EP-DECLARATION ON THE WELFARE OF PETS AND STRAY ANIMALS.ACTION NEEDED!

European ParliamentDeclaration on the welfare of pets and stray animals
It's High Noon!

Dear animal lover,
At May, 7th the subscription periods for the Written Declaration on the welfare of pets and stray animals 12/2009 (PDF) of the Members of European Parliament Hammerstein, Hutchinson and Parish ends.The majority of the M.E.P., required to initiate the legislative procedure, sadly has not signed till now.
You can help to obtain a majority for the benefit of the animals.
Call the representatives and ask them to sign the Written Declaration 12/2009.The telephone numbers of the M.E.P. are to be found at the website of the European Parliament.
From May, 4th to 7th the M.E.P attending sessions at Strasbourg.Usually you get through to the representatives by telephone between 9:00 ans 11:45 am and 3:00 and 7:00 pm.
Additionally you could sent a facsimile or an e-mail to the M.E.P.

EU Criticised Over Animal Experimentation Report

Animalwelfare campaigners have accused the European Commission of producing a"scientifically-flawed" and biased report on the need for tougher lawsto safeguard live animals used in research.TheEU-wide European Coalition to End Animal Experiments (ECEAE) willsubmit the 26-page dossier to the European Ombudsman alleging thatBrussels has ignored evidence on the threat facing primates.Andthe RSPCA warned that MEPs must use their votes in Strasbourg torestore tighter measures and reduce the suffering of 10,000chimpanzees, gorillas, orang-utans, and bonobos - the great apes mostlike humans - every year.The proposalscaused controversy in March when supporters of stricter controls blamedintense lobbying by pharmaceutical firms and animal research groups fordiluting "virtually every measure" in the proposal.Michelle Thew, chief executive of the ECEAE, said:"Arecent opinion poll by YouGov in the UK, France, Germany, Sweden, Italyand the Czech Republic showed that 81% of people are opposed toexperiments on primates causing pain or suffering."This issue is enormously important not only for animal welfare butalso for human health."Itis truly unforgivable that the EU should come up with such a one-sidedand unscientific report, from a working group (set up by theCommission) packed with inexpert animal researchers. We are asking theOmbudsman to order the Commission to set up a proper scientific inquiryas a matter of urgency".The Ombudsmaninvestigates complaints of "maladministration" against EU institutions,and an ECEAE statement claimed that "it is maladministration (by theCommission) to set up an inexpert body, heavily biased to one side ofthe argument, and for that body then to produce an unbalanced andunscientific report, ignoring huge swathes of evidence supplied to it."Aseparate RSPCA statement said the organisation feared MEPs would "cavein after pro-animal use lobbyists made exaggerated claims that tougherrules on using primates will lead to live-saving research grinding to ahalt in Europe".(c) ThePress Association <http://www.pressassociation.co.uk/>

Are Animals On Their Way To Becoming A Threat For Humanity?

The recent outbreak of a fast-spreading, contagious disease that istransmitted from pigs to humans, which has so far killed more than 160in Mexico, has raised a question in minds over whether animals arebecoming a potential threat to mankind....Turkish officials have installed thermal cameras in internationalterminals at airports to measure the temperatures of incominginternational passengers as a precaution against swine flu. Theefficacy of the measures at hand is, however, highly disputed.
As swine flu is not the only kind of disease transmitted to humans byanimals, Turkish veterinarians are also discussing whether animals arebecoming a potential threat to humanity.
Professor Tahsin Yeşildere, the head of the İstanbul Chamber ofVeterinary Surgeons (İVHO), said there has been an increase in thenumber of diseases transmitted to humans by animals in recent years.
"According to the WHO, there are around 225 zoonotic diseases [adisease of animals that can be transmitted to humans under naturalconditions]. We see some of these diseases in Turkey as well. Theyhave become more fatal in recent years for a number of reasons, amongwhich we can cite global warming and the lack of necessary measures tocontrol them," he stated.
Several countries other than Turkey have been struggling against anumber of diseases transmitted to man by animals. Among these arebovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), which is commonly known asMad-Cow Disease (MCD) and is a fatal, neurodegenerative disease incattle that causes a spongy degeneration in the brain and spinal cord;avian influenza, also known as bird flu; Crimean-Congo hemorrhagicfever (CCHF), a viral disease carried by certain species of ticks; andthe Hanta virus, which is carried by rodents and causes epidemichemorrhagic fever and severe respiratory infections in humans....03 May 2009, SundayBETÜL AKKAYA DEMİRBAŞ İSTANBUL
--full story:http://www.sundayszaman.com/sunday/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=174190

Ten More Reasons to Protest Harvard _

If our first 10 reasons didn't convince you that you ought to join us
in protesting Harvard this Saturday, here are ten more reasons. This
list gives you some specific examples of Harvard New England Regional
Primate Reserach Center (NERPRC) research. All of these "studies" are
taxpayer funded. If you missed the first 10 reasons, just scroll
through the recent messages.

1. In the US, over 60% of human deaths are linked to cancer, heart
disease, and stroke, all health problems highly linked to consuming
animal flesh and fluids. However, nationwide, over 93% of primate
experiments do not address these disorders. There are literally more
taxpayer funded studies of monkey reproduction and monkey sex than
of heart disease and cancer.

2. Former NERPRC acting director Bertha Madras has spent over 40
years addicting animals to recreational drugs, including cocaine,
speed, heroine, speedballs, and alcohol. She has apparently become so
desensitized to her abuse of animals that one of her actual research
protocols referred to monkeys as "taking the cocaine challenge".

3. Roger Spealman also addicts monkeys to drugs. One of his studies
addicts monkeys to cocaine, breaks them of the addiction,
then "induces social stress" to see if they will re-addict. Frankly,
anybody with an IQ higher than his/her shoe size could tell you that
ocial stress can cause re-addiction. We don't need to spend over 1
million tax dollars to torture monkeys to find this out.

4. Spealman also electroshocks shocks monkeys "in order to sudy
the effects of electroshocks on monkeys". Electroshock has a
notorious history of abuse in human mental institution patients but
has reportedly been refined for use in treating extremely depressed
and highly suicidal patients. As we understand it, even the strongest
of anti-depressants take a couple of weeks to work, too long for
extremely suicidal people, so this treatment may have benefits for
humans if carefully used (we leave that up to you medical and psych
professionals to determine). However, lab monkeys are not humans, and
if lab monkeys are depressed, it's because their lives are living
nightmares caused by humans like Roger Spealman.

5. NERPRC reseacher David Adams has spent a career failing to
transplant pig kidneys and hearts into baboons. Because of the risk
of introducing new diseases into the human population,
xenotransplantation (the term for trans-species transplants) is
extremely controversial even among people who don't care a bit about
animal suffering. Adams, though, has been blithely proceeding along,
killing dozens of two of the most intelligent species on earth with
no success whatsoever. And, just to prove his status as a sociopath
(in our humble opinion), Adams has taken to filming the animals'
dying and broadcasting it on the internet.

6. John Assad has been permantly attaching head restraint bolts to
monkeys' heads so that he can keep them still during his "research"
studies. In 2003, NERPRC actually claimed in federal documents that
zero primates felt pain. It's hard to imagine that having a permanent
head restraint bolt installed is not painful. Assad also has
installed "coils" in monkeys' eyes. We're sure that that's not
painful either.

7. Alberto Palleroni and associates scammed 50,000 taxpayer dollars
to go to a Latin American island to play tape recordings of raptor
(hawk, eagle, etc.) calls to young monkeys to "study their fear
reactions". Concerned about high medical bills and high health
insurance? Why should you be when you know how monkeys react to
frightful stimuli?

8. Another study of lab animal research done by Harvard found that
the "effectiveness" of all but one "enrichment" methods "declined
over time". Enrichment is the feel good BS term for giving balls and
toys to animals subjected to brutal research. The researchers
literally seemed puzzled by the idea that the balls and toys didn't
work as well over time. DUHHHH! The longer an animal is denied all of
his/her basic instincts, the more depressed and neurotic and/or
psychotic that animal will become. If that animal is also subjected
to the abuses of people like John Assad, David Adams, Bertha Madras,
and Roger Spealman, his/her problems multiply exponentially. Even if
that animal is not currently under assault, he/she may hear the cries
of other battered and butchered animals.

The one "enrichment" method that supposedly works is "group housing".
Primates are just as social as humans and are happier and better
adjusted when given contact with other primates. Nationwide, over 35%
of lab animal primates are denied group housing.

9.NERPRC staff has justified all of its BS, horors, and nonsense by
claiming that they are doing cutting edge AIDS research. In fact, the
director, Ronald Derosiers, has gained his position on the basis of
so-called AIDS research. NERPRC press releases have claimed 6 times
in the last 20 years that NERPRC has "developed vaccines against
AIDS". All 6 have failed. 82 of 82 AIDS vaccines that "worked" in
primates have failed in humans. Science, the most prestigious general
science journal in the country, declared AIDS primate research a
failure and dead end as long ago as 1990. Yet Harvard continues to
suck up millions of dollars and torture thousands of animals for this
failed and horrific approach to AIDS research. Multiple breakthroughs
have occurred that help alleviate the suffering and prolong the
lives of AIDS sufferers; none of them have come from abusing primates.

10. Animals are not objects for us to do what we want with; they are
not "things" or "its"; they are not "tools" for research; they are
beings with emotions, desires, needs, and the capacity for suffering.
Even if a primate in a lab is, for some highly unlikely reason, never
subjected to the nightmares of vivisection, that animal is denied all
of his/her basic instincts and is suffering. This suffering is hidden
from public view, denied, and justified as necessary by those who
earn their paychecks by causing this suffering. Please come out this
Saturday to say that this suffering matters.

We hope to see you tomorrow.

For the animals,

Helen and Steve

Farmed Animal Watch: N.7, V.9 *Final Issue*

FARMED ANIMAL WATCH - Text Version
http://www.FarmedAnimal.net
OBJECTIVE INFORMATION FOR THE THINKING ADVOCATE

Sponsored by Animal Place, Animal Welfare Institute, Animal Welfare Trust, Farm Sanctuary, Glaser Progress Foundation, the Humane Society of the United States, and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
APRIL 28, 2009
NUMBER 7, VOLUME 9

FAREWELL: This is the final issue of Farmed Animal Watch. Writing it has been an honor, a privilege, a LOT of work, and truly a labor of love. Sincere thanks go to: our past and present sponsors; Kim Sturla, who conceived and administered the digest; Howard Edelstein, our web wizard; Cat Carroll, Che Green, Hedy Litke, and Suzanne McMillan for previous research and writing; those of you who have suggested news items; and most especially to you, the readers, for your interest in and especially for your concern for farmed animals. The website will remain on-line. The searchable archives provide a valuable repository of farmed animal news and background information. Please avail yourself of it: http://www.farmedan imal.net/ archives. htm


1. 11,000 PIGS BELIEVED TO HAVE PERISHED IN FIRE
2. ANIMAL RIGHTS: WHERE TO DRAW THE LINE?
3. SHELLFISH FEEL AND REMEMBER PAIN
4. FISH PERCEPTION AND WELFARE
5. ANIMALS' "REMARKABLE COGNITIVE ABILITIES"
6. THE INNER WORLD OF FARM ANIMALS
7. THE FACE ON YOUR PLATE
8. RIGHTEOUS PORKCHOP
9. PRISONED CHICKENS POISONED EGGS; BLUEPRINT FOR ACTIVISM
10 FEEDSTUFFS: DEBATING ANIMAL WELFARE
11 VISUAL VIRTUALS


1. 11,000 PIGS BELIEVED TO HAVE PERISHED IN FIRE
Eleven thousand pigs are estimated to have been killed in a fire on April 22nd at an Illinois confinement facility. Some 9,000 piglets are believed to have been among the dead, with the fire having destroyed a building housing mother and baby pigs and another housing pregnant pigs. (Photos and video at the first source below.) The safety of the surviving 2,500-3,000 sows became a concern since electricity was cut off to two remaining buildings where they were housed: http://tinyurl. com/d2p33l The facility, Timberline LLC, is owned by farmers from Illinois, Iowa and Missouri who hired Carthage Veterinary Service to manage it: http://tinyurl. com/ddxfzx The cause of the fire was undetermined. The dead pigs were to be used for non-food purposes or otherwise disposed.

Noting that this is the 2nd Midwest fire within a month in which large numbers of pigs perished (see: http://tinyurl. com/dblo8e ), Farm Sanctuary called for the passage of Illinois Senate Bill 1337 to ban the use of gestation crates and other intensive confinement systems. The organization pointed out that "a power outage for even a few hours quickly creates life-threatening conditions for animals trapped inside" such facilities. It also noted that during flooding of the Mississippi river last year, "thousands of pigs perished in CAFOs irresponsibly built on flood plains."

ESTIMATED 11K PIGS KILLED IN HOG CONFINEMENT FIRE
WGEM, April 22, 2009
http://www.wgem. com/global/ story.asp? s=10233491

FARM SANCTUARY ISSUES STATEMENT ON FIRE AT ILLINOIS PIG FARM THAT KILLED THOUSANDS OF SOWS AND PIGLETS
Business Wire, Farm Sanctuary, April 24, 2009
http://www.pr- inside.com/ farm-sanctuary- issues-statement -on-r1207347. htm


2. ANIMAL RIGHTS: WHERE TO DRAW THE LINE?
"[A]nimal rights are now firmly on the mainstream ethical agenda," Nicholas D. Kristof [ http://tinyurl. com/c7v4n6 ] states in his April 9th New York Times column. He explains how "[f]or most of history, all of this would have been unimaginable, " and credits philosopher Peter Singer with providing the modern intellectual basis for the new sensibility. "Legislation is playing a role...but consumer consciences are paramount," Kristof points out. He continues: "even for those who accept that we should try to reduce the suffering of animals, the question remains where to draw lines." Singer casts doubts on the ability of insects to suffer but gives shellfish "the benefit of the doubt and tends to avoid eating them" (see item #3). While "free-range eggs don't seem offensive to him," slaughter of the male chicks is a matter of concern. Asked to weigh human lives against animal lives, Singer "wouldn't favor executing a human to save any number of animals" but "would be troubled by the idea of keeping one human alive by torturing 10,000 hogs to death."

Five responding letters were subsequently published. Asserting that "Blithe images of all forms of animal production hide the bleak realities," Karen Davis, head of United Poultry Concerns [hyperlink: http://www.upc- online.org ] (see item #9), states: "Hens in all forms of egg production endure an equally cruel execution once their profitability has declined." Irene Muschel contends, "Animal agriculture is inherently inhumane." Cautioning that "it is important to evaluate the reality of our words," she asks: if humans were treated as alternatively raised farmed animals are, would we refer to it as "humane" or "say these people were slaughtered in a `people friendly' manner?"

HUMANITY EVEN FOR NONHUMANS
The New York Times (Opinion), Nicholas D. Kristof, April 9, 2009
http://www.nytimes. com/2009/ 04/09/opinion/ 09kristof. html?_r=1

A MORAL QUESTION ON THE DINNER TABLE
The New York Times, Letters, April 16, 2009
http://www.nytimes. com/2009/ 04/16/opinion/ l16kristof. html?ref= opinion


3. SHELLFISH FEEL AND REMEMBER PAIN
Shellfish are capable of consciously experiencing and remembering pain, according to study results published [hyperlink: http://tinyurl. com/cshzjl ] by researchers at Queen's University in Ireland. Hermit crabs [who are in the same order of crustaceans as are crabs, lobsters and shrimp] subjected to small electric shocks moved out of shells they inhabited so as to escape the sensation and later acted to avoid it. The crabs' behavior was not mere reflex, according to the researchers, but an intentional reaction. Professor Bob Elwood said his research indicates that the welfare of crustaceans used as human food is a "potentially very large problem" which is being ignored, and that legal protection for these animals should be considered (see item #2). (The crabs reportedly were not permanently injured and afterwards were returned to the shore.)

CRABS 'SENSE AND REMEMBER PAIN'
BBC News, March 27, 2009
http://news. bbc.co.uk/ 2/hi/uk_news/ northern_ ireland/7966807. stm

THAT CRAB ON YOUR PLATE FELT PAIN
The Register-Guard, Winston Ross, March 27, 2009
http://tinyurl. com/ckrrw8


4. FISH PERCEPTION AND WELFARE
"During the race of global aquaculture industries, fish welfare needs have been left behind," notes an article for The Fish Site, an industry-oriented website. It continues: "In 1997, the Treaty of Amsterdam agreed that throughout the EU the concept of welfare is the same in fish as it is in mammals and birds and necessary protection should be applied. More recently, the OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health) announced its plan to harmonise standards throughout its 172 member countries (see: http://tinyurl. com/crejro ). Following a request from the European Commission the Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW) panel was asked to deliver a Scientific Opinion on welfare aspects of husbandry systems for farmed fish."

AHAW notes there is scientific evidence that at least some fish species have brain structures potentially capable of experiencing pain and fear. Some scientists suggest that parts of the brain other than the one commonly recognized may have evolved the capacity of generating pain and other emotional states. Fish have shown prolonged response to noxious stimuli, which indicates a psychological component indicative of suffering. Learned avoidance studies also provide evidence that the reaction of fish to frightening stimuli is more than mere reflex. Additionally, oxytocin, a hormone associated with pleasure in mammals, also occurs in fish. Concluding the article on welfare, The Fish Site states: "there are ethical obligations that should be fulfilled."

BECOMING CONSCIOUS ABOUT FISH CONSCIENCE
The Fish Site, Adam Anson, March 2009
http://tinyurl. com/dgw44h


5. ANIMALS' "REMARKABLE COGNITIVE ABILITIES"
"I suggest we humans should keep our egos in check," said Edward A. Wasserman, professor of experimental psychology at the University of Iowa, who led a February symposium on animal awareness at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (see 2nd session: http://tinyurl. com/clh8vq ). Showcasing "the latest empirical discoveries in the field of comparative cognition," the symposium revealed "remarkable cognitive abilities" of birds and mammals, including memory and planning for the future, counting, comprehension of abstract concepts, and tool creation and use. The term "birdbrain," is obsolete and should be replaced by "brainy birds," said Nicola S. Clayton, Cambridge professor of comparative cognition. She noted that there has been a major revolution in the understanding of animal cognition during the last 20 years. "[T]he evidence that we collect constantly surprises us," Wasserman said, "Why we would believe that humans alone have such capabilities is a peculiar and unfortunate arrogance." See also: http://www.livesofa nimals.org

RESEARCHERS SAY ANIMALS PLAN FOR THE FUTURE
Associated Press, Randolph E. Schmid, February 12, 2009
http://www.wtop. com/?nid= 220&sid=1600134

BEHAVIORAL STUDIES SHOW BABOONS AND PIGEONS ARE CAPABLE OF HIGHER-LEVEL COGNITION
RxPG News (University of Iowa), February 12, 2009
http://tinyurl. com/c5m9t6


6. THE INNER WORLD OF FARM ANIMALS
"Chickens can count. Pigs are smarter than poodles. Cows form close friendships. Turkeys know one another by their voices, and sheep recognize faces-of other sheep, and of people. Far from lacking thoughts and feelings, barnyard creatures demonstrate sophisticated problem-solving abilities, possess rich social lives, and feel a wide range of emotions. In other words, they're much like humans in countless ways. And, like us, they suffer physical pain and mental anguish." Abrams continues about its newly published book: "In The Inner World of Farm Animals, Amy Hatkoff combines the latest research on the emotional and intellectual capacities of farm animals with touching-and often surprising-stories [and "soulful photographs" ] to bring their inner world to life."

Introduced by Jane Goodall and with an afterword by Wayne Pacelle,
http://tinyurl. com/cfq8qk, (see item #8) the book has also been praised by Temple Grandin [hyperlink: http://www.Grandin. com ], Peter Singer (see item #1) and others: http://tinyurl. com/dncrze Compassion in World Farming states: "Amy Hatkoff has backed up these [anecdotes] with short passages based on the work of leading animal welfare scientists such as Professors Marian Dawkins and Mike Mendl, showing the unexpected intelligence of farm animals, such as long-term recognition of missing comrades, delight upon discovering a new technique, and ability to operate a computer game." Hatkoff has posted a video clip about the book at: http://www.metacafe .com/watch/ 2123808/the_ inner_world_ of_farm_animals/

THE INNER WORLD OF FARM ANIMALS
Compassion in World Farming, February 20, 2009
http://www.livesofa nimals.org/ 2009/02/the- inner-world- of-farm-animals- book-review/


7. THE FACE ON YOUR PLATE
"After reading Pollan (hyperlink: http://tinyurl. com/claggf ), get your arse kicked by Jeffrey Masson's The Face on Your Plate. You'll never look at meat again," exclaims Mika Bareket of Good Egg, an independent food bookshop: http://tinyurl. com/cxkq7o Washington Post reviewer Jennifer Howard elaborates about the new book: "Masson's message is, Think before you eat. If you believe that eating free-range or organically raised animals and animal products lets you off the ethical hook, think again." In a lengthy interview with Slate magazine, Masson explains: "....when I went to these farms -- especially the mega farms, but even the family farms -- I saw that these animals did not live what I would consider a good life. To me, there's no such thing as a good death. That's a kind of a bizarre euphemism. It's one thing to say that about a human who is 90 years old, but how can a 6-week-old chicken have a good death?" He states in the book: "We rationalize her death by claiming that she had a good life and we are therefore guiltless and entitled to eat her."

The publisher, W.W. Norton, concludes: "The Face on Your Plate brings together Masson's intellectual, psychological, and emotional expertise over the last twenty years into the pivotal book of the food revolution": http://tinyurl. com/djp4yd "Masson presents arguments that fish are as sentient as any other animals," notes Booklist's Mark Knoblauch, "An extensive bibliography and a long list of Web sites that deal with vegetarian and vegan issues are particularly helpful": http://tinyurl. com/ckktxw See also:
THAT'S WHY WE DON'T EAT ANIMALS: http://tinyurl. com/d7mqmh

MEAT THE DILEMMA
The Washington Post, review by Jennifer Howard, April 5, 2009
http://www.washingt onpost.com/ wp-dyn/content/ story/2009/ 04/03/ST20090403 03043.html


8. RIGHTEOUS PORKCHOP
"This book is without a doubt the best piece of writing on animal agriculture I have encountered in 25 years of work in animal welfare and agriculture, " professor Bernard E. Rollin [hyperlink: http://tinyurl. com/569tab ] (see: item #10) raves about Righteous Porkchop: http://www.righteou sporkchop. com "It's an incisive exposé of the modern meat, poultry, and dairy industries," Elizabeth Gettelman writes in Mother Jones, adding that the author, Nicolette Hahn Niman (see: http://tinyurl. com/3assz2 ), "takes on undercover pork lobbyists, tours dozens of manure-infested factories, and eventually sues some of the biggest factory farms in the country for violating the Clean Water Act-and wins." Publisher William Morrow says: "She organizes a national reform movement to fight these practices and shows again and again that livestock farming can be done in a better way-not only for hogs, but also for poultry, fish, and dairy cows."

HSUS's Wayne Pacelle (see item #6) blogs: "Partly because of her extremely unusual background as an environmental attorney, animal welfare advocate, and now a [vegetarian] rancher...Hahn Niman is a formidable figure in contemporary food policy debates, and a staunch advocate of rethinking our relationship with animals reared for food." The book, he writes, is "a highly readable work, too, offering an excellent brief history of the industrialization of animal agriculture, a spirited account of her fight against giant hog factories... an exploration of the connections between industrial fish farming and animal agriculture, an indictment of the failure of environmental agencies to enforce laws against major polluters from industrial agriculture, and a personal account of the challenges of sourcing and purchasing food from farmers committed to humane husbandry." See also: http://www.newsrevi ew.com/chico/ content?oid= 948678 and see:
A STREETCAR NAMED DENIAL - The Conscious Carnivore: http://tinyurl. com/cbgqae

BOOKS: RIGHTEOUS PORKCHOP
Mother Jones, Elizabeth Gettelman, March 31, 2009
http://www.motherjo nes.com/media/ 2009/03/righteou s-porkchop

A RANCHER'S CRITIQUE OF ANIMAL AGRICULTURE
A Humane Nation (blog), Wayne Pacelle, March 30, 2009
http://hsus. typepad.com/ wayne/2009/ 03/righteous- porkchop. html


9. PRISONED CHICKENS POISONED EGGS; BLUEPRINT FOR ACTIVISM
After Prisoned Chickens, Poisoned Eggs [hyperlink: http://tinyurl. com/d8x4ao ] was initially published, in 1996, Dr. Paul Siegel [hyperlink: http://www.apsc. vt.edu/Faculty/ Siegel/siegel. html ] concluded in his review of it for Poultry Science: "[Karen] Davis [hyperlink: http://www.upc- online.org/ karenbio. htm ] (see item # 2) has provided a message to all groups working with poultry, including those of us in research, teaching, and extension. The book's 175 pages provide insights that call for reflection as well as argumentation. " Publishers Weekly said: "Karen Davis has taken on the poultry industry in her thoroughly researched analysis of the gruesome, dirty and brutal lives of factory-farmed chickens": http://tinyurl. com/c6dme8 Another review stated: "The original edition of Prisoned Chickens, Poisoned Eggs became a blueprint for people seeking a coherent picture of the U.S. poultry industry, as well as a handbook for animal rights activists seeking to develop effective strategies to expose and relieve the plight of chickens": http://tinyurl. com/c7847l The original edition can be viewed on-line in its entirety at: (PDF link): http://tinyurl. com/dy9qaw

A 2nd edition of the book is now available, and the publisher writes: "Karen Davis again looks at the horrific conditions these animals face - in spite of free-range and cage-free claims - and at the heightened risks consumers face living in a world in which avian influenza, food poisoning, global warming, and genetic engineering interface with the expansion of poultry production and consumption" : http://tinyurl. com/cv8rnm See also BEAK TO BEAK: http://www.artsando pinion.com/ 2009_v8_n2/ goldfarb- 4.htm

**

THE ANIMAL ACTIVISTS' HANDBOOK
"With only five chapters, a reference section, and three appendices that tackle some philosophical issues surrounding animal welfare, The Animal Activists' Handbook [by Matt Ball and Bruce Friedrich] is a quick one- to two-sitting read that could inspire its readers to a lifetime of activism in behalf of human and nonhuman animals. And while the majority of the book focuses on animal rights, the basic tenets can be applied to any kind of social change," writes Donna Albergotti on The Huffington Post site: http://tinyurl. com/c56pun "The authors build a ground-up case for reasoned, impassioned, and joyous activism that makes the most difference possible, and suggest a variety of ways to live a meaningful life through effective and efficient advocacy," states the publisher, Lantern Books: http://www.lanternb ooks.org/ detail.html? id=9781590561201

BOOK REVIEWS
Poultry Science, P. B. Siegel, February 1998
http://www.poultrys cience.org/ ps/abs/98/ Feb98ab373. html


10. FEEDSTUFFS: DEBATING ANIMAL WELFARE
Feedstuffs, a prominent industry publication, recently featured contrasting essays on animal welfare by professor Bernard Rollin (see: item #8) and industry lobbyist Steve Kopperud [hyperlink: http://www.policydi rections. com/staff. htm ].

"[T]he animal agriculture community has behaved like the foolish athlete in a manner disdainful of its adversaries" and "is satisfied with simply dismissing the opposition or stereotyping and lampooning them," Rollins contends. He discusses how the "community has egregiously misunderstood social concerns with farm animal welfare." In his substantial essay, Rollins explains his assertions that: "The industry grossly misunderstands the concept of animal welfare" and "The industry refuses to act until legislatively forced to do so...behav[ing] like a kamikaze when it turns a blind eye to negotiation. " Rollins concludes: "One additional mantra: `We have to show folks where their food comes from.' Doing this is hardly likely to make consumers more congenial to the industry given issues of animal welfare, environment and food safety identified with confinement operations. Indeed, taking a Manhattan, N.Y., housewife on a tour of a confinement pig operation and a slaughterhouse is likelier to make her a vegetarian than anything activists say. In summary, if the industry wishes to preserve its freedom as much as possible, it should respond to societal ethical concerns, not continue to misunderstand, ridicule and/or ignore them."

Kopperud counters: "To disdain the animal rights movement...is the manifestation of farmer/rancher distrust of and frustration with a political movement that demonstrates daily that it does not care to understand the implications of its philosophy and/or its actions..." He continues: "[O]nce the veneer of `humane treatment' rhetoric is cut away, what's left is an animal rights political agenda every bit as one-sided and dedicated to the elimination of animal agriculture as it has ever been," further elaborating: "[A]pply the animal rights mantra that `if you can't legislate them out of business and you can't regulate them out of business, then cost them out of business,' and you understand the step-wise strategy of the animal rights movement." Kopperud refers to "emotive, exaggerated images of abuse and neglect... coupled with the serious assertion that returning to 1930s farming and ranching is the solution" as "the `big lie' strategy of the animal rights movement." He contends: "the derision with which productivity is described by animal activists is misleading and intellectually dishonest... The problem is that technology has been demonized, and the public has been misled as to exactly what constitutes good animal welfare." Kopperud concludes: "The consumer esteems the rural lifestyle and values and holds the farm family in generally high regard...We must leverage the respect and trust we've earned and re-establish an emotional connection with the customer."

See also OHIO PONDERS CHANCES OF BALLOT INITIATIVE: http://tinyurl. com/c5dst6 and AT THE TABLE WITH AGRICULTURE:
http://hsus. typepad.com/ wayne/2009/ 04/agriculture. html

And see ANIMAL ACTIVISTS ENCOURAGE DISCUSSION:
http://tinyurl. com/ca7wby and CIVIL DISCOURSE MUST BE BASED IN SCIENCE:
http://www.statenew s.com/index. php/article/ 2009/04/civil_ discourse_ must_be_based_ in_science

And HAVING THEIR PORK CHOPS AND EATING THEM, TOO
http://tinyurl. com/d78jte and FILM PROMPTS LOOK BACK AT HOG FARM TRIAL
http://tinyurl. com/db8grr

TWO SIDES OF THE ANIMAL WELFARE DEBATE
Feedstuffs Foodlink, April 20, 2009
http://tinyurl. com/dbm58x


11. VISUAL VIRTUALS
Animal Visuals presents a visual representation of the rate of slaughter of the billions of chickens, cows and pigs killed in the U.S. during 2008. A virtual battery cage can also be experienced on the site: http://www.animalvi suals.org

Farm Sanctuary is making available a 14-level "Virtual Experience" of industry's use of farmed animals, based on the organization' s "more than two decades worth of experience uncovering and documenting agribusiness abuses." Another section introduces some of the "rescued" residents of the sanctuary who now serve as "animal ambassadors" : http://action. farmsanctuary. org/site/ PageServer? pagename= VirtualExperience


------------ --------- --------- --------- -
Compiled and edited by Mary Finelli, Farmed Animal Watch is a free weekly electronic news digest of information concerning farmed animal issues gleaned from an array of academic, industry, advocacy and mainstream media sources. Previous issues are archived at: http://www.FarmedAn imal.net
------------ --------- --------- --------- -
us via post, please send mail to
P.O. Box 6476
Olympia, Washington 98507
United States
.

Watch Thousands Speak Up for Animals in London!-Video

To watch the video,please click the title!

Dear ARAN Members & Supporters;

These are exciting times to be involved with animal rights-Every April 25th
is 'World Day for Animals in Labortatories' and what better way to use this
day then to organize a huge rally to raise awarness for the plight of
millions of dogs, cats, monkeys and other innocent animals who undergo the
most severe acts of cruelty inside labortaries worldwide, including here in
Ireland.

In London, a peaceful rally was organized by a collective of campaigners and
grassroots groups from across the UK. Over 2000 campaigners peacefuly
marched from Hyde Park, down through Trafalgar Square, where people gathered
to hear speech's from campaigners such as Caroline Lucas UK MEP, Richard
Deboo from his political party Animals Count, Andrew Tyler from Animal Aid,
Amanda Richards from SPEAK and many more. John Carmody founder of ARAN was
kindly invited by the organizers to come and speak on behalf of Animal
Rights Action Network and our work for animal rights in Ireland. Luckily for
those of you who could not be there-we have captured the rally and the
speech from John Carmody for all to see. This event was the most amazing
rally and spectable put on by the UK animal rights movement for many years,
It's a must see!

Check out four minutes of exciting footage from the rally that passed
through central London, click here
.

See and hear John Carmody founder of ARAN speak passionately about his work
for animal rights, click here .

ARAN would like to extend our thanks to the UK animal rights movement whom
have been instrumental in organizing such a wonderful, vibrant and of course
peaceful event. Huge thanks also goes to Andre Meneche and Brendan Neil for
working so hard to make this event a huge success-and a truly rememberable
one at that.

To see and feel the compassion and power of these incredible people is
something we hope people around the world will follow. Remember, words mean
nothing, actions are everything! To get active for animal rights in Ireland
get in touch with ARAN today or if you live outside of Ireland, get in touch
with your nearest campaign group

Thank you from us all here at Animal Rights Action Network

'Cruelty to animals must stop. FULL STOP.'

FORMER PETS END UP DEAD IN UNIVERSITY TEACHING LABS

Investigation Reveals Supply Line of Dogs and Cats in Higher Education

(Jenkintown, PA)- April 27, 2009 – A new report, “Dying to Learn:
Exposing the Supply of Dogs and Cats to Higher Education,” documents the
hidden practices of higher education, proving that science lab students
are using former pets at major colleges and universities. It traces the
route that brings dogs like Cruella, a shepherd-mix from Michigan, to an
unhappy end, a victim of dissection, live surgeries and other
procedures, at college and university teaching labs.

“Dying to Learn: Exposing the Supply and Use of Dogs and Cats in Higher
Education” is the result of a two-year investigation of animal
acquisition and use from 92 public colleges and universities in the U.S.
It presents evidence of unnecessary use of animals, and unethical sources.

A comprehensive review of official documents reveals that 52% of the
colleges and universities examined are using live and dead dogs and cats
for teaching and training purposes in life science, veterinary, and
medical education, in spite of viable alternatives available that are
being used by other schools.

All categories of animal dealers supplying dogs and cats to public
colleges and universities have track records of violations of the
federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA), which regulates the care and use of
animals supplied and used in laboratories and other industries. These
violations include inhumane treatment.

Of particular concern are the cats and dogs purchased from random source
Class B animal dealers who collect animals from shelters and pounds,
misleading ads, auctions, and other sources. The United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA) admitted in its 2007 Animal Welfare
Report that “some of these dealers may be trafficking in stolen animals.”

Tracie Letterman, Esq., Executive Director of the American
Anti-Vivisection Society (AAVS), commented, “Congress should act to cut
off the supply of pets to labs by banning random source Class B dealers
and the use of random source animals in general. Immediate action could
be taken by USDA, which has the discretion not to renew licenses for
those random source Class B dealers who are consistently violating the AWA.”
Animalearn Director Laura Ducceschi also expressed concern about those
colleges and universities that obtain cats and dogs directly from local
pounds and shelters. “With the current economic and foreclosure crisis
causing homeowners across the country to lose their homes, the numbers
of pets being relinquished to shelters is drastically increasing. This
puts an ever increasing number of former pets at risk of ending up in
labs. That kind of fate is completely at odds with recent studies
showing that 65% of Americans consider the welfare of pets ‘very
important’.”

Dying to Learn, which was released today by Animalearn, the education
division of AAVS, also documents problems with other sources of dogs and
cats, such as biological supply companies, who sell preserved animals,
and Class A dealers, who breed animals on their premises.

The report has some good news however. Because Animalearn’s expertise is
humane alternatives, the report offers its extensive resources,
including studies showing that students learn as well or better with
cost-effective humane alternatives and/or therapeutic uses of animals.
These include beneficial shelter medicine programs for veterinary
students, ethically sourced animal cadavers, virtual dissection, and
technologically advanced surgical simulations.

Dying to Learn commends the many colleges and universities that have
implemented alternatives and recognizes the pivotal role students have
played in adoption of Student Choice Policies which allow students the
right to choose a humane alternative to harmful animal use. The report
includes ‘how-to’s and samples, including a sample No Random Source
Animals Policies that would prohibit an institution from acquiring
animals from Class B dealers.


Animalearn, the educational division of the American Anti-Vivisection
Society (AAVS), works with educators, students and others to achieve
quality humane science education without harmful use of animals. Visit
www.animalearn.org.

The American Anti-Vivisection Society has monitored the use of animals
in science since it was founded in 1883.

Blind pet pig murdered by hunter

By Michael Tsai
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20090426/NEWS01/904260357
Advertiser Staff Writer

They named him Keller, after Helen Keller, because he, too, was blind.

Though it was never clear who adopted whom, the black-and-white pig who
wandered in from the forest found safety and comfort at the Kamilonui
Place animal shelter run by Gina Lay and Gary Weller.

Lay said Keller knew every corner of the sprawling property, even if he
occasionally did walk into a wall or a tree. He even had a friend, a
part-sharpei dog named Manini, with whom he'd share long naps.

"He'd only known human kindness," Lay said, "so he wasn't prepared for
what happened to him."

According to witnesses, Keller was lazing on the grassy front lawn of
the sanctuary yesterday when a group of hunters pulled up and set their
dogs on him.

The dogs mauled the 35-pound pig until one of the hunters finally
stabbed him to death.

Neighbors called police, who arrested the man who stabbed Keller.
According to one witness, who asked not to be identified, an off-duty
police officer from the area arrived first and drew his gun while
detaining the hunters.

Lay said the man admitted killing Keller and later helped Lay bury the
pig in a mulch heap on the property.

According to Lay, the men had been given permission by another neighbor
to hunt pigs on a separate property far down the isolated road.

Packs of hunting dogs have killed several pets in recent years on O'ahu,
and last year Joseph Calarruda of Makaha was sentenced to five years in
prison for killing Porky, a pet pig owned by Mililani resident Aaron
O'Brien. Porky was stabbed to death despite witnesses' pleas, and at
sentencing, Circuit Judge Richard Pollack called Calarruda's action
"vicious and callous."

While hunting is prohibited in the private valley in Hawai'i Kai, Lay
said she frequently hears gunfire in the surrounding forest and that
several dead or wounded feral pigs have been found nearby.

Lay said she recently found a pig that had been trapped in a snare that
had been left, illegally, in some nearby brush. The pig had chewed off
its own leg trying to get free.

Yesterday was not the first time the sanctuary has lost a pet to hunters.

One Sunday afternoon a couple of years ago, a pack of hunting dogs
chased another pet pig under Weller's house. Weller went outside to
intervene, but not before a hunter ducked under the house, killed the
pig with a knife and ran away.

Weller said the Hawai'i Kai Neighborhood Board, of which he is a member,
has been looking into repeated complaints of hunting dogs attacking pets
on hiking trails in the area.

Weller said he did not bring up the earlier killing in deference to
other board members. The next the time board meets, however, Weller said
"all bets will be off."

"I've never been so mad," Weller said. "Keller was our pet, and this is
very emotional for us. If this were Texas, (the hunters) would be dead
in the front yard. I don't have much in Hawai'i. This property is all
I've got. For someone to come on private property with their dogs and
kill our pet ... "

The sanctuary caters to abandoned, abused, disabled and terminally ill
animals of all sorts. In addition to the 300 or so animals that have a
permanent home at the facility, several feral pigs also visit the site
to feed on the scraps neighbors often leave for them on the side of the
road.

As Lay spoke yesterday, a half-dozen feral pigs and several cats
strolled along the periphery of the property.

"They're very tame, not aggressive at all," Lay said of the pigs.
"People come around all the time to see them, and they're amazed at how
friendly they are."

Several neighbors stopped by the sanctuary to console Lay and her
volunteer workers. Yet perhaps no one was more upset than Keller's nap
buddy, Manini.

Two days ago, Manini gave birth to a litter of puppies. Yesterday, as
the hunters' dogs pounced on Keller, Manini charged out of the house and
attacked the dogs in a vain attempt to defend her friend. She was
retrieved by shelter volunteers, "messed up" but otherwise unharmed.

"We try to be a sanctuary for these animals," Lay said. "But it's hard
to be a sanctuary when animals are slaughtered right on our front lawn."

Reach Michael Tsai at mtsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.

Senator Dean Florez Provides Update on SB 250, The Pet Responsibility Act

The following editorial by Senator Florez was published in the San Diego Union-Tribune this morning. It's a wonderful overview of the pet overpopulation crisis in California and the promise of SB 250.

California's animal shelters and, indeed, our entire pet population are in crisis. Nearly a million unwanted pets enter California shelters each year. More than half are being put to death. For cats in some rural areas, the euthanasia rate is as high as 96 percent.

The emotional toll to those shelter workers and animal rescue volunteers who must decide each day who lives and who dies is incalculable.

The actual cost to shelter and kill these animals each year has reached $250 million and is being borne by all California taxpayers – responsible pet owners, irresponsible pet owners and non-pet owners alike.

In February, I introduced The Pet Responsibility Act – Senate Bill 250 – to focus on the responsible actions that we, as pet owners, can take to greatly reduce the number of unwanted pets, reduce the need for euthanasia and lessen this burden on the state's taxpayers.

Under SB 250, all Californians are encouraged to have their dogs and cats spayed or neutered by the time they are 6 months old. Many will try to paint this measure with the same brush as “mandatory spay and neuter” efforts that have been tried and failed. I myself voted against previous legislation because it usurped personal freedoms and local control. But the underlying goal of responsible pet ownership is a worthy one with multiple benefits to our community, which is why it is time to embrace a different approach.



"This concept has already saved dollars and lives. When Santa Cruz County enacted a similar ordinance, the need for euthanasia dropped 60 percent."

SB 250 allows individuals and responsible breeders to get a license to leave a dog or indoor cat unaltered. Local authorities would have the right to revoke or refuse an unaltered license for violations of their animal-control ordinances.

There would be no “puppy police” going door to door seeking unaltered pets. If you own a pet, and care for and maintain control of that pet, you should never have a reason to hear from animal services.

On the other hand, this measure recognizes that people who allow their unaltered animals to run free, operate back yard puppy mills that dump their “excess inventory” on shelters, or are found guilty of animal abuse or neglect do contribute greatly to the pet overpopulation problem and should not be allowed to keep or obtain an unaltered license.

This is not a new concept; it has been tested and proven to save both dollars and lives. When Santa Cruz County enacted an ordinance similar to SB 250, the need for euthanasia dropped 60 percent.

Hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars that could be supporting schools and improving our overburdened infrastructure are instead being spent to kill unwanted animals brought into this world by a failure of personal responsibility.

Some of us are led by our heart strings, others by our purse strings. Whatever your personal motivation, I think we can agree that reducing the number of unwanted pets and encouraging responsible pet ownership are laudable goals we should all strive for.

To see a video of Senator Florez speaking about SB 250, please click here.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you all for your ongoing support of pro-animal legislation in California.

If you can, please consider making a donation to SCIL to help us advance our important work. SCIL is a 100% volunteer organization and uses donations only to further legislative goals through public awareness and policy advocacy.

DOGS OF ARMENIA - PETITION : Hunde in Armenien

TO SIGN THE PETITION,CLICK THE TITLE!

In Yerevan/Armenia and in districts continues to to kill homeless dogs!
Last year dogs were killed just at the same place where they were found, early in the morning, while people were sleeping, but everyone who cared could listen the shots.
Now dogs are gathered in one place, often suburbs, killed and buried all together.
The worst is that Government of Armenia does nothing to help that animals, they even sponsor it under the pretext that there are too many dogs to spay or neuter. Of course it is cheaper to kill than to sterilize, but it is not humaneness.
They can organize donations, and in that case we would surely help!
We, citizens of Armenia , must help animals.
PLEASE HELP THEM, SAVE THEIR LIVES !!!

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/petition/720077385

bitte zeichnen und weitergeben. ..

gegen das Töten von Hunden in Armenien...es werden 5000 Unterschriften benötigt um was zu erreichen... jetzt sind es erst 500 Unterschriften

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/petition/720077385

herzlichen Dank
Marcelle
www.groenlandhunde.wavez.at

Sea Otter Acquires 1,000 FaceBook Friends

Written by Jake Richardson



While being nursed back to health, a sea otter was supported by a huge online gathering.
The California sea otter was found covered with oil, and stranded at Sunset Beach in Monterey. It was taken to the California Dept. of Fish and Game’s Wildlife Veterinary Care and Research Center in Santa Cruz. She was named ‘Olive’ while being cleansed of the oil stuck in and encompassing her fur. Oiled sea otters can die from hypothermia because the oil disrupts the furs capacity to retain heat. (Oil is also toxic when ingested). Olive spent about 6 weeks in rehab to get healthy. She was de-oiled using a combination of olive oil, dish soap and warm water repeatedly.


» See also: Sustainable Ecovillage Community in Nick News’ A Kid Off The Grid
» Get Planetsave by RSS or sign up by email.
During rehab a Facebook page was created for her. About 900 fans joined her page and sent get well messages while following her progress. One of the attending vets (Dave Jessup) remarked, “Olive has been a great patient. She has taught us a great deal and will likely teach us much more about the pollution-related problems sea otters face.”

She made a full recovery, and was released back into the Pacific Ocean in early April. Her Facebook page actually gained more friends after the release, and is still active with her fans. A most recent entry states, “As the father of a 14-year-old daughter, I am constantly reminded how quickly they grow up, but this is ridiculous ! Isn’t Olive a bit young for a serious boyfriend? She’s only been free for a little more than a week for crying out loud.”

There are only about 2,800 southern sea otters in California. They are stressed by constant amounts of pollution in their habitats. Sea otters are a keystone species, meaning their feeding habits actually help manage the kelp forests where they live. Without sea otters to eat the species (like sea urchins) that eat kelp, the kelp forests may be diminished to a degree they no longer support other forms of life, like they do in a balanced ecosystem. The keystone species concept was introduced by Robert Paine, a University of Washington professor. This page references the importance of sea otters, ”The return of the sea otter to southern California, for example, is restoring kelp beds and associated marine life there.”

Recently when an extremely rare sighting of a sea otter was confirmed off the coast of Oregon, it sparked jubilation among nature lovers. No confirmed sightings had taken place there for about 100 years.

Image Source: California Dept. of Fish and Game

13 BREATHTAKING EFFECTS OF CUTTING BACK ON MEAT

By Kathy Freston
http://www.alternet.org/authors/8188/


The meat industry contributes to land degradation, climate change, air
pollution, water shortage and pollution, and loss of biodiversity.

My first post on the effect of eating meat on the environment provoked quite
a bit of discussion, so in honor of Earth Day, I thought I should follow up
with more information about how our natural resources (e.g., air, water, and
soil) are depleted and devastated by animal agriculture.
ian_for_just_one_day/>

Of course, Earth Day is also a good time to remember that animal agriculture
only exists at astronomical levels because people are purchasing vast
quantities of chicken, beef, pork, and fish. The market for meat (i.e., we,
the consumers) drives the depletion and destruction.

1. Excrement produced by chickens, pigs, and other farm animals: 16.6
billion tons per year -- more than a million pounds per second (that's 60
times as much as is produced by the world's human population -- farmed
animals produce more waste in one day than the U.S. human population
produces in 3 years). This excrement is a major cause of air and water
pollution. According to the United Nations: "The livestock sector is... the
largest sectoral source of water pollution, contributing to eutrophication,
'dead' zones in coastal areas, degradation of coral reefs, human health
problems, emergence of antibiotic resistance and many others."

2. Water used for farmed animals and irrigating feed crops: 240 trillion
gallons per year -- 7.5 million gallons per second (that's enough for every
human to take 8 showers a day, or as much as is used by Europe, Africa, and
South America combined). According to the UN: "[t]he water used by the
sector exceeds 8 percent of the global human water use." As just one
example, "[O]n average 990 litres of water are required to produce one litre
of milk." So drinking milk instead of tap water requires almost 1,000 times
as much water.

3. Emissions of greenhouse gases from raising animals for food: The
equivalent of 7.8 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year, according to the
UN report. Concludes the UN: "The livestock sector is... responsible for 18%
of greenhouse gas emissions." That's about 40 percent more than all the
cars, trucks, planes, trains, and ships in the world combined (transport is
13%). And "The sector emits 37% of anthropogenic methane (with 23 times the
global warming potential-or GWP-of CO2)... It emits 65% of anthropogenic
nitrous oxide (with 296 times the GWP of CO2). These figures are based on
the power of these gases over 100 years; in fact, over 20 years-a more
important timeframe for dealing with global warming-methane and nitrous
oxide are 72 times and 289 times more warming than CO2. And Dr. Rajendra
Pachauri, Chair of the IPCC (which shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Al
Gore) has been saying that the 18% figure is probably an underestimate.

4. It takes more than 11 times as much fossil fuel to make one calorie of
animal protein as it does to make one calorie of plant protein.

5. Soil erosion due to growing livestock feed: 40 billion tons per year
(or 6 tons/year for every human being on the planet-of course if you don't
eat meat, none of this is attributed to you; if you're in the U.S. where we
eat lots more meat than most of the world, your contribution is many times
greater than 6 tons/year). About 60% of soil that is washed away ends up in
rivers, streams and lakes, making waterways more prone to flooding and to
contamination from soil's fertilizers and pesticides. Erosion increases the
amount of dust carried by wind, polluting the air and carrying infection and
disease.

6. Land used to raise animals for food: 10 billion acres. According to
the UN: "In all, livestock production accounts for 70 percent of all
agricultural land and 30 percent of the land surface of the planet." And "70
percent of previous forested land in the Amazon is occupied by pastures, and
feedcrops cover a large part of the remainder." And "About 20 percent of the
world's pastures and rangelands, with 73 percent of rangelands in dry areas,
have been degraded to some extent, mostly through overgrazing, compaction
and erosion created by livestock action."

7. According to the UN, animal agriculture is a leading case of water
pollution. The main water pollutants in the US are sediments and nutrients.
Animal agriculture is responsible for 55 percent of the erosion that causes
sedimentation, and for a third of the main nutrient pollutants, nitrogen and
phosphorous. On top of that, animal agriculture is the source of more than a
third of the United States' water pollution from pesticides, and half of its
water pollution from antibiotics.

8. Livestock are also responsible for almost two-thirds of anthropogenic
ammonia emissions, which contribute significantly to acid rain and
acidification of ecosystems.

9. Grain and corn raised for livestock feed that could otherwise feed
people, according to the UN: 836 million tons per year (note that the more
commonly used figure, 758 million tons, is metric). That's more than 7 times
the amount used for biofuels and is much more than enough to adequately feed
the 1.4 billion humans who are living in dire poverty, and the number
doesn't even include the fact that almost all of the global soy crop (about
240 million tons of soy) is also fed to chickens, pigs, and other farmed
animals.

10. An American saves more global warming pollution by going vegan than
by switching their car to a hybrid Prius.

11. Razing the Amazon rainforest for pasture and feed crops: 5 million
acres of Amazon per year. Former Amazon rainforest converted to raising
animals for food since 1970 is more than 90% of all Amazon deforestation
since 1970.

12. According to the UN: "Indeed, the livestock sector may well be the
leading player in the reduction of biodiversity..." And "[l]ivestock now
account for about 20 percent of the total terrestrial animal biomass, and
the 30 percent of the earth's land surface that they now pre-empt was once
habitat for wildlife." And "Conservation International has identified 35
global hotspots for biodiversity, characterized by exceptional levels of
plant endemism and serious levels of habitat loss. Of these, 23 are reported
to be affected by livestock production. An analysis of the authoritative
World Conservation Union (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species shows that
most of the world's threatened species are suffering habitat loss where
livestock are a factor."

13. United Nations scientists, in their 408-page indictment of the meat
industry, sum up these statistics, pointing out that the meat industry is
"one of the ... most significant contributors to the most serious
environmental problems, at every scale from local to global," including
"problems of land degradation, climate change and air pollution, water
shortage and water pollution, and loss of biodiversity."

Perhaps it's time to explore vegetarianism... Happy Eating!

Urge prosecution of Jack Ziniuk-Action Alert!

Action Alert From Animal Law Coalition.
Jack Ziniuk, a Riverside County, California, commercial dog breeder who sometimes poses as a rescuer, has been charged with 2 counts of animal cruelty.

Ziniuk called Riverside County authorities this past week and claimed dogs attacked his horse, leaving the poor animal near death.

In fact, Riverside County Sheriff's deputies who responded to the call, believed Ziniuk beat the horse repeatedly with a sledge hammer and then cut the animal's head off with a chainsaw.

For now, Ziniuk is being held in jail on $10,000 bail. One count against Ziniuk is for physical injury to the horse by using a deadly weapon, namely the sledgehammer. The other count is for neglect. Cal Pen. Code Sec. 597, et seq and Sec. 12022.

The District Attorney is expected to file more charges based on use of the chainsaw.

A pretrial hearing is scheduled for May 4. If convicted on these counts, Ziniuk faces up to four years and eight months in prison.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Contact Riverside County District Attorney Rod Pacheco and urge prosecution of this horrendous crime:

4075 Main Street
Riverside, CA 92501
phone (951) 955-5400 and fax (951) 955-0196

ACTIVIST OR TERRORIST?

STEVE BEST
Re posted from My Space.com
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=29240997&blogId=485486274

MEPs Vote On Vivisection Directive On 7 May-Action Alert!Europe and UK

The Directive= governing animal research throughout the European Union – the UK included – is currently being updated. MEPs will be voting on amendments to the Draft Directive on 7 May. The outcome of the vote is crucial to the future of animal experimentation throughout the EU.

Although the process offers no realistic opportunity to eliminate all use of animals, which is Animal Aid's objective, it does provide a chance to reduce the numbers used and to limit suffering.

Depressingly, a key EU parliament committee (Agriculture) has produced a series of proposals that dramatically weaken the draft Directive that was on the table. If adopted, the committee's plans would: reduce the alleged scientific justification needed to experiment on monkeys; delay indefinitely the European Commission's proposal to stop the trapping of wild monkeys; allow animals to suffer 'severe and prolonged' pain; and end the need to obtain formal authorisation or licensing for the majority of experiments. That is why it is vital to enlist the help of the maximum number of MEPs to vote against these damaging proposals.

It is vital that as many people as possible should write to their MEPs. They are currently getting hundred of emails so have stopped reading them. But posted letters do count, especially individualised ones!

Click here for ideas and guidance for your letter. Please take a moment to individualise the letter if possible.
If you don't know who your MEPs are, find out here.
Please send a letter, via airmail (a one-page letter will cost 56 pence to post via airmail), to each of your MEPs at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, as this is where they will be before the vote.

The address is:
Put MEP name here
European Parliament
Palais de l'Europe
Strasbourg Cedex 67006
FRANCE

Animal Aid has also drafted a Briefing Document for people who would rather phone their MEP in Strasbourg. Please contact the office for a copy of the information.

Please send your letters today!

Fire kills dozens of animals at Zoo to You in Paso Robles

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/story/695266.html


Fire kills dozens of animals at Zoo to You in Paso Robles
Tonya Strickland
A barefoot Anita Jackson fought urges to dash into the building filled with thick smoke and raging flames early Thursday morning to save the 62 Zoo to You animals inside.
“You don’t even have time to think,” she said, “You’re just reacting.”
Instead, the nonprofit educational director grabbed a hose and began pouring water on the flames. Just seconds before, she first learned the building on the eastern Paso Robles property was on fire, threw on clothes and ran from her home next door.
“It was engulfed in flames,” Jackson said. “The whole ceiling was just covered in fire. There was black smoke everywhere.”
No people were hurt in the fire, which started about 7:40 a.m., but nearly 40 animals died. Early indications were that the fire started from some kind of electrical malfunction.
Finding flames
Employee Angela Beolk, who first discovered the blaze and called Jackson when smoke billowed from a door she opened, was already on the phone with a 911 dispatcher to send help to 2445 Adobe Road when Jackson arrived.
Soon, other employees came, too — hosing the building down before County/Cal Fire and Paso Robles Emergency Services arrived within 10 minutes. The blaze was contained 10 to 15 minutes later.
Zoo to You is a nonprofit North County-based wildlife educational organization that takes in rescued animals and introduces them to schools and groups. About 250 animals live in habitats on its 40-acre site near the Paso Robles Municipal Airport, including mountain lions, a tiger, a bear, porcupines and alligators.
“Just looking at it,” Jackson said of the fiery building, “you could tell nothing was surviving in there.”
However, less than half the occupants did survive — primarily snakes, lizards, frogs and turtles from the reptile room where the door was always kept shut to keep the heat in for the climate-controlled environment. A total of 24 live animals were pulled from the charred building when the fire was out.
Those killed were 38 of the nonprofit organization’s monkeys, parrots, sloths, small kookaburra birds and others.
“Everybody is devastated,” Jackson said of the numerous helpers that spend hours each day caring for and interacting with the creatures.
“These aren’t just animals, they’re your best friends.”
Among the animals that died was a 50-year-old Macaque monkey named Lisa Lulu. Jackson said the 20-pound primate was a staff favorite and everyone is saddened to have lost her and the others.
Another animal Jackson spoke fondly of was a 10-year-old sloth named Mogee who recently traveled to Santa Maria to interact with hundreds of smiling children.
“He was such a sweetie,” she said. “He just wanted to be in your arms.”
Community help
The destroyed building was a one-story ranch house converted into habitat rooms for animals that needed to be kept indoors, Jackson said.
While about 95 percent of the approximately 1,200-square-foot building was used to house the critters in enclosures and aquariums, County/Cal Fire public information officer Clint Bullard said, one corner was used as an office with a desk, computers and a fax machine.
Officials reported $400,000 in damages to the contents and animal equipment kept inside the building, and about $80,000 to the structure itself.
Investigators said the cause was electrical and started in the office, and insurance investigators were still trying to determine the specific cause.
By about 8 a.m., Jackson said about 50 neighbors and passersby showed up to help.
The group saw an outpouring of assistance by the afternoon — neighbors brought food, two Atascadero veterinarians donated antibiotics to treat the surviving animals, Sylvester Winery lent out its climate-controlled wine container for a temporary reptile home, Paso Robles Waste Disposal set up a trash bin for debris and the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio donated $5,000 to the fire-recovery effort.
how you can help
To donate to Zoo to You’s fire-recovery effort to build a new reptile structure, send checks to P.O. Box 1998, Paso Robles CA 93447. There is also an account set up at Rabobank under the name Zoo to You. Officials estimate a new reptile enclosure will cost the group $70,000 to $80,000.

UPDATE: Dissection Choice Bill Passed in House! Contact Senators now!

UPDATE: Dissection Choice Bill Passed in House! Contact Senators now!


FOR CT RESIDENTS ONLY

4/22 UPDATE: Dissection Choice Bill (HB6565) was passed by CT House 114-32!!

We now need you to contact your Senators and urge them to support the bill as well!



Dear Connecticut residents and animal advocates,

This afternoon, we learned that- thanks to the support of compassionate people around the State- the CT House of Representatives voted 114-32 to pass HB6565- An Act Concerning a Policy Regarding Dissection in Classrooms (http://cga. ct.gov/asp/ cgabillstatus/ cgabillstatus. asp?selBillType= Bill&bill_num=HB06565&which_year=2009) , that will allow students to opt-out of classroom animal dissections. The bill will now be referred to the Senate floor and could come up for a vote any day. Students and animals are counting on you to urge your State Senator to vote in favor of this important legislation.

You can find contact information for your Connecticut State Senator here:
http://cga.ct. gov/asp/menu/ CGAFindLeg. asp

FORM LETTER

Title: Please SUPPORT HB 6565

Dear Sen. NAME:

Please vote in favor of An Act Concerning a Policy Regarding Dissection in Classrooms (HB6565). This bill overwhelmingly passed through the House on April 22 and would prohibit educators from requiring students to participate in animal dissections as part of classroom instruction, thereby protecting students in our State who have objections to harming animals as part of their education. HB6565 would place Connecticut in line with 15 other states that have passed similar laws and resolutions that create more inclusive learning environments for students and encourage the integration of educationally- superior, humane learning methods in science curricula.

Thank you.

NAME
ADDRESS

Tails of Asia

To listen to the radio talk show click the title!


Once again, WFL Endangered Stream Live radio talk show host and animal
welfare advocate, Katia Louise, has brought to the public an informative
and thought-provoking show with "Tails of Asia", which examines
the use of dogs and cats for fur and food. Those of us who are deeply
touched by animals are, by nature, sensitive people and therefore might
attempt to protect our feelings by shying away from such a topic. But
"Tails of Asia" host, Katia Louise, successfully approaches the
unsettling subject matter with tact and compassion without discounting
the importance of the issues.

Instrumental in achieving the show's objective are the featured
guests, which include Dena Jones, U.S. Program Director for the World
Society for the Protection of Animals, Bill Dyer, Regional Director for
In Defense of Animals, and Jill Robinson, Founder and CEO of Animals
Asia Foundation. These remarkable individuals, who work tirelessly to
put an end to animal cruelty around the world, are happy to share their
vast knowledge of the issues in an effort to bring awareness that will
motivate others to take action.

Perhaps you've wondered just how many dogs and cats are killed each
year in Asia for their fur or their meat. Maybe you've curiously
pondered the conditions in which these animals are kept or the methods
in which they're killed. You may have even contemplated how the fur
fashion industry's exorbitant profits are realized at the expense of
unimaginable suffering by animals and the damaging impact on the
environment. Ranging from the specific (how many chinchillas are killed
to make one fur coat) to the general (why many Asians choose to eat dog
and cat meat), "Tails of Asia" provides the answers to these and
many other questions relating to the issue—answers that arm the
listener with the knowledge they need in the fight for animal rights.

There were encouraging points made during the show as well. Guest Bill
Dyer noted that Israeli politician Nitzan Horowitz recently made an
unprecedented move by introducing a bill that would ban the fur industry
entirely in Israel. Jill Robinson, who called in to the show from China,
said that the tides are slowly changing there with regard to how people
view animal welfare. She told of a recent incident in China in which a
small, unorganized group of animal advocates broke into a facility to
rescue several hundred cats from a tragic fate, and while they
technically broke the law, the local authorities essentially turned a
blind eye to the group's actions and chose not to arrest them. It
was well-noted by all the guests that even the smallest of victories
should be celebrated as they end suffering of some animals and bring
awareness to the problem. Positive changes are slowly being made as a
result of the combined efforts of animal advocates world-wide.

To learn more about what you can do to help combat the cruelty, listen
to "Tails of Asia". This engaging show can now be accessed on
demand at http://www.blogtalk radio.com/ WFLEndangerdStre amLive
.

-by Kara Lemire

HUMANIZED MOUSE INFECTED WITH HIV VAGINALLY AND RECTALLY ALLOWS TESTING

The "humanized mouse" developed by Dr. J. Victor Garcia-Martinez has allowed the University of Texas Southwestern physician-scientist to conduct HIV/AIDS studies that would have been impossible without such a small animal model of HIV infection. The virus only infects humans and chimpanzees, which are protected as endangered species.
The problem with using animals other than humans and chimpanzees for HIV/AIDS studies had been that the other animals, including ordinary mice, never become infected even when exposed to massive amounts of the virus. But the Garcia-Martinez mouse model (called BLT for bone marrow-liver-thymus) can easily be infected with HIV by both rectal and vaginal transmission, since both areas of the mouse body contain human cells.



Work in his laboratory is funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health.




more at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090420103740.htm

California-USA-URGENT - ABANDONED ANIMALS IN DESERT WITH NO FOOD OR WATER!

URGENT - ABANDONED ANIMALS IN DESERT WITH NO FOOD OR WATER!


Please help! There is a horrible situation up in Anza; where the man who chain sawed his horse lives (the guy is in custody now).

Apparently he was breeding and selling animals at the swap meet.

My sister lives in Anza, and has made two trips to the property and rescued some rabbits, birds, and a goat, but she says there are tons of animals still on the property uncared for with no food or water for several days now and filthy conditions.

Locals have been up there to take what they can, but there are still several animals up there suffering.

My sister said that as of yesterday no rescue groups have responded and animal control did come by and photograph the property but said they wouldn't be back for a couple of days.

My sister said the following was still left:

- Chihuahuas
- Toy Poodles
- Rottweiler mix puppies
- Pitbuills
- German Shepherds
- Goats
- Peacocks
- Rabbits
- Pigeons
- Doves
- Geese
- German Shepherds


Directions to the property:

Once in Anza head East on Highway 371 you will come to a road called Kirby and go right.

Take Kirby all the way through the community of Terwilliger past the dump past camp Anza to the very end; at the end you can only go right on a road called Ramsey.

Stay on Ramsey for less them a mile and you will see a sign on the left that says Terwillger (locals refer to it as dirt Terwillger) go left at that road; stay on it for about a mile till you see a sign on the left that says "Jacks" (this is the guys name who was arrested) and go left follow the dirt road down and on the right there will be two huge white signs that say "Jacks" and that is his driveway. There is a caretaker on the property named Phil Thomas who says the water and electricity will be turned off tomorrow (Thursday).

Call my sister Michelle at (951) 500-1764 if you need further directions.


Or you can reach me at the numbers below.

Kathy D. Weibelt
Assistant to Richard Lombardi
First American CoreLogic
4 First American Way
Santa Ana, CA 92707
Direct: (714) 250-6897
Fax: (714) 250-6953
Cell: (562) 506-8896
www.facorelogic. com
NYSE: FAF