July, 2007
This week, a federal grand jury indicted NFL star quarterback Michael Vick and three cohorts on felony dogfighting charges. The abuses described in the indictment are almost beyond belief, and include a report of Vick being consulted before the execution of the losing dog "by wetting the dog down with water and electrocuting the animal."
The indictment also describes "the execution of approximately eight dogs that did not perform well in "testing" sessions ... by methods including hanging, drowning and slamming at least one dog's body to the ground."
Atlanta Falcons Quarterback Michael Vick should be suspended from the NFL immediately!
The NFL expressed “disappointment” and said, “We believe that all concerned should allow the legal process to determine the facts.” That’s just not good enough. The alleged acts were not petty or harmless; they were nothing short of gruesome and barbaric.
PLEASE sign the petition to the NFL today, and tell the league to suspend Michael Vick.
Suspend NFL Quarterback Michael Vick for Dogfighting!
The excecution of the dog is the least of it. Most dogs are left to bleed to death, some are tossed in the trash to die. There is unimaginable suffering during the training and the fighting. Dogfighting is despicable in so many ways, if you think you want to learn more and get involved, be sure to
Google "dog fighting bait"
to learn about stolen pets, innocent victims of dog fighting.
We have so much more to learn, but I really don't recommend it, it hurts too much.
Mans inhumanity never ceases to amaze me.
See Also
'Against Dog Fighting @ JodysJungle.com'
jj

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6/27/07
Jill Robinson (Animals Asia)
is presently on a very busy roadshow in England and yesterday was a guest on the well known BBC Radio 4 talkshow - "Midweek". You can listen to the show anytime on the internet by visiting:
www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/midweek.shtml
Then click on "Listen to the latest edition".
Enjoy!
Warmest wishes,
Annie
Annie Mather
Executive Director, Head of Media
Animals Asia Foundation, Hong Kong
Jill Robinson is the founder of Animals Asia Foundation which is dedicated to saving bears from the barbaric practice of farming them for their bile (for traditional Chinese medicines) across China and Vietnam. Jill is taking part in the Moon Bear Dinner, a fundraising event for the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation at the RHS Garden Wisley, Surrey on Wednesday 27th June, 2007.

6/20/2007
Dear Jody,
I just wanted to share with you some good news – the Animals Asia team has three new family members and they couldn’t be more adorable. Thanks to your generous support, we have been able to rescue three tiny Moon Bear cubs that were being smuggled into Vietnam – they are now safe and sound and enjoying the good life at our rescue centre near Hanoi.
So far, it’s been quite a tough year for us in Vietnam – unexpected construction delays have meant that we have had to postpone the beginning of our major rescue of 200 farmed Moon Bears in Vietnam until later this year. These rescued bears will be central to our education efforts, so despite the frustrations, long-term, we are still on track to end bear farming in this country.
Vet Nurse Candice and Senior Bear Manager Annemarie are certainly going to have their hands full looking after these little bundles of energy in the meantime!
To read the full story of how Olly and his step-sisters, Mara and Mausi, came into our care
click here: Animalsasia.org

Mischievous Olly loves playing with his new toys.

As always, a million thanks for your faith and continuing support.
Bear hugs, Jill
Jill Robinson
Founder & CEO
Animals Asia Foundation
Hong Kong

~

Four Paws Foundation Animal Rights Activists
Free Bulgaria's Last Three Dancing Bears
Associated Press Jun. 15, 2007
SOFIA, Bulgaria - After a lifetime of brutal treatment, including walking on burning embers, Bulgaria's last three dancing bears will get to rest their paws at a mountain sanctuary, in an apparent end to the centuries-old performance tradition in the Balkans. Activists on Friday bought the freedom of Mima, 8, Misho, 19, and Svetla, 17. Bulgaria is believed to have been the last country in the Balkans where dancing bears still performed, even though the practice was outlawed in 1993, when there were 20 to 30 such bears in the country. The three bears will join another 20 brown bears on Mount Rila at a 30-acre sanctuary for former dancing bears 110 miles south of Sofia.
"Our aim is to make their life more bearable in their remaining years," Ioana Tomescu of the Austria-based Four Paws Foundation, which created the sanctuary, told the Associated Press. Throughout the Balkans, families - mostly among the Gypsy or Roma community - have long earned a living through performing bears. But the techniques to train them led the practice to be banned, and animal rights activists have moved to find the bears new homes. The bears are captured while still young. Their nose or lips are pierced, and a metal ring attached to a chain is inserted; the pain ensures instant submission. The cubs are forced to walk on burning embers or a hot sheet of metal, and hop from one hind leg to the other in order to escape the burning, while their trainer beats a drum. The process is repeated until the bear learns to connect the drum to the pain. Because dancing bears are illegal, authorities could simply have taken Mima, Misho and Svelta away from their owners in the eastern village of Getsovo. Instead, the Four Paws Foundation decided to pay for their freedom by giving their owners small grants to set up new businesses. It did not reveal how much was paid. In return, the owners signed declarations pledging never to take up the bear dancing business again.
Four Paws International   MSNBC

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Coria/Spain
Campaign Against the Barbarity of the Bull of Darts
Date 23rd to 29th June, 2007

The bull walks and runs for hours in the streets while people throw darts at him. When he is too tired and weak from loss of blood to continue to escape, the villagers shoot him and cut off his testicules.

According to the legend, every year by the celebrations of San Juan, a selected young person to drawing between those of the city was run by the streets and she defended with two knives or daggers of the attacks of the others. It almost always used to die. But a year touched in luck to the son of a rich lady of the town. This one, distressed, changed it by a bull, and since then, this cruel confinement is the center of the celebrations of Coria.
At the moment, to the bull a currency nails to him and it loosen to him in the seat of the town, a person selected by the city council begins to throw soplillos to him with blowpipes. Soon, the bull rambles by the town during two hours and receives in its meats the soplillos blown with blowpipes that throw the peculiar neighbors to him and. When its exhaustion wins is ended to him him of a shot in the head and the testicles are cut to him.
Please go to
Campaigns Against Bloody Fiestas
and send protest letters to authorities concerning this and other cruel "festivals."
Source: www.iwab.org
Please also visit
The Extreme Cruelty of BULLFIGHTING... Shame of Humanity
Corridas de toros - Vergüenza social@JodysJungle.com®

~

Rare blue lobster found at mouth of Conn. river
Associated Press
Jun. 12, 2007

NEW LONDON, Conn. - Call it crustacean discrimination.
A lobster caught last weekend by Steve Hatch and his uncle Robert Green was spared from being cooked and ripped apart on a plate because of its color. The 1 1/2-pound clawed creature is bright blue, the result of an extremely rare genetic mutation. It turned up Sunday morning in one of Hatch and Green's lobster traps at the mouth of the Thames River. "I've heard about them but this is the first one I've ever seen," Hatch told the Day of New London newspaper. Later that afternoon, he put the lobster in a cooler and brought it to the Mystic Aquarium and Institute for Exploration, where it will live out its days in an elementary school classroom for children to learn about.
Catherine Ellis, curator of fish and invertebrates at the aquarium, said only one in 3 million lobsters are "true blue," meaning their color is the result of genetics and not the environment.
The one caught Sunday will join two other blue lobsters at the aquarium. Researchers at the University of Connecticut found that the blue coloring occurs when lobsters produce an excessive amount of protein because of a genetic mutation. But if blue lobsters are cooked like their red brethren, they too turn red, Ellis said.
Scroll down to the end of this page to meet Barney the lobster.

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Yellowstone
The Bush administration wants to triple the number of noisy, polluting snowmobiles roaring through America's oldest national park. But we have a narrow window of opportunity right now to speak out against this dangerous proposal, which ignores warnings from Park Service experts and puts Yellowstone's wildlife, visitors and staff at risk. Please go to Take Action and tell the Bush administration to abandon its reckless plan and instead protect the park's iconic wildlife, clear views and natural serenity. Four consecutive National Park Service studies have shown that only a complete ban on snowmobiles in Yellowstone can adequately protect the park's natural values and safeguard the health of visitors and staff. Yet the Bush administration recently proposed increasing the average number of snowmobiles in Yellowstone from 250 to 720 per day. Seven former National Park Service directors have signed a letter urging Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to reject this scheme. The administration should instead ban snowmobiles while expanding the use of environmentally friendly "snowcoaches," which are quieter, less polluting and offer breathtaking panoramic views of the park. Thank you for helping to safeguard Yellowstone and all of our national parks, which are such an important part of America's natural heritage.
Sincerely,
Frances Beinecke
President
Natural Resources Defense Council

~

SpayOurStrays.com
S.O.S. is an animal rescue association dedicated to eliminating animal overpopulation, mistreatment and abandonment. We spay/neuter, vaccinate and provide medical treatment to all our rescued animals. Tame or socialized animals are placed in quality permanent homes. Feral or unsocialized cats are released back to their colonies when it is a safe managed environment. We educate the public about the need for spaying and neutering thereby reducing the number of unwanted animals.
P.O. Box 44280
Las Vegas, NV 89104
702.363.8616

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Sign Petition
Polar bears are in such trouble that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service has proposed listing them as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act. So why does this same agency allow American trophy hunters to kill Canadian polar bears and bring them home?
Tell the Fish and Wildlife Service to stop issuing polar bear trophy permits immediately! Canadian polar bear populations -- like those in America -- are declining due to global warming and other threats. In fact, the World Conservation Union's Polar Bear Specialist Group predicts that polar bear populations could drop 30% in the next 35-50 years and that polar bears may disappear entirely from most of their range within 100 years.
Hunting polar bears is already banned in the U.S. But half of the world's polar bears live in Canada, where hunting is legal. And due to a huge loophole in the Marine Mammal Protection Act, American trophy hunters can travel to Canada, kill a polar bear, and bring back polar bear trophies. We may not be able to stop Canada from allowing hunting, but we can stop the U.S. from allowing Americans to import polar bear trophies. Please act today and urge the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to stop issuing polar bear trophy permits immediately!

Polar bears already face a daunting future because of global warming, oil and gas exploration and toxic chemical pollution. But there's another threat that many Americans aren't aware of – trophy hunting. The United States does not allow sport hunting of polar bears in their Alaskan habitat. But more than half of the world's polar bears live in Canada, where hunting is legal. And due to a huge loophole in the Marine Mammal Protection Act, American trophy hunters can travel to Canada, kill a polar bear, and bring back polar bear trophies. From 2002-2005, a total of 298 requests were made by US citizens to import sport hunted polar bear trophies from Canada. Of these, 252 - a staggering 85 percent - were issued. We may not be able to stop Canada from allowing hunting, but we can stop the U.S. from allowing Americans to import polar bear trophies. Please act today and urge the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to stop issuing polar bear trophy permits immediately!
Thank you for taking action today,
Rebecca Young,
Care2 and ThePetitionSite team
Care2.com, Inc.

~

AnimalsVoice.com
If you want to become involved with animal issues, Animalsvoice.com is the place for you.
"The Animals Voice is the premiere online resource for helping animals. We are an award-winning, independent, networking source of recent media coverage, timely information, and an incalculable volume of resources for animals and their defenders. We feature the latest animal rights news, multimedia, calendar, victories, thought-provoking and inspirational editorial, graphic and compelling photography, and in-depth investigative reports."

~

Beautiful weather in California today, I decided to water the yard when I spotted something next to the fence. A beautiful little fawn waiting for it's mom to return. I didn't want to frighten the fawn so no watering occurred today. This little sweetie waited all day, what a well behaved child.

~

Ask State Agency to Make Manatee Management Plan Stronger
Urge Revision of Imperiled Species Listing/Delisting Rule
To JodysJungle.com
When the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWCC) adopted new imperiled species listing/delisting criteria, they incorporated the international criteria for "endangered," but they elected to call those species that met the endangered criteria "threatened" instead of "endangered." As a result, the FWCC voted to downlist manatees to "threatened" status. We are highly critical of this move, as are a host of other environmental organizations and eminent scientists.
Now, the FWCC has drafted a Manatee Management Plan (Plan), which is the final step in the species' reclassification from "endangered" to "threatened." However, the current Plan will not ensure adequate protection for manatees and, together with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's recent recommendation to also downlist manatees at the federal level, the Plan will greatly hamper our chance of securing the manatee's future in the face of increasing human-related threats.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has recommended downlisting the manatee due to political pressure. An April editorial in The Bradenton Herald said, "The declassification is not being made because the manatee has made a 'landmark' recovery, as the USFWS' field supervisor asserted. Rather, it is a concession to the boat, dock-building and development interests that have lobbied for relaxing manatee protection rules for years. In the anti-environment posture of the Bush administration facing term limits, it has finally found a friendly reception."
The two greatest threats to the manatee's long-term survival are:
A growing number of boats on Florida's already dangerous waters
The probable future loss of both natural and artificial warm water habitat.
Ironically, because of these threats, both the state and federal governments are projecting substantial to catastrophic decline in the manatee population unless strong new protections are implemented.
Act Now! Click this link to send a quick and easy online letter to FWCC Executive Director Ken Haddad and Florida Governor Charlie Crist, asking them to revise Florida's imperiled species listing/delisting rule and to retain the manatee's current "endangered" status. In addition, the letter asks them to make the Manatee Management Plan much stronger.
The formal comment period for the Management Plan is from May 7, 2007 - June 14, 2007. Please send the letter immediately and ask your family and friends to do the same. Thank you for your help on this important issue for manatees!
Our postal address is:
500 N. Maitland Ave.
Maitland, Florida 32751
About SMC: Save the Manatee Club is a nonprofit organization founded in 1981 by former Florida Governor and U.S. Senator Bob Graham and singer Jimmy Buffett. To learn more about manatees and our work, go to savethemanatee.org

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Save Wild Horses
Critical Week in Washington DC
Take Action before Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Two pieces of legislation critical to the welfare of America’s wild horses will come under consideration this week in Congress. Your help is urgently needed to push them through. Please call your members of Congress in support of these two measures.
1) Have your U.S. Representative vote YES on H.R. 249
Contact Information
This Thursday, April 26, H.R. 249, which would restore the prohibition on the commercial sale and slaughter of wild horses and burros, will come for a vote before the US House of Representatives. Please contact your U.S. Representative and urge them to vote ‘Yes’ on H.R. 249
2) Have Senate Commerce Committee members Vote YES on S. 311
Contact Information
This Wednesday, April 25, 2007, the Senate Commerce Committee will consider S. 311, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. It is critical that all Committee members, including cosponsors of the bill, hear from constituents urging them to vote in favor of S. 311 and to stand strong against any misinformation that is being spread by the pro-horse slaughter lobby.
Presented by The Animals Voice

~

Dear Jody,
I am writing to inform you about the forthcoming title "Cow", by Hannah Velten, livestock reporter for Farmers Weekly. This book provides an informative and comprehensive cultural and scientific survey of cows throughout history ­ covering cows in art, advertising, science, literature and Bovine studies. We were hoping that you might be able to announce this title to members and friends - is it possible to have it listed on your website, or sent as an e-message? Any help would be kindly appreciated. I do hope this book is of interest to you.
Best wishes, Sophie Powell
Marketing Department

~COW~
224 pages
100 illustrations, 60 in colour
Paperback 978 1 86189 326 0
Forthcoming June 2007

"From the milk we drink in the morning to the leather shoes we slip on for the day, to the steak we savour at dinner, our daily lives are thoroughly bound up with the cow. Yet there is a far more complex story behind this seemingly benign creature, which Hannah Velten explores here, plumbing the rich trove of myth, fact and legend surrounding the cow, bull and ox."

Reaktion Books is a publisher of high-quality non-fiction in many fields including animal studies, architecture, art, cultural studies, design, film, food studies, history, photography, and travel writing.
To be added to the Reaktion mailing list please specify your interests and email to
sophie@reaktionbooks.co.uk
under the subject title 'Mailing List'.
For further details please see the book on our website
reaktionbooks.co.uk
33 Great Sutton Street
London EC1V 0DX, UK
Ph +44 (0)20 7253 1071
Fax +44 (0)20 7253 1208

~

Hooray!

Nic and Gypsy, Elephants in the Mud at PAWS
In spite of his size, approx. 10,000 lbs, Nic is just a baby at age 12 or 13?, aww!

~

Kovels Komments
April 12, 2007
Kovels.com
Could your old dishes be making you or your pet sick?
Lethal pet food is big news everywhere. The wheat gluten in the food is contaminated by melamine, a slow-release fertilizer also used to make plastics. Collectors have a special concern. Hard plastic melamine dishes have been made since 1937. The first really popular melamine dinner set was designed by Russel Wright in 1944. By the 1950s most people referred to melamine dishes by the brand name Melmac. They were unbreakable but scratched and stained and were out of favor by the late 1970s. But they are collected now and used. Are they safe? Does the hard plastic have any of the problems of the gluten mixture? Is it dangerous to heat Melmac dishes in a microwave or dishwasher? Our advice--- For now, use ceramic or stainless steel dishes for your pets and the family.

~

PLEASE
Help Stop the Elephant Cull in South Africa
Between 1966 and 1994 more than 16,000 elephants were killed in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, as a method of 'population control'. A moratorium on elephant culling was thankfully put in place in 1995. However, it now seems that elephant culling is once again in the cards for South Africa’s elephants.  
On 28th February, 2007, Born Free was deeply disappointed to learn that the South African Minister for Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Marthinus van Schalwyck, had announced that as part of the new Draft Norms and Standards on Elephant Management, culling would be one of the options considered. Born Free is extremely concerned about this decision, which not only has serious implications for South Africa’s elephants, but also for the wider elephant population. For more details, see Born Free’s Press Release

~

ASPCA Pet Health Insurance
Protect your pet and support the ASPCA

~

Dear Friends,
April 1, 2007
Perrier, the French bottled water company, sponsored bullfights in France in the "Feria du Rhony" festival that took place in the city of Vergeze from 23 to 25th March this year.
To see the poster announcing this festival please visit our WEBSITE.
The Perrier company belongs to Nestle. Please send protest letters to Perrier and Nestle. Sample letters and translations can be found on our WEBSITE.
For the Animals
Maria Lopes
Coordinator
International Web Against Bullfights.org
Sample Letter
Dear Madam/Sirs,
I was informed that the Perrier Company sponsored bullfights in Vergeze/Feria du Rhony in March this year. The main events of this Feria were a bullfight and other activities connected with bullfights. Bullfights are spectacles that consist of torturing an animal to death with a range of instruments. Using picas, banderillas and swords each bull is tortured for 20 minutes before being killed. As to the horses even if they are not killed during this horrible supposedly artistic show they also suffer enormously. According to several polls 80% of French people are against bullfights. Your monetary support to this kind of spectacle is outrageous and I must reconsider buying not only Perrier but also any products of the Nestlé Group.
Sincerely
Name/Country

~

ANIMALS THROUGH THE WORLD
March 2007
International Movement Against Bullfights
Dear Friends,
The Written Declaration 0002/2007 (calling for a ban on bullfighting and bull breeders subsidies) had been signed by 176 MEPs (Members of the European Parliament) on the 15th of March, according to European Union official numbers. Probably the real number is higher because the EU does not update their website regularly. It hasn't been updated since that date. The lapse date is 15th April, 2007 and we are far away from the 393 signatures needed. It's not brilliant but hope is the last thing to die so please continue to send emails to convince the MEPs of the importance of signing this document to end the subsidies to bull breeders. Please send emails to Italy, Sweden, Danemark, Germany, Hungary, Romania, etc, because the majority of British MEPs have already signed. All details can be found at our WEBSITE
For the Animals
Maria Lopes
Coordinator

How can this be allowed to happen?
I am disgusted, we should all be disgusted. Please, help stop bullfighting..jj

~

Ask Morningstar to Cut Out Cruelty
Use of eggs from battery hens in vegetarian foods sparks national campaign
Too often, the dark side of vegetarian foods is that some contain ingredients like dairy or eggs that cause animals to suffer. Advocacy groups are calling on consumers nationwide to urge vegetarian food maker Morningstar Farms® to remove battery cage raised hen eggs from its foods, bringing ethical integrity to products often seen as a cruelty-free substitutes to meat.
As industry trends move in a cruelty-free direction, Morningstar Farms has unwisely lapsed behind its competitors. Last year, Gardenburger®, one its largest business rivals, eliminated eggs from all but one of its products. By continuing the use of eggs from hens raised in cruel conditions, Morningstar tarnishes its image as provider of conscious alternatives, and shuts out a large portion of its target market. Costumers who follow a vegan diet are a fast-growing demographic, comprising approximately 1% of the population. With its use of eggs, Morningstar effectively eliminates 3 million potential and likely customers. For a food additive that no one would miss were it gone, Morningstar has cut into its potential customer base, compromised its ethical standing, and sparked a national campaign by animal advocates.
Birds raised on egg farms are probably the most abused of all farmed animals. Nearly 300 million hens live confined inside wire battery cages so small that they can barely move. Battery caged hens are typically provided with a meager 67 square inches of space in which to live -- that's less than the size of one sheet of notebook paper. These birds are so intensively confined for their entire lives that they are denied their natural inclinations to spread their wings, perch, or even walk.
Many consumers purchase vegetarian foods as a compassionate alternative to meat, believing these items are cruelty-free substitutes for flesh. Kept from the public eye are the images of thousands of birds in darks sheds, living in cages so small they are unable to lift a wing. Morningstar is making a positive change through their production of meat alternatives. Eliminating eggs is the last step needed to create a truly humane product.
What We Can Do:
Please contact Morningstar Farms and politely remind them their use of eggs, especially from battery hens, is injurious to both their business and their credibility. Ask them to maintain their credibility and competitive edge by dropping eggs from their product line.
Morningstar Farms
c/o Kellogg Consumer Affairs
P.O. Box CAMB
Battle Creek, MI 49016
Tel: (800) 962-1413
Submit Your Comments to Morningstar Farms
~~~
Compassion Over Killing and Vegan Outreach
are teaming up with compassionate people everywhere to
Ask Morningstar Farms® to stop using eggs in its product line.

~

Pet Food Maker Announces Huge Recall
Reports of Pet Deaths
By Andrew Bridges AP
March 16, 2007
WASHINGTON (AP) - A major manufacturer of dog and cat food sold under Wal-Mart , Safeway , Kroger and other store brands recalled 60 million containers of wet pet food Friday after reports of kidney failure and deaths.
An unknown number of cats and dogs suffered kidney failure and about 10 died after eating the affected pet food, Menu Foods said in announcing the North American recall. Product testing has not revealed a link explaining the reported cases of illness and death, the company said.
"At this juncture, we're not 100 percent sure what's happened," said Paul Henderson, the company's president and chief executive officer. However, the recalled products were made using wheat gluten purchased from a new supplier, since dropped for another source, spokeswoman Sarah Tuite said. Wheat gluten is a source of protein.
The recall covers the company's "cuts and gravy" style food, which consists of chunks of meat in gravy, sold in cans and small foil pouches between Dec. 3 and March 6 throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
The pet food was sold by stores operated by the Kroger Company, Safeway Inc., Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and PetSmart Inc., among others, Henderson said.
Menu Foods Recall
Consumers with questions can call (866) 463-6738.
The company said it manufacturers for 17 of the top 20 North American retailers. It is also a contract manufacturer for the top branded pet food companies, including Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble Co.
P&G announced Friday the recall of specific 3 oz., 5.5 oz., 6 oz. and 13.2 oz. canned and 3 oz. and 5.3 oz. foil pouch cat and dog wet food products made by Menu Foods but sold under the Iams and Eukanuba brands. The recalled products bear the code dates of 6339 through 7073 followed by the plant code 4197, P&G said. Menu Foods' three U.S. and one Canadian factory produce more than 1 billion containers of wet pet food a year. The recall covers pet food made at company plants in Emporia, Kan., and Pennsauken, N.J., Henderson said.
Henderson said the company received an undisclosed number of owner complaints of vomiting and kidney failure in dogs and cats after they had been fed its products. It has tested its products but not found a cause for the sickness. "To date, the tests have not indicated any problems with the product," Henderson said.
The company alerted the Food and Drug Administration, which already has inspectors in one of the two plants, Henderson said. The FDA was working to nail down brand names covered by the recall, agency spokesman Mike Herndon said.
Menu Foods is majority owned by the Menu Foods Income Fund, based in Ontario, Canada.
Pet Food Recall Links
Safeway
P&G Pet Care
Pet Deaths Prompt Recall of Pet Food

~

~GIDEON~
After Dog's Death, A Warning
By Josh Kovner
Courant Staff Writer
March 14, 2007
MIDDLETOWN, Connecticut -- Law officers are asking for the public's help in combating instances of dog-fighting in the city, after a 2-year-old pit bull - likely used as "bait" to train aggressive dogs - was dumped on the side of Wilderman's Way and left to die of bite wounds, punctures and infections.
A man out for a stroll on Sunday found the dog lying on the ground, beyond a silt fence, near the high school construction site. He called police, and Assistant Animal Control Officer Karen Sullivan took the dog in her van to the Pieper-Olson Animal Hospital on Randolph Road. Doctors and technicians worked for hours, warming the 50-pound male with blankets and hot-water bottles in order to raise a vein so fluids, antibiotics and pain medication could be injected.
The dog died Monday night. "There wasn't a dry eye at the hospital," Animal Control Officer Gail Petras said Tuesday. "It's unthinkable that someone could put an animal through this, not once, but many times. "I would love nothing more than to know where this dog came from, so I could find the people responsible for doing this to him," Petras said. The staff at the hospital had named him Gideon. Over the last couple of years, a half-dozen dogs have been brought to the animal shelter with the signs of having been involved in organized fights: bites and punctures covering the face, neck and front legs; torn ears, torn noses. "We get the losers, or the bait dogs," Petras said. "They've had good temperaments and we've been able to place them with families." But no dog had been injured or abused as badly as Gideon had been. Some of his wounds appeared to be months old, and he had contracted raging infections because he'd received no treatment for more recent cuts and tears.
Seasoned police officers couldn't look at the series of digital pictures that Petras took of Gideon to show other animal control officers for education purposes. Petras said she has received complaints of suspected dog fighting in the past, but she has not been able to find the participants. "I don't believe we have organized pit bull fighting; I do believe we have street stuff going on, where young people may gather in a parking lot or a remote location at 2 a.m. and let the dogs go at it. It's hard to pinpoint, because it moves around," Petras said. In 2004, two city police officers were bitten by a pit bull-mix during a drug raid on Ferry Street. The dog was a mother protecting a litter of five or six puppies. Petras said puppies in that situation are often sold to dog fighters. Sullivan and Petras were able to find homes for all of those dogs. Petras asks the public to call city police, or her office at police headquarters at 860-344-3298, if they see a dog with what looks like fighting wounds, or have any information about Gideon.
Contact Josh Kovner at jkovner@courant.com.
Copyright 2007, Hartford Courant
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reward Offered In Death Of Dog
By JOSH KOVNER
Courant Staff Writer
March 15, 2007
MIDDLETOWN -- Jeffrey Jump cringed when he read the story about the death of an abused pit bull in the city this week. "The brutality, the senselessness of it, is just about beyond belief," said the former Middletown resident. "It's awful, and I've had enough." Jump on Wednesday offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person who dumped the mortally wounded pit bull - likely used as bait to train aggressive fighting dogs - on the ground off Wilderman's Way sometime before Sunday afternoon. The dog, a 2-year-old, 50-pound male, died Monday. The staff at Pieper-Olson Veterinary Hospital had named him Gideon. They worked for hours to try to save him. He had fresh wounds, infected wounds, and a massive amount of scar tissue. Jump offered the reward the morning after Animal Control Officer Gail Petras asked for the public's help in combating dog-fighting in the city. "It's wonderful that someone is as concerned as we are about finding the people who did this," Petras said Wednesday. Jump also requested that the Connecticut Humane Society take action - and received a positive response. Spokeswoman Jody Angell said she'll discuss the Middletown case with society president Richard Johnston today. The Newington-based agency has offered rewards of up to $5,000, Angell said. Jump, 55, a donor to the humane society, also e-mailed other animal advocacy groups to which he belongs. "I asked them to match my offer - or to do something. I wish I could do more," said Jump, a labor-union representative who lived in Middletown for 18 years before moving to Wolcott about five years ago. Angell said that dog-fighting persists despite a greater public awareness of animal cruelty and relatively tough penalties for offenders. Those convicted of possessing or training fighting dogs, or of betting on fights, face up to five years in prison and $5,000 in fines. Spectators and those who act as judges or referees are subject to the same penalties.
Petras can be reached at 860-344-3298.
Contact Josh Kovner at jkovner@courant.com.
Copyright 2007, Hartford Courant

~

The Humane Society of the United States is offering a reward of up to $2,500
Associated Press
Mar. 15, 2007
ST. PAUL, Minn. - A 17-year-old girl who spent weeks looking for her missing dog unwrapped a box left on her doorstep and found the pet's severed head inside, authorities said.
Homicide investigators were looking into the case because of the "implied" terroristic threat, St. Paul Police Sgt. Jim Gray said. The Humane Society of the United States said Wednesday it was offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
"This was extraordinarily heinous," said Dale Bartlett, the Humane Society's deputy manager for animal cruelty issues. "I deal with hundreds and hundreds of cruelty cases each year. When I read about this case, it took my breath away. It's horrible."
After Crystal Brown's 4-year-old Australian shepherd mix wandered away last month, she put up "missing" posters in her neighborhood and went door to door looking for him. She called the St. Paul animal shelter and rode the bus there several times. "I felt empty," Crystal told the Star Tribune of Minneapolis. "I couldn't talk to anyone. He was my dog. It was just me and him. ... I told him everything and he never shared any of my secrets." Two weeks ago, a gift-wrapped box was left at the house Crystal shares with her grandmother. The box had batteries on top, and a note that said "Congratulations Crystal. This side up. Batteries included." Crystal opened the box and found her dog's head inside. The box also contained Valentine's Day candy. Crystal screamed when she saw her dog's face. "She was just hysterical," said Crystal's grandmother, Shirley Brown. "She was screaming. She said, Grandma, it's my dog's head!' "I said, no it can't be!' " Authorities say the case is an isolated incident and the suspect likely knew the family. A motive is unclear. "This was so cruel," Crystal said. "This is one sick, twisted person."

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FAE's Elephant Hospital/Lampang...Updates
Dear friends:
Once again it is my regret for not being able to contact all our friends and send you updates on FAE. We have had an enormous setback, documents lost, domain and server were down several times and our website could not be used for so long, unpleasant things happened that we never believed before that they had anything to do with planned foul play.
Documents, computers, almost all the files of fourteen years have lost/stolen and damaged. We do not have the lists of our friends, no donor names and addresses and I feel it is not just we went back to the starting point but further behind. However, I am trying to start anew. With just one staff in Bangkok office now and three staff short here at FAE's Elephant Hospital, it is very difficult to work efficiently. I believe it is the fate and I do have faith for FAE and thanks to you all for the support you have given to us all these years.
Thank you so much.
Soraida Salwala, Founder
Friends of the Asian Elephant (FAE)
New website: http://www.elephants-soraida.com/
(Website is Thai, click ENG at bottom of page for English)
News and Pictures from FAE's Elephant Hospital
Motoo and Mojay, the sisters who stepped on landmines in October last year have returned home this morning. Both of them are doing well, the wounds are completely healed. They did not want to leave and Motoo cried out loud and refused to go on the truck. I had to get on the truck myself to persuade her.

Motoo & Soraida on the truck

It hurt so much that we could not keep them with us since the owners wanted them back. I fear most that they would be sold away. I talked to the owner and begged her not to sell them. Their mother, Lamou, is pregnant and I hope they would form a big family and stay where they areMosha, the injured baby is doing good. The wounds have almost healed. Thanks to the donor who donates the medicinal herbs to cure her.
The five permanent residents are the same and enjoy their routine. The warm sun is bathing Motala as she strolls outside. Life has spared her.
Kamsoong, the bull with the bullets in his leg, has been with us over 21 months and is almost ready to go back.
Many patients came and went this year as well as those that we have treated on the Mobile. The hospital is now quiet with only the sound of the birds singing, insects buzzing to let us know that the forest we live in are alive. Cold breeze tells us that the rain will stop soon and the cold season is on its way. Baby Mosha's cries every now and then lets us know that life goes on no matter what.
Soraida Salwala, Founder
FAE
FAE's NEW ADDRESS:
Friends of the Asian Elephant
687/2 Ram - Indra Road Soi 32,
Tharaeng, Bangkhen, Bangkok 10230, Thailand
Tel. 66-(0)-2509-1200
Fax. 66-(0)-2509-3533
E-mail: fae@loxinfo.co.th
E-mail: fae@elephant-soraida.com
Website
FAE's ELEPHANT HOSPITAL (The World's First)
LAMPANG-CHIANGMAI RD. (KM. 28-29),
HANGCHATR DISTRICT, LAMPANG PROVINCE, THAILAND
TEL: 66-(08)-1914-6113, 66-(0)-5424-7869/70
If you were a friend of FAE, please send an email with your information..Thanks! jj

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Act Now | Animal Bill of Rights

The struggle to end cruelty to animals is not an easy one.
But there is something easy you can do right now to make a difference in the lives of abused animals.
It's as quick and simple as typing in your name.

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Dear Ecopassage Supporters

I am writing to ask for your help to save the endangered Alabama red-bellied turtle from being killed by vehicles on the Mobile Causeway (US 90) in Alabama. This turtle is a Federally Endangered Species and is designated as the Official State Reptile of Alabama. The Alabama red-bellied turtle has one of the smallest species ranges of any turtle in the world, only occurring in the Mobile-Tensaw, Alabama delta, making it very vulnerable to extinction. The Mobile Bay Causeway between Spanish Fort and Mobile, AL was built across islands and bays at the deltas of the Apalachee, Tensaw, and Blakeley Rivers. These sandy islands are key nesting sites for the Alabama red bellied turtle. Each year, gravid females come on shore to lay eggs and many of these females and their hatchlings are killed on the highway. At least 444 endangered turtles have been killed in just 6 years on this highway! Even though the killing of turtles has been documented for over 14 years, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Alabama Department of Transportation, and the Alabama Department of Conservation have done nothing to stop the slaughter. I am asking for your help to write to the agencies responsible and urge them to spend the money to build a proper fence to solve this problem. Please see the web site that has been set up at   savetheredbelly.org   to see how you can help.
Thank you.
Matthew J. Aresco, Ph.D.
President
Lake Jackson Ecopassage Alliance, Inc.
P.O. Box 180891
Tallahassee, FL 32318
3/8/2007

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Jungle Friends, Cody Update 3/4/07
Cody has left this life for the next, he is here with us now at Jungle Friends and the humans and monkeys have all said good bye, we will miss Cody and think of him often. Cody was one of the kindest souls I have ever met. Thank you everyone for all you did for Cody, I know your prayers helped him through his journey. Cody is free and at peace now.

Jungle Friends, Cody Update 3/3/07
Dear Friends of Cody,
Lee is with Cody now and he is out of surgery and sitting up! They did not find a tumor or a tear or anything obvious to ‘fix’; however, they flushed him out and got a lot of the gunk out of him. Cody does have pneumonia on top of everything, so his breathing is labored and he may need to go on oxygen and his liver does not look good. They have a catheter in providing him fluids and antibiotic. They took biopsies and cultures, so we may have a better idea for a diagnosis as the results come in. They want to keep Cody in the hospital for a couple of days and keep a close watch over him; we hope to have Cody home by Monday.
Cody is critical and the prognosis is guarded. Please keep him in your thoughts and in your prayers, he has an uphill battle, but he is a fighter and I know he wants to be home running and playing again with his best friend Murphy.
Thank you for your prayers and your kind compassion for Cody.
Lots of monkey love,
Kari and the monks

Jungle Friends is one of my favorite and most worthwhile organizations.
Kari is not asking for money, only for prayers. Please Pray for Cody..and please add a prayer for Kari, it's almost too much for her to bear after the recent death of dear sweet little Curri. Bless you Kari...jj
Dear Friends of Jungle Friends

Cody is one of the most loving monkeys here at Jungle Friends and he is very sick. Lee took Cody to the vet school today and he appears to have peritonitis. Cody’s white blood cells are very high and point to an infection in the early stages (about 24 hours); right now the infection is contained in the abdomen, but it could spread, so Dr. Heard will be doing emergency surgery in the morning to clean out the infection and if there is a tear in his abdomen he will suture it. Dr. Heard will also be looking for a tumor; we hope there will not be one, but there is a chance that there is a cancerous tumor. Cody has diabetes and has been doing very well beating the disease; we hope he can beat this one too! Please say your prayers for Cody and send him your love and healing thoughts.
Lots of monkey love,
Kari and the monks
kari@junglefriends.org
Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary
13915 North State Road 121
Gainesville, FL 32653
(386) 418-0808 Fax

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PUPPY TORTURERS RECEIVE STRONG SENTENCE
Prosecuting District Attorney Paul Howard should be applauded for his commitment to justice and the humane treatment of animals - please sign this petition today to congratulate him on success!
It's not easy to think about a puppy being killed - it's almost too horrific for words. And too often the sentences for such crimes are weak and far too short. But there is good news in a case where a puppy was tortured and killed in Georgia - justice has finally been served. Just last month, the two brothers charged with torturing and killing a three month old puppy received the maximum sentence allowable in each of the nine counts under which they were charged. And Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard felt so strongly about seeking justice in this case - describing the death of this puppy as "so egregious it cries out for special attention" - that he sent a letter to Georgia Governor Sonny Purdue requesting that the penalty for animal cruelty be raised above the current five-year maximum. The horrific death of this poor puppy touched animal lovers around the world - a dedicated Care2 member even created a petition that generated over 17,000 signatures in the last few months!
DA Howard should be applauded for his commitment to justice and the humane treatment of animals
please sign this petition today to congratulate him on success in this case!
Thank you for taking action today,
Care2.com, Inc.
275 Shoreline Drive, Suite 150
Redwood City, CA 94065

STORY
Urge D.A. to Prosecute Teen Puppy Killers
Two teen brothers in Atlanta, Ga. have been accused of aggravated cruelty to animals for cooking a five-month-old puppy to death in the oven of a community center they burglarized and vandalized. Please "Take Action" to urge Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard, Jr. to prosecute the teens to the fullest extent of the law to ensure that they pay for the innocent life they remorselessly took and to help prevent future cases of animal abuse in Georgia.

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POLAR BEAR S.O.S.
Polar bears are completely dependent on Arctic sea ice to survive, but 80 percent of that ice could be gone in 20 years and all of it by 2040. Polar bears are already suffering the effects: birth rates are falling, fewer cubs are surviving, and more bears are drowning. The Bush Administration's proposal to list the polar bear as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act is a crucial first step toward ensuring a future for these magnificent Arctic creatures. Yet the administration's proposal does not designate "critical habitat" for protection, even though melting habitat from global warming is the main threat to the polar bear's survival.
Submit your Official Citizen Comment urging the Fish and Wildlife Service to finalize the listing of the polar bear and designate its critical habitat.
Source: NRDC
NRDC (the Natural Resources Defense Council) is America's most effective envionmental action group. Supported by 1.2 million Members and online activists, NRDC's mission is to safeguard the earth: its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends. By fighting in court, working through Congress, and mobilizing millions of people worldwide, NRDC has stopped powerful corporate interests from destroying our clean air and water, public lands and wildlife habitats.

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The Most Amazing Hummingbird Pictures
I received these pictures today via email with this explanation: "This lady lives in a Hummingbird fly zone. As they migrated, about 20 of them were in her yard. Just for a fun, she took the little red dish and filled it with sugar water and these are the results."
I have no idea who the lady is, where she lives or what kind of camera was used.
I am grateful to the sender, envious of the lady, happy they were taken and just plain delighted to share them! What a wonderful moment in time.

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Coats for Cubs: Donate Your Old Furs to Wildlife
Do you have an old fur coat in your closet? Is your grandmother's mink stole stored in the attic? Many of us have fur apparel that we no longer want or that was left to us by a family member. Some aren't comfortable selling it or giving it to charity, because they feel people should not wear animal fur. So what should people do with it?
Give it back to the animals. If you would like to see that old fur put to a good use, donate it to The Humane Society of the United States' Coats for Cubs program. The fur will aid and comfort wildlife. The HSUS accepts all fur apparel, fur trims, and fur accessories (such as hats, gloves, and muffs).
Donating is easy: Place your fur in a sturdy box (a large padded envelope is fine for small items) and mail it to The HSUS at the following address:
The Humane Society of the United States
2100 L St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20037
Attn: Coats for Cubs
For more information go to:
HSUS

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February 9, 2007
Dear Friends of Jungle Friends,
There has been an Elvis Sighting!
Elvis, a young brown capuchin, is now in quarantine at a Texas-based sanctuary. Following a biting incident, Elvis faced a death sentence until the sanctuary stepped in. Soon Elvis will be on his way to a permanent sanctuary home at Jungle Friends.
Claude, Lee and Hannah are heading to Primarily Primates (PPI) in Texas next week to lend a hand there, and on their way home they will pick up Elvis and bring him back to Jungle Friends. Elvis is only about 3 years old, so we think he will be a good friend to Jack, who is also a youngster.
Please 'Share Your Heart' and sponsor Elvis today.

Another biting monkey - imagine that!
Simon is a squirrel monkey in South Florida who also needs a home. Simon was rescued from an abusive situation and awaits a sanctuary home. To build a home for Simon here at Jungle Friends, we need to raise $3,225 for an indoor enclosure and small outdoor habitat. Simon’s new home will be situated right next to Buddy Boy.

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Burberry: When Plaid Goes Bad
Burberry may be best known for its distinctive plaid, but its use of real fur is making the design house synonymous with cruelty to animals. Burberry continues to use fur in its designs despite the fact that leading clothing retailers like Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, Ann Taylor, Polo Ralph Lauren, and others have pulled fur from their stores forever.
Animals on fur farms spend their entire lives confined to cramped, filthy wire cages, where they are exposed to all weather conditions. They often go without adequate shelter, clean water, and veterinary care, and they are denied the opportunity to engage in natural behaviors like climbing, burrowing, and swimming. The intensive confinement causes many of them to go insane.
Fur farmers use the cheapest and cruelest killing methods available, including suffocation, electrocution, gassing, and poisoning. Many animals are electrocuted by having rods inserted into their rectums and 240 volts sent through their bodies. The animals convulse, shake, and often cry out before they have heart attacks and die. Crude killing methods aren't always effective, and sometimes animals "wake up" while they are being skinned.
Burberry knows about the suffering that goes into every fur-trimmed coat, hat, and bag, yet the company continues to use fur in its designs. With so many fashionable, comfortable alternatives available, there is no excuse for Burberry to continue using dead, tortured animals in its designs.
What you can do to help.
PETA'S Shopping Guide to Compassionate Clothing
BloodyBurberry.com

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API/Animal Protection Institute
Animals in circuses spend about 11 months of the year traveling. For thousands of hours, over long distances, they may be chained while not performing, transported in vehicles that lack climate control, and forced to stand or lie in their own waste. Please Help End The Use of Wild and Exotic Animals in Circuses
Sign Petition
How many times must this information be made available to be ignored?

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Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary
Herbie Update Jan 07
Herbie is the young calf who became a celebrity last December when he escaped a slaughterhouse truck and tied up traffic in Brooklyn (CBS News story). We brought him up to our farm for all the medical treatment and affection he needed. Soon after he arrived he was joined by a companion: Lily, a two-week-old Jersey calf rescued from a dairy operation. Last weekend we said goodbye to Herbie as he and Lilly moved to their new adoptive home in New Jersey.

Read More

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Nederlands
A Tale of Two Cockatoos
A Story of Love, Compassion, Friendship & Loyalty
About eight years ago a wild Australian Sulphur Crested Cockatoo flew into a car and broke its wing. The motorist took it to the Vet in Nerang, Queensland, who had to amputate the wing. We adopted her - for which we needed a National Parks and Wildlife permit - and kept her in a cage outside where she was often visited by wild Cockatoos. One of the things that impressed us was how she would push lettuce leaves through the bars of the cage, offering food to visitors...
One day she had a very special visitor:

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January 2007
Jody,
After hearing from thousands of NRDC Members and activists, the California Coastal Commission has agreed to enact lifesaving precautions that will protect whales from sonar training in California waters!
Earlier this month, NRDC Members and activists sent over 15,000 messages urging the Coastal Commission to safeguard whales and other marine life from ear-splitting sonar during Navy training exercises.
A number of you also showed up in person to voice your support for whale protection at the commission's public hearing in Long Beach. You stood strong against claims by the Navy delegation that they were already doing all they could to prevent harm to whales.
As a result of our powerful outcry, the commission voted 8-1 to require the Navy to commit to life-saving measures during sonar training.
Those measures include: staying out of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and other important whale habitat; powering down Navy sonar during night-time exercises and in other conditions of low visibility; and enforcing adequate "safety zones" around sonar vessels, to prevent the blasting of nearby whales.
The commission's actions show, once again, that the Navy can and must minimize harm to whales and other marine life while training with sonar. If the Navy chooses not to abide by the commission's decision, we may be forced to fight yet another round in this battle. If that's the case, I know you will fight alongside us!
Thank you, once again, for making this historic victory possible -- and for all your efforts to protect whales and other marine mammals from lethal sonar.
Sincerely,
Frances Beinecke
President
Natural Resources Defense Council
P.S. You can read more about our victory in a news story that ran in the "Los Angeles Times" and more than 90 other papers worldwide.

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Where do 15 stray dogs, 21 stray cats, and 18 pachyderms, all from diverse backgrounds, live peacefully alongside white tail deer, wild turkeys, migrating armadillos, shy skunks, squirrels, soaring turkey vultures, screeching red tail hawks, snapping turtles, and a precocious river otter?
The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee! (As of 12/30/06)

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Ask Cartier Not To Sponsor 'Elephant Polo'
Elephants used for "entertainment" are kept in constant confinement
Cartier, the company best-known for its high-end jewelry, sponsored an absurd event in which elephants were made to play polo in Jaipur, India, on Saturday, November 18, 2006. Elephants who are forced to participate in such events are captured from the wild and taken away from their families and homes. In order to force them to play polo, elephants are cruelly beaten with sharp metal bullhooks and are kept chained up. Please demand that Cartier stop sponsoring elephant polo. Let the company know that Cartier can find other ways to promote its fine jewelry without causing harm to animals. Be sure to forward this alert to your friends and family members and ask them to speak up today.
Please Take Action on This Issue

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Animals Asia rescues 12 more Moon Bears, but it’s too late for two
Just recently yet another group of caged and farmed bears joined the Animals Asia family in Chengdu.  “Two are blind, some missing limbs, some with shattered teeth, some with worn and scarred heads and bodies from bar-rubbing, and all out of their minds with fear.” Please read about their horrific plight, about the heartbreaking death of two, and then use your frustration and sadness to help us help more.  Just click on the link below for our latest press release and help the bears here at our Sanctuary and those yet to come by sending it far and wide.
AnimalsAsia.org

Urgent!
Bears in Vietnam need your help!

Caged Three Legged Vietnam Moon Bear
Vietnam Bear Rescue

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The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee
Oct 18th, 2006
Our dear Jenny has passed away.

Jenny
1972 - October 17, 2006
Jenny Video

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Shanghai Animal Olympics
Cruelty in the name of entertainment!
Take action to end cruel live animal entertainment!
Many of you will have heard that the Wild Animal Park in Shanghai has been staging a cruel "Animal Olympics" during the October Golden Week holiday in China. Our Executive Director, Annie Mather, visited the park over the weekend and documented the appalling treatment to many wild and domestic animals.

Brown bear with muzzle wired shut
(photo op)

Please click into the link below to find out more and how you can help put an end to barbaric shows such as these:
Take action to end cruel live animal entertainment
We are appealing to the Mayor of Shanghai and calling for the immediate cessation of all live animal performances in Shanghai once and for all. As a gesture of our concern and in an attempt to provide a solution for at least one of the miserable animals Annie saw, we are offering a permanent home at our Moon Bear Rescue Sanctuary in Chengdu for the poor blind bear made to pose for pictures. If our offer is accepted he will live with our other blind bears, Mityan and Snoopy, in our special care area known as the "Secret Garden".

Declawed, blind Moon Bear
(photo op)

Please take time to write a protest letter, together we really can make a difference!
Warmest wishes,
Jill
Jill Robinson MBE
Founder & CEO
Animals Asia Foundation
Hong Kong

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Class B-Dealer C.C. Baird Out of Business PERMANENTLY!!!
A settlement has been reached in the USDA’s case against C.C. Baird -- one of the country’s largest USDA-licensed Class “B” animal dealers selling “random source” animals to research facilities. Many random source animals are stolen pets, strays, seized shelter animals, or obtained through “free to good home” ads under false pretenses. As a result of a 15-year investigation by
LCA/Last Chance for Animals
the USDA charged C.C. Baird with hundreds of violations of the Animal Welfare Act.

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Handlers give circus Elephants the bullhook
© Copyright 2006 OC Weekly
"The elephants are led away to be outfitted to perform for tonight’s show. The handlers march with them, their arms stiffly holding black bullhooks tight against their black pants. They direct the elephants past the tent where they sleep, past a platform strewn with heavy chains, past a baby elephant rocking back and forth."

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Sacramento, CA.
July 2006

B.J., a six-month-old Great Dane puppy, was found by a volunteer from the
Allen Babcock Dog and Cat Rescue in Florida.
He had been shot through the nose, jaw, foot and groin.
In addition to the gunshot wounds, B.J. was covered in ticks and extremely emaciated. B.J. was immediately taken to the Hollywood Animal Hospital, and he is now recovering in a safe place.
United Animal Nations/UAN
issued a
LifeLine grant to help B.J.’s rescuers meet the high cost of his veterinary care.
Allen Babcock, who founded the rescue, says B.J. has a sweet disposition and a strong will to live. In an interview with WTVJ-TV in South Florida, Dr. James Dee of Hollywood Animal Hospital reported, “He’s been trying to play. He’s wagging his tail. It’s amazing to think that somebody who had this number of injuries inflicted on him could have this good of an attitude.”
Read the full story here.
To date, there is no information about who might have done this to B.J., but UAN has issued its Zig Zag Memorial Reward for any information leading to the capture or conviction of the person(s) responsible for what happened to him.
Anyone with information in this case is encouraged to call
the Seminole Police Department at (863) 983-2285
© 2006 UNITED ANIMAL NATIONS
P.O. BOX 188890 | SACRAMENTO, CA 95818
(916) 429-2457 TEL | (916) 429-2456 FAX
WWW.UAN.ORG WEB

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Action Alert, Please click the links!
Help Stop the Expansion of the Rabbit Meat Industry in Alabama!
For several years, Alabama EARS has been concerned about the rise of the rabbit meat industry here in Alabama. Our Agricultural Director, Ron Sparks, has made the development of the rabbit meat industry his “top priority”. He wants to hugely expand the rabbit farming that has started up here.
On June 21st, 2006, the Birmingham News ran an article entitled “Another White Meat” which glowingly described the growing rabbit meat industry in Alabama. The article is temporarily available here:   The Birmingham News
Right now the industry is relatively small, however, if Ron Sparks and the Tri-State Rabbit Growers Association have their way it will be as large as the chicken industry. The Birmingham News is apparently supporting them. Please help nip this in the bud! We need as many people as possible to write to Ron Sparks and the Birmingham News, as well as stores and restaurants that feature rabbit meat, to let them know that rabbits are companion animals, not food.
We've set up a webpage with all the information on what has been happening and sample letters Alabama Ears.org   A Chapter of The House Rabbit Society
It's extremely urgent that as many people as possible write, especially to Mr. Sparks and the News. We really need to act now while this is relatively small!
Ruth Fledermaus
Treasurer, Educator and Fosterer
Alabama EARS

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"Either That, Or It's All The Whiskey"
Catagory: Stupid Human Tricks
American may be paralyzed after Spain's first running of the bulls
Paul Haven
Associated Press
Jul. 7, 2006 01:16 PM
PAMPLONA, Spain - An American man was partially paralyzed after a mock bullfight following the first running of the bulls Friday in Pamplona, and seven other people were hospitalized after being gored or trampled by the massive beasts. Danger is what draws throngs of revelers to Spain's most famous festival each year, and danger is what they got in the narrow streets of this ancient Spanish city. Ray Ducharme, a 31-year-old bond trader for Bank of America in Charlotte, N.C., was injured in what is known as a vaquilla, in which hundreds of people chase five cows around the bull ring, pulling their ears and tail. The cows are smaller than fighting bulls and have less imposing horns, but they still weigh hundreds of pounds and can be threatening. advertisement Ducharme, a Bath, N.Y.-native, was thrown by a young cow in the event and underwent a 90-minute operation at the Hospital de Navarra to reattach two vertebrae. "He is paralyzed in the legs, and will have partial use of his arms," said Pello Pellejero, a Pamplona government spokesman. "He is in very serious condition." Ducharme's father, Ray, described him as an avid soccer player and said his family hoped his high level of physical fitness would help his recovery. Seven injuries were reported during the run itself, at least two of them serious: New Zealander David MacDowell, 25, was gored in the thigh, and a Pamplona native, Ramon Garayoa, 46, fell and was trampled. The bull run began at 8 a.m. when six bulls, each weighing about 1,500 pounds, stormed out of a corral where they spent the night, then zoomed up packed Cuesta Santo Domingo street at the start of the 900-yard run. They were accompanied by six castrated steers who know the route and are meant to keep the bulls in a single pack. Thousands of runners, most wearing traditional white shirts and pants and sporting red handkerchiefs, dashed in front of them. Each pack ran with the bulls for a short distance before darting out of harm's way. The rampage ends in minutes. The bulls rush into the Plaza de Toros, where some of Spain's better-known bullfighters awaited them in the afternoon. The festival lasts nine days. Before Ducharme's injuries became known, runners said their brush with death was everything they had hoped for. "It was total emotion. It was absolutely crazy. The bull was right next to me and I touched him," said Norman Rilling, 25, from Bakersfield, Calif. Bulls are surprisingly fast animals, and many of the runners had been up all night drinking. Police are instructed not to let anybody who looks too inebriated take part in an effort to cut down on injuries. That is easier said than done, and many participants had clearly had long nights. Julio Bernavides Alvaran, 65, who came to the festival from Valencia in southeastern Spain, said he wandered the streets for hours looking for a place to sleep before deciding to use his credit card to get into an empty bank machine cubicle. Still, he only had a couple of hours of rest before the run, which he described as the thrill of a lifetime. "Life disappears, and you feel your blood moving in your veins," he said. "Either that, or it's all the whiskey." Since record-keeping began in 1924, 13 people have been killed during the runs. The last death was in 1995.
Associated Press writer Ben Dobbin in Rochester, N.Y. contributed to this report.

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Yahoo News...Fri Jul 7, 2006
Crow Believed to be Oldest in World Dies

BEARSVILLE, N.Y. - There's no way to prove Tata was the world's oldest crow when he died Sunday at age 59. But an expert on crows says it's possible.
Tata's tale began in 1947 when a thunderstorm blew the fledgling out of his nest in a Long Island cemetery, a mishap that likely led to his long life. Injured and unable to fly, the bird was scooped up by a cemetery caretaker and brought to a local family with a reputation for taking care of animals, Tata's most recent owner, Kristine Flones, told the Daily Freeman of Kingston.
"He was never able to fly, so he became their family pet," said Flones, a wildlife rehabilitator in the Woodstock, N.Y., hamlet of Bearsville, 95 miles north of New York City.
The Manetta family took care of Tata for more than half a century but gave the bird to Flones in 2001 because of their own health problems.
Blinded by cataracts and 54 years old when she got him, Tata was still a wonderful pet, Flones said. "When you came around him, his energy was very beautiful," she told the newspaper. "It was as if he were exuding or giving off a loving energy."
"It's an incredibly old bird," said Kevin McGowan, an ornithologist at Cornell University who has studied crows for more than 20 years. "They don't live that long in the wild."
McGowan said the oldest living crow he has documented in the wild is a bird he banded as a fledgling and has tracked for 15 years. There is an unsubstantiated claim of a 29- or 30-year-old crow in the wild, but he knows of no older crows, tame or otherwise.
While claims of animal longevity are tough to verify, McGowan said, "This one sounded pretty reasonable to me."
In an environment without predators, communicable disease or the likelihood of a fatal accident, a crow could grow as old as Tata, he said.
Flones said Tata was still active and alert in his later years, to the point each spring that he called out from inside the house to crows outside, often loudly and beginning at 5 a.m.

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Tennessee Treasures
The Elephant Sanctuary® in Tennessee

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Lake Jackson Ecopassage June, 2006
Dear Supporters,
Many of you may have seen in the media that Lake Jackson is once again drying down due to drought conditions in northwest Florida. Over the weekend, the main sinkhole drained the central basin of the lake. Luckily, the area of the northwestern part of the lake along US Highway 27 is controlled by a different sinkhole that holds water during the early stages of drought and, at this time, we have not yet seen a mass migration of turtles attempting to cross the highway.
However, as we saw in 1999-2000, extended drought conditions will lead to most of the lake drying and the mass migration of thousands of turtles and other wildlife to Little Lake Jackson located on the west side of the highway. The temporary fences are currently in good shape along the nearly one mile stretch of US 27 where it crosses the lake and will continue to protect most of the animals from the highway only if they are monitored and maintained daily. If a mass migration occurs this summer, we expect 100-300 turtles per day will attempt to cross and they must be carried across the highway to safety if they do not locate the single culvert under the road. This was accomplished effectively in 2000 only by working 10 hours per day, 7 days per week, for several months.
Clearly, Lake Jackson is a dynamic lake and water levels will always fluctuate. The only real solution to the ongoing wildlife mortality and habitat fragmentation problem on US27 is the construction of the Ecopassage and we are working hard toward that goal. Upon completion of the project development phase (PD&E) of the project in September, we are hopeful that the Florida Department of Transportation will quickly allocate the funds necessary for the full design of the Ecopassage. I ask that you please contact the Secretary of the FDOT, Mr. Denver Stutler at stutled@eog.state.fl.us and urge him to designate the funds required for the design of the Lake Jackson Ecopassage upon completion of the PD&E so that we can move forward with this project.
Please also check the web site at
lakejacksonturtles.org
for updates and the other key individuals to contact.
Thank you for your continued support.
Matt Aresco
Matthew J. Aresco, PhD
Lake Jackson Ecopassage Alliance, Inc
P.O. Box 180891
Tallahassee, FL 32318
aresco@lakejacksonturtle.org
(850) 562-3093

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Dateline June 2006 - 205 Bears rescued so far!
It has been a hectic few months for the team as our China Bear Rescue Sanctuary has been full of political and celebrity guests, the media....and new bears! With Animal Planet filming an exciting one-hour special, we've also hosted the beautiful and very famous singer/actress Karen Mok together with Neil Parish MEP (Member of the European Parliament) from the European Parliament - both talking to camera about their revulsion of the bile farming trade and desire to see it end.
With an ugly metal catheter embedded into her abdomen for 8 years, previously farmed bear "Angel" is lucky to be alive. One of seven recently rescued bears, "Angel" is well on her way to enjoying her new life in our Sanctuary which has now saved 205 bears from agony and exploitation. We are also working hard in Vietnam to construct a quarantine area for the first of 200 farmed bears in Hanoi who will start to arrive in October.
Please spare a second to read all the latest news at:
China Bear Rescue
Rescue Diary
- knowing, with our gratitude, that you are helping these bears on their way, as we take the next step to build the public area of the sanctuary to showcase them to a much wider audience.
Bear hugs, Jill
Jill Robinson MBE
Founder & CEO
Animals Asia Foundation
Goodbye to Andrew - Feb 2006
In Loving memory of Beloved Andrew - Animals Asia’s first rescued Moon Bear

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Questionable Fund-raising
A Note Concerning The Elephant Sanctuary® in Tennessee
It has come to our attention that an organization called Animal Save International is soliciting money for several animal organizations including “an elephant sanctuary in Tennessee”. The Elephant Sanctuary® in Tennessee has not, to date, received any funds from this organization, nor have we given permission for this organization to use information about our Sanctuary.

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ELEPHANT MONA
Mona was born in the wild lands of Asia (approx. 1951). She was captured, and brought to The Birmingham Zoo in 1955. Susie, Mona's companion for 48 years, was wild-born in India (approx. 1952). She was captured and brought to The Birmingham Zoo in 1957. Susie died in January 2005. Mona has been alone ever since. Mona's enclosure at The Birmingham Zoo is small and barren. She stands either on concrete or hard-packed dirt, in an area estimated to be less than 1/2 acre. These unforgiving surfaces are causing the break-down of her feet , and what appears to be arthritis in her right shoulder and right front leg. She spends her days pacing in a monotonous circle inside her barn stall, or outside searching for something to engage her highly intelligent mind. Mona has been in this enclosure since she was (approx.) four years old - 51 years.

For over a year, The Elephant Sanctuary® in Tennessee has offered a standing invitation to accept Mona in retirement. Dr. Foster, CEO of Birmingham Zoo, Inc. continues to reject The Elephant Sanctuary's offer. His rejection denies Mona companionship with her species, denies Mona a natural habitat of more than 2,700 acres of forests and meadows, natural streams and mud-holes, and denies Mona the free-will to choose her elephant companions. Birmingham Mayor Bernard Kincaid and the majority of the Birmingham City Council appear to prefer not getting involved. The City of Birmingham owns the majority of the zoo's land and ALL of the zoo's animals. The City of Birmingham continues to contribute $250,000 of taxpayers’ money to the zoo annually.

The time has come for Birmingham City Government to address their accountability in Mona’s suffering. It is time for Birmingham City Government to enable Mona’s retirement to The Elephant Sanctuary.
Please Sign the Petition to Free Mona

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To All Animal Lovers - your help is needed!
Stop Federal Bill That Would Require the Cruel Air Transport of Birds
As many air travelers know, animals flown in plane cargo compartments—which are meant to store luggage, typically have no heat or air conditioning, and quickly reach extreme, deadly temperatures and die by the thousands every year. A dangerous piece of legislation that would force countless birds into these Death Traps has been introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senator Charles Grassley (R- IA), to accommodate the baby bird and cockfighting industries at the expense of the animals’ lives. Please ask your federal representative and senators to oppose this bill today! It's easy to do with the links and sample letter below that you can cut and paste, and you will help prevent countless suffering and death, not to mention the risk of bird flu.
If it becomes law, S.2395 would direct the U.S. Postal Service to require air carriers to accept “shipments” of live animals that postal regulations currently allow to be mailed, such as birds. No provisions are made for food or water. Air carriers would be required to fly animals as long as outside temperatures were as low as 0°F and as high as 100°F. (Chicks become dehydrated at temperatures above 95°F.) Few animals - especially creatures as fragile as birds - will survive this.
Basically, S. 2395 would:   Compel the USPS to require certain airlines to transport birds. Require those airlines to transport birds through connecting cities, not necessarily on direct flights. Require those airlines to transport birds in any temperature conditions between 0 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit. THIS IS UTTERLY RIDICULOUS AND SIMPLY INSANE. More birds will arrive dead than alive.
Here's how you can help! (a sample letter that you can cut and paste and send is at the end of this message)
Contact your U.S. Representative and your two U.S. Senators (not State Senators) and ask them to oppose S. 2395. Let them know that animals should not be treated as common cargo and that baby birds can quickly become dangerously dehydrated! The names and contact information for all legislators can be found by simply entering your zip code at vote-smart.org; or visiting senate.gov for your senators and house.gov for your representatives. There is usually an e-mail contact form right on your senator's/representative's website and you can strip in the sample letter below and send it right off.
Contact U.S. Postmaster General John E. Potter to urge the Postal Service to stop shipping live birds or, at the very least, to require the U.S. Postal Service to ship baby chicks under humane conditions.
The Honorable John E. Potter
Postmaster General & CEO
U.S. Postal Service
475 L'Enfant Plaza S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20260-1000
fax: 202-268-5211
And please forward this information to your e-mailing lists and ask your friends to help too!.
THANK YOU FOR HELPING!
Arlene
Sample letter:
Dear ____________,
I am writing to ask that you please oppose Senate Bill 2395, which would cause untold suffering and terrible deaths for countless birds shipped across the country. If it becomes law, S. 2395 would direct the U.S. Postal Service to require air carriers to accept "shipments" of live animals that postal regulations currently allow to be mailed, such as birds. Air carriers would be required to fly animals in life-threatening temperatures as low as 0 degrees and as high as 100 degrees, with no regard for food and water.
Animals flown in cargo compartments - which are meant to store luggage, typically have no heat or air conditioning, and quickly reach extreme, deadly temperatures - already die by the thousands every year. Birds in particular, are extremely delicate creatures, particularly the newborn chicks. They need more and better legislation regulating humane shipping methods, not a worse way to manhandle and kill them, which this plan will most certainly accomplish. Aside from the humane issues, the issue of bird flu makes this idea extraordinarily dangerous and ridiculous beyond belief.
This is an exceptionally bad piece of legislation. Please vote against Senate Bill 2395.
Thank you.

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FAE's Elephant Hospital/Lampang, Thailand
Tuesday 23rd May, 2006
Dear friends:
It is with deep sadness to announce the death of Manguay-low. She collapsed this morning at 5.30. We tried to help her get up but she had lost all her strength. I had to decide to let her go peacefully. Dr. Tossapol performed the euthanasia and she was gone at 7.37 a.m. You may recall that Manguay-low came only a month after Champen who shared the same tragic injuries from landmines in 2003. While Champen is heading home in Tak province a few days from now, Manguay-low has left for her home too, not in Tak, but another destination up in the sky. We shall bury her this afternoon and plant trees as I always do to give shades to her friends. I'd rather not say "Goodbye" to her but there was no other word.
Soraida Salwala, Founder
Friends of the Asian Elephant

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The Chattanoogan.com
Saddened By The Circus
May 25, 2006
I am sad to see that the circus is again in town. I feel that the animals used in circus acts were never intended by their creator to be taken from their wild habitats, cruelly trained to perform unnatural tricks for the amusement of people, and shipped around from city to city.
Please consider these points: Training methods are often abusive, cruel and stressful. Circus trainers use whips, tight collars, electric prods, bullhooks, and other tools to break animals’ spirits and teach submission. In fact, The ASPCA, the Fund for Animals and the Animal Welfare Institute brought a lawsuit against Ringling Bros. under the Endangered Species Act for its mistreatment of elephants.
Wild animals can attack trainers and audiences, rebelling against mistreatment and cruel training methods. Living conditions of circus animals are inhumane. The animals live in cramped spaces -- tigers and lions live and travel in cages measuring just four by six by five feet. Elephants are chained by their legs during training, transport, and between shows.
The circus is not educational. It portrays wild animals as approachable and playful – teaching nothing about the animals, their natural habitats, lifestyles or behaviors. Many circuses entertain audiences without using animals. And it's these circuses that we should welcome to our town. Using animals as a form of entertainment, especially when it involves such cruelty, is barbaric.
Kelly Paulk
kellypaulk@comcast.net

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Memphis Commercial Appeal May 25, 2006

"I write in response to a FedEx advertisement inside Sunday's paper, which honors the 100th anniversary of the Memphis Zoo. Pictured is one of the zoo's African elephants. I would like to point out, that regardless of what the ad claims, captive African elephants in zoos across the United States do not have "great memories." Instead, they have memories of the destruction of their herd, the slaughtering of the adults in that herd and their subsequent capture as the babies who were too bewildered and shocked to put up a struggle. In recent years, this gruesome process has been accomplished by helicopters hovering over a herd. The adults are machine-gunned down as the helpless babies watch. The young elephants are then crated and shipped overseas to zoos throughout the world. Research is under way in the field of post-traumatic stress disorder in culled elephant offspring. Results suggest captive elephants' erratic and unruly behavior can be directly related to the trauma they experienced in youth. This included "swaying" back and forth, as I have seen the Memphis elephants do. These elephants are usually deemed "dangerous" and often wind up secluded, abused or dead. Is this the mission of the Memphis Zoo? Are we to celebrate the lifelong trauma and nightmarish — not "great" — memories these magnificent animals must live with for decades?"
ALYSE M.
Cordova

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California Residents: Prevent the Killing of Crocodiles and Alligators
California legislators are currently considering a bill (SB 1485) to allow the sale of crocodile and alligator parts. Current law makes it a misdemeanor to import into California for commercial purposes, to possess with intent to sell, or to sell within the state, the dead body, or any part or product thereof, of a number of species including polar bears, tigers, sea turtles, kangaroos, or elephants.
SB 1485, introduced by Senator Dennis Hollingsworth, deletes crocodiles and alligators from this list of protected species. SB 1485 is supported by Louisiana alligator farms, not California residents. And it will increase the illegal trade and poaching of alligator and crocodile species as much or more than the legal trade. SB 1485 passed the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Wildlife on May 9 and will soon be considered on the Senate floor.
There is a great deal of difficulty in distinguishing products from non-protected species of alligator and crocodile from endangered species. Federal law requires that American alligators' bodies or whole hides be marked with a unique tag; however, products made from the hide are not required to carry such identification. Therefore, it is nearly impossible for authorities to know whether a product was made from a legally obtained crocodilian hide. Allowing the sale of products from certain species will inevitably open the door to the sale and use of other protected species.
Learn More & Take Action On This Issue
Source:
In Defense of Animals
3010 Kerner Blvd., San Rafael, CA 94901
Tel.: +1 415 388 9641 Fax: +1 415 388 0388

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America, Take a Step to Ending Oil Addiction
May 22, 2006
America consumes over 19 million barrels of oil per day. Most of that is wasted in gas guzzling cars, trucks and SUV's. It's time for change... It's time to break our addiction.
Oil exploitation endangers ecosystems from America’s parks and wilderness to the deepest jungles in the Amazon and Africa. Our climate, our national security, universal human rights, our economy, and our health are threatened by our addiction to oil. For our forests, for the rights of indigenous peoples, and for the natural systems that sustain life, Rainforest Action Network is committed to help break America’s oil addiction.
We can begin by Jumpstarting the auto industry. The single largest cause of our oil addiction comes from passenger vehicles, and Ford Motor Company's vehicles guzzle more gas than any other automaker in the country. Ford's global warming emissions threaten our environment while rising gas prices threaten our economy. That's not American innovation. That's just bad business.
We must demand that our nation's leaders, both civic and corporate, make a real commitment for change. It's time to take action, starting with automakers like Ford Motor Company.
Source:
Michael Lawley,
Care2 and ThePetitionSite team
Care2.com, Inc. 275 Shoreline Drive, Suite 150
Redwood City, CA 94065
care2.com

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FAE's Elephant Hospital/Lampang
Obituary Announcement: Kamsri
Monday 8th May, 2006
On Saturday the 6th of May, 2006 around eleven a.m. we were informed that a full term pregnant elephant would be coming to our hospital.
Kamsri, 35 years old, arrived at 12.20 p.m. Upon arrival we found mucopurulent discharge and blood from her vagina. She was restless and suffered from pain and dehydration. Kamsri opened her mouth and stretched her foreleg and hind legs every two minute showing signs of great pain.
Supportive treatment of IV , gluclose, antibiotics and vitamin were given. Kamsri could not eat nor drink.
Result of ultrasound showed no sign of baby movement. More blood came out. Kamsri was under close observation the whole night.
Subjective data from the owner of Kamsri:
Kamsri was attacked by another elephant at the elephant camp in Chiangmai since early April, 2006 resulted in Kamsri's fall. She was still at work until the 2nd of May when she showed sign of pain, depress and anorexia.
At 1.14 p.m. on Sunday 7th May, Kamsri choked, shivered and collapsed at 1.23 and died at 1.25
Result from post mortem performed by Dr. Preecha Phaungkum:
Mucopurulent discharge in vagina, bleeding in abdomen cavity and hemorrhage spots in omentum and abdomen cavity, rupture of uterus and trauma in diaphram and spleen.
The male baby was about eighteen months old with the height of 80 cm. and weighed 120 kg. We were indeed saddened by her death because we have been advising all the camps and elephant owners to rest the pregnant elephants and bring them to our elephant hospital for delivery at the earliest time of pregnancy. Overworking and still at work for the pregnant elephants could result in accidents and death.

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Downbound.com
offers a wide assortment of products that promote animal rights (all vegan), human rights (no sweatshop and fair trade), and the environment (organic wherever possible). The name “Downbound” represents an ideological shift down the corporate ladder, down the food chain and down to earth. For instance we have over 200 organic hemp clothing, footwear and accessories, vegan cat and dog food, animal rights videos and much more. The founder of Downbound.com, Adam Wilson has been a vegan for nine years, and he is also a founder of the Toronto Animal Rights Society.

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Today there are over 6.5 billion people in the world.
Support U.S. International Family Planning
to protect the health of families, wildlife and the planet, now and for generations to come.
Over the last 100 years, the world's human population has quadrupled. And at current rates of growth we will add more people to the planet in the next 50 years than we did during the first 500,000 years of human history!
Human population growth is a critical environmental issue. It places enormous pressure on limited natural resources and exacerbates many environmental problems including deforestation, water scarcity, pollution and loss of biodiversity and habitat. Ask Congress to take action.
By providing access to basic healthcare and education, international family planning is one of most cost-effective ways to help countries voluntarily reduce population pressures, improve maternal and child health, protect the health of our environment, and ensure our children’s future well-being.
The world is at a critical juncture. Across the globe over one billion teenagers are now entering their reproductive years. This is the largest group of teenagers in history, and their level of access to basic family planning services will shape the world for generations to come. Take action.
Unfortunately, as unmet need for family planning programs continues to rise drastically, U.S. funding has plummeted.
This Mother’s Day is a great opportunity to show your support for international family planning. Mothers represent a promise for the future of our children – a future with love, a clean environment, good health and education.
Please ask Congress
to support increased funding for U.S. international family planning programs – such programs are essential for protecting the health of families, wildlife and the planet, now and for generations to come.
Thank you for making a difference today,
Agata Gussmann
Care2 and ThePetitionSite Team
P.S. “Unless we can find some way to slow down population growth, the stresses and strains on the natural resources will be too great to bear.” - Jane Goodall, primatologist
Care2.com, Inc
275 Shoreline Drive, Suite 150
Redwood City, CA 94065

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California..5/5/06
Speak Out to Put a Stop to Cruel Killing Events!
Thanks to the efforts of concerned California animal advocates like you, we're getting closer to passing legislation (A.B. 2110) a stop to field coursing competitions -- contests in which dogs track, pursue, and often tear apart live animals. Once popular in England, this activity was recently banned due to the cruelty involved. You can help end these gruesome games in California.
A.B. 2110 makes a person who knowingly engages in a competition in which dogs are, by the use of live rabbits, hares or foxes, assessed as to skill in hunting guilty of a misdemeanor. A.B. 2110 passed the Assembly Committee on Public Safety on April 4, 2006. The next hearing on this bill will take place on Wednesday, May 10, 2006 in the Assembly Committee on Appropriations. Please take action today to help this important bill clear the next legislative hurdle.
TAKE ACTION
Please contact the members of the Assembly Committee on Appropriations and urge them to support A.B. 2110 and ban the harassment and killing of wildlife in field coursing events.
Click here to automatically send an e-mail to all of the committee members and your own state assemblymember.
Please tell your friends and family in California about this important legislation and how they can help. With your continued commitment to taking action on behalf of animals, we can end these shameful killing contests.
Sincerely,
Wayne Pacelle
President & CEO
The Humane Society of the United States
P.S. If you haven't seen the excellent KGO-TV San Francisco I-Team
investigation on coursing, click here to view it now.
Copyright © 2006 The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). All Rights Reserved.
The Humane Society of the United States | 2100 L Street, NW | Washington, DC 20037
humanelines@hsus.org | 202-452-1100 | www.hsus.org
This message was sent to Jody@JodysJungle.com

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On May 9, 2006,
The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee will be Charity of the Day again on
Because of the Sanctuary's early support of and positive response on Goodsearch.com, we have been selected as Charity of the Day for the second time on May 9. It is a new and easy way to raise money for The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. It's simple. You use GoodSearch.com like any other search engine — but each time you do, money is generated for our girls. Each time you search $.01 is donated to The Elephant Sanctuary. Just 1,000 people searching an average of four times a day will generate nearly $15,000 in a year for The Elephant Sanctuary!
In using this search engine, it is important to remember that repeated manual clicks in order to generate money is not appropriate. Please use this search engine only as you would use any other search engine.

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Restaurant Fined for Cruel Lobster Display
ROME 4/28/06
An Italian restaurant was fined 688 euros, or $855, for displaying live lobsters on ice to attract patrons, in an application of an anti-cruelty law usually affecting household pets. A court in the northeastern city of Vicenza ruled the display was a form of abuse dooming the crustaceans to a slow death by suffocation. "We're appealing," said Giuseppe Scalesia, who runs La Conchiglia D'Oro, or "Golden Shell," restaurant along with his brother Camillo. "They said that the lobsters, laying on the ice, suffer... They compared them in court to other animals, like cats and dogs." The case was brought by Gianpaolo Cecchetto, a former environmental activist, who took his two young children to the Vicenza restaurant in May 2002. "They were shocked by the display," said Cecchetto adding he immediately got in touch with the ENPA national animal protection entity. "ENPA took care of the lawyers and legal proceedings."
Italy has some of the world's toughest animal rights laws. The city of Rome in October banned goldfish bowls, seen as cruel, while Turin passed a law last year that would fine dog owners 500 euros unless they walked their canine friends at least three times a day.

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"Dear Friends,
The first book against bullfights written in the English language has just been published.
"When Bulls Cry: The Case Against Bullfighting"
By Michael A. Ogorzaly, is a must read.
Go to Review
There are some books against bullfights by Spanish and French writers but this is the first one in English. One of our members is part-way through this book and can thoroughly recommend it.
The book is available at authorhouse.com at the cost of $14.95 + $5 shipping/handling for U.S.A.
From Europe you can buy it at authorhouse.co.uk, prices depend upon which country you are ordering it from.
For the Animals, Maria Lopes
Coordinator
International Movement Against Bullfights

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Humane Society Newsletter
Here are just a few of the articles in this months newsletter
please follow the link to learn more and take action, thank you. jj
4/26/2006

Your Chick Is in the Mail
Poultry hatcheries commonly ship day-old chicks in cardboard boxes with no provision for food, water or temperature regulation. These chicks are shipped across the country in all kinds of temperature extremes, from sweltering summer highs to freezing winter lows. While no statistics are kept on just how many of these birds survive their journey through the mail, anecdotal tales abound of baby birds who never made it to their final destinations alive. Just this year, The HSUS has heard from several postal workers across the country whose daily encounters include boxes of dying baby birds.

Kenneth Cool or Kenneth Cruel?
Designer Kenneth Cole claims that "what you stand for is more important than what you stand in," but animal fur has recently popped up in his stores and on his website. Ask Kenneth Cole to stand for being kind to animals, not for being cruel.

Picture Worth 1,000 Words
Take a look at The HSUS's gripping full-page ad urging Congress to pass the PETS Act. The ad is running in major newspapers across the country as part of the "No Pet Left Behind" campaign. If you have not already, ask your legislators to support the PETS Act.

Recent Victories
AOL deleted the use of battery-cage eggs from all of its corporate dining facilities.
Alabama outlawed hog dog fighting.
Chicago's City Council passed an ordinance prohibiting the sale of foie gras.
Kansas banned exotic animals as pets and made animal cruelty a felony.
Bar Harbor, Maine-based College of the Atlantic made the switch to cage-free eggs in its student dining facility.
Pennsylvania tabled a proposal to allow use of the atlatl, a Stone Age hunting tool.

Copyright © 2006 The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).
All Rights Reserved.
The Humane Society of the United States | 2100 L Street, NW | Washington, DC 20037
humanelines@hsus.org | 202-452-1100 | www.hsus.org
This message was sent to Jody@JodysJungle.com.

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News from Friends of the Asian Elephant, F.A.E
Dear Miss Jody:
Our Elephant Hospital was hit by a hail storm on the 14th April, 2006. Fortunate enough that no elephant nor staff was hurt but there are damages. Trees fell over the roofs and debris were everywhere. Motala's Infirmary was hit by the hails and the roof was broken but she is all right. No harm to her except over 30 pieces of the roof tiles were broken.

Hailstorm

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Purr…fect Cat Fence
is the first complete, free-standing, backyard fence enclosure for cats. Now any cat can safely enjoy all the benefits of the great outdoors, every day, (weather permitting) without you worrying about their safety.

Best Friend Fence
is a visually appealing, incredibly strong pet fence that safely keeps your dog and/or cat within a designated area without the use of electric wires or unattractive and costly fencing.

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Help The Mantees
Faced with the largest number of manatee deaths in a decade, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is considering an inconceivable reaction: downlisting the manatee, a gentle creature known to body surf or barrel roll when playing, from endangered to threatened.

Last year was the second highest manatee mortality year on record. Just in the last five years, 1682 manatees have died in Florida waters and of those, 398 were killed by boats. That is almost an 18% increase over the previous five-year period. Furthermore, state scientists estimate the manatee population could drop by half in the next 50 years because of habitat loss, red tide poisoning and boat collisions.
This latest move is a triumph of politics over science. Manatees are poised to be downlisted regardless of how they are faring in the wild because of a calculated effort by special interest groups opposed to boat speed zones and restrictions on development.
And Gov. Bush's conservation commission — he appointed the members — doesn't offer wildlife much hope for protection. Commissioners include a banker, a real-estate investor, a ranch owner, a developer, and a vice president of the St. Joe Co., Florida's largest landowner. Another belongs to the Safari Club International, which offers recipes for antelope, bear, moose and other wild game on its Web site.
Later this summer, the FFWCC will vote to finalize the manatee’s listing status. Gov. Bush once called the manatee his favorite animal. Urge him to take a stand and ensure that protections for the manatee remain in place.

Thank you for making a difference today,
Sign The Petition
Care2 and ThePetitionSite Team
Care2.com
275 Shoreline Drive, Suite 150
Redwood City, CA 94065

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Namcha Home for Wayward Animals Newsletter
Tir-Na-Nog Farm
P.O. Box 145
Elverson, PA 19520

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Animals Asia's hosts China's First Ever Companion Animal Symposium!
3/31/2006
Dear Friends,
Just this past weekend Animals Asia hosted and organised the first ever China Companion Animal Symposium which saw 32 local Mainland Chinese groups voting unanimously for a ban on the slaughter of dogs and cats for their meat and fur!   Held in Guangzhou - the dog eating capital of China - five important resolutions were passed with 100% majority, as everyone pledged to work together in the years ahead to improve the lives of all companion animals in China. It is thanks to each and everyone of you reading this message and supporting our pioneering
Friends...or Food
campaign that major inroads such as this are being made. The next step will see us working on developing these crucial resolutions into practical solutions and regulations that will create real change for dogs and cats.
Please help us to accelerate this work by reading and forwarding the news of the
Symposium
to friends and family:
Please give what you can to help our beloved companion animals - as ever, we are dependent upon your support to create a world where dogs and cats rightly take their place as our friends,
not food or fur.
Warm wishes,
Jill
Jill Robinson MBE
Founder & CEO
Animals Asia Foundation

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Aviarios Sloth Rescue Center
(Preguiça)

In 1992 Judy and Luis Arroyo completed construction of a bed and breakfast in Costa Rica.
Their destiny changed when neighbor girls brought them a wee surprise--an orphaned three-toed sloth.
They named her Buttercup.

Finding scant literature on sloths, they learned from experience. Then another one arrived, and another.
Before long the Arroyos became known as authorities on sloth rescue and rearing.

What is a Sloth?

Picture Gallery

Rescue Center

Sloth Video

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Dear U.S. Friends of Animals Asia
Help spread the word of the China Bear Rescue, by requesting that PBS book the
"Natural Heroes" series!
"Many of you are aware that Animals Asia has made a short film on our work called "China Bear Rescue....the beginning". The film has won many awards at Film Festivals and is now part of a "Natural Heroes" series of environmental short films that is being offered to PBS Stations across the USA. Of course, for Animals Asia, this is a great opportunity for many more people to learn about the issue of bear farming and our work with the beautiful Moon Bears.
Can we ask you to help? We need you to urge your local PBS Program Manager to schedule the series. Please contact PBS affiliates in your area, alerting them to the fact that you support Animals Asia and the great work being done in China to help the farmed bears. In fact, the series has been underwritten, so it is completely free to the PBS Station!
This is so easy to do:
Simply go to this website:
www.greentreks.org/naturalheroes/wheretowatch.asp
Click on your state and write a short note encouraging your local stations to carry the "Natural Heroes" series (which includes our China Bear Rescue film). There is also a sample letter included. Please ask your friends and colleagues do the same in their areas!
PBS Program Managers are making spring scheduling decisions now. Each PBS affiliate's Program Manager decides which programming best fits the needs of their local audience. They listen to their members, and they know that "looking local" is important. If you want to get more involved, call your local stations and speak with the Program Manager directly.
Our China Bear Rescue film is being shown in an episode entitled "International Animal Rescue"   Click here to view a trailer
Thank you so much for your help!"
Warm wishes,
Annie
Annie Mather
Executive Director, Head of Media
Animals Asia Foundation
China Bear Rescue
Wonderful organization, Jill is truly a hero...I cannot recommend them highly enough, please get involved..jj

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Heart of a Lioness
I first read about Kamunyak several years ago and posted her story on JodysJungle.com Page 3
I saw the story on Animal Planet the other night and wanted to share it with those of you who may have missed it.
Kamunyak the Lioness and the Oryx Calf
Samburu National Reserve, Kenya, January 2002
The lioness was fully aware that the calf was not a lion cub
as she did not try to hunt meat for it.

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2006
The 2nd Annual Elephant Advocates Rally Support
~EAR'S~

This year's event will be held in Hohenwald, Tennessee on Oct 5 to 8th, 2006.
See our Website for details.
The Elephant Sanctuary® in Tennessee
will once again be the beneficiary of our efforts.
We are now open for registrations

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ocean-alert@oceanconservancy.org
To: jody@jodysjungle.com

Strong public support is urgently needed to prevent the Bush Administration from slashing funds for sea turtle conservation and other programs aimed at protecting endangered species. In its federal budget request for next year, the Bush Administration has proposed budget cuts for international sea turtle conservation in the new Marine Turtle Conservation Act (MTCA) and similar legislation for other imperiled species. This year the administration's request cuts the Marine Turtle Conservation Fund by 57%, from $691,000 to $297,000, despite the fact that less than a third of the proposals received were funded!!! Instead of cutbacks, these funds need to be increased, particularly since these species face increasing threats from poaching, habitat destruction and civil unrest.
The multinational species conservation funds were established in 1990 to help conserve some of the world's most threatened and magnificent creatures. These relatively small but critical programs have grown annually by small increments because they can demonstrate significant success.
Last year Congress approved a modest increase for the five mammal and reptile programs to $6.5 million and the neotropical migratory bird fund to $4 million. The President's new budget cuts the funding to $8.2 million for fiscal year 2007, a steep cut of 22%. In fiscal year 2006, Congress appropriated $691,000 for marine turtles. Click here for more information.
Please take action today! Tell your Senators and Representative to do all they can to increase funding for these vitally important endangered species conservation programs.
Please Take Action
Sincerely,
Marydele Donnelly
Sea Turtle Scientist

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"But for the use of physical punishment by, and fear of their oppressors, animals would never be a part of a circus." Richard Pryor

PRYOR AWARD GOES TO ELEPHANT RIGHTS ACTIVIST
1/20/06
Late comic RICHARD PRYOR has been honoured for his animal rights campaigning with an award in his name, by the People For The Ethical Treatment Of Animals (PETA). The STIR CRAZY funnyman died of a heart attack on 10 December (05) after years of battling degenerative nervous system disease multiple sclerosis. fter consultations with his widow JENNIFER LEE PRYOR, PETA created the Richard Pryor Memorial Award, which was presented to ALDERMAN MARY ANN SMITH for her work with the Elephant Protection Ordinance in Chicago's City Council - a cause close to the late comedian's heart. Pryor's wife says, "Of all the issues Richard worked on over the years, cruelty to elephants was dearest to his heart. "He felt for elephants who are robbed of their freedom and families and sent to circuses where they endure chains, bullhooks, and beatings or banished to zoos where they spend a lifetime of boredom, confined in small, concrete enclosures."

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Jungle Friends News
Curri's Story
Date: 11/2/2005
Curri is a squirrel monkey that arrived at Jungle Friends last Saturday night. Curri is in pretty bad shape. When the breeder sold Curri to the people who brought her to Jungle Friends, she was not well. We are told that when Curri was sold she was very frail with hair loss. They paired Curri up with Moe, another squirrel monkey, and we are told that she got much better. Unfortunately Moe died and Curri went down hill after the loss of her companion. The University of Florida Vet School referred the owners to Jungle Friends.

By the looks of Curri, I would say she is an elderly monkey that had a very rough life. Currie cannot stand or walk, she is very stiff, her fingers and toes curl up and she has the shakes. We are working with her to get some strength in her limbs. She is quite a fighter and is already moving about more than when she arrived. Curri cannot eat or drink on her own, so we are hand feeding her every two hours until about 8 pm with a midnight feeding. She has surprised us all at the amount of food this tiny monkey can eat. She weighed under a pound when she arrived and has already gained 40 grams. We have Curri set up in an indoor enclosure next to the other squirrel monkeys in Jody's Jungle. We feel that her improvement has a lot to do with having the other squirrel monkeys near her. They talk back and forth to each other all day; it is wonderful to see how she lights up at the sound of their voices.
We hope that Curri will be a companion for Bowser, who recently lost his friend Skeeter to illness. But Bowser is such a robust boy; he may be too much for Curri, if so, we may be able to socialize her with Buddy and Howard who are much slower paced and visually impaired. Time will tell. Curri has a long road of recovery ahead of her.
Please help us with Curri. We could use a small refrigerator and microwave to put in Jody's Jungle to help with the feedings. We could also use some receiving blankets or baby blankets for her. And of course, money is always welcome! It would also be great if we could get Curri sponsored. Curri is not up on the website, so if you are interested in sponsoring her, just click HERE for the form, fill it out and mail it to me.
Please pass Curri's story on to your friends and relatives. You never know who may be interested in our work here at Jungle Friends. Thank you in advance for helping us help those who cannot help themselves!
Lots of monkey love,
Kari and the monks

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Updates of FAE's Elephant Hospital
Date: 10/17/05
Dear friends:
I would like to let you know how the two babies that got injured by the landmines are doing. Mo-jay, the elder sister is very cooperative even though her injuries are so severe. Mo-too, the younger one, is difficult to handle because she does not stay still and we have to use all the tricks imaginable, putting medicines in bananas, grinding them in condensed milk and put in her mouth. She managed to spit it out and kicked the mahout. Dr. Preecha escaped by an inch. We only hope she will be more friendly with our mahouts, if not the vets soon. They are playing with her to gain her trust.
For the elephants,
Soraida

Date: 10/13/2005
Dear Friends:
Once again please accept my apologies for the long silence in updating our activities here. I have just arrived here at FAE's Elephant Hospital last night and we have had a busy and tough time trying to save lives. Four elephants arrived yesterday with critical conditions. At four o'clock this morning another two arrived with the same conditions, anorexia, depressed and bloated. We suspect it is from the grass they ate that were contaminated with pesticides. One out of the seven (one came on the fourth of October) with the same conditons, was in the most serious condition. He lay down and sat up and completely restless. He collapsed this morning at 7.35 a.m. There was no life sign and then he was gone.
His name was Boonnum, 35 years old. They all came from the same elephant camp in Chiangmai. The other six are under close observation but they are gradually gaining back their health. Our vet team led by Dr. Preecha performed the enema, giving intravenous followed by letting them walk to exercise. I hope they would be better soon. A warning message from me has been sent out to all camps for the precaution and prevention of feeding the elephants with grasses. There might be some foul play as some camps are close to the orchards. Another factor is it is getting colder in the north this time of the year, the contaminated fodder causes indigestion. Young and too overgrown grass are also the cause. Elephant would eat soil when their bodies are lack of minerals could cause obstruction in the intestines. However, there are other serious cases coming. Two elephants stepped on the landmines are going to be transported from Nongbua, Tak Province to our hospital. They could not find the trucks but eventually would. It is a distance of 400 kilogrammes and the roads are quite dangerous. They have to come slowly.
I shall write again when I can.
For the elephants,
Soraida Salwala
Founder & Secretary General
Friends of the Asian Elephant (FAE)

Landmine Victims
Two Seriously Injured Babies
10/13/05
Dear Friends:Finally the two elephants that stepped on landmines arrived at 6.15 a.m. this morning. I was shocked when they opened the truck and saw two babies seriously injured.The two are sisters, walking alongside their mother but the mother was not hurt. Mo-jay is 6 years and 10 months old, severely injured on the right hind leg. Her foot is shredded and there is no foot pad left while Mo-too, her sister who is two and ten months old, is severely injured on the left front leg. The injuries are almost the same, no foot pad left. Mo-too has not weaned off and she cries for her mother but is always consoled by Mo-jay. She would reach her trunk out to touch her young sisiter in a way of saying, "I am here with you". It is a heart rending sight to see the two young ones suffering the same plight but do not lose courage. They have each other now and all of us as their only family. We have treated them with painkillers, anti-infection, dressed the wounds, etc. My staff shall send photos on a separate mail...Soraida

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October 6, 2005
Buddy's Big Adventure

Dear Friends of Jungle Friends,
I am happy to report that Buddy, our blind retired research squirrel monkey, went outside for the first time last week! We first thought it was an accident or a fluke; however, Buddy went right back out the next day. And he went outside again yesterday!!
Buddy lives with Howard, another retired research monkey, who is nearly blind. We have their indoor enclosure and outdoor habitat set up with many PVC perches so that they are able to negotiate their space easily and safely.
When we discovered that Buddy had gone out on his own, we brought him several bowls of food to scatter around wherever he traveled so that he was sure to find them. He would hang by his tail searching for the food bowls that his heightened sense of smell told him were near. We also put up half a dozen water bottles for his convenience.
During Buddy's adventure he climbed around much more than we had expected. He did not appear to be nervous at all, just very happy about being outside, feeling the warm sun on his little body. Buddy had not felt the sun in nearly two decades. It was a little breezy that day and Buddy seemed to enjoy the wind in his face that brought the fragrance of other parts of the sanctuary to him. He would reach down to the earth floor grabbing at pieces of plant and grass. All of Buddy's senses were engaged.
Howard joined him; I am not sure if he stayed near Buddy to protect him and comfort him or because I had some special treats. Either way, I feel that Buddy felt more secure with Howard nearby.
We sat with Buddy for the better part of the day, until it was nearing evening and then we helped him back inside. We hope that Buddy's Big Adventure will be repeated again soon and often. One of the things that we have noticed about the monkeys here at Jungle Friends is that they definitely seem to prefer being outside rather than inside! Our eBay store is called Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary. We also have monkey art listed and are listing new items all the time, so please visit our eBay store today! Also, if you have any items that are monkey related that you would like to donate, just send them to us and we will list them on our eBay store.

Stacey DiBiccaro, one of our past interns, made a wonderful 10-minute video of the Jungle Friends monkeys. We will include a DVD with all orders. If you just want to order the DVD itself, we will send it to you for a donation of $15. Thank you Stacey!!
Please make a donation to Jungle Friends today!
Lots of monkey love,
Kari and the monks
Jungle Friends Newletter

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The Death of Narripi
10/4/2005

Dear Jody,
Narripi's short life was plagued with insurmountable obstacles, and today the 4th of October at 4.00 pm he slipped into a coma and drew his last breath. He was always a subdued little elephant from the day he arrived but hardly surprising having lost his whole herd one fateful night when he fell into a man made well and his herd was unable to retrieve him. Later that same night his trunk was ravaged by a hyena, but good fortune shone on him briefly when a Maasai discovered him tapped in the hole and went to seek help, and Narripi was rescued and brought to us at The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. But that was just the beginning of a five week battle for this unfortunate little baby, who seemed to have been dealt such an unfair start to life. He underwent surgery on his trunk which actually healed beautifully,

and then immediately began the teething process which seems to bring on enormous problems for baby elephants being raised on a milk formula that is the best we know, but still a poor substitute for mother's milk. He had the dedicated love of his Keepers, which he returned in heaps, and he later had the company of little Makena who he adored and was very protective of, always bringing her back into the fold gently guiding her the first few days when she was constantly in search of her mother. He was however plagued with stomach problems for weeks, but it was the dreaded pneumonia that snatched his life, as his own immune system became weakened by the many antibiotics that he had to take for both his wound and stomach problems, and slowly and insidiously it took hold, with the only warning sign being his reluctance to sleep last night, instead standing for most of the night. In the morning he fed, slower than usual, and his stools seemed to be normal finally, so we were all beginning to feel like we had won the battle, and then at 1.30 pm his trunk began to shiver, and then his legs began to shake. These are the all too familiar signs of pneumonia that fill each and every one of us with horror. We immediately administered another antibiotic desperate to try and catch the pneumonia in time, but the rapid rate he deteriorated shocked us all. We walked him slowly back to his stable, as he desperately gasped for air but soon he slipped away as the Keepers in a last desperate effort rubbed essential oils into his chest. For all of us it was another heartbreak, the Keepers leaving the stable, tears streaming down their faces, as no one was prepared for what the day delivered, and for these grown men who had dedicated night and day to saving this calf to have it all amount to this was more than they could bare. None of us thought the little elephant that was playing in the dust outside Kwale's stockade for Kwale's two days in the nursery would end up buried beside him a few weeks later. For those of you who are foster parents of Narripi we will automatically be transferring your fostering to Kora, another brave little male elephant in the nursery who managed to surmount unbelievable obstacles. However, should you prefer to foster another orphan please let us know. We are so sorry to have to be the bearers of such sad news.
Most Sincerely,
Dr. Daphne Sheldrick M.B.E.
sheldrickwildlifetrust.org

Narripi
A baby bull elephant named Narripi owes his life to the compassion of a Maasai Warrior, who, instead of walking away, walked 10 miles on foot to alert the Amboseli authorities of his presence.
There is a place, near the Tanzanian border, where the Maasai tribesmen have dug a shallow well to water their herds. It is known as Narripi which in the Maa dialect means Male Guide. In the early morning of 29th August 2005, when a Maasai Warrior who is, indeed, a male guide, happened to be passing, and spotted a tiny elephant calf trapped deep inside the hole. The ground around the hole was well and truly churned up, indicative of the herds, desperate attempts to haul the baby out, but in the end, fearful of humans, they had to leave, abandoning all hope of being able to save this very precious new member of the family, who was just 3 weeks old. It was evident too that the hyenas had also found the trapped baby, and bit off the end of his trunk, as it waved helplessly in the air searching for help and his mother.

Source: The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
Orphan's Project

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World News
September 21, 2005
10,000 Elephants Facing Slaughter to Protect Trees
From Fred Bridgland in Johannesburg
UP TO 10,000 elephants are facing slaughter as South Africa prepares to end its ten-year ban on culling the beasts. The Government is expecting a global outcry from animal welfare groups, so there will be an 18-month consultation period before the cull which would involve rounding up and shooting entire family groups begins.

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Support The Elephant Sanctuary® in Hohenwald, Tennessee
As there are many supporters of The Elephant Sanctuary on Care2Connect, we are in favor of a new daily 'click to donate' that would directly benefit the sanctuary, a 501 (c)(3) non profit organization. Sanctuary founder and executive director, Carol Buckley has stated that she supports this idea.
Click to sign the petition for The Elephant Sanctuary

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Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary
NEW eBay Store

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PETA Demands Necropsy of Elephant Gildah
Gildah's death brings to 23 the number of Feld Entertainment elephants who have died since 1992, including three baby elephants. At least eight of the adult elephant deaths were attributable to osteoarthritis or chronic foot disorders. Feld Entertainment also operates Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

Gildah the Elephant Dies
Gildah the 4-ton Thai elephant used in the Siegfried & Roy show has died of natural causes, the performers said Thursday. Gildah, 57, died August 30, 2005 at The Mirage hotel-casino's animal habitat in Las Vegas.

   

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Motala the Elephant

Update/Pictures

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Gypsy
Pit-bull horribly mutilated: Gaston County, NC - US
Aug. 25, 2005
Crime Date: April 11, 2005
Please Sign the Ongoing Petition
Vigorous Investigation of Dog-Fighting in Gaston County, NC
A horribly mutilated pit-bull, named Gypsy, was found on April 11, 2005 dumped on a main highway (Wilkinson Blvd) and her wounds appear to be the result of dog-fighting. We petition Hon. Michael K. Lands to vigorously investigate and prosecute dog-fighting crimes in Gaston County.
According to North Carolina state law Chapter 14, Article 47 (? 14-362.2), this is a Class H felony case:
(a) A person who instigates, promotes, conducts, is employed at, provides a dog for, allows property under his ownership or control to be used for, gambles on, or profits from an exhibition featuring the fighting or baiting of a dog is guilty of a Class H felony. A lease of property that is used or is intended to be used for an exhibition featuring the fighting or baiting of a dog is void, and a lessor who knows this use is made or is intended to be made of his property is under a duty to evict the lessee immediately.
(b) A person who owns, possesses, or trains a dog with the intent that the dog be used in an exhibition featuring the fighting or baiting of that dog is guilty of a Class H felony.
(c) A person who participates as a spectator at an exhibition featuring the fighting or baiting of a dog is guilty of a Class H felony. (1997-78, s. 1.)
Source and Updates: Pet-Abuse.com

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PETA Asks Benetton to Be the First to Buy New Australian Wool Brand
PETA is asking Benetton to take a leadership role by becoming the first retailer to give purchasing preference to a new brand of wool being created to accommodate retailers? desires not to buy the wool of animals who have been subjected to mulesing or live export.
Benetton has so far refused to follow the lead of other major retailers such as Abercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle, and Limited Brands, which supported PETA's campaign to end mulesing and live exports by pledging to not use cruelly obtained Australian wool. The plan devised by PETA and the Australian Wool Growers Association (AWGA) provides a timetable for phasing out mulesing, ends exports of live sheep to countries that don?t meet Australian welfare standards, and establishes a new wool brand that would be available to retailers internationally.
Please ask Benetton to take a leadership role by being the first retailer to take advantage of this new wool brand rather than to continue purchasing wool from farmers who mutilate lambs and ship sheep to gruesome deaths overseas:
Write to:
Luciano Benetton, Chair
Benetton Group
Villa Minelli
31050 Ponzano Veneto
Treviso
Italy
(fax) 39 0422 969501
(email) info@benetton.it
~ Cashmere and Other Kinds of Wool

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Save a sheep?don't buy wool.
Most people have no idea that sheep raised for wool are often mutilated and castrated without painkillers, then disposed of by being shipped thousands of miles on open-deck, multitiered ships through all weather extremes, and eventually slaughtered while fully conscious.
Much of the world's woolFROM CLOTHING TO CARPETScomes from sheep raised in Australia or New Zealand, where farmers restrain sheep using metal bars and, without any pain relief, slice away large chunks of flesh from the animals' backsides. Sheep are gentle individuals who, like all other animals, feel pain, fear, and loneliness. But because of the market for their fleece and skins, they are treated as nothing more than wool-producing machines.
Anyone who buys wool helps foot the bill for a cruel and bloody industry that no amount of fluff can hide. There are plenty of durable, stylish, and warm fabrics available that aren't made from animal skins. Please join the millions of people who know that compassion is the fashion.

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Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary News: August 22, 2005
Louie has moved on to his next journey

Little Lou
Free at Last

Dear Friends of Jungle Friends,
In the early morning hours on Friday, August 19, 2005 Louie died in his sleep and at peace, knowing how much he was loved. Louie is free of the body that betrayed him and free of the bars that held him captive. We will all miss him.

~

California:
Increase Penalties for Cockfighting
California legislators are currently considering S.B. 156, introduced by Senator Nell Soto, which strengthens penalties for cockfighting. S.B. 156 passed the Senate on May 31 by a vote of 33 to 3 and is now in the Assembly Committee on Appropriations. But time is running out -- the bill must move out of the Committee soon or it will die.

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Judge Dismisses Animal Cruelty Charges in Cockfighting Case
Calls Cockfighting "mean, nasty, dirty and bloody," but says Kentucky Statute Only Applies to Four-Legged Animals
Citing ambiguity in the wording of state law, Montgomery District Judge William Lane recently dismissed animal cruelty charges against over 500 people caught at a cockfight when police raided the Jeffersonville farm of Marvin C. Watkins, seizing more than $420,000 in cash. Judge Lane threw the case out because of an obscure clause in the law that pertains to people "at an event where a four (4) legged animal is caused to fight for pleasure or profit." Chickens, of course, have only two legs, exempting them from anti-cruelty protection, at least according to Judge Lane's interpretation. "The decision to let these criminals off the hook is misguided, and could affect how cockfighting cases are tried in courts all over Kentucky from now on," stated IDA President Dr. Elliot M. Katz. "A higher court should review the case, but ultimately the statute must be rewritten to firmly establish the illegality of this vicious and disgusting blood sport." State police, hoping to convict those involved in cockfighting, have put their support behind Assistant County Attorney Kevin Cockrell's plan to appeal aspects of Judge Lane's ruling. Meanwhile, their investigation into Watkins' activities continues.
Please call Judge Lane at (859) 498-6622 and politely ask him to interpret the law differently if he handles a cockfighting case in the future to ensure that the guilty are punished and justice is served.

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Horse Dies in Omak Stampede's Suicide Race Rodeo
Omak Stampede, Inc. Should Be Held Accountable for Animal's Death
Regular e-news readers may recall that IDA previously reported on an event that takes place every August called the "The World-Famous Omak Suicide Race," in which horses and riders rush 210 feet down a steep 62-degree angle slope and plunge into the rocky Okanogan River. The horses must then swim more than a football field in length to face a grueling uphill sprint. Over the last two decades, the ordeal has killed over 20 horses, and additional horses lose their lives during unofficial practice runs, but these deaths are not documented. It is almost incredible that there were no fatalities in this year's race. Yet one horse did die while "competing" in the rodeo held in conjunction with the Suicide Race. During the Team Bronc Riding event (in which a flank strap is tightened around the horse's sensitive abdomen, causing him to "buck" in severe discomfort), a horse tripped over a rope attached to another horse's halter and smashed to the ground, breaking his neck. Urge corporate sponsors to withdraw their financial support from the Omak Stampede's rodeo. Remind them that rodeos routinely abuse animals and endanger their lives, and that this death is only one of many caused by this cruel "sport." Visit the Progressive Animal Welfare Society's website and scroll down the page for contact information, sample letters and a petition.
Source: In Defense of Animals.org

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Earth Fare Puts the Chicken Before the Egg
With its recent decision to sell only cage-free eggs, Earth Fare, a natural foods chain with 12 locations in the southeast United States, has spared thousands of egg-laying hens from intensive confinement in battery cages?coops so small they do not even allow the birds to flap their wings.

With its decision, Earth Fare also joins a growing list of grocery chains and universities that have pledged never to purchase eggs from caged hens, who produce roughly 95% of all eggs sold in the United States. Earth Fare itself sells more than four million eggs per year. "Because of our commitment to corporate responsibility and the humane treatment of animals, Earth Fare is proud to have a policy against the sale of eggs from caged birds," Earth Fare President Mike Cianciarulo recently announced.

Earlier this year, Whole Foods Market and Wild Oats Natural Marketplace, two of the nation's largest natural foods retailers,likewise pledged to stop selling eggs produced by hens in battery cages. Some universities have seen the cage-free light, too, including George Washington University, Marist College, Vassar College, University of Arizona, University of Connecticut, and University of Rochester.

Unfortunately, Trader Joe's is still clucking about its need to sell battery-cage eggs. The grocery chain refuses to heed the request of thousands of its customers to make the socially responsible decision and sell only cage-free eggs. You can help shoppers understand how cruel battery cages are by passing out our new brochure, Why Won't Trader Joe's Give an Inch?," at the Trader Joe's nearest you. When unfolded, the brochure is almost exactly the size of a battery cage.

Learn more about our 'No Battery Eggs' Campaign.
Learn more about The Hen Factory Farm
Source:The Humane Society of the United States HSUS

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Checks That Help
"The power to make a vital impact is within easy reach - by purchasing your bank checks, address labels and check products from Message!Products, you are going one step further to support the cause that means the most to you. We provide our customers with quality personal bank checks, address labels, contact cards and checkbook covers that convey messages and feature images that reflect these issues."
Please stop by and see all the organizations that are available for your support:
Animal, Environmental, Social.

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Mariah's Promise
Toni Phillips, Hero to Denver's Pit Bulls
IDA's Guardian of the Month for August:
Toni Phillips started rescuing dogs in 1990 after moving to a rural area in Dallas/Fort Worth, Tex. Having grown up in Seattle, Wash. and fresh from living in San Francisco, Calif., Toni had never before experienced the tragedy of finding dogs and puppies "dumped" along the highway in the remote country to survive on their own. She immediately began bringing these abandoned dogs home, an effort that was supported by her husband Mike, who quickly took an active role in the cause. The couple fostered and sought loving homes for all the deserted dogs they could find, and continued rescuing canines when they moved to Branson, Mo.

In 1998, the Phillips moved to Colorado, and in 2003 bought property in the forested mountains of Divide where they founded Mariah's Promise, a safe haven and sanctuary for dogs named for a five-week-old puppy who fought a losing battle against parvo when their land purchase was being negotiated. Located just south of Denver, Mariah's Promise was perfectly placed to become the hub of an urgent rescue mission when an indiscriminate ban on pit bulls began to tear beloved canine companions from their guardians in May 2005.

Toni and Mike heard in April that the ban would soon be reinstated, so they posted signs around Denver offering to find permanent homes for pit bulls with new families or temporarily foster people's dogs at their sanctuary until they could relocate to new cities. Sadly, just weeks later, many guardians stood helplessly by as their dogs were driven away in Denver Animal Control vans, the majority to be killed because of their breed. Dogs taken in by Mariah's Promise were the lucky ones, having survived the mass extermination that is still well underway in Denver. Mariah's Promise has so far saved the lives of 73 pit bull dogs and puppies victimized by the ban, with more arriving by the week. Of those, 22 have been given a fresh start in new, loving homes outside of Denver's city limits. Mariah's Promise has also worked with other no-kill rescue organizations outside of Colorado, transporting dogs across state lines to make room for the constant influx of Denver exiles, which will only increase should breed-specific bans pass in neighboring communities.

Toni and Mike have managed to keep Mariah's Promise going while simultaneously running a family business, and have built their "Denver Refugee Camp" (which includes numerous dog houses and kennels) from donations provided by generous dog lovers. With the long, cold winter on the way, Mariah's Promise is now focused on building 10' x 10' climate controlled doghouses with outside runs to keep the dogs warm through the frigid winter months. Seed money provided by the Max Fund was essential to get this project off the ground, but now the sanctuary needs all the funds they can get to continue saving the lives of as many dogs as possible.

To help pay for food, shelter, veterinary care and other necessary expenses,
please send checks to:
Mariah's Promise
4027 CR 5
P.O. Box 1017
Divide, CO 80814

You can also donate using your credit card on IDA's website at and designating "Mariah's Promise" or "pit bulls" in the First Name field of the "in honor of" section of the form.

Mariah's Promise has many loving dogs who need permanent, loving homes and families to take care of them.
Click Here to see a listing of their available dogs.

If you are interested in adopting a new friend, contact Toni at mariahspromise@msn.com
(719) 687-4568 or (719) 651-4733.

Learn more about the ban and the efforts being made to help pit bulls at idausa.org/denver.

In Defense of Animals/IDA is proud to salute Toni Phillips and recognize her dedication to dogs by naming her our Guardian of the Month for August 2005. Congratulations, Toni, and keep fighting the good fight!

Denver's Pit Bulls and Guardians Under Siege
Because They Registered Their Dogs in Accordance with the Law!
Please Read
FROM THE FRONT LINES
As of midnight on May 9, 2005, harboring a pit bull in Denver, Colo.
became a crime punishable by a $1,000 fine and possible jail time.
Since then,
Denver Animal Control (DAC) officials have gone door-to-door
seizing pit bulls from guardians who registered their dogs in accordance with the law.
And that is the least of it!
Many families have suffered helplessly as their beloved companions were led to a DAC van and taken away to be killed. A dog's only chance for reprieve then is for his or her guardians to convince someone living outside of Denver to sign an affidavit that they will adopt the dog upon release, but guardians have only a few days to arrange this before DAC takes the dog's life. Only by sending their dogs out of Denver or defying the ban and keeping them hidden can guardians protect their canine friends from execution.

The lives of hundreds of dogs have already been taken since the start of the ban, yet with an estimated 4,500 pit bulls residing in Denver, the killing may have only begun. In addition, Denver suburbs like Aurora and Commerce City are now moving to pass their own pit bull bans to prevent guardians from moving to their communities with their "dangerous" animals. This will only increase the number of innocent pit bulls killed out of breed-based prejudice.

In this dark time for Denver's pit bulls and their guardians, IDA's Rita Anderson is heading up the Pit Bull B.A.N.D'.s (Breed Awareness, Not Discrimination) "underground" rescue effort. She partners with Mariah's Promise, a sanctuary for dogs nestled among pine tress in the mountains south of Denver, to save as many pit bulls as possible. Sanctuary owners Toni and Mike Phillips are devoted to the dogs living there, whether they come from families who plan to take them back after moving out of Denver or they need new homes. Mariah's Promise has so far managed to rescue 60 canines since the ban became effective, but to continue coping with the demands of their devotion to Denver's demonized pit bulls, they need the help of dog lovers everywhere.

Mariah's Promise desperately needs money to pay for the dogs who are already at the sanctuary and to expand their capacity for taking in more needy dogs. Your donations will help pay for food, shelter, veterinary care and other necessary expenses.

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Last year alone, more than 65,000 American horses were killed in the United States and processed for human consumption overseas. In addition, thousands of live horses were transported across the border to Canada and Mexico for slaughter. After these horses are killed, their flesh is shipped to Europe and Asia for human consumption. This grotesque and inhumane practice must be stopped. Please, help us raise $100,000 to ensure that the legislation passes, despite our opponents' efforts to stop it. Click here to make your donation to help save horses today.

The weeks ahead are critical to our efforts to stop the slaughter of these beautiful animals, and your support today will help us move closer to victory. Please make a donation to put an end to the slaughter of America's horses and to support our other legislative initiatives.
Copyright©2005 The Humane Society Legislative Fund
August 11, 2005

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URGENT!
CAMPAIGN TO STOP SWAN KILLING
UPDATE 8/10/05
Source: Arlene Steinberg   Buffyenta314@aol.com
I am working in affiliation with the incorporated organization, Save Our Swans, USA. (website under construction). Please contact Kathryn Burton, president, at SaveOurSwansOrg@aol.com for more information.

"To everyone who cares about animals and the environment:
I am starting a grass-roots letter campaign to save swans. Specifically, the swan with the "S-curve" neck that is on the Valentine's Day card you give your sweetheart, the swan whose beauty and grace inspired Tchaikovsky to write his famous ballet, "Swan Lake."

photo by Robert Bateman

This particular species is called the Mute Swan, and it is being targeted for total extinction in a very cruel way, by the hunting lobby and the politicians that cater to that lobby. Because most people are fond of this bird, the plans are being made under the radar and are being pushed through secretly and quietly in what are called "silent takings." Very few people are aware that this is happening. Animal and environmental organizations are not really doing much about it at this point. However, I am joining with some people who are working on several lawsuits to help prevent this secret slaughter from happening, so I know what is actually going on.
The short story is that long-standing major legislation giving federal protection to all migratory birds - the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) of 1918 - was recently gutted by a disastrous amendment sneakily attached to the Federal Budget, without a vote from the Congress or the Senate, and no one even knew it was there. It was unknowingly signed into law. The primary purpose of this legislation was to get rid of federal protection, thereby paving the way to allow for the mass killing (not hunting, KILLING - "silent takings") of the mute swan, with the ultimate goal of replacing this swan's territory with another species, the trumpeter swan, which is the latest trophy animal for hunters. This will be accomplished by allowing 80% of the mute swans to be DESTROYED, with the remainder neutered and surgically amputated by a procedure called "pinioning" (removal of the lower wing so that they can't fly). This will be a one-generation extinction in this country."
Please Click Here for complete information, detailed background and sample letters.

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Omak Suicide Race
Please Thank Jack Daniels for Withdrawing Sponsorship
After receiving your numerous phone calls and letters, Jack Daniels officially withdrew its sponsorship of the Omak Suicide Race, the brutal annual event which causes needless injury and death to horses that "participate" in it each year. David Stang, Jack Daniels sponsorship director said they "have advised the PRCA that we want no affiliation with the Omak Stampede now or in the future."
The power of the pen (or keyboard) is indeed mighty and these amazing results are proof-positive that your time and action can make such a profound difference.
To find out what else you can do to help click here.
Thank you!
What is the Omak Suicide Race?

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Rabbit Abusers Plead No Contest
Rescue Group Demanded Strict Accountability for Cruelty
RICHMOND, CA
Lucky the Rabbit gained national attention after her "owner" taped her to explosives and threw her into an East Bay lake. This Wednesday, the men responsible pled guilty to animal cruelty charges in a crime that animal rescuers have called an atrocity. They received a sentence of jail time, probation, counseling, restitution for Lucky's medical care, and community service.
Full Story, Letters, Media Coverage and Lucky's Latest Photos

Source: Voices for pets
Voices for Pets, a non-profit organization, is a committed group of volunteers working to stop violence against animals. We track animal abuse cases through the court system, advocating for pets and animals who have been victimized.

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Dog "Owner" Charged with Extreme Animal Cruelty
When ABEL HERNANDEZ moved out of his Las Cruces, N.M. home, he left his dog in the backyard to languish for a week with no food and only an algae-filled water bowl to drink from. Hernandez left the helpless dog chained so tightly by his neck that he suffered an open wound where the collar cut into his flesh. Animal Control officers found the dog infested with thousands of ticks, many of which clogged his ears so that he couldn't even hear. This two-to-three-year-old dog was so anemic and weak that he was unable to get into the Animal Control truck without help, and later testing confirmed that he suffered from heartworm. With his life beyond saving, Animal Control officers euthanized the dog to end his unbearable suffering.
The 35-year old Hernandez, a self-described "bad pet owner," was recently released from the Dona Ana Detention Center on a $10,000 bond, and faces a possible 18-month prison term for Extreme Animal Cruelty. Please help us see that he receives just punishment for his unconscionable neglect, which caused this dog tremendous suffering and ultimately cost him his life.
Please write or call prosecutor Lisa M. Roybal at the Third Judicial Court District Attorney's Office and urge her to seek the maximum penalty in this case, which will send a message to others that animal abuse is a serious crime. (Be sure to specify the case number, which is CR2005-0972.)
Third Judicial Court District Attorney's Office
Attn: Lisa M. Roybal
201 West Picacho Avenue
Las Cruces, NM 88005
Tel: (505) 524-6370, ext. 138
Source: IDA

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Lab Capuchins Retired to Jungle Friends
Nine lab capuchins were retired to Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary on April 6th and 8th, 2005..
Please Click Here to view the pdf file and heart warming pictures.
To Kari, bless you, thank you!

Click Here
to read the July 2005 edition of Jungle Friends Newsletter.

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Boycott Canadian Seafood:   Attend Red Lobster Protest
Where: The Red Lobster at 1210 El Camino Real, San Bruno
When: Saturday, July 30 from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m.
The horrific slaughter of over 300,000 harp seals each year by Canadian fishermen continues despite massive worldwide protests. We can end this atrocity once and for all by hitting the seal hunters where it hurts: their paychecks. While Canadian exports of seafood to the U.S. are worth at least $3.3 billion, Canadian fishermen make a mere $16 million from the seal hunt every year - a fraction of a percent of their total annual income. By boycotting the Canadian seafood industry, we can ensure that Canadian fishermen pay a high price for choosing to continue the cruel seal hunt.
A boycott against Canadian seafood is already well underway, with restaurants and retailers such as Legal Sea Foods, Down East Seafood and Whole Foods Market on board. Now it's time for Red Lobster - one of the largest importers of Canadian seafood - to stop supporting the seal hunt.
Following in the footsteps of the Humane Society of the United States' (HSUS) successful day of action in June, HarpSeals.org is coordinating another day of action against Red Lobster in July, when activists will be organizing demonstrations at Red Lobster locations across North America. Please join IDA activists and other animal advocates at a Bay Area protest to let the public know that the franchise's purchasing decisions directly subsidize the inhumane seal massacre.
For more information and to RSVP, contact Karen Steele at karen@idausa.org
You can learn more about the international campaign to stop the seal hunt at harpseals.org
Sea Shepherd reveals their new Dead Lobster T-shirt campaign!

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Aerial Hunts in Hawaii Forest Reserves Continue
Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) says that feral cattle and goats pose a threat to native flora and forest habitats on the island of Maui. This is the justification they offer for an eradication program being carried out by the Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW). Because cattle and goats often go to remote areas of the forest that are generally inaccessible to most hunters, the DOFAW is using aerial gunning to exterminate the animals. Hunters on the ground use trained hunting dogs to chase down animals who escape helicopter gunfire, then kill them by restraining their hind legs and slicing them open or beating them to death.

If the DLNR wishes to control the population of feral cattle and goats on Maui, they should do it in a way that is sensitive to the lives of the animals. Some of the viable alternatives to eradication include contraception, sterilization and relocation to another area.

DOFAW has set aside six days in July, August and September to carry out their slaughter of feral goats and cattle. The first scheduled hunt date was Friday, July 22, 2005. There is still time to call or write the DLNR and urge them to order a halt to the aerial gunning of feral animals on Maui and to implement a more humane solution.
State of Hawaii, Department of Land and Natural Resources
Kalanimoku Bldg., 1151 Punchbowl St.
Honolulu, HI 96813
Tel: (808) 587-0400
Fax: (808) 587-0390

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Join Silicon Valley IDA in protesting Mel Cotton's first-ever "murder of animals" event.
What: Hunting Expo Protest
When: August 6 and 7, 2005 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Where: 1266 West San Carlos Street, San Jose
Click for Map
Mel Cotton's Sporting Goods prides itself on giving back to the community by supporting charitable causes such as child welfare and protection organizations. So why are they hosting a fall hunting and shooting expo at their San Jose location? Billing this event on their website as "a fun filled day at the store" is odd, given that they are essentially promoting the brutal murder of helpless animals with high-powered weapons. Perhaps stranger still is that a sporting goods retailer would promote hunting, which cannot even be considered a sport because the animal "participants" would not take part in it if given the choice. Hunters define the activity as a sport only because they basically see living beings as sporting goods, akin to moving targets expressly made by nature for their shooting pleasure.
Mel Cotton's also claims on their website that they hold on-site events to "educate" customers. The only thing a hunting and shooting expo teaches people is disrespect for the lives of our fellow beings and their habitats. Of course, as a business Mel Cotton's Sporting Goods aims to make money, and this expo gives them an excellent opportunity to sell more guns and hunting equipment. Obviously, Mel Cotton's real purpose for holding this event is to make a pretty profit from the blood of innocent animals.
Schools, teachers and students are welcome at this protest. Signs will be provided. If you are unable to attend the protest, please call or write Mel Cotton's and politely let them know that you will not shop there if they continue to promote the killing of wildlife. Let them know that being hunted, shot and killed for "sport" is no "fun" for the animals.
Contact information:
Mel Cotton's Sporting Goods
1266 West San Carlos Street
San Jose, CA 95126
Tel: (408) 287-5994
Fax: (408) 298-3536
eMail: MelCottons.com

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Samora Designs Rejects Australian Wool From Cruelly Treated Sheep
After learning about the stunningly cruel treatment of sheep at the hands of the Australian wool industry, Hollywood-based fashion designer Samora?whose clients include Gwen Stefani, Penelope Cruz, Joss Stone, Teri Hatcher, Tyra Banks, and Sheryl Crow?has announced that she will not use Australian merino wool in any of her designs until Australian farmers stop mutilating lambs and shipping sheep to gruesome deaths in the Middle East. .
Read more about mulesing and live export. (Warning: Graphic Information)

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Help Shine the Light on Puppy Mill Cruelty
If you could put a federal inspector inside a puppy mill -- one of those large, unsanitary and largely inhumane breeding operations that has never known regulation before -- would you? Well, now's your chance.
The Pet Animal Welfare Statute, or PAWS, will allow the U.S. Department of Agriculture to inspect puppy mills that are currently beyond the reach of federal law. These mass commercial breeders are taking advantage of a loophole in the Animal Welfare Act that allows them to sell puppies directly to the public and avoid all federal oversight. This means that no matter how horrific the conditions may be at the puppy mill, the USDA is NOT PERMITTED to even look at the animals.
PAWS would change all this. Carefully written to avoid covering smaller "hobby breeders," PAWS would make sure that large breeding operations (those that sell seven or more litters in a year) are subject to the minimum requirements of the AWA.
Despite the bill's humane intentions, businesses that profit from mass producing puppies are opposing PAWS. These individuals have launched an aggressive misinformation campaign to scare animal rescue groups into believing that they would be covered under PAWS. Nothing could be further from the truth. Don't let those who profit from the factory-style breeding of puppies win in their effort to keep the doors shut on puppy mills.
Without PAWS, mass breeding operations will continue to escape federal oversight, and the animals will continue to suffer. Thank you for taking action and for all you do on behalf of animals,
Wayne Pacelle
President & CEO
The Humane Society of the United States
humanelines@hsus.org | 202-452-1100 | www.hsus.org
July 26, 2005

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Help Someone Kick the Meat Habit with FARM's Meatout Monday Newsletter

If you know someone who says they'd like to cut meat out of their diet but thinks it's too hard, then tell them about Meatout Mondays, a free weekly e-newsletter designed to help those who don't want to quit "cold turkey" kick the meat habit one day at a time - starting with Mondays! Easy and fun to read, Meatout Mondays encourages individuals to make changes at a pace that is comfortable for them, and is an excellent tool for introducing vegetarianism to anyone.
Every week, Meatout Mondays includes tasty vegan recipes, new product and book reviews, important health information, and inspirational stories of people who have changed their lives for the better by cutting animal products from their diets. This week's Meatout Mondays discusses a study linking vegan diets with weight loss and maintenance in women. Click Here to read the latest issue which includes Terrific Tempeh Fajitas and The Saucy Vegetarian.
Please visit meatoutmondays.org to review past issues and to subscribe your friends and family members. Meatout Mondays is a free e-newsletter, and individuals can easily unsubscribe at any time.
See also The Half @st Vegetarian

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Congratulations!
Outstanding Woman
Soraida Salwala

Founder and Secretary General of Friends of the Asian Elephant
was honoured as an Outstanding Environmentalist for her devotion to protect and save Thai elephants. The Social Development and Human Security Ministry gave her the award to mark the International Women' s Day on the eight of March 2005. Soraida' s work and her fight for the righteousness of elephants is not only recognized nationwide but has received international attention. Her success includes the building of the World' s First Elephant Hospital and her persuasion to the Thai government to banish elephants from roaming on the streets. She still fights to put a stop to the export of elephants from Thailand. "Attitudes need to be changed or there will be no elephants left in Thailand," commented Soraida.

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6/27/2005
Dear Friends of Animals Asia,
We are very pleased to let you know that on Saturday, 25th June, Disney management announced that they have decided to drop Shark's Fin Soup from the menu at Hong Kong Disneyland! The decision represents a solid victory for animals in Asia, and it couldn?t have happened without you. Thanks to all of you who sent letters, emails, and support. This proves that your voice really does matter!
Warm wishes,
Jill Robinson MBE
Founder & CEO
Animals Asia Foundation

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Meet Marvin
Jungle Friends Newest Resident

 

"Like so many of the unfortunate displaced monkeys, little is known about Marvin's life except that he was surrendered by an owner who no longer wanted him. Because of his emaciated condition and bone disease, it is apparent that Marvin has not received proper nutrition nor space for exercising. He is such a sweet man. He had some terrible dental problems, but most of it was corrected, they left the one snaggle tooth (you can see it in the photo) in since it was healthy and didn't appear to be causing him problems. Marvin has severe bone disease and is quite hunched over, but with a good diet and sunshine, the disease will halt. The poor old boy was so emaciated they could not do the vasectomy while he was under for the dental, but he has gained some weight and we plan to get some more on him so that he can get that done and meet LUCY up close and personal!   Marvin does play, so he just loves balls and his activity center, his life has greatly improved already."
6/26/2005
I am happy to say that Marvin is having a pretty good day, he has been visiting with LUCY, and eating everything he can get his little hands on!
  jj
Marvin does not as yet have his own page on Jungle Friends, however you can still help sponsor or donate any amount to his cause by going to JungleFriends.org

~ABOUT LUCY~
News From Jungle Friends
April, 2005
Our two newest monkey arrivals are Lucy, a weeper capuchin, and Jimmy, a marmoset. Jimmy and Lucy arrived just over a week ago. One of the members of the Humane Society of Tennessee drove the two monkeys to their new home at Jungle Friends and stayed the night to settle them in. Jimmy is doing just great and is very enthusiastic about all of the new sights and sounds. We do not have any marmosets here at Jungle Friends, so we are hoping to find another marmoset to keep Jimmy company. For now, Jimmy and Lucy are in neighboring habitats and seem to keep a close watch over each other. Lucy has a docked tail and several missing toes, was horribly abused and diagnosed with Lupus. After a raid by the authorities, where most of the animals were found dead or died shortly thereafter, Lucy was taken in for tests. The vet noticed that her tiny little hands were clenched into fists. When the vet pried them open, he found her holding onto maggots, which we assume she had been eating to stay alive. Fortunately, Lucy's abuser is in jail!

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Breaking News From PETA.org
Major Clothing Retailers Take Stand Against Cruelty to Animals
Mega-retailer American Eagle Outfitters joins Timberland and Limited Brands?which operates stores under The Limited, Express, Henri Bendel, Victoria?s Secret, and other major names?as the latest major company to join the retailer-led movement to reform the Australian wool industry by pledging to not use Australian merino wool until lamb mutilations and live sheep exports end. Along with Abercrombie & Fitch, J.Crew, SmartWool, and others, these companies have made a compassionate decision that sends a powerful message to the Australian wool industry: Cruelty to animals will not be tolerated. Find out more at SaveTheSheep.com.

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Stop Japan From Ending the Humpback's Song Forever
The humpback's song is one of nature's greatest wonders. The grace, power, and beauty of the humpback whale as it glides underwater, leaps toward the sky, or simply lifts its flukes and slides into the sea puts us in touch with the deepest mysteries of nature. These magnificent, endangered creatures should be appreciated for their natural beauty and have their beautiful songs heard, not eaten. There is no need to cruelly kill whales in order to research them, especially when other non-lethal research methods exist.
Say NO to Killing "Protected" Humpback Whales
Source: IFAW ? 2005

"The most effective way to protect whales is to destroy the ships that kill them." Capt. Paul Watson Sea Shepherd Conservation Society/seashepherd.org

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Feral Cat Fund for Homeless Animal Lifeline
Homeless Animal Lifeline (HAL) has started a Feral Cat/TNR Outreach Fund. This fund will be used to distribute feral cat/TNR educational materials and help concerned, proactive people assist feral cats in their neighborhood. Please consider donating to this fund and help us help feral cats. HAL is an all-volunteer, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization; all donations are tax-deductible. You can donate securely through PayPal by visiting teamhart.org. Please earmark your donations "Feral Cat Fund." Even the smallest donation is appreciated.
Thank you!
Shell
FeralPlace@aol.com
HAL Volunteer, Feral Cat Issues

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Alley Cat Allies' Website
Alley Cat Allies feels it is important to let our supporters know about a recent report that was broadcast on national TV, even though it did not directly involve feral cats. John Stossel, of the ABC program 20/20, recently defended puppy mills and others who neglect and abuse animals against SPCAs who try to bust them for cruelty. For the animals' sake, we need to encourage 20/20 to take greater care in their reporting, so we invite you to read the full story on Best Friends' website and then to write a respectful note to 20/20.

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Do You Live in a Guardian Community?
Every day in your city, veterinarians, animal shelter staff, humane society officers and police officers see overwhelming evidence of animal abandonment, neglect, and physical abuse. To honor these dedicated professionals who work tirelessly to improve the lives of animals, some cities now recognize them as animal guardians. Guardian cities also appropriately recognize citizens who are animal caretakers by using the term ?guardian? on animal tags, public park signs, veterinary forms, adoption forms, kennel forms, and on all animal companion-related publications. They also ask residents to do their part by adopting and spay/neutering their animals and by reporting abuse to the local humane society or police station. Currently, 2,716,785 Americans and Canadians are officially recognized as Animal Guardians

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Sabah Govt Alarmed By Brutal Killing Of Pygmy Elephant
June 09, 2005
KOTA KINABALU, (Bernama) -- The state government is seriously concerned over the brutal killing of a protected Borneo pygmy elephant which was discovered in the Kinabatangan area Wednesday. "The state is taking this seriously and I want to make sure that the Wildlife Department will look into the matter seriously," Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman told reporters after launching Progressive Insurance Bhd's new hospital and surgery insurance policy here Thursday. A report from a local daily today showed the photo of the dead elephant's head with decapitated trunk and cut out tusks floating in the Kinabatangan river and being witnessed by a group of foreign tourists who were cruising the river in a boat. The people of Sabah were sad with such brutal act which should not happen at all, he said. Therefore, Musa said he would ask the Wildlife Department to send an immediate report on the incident to him and to conduct investigations to find out the culprit of such inhuman act. The Borneo pygmy elephant is the world's smallest elephant species and is protected under Schedule 2, Section 25 (2) of the Wildlife Conservation Enactment of 1997, which provides a penalty of RM50,000 or a five-year imprisonment if found guilty of its killing.
Source: BERNAMA.com

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PETA Breaking News
5/17/2005
"Today, at a news conference in Washington, D.C., PETA revealed the findings of its 11-month undercover investigation into Covance, the international drug-testing giant (formerly known as Hazelton).
PETA's investigator worked as a technician inside the Vienna, Virginia, Covance laboratory, where she documented workers who were striking, choking, taunting, and deliberately tormenting terrified monkeys. She documented monkeys with broken arms left without proper veterinary treatment and animals in desperate need of euthanasia, who were kept alive and in agony just to please drug companies. Other primates, used in lethal irradiation experiments, developed open wounds on their stomachs.
When PETA called the U.S. Department of Agriculture for help during our investigation, the agency took five days to respond. Please help these suffering primates, who live in constant fear of the next horrible thing that will happen to them. Read about our investigation and watch our video at CovanceCruelty.com

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Animal Torturer Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison
A 20-year-old Colorado man convicted of stealing four puppies from a shelter and setting them on fire was sentenced to 10 years in prison late last month. According to the Rocky Mountain News, Ryan Turtura told investigators he got a "rush" from hearing the screams of the animals. The animal lovers and humane society staffers who filled the courtroom on the day of sentencing were glad to hear that District Judge Tom Woodford gave Turtura the maximum permissible sentence for his horrendous actions--though some wished it could have been longer. "How do you protect the animals in our care from that kind of sinister behavior?" Mary Warren of the Colorado Humane Society stated to the Rocky Mountain News. "We can't imagine it, but we need to learn to protect against it." Judge Woodford's ruling sends out a strong message, and we hope it makes other prosecutors take animal cruelty just as seriously. Thank you to Judge Woodford for treating this disturbing incident with the severe punishment it deserves, and thank you to the many compassionate individuals around the country who wrote letters to the judge prior to sentencing, asking that Turtura receive the maximum punishment.
Source: ASPCA

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Bring Kei the Wolf Home

Kei, a North American Timber Wolf, lives alone in a barren concrete enclosure at the Okinawa Children's Zoo in Japan. She was brought there in 1992, when she was less than four months old, and has lived a lonely, solitary life ever since. Unlike other wolves who live in packs, Kei never experiences the joys of companionship and belonging. When not eating or sleeping, she paces her enclosure in boredom, her natural need to explore wide-open spaces constantly frustrated. Fortunately, there is still hope for Kei. The Rocky Mountains Wolf Sanctuary has agreed to take care of Kei if the Zoo will relinquish her, and a campaign is underway to convince them that it is in Kei's best interest to live out the remainder of her life in a natural habitat with other wolves. Please use your voice to help Kei return to where she belongs.
Please visit Kei to learn about the many ways that you can help bring Kei home, including signing the petition, sending her a belated birthday card, and writing polite letters to Japanese officials urging them to do what is best for Kei. Here's a poem by 15-year-old Sam McCreesh to inspire you to action:
One day Kei will return home and her misery will be ended
Until then we will fight for her release - will you?
One thing's certain - we won't give up until things are mended
Please spare some time in your life to help Kei too.

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Karakul Lamb Fur

As if peddling the skin and fur of a tortured, electrocuted adult animal weren?t bad enough, some heartless designers take fashion cruelty to a whole new level with a particularly grisly killer look: astrakhan, also known as broadtail or Persian wool, the fur of newborn and fetal karakul lambs who are bred by the thousands in Central Asia for the bloody fur trade.
Because their unique, highly prized curly fur begins to unwind and straighten within three days of birth, many karakul lambs are slaughtered when they are only 1 or 2 days old. The rest don?t even make it that far. In order to get a karakul fetus?s hide?called ?broadtail? in the industry and valued for its exceptional smoothness?the mother?s throat is slit and her stomach slashed open to remove the developing lamb. A mother typically gives birth to three lambs before being slaughtered along with her fourth fetus, about 15 to 30 days before it is due to be born. As many as 4 million karakul lambs are slaughtered for their fur every year.
The fur industry tries to justify karakul lamb fur as a byproduct, but with a single karakul lamb coat selling for up to $12,000 and broadtail fetus coats fetching as much as $25,000, it?s little surprise that the mother sheep and her baby's skinned carcass are usually regarded simply as trash.
And who?s profiting from such disgusting cruelty? Designers Ralph Lauren, Karl Lagerfeld, Fendi, Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, and Jean-Paul Gaultier use astrakhan, and Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdale?s sell it on their own racks.
What can we do about karakul lamb fur?
Source: FURISDEAD.com

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Sign the Pledge to Protect Seals
Don't Buy While Seals Die:
Boycott Canadian Seafood. Help save the seals by signing the pledge to boycott Canadian seafood. (Don't worry, once you've signed we'll tell you how to spot Canadian seafood.) We'll deliver your pledge to Canada's government so the politicians will know you've joined our international "Protect Seals" team to end this awful hunt.
HSUS

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Please Sign the Petition
Target: The Canadian Parliament
Sponsor: International Fund for Animal Welfare

Nearly 1 million baby seals will be clubbed or shot to death in Canada in just three years.
Shockingly, the hunt is subsidized by the Canadian government!
Every winter, Northwest Atlantic harp seals migrate to Eastern Canada to give birth and mate. Following their birth in late winter, mothers leave in search of mates, while the pups remain helpless and vulnerable on the ice until they can swim and catch their own food. It?s during this time when they are most vulnerable that they are mercilessly slaughtered for their pelts.
Hunters armed with clubs and rifles will bludgeon to death hundreds of thousands of baby harp seals. About 96% of the seals killed will be less than three months old and more than 40% may be skinned alive.
Canada's seal hunt is the largest deliberate slaughter of marine mammals in the world. But the killing of baby seals doesn't make sense economically or ecologically, nor is it sustainable. It's simply a tragic slaughter of defenseless animals that benefits a small minority of boat captains armed with big ships, snowmobiles and even personal helicopters. This isn't about small town survival or tradition, it's an industrial killing machine for profit.
But Canada wants the media and public to believe that no one cares about the innocent blood spilled each year across the Gulf of St. Lawrence. This year's hunt will continue until the industry reaches its quota of 319,500 seals!
That's why we must raise a public outcry. Please tell the Canadian government that you do care and that this practice is unacceptable. We must show the Canadian Parliament that the rest of the world will no longer stand for this cruel and senseless hunt!
Seal Campaign Central

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Pet-Abuse.com Action Alert!
Pit-bull puppy severely beaten - Fairfield, OH
18 year old Christopher Allen Jones was arrested on March 2, 2005 for brutally beating a pitbull puppy. Jones is charged with two counts of cruelty to animals and several other crimes.
In addition to the 4-month-old puppy that was discovered by residents of the Village Green on March 2, Jones also allegedly killed another dog on Jan. 6, according to Fairfield Police Department records. Jones was sent back to jail Thursday because he was considered a threat to his former girlfriend and her family. This case goes to court on March 30, so your immediate action is needed!
Click Here For Full Case Details

Action Alert!
Cat beaten, sodomized - Ellicott City, MD
Howard County Court documents show charges against a man (warrant issued on Nov 10, 2004) for one felony count of Animal Mutilation, 2 misdemeanor counts of Animal Cruelty, and one misdemeanor count of Perverted Practice. In part, the Statement of Charges reads as follows:
The exam showed that the animal had been sodomized during the abuse causing internal injuries. It is suspected that Schatz would wrap Clyde up the yellow and blue fleece shirt to protect himself from Clyde?s claws. Once the animal was secured Schatz would inflict abuse upon the animal by hitting him and sodomizing him. The Tape Recording of the abuse obtained by (his girlfriend) provided Audio Recorded Evidence of the Animal?s Abuse with the voice of the suspect Steven Schatz and the screams of the animal being abused. This voice was identified and confirmed by Schatz to be his voice.
Click Here for Full Case Details

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Tourists Flee Zimbabwe's Largest Game Reserve
'Famine relief' may conceal poaching ring backed by the Mugabe regime,
reports Christopher Munnion
Horrified tourists have fled from Zimbabwe's largest game reserve after witnessing the "wholesale slaughter" of animals, part of what conservation groups fear is an officially sanctioned poaching ring. Operation Nyama, or "Operation Meat", is ostensibly a campaign to feed starving villagers in northern Matabeleland. But independent observers say it is a cover for corruption and ivory smuggling approved by President Robert Mugabe's regime.

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Lota..free at last
Lota is Gone

Lota was forced to spent most of her life in "the entertainment industry".
She was finally rescued and lived free for a short while at The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee.
Whenever you hear the word "circus", please remember Lota.

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The Homeless Pets Foundation
is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization founded in 1998 by Dr Michael Good, an Atlanta veterinarian who saw a need to create an organization that could help assist animal shelters and pet owners in need. Homeless Pets Foundation will protect the family pet in the event that it is lost through its national pet tracking service. Homeless Pets Foundation will assist pet owners in need with unexpected veterinary bills. Homeless Pets Foundation will assist animal shelters with fund raising efforts and increasing their pet adoptions.
Homeless Pets Foundation
P.O. Box 7194
Marietta, GA 30065
404-451-9494

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Jennifer Lopez Loves Fur
J. Lo knows what animals who are killed for their skins endure-PETA has contacted her with letters and videos no less than a dozen times. Lopez may try to convince her fans that her rabbit-trimmed jackets are a must-have, but what she won't tell you is that bunnies killed for fur coats scream as they are skinned alive! Whether they're trapped in the wild or raised and killed on fur farms, animals used for their skins endure prolonged, painful, early deaths.
Through the years, Lopez has worn the skin of just about every animal imaginable, from foxes, who are bludgeoned to death and often skinned alive, to small, gentle chinchillas, who are killed by electrocution or have their delicate necks snapped and 100 of whose skins are required to make just one coat. As if wearing hundreds of dead animals weren't enough, in her first catwalk collection for her clothing line, Sweetface, Lopez proved that she is anything but sweet when she featured grisly garments made of white fox and mink. Lopez may try to market this line as "high end" and all about the "bling," but there is nothing upscale or elegant about how the original owners of these coats met their gruesome deaths.
Most people agree that wearing fur is wrong. Please don't support Jennifer Lopez or her bloody business. Many hot designers, including Stella McCartney, Vivienne Westwood, Todd Oldham, Marc Bouwer, and others have turned their backs on fur and created synthetic alternatives that are hip, humane, and easily available and don't turn animals into fashion victims.
Write to J. Lo and tell her that promoting the violence of the fur industry is a low-down, dirty, rotten shame.
Jennifer Lopez c/o BWR
9100 Wilshire Blvd., 6th Fl. W.
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
More Information:
JLoDown.com
furisdead.com

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Stop the Use of Cruel Traps at Our National Parks
PETA recently discovered that steel-jaw leghold traps and other cruel devices such as body-gripping traps and snares are routinely used at National Parks to capture and kill animals. In June 2004, for example, North Carolina's Cape Hatteras National Seashore was using leghold traps and snares to capture and kill cats, raccoons, foxes, coyotes, and other animals.
Find out more.

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California Residents: Help Stop Animal Fighting!
Listen up, Golden State animal advocates. Senator Nell Soto has introduced Senate Bill 156, which would strengthen animal fighting laws. The current law in California prohibits persons from causing or permitting animals to engage in fighting, as well as bans owning or training animals for those purposes. If passed, SB 156 would strengthen subsequent violations of these laws from a misdemeanor to a felony.
To help Senator Soto in her quest to end animal fighting in California, please visit the
ASPCA Advocacy Center today.
Don't live in California? Find out how to get involved in passing humane legislation in your state at the ASPCA Advocacy Center.
Source: ASPCA

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Hip-hop mogul, entrepreneur, political activist, and animal lover Russell Simmons has joined the ASPCA in encouraging Americans to be vigilant for animal cruelty in their neighborhoods and to visit Cruel's Not Cool to learn how to identify animal cruelty.
Source: ASPCA

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Tell Congress to Enact Tougher Penalties for Animal Fighting
Animal fighting, although illegal in virtually every state, is still prevalent throughout the country, fueled in part by a subculture naively fascinated with the illicit and thuggish nature of dogfighting. As the 109th Congress gets underway, we are determined to get the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act enacted, and we need your help more than ever.
On Tuesday, Senator John Ensign (R-NV) introduced S. 382 and Representative Mark Green (R-WI) introduced H.R. 817, a pair of bills known as the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act.The act will do two things: strengthen current federal law by authorizing felony-level jail time for the interstate and foreign movement of animals used for fighting, and ban the interstate and foreign commerce of the barbaric implements used in cockfights. Eleven senators and 26 representatives joined as original co-sponsors of the bill.

Clamping down on these brutal blood sports benefits both animals and humans:
Animals forced to fight are drugged to intensify aggression, and are frequently pushed to keep fighting even after suffering grave injuries.
Stolen pets are regularly used as "bait" to train dogs to fight, and some dogs are abandoned after being forced to fight for years, putting them and communities in jeopardy.
Cockfighting has been implicated in the spread of dangerous and costly diseases that kill poultry and can hurt people. (At least four children in Asia died from bird flu in 2004 due to cockfighting exposure.)
Animal fights are also frequently associated with illegal drug trafficking and acts of human violence.
It is critical that your federal legislators know that you oppose all animal fighting and that you want Congress to quickly enact this legislation.
Phone calls and personal letters on this issue will have the most impact. Thank you for taking action!
What We Can Do
? Contact your federal legislators today and urge them to co-sponsor the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act.
? Read more about the spread of animal fighting and how law enforcement is cracking down on it.

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)

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Dear Friends of Jungle Friends

Howard is going blind. He is very curious with every aspect of his surroundings and enjoys his toys, including his favorite ball. Howard has a very high regard for peanuts. When given a peanut, he responds with his famous ?peanut dance?, he holds the peanut behind his back and turns in circles singing in an upbeat tone.

Jungle Friends has been given the opportunity to extend our compassion to 13 monkeys who are currently at the lab and are being retired from research. There are 9 capuchins and 4 squirrel monkeys ready to relocate to Jungle Friends. We have been given until spring to prepare a home for the monkeys retirement here at Jungle Friends. To do this, we are asking for your help. Sandie Friedland, Jungle Friends monkey sponsor, is hosting our Share Your Heart campaign this year. Sandie painted a beautiful Portrait of Howard for this year's Share Your Heart card and campaign. Howard is one of the squirrel monkeys recently retired to Jungle Friends from the same lab. We will send this beautiful Share Your Heart card to your loved one(s) for Valentine's Day.
We will include with the card, original monkey art on a 3 x 5 canvas for a donation of only $25 and original monkey art on a 5 x 7 canvas for a donation of $50. We are making the cards right here at Jungle Friends, so we are able to type in any sentiment that you would like, from "Be My Valentine" to "Happy Birthday". Just let us know by filling out the donation form that you will find on the
Share Your Heart Donation page.
Sandie is also donating beautiful 8 x 10 canvas Portraits of Howard to Jungle Friends. Howard's Portrait will be your gift for your $100 donation to Jungle Friends. All of the donations in the Share Your Heart campaign will go directly toward the lab monkeys retirement.
Lots of monkey love,
Kari and the monks
JungleFriends.org
Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary
13915 North State Road #121
Gainesville, FL 32653

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No.1 TV Drama Exposes Animal Suffering
From: stopcannedhunts@hsus.org
To: Jody@JodysJungle.com
Tomorrow night, America's #1 rated TV drama, CSI, will feature a storyline about one of the ugliest forms of animal cruelty, canned hunting. Canned hunting is the killing of a fenced-in animal who has no chance of escape, for the sole purpose of obtaining a trophy. That's right: animals -- often tame, exotic mammals -- are put into an enclosure for rich individuals to "hunt." It is as horrible as you can imagine. Learn more about this outrageous "sport" here.
In the CSI episode, which airs Thursday, February 10, 2005 on CBS (check your local listings for exact times), characters investigate the killing of a Kodiak bear found in the Nevada woods. Evidence leads them to discover that the bear was killed during an illegal canned hunt.
This is critical public exposure for an animal protection issue that deserves serious attention -- and you can help to make an even bigger impact.
Thank you for all you do on behalf of animals every day, and be sure to tune into CSI on Thursday, February 10!
Sincerely, Wayne A. Pacelle
President & CEO, Humane Society of the United States

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Birmingham Zoo Mourns Loss

Susie

Susie, a 55-year-old Asian elephant, died late Monday in her indoor enclosure at the Birmingham Zoo. Susie had been in declining health and was being monitored and treated for medical conditions related to her advanced age. Susie is survived by her friend and "exhibit companion", Mona, who arrived at the zoo in 1955. There are concerns that Susie's death might adversely affect Mona's health. Susie arrived at the Zoo in 1957.

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Pet Theft Awareness Day
Most people are unaware of the dangers faced by letting their companion animals roam outdoors. Each year, nearly TWO MILLION animals are stolen and used in research laboratories, dog fighting rings, puppy mills, or abused and killed for entertainment by their captors. Only about 10% of the animals taken are ever returned to their homes. Last Chance for Animals (LCA) is sponsoring National "Pet" Theft Awareness Day this Feb. 14th. You can help by leafleting and tabling to inform the public, and petitioning for the "Pet" Safety and Protection Act (to be reintroduced to Congress in February).
For more information, or to order materials, go to: StolenPets.com

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UPDATE! 1/28/05
Class B-Dealer C.C. Baird
Out of Business
PERMANENTLY!!!

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Elephant Acquitted
1/30/05
Pepsi, a six-year-old show elephant that gored a rubber tapper in Pendang on Friday, has been acquitted of killing its victim. Pendang OCPD Deputy Supt Mohd Sukri Awang said police had classified the case as ?sudden death? and found that no criminal action was involved. The Kedah office of the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) also said no action would be taken against the elephant and classified the case as an accident. DSP Mohd Sukri said a post-mortem revealed that Prawat Din Chu, 50, from Kampung Padang Pusing, died due to severe injuries to his lungs. The elephant was among a herd of five, aged between two and six, which were brought to a Buddhist temple in the village for a show to mark the opening of its new building. Police investigations found that Prawat had teased Pepsi with sugarcane at the Wat Padang Pusing before it rushed towards him.

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Animals Asia Receives Another 46 Farmed Moon Bears
These last weeks of January 2005 have been a busy time for all the team, as we have just received 46 pitiful, farmed Moon Bears in their tiny cages at the Centre in Chengdu. The horror of this despicable industry never stops and you can view our press release and some pictures on our website, which show the reality of the trade - and why we so much value your support in helping us to bring it to an end. Animals Asia has now rescued 185 bears from the farms. Please pass the news onto your family, friends and colleagues and help us to end bear farming once and for all. For now, the team is working hard to ensure that these suffering victims pull through and we will send a further update on progress soon.
With very warm wishes,
Jill Robinson MBE
Animals Asia Foundation

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Tests Rule out T.B. in Tatima and Peaches
Preliminary laboratory tests have ruled out tuberculosis--a disease that can be transmitted between humans and animals--as cause of death for the two Lincoln Park Zoo elephants who died in recent months, according to results released Tuesday. Zoo officials had suspected that Tatima, a 35-year-old female African elephant, had been tuberculous because of lesions found on her lungs. Test results now show she died of a rare infection with a bacterium similar to TB, called Mycobacterium szulgai. Preliminary necropsy results also released Tuesday indicate Peaches died of age-related maladies that had no connection with Tatima's death, zoo officials said.

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Campbell Campaign Update
Date: 1/17/2005
From: SHARKWest@cox.net
To: Jody@JodysJungle.com

Campbell Soup has finally responded to our calls and letters regarding their indefensible sponsorship of rodeos. The Campbell letter came in an envelope that proclaimed, ?Everything we make contains our business reputation.? Clearly, Campbell is impressed with itself. We are somewhat less impressed.
The person responding for Campbell is John W. Faulkner, Director ? Brand Communications. He wrote the following:
"We appreciate your recent communication regarding Pace Food?s sponsorship of events sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA). We share your concern for the welfare of the animals used in these events.
Based on our direct experience with PRCA rodeos, we believe that the members of the PRCA provide excellent care to their horses and livestock. We understand that the PRCA enforces approximately sixty rules related to the care and safety of horses and livestock at PRCA-sanctioned events.
Thank you for taking the time to share your concerns with us. We encourage you to contact the PRCA with your concerns."
This is nothing short of outrageous. Our video documentation of rodeo animal abuse spans well over a decade, and the footage gathered in 2004 is the worst we have to date. At the Amarillo steer roping finals last November, nine injured animals were dragged out of the arena. Another staggered out suffering obvious internal injuries while bleeding from the nose and mouth. And Campbell is going to try to defend this abuse?
Since Campbell is claiming it has ?direct experience? with the PRCA, it must realize that the PRCA?s humane rules are profoundly inadequate and very rarely enforced. Campbell must also know that rodeo's animal victims are regularly injured and killed.
Perhaps most important, since Campbell believes the PRCA provides ?excellent care to their horses and livestock,? the company won?t mind if our Tiger video truck starts showing Campbell employees, shareholders and customers examples of some of that ?care? on the streets and at its headquarters.
So far we have 155 animal protection organizations worldwide that have signed on to a statement decrying rodeo animal abuse. Campbell has now officially given all of those organizations and all of their members the brush-off. It is time to expose Campbell as the cruel and unethical company that it truly is, thanks to its insensitive leadership.
Please join me in contacting Campbell and telling them that you will not purchase their products as long as they sponsor the animal cruelty and exploitation that is inherent in rodeo. Below is contact information and a list of Campbell products. The calves, horses, bulls and steers who are victims of rodeo are counting on you, and on their behalf, I sincerely thank you for your help.
Kindest Regards,
Steve Hindi

CONTACT:
Mr. Doug Conant, President and CEO
Campbell Soup Company
1 Campbell Place
Camden, NJ 08103-1701
(856) 342-4800
(Corporate Headquarters is open 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM EST M-F. You may stay on the line beyond the menu and get an operator, or you can key in C-O-N-A-N-T to the company directory and be connected to someone in his office.)

Mr. Harvey Golub
Chairman of the Board
Campbell Soup Company
Consumer Response and Information Center
1 Campbell Place
Camden, NJ 08103-1701
email: directors@campbellsoup.com

You can also communicate with the Campbell Board of Directors by calling
(800) 210-2173
the toll-free hotline telephone number for the U.S. and Canada. Please see instructions on the website for placing calls from other countries. This line is operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. An operator will ask you a number of questions, and you will be given a report number, meaning that you should get some kind of follow-up.
VERY IMPORTANT -- PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU GET A RESPONSE!

CAMPBELL BRANDS WORLDWIDE
United States Campbell Condensed Soup, Campbell Chunky Soup, Campbell Select Soup, Campbell Soup at Hand, Campbell's Supper Bakes Godiva Chocolates, Pace Foods, (800-433-7223) or (800-433-PACE) Pace Picante Sauce, Pace Chunky Salsa, Pace Chipolte Chunky Salsa, Prego Pasta and Spaghetti Sauces, Pepperidge Farm Cakes and Cookies, Swanson Broth, V-8 Juices

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January 13, 2005
HSUS

Temporary Reprieve for Montana Bison
The 2003 Montana Legislature approved the creation of a bison hunting season. The season was supposed to begin on January 15. However, largely at the urging of Montana's newly elected governor, Brian Schweitzer, the Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission voted to cancel this year's bison hunt, citing the likely public relations nightmare the hunt would have caused for Montana. In addition, Governor Schweitzer expressed that the hunt would do little to address disease or population management issues. The hunt represented another senseless management strategy in Montana?s misguided battle against Yellowstone?s magnificent bison. The state and the National Park Service continue to slaughter bison to ostensibly protect cattle from brucellosis despite the fact that there has been no documented case of brucellosis transmission from bison to cattle in the wild and that the risk of such transmission is negligible. Although cancellation of the hunt is a temporary reprieve from one assault, the ongoing, unnecessary capture-slaughter regime continues.
Please click here for more information

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Since the 1950s, federal law has required that animals be rendered "insensible to pain" before slaughter. Yet this most basic requirement does not extend to more than 95 percent of the animals slaughtered for food in this country - 9 billion a year - simply because it excludes poultry.

Please click the banner to sign the petition.

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Subj: I Am Safe!
Date:1/5/2005 8:19:44 AM PST
To: Jody@JodysJungle.com

Dear Miss Jody:
My family and I are safe. None of us went there during that tragic disaster. I planned to go there right after Christmas but because of other meetings I changed to go after 28th Dec. I am still in deep mourning for the loss of lives, so many and so sad. No wildlife or elephants were hurt, however, some dolphins are caught in the current to the beaches. Today they were rescued out to the sea.
Thank you so much for your kind concern. I am thankful.
May you have a great year! All the elephants are good.
I shall write more later with photos of Motala.
Good night!
Soraida
Friends of the Asian Elephant

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~Bamboo~
Woodland Park Zoo Elephant Heads to Tacoma, WA
1/15/05
Bamboo, a 38-year-old elephant at Woodland Park Zoo, has limited tolerance for the high jinks of baby Hansa, and is packing her trunk and heading for the zoo in Tacoma, which welcomes prickly pachyderms. The 4-ton Bamboo, an Asian elephant, was born in the wild in Thailand. She has lived in Seattle since she was a year old. "She'd never been exposed to a calf" and has not done well with 4-year-old Hansa, daughter of 26-year-old Asian elephant Chai, Woodland Park spokeswoman Gigi Allianic said yesterday. Tacoma's Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium is a national leader in handling elephants considered too dangerous to be kept and trained using traditional methods. Handlers keep barriers between themselves and the elephants at all times.

seattlepi.nwsource.com
www.tallahassee.com
webcenters.compuserve.com

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New Website Against Pet Cloning
1/05
The American Anti-Vivisection Society (AAVS) has launched a new website on the issues surrounding "pet" cloning. The website corresponds to a public education campaign by AAVS to inform the public about this new and frightening trend. Though millions of cats and dogs are euthanized each year, private companies encourage individuals to clone their "pets" (for a hefty fee--say $50,000) rather than provide a home to one of these needy animals. The cloned animals are, of course, not truly identical to the pets they are supposed to replace, and may suffer from a variety of health problems. Though 84% of people in the U.S. believe it is wrong for companies to sell genetically engineered animals as "pets", the remaining 16% unfortunately provide a perverse market for an undertaking both frivolous and cruel. For more information on pet cloning and the AAVS campaign, see the new Website

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January 7, 2005
Kota Kinabalu:
Two Borneo pygmy elephants stuck in a mud hole at an oil palm plantation in the east coast Lahad Datu district for about four days managed to get out of their predicament. The weakened female elephants managed to extricate themselves out yesterday after the area around the mud hole was flattened, said Sabah Wildlife Department officer-in-charge for Lahad Datu Stephen Gibin Sira. He said wildlife rangers had initially thought of using ropes and an excavator to lift the elephants out. ?However, the animals looked as if they could make it out by themselves if we flattened the area around the hole and that was what happened,? Stephen said. He said immediately after getting out, the elephants went to the nearby 5,000ha Kalumpang forest reserve. ?We believe they were part of a herd which had moved on when the two elephants got stuck in the hole,? he added.

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Buddie Needs Your Prayers!
Date: 1/5/2005 9:00:42 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: VCOffice@earthlink.net
To: JodysJungle.com
Dear Friends of Jungle Friends,
I write to you through my grief of losing our dear Precious (you will find the details below), to tell you that Buddie is now very ill. On New Year's Day Buddie did not come to greet me for her morning meds; Buddie is diabetic. When I found her she was having trouble breathing, just as Precious was. I called to Lee and Larry for help and we got her into a transfer cage and rushed her to the vet school. She was diagnosed with a nasty pneumonia. Her blood tests were all normal, so it was not an auto immune problem, like Precious, which I first suspected. Because of her diabetes, Buddie is more susceptible to disease. We almost lost her and feared for her life up until early this afternoon. We feel that she is stable now, but not out of the woods by any means. Bacterial pneumonia is difficult and our vets tell us that it could be fatal or have long term problems, if she recovers. Buddie is in a makeshift oxygen tent with a humidifier here at Jungle Friends. We are using all of Larry's diving tanks and gauges to get the oxygen to her. We are with her 24/7; Lee and I are taking shifts being with her at all times while Larry is running twice a day for more oxygen.
A very special thanks to Erin, Sara, Shannon and Jessica for rushing to our aid to help us with Buddie and keep Jungle Friends running smoothly in our time of desperation.
Please light a candle, pray, send healing energy and thoughts to Buddie. She will hear you!
Lots of monkey love,
Kari and the monks
 
Dear sweet Buddie
Buddie

Dear Friends of Precious,
I am terribly saddened and sorry to report that Precious left us last night about 10 PM. We do not know how this all came about, she was fine, then she was not. They suspect an auto-immune disease or cancer. We are having a necropsy done to find out all that we can.
Thank you all for your caring compassion for Precious, she was a friend and a dear soul. I am glad that she had the chance to make monkey friends and to do monkey things before she left this life for the next. Precious made wonderful monkey friendships during the past four months here at Jungle Friends. She had a real pal in Tyler, she slept with Buddie most of the time and of course, Cody was her first monkey friend. Precious' last time spent at Jungle Friends was with Connie grooming and caring for her. I believe that Connie knew that Precious was ill and wanted to make her feel better. It has been a sad Christmas for us. Precious will be missed by all who knew her.
Lots of monkey love,
Kari and the monks
JungleFriends.org

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Pygmy Elephants Stuck in Mud
KOTA KINABALU: Thursday January 6, 2005
A rescue is underway for two Borneo pygmy elephants trapped in a mud hole at an oil palm plantation near Kunak in the east coast of Sabah. Ten state Wildlife Department rangers and a veterinarian assisted by plantation workers have been trying to extricate the two female elephants since Tuesday. Lahad Datu Wildlife Department's officer-in-charge Stephen Gibin Sira said the rescuers were racing against time to pull out the weakened elephants aged about four to five years with an excavator. ?Pulling them out is difficult as the area is slippery,? he said in noting that the rescue effort had been further compounded by persistent rain in the area. Stephen said the elephants were believed to have been trapped in the mud hole at the Mycom Plantation about 100km from Lahad Datu for at least three days before they were discovered. He said Wildlife rangers were hoping to pull out the elephants by today before sending them to the protected Danum Valley nearby. The manager of a plantation nearby, Mohammad Sairi, discovered the animals, Stephen added.
thestar.com

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TSUNAMI'S ANIMAL VICTIMS
Tsunamis have devastated thousands of families and entire communities bordering the Indian Ocean in South Asia. While the world turns toward humanitarian agencies to help the people who are gripped with incredible suffering, many of us are also thinking of the forgotten victims of natural disaster....the animals.
WSPA
Tsunami Wave Claims Member Society Victim
"It is with great sadness that WSPA has learned of the death of Leone Cosens, co-founder of member society, Phuket Animal Welfare Society, killed by the tsunami wave. All at WSPA extend our heartfelt condolences to Leone's family, friends, and all who knew her, at this immensely difficult time."

Soi Dog Foundation
Soi Dog = Street Dog
Soi Dog Foundation is a legally registered foundation in The Netherlands.

Noah's Wish Animal Disaster Relief
Asia Earthquake and Tsunami Update
Noah's Wish is a not-for-profit, animal welfare organization, with a straightforward mission.
We exist to keep animals alive during disasters.

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Food for Life Global
Representing the World's Largest Vegan/Vegetarian Food Relief

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Elephant Nature Park
Chiang Mai, Thailand
1/1/2005 5:10:45 AM Pacific
Dear All,
Thanks for all the concerned e-mails sent to us from around the world, to check that our project is safe from the Tsunami Wave. The elephant Nature Park is safe and we far away from the disaster - but we have to work now to help the families and friends of our visitors who visited us before they went to the beach. Many of them are still missing and we have to contact the government officials to help to find out about them. We are very sad for all the families of missing people, and we will do everything we can to help find out what information we can.
Best Regards
Lek (Ms Sangduen Chailert)
Elephant Nature Park - Founder
Office: 23-25 Charoenpratet Road, Soi 6
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Tel: +66(0)53 272855, 818744 Fax +66(0)53 271681
email: lek@elephantnaturepark.org
URL: elephantnaturepark.org

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AERIAL HUNTING OF WOLVES CONTINUES IN ALASKA

Tell me, oh mighty wolf killer, why is your face covered?"

In early 2004, 147 wolves were killed in just over two months in Alaska's controversial aerial wolf hunting program. Now nearly a thousand more wolves are scheduled for extermination. In airborne hunting, wolves are tracked in the snow and chased with airplanes to the point of exhaustion and are then either shot from the air or by a shooter after the aircraft lands. This is extremely stressful and can also result in wounded wolves too physically compromised to survive in the wild. Even pups born this year may be killed. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the Alaska Board of Game have approved the killing of 900 wolves this winter via airborne hunting. When combined with all hunting and trapping, some 2,500 wolves are likely to be killed, almost one-third of Alaska?s wolf population. The aerial wolf killing program caters to hunters who complain, without scientific support, that wolves eat too many moose calves, and that natural predation leaves too few moose for recreational hunting. Alaska?s Governor Frank Murkowski, has decided to side with trophy hunters and resume the aerial killing of wolves, even though Alaska voters have twice?in 1996 and again in 2000?affirmed a long-standing moratorium on aerial hunting.
Visit our website for information about last year?s hunt
WHAT WE CAN DO:
Tell Governor Murkowski that the wolf slaughter is unethical and inhumane. Remind him that voters in Alaska have twice affirmed their desire to ban aerial hunting. If you are from Alaska tell the Governor that Alaskans don't want wolves killed; if you are not an Alaska resident, remind him that this killing spree tarnishes AK's image.
Governor Frank Murkowski
P.O. Box 110001
Juneau, AK 99811
Fax: 907- 465- 3532   Phone: 907- 465- 3500
JJ
I had the extreme misfortune of witnessing the wolf killings on television a few years ago. I saw the wolves running and running, looking up at the humans, I saw them being shot, quivering, convulsing, dying as they continued to look up at the humans..how horrible. I screamed and cried and wanted to vomit. It was easy to see that the wolves were protecting their territory, their lives, the lives of their offspring and as they slowly died, you could see in their eyes, they didn't understand what had happened...neither did I.
And so I was left with another image that will never leave my mind.
Man's inhumanity never ceases to amaze me.
Save Alaska Wolves.org

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ANIMALS WIN BIG IN THE COURTS IN 2004
When future historians comb through the year 2004, they will find that The Humane Society of the United States and The Fund for Animals helped secure a series of important legal victories, from protecting gray whales in Washington State to preserving the integrity of the citizen initiative process. A string of lawsuits challenging voter-approved animal protection measures came to a close in 2004, all in the animals' favor and victories were plentiful in the areas of wildlife and marine mammal protection.
Yet, as good as 2004 was, 2005 promises even more. The HSUS and The Fund will formally combine their advocacy programs on January 1, 2005 and will be launching a new Animal Protection Litigation section. With a staff of seven full-time lawyers, as well as numerous law clerks, administrative staff, outside counsel, and pro-bono attorneys? we will take the legal fight for animals to the next level. Located in the nation's capital, The HSUS's Animal Protection Litigation section will be the largest in-house animal protection litigation department in the country.
Visit our website to learn more about the Animal Protection Litigation section, our legal victories in 2004 and our plans for 2005.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR ANIMALS --- TODAY!!
Humanelines.org

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UPDATE ON MASSIVE FARM ANIMAL CRUELTY CASE
On Monday, January 3, 2005 California ranchers Paul Keller and David Guice are scheduled to be sentenced for felony animal cruelty for starving to death scores of animals under their care. The men were each convicted of one count of felony animal cruelty after last March when authorities found approximately 100 dead cows, horses, goats and pigs on Keller?s property (where Guice was the caretaker), alongside dozens more severely emaciated animals still clinging to life.
Felony convictions for animal abuse are rare, and this is especially true in the case of farm animals. The felony conviction against Keller and Guice for cruelty to farm animals establishes an important precedent in acknowledging that all animals, including farm animals, deserve protection from egregious abuse.
WHAT WE CAN DO:
Keller and Guice each face 3 years in jail for their felony animal cruelty conviction. The hearing date is January 3. Fax your letters to Judge Dennis Murray today, asking him to impose significant jail time on Keller and Guice, and to especially ban each of them from keeping animals in their custody. The hearing date is January 3 thus all letters MUST be faxed.
The Honorable Dennis E. Murray
Tehama County Superior Court
445 Pine Street Red Bluff, CA 96080
Fax: 530-527-5431
If you are a resident of Northern California, please try to attend the sentencing hearing. A strong showing in support of the prosecution of this animal abuser will be important in ensuring that he does not get off with a mere slap on the wrist:
Where: Department 2, 445 Pine St. in Red Bluff, CA
Click here for directions and parking information.
When: 9:45 a.m., Monday, January 3, 2005
RSVP: Meghan Beeby from Farm Sanctuary at mbeeby@farmsanctuary.org

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GREYHOUNDS WIN IN THE NORTHWEST!
We are pleased to announce that the last stronghold of greyhound racing in the Pacific Northwest will be closing when its lease expires on December 31, 2004. Oregon's Multnomah Greyhound Park (MGP) has been struggling to survive for several years, but "competitive pressures" have forced its doors to close.
The adoption kennel of the Oregon Greyhound Association has pledged to find homes for all the remaining dogs at MGP, and will remain open until all the dogs are placed. If you would like to bring home one of these former racers, please call (503) 669-2129 today.
2004 The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)

"I had bought two male chimps from a primate colony in Holland. They lived next to each other in separate cages for several months before I used one as a [heart] donor. When we put him to sleep in his cage in preparation for the operation, he chattered and cried incessantly. We attached no significance to this, but it must have made a great impression on his companion, for when we removed the body to the operating room, the other chimp wept bitterly and was inconsolable for days. The incident made a deep impression on me. I vowed never again to experiment with such sensitive creatures." --Christian Barnard, MD, who performed the first human heart transplant

Dear Friends:
Year 2005 is coming,
may I wish you and your family happiness, good health and success in your life.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Soraida Salwala
FAE

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Happy Holidays from IDA!
12/25/2004
With the holiday season upon us, all of us with In Defense of Animals (IDA) would once again like to express our deepest gratitude and sincere appreciation for your support, compassion, and caring - for all you do - and for all you have enabled IDA to do for our animal friends. In 2004, your support allowed us to continue the fight for animals on many fronts, making this year one of extraordinary achievements and precedent-setting victories.
Across the nation and around the world, IDA's programs continue to enlighten and inspire. Through our Foie Gras Campaign , coordination of World Week for Animals in Laboratories, Global Day of Action Against Procter & Gamble, and Fur Free Friday,
IDA educated millions of people to the outrageous cruelty that is inflicted on so many innocent animals.
Thanks to your dedication and support, IDA's staff continues to be on the front lines of the fight for animal rights. From the rescues of hundreds of abused and starving animals to investigations of dog fighting rings and puppy mills, to the hundreds of educational events, protests, marches and vigils against industries that harm and kill animals (including the horrendous Korean dog and cat meat trade), to giving protection and sanctuary to the Chimpanzees of Cameroon, Africa and the abused and abandoned animals of Rural Mississippi, we are fulfilling our mission to protect animals wherever they are in danger.
Your help this past year has enabled IDA to achieve truly historic, precedent-setting achievements on behalf of our animal friends. For example, in 2004 we witnessed the dramatic transfer of two ailing elephants from their abusive conditions at the San Francisco Zoo to an elephant sanctuary with enough space to provide the quality of life they so desperately need and so rightly deserve. IDA has vowed to never again allow the SF Zoo to hold elephants in their antiquated enclosures. In December we celebrated the SF Board of Supervisors' vote to become the first city to require a zoo to have at least fifteen acres for their elephants. This is in reality a de-facto ban on elephants ever returning to the San Francisco Zoo. What a great victory for the Elephants!
Another significant victory in 2004 occurred when, for the first time in U.S. history, criminal charges for animal cruelty were filed against an animal research laboratory for its operator's alleged institutional neglect and abandonment of chimpanzees. Information supplied by IDA allowed New Mexico District Attorney Scot Key to file the unprecedented complaint. Thanks to you, our campaign to Free Chimpanzees from the horrors of vivisection is truly gaining momentum.
Our efforts to raise the status of animals beyond that of mere property continues to expand as five more cities--Woodstock, NY; Wanaque, NJ; Albany, CA; St. Louis, MO; and Windsor, Ontario Canada--successfully added the term Guardian to their animal related ordinances.
In 2004, IDA was also honored with our third consecutive four-star rating by the independent ratings bureau, Charity Navigator.
Please remember the animals during this season of love and charity by putting IDA in your year-end contribution plans. You can make a tax-deductible donation today via our on-line secure Donation Form. Please make as generous a year-end gift of love and life that you can. Your donation of will go a long way toward helping us protect, rescue and save countless innocent lives. We thank you for your trust, generosity and caring. Happy Holidays!

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Lake Jackson Ecopassage Project
12/22/2004
From: aresco@bio.fsu.edu

Dear Friends,
I wanted to thank everyone for their support over the last year in continuing to help ensure that the Lake Jackson Ecopassage becomes a reality. The progress towards the design and eventual construction of an ecopassage on US 27 at Lake Jackson has moved slowly forward in 2004. The Feasibility Study has just been completed by the consulting firm - Kimley Horn - and the Capital Regional Transportation Planning Agency (City and County Commissioners) recently approved the preferred conceptual design which would include 4 large under-highway culverts and a 5-ft tall recessed guide-wall along both sides of the highway. While this was good news, this does not guarantee that it will be constructed. We still have a long way to go to complete the design and secure the funding, and we may have to compete with other local or state transportation
projects for funding.
The Florida Department of Transportation is also requiring that a Project Development and Environmental Study (PD&E) be completed before we can move forward to the design phase. Hopefully, that will be completed this spring. In the meantime, I will continue to monitor, maintain, and replace the temporary fencing along the highway to ensure that turtles and other wildlife are protected from being killed by vehicles.
Please take a look at our web site for updates on the project.
2005 will certainly be a key year for the ecopassage project and I will need your help along the way to remind our public officials that this important conservation project needs to be completed.
Thank you, Matthew J. Aresco
Lake Jackson Ecopassage Alliance, Inc
P.O. Box 180891
Tallahassee, FL 32318

Lake Jackson Ecopassage
Florida
8,100 Turtles Rescued
After discovering 90 bloody turtle shells one day along a 1/3 mile stretch of Highway 27,
Matt Aresco built temporary fences to keep turtles and other wildlife from crossing the highway.
The fences directed the turtles into a culvert which allowed them to cross under the highway.

"We have documented over 10,200 animals of 60 different species (not including birds) attempting to cross the half-mile section of US Highway 27 at Lake Jackson in the last 43 months. Clearly, a permanent solution to this significant wildlife mortality problem is needed."

LakeJacksonTurtles.org
Contact Information:
Lake Jackson Ecopassage Alliance, Inc.
P.O. Box 180891
Tallahassee, Florida 32318 USA
email: turtles@lakejacksonturtles

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Shark Finning

It's too barbaric to imagine, but it happens everyday. Fishermen catch a shark, slice off its fins, and cast it back into the water to bleed a slow, painful death. What's worse, this practice has accelerated in recent years, driven by increased demand for shark fin soup in Asia, where it's considered a delicacy. Shark finning is pushing the species dangerously close to extinction, with shark numbers down roughly 90% since the 1950s. But the oceans cannot thrive without predator species. Indeed, sharks play a critical role in maintaining the health of our marine ecosystems.
But there's reason for hope. Just last month, the 63 nations that comprise the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) approved a binding U.S. proposal to ban shark finning in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. This is a big step forward, as it's the first time there has been a multilateral effort to ban this cruel practice on the open seas.
We must not lose momentum! Urge U.S. officials to pursue a global ban on shark finning and an end to this barbaric practice once and for all.
Please Sign the Petition
Thank you for taking action today!
If humans must kill an animal for food, just to stay alive, that is one thing..but for cruel, greedy, brainless humans to cut the fins off of a shark, for the trendy and popular shark fin soup...it's like killing a rhino for its horn...and leaving the meat...or an elephant for it's tusks, and leaving the meat.

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Supreme Court Spares New Jersey's Bears
12/2/2004
The Supreme Court of New Jersey today ruled in favor of Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bradley Campbell's bid to block the bear hunt that was to take place in the state later this month. This means that the bear hunt in New Jersey has been cancelled! Click to read the full Supreme Court ruling
Or
Click here to go directly to the PDF
This is a monumental victory. A huge thank you to everyone who made it happen.
In Defense of Animals/IDA

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December 9, 2004
To Jody@JodysJungle.com
From International Fund for Animal Welfare /IFAW

Boiling water is poured over the head of a tiny puppy named Kiko to punish him.
A gentle tan and black dog is beaten every day and tortured, a wire collar left around its neck to tear into her flesh.
A shepherd mix is locked in a cell to die an agonizing death from mange, every bit of fur gone from his bald body, his rib cage prominently showing.
These are the dogs of the death row round up shelters. And time is running out to save them.
I am asking you today to step forward this holiday and help me stop this suffering. Each year thousands of dogs are locked away in round-up shelters to die by gas chamber or electrocution. People "lose interest." They consider animals "dumb throwaways" to be left behind when they move. They think animals feel no pain.
I am writing to you because I know you believe that a puppy is a precious life that depends on us when it is hungry, cold, hurt or sick.
But in Mexico, South Africa, China, Russia, and even here in our own backyard, thousands of street dogs will be abandoned this holiday season and suffer terribly. I believe we can save these dogs but I cannot do it alone.
If you could see the reports as I have ? the dogs trembling, with sunken, pleading eyes, bone sticking through their rib cages, their fur gone ? and yet still trying to muster a wag of the tail ? still looking to us for any sign of hope ? I know you would help these dogs.
We need to help courageous groups in rural Mexico like the IFAW-supported PRODAN. This unique foster program made entirely of volunteers removes these suffering animals from death row shelters and places them into loving homes. This past year alone, PRODAN found caring homes for 1,300 needy animals about to die. You have helped save animals from desperate situations before. Please help again today, during this special season, to make sure these animals live to see the new year.
Save a puppy from death row and make this holiday truly special.
Thanks for all you do,
Fred O'Regan
President and CEO
P.S. I recently learned about a house fire in Northern Mexico that left two dogs severely wounded. PRODAN has taken these dogs under their care but one dog has already lost his life. We are hopeful the other pup will pull through but anything you can do now to aid in this sad tragedy would mean the world to the family of these dogs.
? 2004 International Fund for Animal Welfare
PO Box 193 ? 411 Main Street Yarmouth Port, MA 02675
IFAW ? 2004

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Hurricane Francis Hits Jungle Friends
Damage included both indoor and outdoor habitats.
All donations are greatly appreciated.
Update

Meet Howard

Howard is a squirrel monkey estimated to be in his late teens. He arrived at Jungle Friends on August 19, 2004 when he was retired from research. His monkey companions Buddy, Moses and Gilbert McGreedy accompanied him. Howard, along with his friends, was stolen from his natural habitat in the rainforest and used in the lab for nearly two decades and housed alone. These monkeys were given a new life at Jungle Friends. Unfortunately, Howard is going blind. He is very curious with every aspect of his surroundings and enjoys his toys, including his favorite ball. Howard has a very high regard for peanuts. When given a peanut, he responds with his famous ?peanut dance?, he holds the peanut behind his back and turns in circles singing in an upbeat tone.

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Campaign Against Fur - Ann Taylor
The fur industry is celebrating upscale fashion retailer Ann Taylor's decision to introduce fur garments into its fall fashion lineup. The September 27 issue of Fur World exclaims that Ann Taylor's new fall styles "include a fur component that is exposing fashion conscious women, especially the younger ones, to a category they have never really known about."
Although Ann Taylor has not sold fur in many years, its current catalog includes at least eight fur items -- predominantly of rabbit fur -- that include jackets, a scarf, a hat, and gloves.
What we can do:
Because this is Ann Taylor's first foray into the sale of fur in many years, the company may be more responsive to public opinion on the issue. Contact Ann Taylor executives and let them know how disappointed you are to see fur in their fall catalog:
Ann Taylor Stores
J. Patrick Spainhour, Chairman and CEO
100 Ann Taylor Drive
P.O. BOX 571650
Taylorsville, UT 84157-1650
Tel.: (800) 342-5266
Fax: (866) 232-9266
E-mail: clientservices@anntaylor.com or nyclientcare@aermail.com
We can also send comments through their website

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SIGN THE PLEDGE TO SUPPORT ENDANGERED SPECIES:
For over 30 years, the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) has served as a safety net for our nation's wildlife and plants on the brink of extinction. Since 1973, the ESA has provided critical protections for endangered species and the places where they live. Unfortunately, in recent years the ESA has been under assault, thanks to a string of regulations and legislation meant to weaken the act.
In a nationwide effort to help protect the ESA, the Endangered Species Coalition (a group representing hundreds of organizations including The HSUS) has created an Endangered Species Act Legacy Pledge. By signing the pledge, people across the country can collectively demonstrate support for the ESA and its crucial protections for wild animals and their habitat.
To sign the pledge, click here.

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Excellent News!
IndiaTimes.com
10/19/04
COIMBATORE/BANGALORE: India's most wanted bandit, Veerappan, accused of murdering police officers, slaughtering elephants, and smuggling millions of dollars of illegal sandalwood and ivory was shot dead in a joint operation by Tamil Nadu and Karnataka Special Task Forces at Papparapatti village, near Hogenakal Falls in Tamil Nadu's Dharmapuri district on Monday. Three of his associates were also killed in the 20-minute gunbattle. Veerappan, known for his trademark handlebar moustache, reportedly poached several hundreds of elephants for their ivory tusks and illegally felled thousands of sandalwood trees.

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Boycott Australian Wool
PETA has announced an international boycott of Australian wool. The announcement comes after multiple protests on three continents, years of campaigning by Australian activists, and repeated warnings to the Australian government to curb the worst abuses of sheep raised for wool. Australia is the largest producer and exporter of wool, accounting for 28 percent worldwide. PETA has been urging the Australian government to ban live sheep exports and mulesing but to no avail.
Mulesing is the cruel procedure whereby Australian farmers mutilate lambs?without any painkillers?by carving chunks of flesh from the animals? backsides in a crude effort to reduce flystrike, even though more sophisticated and humane control methods exist. When they are no longer viable for wool production, millions of frail wool sheep are shipped thousands of miles through all weather extremes, mired in their own waste aboard open-deck, multitiered ships, ending up in the Middle East, where their throats are slit while they are fully conscious. Many sick and injured sheep, treated as mere cargo, are thrown overboard or ground up alive in mincing machines. Last year?s Cormo Express disaster captured international headlines as more than 5,000 sheep died at sea.
Prestigious international retailer Abercrombie & Fitch joined the international boycott of Australian wool after PETA contacted the company about the cruelty involved in the Australian wool industry. Abercrombie & Fitch is the first company to pledge not to use Australian wool in any of its garments until both mulesing and live exports are stopped. This has set a precedent in the world that we hope other retailers will quickly follow, ending the needless suffering of sheep who are raised for their wool. Please write to representatives of Abercrombie & Fitch to thank them for their commitment to animal welfare:
Michael S. Jeffries, President and CEO
Abercrombie & Fitch
6301 Fitch Path
New Albany, OH 43054
1-866-681-3115
1-614-283-6710 (fax)
e-mail A&F
Please also join us in an international boycott of Australian wool, and contact Australian government officials to urge them to immediately end mulesing and the live export of sheep raised for wool in Australia:
The Honourable John Howard
Prime Minister of Australia
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
(02) 6277 7700
(02) 6273 4100 (fax)
primeministers@naa.gov.au
The Honourable Warren Truss, Member of Parliament
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry
House of Representatives
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
(02) 6277 7520
(02) 6273 4120 (fax)
W.Truss.MP@aph.gov.au
Today, there are so many warm and wonderful alternatives to wool that there?s no need to wear other animals? hair. Click Here for some of the great alternatives and to order our free ?Shopping Guide to Compassionate Clothing?
For more information: SaveTheSheep.com
Thank you for all you do for animals.
All the best,
Matt Rice
Wool Campaign Coordinator
PETA
501 Front St Norfolk, VA, 23510

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Campaign Seeks To Put Damper On Trophy Killers
In an effort to stamp out cruel international trophy hunting, activists in Europe have launched a campaign to "take the thrill out of the kill" for trophy hunters. They are asking the airlines that transport trophy hunters to some African countries and other appealing trophy hunting destinations to bar the transportation of "sporting" rifles. In doing so, trophy hunting would be far less appealing to European hunters, because part of the big game hunters' culture is the pride of killing an animal with their own, personal weapon. So far, two British airlines have instituted policies against transporting sporting rifles. Now activists are asking one of Britain's largest airlines, Virgin Airlines, to also adopt a similar policy. Virgin Airlines CEO Richard Branson owns a large wildlife reservation in Africa where hunting is strictly banned, so adopting a policy against sporting rifles on his airlines would be both appropriate and commensurate with his goal of ethical business practices.
What We Can Do:
Ask Virgin Airlines CEO Richard Branson to uphold his ethics
and ban sporting rifles on Virgin flights.
Sir Richard Branson
Virgin Management Limited
120 Campden Hill Road
London W8 7AR
Email: press@Virgin.com
For more information, see the website for the League Against Cruel Sports
This site has been launched by the League Against Cruel Sports to expose companies promoting, endorsing, participating in or in any way profiting from cruelty to animals in the name of 'sport'.

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Enforcement Of Texas Felony Law Making Progress
The past month has seen significant progress in Texas justice for animals. On September 2, 2004, the Dallas Morning News reported that a Dallas man convicted of felony animal cruelty in the death of his neighbor's dog received the maximum possible sentence allowable under the law: ten years in prison and a $14,000 fine. Carey McMillan was convicted and sentenced after jurors watched a videotape of him goading his two pitbulls to tear apart and kill his neighbor's dog, Cisco.
A few weeks earlier, in Denton County, Texas, prosecutors filed felony animal cruelty charges against a man who reportedly caused the death of Bull, a one-year-old black Labrador retriever. According to the Dallas Morning News, Richard Swift wrapped duct tape around Bull?s snout, head and neck on a 95-degree day, reportedly to stop the dog from barking. Bull later escaped his yard and collapsed from heat stroke at a neighbor?s feet. Despite efforts to save him, Bull suffered multiple seizures and swelling in his brain, and he later died at a veterinary hospital.
These developments are significant because although Texas passed its felony animal cruelty law in 1997, there have been few, if any, successful prosecutions under the law to date. These latest cases show that the tide may be turning for animals under Texas' legal system.
What we can do:
We can help ensure this upswing in prosecutions of violent animal abusers in Texas continues. Contact the Denton County District Attorney and thank him for pursuing the animal cruelty case against Richard Swift. Encourage him to maintain the felony charges against Mr. Swift and to seek significant jail time upon conviction.
Mr. Bruce Isaacks
District Attorney
1450 E. McKinney St
Ste. 3100
Denton, TX 76209
Fax: 940-349-2601
Thank you for making a difference for animals.
To receive directly, call 202-955-3668 or email humanelines@hsus.org
For more information on legislation, how to find your legislators,
or past HUMANElines, go to HSUS.org or FUND.org

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Finally, The Chase Is Over
In a landmark decision taken today by the UK Parliament, the cruel sport of hunting with dogs will be banned in England and Wales. This follows a ban in Scotland two years ago. This decision will save countless foxes, deer, hare and mink from being chased to exhaustion and cruelly torn apart alive by dogs. Since 1989, IFAW has been leading the campaign in the UK for a total ban on hunting wild animals with dogs. This is a ruling that will put a final end to centuries of cruelty. It will resonate throughout the world: animal suffering and bloodshed will no longer be justified in the name of sport. The passing of this historic bill is a victory for compassion and justice Elected members of parliament (MPs) have repeatedly voted overwhelmingly for an end to this barbaric practice. But the unelected House of Lords has continuously blocked the legislation. However the Parliament Act, which prevents the House of Lords from blocking legislation if the House of Commons passes the same legislation two sessions in a row, has finally cleared the way for the ban to become law with today's vote. The ban will come into effect in July 2006.
IFAW's hunt monitors have braved threats and abuse to follow hunts and expose the cruelty and hypocrisy of this barbaric practice. For over a decade they have documented this cruel activity in the hope their video footage would one day help secure a ban. Today is their day. But it is also your day and a great day for all animals around the globe. Dedicated IFAW supporters really do make a difference for animals in need.
So please share this great news with other animal lovers and tell others about the work IFAW is doing to make a better world for both animals and people. And if you'd like to help IFAW win more victories like this one, please make a donation today. We've won a major battle, but opponents will be working hard to try and undo this victory for years to come. We need your support to defend this decision and make sure no more animals suffer needlessly from this cruel sport ever again - so please give what you can.
Source: International Fund for Animal Welfare

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News Story: August, 2004
Ricardo, an eight month old Asian Elephant with Ringling, was euthanized after breaking two legs from falling from a 19-inch pedestal. The elephant was euthanized. (Ricardo was chained and beaten while being trained to SIT on the pedestal.)

Years ago I had a picture of a small child with her arm around an elephant, it was from a greeting card. I thought it was so sweet I posted it on my site. Sometime later, Carol Buckley of The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee wrote to me and told me that this poor animal had been beaten and chained in order to make it "sit" on the stool. I took that picture off of my site and apologized to Carol and all elephants everywhere, then and now, for not seeing the exploitation, and in fact, furthering it. I told her I would not forget this lesson and would pass it on and I did. Carol accepted my apology and was happy that I was using it as a learning tool. Now, years lated, I see another wretched picture turning up...same elephant..the one who was chained and beaten so that parents could pay money to have their childrens picture taken with an elephant.
The new picture and poster have to do with a movie about a book about an elephant named Modoc.
~ Kevin Costner: A Man and His Elephant Actor-director Kevin Costner is going out on a limb--or a trunk, as it were--with his next project. According to the Hollywood Reporter, he is in negotiations to direct and possibly star in Modoc: The True Story of the Greatest Elephant That Ever Lived, described as a cross between Black Stallion and Forrest Gump. Intrigued? The film tells the joint biography of a man, Bram, and his elephant, Modoc, both born in a small German circus town on the same day in 1896. Bram was the son of an elephant trainer, and Modoc was the daughter of the trainer's prize performer. The boy and the elephant grew up side by side, and when the Wunderzircus and its animals were sold to America, Bram stowed away on the ship to avoid being separated from the elephant. ~
I don't care about the movie or the book, what I care about is this horrible picture. The one I removed from my site. The one that showed a little girl instead of a little boy. It has now become a poster. And so it goes, on and on.

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BUSTED
Help Shut C.C. Baird Down - For Good!
Date: 9/10/2004
As a result of Last Chance for Animals' (LCA) undercover investigation, USDA licensed Class B dealer C.C. Baird, owner of Martin Creek Kennels in Arkansas, was recently charged with over 500 violations by the USDA for cruel and inhumane treatment of animals at his facility. It has now been six weeks since the USDA requested an expedited hearing on the Baird case. Meantime, hundreds of animals are still on Baird's premises and he is still operating! Time is of the essence! We NEED YOUR HELP to urge Chief Administrative Law Judge Marc R. Hillson to schedule the earliest available date for a hearing to put an end to C.C. Baird's operations and to save hundreds of animals!
What You Can Do:
Please send RESPECTFUL letters requesting a hearing date as soon as possible to:
The Honorable Marc R. Hillson
Chief Administrative Law Judge
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20250
Phone: 202-720-8305
Fax: 202-690-0790
marc.hillson@usda.gov

A synopsis of CC Baird's, USDA violations
Source:
Last Chance for Animals.org
8033 Sunset Blvd. #835 ? Los Angeles ? CA ? 90046
310-271-6096 x 30
campaigns@lcanimal.org

Last Chance for Animals? (LCA) Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has concluded a 15-year investigation into Class B-dealers, cumulating in the bust of America?s largest and most notorious Class B-dealer, C.C. Baird. LCA?s undercover investigations acquired over 70 hours of video surveillance footage, shot at Baird?s facility ? Martin Creek Kennels ? detailing overwhelming amounts of cruelty, abuse, neglect, and unsanitary conditions, as well as dogs being shot to death on the property.
LCA needs our help to put C.C. BAIRD OUT OF BUSINESS!
Despite the recent bust at Martin Creek Kennels, C.C. Baird continues to abuse and slaughter the approximately 600 animals that remain in his custody! We need your help to put an end to this senseless cruelty! We urge you to contact the United States Secretary of Agriculture, Ann M. Veneman, to demand that she seek an immediate injunction against Martin Creek Kennels to suspend Baird?s Class B license, forcing him to cease and desist his operations.
Sample Letter
Sick/Injured Animals Photos... Warning: These images are graphic in nature
Page 1 Page 2

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Dog Shoots Man, Puppies Saved
PENSACOLA, Fla. Sept. 9, 2004
A man who tried to shoot seven puppies was shot himself when one of the dogs put its paw on the revolver's trigger. Jerry Allen Bradford, 37, was charged with felony animal cruelty, the Escambia County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday. He was being treated at a hospital for a gunshot wound to his wrist. Bradford said he decided to shoot the 3-month-old shepherd-mix dogs in the head because he couldn't find them a home, according to the sheriff's office. On Monday, Bradford was holding two puppies - one in his arms and another in his left hand - when the dog in his hand wiggled and put its paw on the trigger of the .38-caliber revolver. The gun then discharged, the sheriff's report said. Deputies found three of the puppies in a shallow grave outside Bradford's home, said sheriff's Sgt. Ted Roy. The other four appeared to be in good health and were taken by Escambia County Animal Control, which planned to make them available for adoption.
(The authorities stated that the mother may be returned to her owner...I don't agree, however, she should be spayed. jj)
Copyright 2004 The Associated Press.

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Update:
'Slasher Cup' Videos
Earlier this year, we reported on Sabong Press' ongoing sale of the "World Slasher Cup" video, a compilation of bloody, staged cockfight scenes (see HUMANElines Issue 279). Sabong Press, based in Kentucky, sold these videos in clear violation of the recently-passed federal law that prohibits the sale or distribution of depictions of animal cruelty.
In response to hundreds of letters requesting prosecution of Sabong Press owner John Purdy,
U.S. Attorney Greg Van Tatenhove merely warned Mr. Purdy of the federal law prohibiting the sale of cockfighting videos. Now, over a year later, evidence has surfaced that Purdy and Sabong Press continue to flout federal law, unabated. Not only does Sabong Press continue to sell "Slasher Cup" videos online, but its advertisement for "Slasher Cup" videos has resurfaced in the July 2004 issue of The Gamecock (a magazine devoted to illegal cockfighting). Clearly, the U.S. Attorney's response to evidence of Mr. Purdy's illegal activities has had little effect.
What we can do:
Let U.S. Attorney Gregory Van Tatenhove know that in order to stop this illegal promotion of animal cruelty, his office needs to take decisive action! Ask him to take action immediately to prosecute John Purdy and Sabong Press for ongoing, blatant violations of federal laws.
U.S. Attorney Gregory F. Van Tatenhove
110 West Vine St.
Suite 400
Lexington, KY 40507-1671
Phone: 859-233-2661
Fax: 859-233-2666
Source: HSUS.org

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Update:
Justice for Tigger
The Star Beacon reports that a judge has given the maximum sentence allowable to an Ashtabula, Ohio couple who deliberately drove their car over Tigger, a tiny pomeranian puppy (see HUMANElines Issue 300). As part of their sentence, Barry Shellot and Cassie Warsing must pay a $750.00 fine each and restitution to Tigger's owners, serve a 90-day jail sentence (with 60 days suspended), undergo pyschological evaluation and treatment and perform community service. Ashtabula City Solicitor Tom Simon reported receiving "pounds" of mail on the subject, including many letters from as far away as Singapore and Australia.
Source: HSUS.org

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Petition to Keep Pets Safe During Disasters
Ask Red Cross to Adopt National Program
In case of evacuation, did you know you would not be able to take your pet?
And you may be forbidden from going back to retrieve it?
Pet Safe is a Red Cross program in Nassau County, NY that is a cooperative effort of local groups and government working together to assist people and their pets during times of disaster. Please ask the American Red Cross to adopt it as a national program.
Read/Sign Petition

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Ten Year Sentence For Cruelty
Houston Chronicle, 2 Sept. 2004 AP
DALLAS
A 23-year-old Dallas man who unleashed his two pit bull terriers on a neighbor's dog and watched as they mauled the hound-Dalmatian mix has been sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined $14,000. Carey D. McMillian received the maximum possible sentence on Wednesday at the animal-cruelty trial.
A witness to the September 2003 attack in Pleasant Grove described seeing McMillian goad his dogs to attack and ultimately kill the dog named Cisco. "The only reason for killing Cisco was for his own perverse pleasure," lead prosecutor Rick Jackson said in closing arguments. "This case cries out for the max."
When the panting and exhausted pit bills let up, McMillian would grab Cisco and shake the dog to provoke the pit bulls to "tear the dog apart," the neighbor said. A neighbor surreptitiously videotaped a portion of the attack. Jurors watched the tape three times before deliberating for 30 minutes and returning a guilty verdict.
The charge of animal cruelty carries a maximum punishment of two years in a state jail, but the offense was enhanced to a third-degree felony after prosecutors proved that state law could define the two dogs as "deadly weapons," The Dallas Morning News reports in its Thursday editions. Jurors also found McMillian guilty of a lesser misdemeanor charge of dog fighting. "This happens every day, but in most cases it's not caught on tape," Ken Qualls, an investigator with the SPCA of Texas, told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram for its Thursday editions. "This shows that behavior like this will not be tolerated."

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Kenya to Oppose Wildlife Trade
Nation Reporter 8/27/04
Nairobi
Kenya will renew its opposition to trade in wildlife or their products at the Cites conference in Bangkok in October. The position is based on the fact that many wild species are vulnerable to poaching, illegal trade and habitat loss. Spelling out the position Kenya is to take at the 13th Conference of Parties of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, assistant minister George Khaniri said poachers had killed 108 elephants and 33 black rhinos in the past two years.
(CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is an international agreement between governments. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.)

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Update:Hog-Dog Fights
In February, we reported on the proliferation of cruel "hog-dog rodeos"-- bloody spectator events conducted in many Southern states in which trained fighting dogs are set upon penned hogs to attack, mutilate, and sometimes kill the animals (see HUMANElines Issue 284).
On Wednesday (8/18/04), Louisiana's Times-Picayune reported on the efforts of The HSUS to increase awareness of Louisiana's newly-enacted law banning hog-dog fights. The law, which went into effect on Sunday (8/15), makes it illegal to organize, conduct, promote or attend a spectator event in which it can be "reasonably foreseen the canines or hogs would be injured, maimed, mutilated or killed." It is the first such law passed in the U.S., and it follows a nationwide outcry over the release of a graphic expose showing the cruel and brutal nature of hog-dog fighting.
Charles ''Chuck'' Harris Jr., of Clinton, LA disagrees that there was a problem, but he is apparently taking no chances. He told The Associated Press last month that he will no longer stage hog-dog events. ''It's gotten so it's just not worth it. I may get 20 or 30 people. Everybody's scared because of this new law.''
Source: HSUS.org

~

Burger King Ends Sponsership of UniverSoul Circus

Burger King was the first of the major fast-food chains to introduce a veggie burger. Now, the fast-food giant has joined General Mills and Ford Motor Company to become the third corporation to end its national sponsorship of the UniverSoul Circus. PETA had written to Burger King officials, describing the abysmal animal-care records of the animal exhibitors who supply UniverSoul-records that include violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act, tiger escapes, and animal deaths.
Please send letters of appreciation to Burger King for making the compassionate decision:
Bradley Blum, CEO
Burger King
5505 Blue Lagoon Dr.
Miami, FL 33126
305-378-3000
305-378-7262 (fax)

~

UPDATE
Motala 2004

~

Subj: China Bear Rescue Diary - July 2004
Date: 7/14/2004
From: info@animalsasia.org
To: jody@jodysjungle.com
Thank you so much to everyone who has written in with such wonderful feedback on our new website - we are so pleased that you are enjoying it! I am happy to let you know that the latest July 2004 update of our Rescue Diary is now available.
The update tells the full story of our Tianjin Bear Rescue and gives you a snapshot of the trials and tribulations of working on the ground rescuing farmed bears in China.
There is so much activity at the Rescue Centre at the moment as we are busily building new dens and rehabilitation areas whilst also training new vets and vet nurses in preparation for the arrival of at least another 50, but anything up to 90 bears from the farms later this year.
As ever, from everyone on the team, thank you so much for your ongoing help and support!
Warmest wishes,
Annie
Annie Mather
Executive Director, Head of Media
animalsasia.org

Rescue Diary
Dateline March 2004
"Ashley" all alone in a dark little shed.

~

Adidas
7/9/04
Thanks to your voices of opposition, AB 2915,
a bill to allow for the sale of kangaroo skins in California, was defeated.
At least two Senators were lobbied very hard by the author, Assembly Member Firebaugh, his aides and the lobbyist for Adidas. They were lobbied even after they voted and were strongly encouraged to change their votes: They did not. These Senators include: Torlakson & Ortiz.
We are asking everyone to please MAIL (through the post) a thank you card to them as well as to Senators Kuehl, Bowen and Sher. If you cannot hand write and send a card, please do not do anything. We want this to be something that is appreciated not something that gives them more work (please, no faxes, calls or e-mails).
We were told by one of the Senators that we directly affected their vote and received compliments on how we handled this issue. We thank everyone for that.
The Votes
NO
Senator Bowen
Senator Sher
*Senator Ortiz
YES
Senator Alpert
Senator Oller
Senator Hollingsworth
Senator Denham
ABSTAINED
*Senator Kuehl
*Senator Torlakson
Please address your letter(s) to:
The Honorable [full name of Senator]
California State Senate
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814
THANKS FOR BEING A VOICE FOR THE ANIMALS!
Sincerely,
Jill Buckley, Esq.
Legislative Liaison, Western Region
National Shelter Outreach
Legislativeservices@aspca.org

~

Is Killing Endangered Animals the Best Way to Protect Them?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) thinks so.
Find out more by watching this clip about the Preservator 3000,
the newest weapon being used to destroy the Endangered Species Act. (ESA)

The Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is proposing a rule change to the Endangered Species Act that will allow endangered animals and body parts to be imported into the U.S. This change essentially eliminates the need for a permit before an endangered species can be imported.
The proposed change would dramatically increase the likelihood of extinction for more than 550 endangered species. Let the Bush administration know this is unacceptable.
A new FWS proposal to the ESA would legalize commercial exploitation of endangered species. If we don't act quickly, it will be LEGAL to import endangered species into the US without a permit.
History has shown that promoting endangered species trade leads to overexploitation, increased poaching and illegal activity. The proposed change creates a direct incentive to speed up the pace of extinction of more than 550 foreign species currently protected by the ESA.
Learn More & Take Action

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Mans Inhumanity Never Ceases to Amaze Me..jj
What Does It Take To Make a Bear Dance?
For the ?dancing? bears of India, their journey of pain and torture begins in the cruelest way imaginable. At just a few weeks old, each cub must watch as their mother is slaughtered by gunmen. The cubs are then stuffed into sacks and taken on long journeys to markets where they are sold into slavery. Many die of shock or suffocation. They?re the lucky ones.
It is now illegal in India to capture bears in the wild. But these laws are not enforced. There are still over 1,000 gentle sloth bears suffering unimaginable torture at the hands of Kalendar nomads.
Before the bear is ready to 'perform', his "owner" pushes a red hot poker directly into the bear?s sensitive nose then forces it up and out through the bone, cartilage and nerve membrane in the top of the bear's snout. Next, through this terrible wound, a rope is threaded.
To make his bear 'dance' the owner pulls the rope upwards. The agony of this rope pulling against open wounds is what quickly teaches the bear to stand on it?s back legs. Of course the bear isn't dancing, he's desperately trying to relieve the pain as the rope is pulled above his head. The slightest bit of resistance from the bear is often met with a savage beating.
The pain these defenseless cubs have to endure is nothing short of horrific. To ensure that he won't be bitten or clawed while teaching his bear to 'dance', a new owner will brutally remove the bear's teeth and claws without the use of anesthetic.
Trained to dance through a regime of pain and starvation, these animals rarely survive to more than eight years, a third of their life expectancy.

Please send protest letters to:
Ministry of Environment & Forests secy@menf.delhi.nic.in

Attn: Minister:
The Dancing Bears of India are a tragic spectacle, which takes place as a cruel tradition. There is a law, which was made to stop the capturing and trading of bears in India under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act in 1972. Even thought this has been made illegal. This law barely exists. I request that the Indian Government enforce the law and ban completely the capture of bears.
Sincerely, Name/Country

~

IAMS
Tell Iams That You?re Not Buying!
For nearly 10 months in 2002 and early 2003, a PETA investigator went undercover at an Iams contract testing laboratory and discovered a dark and sordid secret beneath the wholesome image of the dog- and cat-food manufacturer: dogs gone crazy from intense confinement to barren steel cages and cement cells...
iamscruelty.com

Date: 6/18/2004
From: newsmanager@peta.org
To: jody@jodysjungle.com
URGENT:
In typical misleading fashion, Iams is trying to fool people into believing that it is no longer conducting laboratory tests on dogs and cats. This is not true! Iams continues to keep dogs and cats confined to cages in order to conduct cruel tests on them. The animals suffering in Iams? laboratories spend days, months, and even years living in fear, pain, isolation, and loneliness?all so that Iams can test dog and cat food.
What makes this abuse even more outrageous is that these tests are not necessary and are not required by any law or regulation.

Please e-mail Iams President Jeffrey Ansell at Ansell.jp@pg.com
and tell him that you?re not buying Iams? distortions and half-truths. Iams must immediately end all laboratory tests on animals.
Almost 40 companion-animal food companies rely on tests conducted in homes or veterinary clinics using dogs and cats who have been volunteered by their guardians, as well as other humane methods of testing their products, and Iams needs to do the same.
Please be sure to forward this e-mail message to your friends and family.
For more information about Iams? cruel tests on dogs and cats, visit IamsCruelty.com

~

Environmentalists = Terrorists
Have you ever signed a petition in support of an environmental or animal-rights issue? Do you belong to the Sierra Club, the Natural Resources Defense Council, or Greenpeace? Have you publicly protested some environmental or animal rights outrage? If legislation crafted and promoted by the ultra-conservative American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) becomes law, these fundamental rights of American citizenship could become ILLEGAL

~

Diaries of Despair
The secret history of pig-to-primate organ transplants.
Horrific reality of vivisection revealed by sensational legal victory.
Uncaged Campaigns

~

Procter & Gamble is a multi-billion dollar corporation that, despite the development of more advanced methodologies continues to blind, poison and kill animals unnecessarily to test deodorants, laundry detergents and other products.
Procter & Gamble refuses to stop testing its products on animals, despite the fact that these tests are not required by any law, and despite the fact that more reliable and humane alternatives do exist.
In reality, Procter & Gamble relies on these archaic tests strictly for its own protection from liability lawsuits. The truth is that Procter & Gamble could stop animal testing today without hindering anyone's safety.

Alternatives to Procter & Gamble Products
Join the Procter & Gamble boycott today. Refuse to buy Procter & Gamble products.

Write to Procter & Gamble CEO, A.G. Lafley, and let him know that until Procter & Gamble ends all testing, you will boycott their products.
A.G. Lafley
Chairman of the Board and CEO
Procter & Gamble
1 Procter & Gamble Plaza
Cincinnati, OH 45202
1-800-543-1745
513-983-9369 (fax)
Get in touch with Procter & Gamble
Resources:
In Defense of Animals.org
Procter & Gamble Kills.org
UNCAGED.co.uk

I cannot tell you how sick and tired I am of Procter & Gamble...
For years and years and years, I have boycotted their products and advised others to do the same...
But they never stop..they never listen..they don't care..
Campaigns do not work against them..products not made by Procter & Gamble are few and far between, not readily available and more expensive than many people can afford moneywise and/or timewise.
I once sent Procter & Gamble an idea...why not have a small line of readily available, affordable products that have not been tested on animals...?
A pilot program, a consumer reaction test...
Needless to say, I never heard from them...I still think it's a good idea.
If you agree, why not send Procter & Gamble an email or letter suggesting it..
What could it hurt?...For once, not the animals..
P.S. and by the way, here is a HUGE PILE in pdf form on Procter & Gamble's reasons for continuing to test on animals...
jj

~

UPDATE: Kabul Zoo
April 4, 2004
Donatella, the female black bear at Kabul Zoo, was put to sleep on March 19th 2004, following an extensive examination by Dr. John Lewis from the International Zoo Veterinary Group.
Donatella had been under treatment for long periods during the two years after her condition was first identified. There has been various speculation over the initial cause of the infection
(the initial cause of her infection?..humans)
Donatella/Sambu

~

"There is one person that can put an end to this [bullfighting],
stop it all just like that,
and that's the Pope. But he won't do it."
Jens Romundstad, Brigitte Bardot International Award Winner/Genesis 2004

~

Premarin
StopWyeth.org
Join The Boycott
New Website
3/30/04
A new website has been launched targeting Wyeth Pharmaceuticals asking them to stop the slaughter of PMU horses. Please visit and take action against the many horrors these horses are undergoing.
For a list of Wyeth Products, go to Boycott
Then scroll down page for PDF "How to Participate"

~

From: Soraida Salwala [FAE]
"Picture of Little baby elephant at FAE's Elephant Hospital"
Date: 3/14/2004
"BB & her mom, Jokia"

~

From: AnimalsAsia.org
To: JodysJungle.com
In the past fourteen months our China Bear Rescue grew beyond all belief and saw an incredible total of 61 bears arriving at our Rescue Centre,
bringing the total number of confiscated bears today to 139!
Our new Follow the Rescue update
- shows the rescue of a large group of 38 bears received just before Christmas last year and the harrowing story of their suffering as living bile machines before finding "sanctuary" with
Animals Asia.
Please never underestimate your help and support in this rescue - mountains are being moved as a direct result of people like you who are helping us to spread the word and end the horrific practice of bear farming in China. Animals Asia has just this week rescued two more bears from a bear farm in Tianjin and is now gearing up for another significant rescue of dozens of bears in the Summer!
I also wish to alert you to the fact that in just a matter of weeks, the brand new Animals Asia website will be launched! Not only does it have a completely new look which is more reflective of who we are today, but it has lots and lots of new content and is engineered to be very easily updateable - which means that we will be able to keep you fully informed of our progress on a timely basis. We hope that you will like it!
Heartfelt thanks from all in the Animals Asia team
together we WILL end bear farming!
Bear hugs,
Jill
Jill Robinson MBE
Founder & CEO
Animals Asia Foundation
Hong Kong

~

HumaneLines.org
Congress Considers Steps to Reduce Roadkill:
Reducing roadkill is just one issue being considered in the surface transportation reauthorization bill moving through Congress. The Senate included provisions in its bill, S. 1072, aimed at reducing habitat fragmentation and wildlife/ vehicle collisions? ultimately saving millions of animals while increasing public safety. The Senate provisions would require states to formally consider the need for wildlife crossing structures (underpasses, culverts, or overpasses) when constructing or improving highways -- a critical preventative step in solving the roadkill problem. However, as the transportation bill is taken up in the House of Representatives, these important wildlife protection provisions may be lost. If they are, it will be another six years before we have another opportunity to put into law these common sense provisions on behalf of wildlife and public safety. In the meantime, millions of animals will lose their lives trying to cross highways in search of food and mates, and the very survival of many species -- from box turtles to grizzly bears -- will be compromised.
What we can do:
Please contact your U.S. Representative today.
Ask him or her to contact
Transportation Committee Chairman Don Young
and Ranking Democrat James Oberstar
and urge them to include in the Committee?s transportation bill the wildlife crossing provisions approved by the Senate (Section 1501 of S. 1072).
All U.S. Representatives can be reached through the U.S. Capitol switchboard: 202-224-3121. You can look up the name of your Representative by going online to Congress.org
or by calling The HSUS at 202-955-3668.

~

Animal Abuse Inherent In Rodeo
Veterinary Perspective
What does an experienced veterinarian say about rodeos?
Rodeo Cruelty Evidence at Slaughterhouse:
"I am a veterinarian and have spent almost 30 yrs. in meat inspection for the federal government. The rodeo folks send their animals to the packing houses for slaughter, where I have seen them held for several days before being slaughtered. I have seen cattle so extensively bruised that the only area in which the skin was attached was the head, neck, legs, and belly. I have seen animals with six to eight ribs broken from the spine and at times punctured lungs. I have seen as much as two and three gallons of free blood accumulated under the detached slip."
C. G. Haber, D. V. M.

~

Provocative Art
Animals Die for Art or Awareness?
The "artist", Mrs. Eedenmont (born in Yalta, former Soviet Union, year 1970), shows pictures of killed animals. The Wetterling Gallery calls them beautiful; they are not photo-montages: this lady puts animals to death 15 minutes before taking her pictures. Most people think this is unscrupulousness.
Warning: Photos
Source: Animal Freedom

~

1/29/2004
HELP PROTECT EFFORTS TO REDUCE ROADKILL
S. 1072
Humans kill more wild animals with their vehicles than in any other manner. Highways break wildlife habitat into pieces, often too small to support healthy populations. Animals are then forced to attempt road crossings to find enough food, search for mates, and travel to breeding areas. As news reports of accidents frequently remind us, wild animals in the road pose a substantial public safety risk.
Provisions in S. 1072, the massive transportation bill headed to the Senate floor, are aimed at reducing roadkill and highway-caused habitat fragmentation while increasing public safety. Thanks to Senators Max Baucus (D-MT) and Jim Jeffords (I-VT), this legislation requires state departments of transportation to include in their formal planning process consideration of wildlife crossing structures, such as underpasses, culverts, or overpasses, as they plan new highways or improvements to existing ones. The few crossing structures that exist in the U.S. are proving invaluable in saving animals? lives, yet most states do not assess the need for passages in their planning. S. 1072 would fix that, but some have vowed to remove the wildlife-friendly provisions and others aimed at protecting the environment from negative impacts of roads, when the Senate begins debate on the bill on February 2. Since the transportation bill is reauthorized only every six years, this is a key chance to reduce the suffering and death of millions of wild animals.
What we can do:
Please contact your U.S. senators today and ask them to vote against any amendment to strip the wildlife crossings or general environmental protection provisions from S. 1072, the transportation bill.
To reach your senators, call the switchboard at 202-224-3121
or Click Here
Source: The Humane Society of the United States and The Fund for Animals
humanelines.org

~

Donate Your Old Furs to Wildlife

Do you have an old fur coat in your closet? Is your grandmother's mink stole stored in the attic? Many of us have fur apparel that we no longer want or that was left to us by a family member. Some aren't comfortable selling it or giving it to charity, because they feel people should not wear animal fur. So what should people do with it? Give it back to the animals. If you would like to see that old fur put to a good use, donate it to The Humane Society of the United States. The fur will aid and comfort wildlife. All of the furs received by The HSUS are sent to wildlife rehabilitators, who use the furs to warm and comfort orphaned and injured wildlife. More than three dozen rehabilitators from across the United States now participate in the program.
The furs are cut into an appropriate size for the animal, whether it be a chipmunk, raccoon, squirrel, or opossum, and placed inside the animal's enclosure. The furry blanket becomes a surrogate mother to orphaned animals, reducing stress and giving comfort. One rehabilitator related a story about a restless orphaned river otter who chirped constantly. Once she was given a fur blanket, she settled right down. Turning the sleeve of a fur coat inside out, a rehabilitator can also create a warm nest for a burrowing animal such as an opossum. Some animals adopt a piece of fur as a playmate, jumping on it and wrestling with it.
The HSUS accepts all fur apparel, fur trims, and fur accessories (such as hats, gloves, and muffs), including shearling. Donating is easy: Place your fur in a sturdy box (a large padded envelope is fine for small items) and mail it to:
The Humane Society of the United States
2100 L St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20037
Attn: Andrea Cimino
Source: HSUS.org

~

ALL FOR SHOW
Ringling Brothers? Circus Claims to Promote Conservation.

~

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey
1/10/04
Should Denver ban circuses with exotic animals from coming to town next year?
A national tussle between animal-rights activists and circus officials is coming to Denver - one of the largest communities in the country to consider a ban on the display of "exotic animals."
Source/Story & Vote
DenverPost.com
aside to blinky the clown
I have no interest in your opinion, or the opinion of any other clown.
so zip it.. jj

~

IDA Alerts
IAMS Dumped By Major Animal Shelter
Wood Green Animal Shelter in England recently announced that it will be severing all ties with animal-testing "pet" food company IAMS. Iams Co., manufacturer of the Iams/Eukanuba line of dog and cat foods, has been harming and killing dogs and cats, claiming that doing so helps them to make a better brand of pet food. In dozens of painful and invasive experiments, hundreds of dog and cats just like your animal companions were made to suffer and, in some cases, die in the name of "nutrition research." These innocent victims were all healthy animals who were used simply as disposable objects.   Uncaged Campaigns led the efforts to encourage Wood Green Animal Shelter to break ties with Iams.
Please write to Wood Green to thank them for taking this stand against animal cruelty.
Wood Green Animal Shelter:
Dennis Baker, Chief Executive
London Rd - King's Bush Farm
Godmanchester, Cambs PE29 2NH
info@woodgreen.org.uk



Join IDA
in demanding that Iams/Eukanuba cease this sort of harmful research. Do not purchase any products made by Iams/Eukanuba, and encourage your friends, family, and local shelter to do the same until the company takes steps to eliminate its sponsorship of highly invasive and unethical research on animals.
Ask Iams to cease all invasive and harmful studies performed on healthy animals, to stop purchasing animals from companies that breed animals for sale to laboratories, and to engage only in clinical research that utilizes non-invasive procedures on dogs and cats who are enrolled in the study by their guardians.
Learn more about Iams

~

In Defense of Animals
Join IDAToday
The many goals and campaigns of In Defense of Animals depend on the support of its members: caring and thoughtful people like you who realize the importance of immediate, focused, and unrelenting action.
In Defense of Animals has field staff working throughout the United States and in western Africa protecting and defending the rights, welfare, and habitat of all animals. To become a member of IDA or to make a donation today, please visit their site. jj

~

Each year approximately 10 MILLION animals are trapped in the wild,
so that they can be skinned for fur coats. jj
PRO-TRAPPING STAMP
Letters Needed
A pro-trapping postage stamp is currently under consideration by the U.S. Postal Service
says the Mill Valley, CA-based
In Defense of Animals (IDA)
The National Trappers Association is pushing for its release, and it is expected that its members will inundate the USPS with their requests for the stamp. ASPCA News Alert readers, please join IDA's letter-writing campaign and politely tell the USPS that animal cruelty shouldn't be promoted in a stamp.
Letters can be sent to the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee,
c/o Stamp Development,
U.S. Postal Service, 475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW, Room 5670
Washington, D.C. 20260-2437
For more on the cruelties involved in fur trapping, please visit ASPCA.org

~

Mad Cow Disease
"If you eat meat, you already have to worry about salmonella, E. coli, campylobacter, heart disease, strokes, high blood pressure, and cancer, as well as your weight. Now, add mad cow, chicken, fish, pig, and turkey disease to the list. If there?s a brain, it could have a spongy brain (spongiform encephalopathy); we?ve already identified mad cow disease variants in humans, sheep, mink, cows, elk, deer, and fish."
PETA/MadCowUSA .org

~

Catagory: Animal Exploitation
Albino Bear Cubs HAD To Be Shot
Vassfaret is the only spot in southern Norway with a bear family,
the animals are the entire reason for the park's existence.
Park manager Caroline Lehman:
"If we didn't have bear cubs I am afraid that the park would have to shut down.
No animal park can survive without its young and we are no different."

The Story: Albino cubs Embrigt and Sevat were shot after their mother stopped caring for them, Vassfaret Bear Park said this is normal procedure.
The Reality: Vassfaret only has permission to have one male bear and two she-bears, so cubs are only allotted two years of life, no matter how adorable or famous they become.
www.aftenposten.no/english

~

Captive Wildlife Safety Act
Last month, the U.S. Senate passed S. 269, which prohibits the keeping of lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, and cougars as pets by prohibiting the interstate transport of them for this purpose. A similar bill has passed in the House of Representatives as well (H.R. 1006)! This bill would not only benefit many states that are considering similar legislation, but will also establish a consistent policy for all states. To show your support for this crucial legislation, please consider sending the sample letter to President Bush asking him to sign this important bill! You may add your own comments to personalize the letter. We hope that your letter will convince President Bush to sign on to the bill.
Take action now!
Source: ASPCA.org

~

Is Fur Trim Harmless to Animals?
Check out the tale of the Fufanu, a three-minute operatic mini-musical animation that tells the story of Penny, a young woman who has just purchased a fur-trimmed coat and handbag, only to have a creature called the Fufanu emerge from her collar.
The animals need your voice, so please take action to "speak for those who can't"!
Click The Fund for Animals
to:
Sign the Pledge to be fur-free
Write to the "Dirty Dozen" Fur Retailers... Join a nationwide letter writing campaign to the "dirty dozen" department stores that still support the cruel killing of animals for fur.
Help Stop Lord and Taylor from Selling Fur
Tell "Neiman Carcass" to Stop Selling Fur
Send a Postcard to Your Friends
Spread the Word

~

Taiwan Parliament Bans Selling of Dog Meat
Dec 17, 2003
Taiwan's parliament has banned the selling of dog meat in an effort to deter the slaughtering of strays, a lawmaker's aide said. The original law barred the killing of pets, including dogs and cats, for their meat, skin (news - web sites) or other parts for financial benefit. But it failed to stop vendors from selling slaughtered dogs or to stop restaurants from offering dog meat as a delicacy. They were able to evade punishment by claiming that they did not kill the animals themselves, said the aide to Wang Sing-nan, who proposed the amendment. "We hope by stopping the sale of dog meat, the killing will stop too," the aide said. The amendment, passed Tuesday, also increased penalties for violators, with the fine raised to a maximum of 250,000 Taiwan dollars (7,355 US dollars), from 10,000 dollars. Help-Save-A-Pet Fund in Taiwan, a non-profit organization advocating animal rights, welcomed the bill and planned to offer small rewards to those providing tips on dog meat sellers. Secretary-general Liu Yu-tung said she hoped for a further law change to ban the eating of dog meat altogether.

~

Keiko Is Truly Free

Keiko died of pneumonia, December 12, 2003

~

Wolf Gift Adoption
The Alaska Board of Game has now approved permits that allow for the aerial gunning of wolves. Soon, families of wolves in Alaska will be stalked by airplanes and helicopters, run to exhaustion in the deep snow and then slaughtered while they are too fatigued to escape. Defenders of Wildlife is hard at work to stop this barbaric practice. But to succeed they need your caring help. Please consider making a wolf gift adoption today and help Defenders protect Alaska's magnificent wolves. Adopt One Wolf for $25.00
What a Bargain!
Wolf Adoption

~

One of Many Holiday Gift Ideas
Sponser a Shelter Pet
Six very special animals, to name just a few, need a friend as they wait to find a permanent, loving home. Thousands of shelter pets have found safe homes throughout the year thanks to the compassion of people like you. Can you take a moment today to sponsor one of those "still waiting" animals this holiday that have yet to find a home? Please take a moment to read selected rescue stories below or visit our site to see their pictures and make a sponsorship gift to support their care at the ASPCA while they wait for a forever home.
See shelter pet pictures. Make a sponsorship gift.
ASPCA.org

~

Wild Animal Slaughter Surges for Fashion's Sake
The return of fur to the world's fashion catwalks has spelled death to thousands of endangered animals with a boom in demand for their skins, a top wildlife protection officer said on Friday. Only last month, Chinese officials impounded 1,276 illegal pelts in their biggest seizure to date. They said the skins had come from 32 tigers, 579 leopards and 665 otters.
Source: PlanetArk.com

~

Get Neutered It Didn't Hurt Clay Aiken
snips Triumph the Insult Comic Dog in a new PETA ad aimed at the widespread problem of dog and cat overpopulation. The foulmouthed but lovable dog puppet is best known as a regular guest on Late Night With Conan O'Brien. In his PETA ad, Triumph wears a post-surgery Elizabethan collar and chomps on his trademark cigar as he takes aim at the high-ranging American Idol contestant.

Triumph chose to make Clay Aiken the target of his humor in the ad because Aiken recently told Rolling Stone, "I think cats are Satan. There's nothing worse to me than a house cat. When I was about 16, I had a kitten and ran over it." PETA deals with dozens of cases of cruelty to cats every week and knows firsthand how damaging statements like this can be,impressionable kids often mimic what their "idols" do. Aiken never responded when PETA wrote to him.

~

Tell the Girl Scouts to Stop Torturing and Killing Animals
In a shocking article in the September 2003 issues of Alaska Magazine, Girl Scout Troop 34?s participation in a beaver-killing program conducted by the Alaska Department of Fish & Game was featured. It described how the Girl Scouts LEARNED to trap and kill these ingenious animals using cruel Body-Gripping Traps?traps so cruel that their use is banned or restricted in many states.

Victory! Palermo Beaver Receives Reprieve
John Rice, a highway superintendent, had planned to trap and kill a beaver who took up residence in a small pond in Palermo, New York. The Body-Gripping Trap that Mr. Rice intended to use would have caused immeasurable suffering. Following an article that appeared in The Post-Standard, Mr. Rice received numerous phone calls, faxes, and letters offering nonlethal solutions to the perceived problem. Now, a wildlife-control company is slated to relocate the beaver to a privately owned pond. Please send a letter of appreciation to Mr. Rice for his decision to grant the beaver a reprieve.

~

PETA's
Helping Animals 101 For 2004
Helping Animals 101 is a two day conference packed with information and advice for people who want to turn their compassion for animals into action. Whether you?re new to the animal protection movement or have been active for decades, this conference is for you!
For more information on where and how to register go to:
Helping Animals
Where Are the Conferences?

~

Norwegian Fur Farming Industry in Decline
Date: 11/5/2003
By January 1, 2003 there were approximately 600 fur farms in Norway. The number has been reduced by 43% from 1998 to 2003, when the number of fur farms was approximately 1100. During the past five years, 119 fur farms on an average have been closed down every year. The average annual reduction in number of farms is of 13%. The Fur Farmer?s Association is now desperately trying to recruit new fur farmers. They say they succeed, but are not willing to show any documentation.
Source:   BanFur
Norwegian Animal Welfare Alliance

~

Of Great Interest

Green Glass, Inc
"Greetings from Green Glass, Inc. - The Friendliest Glasses on Earth! We take ordinary bottles that were headed toward the landfill, and transform them into stylish, unique goblets and tumblers. Rather than reaching landfills, we put these bottles through a magical process of metamorphosis, and they become useful, and beautiful glassware."

'Motive Change. Spread the Word'
"Our new campaign supports the superb work of the following organizations we have chosen:
Project Concern International - Saving children's lives and building healthy communities worldwide.
West Africa Rainforest Network - Providing international support to West African community-based organizations protecting the rainforests in which they live.
Water Partners International - Providing clean drinking water to communities in developing countries.
International Marine Mammal Project - Making oceans safe for marine mammals worldwide.
Childrens Hunger Fund - Serving children in need across America and around the world."
Sean Penrith
President & Co-Founder
Green Glass Inc., Schofield WI USA
sean@greenglass.com
greenglass.com
Toll Free: 866-599-8798

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Jane Goodall Asks Film & TV Industry Leaders
To End Use Of Great Apes
LOS ANGELES, CA
Dr. Jane Goodall, widely recognized as one of the world?s most eminent primatologists, met with leaders of the Hollywood-based film and television industries in Beverly Hills on Tuesday Oct. 14, 2003 to ask them to end the use of chimpanzees and other great apes as performers. "The time has come to move beyond the misuse of creatures who are vulnerable to our exploitation precisely because they are so like us," Goodall said. Dr. Goodall, who was joined by members of the Collaboratory, also introduced Sarah Baeckler, a young woman who spent the last 14 months working with Hollywood animal trainers, researching the often cruel and inhumane methods they use to make chimpanzees and other primates perform. Baeckler?s testimony included numerous references to abusive behavior she observed while working at the Amazing Animal Actors training facility in Malibu. Baeckler logged over 1,000 hours at the facility, which features five chimpanzees among its menagerie. Baeckler said she saw trainers repeatedly kick, punch and beat chimps with hammers to make them obedient. The Chimpanzee Collaboratory?s appeal kicked off the ?Serving a Life Sentence? For Your Viewing Pleasure? campaign, which will seek to get actors, writers, directors and producers in Hollywood to cease the use of great apes in films, TV and advertising. It is estimated that approximately 150 chimpanzees, orangutans and other great apes are held at entertainment training facilities in the U.S., yet the fact that most are ?retired? after the age of eight condemns them to more than 50 years of idle imprisonment. The Collaboratory is asking leaders in Hollywood to sign a pledge calling for an immediate end to the use of great apes in entertainment and stating that they will refuse to work on productions that do.
Source: Animal Rights Online

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Wanted
Georgia

Thomas Spencer and Bonny Wilson

Thomas E. Spencer/Case Report/PetAbuse.com

Thomas E. Spencer/LCA's Most Wanted

The police were called to a Fulton County residence on December 31st, 2000. They entered Spencer's home and reported they "heard a dog squealing in pain" and personally witnessed him "pounding the dog in the face again and again." Spencer had the dog trapped between his legs and did not stop the beatings when the police entered his bedroom. Police said the dog's eyes were swollen shut and bleeding. The bed, Spencer's pajamas and a nearby towel were all soaked with blood. They confiscated the 4-month old pup and took him to a veterinarian. He was treated and then the police, unbelievably, returned the dog to Spencer several hours later.."
LCA wants justice served. "We want it so badly we are offering $5,000.00 for the arrest and conviction of this man:
Thomas E. Spencer
D.O.B.: 01-17-47
His prior record: history of domestic violence/abuse and vandalism.
Indictment #01SC06390 for felony animal cruelty and now terrorist threats,
felony arson and property destruction."
Source and Story: Last Chance for Animals Wanted
(This horrible story brings up other issues, why did the police, who had witnessed part of the beating, take this 'beaten to near death' pup, back to the owner who beat him, and eventually killed him? And, why has it taken THREE YEARS to bring this to our attention? How many other pups have suffered and died at the hands of this maniac?)
Please, take the time to send a letter to:
Chief of Police, Gary George
Alpharetta Police Department
P.O. Box 366
Alpharetta, GA 30009
ph: 678-297-6300
Prewritten Letter

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Kinship Circle
is a letters-for-animals service. Its primary mission: To generate sample letters to legislators, businesses, and the media that address a broad spectrum of animal cruelty/protection issues.
Kinship Circle is a letter/editorial service. It doesn't post petitions or action alerts, conduct cruelty investigations or run rescue/shelter requests. You may copy/cut/paste letters on this website-to reformat into a personalized version. Or, you may print out any letters on this website to sign and mail as written.
Kinship Circle
Brenda Shoss, Director
ph: 314.863.9445   fax: 314.863.9443
email info@kinshipcircle.org

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Don't Let Columbia Get Away With Murder!
A PETA investigation has revealed grotesque abuses of animals in laboratories at Columbia University, including subjecting baboons to invasive surgeries and leaving them to suffer and die in their cages without any painkillers. Please ask the NIH to look into the millions of dollars given to Columbia for cruel experiments that do not hold any promise for improvements to human health. Be sure to mention the fact that Columbia does not, with all the money that it gets, give these imprisoned primates any socialization or environmental enrichment at all, which it is required by law.

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Help Break California Couple's Pattern of Abuse
In September, California residents Kathy and Reed Carman each pleaded guilty to 11 felony counts and one misdemeanor count of cruelty to animals after 289 sick puppies, 23 of whom later died, were allegedly found at the couple's business, The Puppy Store. Officials also reportedly discovered dead puppies stuffed into garbage bags at both the store and the Carmans' residence. After the couple was arrested on related charges and ordered to neither sell nor possess animals, they were allegedly found transporting more than 40 puppies in deplorable conditions. The court has declared that neither of the Carmans will spend more than one year in jail. Please urge the judge to follow the prosecution's sentencing suggestion of three years' jail time and prohibit the Carmans from all contact with animals.

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Maryland Wildlife Needs Your Help!
PETA has obtained a videotape taken by a Somerset County landowner that shows footage of dead and dying animals captured and killed in devices known as bank traps. Commercial fishers use bank traps to capture crabs, but when high tide submerges these traps, any animal without gills caught inside-including reptiles, mammals, and birds-drowns. Since every other county in Maryland has banned the use of bank traps, please contact Governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. and ask him do everything in his power to put an immediate and permanent end to the use of these traps in the entire state of Maryland

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Demand Justice for Oklahoma Animals
Pocola police officers found 24 pit bulls, many of whom were without water or food and displaying injuries consistent with dogfighting, in the yard of Matthew Campbell, who reportedly confessed to fighting the animals. We have learned that the LeFlore County District Attorney's Office does not plan to file charges. Please urge District Attorney Robert Wallace to vigorously prosecute all animal abusers, for the sake of his community as well as its animals.

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Pioneering Vet School Rejects Vivisection
Students at Western University's new College of Veterinary Medicine in Pomona, California will practice what is known as "no-harm" medicine - without vivisection. At most veterinary schools live animals are bought from pounds or biomedical firms. The animals are operated on by students and later euthanized. At Western University, however, only donated animals will be used - either those that have died of natural causes or have been euthanized because of illness or old age. School leaders say this new technique will be a revolution in the way veterinary medicine is taught and practiced in the United States.

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BREAKING NEWS 10/21/03
Today PETA has publicly released disturbing videotape taken secretly inside Columbia University's primate laboratories. A veterinarian who worked at Columbia has come forward with details of the university's pattern of systemic animal abuse and neglect that she witnessed firsthand while working in the labs. PETA is calling upon the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to close Columbia's animal laboratories for violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act and NIH's own guidelines. For more information, visit
PETA.org.

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T MOBILE CELL PHONE AD PROMOTES RODEO
T Mobile Cellular Phones is selling their product using rodeo footage of a bucking bull.
Please ask T Mobile to remove these commercials and implement a permanent policy against using animal abuse in their ads.
Email them here: t-mobile.com
Thank you! jj
And an addition from SHARK:
Here is a fax number for T-Mobile: 505-998-3775. Let's bombard them!
Just in case you're not aware, Catherine Zeta-Jones is T-Mobile's spokesperson.
For the Animals,
Jodie Wiederkehr
SHARK

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State-Sponsored Canned Hunts for Kids in Oregon (!)
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), the state agency charged with protecting Oregon's native wildlife, is sponsoring the September Youth Upland Bird Hunts in wildlife areas across the state. In the program, children as young as 12 are encouraged to kill just-released pen-raised pheasants. In Defense of Animals likens ODFW's unethical, unsporting hunts to canned hunts, where pen-raised birds are released only for kids to kill them. Ringneck pheasants are native to China, not North America, and ODFW is stocking this non-native species just to kill them, flying in the face of its mission to protect wildlife. IDA coordinated a demo, attended by a dozen activists, to voice opposition at the ODFW Northwest Regional Office. A group of concerned citizens went to the killing fields at an Oregon wildlife area to witness one of the canned hunts. State troopers blocked activists from accessing the area, the activists found the ODFW officials on site and peppered them with questions on camera about their position of supporting such a cruel event.
What we can do:
Please write a letter to the Director of Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
and ask them to put a stop to these hunts.
Lindsay Ball, Director
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
3406 Cherry Avenue NE
Salem, OR 97303-4924
503.947.6044 Phone
503.947.6042 Fax
Source: In Defense of Animals
October 16, 2003

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ACCUSED WEST VIRGINIA ANIMAL ABUSER APPREHENDED
October 15, 2003
Thanks to the good work of a concerned citizen, an arrest has been made in one of West Virginia?s most notorious cases of animal cruelty. Hubert Wilmer, a fugitive being sought in connection with the starvation death of a chocolate lab named Sun Bear, was apprehended last week in Indianapolis, Indiana, after a colleague learned that he was wanted for animal cruelty and called law enforcement. With the cooperation of Kanawha County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, Wilmer was arrested in Indiana and now awaits extradition to West Virginia to face animal cruelty charges. Sun Bear was found last August locked in Wilmer?s West Virginia condominium, with no food or water, weighing only one third of his normal body weight. He died soon afterwards at a veterinarian?s office when attempts to save him failed. Neighbors told local news that they believed Sun Bear died of "a broken body and a broken heart." The Sun Bear case is particularly important because it was by all accounts a heartless case of inexcusable animal cruelty, and because it inspired the introduction and passage of West Virginia?s felony animal cruelty law.
What we can do:
Contact the Kanawha County District Attorney and respectfully urge him to fully prosecute Hubert Wilmer for animal cruelty and to settle for nothing less than significant prison time. Also thank him for agreeing to extradite Wilmer to West Virginia so he can finally face animal cruelty charges.
Kanawha County Prosecuting Attorney Michael Clifford
111 Court St 3rd Fl
Charleston, WV 25301
Phone: 304-357-0300
Fax: 304-357-0750
Source: humanlines.org
A Project of The Humane Society of the United States and The Fund for Animals

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BOOMERANG UPDATE
November 15, 2003
Boomerang, the baby lion that nearly died in a New York Post stunt gone wrong, is now at the center of a custody battle. In a move that defines chutzpah, the Ohio man who helped the Post purchase the 8-day-old cub has sued the sanctuary where he abandoned it last month. He wants the sanctuary to give him the cub back. William Long filed a lawsuit against Ellen and Doug Whitehouse, the owners of Noah's Lost Ark.
Source & Story: New York Daily News

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10/18/03
BOOMERANG UPDATE
Baby Boomerang took his first steps yesterday as New Yorkers opened their hearts
and wallets to help the ailing lion cub.
New York Daily News
Sports collector and auctioneer Brandon Steiner was so heartbroken by Boomerang's story that he's selling two baseballs autographed by Boston Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez on his Web site, www.steinersports.com with the proceeds to benefit the cub. Steiner is throwing in a photo autographed by Yankees bench coach Don Zimmer, whom Martinez tossed to the ground during Saturday's melee in Game 3 of the playoff series.

Boomerang

the 9-day-old lion cub bought on the Web and dumped by a Post reporter, was dangerously sick yesterday. The lion cub was dumped in Ohio after a New York Post stunt went bad was struggling to survive yesterday as a pride of animal experts sank its claws into the paper. Suffering from dehydration and possible pneumonia, little Boomerang was breathing a bit easier as he cuddled in a blanket at the animal sanctuary where Post reporter Al Guart abandoned him Saturday. "They're lucky he hasn't died," said Ellen Whitehouse, director of the Noah's Lost Ark near Cleveland. "He [Guart] did nothing but pull a publicity stunt." The ASPCA, the Bronx Zoo and the veterinarian treating Boomerang all lined up to slam the Post for its plan to expose the trade in exotic animals by buying a newborn lion over the Internet for $1,000. Guart hoped to transport the cub to an animal reserve in California but panicked when the animal got sick. He dropped off the cub at Noah's Lost Ark, according to officials there and a police report. The sanctuary is the same place where authorities brought Ming, the pet tiger who lived in his owner's Harlem apartment
Story Published October 14, 2003
nydailynews

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Unhappy Campers at KOA
People go to Kampground of America (KOA) campsites to enjoy nature, not see wildlife locked up in cages. But that hasn't stopped KOA from putting animals on display in dismal enclosures, according to eyewitness reports. Please remind KOA officials that caged animals at a campsite are an oxymoron and ask them to encourage campers to view animals in their natural habitats.

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Help Strengthen Canada's Anti-Cruelty Statutes
According to articles in the Ottawa Citizen, a Qu?bec man kidnapped a bear cub from his mother and proceeded to torture him in an effort to "break his spirit." Because of the lack of adequate anti-cruelty laws in Qu?bec and Canada, the only penalty that this abusive man faces is a minor fine. Canada's laws against cruelty to animals have not undergone significant revision since 1892. But that may be about to change. Bill C-10B would make more forms of animal abuse punishable by law, as well as increasing penalties that could be imposed on perpetrators. Please ask government officials to support Bill C-10B.

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KUDOS TO SENATOR LIZ KRUEGER FOR SPONSORING DOWNED ANIMAL BILL
This past weekend, New York State Senator Liz Krueger and the Watkins Glen, NY-based Farm Sanctuary announced the senator's sponsorship of S. 5735, known as the Downed Animal Bill. At the Saturday press conference held in New York City, the legislator also proposed the formation of a nonpartisan coalition that would promote a humane agenda. "Creating a more humane and healthier New York is not an issue of partisanship," said Senator Krueger. "The Downed Animal Bill is a perfect example of legislation that we should work together to pass. It is a common-sense bill that both deals with the humane treatment of farm animals and issues of public health. Animals too sick to stand, often a direct result of inhumane farming practices, are commonly slaughtered and sold for human consumption in the United States." Adds ASPCA President, Edwin J. Sayres, "The promotion of humane legislation in New York State is an important priority for the ASPCA, and we support Senator Krueger's sponsorship of the downed animal legislation."

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JUST LAUNCHED: ONLINE FERAL CAT RESOURCES
In recognition of the third annual National Feral Cat Day October 16, 2003 and to promote Trap/Neuter/Return (TNR) as the only proven humane and effective method of managing feral cats, the ASPCA has launched online resources to help feral cat colony caretakers implement TNR in their communities.

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Stop Canned Hunts

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BDR Officer Kills Elephant in Sanctuary
At least 51 bullets were found in the trunk, eyes, head, throat, ears, legs
and torso of the elephant.

A BDR (Bangladesh Rifles) officer killed an elephant last month at Pablakhali sanctuary, a forest reserve in Rangamati. The shooting took place even though the Wildlife Act of 1973 prohibits entry into the sanctuary without the permission of forest officials. The Act also makes killing of any wild animal a punishable offence.
(An elephant can be killed only if it is declared a rogue elephant by the government's wildlife experts.)
According to sources in the forest department, Lt. Col. KM Mominur Rahman visited East Raznagar with his troops on September 8, 2003. He heard from the locals that a 12-year old girl had been killed the night before by an elephant. The locals also informed him that the elephant was roaming around in the Pablakhali forest reserve.
Rahman entered the teak forest reserve without permission and came face to face with a stray male elephant.
In the official report, the zonal office informed the Rangamati BDR headquarters that when the elephant started to move forward, Rahman shot it with his sub-machine gun, killing it on the spot.
Later, the forest officials visited the spot and the Barkal upazila livestock officer conducted a postmortem on the elephant. At least 51 bullets were found in the trunk, eyes, head, throat, ears, legs and torso of the elephant, according to the report.
After the postmortem, the forest officials buried the elephant to guard against the theft of its tusks as a trophy.
The divisional forest officer of the wildlife management and nature conservation wing has served legal notice on Rahman.
Source & Story:   The Daily Star

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Baylor Scraps Bear Policy
Bears will continue to be kept at the Hudson Bear Plaza in the center of campus, which is a designated and certified zoo facility. Plans are to enlarge the plaza and to add more grass, trees, and water facilities. Baylor was the target of worldwide protests by an Illinois based animal rights group (S.H.A.R.K.) which encouraged it to end the practice of keeping a live bear as a university mascot. University officials say while the protests were not directly responsible for the decision not to take the live bears to football games, it did prompt the university to rethink the way the bears are handled.
Story and Source: woai.com

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Wildlife Rescue League Serves Chicken & Pig at Picnic
The Wildlife Rescue League is just one of the many animal rescues/organizations that chooses to serve the remains of dead animals at public events. It's time for animal advocates to act in a consistent manner and stop eating animal carcasses while claiming to help animals. Enough is enough. With so many vegan food choices available for people, there is absolutely no excuse to serve anything else. We cannot expect the public to care about other species when animal advocates don't care.
If you know of an animal rescue/organization serving the remains of animals at their events, please contact them and politely explain why a plant-based vegan diet is the only logical, considerate, and compassionate choice to make.
CONTACT:
Wildlife Rescue League
P.O. Box 704
Falls Church, VA 22040
Phone: (703) 391-8625
Email: wrl@wildliferescueleague.org

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Lulu, a Half-Blind Kangaroo Saves Life Of Unconscious Man
September 29, 2003
A farmer who suffered serious head injuries after being struck by a falling tree branch was rescued by a partially blind kangaroo who is being hailed as a hero. Lulu the kangaroo banged on the door of the family's home in Morwell, Gippsland in southeast Australia after discovering the farmer lying unconscious in a field.

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Mario
Newborn Calf Survives Being Discarded On Dead Pile
by ANC Staff and Farm Sanctuary
Posted on September 26, 2003

Mario and Teddy Bear

Against unbelievable odds, a newborn calf named Mario, who was discovered recently on a dairy farm's dead pile, has survived and gone from pain and despair to a new and happy life at an animal sanctuary. A rendering truck driver, who arrived at the dairy farm to pick up dead cows, was horrified and distraught to find the 45-pound Jersey calf helplessly lying atop a stack of corpses, alive and healthy except for an injured leg. It was clear to the driver that Mario had been discarded not only due to the injury, but because, as a male calf, he was considered worthless by the dairy and undeserving of humane euthanasia. Though accustomed to the ugly side of animal agriculture, the driver was so deeply disturbed and moved by Mario's plight that he immediately called friends on his cellphone to ask them for help getting Mario to California's Farm Sanctuary. Placing Mario gently on the front seat of the truck, he drove him away from the horror of the dead pile toward his new future.
Mario's Story

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Great News! No More Lethal 'Dog Labs' at UCSD
This fall, students signing up for basic physiology and pharmacology classes at the School of Medicine at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), will not be performing invasive procedures on live domestic canines. Up until this semester, dogs were used in six-hour teaching labs and were killed once the class was over.
Says UCSD professor Larry A. Hansen, M.D., "UCSD now joins the nation's best medical schools, all of which have done away with crude, obsolete labs and replaced them with more exciting, clinically relevant, and humane teaching methods. Medical students are learning to preserve and prolong life, and the lethal dog labs ran counter to that basic goal."

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Breaking News From PETA.org
Saturday, September 20, 2003
Subject: FW: Iams Cruelty
PETA launches international campaign against Iams after years of the company's empty promises to improve its treatment of animals used to test Iams products. A recent PETA undercover investigation revealed deplorable conditions at an Iams contract laboratory. At least 27 dogs were destroyed, while others died of illnesses that went untreated, despite assurances from Iams that no animal in any Iams test would ever be deliberately killed.
For more information, visit:
Iamscruelty.com
Cincinnati-based The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G), which is notorious for animal testing,
is the parent company of Iams, which is based in Vandalia.

Other "Pet Food" Companies: Menu Foods

Pesticide Testing on Animals
Pesticides are by far the most extensively tested substances on the U.S. market, and are already required to undergo dozens of separate animal-poisoning studies before they are marketed, which spells suffering and death for at least 9,000 rats, fish, birds, and even dogs. Now, the Environmental Protection Agency?s (EPA) pesticide office wants to raise the body count even further by expanding its ?data requirements? for pesticide chemicals, including the addition of a test for ?developmental neurotoxicity,? which kills upwards of 1,300 animals at a time.

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ETERNAL SLEEP
A Poem from qcgreyhoundadoption.org
I've never recommended a heartwrenching poem that makes me cry when I read it and everytime I think about it forever after, but to me, this poem perfectly describes the true "value" of animals, in the eyes of some....

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SHARE?
Ask Governor Davis to VETO AB 396,
a bill that would open up thousands of acres of private lands to sport hunting!
AB 396 would require the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) to create the Shared Habitat Alliance for Recreational Enhancement or SHARE Program -- a program that would offer financial compensation to landowners who permit hunting on their property. Proponents of the bill, including Safari Club International, California Waterfowl Association, The California Sportsman's Lobby, and the California Rifle and Pistol Association argue that this bill is necessary to "increase hunter access and opportunities."
However, AB 396 is actually an attempt to expand sport hunting in California. Specifically, it would:
Significantly increase killing of wildlife. While California regulations set "bag limits" for hunting of some species, there are no limits for many other species. By promoting more hunting on private lands, species with no "bag limits" such as coyotes, raccoon, fox, and skunk could be killed in even greater numbers.
Ignore the interests of the majority of Californians. Hunting is a dying sport in California and across the nation. Less than 1% of California residents hunt. According to the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2001 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, substantially more Californians enjoy wildlife watching than hunting. The agency concluded that 5.7 million California residents participated in wildlife watching activities while only 278,000 hunted. The FWS report also noted that hunting expenditures in California totaled just $315,207,000, while wildlife watching expenditures in California totaled $2,580,874,000.
This bill has passed both Houses and is on the Governor's desk. Please tell Governor Davis to VETO this inhumane bill.
Click here to view a sample letter and TAKE ACTION NOW! Please be sure to add your own personal comments to the letter.

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PUFFINS & WALRUSES
Bristol Bay, nestled just north of Alaska's Aleutian Island chain, is described by the National Marine Fisheries Service as the "single most important region of the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf for the conservation of marine mammals and endangered species and the protection and management of fishery resources."
Save Puffins and Walruses in Alaska From Oil Pollution
Bristol Bay, home to the world's premier walrus breeding areas and a critical habitat for many fish, seabirds, and marine mammals, is in danger of being destroyed by oil drilling. Tell your senators and representative to protect Bristol Bay.
Join the nearly 30,000 Americans who have already taken ACTION!

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Get Animals Out of Yahoo! Auctions
Despite its policy stating that ?any item that infringes the rights of a third party? is prohibited from being listed or sold, Yahoo! Inc.?s Auction site for Taiwan has been allowing the sale of dogs, cats, birds, and many other animals. Please contact Yahoo! Inc. officials to politely let them know that animals are not trinkets or objects and that selling any live animals is unacceptable.

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Stop Cruel Tests at Arch Chemicals
Refusing to wait for the results of a test on a chemical that is already under way at the National Toxicology Program?s (NTP) National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences laboratories, Arch Chemicals plans to conduct several tests on the same chemical that will kill more than 700 animals. Please tell Arch Chemicals that this duplicative testing would waste money and?much more importantly?animal lives.

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Horrifying news from the front lines of the fight to protect the whales

After 14 years of respecting the global whaling ban, Iceland has again taken up the harpoon. A few weeks ago, Icelandic whalers brutally slaughtered a young minke whale in the North Atlantic. As I write, three whaling boats fitted with Explosive Harpoons are hunting dozens more whales off the Icelandic coast. To learn how you can stop them, please click here.

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Tell Veterinary Pet Insurance CEO to Stop Killing Animals
The Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI) Company is the number one insurer of companion animals in the United States, but PETA has received reports that the CEO, Jack Stephens, D.M.V., is a ?trophy? hunter and that a lion and a cheetah will be his next victims. Please tell Mr. Stephens that as long as he continues to hunt and kill wildlife, you won?t be using VPI.

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Press for Cruelty Charges Against Sadistic Workers at Tyson Slaughterhouse
PETA received a chilling written, eyewitness account from an ex-employee of a Tyson Foods, Inc., chicken slaughterhouse in Grannis, Arkansas. Virgil Butler described routine cruelty by workers and management, including intentionally scalding conscious birds, blowing them apart with dry-ice bombs, and manually ripping them apart and stomping on them, as well as breaking their legs in order to fit them into shackles that were too small. Please politely ask the Polk County prosecuting attorney to investigate all potential corroborators to the incidents and file cruelty-to-animals charges against all those responsible.

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NAVY?S NEW TARGET: ISLAND WATER BUFFALO
In Guam, the U.S. Navy has hired sharpshooters to kill members of the island?s water buffalo population, claiming that the animals have been INTRUDING on Navy space. Water buffalo are docile animals who were imported to Guam by the Spanish decades ago. Since then, they have become an integral part of island culture, and their ruthless extermination now by the U.S. Navy has shocked and upset local Guam residents.
In the past, the Navy has allowed local islanders to ?adopt? water buffalo calves, and it has also implemented immunocontraception programs (akin to ?birth control? for wildlife) to help control water buffalo numbers. The Navy?s sudden decision to switch over to lethal control of the population is both reckless and cruel and sets a terrible precedent for dealing with wildlife.
What we can do:
Contact the Navy?s Resources Manager for Guam and ask him to stop the massacre of the island?s water buffalo. Tell him to give non-lethal methods, especially immunocontraception, time to work.
Robert W. Wescom
Natural Resources Manager
COMNAVMARIANAS N456
PSC 455 Box 152, FPO AP 96540
Phone: 671-339-4366
Email: n456@guam.navy.mil

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LORD AND TAYLOR TAKING STEPS TOWARD CRUELTY:
Barbaric Fur Trade
The May Company?s ten-year old, anti-fur salon policy is in danger of being undermined. Lord and Taylor, one of May Company?s subsidiaries, is considering opening a fur department in its flagship store in New York. The implications of such a move are obvious: once a fur department is opened in the flagship stores, other Lord and Taylor stores around the country are sure to follow. It may be just a matter of time until other department stores owned by the May Company--- Hecht's, Filene's, and Robinsons-may?follow suit and invest in the barbaric fur trade as well. The death toll from the fur trade has been rising steadily in recent years; let?s not let it rise any further.
What we can do:
Please contact Lord and Taylor and The May Company to express your opposition to the opening of fur departments in May Company or any of its affiliated stores.
Lord and Taylor, Jane Elfers, CEO
424 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10018
Exec. Offices: 212-391-3344 x7789
Julio Rios, Coat Dept Mngr.: 212-827-6057

The May Company
Gene Kahn, CEO
611 Olive Street
St. Louis, MO 63101.
Exec. Offices: 314-342-6300
Email : roycie_earvin@may-co.com (customer service)
Source: hsus.org

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New Site
Aid for Animals
Large selection of gifts, 100% of the net profits go to various animal sanctuarys, from American Sanctuary Association to The Wildcat Sanctuary (including on of my favorites Serenity Springs Sanctuary & Animal Rescue, where Swampy, "the most beautiful potbellied pig you will ever see") lives.

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Software Replacing Animals in Drug Research
The Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), which is located in Lucknow, India, has begun using a computer program that will allow the organization to reduce the number of experiments it conducts on animals by approximately 90 percent.
If you don't think that means much, then you don't know much about Animal Experimentation

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Tell Anheuser-Busch to Sever Its Ties to Cockfighting
Recent visitors to Saipan, a commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, were surprised to find a huge banner with Anheuser-Busch?s Budweiser trademark advertising cockfights on the island. In the U.S., cockfighting is prohibited in all but two states and is a felony in many. Please tell Anheuser-Busch that you won?t buy its products until it stops sponsoring archaic and cruel cockfights.

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Jungle Friends

Samantha is how all of this monkey business began.
"Samantha came on the scene when she was just four months of age,
she lived on my body for the first year of her life."
Kari Bagnall, Director

"Chi Chi is one of the most cherished monkeys at Jungle Friends.
Estimated to be in her late thirties, she is probably the oldest monkey here."
Jungle Friends
Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary
13915 North State Road #121
Gainesville, FL 32653

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In Defense of Animals'
6/27/2003 Victory!! New York State Bans Canned Hunts!!
The New York legislature passed last week a ban on the shooting of tame, exotic mammals for trophies at fenced "canned shoots." The legislation is now on Governor Pataki's desk for him to sign into law. New York State law currently bans the shooting of non-native mammals only if they are staked, tied, or kept captive on ten acres or less.
This last piece of legislation bans the trophy shooting of these animals in captivity regardless of acreage. The legislation, S2735 and A4609, was sponsored and led to victory by Senator Frank Padavan of Queens and Assemblyman Scott Stringer of Manhattan.
Canned hunts are promoted under a variety of names such as game ranches, hunting preserves or shooting preserves. Don't be fooled by the conservation type name. Canned hunts are cruel and barbaric. In many cases the animals may be shot within pens or cages, giving very little opportunity for the animal to escape. Some game animals are tied to a stake or drugged for an "easy" kill. The types of animals vary from native species such as elk and deer to exotic animals such as zebras, Corsican rams, blackbuck antelope, and water buffalo.
Visit The Fund for Animals
for more information.
Source: IDAUSA.org

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GE Brings Suffering and Death to 2,600 Animals
One of the worst offenders in the EPA?s notorious high production volume (HPV) chemical-testing program has been General Electric, which, time and again, proposes to kill large numbers of animals in chemical toxicity tests while ignoring existing data and public comments on its testing proposals.
Please contact the CEO of GE and tell him that GE does not ?bring good things to life? when it condemns thousands of animals to painful, slow deaths by poisoning.
Jeffrey Immelt, Chair and CEO
General Electric Company   One Plastics Ave.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Tel.: 203-373-3214     Fax: 203-373-2884
E-Mail: Jeffrey.Immelt@corporate.ge.com
 Kathleen.Lorenz@corporate.ge.com

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Burger Business Ready for Big Time
Two veteran carnivores are about to franchise their vegetarian eatery, Mr. Goodburger's.
From their small restaurant on Queen and Alakea streets downtown, which opened in February 2002, two local entrepreneurs are getting ready to shake up both the fast-food world and vegetarians nationwide.
Source: Honolulu Star-Bulletin

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Downer Cows Investigation
Meat From Dying, Sick Or Diseased Cows Getting into Food
They're called "downers," getting that name because healthy cattle walk into the slaughterhouse but the "downers" are too ill or injured to do so. Downers are delivered by pick-up truck horizontally, in a pile of manure. This meat gets to your dinner plate with the help of some hoisting and dragging. Video shot by KIRO Team 7 Investigators raises serious questions about the quality or safety of this kind of beef.

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SAVETHETIGERS.com
7/11/03
This website is devoted to covering the facts behind the current criminal case surrounding John Weinhart and his "Tiger Rescue" in Colton, California.
Be advised that you may find some of the content on this site offensive and graphic. This case involves animal neglect to an extent that most people are not used to seeing. We are not censoring any of our materials - we believe that the truth must be told - and the truth IS offensive and graphic.
Please understand that this isn't about animal rights. This is about a man who exploited these animals while giving them grossly substandard care which led to the slow and painful death of so many. His actions (or rather lack of actions) are not just morally horrifying, they are criminal.

UPDATE ON MASSIVE TIGER CRUELTY CASE:
6/19/2003
In one of the largest animal cruelty cases ever uncovered involving captive wildlife, prosecutors have filed sixty-three criminal charges, including sixteen felony animal cruelty charges, against John Weinhart, the former operator of Tiger Rescue. The charges stem from the discovery of nearly ninety dead animals and several dying animals, mostly tigers and other big cats, during a raid on the property last April. (see HUMANElines Issue 245). Fifty-eight of the dead animals found were small cubs whose bodies had been stuffed into freezers, and the remaining dead animals were found scattered about the property. Chuck Traisi of The Fund for Animals' Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, where several of the rescued tiger and leopard cubs are now recovering, said, ?You had to walk through feces to get anywhere. There were bodies everywhere . . . It was like out of a horror movie." The formal indictment of Weinhart on so many criminal charges, especially the multiple felony animal cruelty charges, is a great step forward in the prosecution of cases involving captive wildlife, where often the cruelty aspect is ignored.
WHAT WE CAN DO:
Send your thanks to Riverside County deputy district attorney Paul Dickerson for his diligent investigation and work on this case. Let him know that you how important his work is to you, and especially to the animals.
Paul Dickerson
Riverside County Deputy District Attorney
4075 Main St 1st Fl
Riverside, CA 92501
Fax: 909-955-5469
You can also take this opportunity to support the Captive Exotic Pets Safety Act, which will help put the brakes on the trade in exotic ?pets? such as tigers, lions, and other big cats. Contact your U.S. Representative and your two U.S. Senators and ask them to cosponsor H.R. 1006 and S. 269, respectively.
All federal legislators can be reached through the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121, and you can identify their names at Congress.org or by calling The HSUS at 202-955-3666.

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"DON'T FEED THE BEARS ACT"
HSUS
The trophy hunting lobby and bear hunting guides and outfitters are pulling out all the stops to block passage of H.R. 1472, the ?Don?t Feed the Bears Act,? which will be the subject of a hearing in the House Resources Committee on June 12th. The bill, introduced by Reps. Elton Gallegly (R-CA/23rd) and James Moran (D-VA/8th), directs the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to adopt anti-feeding regulations that would prevent bear baiting on federal lands (as the National Park Service and Fish & Wildlife Service have already done). The Safari Club International and the U.S. Sportsmen?s Alliance are testifying against the legislation, and they are organizing calls to members of the House and Senate. Baiting is a favored technique of hunting guides and outfitters, who set up dump sites on federal lands and provide easy opportunities for fee-paying and unskilled trophy hunters to shoot bears feasting on jelly doughnuts, rotting meats, and grease and honey. Baiting is not only an unsporting practice, but it also habituates bears to human food sources, encouraging dangerous and damaging encounters between people and bears. The Forest Service and BLM warn visitors to ?never feed the bears,? but they allow baiting on federal lands in the states that allow the activity.
WHAT WE CAN DO:
Call or fax your U.S. Representative and urge him or her to cosponsor H.R. 1472, the ?Don?t Feed the Bears Act.? It is especially important to contact your Representative if he or she is on the Resources Committee. Look the members up at Congress.org
Also, call your two U.S. Senators and urge them to co-sponsor the ?Don?t Feed the Bears Act? when it is introduced. You can reach your legislators through the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121. To identify their names and members of the House Resources Committee, check Congress.org or call The HSUS at 202-955-3668.

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CALIFORNIA
KANGAROO BILL DEFEATED.
5/29/2003
California activists: Give yourselves a hand--make that two!! Because of your superb efforts, the California Senate Natural Resources and Wildlife Committee did not approve SB 233 - the inhumane piece of legislation introduced by Senator Hollingsworth. This bill would have repealed the current penal code that prohibits the sale of kangaroo, crocodile & alligator skins/body parts in California. Currently, the sale of these skins is a violation of California State Law.
Please send a note of thanks to the four out of seven senators who voted against this bill.
Click here to do so now!

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Armchair Activism
How would you like to help animals in impoverished areas while never leaving the comfort of your computer chair? The HSUS and Care2.com have teamed up to launch the "Race for Pets in Need" section on the Care2 web site. The race is only a symbolic one, but the urgency is real. With each click of the mouse on the "Race for Pets" section, you will help raise money for The HSUS's Rural Area Veterinary Services, which delivers desperately needed veterinary services to underserved areas in the United States and abroad.
Source and more information: HSUS
Follow this link to Race for Pets
and visit every day.

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The Animal Rescue Site
It takes less than a minute to go to this site and click on "feed an animal in need" for free. This doesn't cost you a thing. Their corporate sponsors/advertisers use the number of daily visits to donate food to abandoned/neglected animals in exchange for advertising. We can do this once a day, so let's do it.

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From: AnimalsAsia.org
4/11/2003

To: Jody@JodysJungle.com
Update: China Bear Rescue
As the news each day focusses on the war and the SARS virus, we are heartened to receive messages from people around the world who still very much have the animals in their thoughts and hearts. The Animals Asia team remain healthy (thank goodness) and working tirelessly on programmes in Asia to help wild and domesticated species in the region. The past few months have been particularly hectic in completing the first phase of our sanctuary in China, seeing the joyful release of the first group of Moon Bears into bamboo forest - and receiving more pitiful, caged victims of the barbaric bear bile trade. We urge you to read our latest update on the website which, whilst acknowledging that there is still a long way to go, is also showing that incredible steps are being made on the issue of bear farming as a whole:
AnimalsAsia.org
The animals are so easily forgotten during these times of sad and depressing news - more than ever they need your help as the simple truth rings home: funding = freedom...... Please pass this message to family, friends and colleagues, so that our valuable work in Asia can continue.
As ever, grateful thanks for all your support, Jill
Jill Robinson MBE
Animals Asia Foundation
Hong Kong

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SKINNED!
As you may recall, Famous Players, Canada's biggest movie exhibitor, is advertising Pappas Furs Designers Ltd., Canada's largest independent furrier. With public disapproval of their decision to promote the fur trade mounting, Skinned! has taken its campaign against Famous Players to at least eleven cities across Canada. We need YOUR help to intensify our efforts even further by:
1) Asking people to sign our on-line petitions at: gopetition.com   and   PetitionPetition.com
2) Requesting animal rights, or other sympathetic businesses or groups to link to our petitions on their websites.
If you are able to help with the campaign in your city, please contact Raheema Vasudevan at pup63@hotmail.com
Your continued support is very much appreciated.
Raheema Vasudevan
Skinned!
BanFur

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DANCING BEAR SANCTUARY OPENS

Rani
Agra, India   March 2003
28 bears have been given a new lease on life at WSPA's newly built sanctuary in India. Before the sanctuary was built, they were forced to "dance" on the hot, dusty streets to entertain tourists. The gypsies who used to own the bears have been provided with job training and the tools they need to make a living without their bears. Read more about this win-win story! Click here.

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Puppy Mill Booklet
To give people more facts and figures about puppymills, Hearts United for Animals/HUA has created a thirty page booklet. You can download the booklet at their website

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HELP PROTECT A CRITICAL WILDLIFE CORRIDOR
The Bureau of Land Management's Dillon Resource Area encompasses 900,000 acres in southwest Montana. Areas within this landscape are increasingly used by grizzly bears and also serve as a critical wildlands bridge between Greater Yellowstone and ecosystems like central Idaho's Salmon Selway to the north. The BLM has begun a planning process that will determine the fate of important wildlife habitat, protections for roadless lands, management of off road vehicles, and eligible Wild and Scenic Rivers over the next 10 to 15 years. For more on how to become involved please go to:
Dillon Resource Area

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"The LA Times recently ran a shocking article entitled: "Chinese Zoos: Burden of Beasts in China; many captive animals face starvation, overwork, abuse and death. When private zoos fail, the results can be devestating." Once Animals Asia was alerted to the plight of these poor zoo animals, Jill (our Founder), Gail (our Veterinary Director) and Hugh (our interpreter) set off with 6 sacks of dog biscuits to help alleviate the immediate suffering of these animals and to investigate further.
Following a horrendous 8 hour journey by road from Guangzhou, they were involved in a horrible, scary head-on collision with a couple on a motorbike, who went into the car windscreen and ended up unconscious on the dual carriageway. Gail and Jill comforted the two casualties, who slipped in and out of consciousness, until the police and ambulance arrived. The motorcyclists were rushed to hospital and thank god are apparently doing OK.
The police were wonderful and upon realising why Jill and Gail had made the journey and owing to the damaged car, they promptly offered to drive them the final hour to Yulin Zoo in a police car! The press release and pictures of the Zoo trip can be found at:
Animals Asia
Warm wishes, Annie
Annie Mather
Media Director
Animals Asia Foundation
Hong Kong
And find out more about the historic China Bear Bile Farm Rescue by visiting
Animals Asia Foundation

~

Hope for India's Dancing Bears
India's first bear sanctuary has opened its doors to 16 animals formerly used to earn money as "dancing bears". The sanctuary has been paid for by the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), working with an Indian group, Wildlife SOS. The sanctuary, in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, will hold between 40 and 50 bears when it is full. Less than a year old, a cub may have a rope or chain forced through its nose and most of its teeth removed, without anaesthetic. WSPA says the bears are trained to dance "through a regime of pain and starvation", with few surviving to much more than eight years. In the wild they can live up to three times as long.

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First-Ever Felony Conviction for Cruelty to Farmed Animals
NewsOK.com 1/16/03
A Guymon man has pleaded no contest to three counts of animal cruelty after an animal-rights activist videotaped him beating pigs at a Seaboard Farms Inc. hog farm. Alejo Pena, 30, withdrew his innocent plea Monday and is under supervised probation until his judgment and sentencing, which was deferred until January 2005, Karen Parish, Texas County court clerk, said Thursday. Pena was charged with four felony counts of animal cruelty in September 2001 for beating young pigs with a hammer and a metal gate hook at Seaboard's farm in Guymon. The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, whose activist secretly videotaped the 2000 incidents, said Pena is the first to receive a felony conviction for animal cruelty at a corporate farm.
Source:Compassion over Killing/cok.com
Please write a letter to the district attorney thanking him for taking cruelty to farm animals seriously and for filing the charges.
Write to:
Don E. Wood
District Attorney for Texas County
319 N. Main St.
Guymon, OK 73942
Peta Investigation

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Wildlife Conservationists Forming Militia
Permission to Shoot Poachers in Africa
ANC.org
IRINnews.org
National Geographic
Bushmeat Crisis Task Force

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Civil Disobedience in Sweden
Three wise Swedish people have lit a candle against the largest evil in the world - the slaughterhouse. Killing centers, abattoirs, slaughterhouses, knackeries or whatever you want to call them, are more entrenched in our midst than Hitler's holocaust could ever dream of. The trauma and sheer extent of never-ending slaughter is overwhelming. Now three young people filled with faith and resolve have stood tall at the front line and said NO.
Source: Bye Bye Meat Industry

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FREE ME
"For those who still have not seen the presentation made by the Portuguese website
Pelos Animais please check this link.
Please note: the images are cruel.
(to see the presentation you need to have Macromedia Flash installed.)
Those who want the music can download it from my website:
International Web Against Bullfights"
For The Animals
Maria Lopes
December 2002

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Subj: Great news from Animals Asia!
Date: 12/17/2002
From: info@animalsasia.org
To: jody@jodysjungle.com
Yesterday saw the Official Launch of the Animals Asia "Moon Bear Rescue Centre" in China with the opening of the first phase of our bamboo forest sanctuary for the bears. We have pleasure in enclosing our PRESS RELEASE with the full story. Most exciting of all is the fact that today the story of Animals Asia's work with the bears is splashed all over television and print media across China!!! This is a major breakthrough for our China Bear Rescue and we believe is another giant step on the road to ending bear farming forever!
Heartfelt thanks for your support and faith in our work.
Warm wishes,
Annie
Annie Mather
Media Director
Animals Asia Foundation
Hong Kong
Bile-Siphoned Bears Given Refuge
CBSNEWS.com

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Bear Bile Farming
Of the 8 species of bears in the world, all except the giant panda have seen their numbers reduced as a result of the bear bile trade. The Asiatic Black Bear (Ursus Selenarctos) is most impacted through the demand for bile acid. This species of bear is more commonly know as the Moon Bear as a result of the beautiful yellow crescent on their chest. They are listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) as Appendix I, the most critical category of endangerment.
In countries across Asia, bears, surgically implanted with catheters into their gall bladders, are confined in restraining cages so that bile can be extracted and used as cures for ailments spanning headaches to hemorrhoids. The surgery to insert the implants is crude and unsanitary and many of the bears die as a result. Those that survive spend the rest of their lives suffering a confined existence in tiny wire crates, where they cannot even stretch, enduring painful daily extraction of their bile.
Only a small percentage of the medicines produced are accepted as efficacious by eminent traditional Chinese medical practitioners, who stress that all bear bile products can be replaced by herbs or synthetic alternatives which, they say, are cheaper, more readily available and just as effective.
Tragically, because of the market saturation of bear bile, many farmers have now turned to producing non-essential products, such as throat lozenges, shampoo, wine and tea, in order to utilize the surplus. The products have no benefit to health, but allow the farmer to continue making a profit using the symbol of a majestic species and the trusting minds of naive consumers.
In a major breakthrough in our campaign to free thousands of bears suffering on farms throughout Asia,
The Animals Asia Foundation
and Chinese Authorities have signed a new agreement which will see 500 suffering endangered Moon Bears rescued from the worst farms in Sichuan Province.
Importantly, the goal of this agreement is to work towards the future elimination of bear farming in China, and pledges to promote the herbal alternatives to bear bile. Because of this unprecedented partnership, 500 bears are being rescued. The Animals Asia Foundation has agreed to pay a level of compensation to the farmers in an effort to ensure that none of these bears are slaughtered for their parts and to help impoverished farmers move into alternative areas of employment. The Sichuan government is passing the original copies of all confiscated licenses to Animals Asia and a countrywide policy in China ensures that no new bear farm licenses are being issued."
Follow the Rescue

Meet Belton, on stretcher, awaiting surgery.

"Belton Kleberg has the affection of all in the team - with a missing back limb from being snared in the wild, but with front paws the size of snowshoes - has now perfected his original trick of hurling his bowl across the floor in gleeful anticipation of food - his consuming passion! Unbelievable trust from a bear whose gallbladder was removed by the shocked surgical team after it was found to contain over two liters of pus stained fluid."

Belton's first steps in freedom

What we can do to help
AnimalsAsia.org Rescue

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Canned Hunt Bill
Today (11/14/02) the Senate Judiciary Committee passed by voice vote the Captive Exotic Animal Protection Act, a bill to combat the practice of private ?canned hunting? operations throughout the United States. S. 1655, which was introduced by Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE), is now ready for a vote in the full Senate. The U.S has as many as 1,000 canned hunts ranches, facilities where trophy hunters pay a set fee to shoot tame or habituated animals in a fenced enclosure, typically in a ?no kill, no pay? arrangement. While gazelles may sell for $800, other exotic animals such as African lions and giraffes sell for fees ranging into the thousands of dollars.
For more information on canned hunts including a "price list" go to: HSUS
What we can do:
Thank Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) for moving the canned hunt bill through his committee:
Phone: (202) 224-4242
Fax: (202) 224-3479
Email: senator_leahy@leahy.senate.gov

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The Humane Activist Network
Do you wish you knew more about the legislative process and how you could become an important part of it? Would you like to become a member of our team of activists and work in concert with thousands of others who care deeply about protecting animals and are in a position to make things happen?
Join the Join Humane Activist Network
Source: HSUS.org

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I would like to introduce you to Swampy, a more beautiful pot bellied pig you will never see!
JodysJungle.com is his sponsor at Serenity Springs

But there are many other animals waiting for sponsers.

~

Keiko

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Reminder
Animals are still caught, broken, trained, beaten, chained & deprived
all for your entertainment.
Is that alright with you?

CIRCUS ANIMALS

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When Doves Cry
If you, or someone you know, is thinking about releasing doves at a ceremony as a sign of hope and inspiration, please read the following letter which was published in The Asbury Park Press (NJ) on 7/20/02... "A dove landed in my driveway the other day. This snowy symbol of peace and love was starving to death. Doves that are released in celebration or memorial are raised domestically. They are hatched and fledged in cages, cared for and fed by humans. When released, they have no way of knowing how to feed themselves and so they die. Release of domestically raised birds should be outlawed. It is hardly a fitting tribute to a tragic loss or a bride and groom to use the dove as a symbol of hope, only to kill it."
Source: The Animal Spirit

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The Animal Legal Defense Fund continues to push for a long lasting legal solution to the problems of cruelty and other atrocities animals endure. Join The Animal Legal Defense Fund As a member of ALDF, you're an essential part of the nation's most effective animal advocacy group. ALDF's highly skilled attorneys and more than 100,000 members and supporters are dedicated to winning animals the legal protection they so desperately need -- and deserve.

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Korean Dog Meat

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What Do Cows Eat?

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Promoting Compassion for America's Most Abused Animals
SentientBeings.org
a Farm Sanctuary Campaign
Industry's Attitude:
"The breeding sow should be thought of, and treated as, a valuable piece of machinery
whose function is to pump out baby pigs like a sausage machine."

"The slatted floor of the hog factory farm seems to have more merit than disadvantage. The animal will usually be slaughtered before serious deformity sets in."
"We are a business, not a humane society, and our job is to sell merchandise at a profit. It's no different from selling paper-clips or refrigerators."

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"While not everyone who abuses animals will become a serial killer;
virtually every serial killer first abused animals."
Dr. Randall Lockwood, Psychologist, Vice President, The Humane Society of the United States

FACT: Animal abuse is now recognized as a sign of mental disorder. FACT: 70% of those who have been convicted of abusing animals have also been convicted of violent or anti-social crimes against people. FACT: Twenty-nine states now treat some form of animal abuse as a felony, up from five in 1986. Even more are expected to follow suit. Source: The Center for Mental Health Services

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VEAL
HARD ROCK CAFE International
has joined the quickly growing list of over 100 establishments who have pledged to Not Sell Veal. Many restaurants are speaking out against the unnecessary cruelty of WHITE VEAL production.
Please send an email thanking The Hard Rock Cafe International for their compassionate choice.
customer_care@hardrock.com

In order to produce veal, young calves are taken from their mothers and chained by the neck in crates measuring just two feet wide. They cannot turn around, stretch their limbs, or even lie down comfortably. This severe confinement makes the calves' meat ?tender? since the animals' muscles cannot develop. Scientific research indicates that calves confined in crates experience ?chronic stress? and require approximately five times more medication than calves living in more spacious conditions. It is not surprising, then, that veal is among the most likely meat to contain illegal drug residues, which pose a threat to human consumers. Researchers have also reported that veal calves exhibit abnormal coping behaviors associated with frustration. These include head tossing, head shaking, kicking, scratching, and stereotypical chewing behavior. Confined calves also experience leg and joint disorders and an impaired ability to walk.

Veal calves are fed an all-liquid milk substitute which is purposely deficient in iron and fiber. It is intended to produce borderline anemia and the pale-colored flesh fancied by "gourmets." At approximately twenty weeks of age, these weak animals are slaughtered and marketed as "white" veal (also known as fancy, milk-fed, special-fed, and formula-fed veal.)

For more information about this, or other Farm Sanctuary campaigns,
please visit Farm Sanctuary.org
or call 607-292-3030
&
Veal Production @ All-Creatures.org

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BOYCOTT PREMARIN

Foal, now known as "by-product"

An Unnecessary and Cruel Drug. Learn why Premarin and Prempak-C, drugs made from the urine of pregnant mares, should be replaced by safer and less cruel alternatives.
PREMARIN

Giving American Women the Compassionate Choice. Get a closer look at the industry that considers its pregnant mares as "working girls" and the tens of thousands of baby foals born every year as expendable "by-products." Also, find out more about the cruelty-free alternatives to Premarin.
United Animal Nations Anti-Premarin Campaign

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The Rodeo - America's Answer to Bullfighting
S.H.A.R.K. along with every other national animal protection organization in the United States, is working to put an end to the rodeo, an abusive spectacle that has no place in a civilized society.

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~Extreme Cruelty~
Some of the cruelest things in the world are done in bullrings, at festivals, even in the name of patron saints...too horrible to have here, too horrible to ignore.
Bullfighting - Shame of Humanity
One of the most violent rituals of cruelty toward animals is the FARRA DO BOI
Loosely translated as 'Ox Fun Days'. This event involves the torture and killing of dozens of animals in 23 coastal communities throughout the Brazilian southern state of Santa Catarina, including the capital city of Florianopolis.

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"If you agree that a dog or cat (or a chimpanzee or lion or gorilla) is significantly different than a book or a car or your shoes, then the notion that they should be treated differently in the eyes of the law is common sense. That animals see, hear, breathe and feel is undisputed -- books, cars and shoes do not. The idea of guardianship versus ownership flows naturally from the distinction and simply recognize

"When we return wild animals to nature, we merely return them to what is already theirs. For man cannot give wild animals freedom, they can only take it away." ~Jacques Cousteau~

~

BARNEY THE LOBSTER

Source: BBC NEWS Oct. 17, 2001
William Cooper, head chef at the Kaspia restaurant in Mayfair, central London, said the 96 centimetres (3ft 1in) long lobster was too big to cook. "I couldn't bring myself to do anything with it because he has been around much longer than I have." (Barney was returned to the sea on Wednesday.)

I love this story! Especially because the chef takes lives everyday, for a living, and yet he spared this one. I know this is the kind of thing that gets people labeled as "Animal Rights Whackos"...but I still love this story! Here is the address, in case any other of you other "whackos, hanky twisters, tree huggers, etc." want to write Chef Cooper a thank you....
William Cooper, head chef
Kaspia Restaurant Mayfair, central London
Kaspia 18-18a Bruton Place
W1 0207 493 2612

About JodysJungle.com The reason I started JodysJungle in 1997, (which was first called "Welcome To My Backyard" and consisted of one page) was to tell people that they can do simple little things to help wildlife in their own backyards or window gardens or decks. Plant a wildlife friendly garden, hang a feeder, put out a container of water. I also had many animal issues and wanted to share my concerns with others. Since I've been on the web, I have run into hundreds of other animal causes. So my site seems to wander without focus. However, the focus is animals. It is for those of us who love and want to do whatever we can for them. It is for those of us who are aware of animals. All of them, even the skunks! Almost everyday I receive mail from animal welfare groups. The problem I have is that they feel compelled to include the most gruesome photo's and stories. I am already involved with animals and am fully aware of mans inhumanity. I hope to have a page that does not horrify anyone. If you care about animals, you already know the bad news. You do not need graphic images that will never leave your mind. You just need to know that you may be able to help and that others are trying. It's up to you to determine the value of a web page. If you are affected by something you read and you write a letter, sign a petition donate to a cause, pass on the information, put out a container of water or hang a bird feeder only then does the page have value. My one page has turned into approximately 30 pages and unfortunately is still growing. So many things have not changed, so many animals still suffer, this web site has not made a difference. I believe what may have helped a little is petition signing, letter writing, emailing, (hopefully encouraging others to do the same) and donations to animal organizations. My proudest moment was when I earned enough money on eBay to underwrite a well for the Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee. I have donated to the Free Arna fund, adopted monkeys, helped porcupines, pot bellied pigs, dogs, cats, on and on. I am not able to raise funds as a charitable organization because I have never applied. I raise funds myself and donate as I see fit. P.S. I receive email from hunters and other carnivores, why they are at my site I couldn't say. But they are just as offended by me as I am by them. And they don't get my point. I realize man will never stop eating animals or exploiting them. I just want them to realize that all the suffering is not necessary.

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