet Miek, a tory were inundated, and some plants got a cattle specialist, to Agapattinam in Tamil welcome dry season drenching.” Nadu, where D’Mello reportedly encountered Parvathi, her bullock who was left for dead but rescued because her son loved him, and outbreaks of upper respiratory disease in At last a break Wildlife SOS/Friendicoes SECA team veterinarian V. Prabhakar. (Kartick Satyanarayan) stressed goats. This was the only hint of a “January 14th was Pongal, the har- much-feared zoonotic disease outbreak in the vest festival and most important holiday in Wildlife fared better in Sri Lanka than Thailand first three weeks after the tsunami, and it was Tamil Nadu,” Chinny Krishna mentioned, Like the wildlife of India, Sri away. They acted after government officials easily contained, D’Mello said. describing his efforts to rotate the Blue Cross Lankan wildlife mostly seemed to have suffi- and representatives of animal advocacy “The biggest problem we see is cont- of India staff so as to allow as many as possi- cient warning to escape the tsunami––but the groups and the captive dolphin industry all aminated drinking water,” D’Mello told Times ble to enjoy a brief break. wildlife of Thailand, hours closer to the failed to catch the dolphin in two days of of India correspondent Anuba Sawhney. S.Raghavan of the Blue Cross and earthquake that detonated it, fared far worse. abortive attempts. Clementien Pauws of the Karuna Society were Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation “She swam away like a rocket. It Other groups among those who worked straight through. Society president Ravi Corea inspected Yala was fantastic,” said Wiek. “We have initiated efforts in south- Krishna himself, WSPA veterinari- National Park soon after the tsunami. The rescuers believed initially that ern Tamil Nadu through the League for an John Gripper, and Sara Winikoff, DVM, “There were reports that elephants a baby dolphin had been swept into the lake Education & Development and are planning to joined them during the holiday at their tempo- fled the coast just before the tsunami hit. We with the adult, but photo analysis eventually deploy another team with the help of P e o p l e rary headquarters in Velankanni. saw no dead animals except for two feral established that there was only one dolphin. for Animals in Chennai,” International Fund “All of us were aware that the water buffalo,” Corea e-mailed to ANIMAL As the dolphin rescue started, kam- for Animal Welfare emergency relief opera- Karuna team and the Blue Cross staff and vol- PEOPLE. “We saw large herds of axis deer, nan (chief) Nayramit Meepien of the island tions manager Anand Ramanathan e-mailed to unteers were putting up with a great deal of a male elephant, many peacocks, wild boar, Tambon Koh Phra Thong sought help for ANIMAL PEOPLE on January 3. discomfort, but I was quite unprepared for black-naped hare, two species of mongoose, about 40 rare kwang ma deer, whom he said But PfA/Chennai had already been w h a t we saw,” Krishna wrote. “Clementien and a pack of five jackals,” Corea recounted. were “becoming thinner and lethargic,” from in the field since December 30, beginning as Pauws, Ananthapur SPCA president Hari However, Corea saw longterm lack of fresh water and food. soon as their own facilities were back in use- Krishna, and our staff were sleeping, cook- threats to Sri Lankan wildlife in the extensive “We have always taken care of able condition. ing, and eating in a dilapidated 100-year-old damage to vegetation and fresh water sources. them and prevented outsiders from hunting “In my office at a marine science relic of a shed that housed the local animal “It is important to assess how salt them,” Nayramit Meepien told reporters for institute,” said Shiranee Pereira, director of husbandary hospital,” sharing the mosquito- water is affecting the life in lakes and will the Bangkok Post and The Nation, “but now the Chennai chapter of People for Animals, infested space with fodder and rescued ani- affect the food chain, especially for apex they are facing death. We are busy collecting “we are yet to get over the shock of losing a mals––“most of them with injuries,” Krishna feeders such as aquatic birds, fish-eating our dead. We need help from non-govern- colleague and friend who was in the office noted, including “a dog with distemper and a mammals, and reptiles,” Corea said. “Such mental organizations or state conservationists when the tsunami hit. He was washed away friendly mother dog who had littered a few study might help us to understand how global to take care of our deer immediately.” and his body was found a day later. Four other days earlier.” warming and a resulting rise in sea level The Bangkok Post reported that colleagues hung onto the iron beams on the “Thank you for all your support and might affect inland coastal areas.” more than 100 people were killed on the roof and were saved. My office was destroyed help,” Krishna told donors. “We have most In Thailand, by contrast, Wildlife island, located near Koh Similan and Koh beyond recognition,” Pereira found. things under some sort of control now, and are Friends of Thailand director Edwin Wiek Surin national parks. But there was no fur- not just lurching from crisis to crisis. It is reported “Only dead animals were found” in ther word about the fate of the deer. most important,” Krishna finished, “that after the first days after the tsunami. Sightseeing cruise operator Somkit the TV crews leave and the spotlight is no “The long tailed macaques went up Puangpulee on January 16 told The Nation longer on this tragedy, that we continue our into the hills in most cases,” Wiek said. that a colony of 100-150 dugongs may no efforts. There is a lot yet to be done.” “Other mammals living in the remnants of the longer inhabit Libong Island in Trang. E-mailed Pauws, “Our six people, mangrove forests, such as fishing cats and Somkit Puangpulee said he former- five dogs, and six puppies returned safely to deer, have been seen washed up on the ly escorted tourists to view from six to 20 Puttaparthi on January 17. Digesting this shores, along with many cattle and pigs.” dugongs at a time as they grazed on kelp. experience will take some time. I hope that There was one bright spot. Near No dugongs had been seen near animal welfare societies can come up with Khao Lak, local fishers on January 5 netted Libong Island since the tsunami, Somkit some structure for a future calamity, so we an adult female pink dolphin from a small Puangpulee said. Even if the dugongs sur- can act immediately on a larger scale, with lake created by the tsunami at a former quar- vived the tsunami itself, he added, it buried more help and resources. We fed hundreds of ry, and released her into the sea, a kilometer most of the young kelp that they prefer to eat. (Kartick Satyanarayan) animals along the shore and in Naggapattinam, YES! I’M AN Please enter my subscription for: ____ One year (10 issues.) Enclosed is $24. ____ Two years (20 issues.) Enclosed is $38. ANIMAL PERSON! ____ Three years (30 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 2004 ANIMAL PEOPLE Watchdog Report on 121 Animal Protection 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. ANIMAL PEOPLE, January/February 2005 - 19
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Some of the several hundred cattle seized on Christmas Eve by the Visakha SPCA––just before the tsunami. Not shown are the 110 special-needs calves who were among them. (Visakha SPCA photo) 20 - ANIMAL P E OPLE, January/February 2005 Tsunami destruction of fishing fleet brings respite for sea turtles VISAKHAPATNAM, VELAN- ing villages and the Andaman and Nicobar Thailand alone came to about $33 million, the SPCA fought the project all the way to the KANNI, PHUKET––The Indian Ocean sea islands have been badly affected. India’s FAO estimated. Supreme Court of India as a potentially bad turtle nesting season had just begun when the seafood exports may decline by around 30 per- FAO Fishery Technology Service precedent for allowing development that might tsunami hit on December 26, 2004. cent,” the FAO predicted. chief Jeremy Turner announced on January 13 harm sea turtle nesting habitat. “I was awake by five a.m.,” Visakha “In Sri Lanka more than 7,500 fish- that the FAO “has embarked on a concerted At Velankanni, to the south, a SPCA founder Pradeep Kumar Nath told ANI- ers have been killed and over 5,600 are still effort” to help rebuild the fisheries and aqua- Catholic shrine city famed as the site of visions MAL PEOPLE. missing,” the FAO continued. More than 80% culture industries of the tsunami-affected of the Virgin Mary, Wildlife SOS veterinarian Every morning during the nesting of the coastal fishing fleet was destroyed or nations. The European Union reportedly plans Cyril Roy and team found that, “Many sea tur- season Nath organizes volunteer foot patrols to seriously damaged, the FAO said. Ten of the to donate fishing boats bought as part of a plan tles were washed ashore and killed,” e-mailed find and protect sea turtle nests along the 12 major fishing harbors were “devastated.” to reduce the pressure on European fisheries. Wildlife SOS founder Kartick Satyanarayan. beaches of Visakhapatnam, India. The volun- “In Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam “After the tsunami our government “The rescue team also reported that in many teers try to spot the turtles as they come province, Indonesia, 70% of the small-scale wants to provide nets for fishers. Norway and places people were digging the nests in the ashore, keep crowds away, and ensure that fishing fleet has been destroyed,” the FAO Italy have promised to donate nets,” Sri sands to collect the eggs,” Satyanarayan said. the nests are properly buried, to avert preda- added. “In Nias Island, about 800 fishing Lankan animal advocate Kala Santha reported. But Dr. Roy rescued an injured olive tion by street dogs, jungle cats, jackals, and canoes have been destroyed. Two thirds of the “Though we love all animals, we ridley turtle near the shrine itself. foxes. “I have witnessed such incidents since fishers in Banda Aceh were killed.” have to petition to save at least sea turtles, sea “Local people were trying to kill the we began our turtle protection program,” Nath The FAO estimated that 4,500 Thai birds, dugongs, and other endangered ‘bad omen,’ which came with the misfortune said. “The dogs eat quite fast.” fishing boats were wrecked, along with the species,” Santha pleaded. “Gill nets should of the tsunami,” Satyanarayan explained. “In On December 26, Nath recalled, infrastructure at eight harbors. “Hundreds of not be used, and turtle excluder devices the local language, the villagers say ‘The “Our poacher-turned-volunteer saw a sea turtle boats and harbours were destroyed in the should be introduced,” a requirement that Sri place where a turtle comes and the king’s laying eggs, while another turtle returned to Maldives,” the FAO went on. “In Myanmar, Lanka, Thailand, and India were reluctant to henchmen come are the same,’” perhaps in the sea without laying, he informed me around some 200 villages lost fishing vessels and enforce even before the tsunami. reference to the Portuguese invasion that estab- 8.30 a.m.” It was a quiet morning. Done at infrastructure. In Malaysia, the livelihoods of Rebuilding the fishing fleets, aqua- lished the Catholic colony in the15th century. the beach, the Visakha SPCA team depart- about 6,000 fishers were affected. In Somalia, culture, and beach development around the Fortunately a water-filled ditch ed––just in time. around 2,600 fishing boats were destroyed.” Indian Ocean is likely to rebuild many of the carved by the tsunami kept the mob at a slight “In the state of Andhra Pradesh, The consequences of logging coastal threats to sea turtles and nesting habitat that distance from the sea turtle. No one knew for India,” where Visakhapatnam is the largest mangroves to expand aquaculture were first have caused declines in the regional popula- sure how deep the ditch was. coastal city, “2,000 fishing boats were lost,” emphasized to Southeast Asia by the cyclone tions of all sea turtle species. Globally, six of “Dr. Roy had no option but to cross the United Nations Food & Agricultural that struck Orissa state, India, on October 29, the seven sea turtle species are considered crit- the creek before the villagers,” Satyanarayan Organization summarized later. “About 1999, killing more than 10,000 people. ically endangered; leatherbacks have declined said. “After crossing and towing the turtle to 300,000 fishers lost their jobs. In Tamil Aquaculture itself took a heavy hit 95% since 1980. safety, he found that she was severely dehy- Nadu,” the next state to the south, “591 fish- on December 26. Equipment losses in For now, though, sea turtles are drated and had an abdominal wound.” Taking landing, nesting, and returning to the sea with the turtle to Chidambaram, 150 kilometres less interference than at any time in decades. away, Roy “rented a hut on the beach to set up a turtle rescue center,” Satyanarayan finished. Nestings, rescue “It will be a satisfying moment when Despite mobilizing Visakha SPCA we see her go back to the sea,” Roy said. staff and volunteers to do animal rescue work along more than 700 kilometres of battered Recovery at Phuket coast, Nath and others kept vigils to protect Across the Bay of Bengal, Phuket new nests and any remaining pre-tsunami nests Marine Biological Center researcher Kongkiat near Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam. Kittiwattanawong on January 10 “awaited the “At least seven sea turtles nested return of a leatherback turtle who laid eggs on near Visakhapatnam just three days after the Phuket’s Mai Khao Beach late last week––the tsunami,” Nath reported on December 29. first of this endangered species to visit the “Some sea turtles are coming in dead,” Nath island in three years––to fit her with a tracking added, “but we cannot conclude that they died microchip,” wrote Punnee Amornviputpanich due to the tsunami, because at this time of of The Nation in Bangkok. year thousands of turtles wash ashore after “According to Phuket Wildlife Fund drowning in trawling nets. official Wichote Kraithep,” Kittiwattanawong “I am disappointed that the subma- said, “the tsunami waves cleared away the rine was not thrown away,” Nath admitted, fishing boats and fishing gear that had prevent- referring to a decommissioned submarine that ed the turtles from nesting on the beach. was dragged to the beach at Visakhapatnam in “Wichote said activists had long Unidentified Wildlife SOS/Friendicoes SECA tsunami relief team member, team leader 2000, against Visakha SPCA opposition, to requested a ban on fishing boats and equip- Kartick Satyanarayan, and veterinarian Cyril Roy with rescued sea turtle. (Wildlife SOS) become part of a war memorial. The Visakha ment within an 8-kilometre radius of Mai Khao Beach,” Kittiwattanawong added, “but Python was the first animal hero in Sumatra the authorities claimed to lack the personnel and funds to prevent fishing vessels from MEDAN, Sumatra, Indonesia–– upon the Bali Street Dog Foundation net- to Aceh” for Ramadan, wrote Arlina Arshad sneaking in. He proposed three steps to pro- Among the dogs, elephants, and other work,” her husband and volunteer support of the Singapore Straits Times. “The sheep tect sea turtles: declaring Sirinart National species who saved humans from the Indian person Ken Grant explained. “The Bali Street are being flown or driven from different parts Park a no-fishing zone, prohibiting big hotels Ocean tsunami on December 26, 2004, the Dog Foundation has enjoyed the strong sup- of Indonesia to Banda Aceh, Lhokseumawe on Mai Khao Beach, which now has two with most surprising story may have been that of port of both HSI and the World Society for the and Meulaboh, said the Muslim agencies four more planned, and banning the sale of the python who pulled a 26-year-old clothing Protection of Animals, so it is natural that we Saff-Perdaus and Pergas Cooperative, which food or goods made from turtles.” vendor named Riza and a neighbor’s nine- should band together now.” are handling the gift. Another 400 sheep year-old twin daughters to safety near Bandar Their rescue team reached Banda pledged by Singapore Muslims will be killed SeaTurtle.Org fund Blang Bintang, Indonesia. Aceh circa January 7. They were joined on and processed in Sydney, Australia, before SeaTurtle.Org, hosts of the The Indonesian state news agency January 9 by Sherry Grant, WSPA field rep- being sent to refugee camps in Sri Lanka and