Meet North Carolina's Dr. Death

Dr. Death Ralp W. Houser, DVM

Ever wonder why North Carolina has so many county-funded Animal GASSING and HEARTSTICK facilities?

Well, it's thanks to this Hitler incarnate, Dr. Ralph Houser, DVM, North Carolina Animal Rabies Control Association board member and owner of Carolina Veterinary Consulting, he MANUFACTURES and SELLS these gas chambers all throughout county-funded animal shelters in North Carolina! Well, no wonder they haven't made headway getting this atrocity abolished, this scum is lining his pocket with government money. How sick is this?

Guess what else he does? He offers seminars, classes to show how to use these devices and brings victims to each seminar and class. He GASSES and HEARTSTICKS 6 victims at a minimum for demonstration purposes. Dogs and cats are brought from local shelters of his choice tortured and killed in front of a live audience.

Here is a brochure on his classes and seminars.
http://www.ncarca.com/PDF/2008-07-22Houser-Euthanasia.pdf

Dr. Death's Bio:
Born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Ralph W. Houser, DVM, received degrees in psychology and veterinary medicine from Michigan State University. After managing farms in Michigan and North Carolina, Dr. Houser founded and operated two veterinary practices in North Carolina. In 1987, he opened Carolina Veterinary Consulting to provide consultative and educational support to private individuals, animal control, law enforcement, health departments and other government agencies.

Dr. Death serves as the veterinary consultant to eight animal control agencies, four law enforcement agencies and five health departments. He has provided training for the Department of Defense, the Department of Justice, the U.S.D.A. and the R.S.P.C.A. in Great Britain. Dr. Houser is a certified instructor in the use of Cap-Chur chemical immobilization equipment, is certified as a Wildlife Damage Control Agent (kill the animals). He is also an At Large Board Member of North Carolina Rabies Control Association.
Dr. Death Ralph Houser
10020 S.NC 87
Pittsboro, NC 27312
336-376-8134 office
336-376-0770 fax

And....below these are all of his cronies and disciples, North Carolina Animal Rabies Association- this organization has it's hands in all of the animal welfare legislation in North Carolina. They control the laws through this joke of an organization and directly line Dr. Death's fat pocket....


http://www.epi.state.nc.us/epi/vet/pdf/snreportsummary0107.pdf


Statistical Data of NC Kill Shelters can be viewed here:http://www.epi.state.nc.us/epi/vet/pdf/snreportsummary0107.pdf


North Carolina's Gas Shelters Map not including Heartstick facilities:
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=103883427940135972934.00047b16c28d96ab72fec&z=7


____________________________________________________________________

North Carolina's Pet Population Methods
by Denise LeBeau

Peter MacQueen III is president of the Humane Society of Eastern North Carolina and has been compassionately advocating on the behalf of the companion animals of North Carolina for over 20 years. One of his greatest goals is to see the abolishment of the gas chamber, a device that is still so prevalently used in North Carolina on the dogs and cats that can't find homes before their 'time is up.'

It's a tough topic, and Animal Control in most rural areas is just one notch above waste management as far as funding and resources go. Most of the general public don't even realize that gassing unwanted pets still goes on, let alone at their local shelter!

"Why do seemingly decent people ignore, or worse, condone, this mistreatment of animals in an animal control facility?" asks Peter. "You can't even dignify them by calling them shelters. Things are changing slowly, but not fast enough considering the lack of care and inhumane euthanasia that these animals face everyday. People have begun to take notice and object to this treatment, but the majority of people don't seem concerned. When complaints are made the government stonewalls or ignores it until complaints subside then it's back to business as usual. Also, there's so many issues concerning Carolinians today, from the environment to child abuse, the general public generally only fight for what effects them, their 'hot buttons.' Even the animal rescue community insulate themselves against the horrors of gassing," he laments.

To make matters worse, it is commonly believed that one person is responsible for the fact that shelters and animal control facilities are using anything but euthanasia by injection (EBI) in the state of North Carolina. That is Dr. Ralph Houser, DVM, North Carolina Animal Rabies Control Association board member and owner of Carolina Veterinary Consulting, who not only advocates for the use of gas chambers on companion animals but manufactures and sells them, too!

Dr. Houser has also ingratiated himself into the Animal Control community with his "down home" rural speech, and his "us against them" propaganda. Whoever doesn't like to see animals suffer needlessly before they die, is seemingly a bleeding heart liberal sissy. His tactics could be looked at as manipulative...reminding us of another time in history that deftly played upon people's fears. Like many who will urge people to resist change, he plays the game with stealth-like accuracy.

The guidelines he most often cites in recommending the use of gas chambers as an acceptable form of euthanasia are from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA,) which is viewed by many as somewhat outdated considering that the last report on this issue came out in 2001. The AVMA report gives clear cut protocol on the proper way to euthanize animals, and that's where Houser and the guidelines part company. He likes to use the AVMA report to sling around as some kind of shield, but when it comes down to implementing their recommendations for a humane euthanasia, Houser consistently refutes and contradicts their suggestions.

"Further more," as Peter points out, "no where in the AVMA report does it mention animal control facilities, shelters, or rescues for their use of gas chambers. It is specifically guidelines for use in a veterinarian's office. And it's estimated that about 98% of the animal control facilities in North Carolina do not have a veterinarian on staff."

Even more disturbing is Houser's seemingly nonchalant attitude toward the obvious suffering animals endure during their time in his gas chambers. He's been allegedly overheard at North Carolina Animal Rabies Association meetings talking about the number of animals you can shove into his chambers, this is not in accordance with the AVMA's report on the small number of animals that can safely be euthanized at once from gas. He also suggests putting puppies, kittens and sick animals in there too. Again a no-no from the AVMA, his words that have been conveyed to me were to the effect of "if the animal can take a breath he can be gassed."

The recent number of animals that have survived a gassing and either found alive when being removed from the chamber, or found alive at the garbage dump by civilians is alarming! It is believed that the reason Dr. Houser recommends going against the AVMA report is because the gas chambers quickly lose their argument of "cost effectiveness" when used properly. In 2003, Sampson County Animal Control adopted out puppies to a lady looking for pets. She took the pups home and they started getting sick. After spending thousands of dollars on vet bills, she went back to the facility only to be told that the puppies had been gassed and survived! She had not been told this prior to having taken the animals, it's hard to tell whether it was a mere oversight or callously intentional.

In subsequent inspections, it was determined that the gas chamber in Sampson County had been leaking “a citation was issued and that was it. It is apparent that not only is it inhumane towards the animals but it is dangerous to the shelter workers. The gas is odorless and it's physical effects are cumulative! Plus they are never inspected regularly, actually they're practically never inspected at all. There are 'regulations' that come with the gas chamber but they are not routinely inspected, and when the chambers are inspected “ the equipment is just looked at, it is not during a gassing procedure.

A number of states have eliminated or banned gas chambers but no state has banned EBI! Lee Hunter, Director of Animal Welfare, North Carolina Dept. of Agriculture, Veterinary Division was recently put in charge of enforcing the Animal Welfare Act. Hunter is allegedly quite friendly with Houser, and the animal control officers are all his colleagues. There are no experts on euthanasia in the department, and they are vying to get Houser as the certified euthanasia trainer for the animal control facilities of North Carolina. It is undetermined what Houser's qualifications are regarding humane euthanasia, other than his financial vested interest, and the fact that he's a self appointed expert; he is above rules and regulations and the Animal Control community trusts that he is telling them the truth.

But for Houser, it's all business! If an Animal Control decides to switch to EBI, he'll let them use his medical license to procure the drugs. It is purported that Moore County did this, and that there are allegedly other counties that did the same, Houser chooses the laws he abides by, by his pocket. He also teaches courses on cruelty to ACOs, and has also been publicly questioned regarding a demonstration in New Bern where he killed sixty animals during the class. New Bern is a small town and sixty animals is a lot for them to have at one time. The question is: what rules and protocols were broken to facilitate this demonstration? Perhaps either animals were not held the requisite three days, or animals were held longer in order to be put to death in this learning forum, but there is no concrete evidence to prove any misdoings.

Houser also allegedly advocates the use of another excruciatingly painful means of euthanasia: the intracardial (chest) injection, or as it's commonly known as, the heart stick. When used correctly by caring, compassionate, trained professionals it can be less traumatizing than the gas chamber. Unfortunately this is often not the case! There are three drugs that need to be administered at just the right time for it to be relatively painless. However, reportedly according to Houser, you can forego the sedatives and just go to the paralyzing death drug where the animal remains fully conscience while it slowly dies. Again cost effectiveness seems to be his main concern, or rather selling point “money is at the crux of all his actions, the welfare of the animals he has taken an oath to entrust does not seem to factor into any of his actions."

Taxpayers are the ones footing the bill for this cruel mistreatment, and if more of them knew that their tax dollars were funding all of this, more than likely they'd be outraged. It has been proven that there are cost effective, humane options available. The public needs to be better informed what is happening in their own communities. The sooner this happens the needless suffering will surely end.
Copyright by Denise LeBeau
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Meet Grace - She Survived Being Gassed in one of Georgia's gas chambers.

Amazing Grace

Reported by WTOC:

You always hear cats have nine lives, but a Hinesville dog is starting on her second. Animal Control was putting her and three other dogs down, but after 30 minutes in the gas chamber, she still survived.

People who run the Liberty County Humane Shelter say they're not sure how, but they're hoping her story can serve as a catalyst for shutting down the gas chamber for good.

Watching her tail wag Friday afternoon you would never guess what horror this happy-looking dog had gone through just a day earlier.

Deborah Palpal-Latoc, with LCHS, says "It will never leave me. I have had nightmares and don't think I'll ever forget this as long as I live."

Palpal-latoc saw first hand. When a chamber filled with carbon dioxide failed to kill the two year old dog, she helped pull her out of the cage and get her to a veterinarian.

"the dog above her -- it's bodily fluids were dripping all over her," recalls Palpal-Latoc with tears in her eyes. "And she was cowering and scared and foaming at the mouth and trying to get out."

Now the dog, who's since been named "Amazing Grace," is serving as an example.

People at the humane shelter say gas simply isn't a humane way to euthanize stray dogs.
01/11/10 Reported by WTOC
Copyright WTOC
________________________________________________________________

Our mission is to spread Grace's story anywhere and everywhere to reach people of influence, Oprah Winfrey or Ellen Degeneres! Anyone with enormous influence and following to expose...

America's Dirty Little Secret and Deepest Shame.........

Locked away like prisoners, in cement cells, they lay. Amidst their pain and sadness with gentle eyes they wait. Silenced forever. They die. And for what crime? No crime, they are just homeless.

Not even executed humanely as in the worst of criminals. Instead, piled into gas chambers one on top of another, to end it all, in the cruelest of manners. And for what crime? No crime, they are just homeless.

In their peaceful hearts, they yearn only for acceptance, a needle is plunged. Target practice for the inexperienced. Will they complain? Never. And for what crime? No crime, they are just homeless.

We, in America impose such sentences of depravity and inhumanity not even on condemned criminals, but instead on animals. Why? What crime? No crime, they are just homeless.

Do you love a companion animal....do you love a pet? Then pass it on!
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Gaston puppy saved from being gassed by HelpSaveOne.org


Below is a rescue effort of massive proportions that took place on January 22, 2010 at the Gaston County Animal Control located in North Carolina, which contains the most gassing facilities out of all the states. This effort was organized by HelpSaveOne.org.

This is just one of the most despised county-funded animal shelters in North Carolina. This state has been recently under fire for the recent corruption of the Robeson County Animal Shelter, and it currently has the most gassing facilities out of any other state in our country.

The Gaston Rescue Experience: http://www.facebook.com/notes/bay-state-rock/the-gaston-rescue-experience/264023913756


Photo album of Gaston Rescue effort: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2033690&id=1059785853


North Carolina Gassing Facilities Currently in Operation:

Rowan County Animal Control
Cabarrus County Animal Control
Gaston County Animal Control
Yadkin County Animal Control
Union County Animal Services
Davidson County Animal Control
Randolph County Animal Control
Iredell County Animal Control
Craven-Pamlico County Animal Control
Brunswick County Animal Control
Wilkes County Animal Control
Lincoln County Animal Control
Ashe County Animal Control
Nash County Animal Control
Granville County Animal Control
Person County Animal Control
Johnston County Animal Control
Vance County Animal Control
Beaufort County Animal Control
Sampson County Animal Control
Lee County Animal Control

------------------PERMISSION TO CROSSPOST IN ITS ENTIRETY-----------------

Maryland advocates push for stronger animal abuse laws

Animal abusers should face tougher punishments and restrictions on
owning pets, according to proposed legislation in Maryland, which
ranks near the bottom in the country in terms of animal protection
laws.

Two state senators are proposing to lengthen the maximum potential
prison time for those convicted of a misdemeanor animal cruelty charge
from 90 days to one year and increase the maximum potential fine from
$1,000 to $2,500.

The bill also would allow a judge to prohibit someone convicted of
animal abuse from owning another animal in the future.

--
full story:
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/Maryland-advocates-push-for-stronger-animal-abuse-laws-8732864-81035017.html

Lawmaker mulls bill to make animal abuse a felony

NASHVILLE — Tennessee Rep. Janis Sontany is considering legislation
that would make abuse of any confined animal a felony.

The Nashville Democrat recently visited the Tennessee State
Fairgrounds and viewed 82 nearly starved horses and two mules that had
been moved there last week after being found in squalid conditions on
a Cannon County farm.

Sontany told The Tennessean that farm animals were not included when a
measure that addressed dog and cat abuse passed the Legislature
because of objections from farming community representatives.

--
full story:
http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20091202/NEWS01/91202011/Lawmaker+mulls+bill+to+make+animal+abuse+a+felony

Mobile, Alabama takes steps to ensure speedy rescue of abused dogs and cats

Most city and county Animal Control officers in Alabama find their
hands tied when they are confronted with a clear case of animal abuse
or neglect, lacking any legal authority to remove the animal in
danger; due to a state law authorizing only law enforcement officers
or an appointed agent to seize the animal from the owner.

On Tuesday, Mobile City Council took action on behalf of dogs and cats
subjected to cruelty and neglect by voting unanimously to appoint The
City of Mobile Animal Shelter Director Ellen Lursen as an agent, with
power to order pet owners to provide proper care for their dogs and
cats, or to immediately confiscate pets in imminent danger. The
endangered pet can now be taken directly to Mobile Animal Shelter for
care and treatment while waiting for a hearing of the case.

--
full story:
http://www.examiner.com/x-21809-Mobile-Animal-Welfare-and-Protection-Examiner~y2009m12d3-Mobile-Alabama-taking-the-right-step-in-rescuing-animals-from-abuse

Lawsuit Filed to Halt Huge Wild Horse Roundup

Mass roundup of Nevada Wild Horses Inhumane and Illegal, Suit Charges


Washington, DC - In Defense of Animals (IDA) and ecologist Craig
Downer today filed suit, in the federal U.S. District Court for the
District of Columbia, to stop the Bureau of Land Management's proposed
massive roundup and removal of more than 2,700 wild horses from public
lands in Nevada. The roundup, slated to begin in early December, will
take virtually every wild horse living in the Calico Complex Herd
Management Area in northwestern Nevada. It is by far the largest of
any wild horse roundup planned by the BLM for Fiscal Year 2010.

"This suit aims to halt the inherent cruelty of the BLM's wild horse
roundups, which traumatize, injure and kill horses, subvert the will
of Congress and are entirely illegal," said William Spriggs, Esq., a
partner at Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney and lead counsel on the law
suit. The firm is representing IDA and Mr. Downer on a pro bono basis.

The suit alleges that the BLM plan to utilize helicopters to
indiscriminately chase as many as 2,738 of the estimated 3,095 Calico
horses into holding pens violates the Wild Free Roaming Horse and
Burro Act, passed unanimously in 1971. The Act designated America's
wild horses and burros as "living symbols of the historic and pioneer
spirit of the West," specifying they "shall be protected from capture,
branding, harassment, or death … [and that] to accomplish this they
are to be considered in the area where presently found, as an integral
part of the natural system of public lands.”

"Americans strongly support protecting wild horses on their natural
ranges in the West." Mr. Spriggs continued. "We hope to stop the cruel
roundups and mass stockpiling of wild horses and burros in government
holding facilities while the Obama Administration crafts a new policy
that protects these animals and upholds the will of Congress and the
public’s desire to preserve this important part of our national
heritage."

Since 1971, the BLM has removed over 270,000 horses from their Western
home ranges and taken away nearly 20 million acres of wild horse
habitat on public lands that were protected by Congress as being
"necessary to sustain an existing herd or herds of wild horses and
burros ... and ... is devoted principally ... to their welfare." The
policy is based on the unsupportable claim that Western ranges cannot
sustain wild horses and burros. These animals comprise a tiny fraction
of animals grazing the range. An estimated 8 million livestock, but
only 37,000 horses and burros, graze on public lands.
Thirty-two thousand wild horses who have been removed from the range
are already held in government holding facilities, and the BLM intends
to round up 12,000 more horses in FY 2010.

House of Lords backs measures to end capture of wild monkeys by laboratory dealers and to restrict monkey experiments

Every year thousands of monkeys are torn from the wild and their families to restock breeding colonies in factory farms in Asia and Mauritius that supply European laboratories. A new report published by the House of Lords EU Committee has this week backed proposals by the European Commission to end the practice.

Animal Defenders International (ADI), who gave written and oral evidence to the Lords EU Committee inquiry into the revision of the EU Directive 86/609 on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes, has welcomed this and several other recommendations by the Lords.

Earlier this year, following intense lobbying by primate suppliers and primate experimentation facilities, the European Parliament seriously weakened European Commission proposals to end the wild capture of monkeys by dealers and to restrict primate use.

The House of Lords, who received submissions from laboratories, including Huntingdon Life Sciences, and monkey suppliers involved in wild capture, have backed restricting experiments on monkeys to life-threatening and debilitating human diseases and supported a phase out of the use of monkeys born of wild caught parents, albeit "monitored closely".

Tim Phillips, ADI Campaigns Director who gave evidence to the Lords' Committee, said: "10,000 monkeys are used in experiments in Europe every year, most of these are born of parents snatched from the wild. Europe is therefore continuing to fuel the capture of thousands of wild macaque monkeys to stock breeding farms in Asia - a region where the species is now in widespread and rapid decline. We have filmed undercover with the monkey trappers, exposed conditions inside the factory farms that feed the labs, and revealed how monkeys live and die inside British laboratories. This is an industry of almost unparalleled animal suffering. We would have liked the Lords to have gone further, but this is clear recognition of the problem. "

The report also included several other measures that ADI has been campaigning to secure including:
* A ban on severe and prolonged suffering during animal experiments;
* Protection of embryonic life forms in the final third before birth (many experiments are performed on chick embryos);
* Compulsory authorisation of all animal experiments - amendments adopted in the European Parliament would mean millions of animal experiments would require no prior authorisation;
* Rejection of any form of notification or tacit approval which would allow animal testing to go ahead without proper safeguards;
* To guarantee uniform standards across Europe, the Committee firmly endorsed arrangements for effective national inspection in Member States, and for a robust role for the Commission monitoring those arrangements.

Tim Phillips continued: "With the Commission, European Parliament and Council currently in trialogue discussions on the revision of the Directive this is a timely and welcome development. This represents very basic protection: That all animal experiments must be justified before they start; that monkeys should not be torn from the wild; that animal laboratories must be regularly inspected; that severe suffering of animals must not be prolonged. What is shocking is that such minimal protection has met with such fierce opposition from the animal experimentation industry."

The new Directive for the protection of animals used for scientific purposes, which was proposed in 2008 to replace the outdated EC Directive 86/609/EC, provides the greatest opportunity in over 25 years to influence the use of animals, and in particular primates, in laboratories.

More than half of all MEPs in the European Parliament signed a Declaration drafted by ADI in 2007, calling for a ban on the use of great apes and wild caught monkeys and for a timetable to phase out all primate experiments.

ENDS

For further information, contact:
Amanda Gent, ADI Press Office, Tel: 020 7630 3340, Mob: 07785 552548
Email: prdesk@ad-international.org


NOTES FOR EDITORS

ADI launched the Save the Primates campaign to secure measures to protect laboratory primates under the revision of the EU lab rules: http://www.savetheprimates.org/

Trialogue Discussions:
http://www.ad-international.org/media_centre/go.php?id=1649&si=12


ADI Technical briefing on the wild capture of primates for research
http://www.savetheprimates.org/files/adiprimatephaseout220409.pdf

----
ADI PR Desk
Animal Defenders International
Millbank Tower
Millbank
LONDON, SW1P 4QP, UK
tel. +44 (0)20 7630 3340
fax. +44 (0)20 7828 2179
www.ad-international.org



Your help urgently needed:
1. Please ask your MP to sign EDM 2179 on wild animals in circuses http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=39429&SESSION=899

2. Please sign our petition to replace animal testing in Europe http://www.ad-international.org/petitions/

Thank you!
www.ad-international.org

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www.YouTube.com/AnimalDefenders

www.CafePress.com/AnimalDefenders

News Alert: Animal group welcomes UK House of Lords report on animal experimentation in the EU

For immediate release

10 th November 2009

Animal group welcomes the House of Lords report on animal experimentation in the EU

The BUAV, the UK 's leading organisation campaigning to end animal experiments, has today welcomed aspects of the report published by the House of Lords EU Committee. The Committee carried out an enquiry into proposals to revise EU Directive 86/609 on the protection of animals used in experiments.

The report is the result of an analysis of submissions of oral and written evidence provided by all stakeholders, including the European Commission, researchers, the pharmaceutical industry, academic and funding bodies representatives and animal protection groups including the BUAV. The Council of Ministers (EU Member States representatives) is currently discussing the European Commission proposals, and it is expected that it will adopt its position within the next few weeks.

The Committee's report shows their position is in line with the European Commission proposals. The BUAV believes this report shows promise and represents an improvement on the latest provisions adopted at the European Parliament last May and the current proposals on the table of the EU Council of Ministers.

The report contains some important provisions such as the requirement for all animal experiments to receive authorisation by governments and calls for strict limitations on the use of non-human primates (although the BUAV believes strongly, as does the public, that primates should not be used at all). Key conclusions include:

· the use of primates should be restricted to life threatening/debilitating conditions

· a move towards the use of second generation captive bred primates

· a ban on suffering which is severe and prolonged

· authorization by governments required for all procedures

However, the BUAV does not believe that the House of Lords has gone far enough; in particular regarding the need to avoid duplicative experiments and on the issue of the re-use of animals.

The BUAV is also calling for the directive to reflect public opinion. A recent opinion poll, carried out by YouGov, in the UK , France , Germany , Italy , Sweden and the Czech Republic found

· 81% of people surveyed agree or strongly agree the new law should prohibit all experiments causing pain or suffering to primates

· 79% of people agree or strongly agree the new law should prohibit all experiments on animals which do not relate to serious or life-threatening human conditions

· 84% of people surveyed agree or strongly agree the new law should prohibit all experiments causing severe pain or suffering to any animal

· 80% of people agree or strongly agree all information about animal experiments should be publicly available, except information which is confidential and information which would identify researchers or where they work

· 73% of people disagree or strongly disagree that the new law should permit experiments causing pain or suffering to cats

· 77% of people disagree or strongly disagree that the new law should permit experiments causing pain or suffering to dogs

BUAV's Chief Executive, Michelle Thew states: “This is a critical time for animals in laboratories across Europe . Although we welcome aspects of the House of Lords report, it would still leave a chasm between public opinion and the reality for laboratory animals'

For further information, please contact Carla Owen on +44 (0)207 619 6965 or Carla.owen@buav.org
or BUAV (out of hours) +44 (0)7850 510 955 or visit our Web site http://www.buav.org/


Notes:

1. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 7139 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 24th February - 4th March 2009. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of the population sizes of the countries surveyed.

2. The Lords has now submitted this report to the Home Office, as the Government Department in charge of the negotiating the UK position on the revised Directive. The Council of Ministers (EU Member States representatives) is currently discussing the European Commission proposals, and is expecting to adopt its position within the next months.

HELP BAN LIVE COYOTE/FOX BAIT DOG TRAINING IN INDIANA

YOUR VOICE NEEDED!


On
November 17th, the Indiana Natural Resources Commission will consider several formal
petitions to prohibit the taking, killing and harassment of coyotes and red
foxes for "penning" purposes and as live bait in the wild.
Current
loopholes in Indiana´s wildlife regulations allow the capture and killing
of coyotes and red foxes by dogs in the wild. Moreover, no rule or law exists
prohibiting the trapping and selling of coyotes and foxes in state or across
state lines to "penning" facilities where these wild canines are
then used to "train" hunting dogs in "running pens;"
this practice is allowed for five months of the year during the furbearer
trapping season. Operators of the running pens often charge a fee for
individuals to "train" their hunting dogs on the captive coyotes
and foxes. This practice - commonly referred to as
"´penning" - violates the concept of "fair
chase" and runs counter to fundamental concepts of wildlife management.
Project
Coyote and the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) strongly support a ban on these
practices. We have garnered the support of many prominent scientists, wildlife
biologists, veterinarians, and attorneys who have joined us in urging the
Commission to ban these practices (see Project
Coyote and AWI´s sign-on letter to the Commission). Moreover, the
Indiana Department of Natural Resources (INDNR) has acknowledged that there are
ecological, ethical, and disease/health related issues associated
with penning.
PLEASE
VOICE YOUR SUPPORT FOR THESE PETITIONS! You do not need to be an Indiana
resident to voice your opinion but you do need to clearly state your city,
state, and country of residence for your comment to be officially considered
(see INDNR´s rules
about commenting). Please write a letter to the Commission urging them to
support these formal petitions to move forward with the formal rulemaking
process to prohibit the taking, killing and harassment of coyotes and red foxes
for "penning" purposes and as live bait in the wild. LETTERS MUST
BE RECEIVED BY NOVEMBER 17TH!
If you
live in Indiana, please consider attending and testifying at the Commission
hearing on November 17th where they will decide whether to move forward to
preliminarily adopt these petitions and move forward with formal rulemaking
procedures. We need a good showing at this hearing! Details:
Date: November 17
Time: 10am (EST)
Place: Fort Benjamin Harrison - The Garrison (Fort Harrison State Park)
6002 North Post Road., Indianapolis, Indiana
More info: www.in.gov./nrc/2354.htm
Letters
should be addressed as follows:
Indiana
Natural Resources Commission
Indiana Government Center North
100 N. Senate Ave., Rm. N501
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2200
Sent via
email: jkane@nrc.in.gov
RE:
Support for proposed rules to prohibit the taking, killing and harassment of
coyotes and red foxes for "penning" purposes and as live bait in
the wild
Dear
Commission members:
As a
concerned citizen who values wildlife, I strongly support the proposed rules to
prohibit the taking, killing and harassment of coyotes and red foxes for
"penning" purposes and as live bait in the wild. I strongly urge
you to move forward with the formal rulemaking process to end these brutal
practices.
POINTS
TO INCLUDE IN YOUR LETTER(please personalize your letter and use your own words
as this will have a much greater impact):
* ETHICALLY INDEFENSIBLE: Capturing, transporting, marketing, and penning wild animals for dog training is inherently cruel and should be banned for this reason alone. Pitting domestic canines against their wild cousins is ethically indefensible. Legislators have had the wisdom to ban dog and cock-fighting - largely on ethical grounds - and "penning" parallels these abhorrent practices. Penned wild coyotes and foxes are often mutilated in a cruel and unconscionable way- as acknowledged by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
* ECOLOGICALLY RECKLESS:Transporti ng and marketing wild coyotes and foxes for penning purposes is ecologically reckless. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources explicitly stated these concerns acknowledging that trade and transportation of wildlife is one of the primary contributors to disease transmission and historically has led to the spread of rabies and other diseases dangerous to wildlife, domestic animals and people.
* COUNTER TO SOUND SCIENTIFIC WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT:Coyote and fox penning is not an effective method of coyote and fox control as acknowledged by numerous and prominent scientists and wildlife biologists. There is no scientific evidence to support the claim that penning operations somehow help reduce coyote/fox populations on a state-wide level or mitigate negative encounters with coyotes or foxes. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources has acknowledged that there are ecological, ethical, and disease and health related issues associated with penning. Moreover, the Midwest Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies passed a resolution in 2008 urging the adoption of state-by-state regulations prohibiting the importation or interstate movement of foxes and coyotes for the purpose of stocking coursing pens or for release and pursuit by hounds outside of coursing pens.
For these
reasons, I urge you to support the proposed rules to prohibit the taking,
killing and harassment of coyotes and red foxes for "penning"
purposes and as live bait in the wild.
Thank you
for your consideration of my comments. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
**FIRST & LAST NAME**
**FULL ADDRESS & COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE**
************ ******
Please
also tell the Indiana tourist authority why this ecologically reckless and
ethically indefensible practice will affect your plans to visit Indiana:
www.in.gov/visitindiana/contactUs.aspx

To view
video clips and photos of this practice see the following links (WARNING:
disturbing and graphic content):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9c0KaLjKrI
coyoteinfo.typepad. com
www.trainingnottorture.org
news.mync.com/site/news/video/6057/ Fox_and_Coyote_ Hunt_Ban
www.youtube.com/user/wildlifepenning
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNVMu8jSYD8
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mom_wMCNshw
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gd94TA58Ag
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbb_nKIy_ i4&feature= rec-LGOUT- exp_fresh+ div-HM
THANK
YOU FOR WRITING AND MAKING YOUR VOICE HEARD! FEEL FREE TO FORWARD AND SHARE
THIS ACTION ALERT WITH OTHERS!
MORE
INFORMATION: www.ProjectCoyote.org
____________ _________ _

Camilla
H. Fox
Founding Director, Project Coyote
Wildlife Consultant
P.O. Box 5007
Larkspur, CA 94977
cfox@projectcoyote.org
415.945.3232 (o)

Fostering educated coexistence between humans and coyotes
A project of Earth Island Institute
visit
us online: www.ProjectCoyote.org
make
a tax-deductible donation:
https://www.earthislandprojects.org/projectCoyote/donate.html

Law student sets sights on defending animals’ rights

The environmental law program brought Cara Hunt to UVic. But she has
ended up dedicating her time on campus to protecting and advancing the
rights of animals.

“Animal law is the pre-eminent social justice issue of our time,” says
Hunt. “More people are going vegan and vegetarian every day.”

Animal law is any legal issue, legislation or case law that relates to
animals and their interests.

Hunt, 35, graduates with numerous awards and scholarships. She sits on
the executive of the animal law section with the BC Branch of the
Canadian Bar Association, and she is a past executive director of the
Student Animal Legal Defense Fund.

--
full story:
http://ring.uvic.ca/09nov05/hunt.html

California eAlert: Schwarzenegger Sides with Animal Abusers

It's time to push for a veto override!

On October 11, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger opted to veto AB 243, a bill that provides broader forfeiture options for animals seized in animal abuse cases, as well as mandating post-conviction possession ban orders (no owning, maintaining, having custody of, residing with, or caring for any animal) for people convicted of animal cruelty, neglect or abandonment. Such laws are already in effect in several other states.

Having received overwhelming bi-partisan support in both chambers of the Legislature, what Schwarzenegger' s veto of AB 243 suggests is a shocking lack of understanding, or just plain ignorance, of the actual language of the bill. But whether through ignorance or intent, his decision to side with the interests of convicted animal abusers over the interests of California's abused animals (and the constituents who love them) is certainly reproachable.

The Legislature has one more chance to fix Schwarzenegger' s blunder - by overriding his veto.

It is vitally important for Californians to contact their legislators and ask them to fix Schwarzenegger' s senseless actions. Contact your representatives today and remind them that justice for abused animals is what is important, and that while animals don't vote, those who love them definitely do.

Thank you for speaking out and taking a stand for animals in California!
Sincerely,

Stephen Wells
Executive Director
Animal Legal Defense Fund Donate to ALDF
Take Action!
Tell the California Legislature to fix Schwarzenegger' s blunder.

Send a letter requesting an override of the Governor's veto of AB 243, a bill to protect abused animals!

Push for a veto override today!
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Support ALDF in our mission to win the case against cruelty. Donate today!
Be a voice for the voiceless. Sign up to be an Anti-Cruelty Team member!
Animal Legal Defense Fund
170 East Cotati Avenue, Cotati, CA 94931
Phone: (707) 795-2533 / Fax: (707) 795-7280 / E-mail: info@aldf.org
Web: www.aldf.org

New Rules Would Crack Down On Puppy Mills

DENVER -- A task force is changing the rules for dog breeders in
Colorado in an effort to crack down on so-called puppy mills without
changing the law.

Puppy mills are substandard mass breeding operations where animal
rights activists have said disease and overcrowding run rampant.

"The animals are kept like cash crops; they're not treated as pets,"
said Holly Tarry, the Colorado state director of the Humane Society of
the United States.

The HSUS has been fighting for tougher anti-puppy mill laws in
Colorado, but a bill that would have limited the size of breeding
facilities was shot down in a House committee this year, after
breeders said it would put them out of business.

--
full story:
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/21369509/detail.html

Proposed D.C. legislation outlines humane treatment for dealing with critters

By Tim Craig

Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 21, 2009

D.C. residents might want to think twice before they use a broom to try to
swat that bat in their garage or set out rat traps to ensnare the opossum
living under their porch.

After being at the complete mercy of man since before Colonial days, wild
animals that roam city neighborhoods could soon have their own bill of
rights.

Council member Mary M. Cheh (D-Ward 3) introduced a bill Tuesday that would
impose new standards to make sure furry creatures that live in or travel
through city neighborhoods are treated humanely.

The
legislation, which Cheh crafted with the help of the
Humane Society of the United States, states "lethal control" of raccoons,
rabbits, bats and other wild animals should be pursued "only when public
safety is immediately threatened" or non-lethal methods have proven
unsuccessful.

"We have raccoons that live in a tree in the immediate neighbor's yard, and
they coexist with us," said Cheh, who lives in Forest Hills. "I think the
first reaction should be, 'Is this really a problem?' "

Cheh's bill exempts "commensal rodents," meaning homeowners and
exterminators will still be able to use traps and poison to kill rats and
mice. But trappers will no longer be allowed to use glue and "body gripping"
traps to catch larger animals.

"It's a form of horrible torture with no release or respite for the
animals," Cheh said.

The proposal does not apply to Rock Creek Park, which is governed by federal
regulations. So the city still won't be able to intervene in the ongoing
debate over whether the National Park Service should allow lethal force to
curb the deer population.

But those coyotes and foxes that have been spotted in Upper Northwest in
recent years will be able rest a bit easier if Cheh's proposal becomes law.

As drafted, the bill applies only to wildlife specialists and professional
trappers. But Cheh plans to have it amended so that it also prevents
homeowners from using inhumane tactics or traps.

"If you can relocate, relocate," Cheh advised. "Euthanasia should be the
last resort."

Right now, it's just a free-for-all in D.C., and people do what they want,"
said Glover, who supports the legislation.

John Adcock, owner of Adcock Trapping Service in College Park, said many of
the regulations appear be standard procedure. But Adcock said he worries
that the Humane Society might have played too big a role in drafting the
regulations.

"We want the critters to have a chance, too, but we don't want homeowners to
have squirrels ready to burn their house down or raccoons tearing up the
attic. We will give them a few days to go peacefully, but after that, we
have to do what we have to do," he said.

If Cheh's bill is approved by the full council, all private wildlife control
officials would have to be licensed to operate in the city, similar to
requirements in Maryland and Virginia.

Under the legislation, a wildlife agent's first goal should be to get the
unwanted animal to leave an area before having to resort to trapping it. If
trapping is required, the operator would be required to check the trap at
least once every 24 hours to make sure trapped animals do not starve.

If an animal needs to be relocated, the trapper should release it within 12
hours. But there is a catch: Trappers should "make every reasonable effort
to preserve family units."

That could require trappers to develop "reunion strategies" for a mother and
her young.

"A wildlife operator shall not knowingly abandon dependent young," the bill
states.

If an animal needs to be killed, a wildlife control specialist would be
required to abide by standards established by the American Veterinary
Association Panel on Euthanasia.

The panel has issued a
39-page report
that outlines which kinds of euthanasia are acceptable for different
animals. Wildlife control specialists who violate the standards would have
their licenses suspended and could be prosecuted on animal cruelty charges.

Cheh's legislation goes into even greater detail when it comes to the
restrictions on efforts to control some species.

If approved, it will be illegal to disturb hibernating bats for the winter.
During the summer, a permit will be needed to remove a colony that contains
10 or more adult bats. It will also be illegal to poison pigeons and
sparrows.

Georgia Call to Action: Senator Robert Brown will call a hearing on November 5, 2009

Georgia Call to Action: Senator Robert Brown will call a hearing on November 5, 2009 at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta, Georgia on the implementation and impact of the Animal Protection Act of 2000 that made some acts of animal cruelty a felony.

Please cross post and send to media:

Georgia Call to Action: Senator Robert Brown will call a hearing on November 5, 2009 at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta, Georgia on the implementation and impact of the Animal Protection Act of 2000 that made some acts of animal cruelty a felony.

Who: Concerned Citizens

What: Hearing on the implementation and impact of the Animal Protection Act of 2000 that made some acts of animal cruelty a felony.

When: Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 10:00 AM

Where: Room 125
Georgia State Capitol,
206 Washington Street, SW
Atlanta GA 30334

http://www.mapquest.com/maps?name=Georgia+State+Capitol&city=Atlanta&state=GA&address=206+Washington+St+Sw&zipcode=30334&country=US&latitude=33.749044&longitude=-84.38922& geocode=ADDRESS

###
Sent by:
Humane Association of Georgia, Inc.
A statewide coalition of humane societies, animal control and rescue groups and individuals.
Visit our website: http://www.HumaneAssociationofGeorgia.

About the organization:
HAGA is known for the Animal Protection Act of 2000 that makes some acts of animal cruelty a felony and the Dog and Cat Sterilization License Plates that and the Dog and Cat Tax Check Off to fund statewide spay/neuter projects. Our formation allowed Georgia to be the first state by law to allow animals in disaster shelter. We were formed to support good animal legislation, provide education about good animal stewardship and help animals in times of disaster. HAGA is a member of the Georgia Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster.

Please join the Humane Association of Georgia. Our membership fee is $25.00 per year. Donations are appreciated. Please make your check out to Humane Association of Georgia, Inc. and mail to the address above. Please let us know if you or anyone you know would like to be added to our email alert list about animal issues. If you have received this message in error or would like to be removed from the list, please contact the sender. Thanks.

WAYNE PACELLE:A HUMANE NATION

In Midnight Hour Schwarzenegger Signs, Terminates Bills
Posted: 12 Oct 2009 12:49 PM PDT
Last night at midnight was the deadline for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to sign, veto, or ignore 700 bills passed this session by the California State Legislature—and seven of them were animal protection measures, including tremendously important measures to ban tail docking of dairy cows, crack down on puppy mills, halt roadside sale of animals, and to strengthen penalties for dogfighting. It was historic output on animal protection for the Legislature, and these reforms came as a direct result of the momentum from the landslide passage of Proposition 2 last November, focused lobbying and organizing by The HSUS and its allies to strengthen policies in America's largest and most diverse state, and determined efforts by animal protection leaders in the Legislature, most notably Senate Majority Leader Dean Florez and Assemblyman Pedro Nava.
Regrettably, Gov. Schwarzenegger continued his schizophrenic record on animal protection, by signing four measures and vetoing three—all of which had strong bipartisan support. An opponent of Proposition 2 last fall, he has shown that he is no advocate of animal protection, and he has worked to hold back our progress in the state during his two terms. Most disappointing, he vetoed a measure to crack down on abusive puppy mills, A.B. 241, which sought to impose a cap of 50 adult unsterilized breeding animals confined in any large-scale dog-breeding factory. Breeding dogs in puppy mills typically suffer lifelong confinement in squalid cages, and the public has only contempt for these operations. Six states this year passed laws to crack down on these factory farms for dogs, and two-thirds of Sacramento lawmakers voted to do the same. Gov. Schwarzenegger stands alone among state executives in protecting this despicable industry. A.B. 241 was one of two bills carried by Assemblyman Nava and vetoed by the governor. The other was A.B. 243, which sought to bar felons convicted of animal abuse from possessing animals. The veto of that latter bill is particularly mystifying.
2009 California Legislation
Signed by the governor:
A.B. 242 (Increases penalties for being a spectator at a dogfight.)
A.B. 708 (Increases penalties for illegal poaching.)
S.B. 135 (Bans tail docking of cows.)
S.B. 318 (Allows for forfeiture of property connected with dogfighting.)
S.B. 428 (Protects seals in La Jolla.)
Vetoed by the governor:
A.B. 241 (Limits number of intact animals a person can maintain.)
A.B. 243 (Prohibits a person convicted of animal cruelty from owning an animal.)
A.B. 1122 (Prohibits the roadside sale of live animals.)
The most encouraging news from yesterday, however, was the signing of S.B. 135, a measure by Sen. Florez to ban the painful and unnecessary practice of tail docking of dairy cows. California is the number one dairy state in the nation, with 1.8 million cows, and tens of thousands of cows in the state are subjected to this archaic procedure, which the California Farm Bureau and California Cattlemen's Association agreed was unneeded. It is the first state ban on tail docking of cows, and it is a reform that other dairy-producing states should adopt. There's no science to support continuing this procedure, and we hope that Sen. Florez's groundbreaking success is the beginning of the end of this practice.
California upgraded penalties for dogfighting in the form of two bills, A.B. 242 by Assemblyman Nava to increase penalties for being a spectator at dogfights and S.B. 318 by Sen. Ron Calderon to allow for forfeiture of assets and equipment used during dogfights. Since the Michael Vick case came to light The HSUS has been determined to channel the anger and awareness generated by the case into productive outcomes and we've helped to pass 27 new laws against animal fighting.
We were also pleased that the governor signed A.B. 708, legislation by Assemblyman Jared Huffman to increase penalties for the poaching of California wildlife—a huge and growing problem. And he had previously signed S.B. 428, by Sen. Christine Kehoe, giving the city of San Diego the authority to protect seals on a La Jolla Beach. But we were disappointed that he vetoed a bill to ban the sale of animals in parking lots and other roadside venues—A.B. 1122, by Assemblyman Ted Lieu. These settings provide an entirely unregulated outlet for unscrupulous vendors to sell countless puppies, kittens, and other animals to unwitting consumers, and are ripe for abuse.
With the governor signing five of these measures, there have been 115 measures enacted into law this year by the states—eclipsing last year's record-setting year of 93 new laws. But it would have been 118 animal protection laws passed this year had it not been for Schwarzenegger's obstinance. The three measures he jettisoned are, as a practical matter, the first three animal protection bills vetoed by any governor in the nation this year. But I guess we should not feel entirely singled out, since Schwarzenegger vetoed 229 bills out of 700 that the Legislature presented to him. His desk is a dead-end for a wide variety of reforms to improve society.
No social reform movement marches ahead without interruption, including our own. The expression two steps forward, one step back comes to mind. But this legislative session in California it was five steps forward, with three steps thwarted. We didn't take any steps back since the vetoing of the three bills leaves current law in place—it's just a set of lost opportunities, and we were so tantalizingly close to progress. As they did with the campaign to pass Proposition 2, California animal advocates engaged in the civic process and the strong bipartisan support the legislature showed for all these measures is a direct reflection of that. Our forward momentum is evident despite the roadblocks that the likes of Schwarzenegger and similar-minded people throw in the way.

Act/ Cop Shoots Deaf, 19-Year-Old Family Cat

KINSHIP CIRCLE PRIMARY / PERMISSION TO CROSSPOST
*10/10/09: Cop Shoots Deaf, 19-Year-Old Family Cat
*

Tobey the cat who was shot and killed by Raymore, MO police.
http://www.nbcactionnews.com/news/local/story/Family-Upset-that-Police-Shoot-Kill-Family-Pet/TsLp8dZtzkKY0AaT8YXgWg.cspx


*=============================================================
EMAIL BLOCKS: Sample letter follows. Full contact info at end of alert.
=============================================================
** TO SEND: COPY/PASTE EMAIL BLOCKS INTO BCC: LINE OF YOUR EMAIL
* TYPE YOUR OWN EMAIL ADDRESS IN THE TO: LINE
* COPY/PASTE SAMPLE LETTER INTO SAME EMAIL.
* Change some words, sign with your name/full address and send!

RAYMORE & CASS COUNTY, MISSOURI OFFICIALS:
info@hsmo.org, rmayberry@raymore.com, eberlin@raymore.com,
jfeuerborn@raymore.com, jalonzo@raymore.com, john.seimears@yahoo.com,
kkellogg@raymore.com, jeffreycox1@comcast.net, mmedsker@hotmail.com,
councilmanadams@yahoo.com, mlewis250@comcast.net, chhubach77@comcast.net,
pkerckhoff@raymore.com, thensley@casscounty.com, hensley@casscounty.com

EMAIL HUMANE SOCIETY OF MISSOURI, THE INVESTIGATIVE AGENCY IN THIS CASE:
http://hsmo.convio.net/site/SurveyACTION_REQUIRED=URI_ACTION_USER_REQUEST SURVEY_ID=1403&JServSessionIda012=pqwxgz88w1.app11d

****KINSHIP CIRCLE CANNOT GUARANTEE ALL EMAILS WILL WORK***
**During campaigns, recipients may change or disable their email addresses.
Emails from government, corporate, or institute websites may be incorrect.
*
*=============================================================
ASK FOR A FORMATTED LETTER (WORD DOC): info@kinshipcircle.org

=============================================================

*Dear Humane Society Of Missouri, Cass County and Raymore, Missouri
Officials:

I am shocked by the Labor Day 2009 shooting death of the Wesner family's
19-year-old cat Tobey in Raymore, Missouri I understand a Raymore police
officer fired two bullets into the elderly cat's head, wrapped the body
inside a plastic bag and tossed Tobey into a city dumpster.

As you know, Tobey had slipped out of his house and roamed into a nearby
garage where a neighbor forced him out with hose spray. Raymore police were
summoned to apprehend a "large, vicious, feral cat." Though Kelly Wesner
describes her six-pound cat as declawed, deaf, and on prescription meds -- a

supervisor directed an officer to "put [the cat] down" in a remote area.
Unbelievably, no one involved with the cat's slaying has been penalized.

I trust that an unbiased internal investigation is underway. If inquiries by

the police department and/or Humane Society of Missouri warrant animal
cruelty charges, these officers should be prosecuted under Missouri Revised
Statues, Chapter 578. Punitive action is reasonable, whether Tobey's killing

stems from malicious intent or stupidity. At the very least, the unprovoked
killing of a family's companion animal denotes police misconduct.

When officers encounter any animal perceived as sick, aggressive, or feral
-- they should know how to neutralize the animal without resorting to lethal

force. I commend Captain Roger Mayberry for arranging such training after
Tobey's death. Officers ought to be able to distinguish anxiety, fear and
protective behaviors from genuinely hostile or diseased behavior. If they
can't, an experienced animal control officer needs to make that decision.

Circumstances in the case do not make sense. If police believe Tobey had
rabies, why did they destroy his head and discard his remains? Certainly
they know that the brain of any potentially rabid animal is preserved for
analysis. Moreover, this was not their decision to make. Strays, even those
deemed dangerous, are taken to shelters rather than gunned down in fields.

Armed law officers displayed an utter lack of judgment. Their response was
inappropriate and demands your utmost attention. Please inform me of any
progress in this disturbing case.

Thank you,
*
=============================================================
FULL CONTACT INFORMATION
=============================================================
*
*Humane Society of Missouri
*1201 Macklind Ave. / St. Louis, MO 63110
HSOM Rescues And Investigations Department: 314-647-4400
fax: 314-647-4317; email: info@hsmo.org

web contact form:
http://hsmo.convio.net/site/SurveyACTION_REQUIRED=URI_ACTION_USER_REQUESTS&SURVEY_ID=1403&JServSessionIda012=pqwxgz88w1.app11d


*Captain Roger Mayberry, Acting Chief of Police
*100 Municipal Circle / Raymore, Missouri 64083
ph: 816-331-0530; fax: 816-331-0564
email: rmayberry@raymore.com


*Eric Berlin, Raymore City Manager
*100 Municipal Circle / Raymore, MO 64083
ph: 816-892-3002; fax: 816-892-3056
email: eberlin@raymore.com


*Jim Feuerborn, Assistant City Manager
*ph: 816-892-3026; fax: 816-892-3056
email: jfeuerborn@raymore.com


*Juan I. Alonzo, Mayor
*109 N. Darrowby / Raymore, MO 64083
ph: 816-331-4504; email: jalonzo@raymore.com


*Raymore City Council
*100 Municipal Circle / Raymore, MO 64083
John Seimears, Ward 1 Council Member: john.seimears@yahoo.com

Kevin Kellogg, Ward 1 Council Member: kkellogg@raymore.com

Jeff Cox, Ward 2 Council Member: jeffreycox1@comcast.net

Mike Medsker, Ward 2 Council Member: mmedsker@hotmail.com

Jeffrey Adams, Ward 3 Council Member: councilmanadams@yahoo.com

Monique Lewis, Ward 3 Council Member: mlewis250@comcast.net

Charlene Hubach, Ward 4 Council Member: chhubach77@comcast.net

Peter Kerckhoff, Ward 4 Council Member: pkerckhoff@raymore.com


*Teresa Hensley, Cass County Prosecuting Attorney
*Cass County Justice Center
2501 W. Wall Street, 2nd Floor / Harrisonville, MO 64701
ph: 816-380-8250; fax: 816-380-8252
email: thensley@casscounty.com, hensley@casscounty.com


*=============================================================
SOURCE OF INFORMATION / REFERENCE LINKS
=============================================================
*
*Kinship Circle member Carol McCormick
*EndCruelty@aol.com
*Raymore, Mo., police shooting of cat investigated
*
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/lifestyle/stories.nsf/pets/story/F3FC4DE15FD1E0738625762F008251C3?OpenDocument
*Raymore police mistakenly kill family cat
*
http://www.kansascity.com/115/story/1437680.html?mi_pluck_action=comment_sub

*Additional information from Kinship Circle Investigative Researcher
*
*
**WEAR IT - *http://www.kinshipcircle.org/store/


*
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ACTION CAMPAIGNS * EDUCATION * ANIMAL DISASTER AID NETWORK
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http://www.kinshipcircle.org/disasters

*SUBSCRIBE NOW – FOR BREAKING NEWS & ACTION:
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*DISCLAIMER: The information in these alerts is verified with the original
source. Kinship Circle does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of
the information or for the consequences of its use. Nothing in this email is

intended to encourage illegal action in whatever country you are reading it
in. Kinship Circle does not engage in, nor support, any form of harassment
or unlawful activity. Nothing in this alert serves to promote such conduct.

Supreme Court to Hear Animal Sex Fetish Case

Kittens, brutality, fetish videos, and dogfighting—these aren't the elements of a twisted cable-television show; they're just some of the factors in one of Tuesday's U.S. Supreme Court cases that will kick off the court’s new term. The court will hear the federal government's appeal of U.S. v. Stevens, a circuit court's overturning of a 1999 federal law that makes it a crime to create, sell, or possess depictions of animal cruelty for commercial gain. If the court reverses the lower court's decision and reinstates the law, images showing the intentional torture or killing of animals would be deemed illegal. But technically, so might depictions of bullfighting in Spain or fishing and hunting out of season.

Sexual-fetish videos called “crush videos” became an Internet craze in the late 1990s, picturing women in their bare feet or high heels crushing to death small animals such as mice or kittens. Congress passed a law in 1999 to outlaw the production of the videos, and distribution of them came to a halt. Though the law has been in effect for years, no one was ever prosecuted for producing a crush video. Instead, in 2004, a Virginia man was the first person to be indicted under the law for selling what he claims is an educational film.

Robert Stevens is a self-described dog trainer, author, and documentarian. He owned and operated Dogs of Velvet and Steel, a business he claimed provided books, videos, and other materials about training pit bulls. Three films were purchased through the mail by Pennsylvania law-enforcement agents, who were concerned about one scene that pictured a pit bull attacking a pig, and a second clip that depicted pit bulls fighting each other in Japan, where such activities are legal. At trial, Stevens asserted that his videos demonstrated the right and wrong way to train pit bulls for hunting.

Full sarticle: http://www.newsweek.com/id/216740

China Drafts Nation's First Animal Protection Law

BEIJING, Sept. 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The International Fund
for Animal Welfare (IFAW - www.ifaw.org) applauds China for drafting
the country's first animal welfare legislation, which would make
animal abuse and cruelty a punishable offence. A draft of the Animal
Protection Law which outlines the basic standards for treating all
animals in different situations is published online for public
comment, from a legal conference in Beijing, China.

Recently, several Chinese cities have forged ahead with dog culls
citing concerns of rabies, leaving tens of thousands of dogs brutally
killed. Such slaughter would be stemmed should this law be passed.

In addition to releasing the draft animal protection law, changes
regarding China's Criminal Law were also suggested, making animal
abuse a punishable offence.

Millions of animals suffer horribly every year from cruelty in zoos
and parks, on farms, markets and the streets, in laboratories and
during the process of transport and slaughter. Often ignorant about
how animals can feel pain, people treat animals only as a "resource"
and do the cruelest things to them. Foxes are skinned alive for their
fur. Bears have open wounds in their bodies to extract their bile.
Tigers, with their teeth and claws pulled out, are chained to the
ground for picture-taking with tourists. Cats are boiled alive before
they are eaten. Dogs are clubbed and stoned to death in the name of
"rabies prevention and population control."

--
full story:
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/china-drafts-nations-first-animal-protection-law-62358622.html

HOT TOPIC: Should animal cruelty laws be stricter?

ARIZONA, September 28 -- On Wednesday, 191 bills passed by the
Legislature this year are scheduled to become law. Senate Bill 1115
is one of them. The measure, written by Sen. Jonathan Paton of
Tucson expands the current law banning dog fighting to include any
fight in which animals are intended to injure each other.

This bill also bans "horse tripping". The legislature considered a
similar measure last year, but failed to pass it.

Horse tripping is typically done during Mexican rodeos called
charreadas, and involves two cowboys on horseback chasing a horse and
causing the animal to flee. When the horse has reached full speed, a
third horseman lassoes one of the horse's front legs, then stops and
pulls back on the rope, causing the horse to trip forward and smash
full-force into the ground.

--
full story:
http://www.kswt.com/Global/story.asp?S=11211591

Speak up for animals in California!

Encourage Governor Schwarzenegger to sign all of these important pro-animal bills into law. Please take a moment today to contact the Governor's office in support of these bills.
* AB 243 (sponsored by Assemblymember Nava) will provide for broader forfeiture options for seized animals and for mandatory post-conviction possession bans for those convicted of cruelty, neglect or abandonment - meaning they could not own, maintain, have custody of, reside with, or care for any animal.

The provisions contained in AB 243 are vital tools in protecting animal victims from their abusers and in helping to reduce the possibility of new victims.
* AB 241 (also sponsored by Assemblymember Nava) limits to 50 the number of adult dogs or cats that an individual or business which buys or sells wholesale or to the public may possess or control.
* AB 242 (also sponsored by Assemblymember Nava) increases the penalty for being a spectator at a dogfight.
* AB 1122 (sponsored by Assemblymember Lieu) makes it illegal to sell, display, or offer for sale or give away, a live animal on any street, highway, public right-of-way, parking lot, carnival, or boardwalk.
* SB 135 (sponsored by Senator Florez) prohibits the tail-docking of cattle.
* SB 318 (sponsored by Senator Calderon) provides for the forfeiture of certain property acquired through dogfighting.
It will only take a moment to voice your support for these important bills. Call 916-445-2841 and follow the prompts given or send Governor Schwarzenegger an email here.

Thank you for speaking out for animals in California. Together, we are making a difference!
For the animals,

Stephen Wells
Executive Director
Animal Legal Defense Fund Donate to ALDF
Take Action!
This important pro-animal legislation needs your support!

Contact Governor Schwarzenegger today and encourage him to sign all of these bills into law.

Call 916-445-2841

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Animal Legal Defense Fund
170 East Cotati Avenue, Cotati, CA 94931
Phone: (707) 795-2533 / Fax: (707) 795-7280 / E-mail: info@aldf.org / Web: www.aldf.org

Supreme Court to weigh depictions of animal cruelty

In a case that pits free-speech defenders against animal rights
activists, the justices will consider whether the 1st Amendment should
protect depictions of animals being hurt.
...
Reporting from Washington - The video images were disturbing -- a
tiny white kitten singed with the flame from a lighter; a gray cat
struggling beneath a woman's spiked heel; pit bulls tearing into a
trapped animal.

The Supreme Court has often said that freedom of speech includes ugly
and foul language. But this fall the justices will be looking at video
clips like these to decide whether selling films of dogfights or
animal torture is protected from prosecution under the 1st Amendment.

The dispute, expected to be heard in early October, has driven a wedge
between traditional free-speech advocates and defenders of the humane
treatment of animals.

--
full story:http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-cruelty23-2009sep23,0,1482217.story