tagged w/ Animal Abuse
-
Pageant hopefuls decapitate, skin snakes at Rattlesnake Roundup
By Jim Spellman, CNN
March 12, 2011 7:24 p.m. EST
Sweetwater, Texas (CNN) -- To win the Miss Snake Charmer beauty pageant requires beauty, grace, talent and a strong stomach. It's probably the only pageant in the country that requires the winner to decapitate and skin a snake.
"Tomorrow I get to skin snakes and chop their heads off, and I am super-excited about it," said Laney Wallace, Miss Snake Charmer 2011.
The pageant kicks off the annual Rattlesnake Roundup festival in this West Texas town. Hunters from as far away as Japan catch as many snakes as possible in the countryside then bring them to the county coliseum for the festival.
"This event is a way for us to help control the population of the western diamondback rattlesnake in our area," says Donnie Willman, a volunteer with the Sweetwater Jaycees who run the event.
The roundup began more than 50 years ago as a way to combat the rattlesnake population that was killing livestock and threatening pets and even people.
"The rattlesnakes were literally coming into Sweetwater, down the streets looking for water," says Willman.
"They bite livestock, they bite the animals, your pets. They'll bite kids, people. They're a very serious problem around here."
The roundup has become a huge part of the town's identity. The Jaycees say 30,000 to 50,000 people attend the roundup each year. It's become as much party as public service event.
"We have a lot of fun doing it. We enjoy it. We're all Jaycees back here in the snake pits," Willman says.
After skinning their snake, guests leave hand prints in snake blood.
Jeff Hulstein and Nathan Sheets left their wives at home in Dallas, Texas, and brought their sons to the roundup. They hired a guide to take them snake hunting and then brought their box full of snakes to the event.
"We saw this as a rite of passage to be able to bring your boys out here and let them see how you have good clean fun and learn something and appreciate nature," says Jeff Hulstein. "It's one of the ways we are going to raise these boys into men."
The guide uses gasoline fumes to drive the rattlers out of their dens. The dads then use long handled tongs and hooks to corral the snakes.
Nathan Sheets says he has dreamed of coming to the Rattlesnake Roundup since he was a boy.
"For me it's been a bucket list thing my entire life."
The roundup is clearly more fun for the humans than the snakes. The rattlesnakes are dumped into a large pen with hundreds of other snakes. They are weighed and measured and their venom is milked into glass beakers where it will be used for research and to make anti-venom.
It goes down hill from here. Next comes the chopping block where their heads are cut off. They are then skinned and gutted. The meat is fried up and the skins are used for boots and wallets.
For $10, visitors can take a turn at snake skinning. To record their feat they rub their hands in snake blood and leave handprints on the wall.
It's a little gory, but no one seems bothered, including Miss Snake Charmer 2011 Laney Wallace, who showed up to take her turn in the skinning pit.
Tiara and sash in place and machete in hand, she steps up to the block and takes a swing -- and another, and another -- before the head finally comes off.
Undeterred, she picks up the snakes body with one hand and gives a beauty queen wave with the other as cameras click away.
"Only in Sweetwater," she says.
"I would of never imagined in a million years that I would be Miss Snake Charmer. I'm so lucky."Pageant hopefuls decapitate, skin snakes at Rattlesnake Roundup
By Jim Spellman,... more
-
-
Undercover Investigation Released Today Reveals Barbaric Animal Trapping Practices Born Free USA announces horrific details of investigation, including unprecedented video and photographs showing brutality and illegal practices by U.S. trappers
Published: Wednesday, 9 Mar 2011 | 5:00 AM ET
WASHINGTON, March 9, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Born Free USA, a leader in animal welfare and wildlife conservation, announced today the results of a groundbreaking undercover investigation inside the world of recreational and professional wildlife trapping. This is the first known undercover investigation of trapping in the U.S. (www.bornfreeusa.org/victimsofvanity).
The investigation, which took place in and around wooded areas and farms in Pennsylvania, reveals shocking cruelty and brutality including: the prolonged drowning of a raccoon by a trapper with a stick; the chest-crushing suffocating of foxes; the capture and killing of non-target animals such as a domestic cat; and the use of illegal snare traps.
To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/undercover-investigation-released-today-reveals-barbaric-animal-trapping-practices-117548923.html
According to Adam Roberts, Executive Vice President, Born Free USA, "Born Free USA launched this investigation to shed light on a horrific, highly unregulated, inhumane and dangerous industry. Commercial fur trapping dates back to the early 1600's and has hardly changed. It remains barbaric and many people are not even aware that this is going on in most of the U.S." "More than 80 countries have banned the leghold trap, which is still legal here.
Our aim is to educate the public, policy makers, and the fashion industry, and put pressure on state agencies for more regulations. In most states wild animals are allowed to be trapped for commercialized fur use and recreation. People value wildlife and the humane treatment of animals and will be sickened to see them suffering mercilessly in body crushing traps or strangulation snares, or under the weight of a trapper's boot," Roberts explains.
The trapping industry and U.S. fish and game departments maintain that this is a humane and regulated industry. Born Free USA's new footage reveals the inhumane treatment of wild furbearers by American trappers and the lack of regulation of the industry.
"Methods used to kill trapped animals would violate anti-cruelty laws in most states if inflicted intentionally upon domestic cats or dogs," says wildlife biologist Monica Engebretson, Senior Program Associate, Born Free USA. "This investigation demonstrates that despite years of research, there are no significant advances in reducing collateral damage -- the non-target animals captured in traps set for other species." Most states do not require trappers to report non-target animals who are trapped or killed. Born Free USA estimates that one in three victims trapped are non-target animals -- often family cats and dogs. The organization receives numerous calls from families who have seen their pet suffer in the jaws of a trap in their neighborhood. The organization has an online database of non-target incidents at. www.bornfreeusa.org/database.
The investigation also reveals conversations among trappers caught on camera discussing illegal trapping methods and selling their pelts including talk of the link from catch to commercial fur auctions. Video was shot in "Fur Sheds" where animals are fleshed; and fur auctions where trappers sell their "goods." Born Free USA works to expose the truth and eliminate cruel traps by encouraging policymakers to enact stronger laws; ensuring state agencies are enforcing existing protections; and championing humane alternatives of mitigating conflicts with wildlife.
Highlights of undercover video footage and photographs: Legal and illegal snares being used to trap animals.
Live raccoon in a leghold water trap and brutal drowning by a trapper.
Live red foxes in illegal cable snares -- then brutally killed.
Dead mink in leghold water trap -- out of trapping season.
Non-target animals caught in traps: a domestic cat, a rabbit.
Live bobcats in leghold traps -- then strangled to death.
Live coyote in a leghold trap.
Inside a trapper's Fur Shed, including skinning a fox, hanging pelts, and traps.
A PA fur auction.
Born Free USA is a nationally recognized leader in animal welfare and wildlife conservation. Through litigation, legislation, and public education, Born Free USA leads vital campaigns against animals in entertainment, exotic "pets," trapping and fur, and the destructive international wildlife trade. Born Free's Primate Sanctuary in Texas is home to more than 500 primates rescued from laboratories, roadside zoos, and private possession.
Born Free USA undertook this investigation in partnership with the organization Respect for Animals.Undercover Investigation Released Today Reveals Barbaric Animal Trapping Practices... more
-
-
The Orca Project and Orca Network, along with countless other marine mammal advocates believe they can handle the transport and care of Orca, released from captivity.
On the basis that continued animal abuse, for the benefit of profit and human entertainment, is both bad for the animal and human kind, a plan has been laid out on how to transport, house and care for formerly captive marine mammals, and one Orca whale in particular.
Text from The Orca Project site:
"August 8, 1970 in Penn Cove, Whidbey Island, Washington State. Lolita is the last surviving orca of 45 members of the Southern Resident community that were captured and delivered for display in marine parks between 1965 and 1973. At least 13 members of her family were killed during the brutal captures."
Now, 40 years later, the Orcanetwork and Orca Project, continue an exhaustive and comprehensive campaign to get Lolita released.
Read more about how they would handle such a monumental task at the link.
http://theorcaproject.wordpress.com/2010/09/01/lolita-the-orca-her-life-her-legal-issues-and-her-way-home/The Orca Project and Orca Network, along with countless other marine mammal advocates... more
-
-
Los Angeles Times...
Poll: Scientists say animal research ethically complicated, but necessary
Scientists polled by the journal Nature reported mixed feelings about animal research. In April 2009, animal rights activist Graciela Iparraguirre, center, talked with UCLA student Martin Ducker,23, left, as pro-animal research supporters walked behind her on UCLA campus. (Spencer Weiner/Los Angeles Times)
By Eryn Brown, Los Angeles Times
February 23, 2011, 10:30 a.m.
Animal research has helped scientists understand human disease, and in some cases, develop cures. But it has also exposed them to an onslaught of attacks -- some violent -- from animal rights activists who question the ethics and necessity of animal experiments.
This week, the journal Nature takes a look at the complicated case of animal activism and its effects on scientific research, publishing the results of a poll of 980 biomedical scientists from around the world.
The vast majority -- 91.7% -- said they agreed or strongly agreed with the statement that "Animal research is essential to the advancement of biomedical science." About 70% of those polled said they conduct experiments on animals.
At the same time, almost 16% said they had experienced misgivings about the role of animals in their research -- and half of those said that the misgivings had led them to change the direction of their research. Thirty-three percent said they had ethical concerns about the role of animals in their current work.
Many said that discussing the issue of animal testing with the public was very difficult, but there were signs that communication efforts might be improving. More than half said that the institutions they work for encourage them to speak with the public about their work (less than a third reported this to be the case in a 2006 Nature poll.)Los Angeles Times...
Poll: Scientists say animal research ethically complicated,... more
-
-
Hundreds of birds found in major cockfighting ring will be euthanized
February 21, 2011 | 7:57 am
PHOTO: Cock fighting encampment found
San Diego officials said most of the 400 birds found when they broke up a large cockfighting ring will have to be euthanized.
Lt. Dan DeSousa of San Diego County Animal Services said official have no other choice because the birds have been trained to be aggressive. "At least they will receive a humane death rather than a horrible death during a fight," he said.
Seven people were arrested over the weekend -- four on suspicion of owning birds trained for fighting and three for allegedly watching a cockfight when an Animal Services officer arrived Saturday in rural Rainbow. All seven face misdemeanor charges.
Along with birds kept in cages, Animal Services officers found the kind of knives that are attached to the birds to allow them to slash each other during a fight, DeSousa said.
Rainbow, a community of about 2,000, is just east of Interstate 15, about 50 miles north of San Diego.
-- Tony Perry in San Diego
Photo credit: San Diego Animal ControlHundreds of birds found in major cockfighting ring will be euthanized
February 21,... more
-
-
Los Angeles Times...
Puppy nearly sent through the mail has a new home
February 18, 2011 | 9:04 pm
Guess Puppy Adopted
MINNEAPOLIS — A Minnesota puppy that made headlines when it was saved from a likely deadly trip through the mail went home with a new owner Friday -- an exuberant Minneapolis woman who was thrilled to welcome the fuzzy black dog into her life.
"I never win anything," said Terri Ford, who threw her arms in the air in excitement after learning she had won the drawing for Guess, a 5-month-old schnauzer-poodle mix.
Nearly 50 people went to a Minneapolis animal shelter Friday in hopes of adopting Guess. Animal control officials held a drawing for the puppy's new owner -- Ford's name was drawn first, and she passed the application process.
Ford, who wouldn't give her age, said she lives alone and is unemployed, so she has plenty of time to housebreak a dog.
"I think it might be good to get out of my pajamas and out of the house," she said before the drawing.
Dressed in a long, pink coat, glittery boots and earrings with the word "rebel" on them, Ford said she heard about Guess on the news.
The puppy became a celebrity three weeks ago after postal workers heard noise coming from a box addressed to Georgia and saw the package move. They opened it to find the dog inside. Officials say the trip would have killed the puppy. His former owner, 39-year-old Stacey Champion, has been charged with animal cruelty. She was attempting to mail Guess to her son as a birthday present.
Hundreds of callers from Minnesota and around the world asked to adopt Guess, who became city property Monday when Champion failed to post bond.
"He tugs at everyone's heartstrings," Ford said. "He's not only adorable, but he's gone through some trauma."
Ford, who used to be a legal assistant, said she already has a black cat named Danvers, after the character Mrs. Danvers in an Alfred Hitchcock film. She said she will think of a new name for Guess and expects him to get along great with her cat. She admitted, however, that she hasn't yet asked her landlord for permission to have a dog.
Shelter officials have been excited about the attention Guess generated and have used it to draw attention to other homeless animals. Ten pets were adopted last week, shelter official Jeanette Wiedemeier Bower said. Usually, only one or two animals are adopted per week this time of year, she said.
Before and after the drawing, visitors toured the animal cages and admired other dogs and cats that were up for grabs. Six more animals were adopted after Friday's drawing.
"He has really allowed us to turn lemons into lemonade," Wiedemeier Bower said of Guess.
Although she doesn't know the family, Debi Douglas, of St. Paul, Minn., hoped to win the puppy and return it to Champion's son. Douglas came very close to making that happen; her name was chosen second in the drawing.
"I'm an advocate for an innocent child getting his birthday gift," Douglas said. "We were all children at one point in time, right?"
-- Tara Bannow, Associated Press
Photo: Terri Ford holds Guess after winning the drawing to adopt him Friday. Credit: Jim Mone / Associated PressLos Angeles Times...
Puppy nearly sent through the mail has a new home... more
-
-
__________________________________________
Please click on the above link, so you can see for yourselves their bullshit ratings charts for what they think of as animal welfare. These poor animals are still killed, and that makes this an issue for animal RIGHTS.
Don't buy into Whole Foods Market's approach. Killing is killing. Exaggeration is exaggeration. Selling is selling. Slaughterhouses are slaughterhouses.
WARNING! There are four graphic photos following WFM's grandiose 5+ steps.
__________________________________________
From their website........
"The more you know about our meat, the better"
At Whole Foods Market, we're dedicated to helping you make informed choices about the food you eat. It's often easy to forget that the burger, steak or drumstick on your plate was once an animal. How was that animal raised? How was it treated? Where did it come from? What about added hormones and antibiotics? Was its growth artificially accelerated to get to market sooner and reduce feed cost? We are committed to answering these questions.
The 5-Step™ Animal Welfare Rating Standards
Global Animal Partnership
We've chosen to partner with Global Animal Partnership to certify our producers' animal welfare practices. We're rolling out their 5-Step™ Animal Welfare Rating Standards in every Whole Foods Market store in the United States.
Global Animal Partnership is a non-profit organization dedicated to continually improving the lives of farm animals. They have developed the 5-Step Animal Welfare Rating Standards that rate how pigs, chickens and cattle are raised for meat. Standards for other species (turkeys, lambs and others) are in development, so stay tuned and be sure to look for Global Animal Partnership 5-Step ratings the next time you stop by our meat department.
It's important to note that getting to Step 1 is a great accomplishment! Step 1 requires more from our farmers and ranchers than we have ever asked before. The Step ratings are assigned by independent third-party certifiers using auditors trained by Global Animal Partnership.
Look for this rating system when you choose our beef, pork or chicken. It's your way of knowing how the animals were raised for the meat you are buying.__________________________________________
Please click on the above link, so you... more
-
-
Actor Taraji P. Henson joins a growing list of compassionate celebrities who are speaking up for animals by refusing to wear fur. She bares all in a super sexy ad for PETA's iconic "I'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" campaign and shows off her skin to help animals keep theirs.
"I don't think a living being should suffer for the sake of fashion, period," Henson proclaims. "End of story." Suffering and furs go hand in hand. Animals on fur farms spend their entire lives confined to cramped, filthy wire cages before meeting a painful death. Denied proper veterinary care, they languish with open wounds and sores in cages. These living conditions can cause the animals severe psychological distress, and consequently, many of the animals turn to self-mutilation and cannibalism. See the pain and suffering that animals on fur farms endure by viewing these shocking photos of a Swedish fur farm.
Henson shares with PETA, "When I realized what went into—not just, we're not just even talking about a full-length fur coat, I'm talking about just … fur on your gloves or on your jacket or—what goes into making that little piece of fur ripped my heart out. And as humans, we have control. What if someone said, 'Black skin is the new fur'?" Check out this exclusive behind-the-scenes video footage from Henson's naked photo shoot to learn more about why she refuses to wear fur.Actor Taraji P. Henson joins a growing list of compassionate celebrities who are... more
-
-
Catskill Animal Sanctuary Director and Huffington Post Blogger Kathy Stevens shares a few practical tips about veganism with Oprah viewers taking the vegan challenge.
Originally posted at: http://casanctuary.org/2011/02/6-things-oprah-viewers-should-know-about-veganism/
Okay, I’ll admit it. I’m excited about the attention that Oprah’s Tuesday show is bringing to veganism, a lifestyle to which I’m passionately committed. And I’m equally excited to do my part to support anyone eager to consider making this life-affirming, health-affirming, planet-saving change! So here, in no particular order, are six things you need to know about veganism.
1. Help is everywhere you turn! There’s a whole web-based world eager to THANK YOU and to hold your hand on this exciting journey! If you’re inclined to begin at the beginning and learn what we’re doing to the animals, I heartily recommend these books: Eating Animals, Thanking the Monkey: Rethinking the Way We Treat Animals, Dominion: The Power of Man, the Suffering of Animals, and the Call to Mercy, and The Food Revolution. There are countless others. Do your own google search. Rather watch a film? Try: Death on a Factory Farm, Glass Walls, or Earthlings. Want to bypass the suffering and instead see cows, pigs, and chickens (and a host of other critters) for who they truly are? Check out my books: Where the Blind Horse Sings and the newly-released Animal Camp: Lessons in Love and Hope From Rescued Farm Animals. Don’t think it’s possible to love a pig? You’ve got some surprises coming!
2. You CAN treat your tastebuds! At least once a month for the last dozen years, my dad calls and asks, “Whatcha havin’ for dinner tonight? Sticks and leaves?” Folks: let’s dispel the myth that veggie cuisine is bland!! For general info and advice about nutrition, try the Vegetarian Resource Group, Savvy Vegetarian, VegSource, or The North American Vegetarian Society. To bypass the BS and get right down to cookin’, try these recipe databases: VegWeb, International Vegetarian Union, and VegFamily. Finally, check the Catskill Animal Sanctuary website, for regular updates from Chef Kevin Archer, director of Compassionate Cuisine. Far as we know, Catskill Animal Sanctuary is the only sanctuary in the world to offer a vegan cooking program. Join us, either onsite or via podcast, coming in February!
3. You can date without committing! Not sure you’re ready to strip the fridge bare? There’s nothing wrong with dating before you commit. Try choosing vegetarian restaurants to discover how varied and delicious veggie diets can be! Happy Cow is a database of vegan, vegetarian, and veg-friendly restaurants around the world. Just plug in your city or zip code and the distance radius you wish to search. If you’re a New Yorker, you’ll love SuperVegan’s “The Amazing Instant New York City Vegan Restaurant Finder“.
My advice? Choose the vegetarian and vegan restaurants rather those that have “vegan options.” You’ll find that restaurants truly committed to the lifestyle offer far more inventive, satisfying meals. Go ahead: tantalize your tastebuds!! Check out the menus from my favorite local restaurants: Garden Café in Woodstock, Luna 61 in Tivoli, and Karma Road in New Paltz.
4. A word of caution: Vegan does not equal healthy. There’s a lot of processed vegan CRAP out there filled with ingredients I can’t pronounce (and I ain’t stupid!). If you want to use this opportunity to take charge of your health, focus on simple, whole foods. Want some great advice? Grab a copy of my pal Kris Carr‘s just-released, New York Times-bestselling Crazy Sexy Diet: Eat Your Veggies, Ignite Your Spark, and Live Like You Mean It!
5. A new, better you awaits! I may not know you, but I know this about you: you’re a good person who values kindness, and who likely works hard to ensure that your actions embody this highly-cherished value. Just for a moment, let in the uncomfortable notion that every time you eat an animal, you’re subjecting an innocent sentient being–an animal who, when you get right down to it, is very much like us in ways that count–to a level of suffering you wouldn’t wish upon a child molester or rapist. Acknowledge your role in the suffering, and when you choose to go vegan, celebrate your choice to honor not only the animals, but also, and most importantly, yourself, for in embracing veganism, you’ll be aligning your lifestyle with the values you prize most deeply. And that feels good.
6. It’s okay to stumble. Let’s face it: change is challenging! Even vegan poster girl Alicia Silverstone has stumbled a few times – and that ‘s OK!! As someone who took several years to go vegan, I know what the resistance is about: habit, convenience, concern about family members’ reactions, lack of knowledge about what else to cook. If you decide to take the plunge, or even just to dip your toe in the water, be prepared to encounter resistance, even if it’s just from, well, your own noggin. Be kind to yourself in your heroic effort to be kind to all beings and to the fragile planet we inhabit..
The vegan train’s pullin’ out of the station people! Grab a seat for the ride of your life, and be sure to tell us about your journey.Catskill Animal Sanctuary Director and Huffington Post Blogger Kathy Stevens shares a... more
-
-
CNN...
After mass dog slaughter, stressed man files workers' comp
February 1st, 2011
11:28 AM ET
An animal welfare group is investigating the execution of 100 healthy sled dogs in Vancouver, British Columbia, after tour business got slow following the Olympics, according to Canadian news reports.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is investigating the animal cruelty allegations after a Howling Dog Tours general manager filed a claim with the provincial workers' compensation board saying he suffered post-traumatic stress after slaughtering the dogs in a two-day cull.
The claim says the dogs were killed in front of each other, causing them to panic and attack the worker, The Vancouver Sun reported.
“By the end, he was covered in blood,” the review board wrote January 25, confirming the worker’s claim. “When he finished, he cleared up the mess, filled in the mass grave and tried to bury the memories as deeply as he could.”
Attorney Corey Steinberg told Vancouver radio station CNKW that his client either shot or slashed the throats of the canines.
“It wasn’t always a clean, one-shot kill,” Steinberg said. “Inevitably, (the employee) ended up seeing and having to put the end to some horrific scenes.”
Marcy Moriarty of the British Columbia SPCA told the station she was most disturbed by the “description where he notes that one of the dogs he thought had been killed was crawling around in this mass grave. ... Honestly, I had to put down the story then.”
The employee, who was compensated for his claim and no longer manages Howling Dog, sought treatment for depression, panic attacks and nightmares five days after the killings, The Sun reported.
Steinberg told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. that his client tried to find adoptive homes for the animals, but when that failed, he and company executives agreed to euthanize the oldest and sickest dogs. The Sun, however, said the workers' compensation report claimed a veterinarian was contacted but refused to kill healthy animals.
“He just wanted the greatest happiness for the greatest number of dogs," Steinberg told CBC. "He had to choose: Do I keep 200 dogs and make their lives great, or do I stick here with the 300 that I have?”
Moriarty countered that “blowing off half of the dog’s head while it ran off” – as one of the executions was described in the worker’s compensation report – did not constitute euthanasia.
She further told The Sun she isn’t moved by the manager’s claim that he named the dogs and had “developed a strong emotional bond of mutual love.” She added, “I don’t feel sorry for this guy for one minute.”
“I’ve no doubt he has suffered post-traumatic stress, but there’s a thing called choice,” she said. “I absolutely would not have done this, and he could have said no.”
The Vancouver Olympics closed February 28, 2010, and Canadian Employment Law Today reported that the company decided to kill the dogs - reportedly a third of its kennels - when business dropped off.
Twitter users have homed their sights on Outdoor Adventures Whistler, which had a financial stake in the company but didn’t take operational control until May 2010, a month after the incident.
“Outdooradventures has the guts to shoot captive animals, do you?” read one.
Another said she “Is truly ashamed to live in Vancouver because of these dog slaughterings taken place in Whistler. I never want to go back there. Idiots.”
Outdoor Adventures, which also offers snowmobile, snowshoe and horseback excursion in Whistler, issued a statement saying it was aware of the “relocation and euthanization” of the Howling Dog animals but was “completely unaware of the details of the incident” before reading a report Sunday.
Spokesman Graham Aldcroft said in the statement that there are no longer firearms on the site, and in the future, sled dogs will be euthanized in a veterinarian’s office.
Tourism Whistler, which has marketed the company’s dog-sled tours for six years, told The Sun that it has suspended dog-sledding reservations for the company and is offering refunds to anyone who has booked a tour.
On Monday morning, Outdoor Adventures was still advertising dog-sled tours on its website, saying that its “lengthened tour means more time with the puppies.”CNN...
After mass dog slaughter, stressed man files workers' comp... more
-
-
'The measure of a society can be how well its people treat its animals"
Mohandas Gandhi
A shameful legacy for this country. CAFOS are more than just a representation of the globalization that is destroying our environment. They are a reflection of our collective moral compass. We need to end this. This book is on my list and I hope you place it on yours to discover the ways we can stop this abuse, this environmental destruction, this insanity. A sustainable food system that respects life and the ecosystems of our planet is a system that reflects the true values of a civilized society.'The measure of a society can be how well its people treat its animals"... more
-
-
Endangered whooping cranes shot dead
Only about 400 whooping cranes exist in the wild, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says.
January 12th, 2011
03:17 PM ET
Three endangered whooping cranes were shot to death in southern Georgia, wildlife officials say.
The three dead birds were found and reported by hunters near Albany, Georgia, on December 30, according to a release from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The cranes, which were banded and fitted with radio transmitters, were part of a group of five that were migrating to Florida together, the service said. They had last been tracked 20 days earlier in Hamilton County, Tennessee.
The cranes are part of the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership effort to reintroduce whooping cranes into the eastern United States. There are about 570 whooping cranes left in the world, 400 of which are in the wild, according to the wildlife service. About 100 cranes are in the eastern migratory population.
The cranes that were killed were not among those famously led south by ultralight aircraft, but instead were part of the Direct Autumn Release program, in which cranes are encouraged to follow other migrating birds, such as sandhill cranes.
In addition to the Endangered Species Act, whooping cranes are protected by state laws and the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
The wildlife service and Georgia Department of Natural Resources are investigating. Several organizations have contributed toward a $12,500 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.Endangered whooping cranes shot dead
Only about 400 whooping cranes exist in the... more
-
-
Holy crap. How do you even think that's remotely acceptable? It's not the dog's fault if people don't pay the fee, and they're totally lying about how much money they're missing out on.Holy crap. How do you even think that's remotely acceptable? It's not the... more
-
-
Suits filed over dog shootings highlight growing field of animal law
A Maryland couple sues the sheriff's office after their Labrador is shot by deputies. Legal experts say such cases are on the rise as pets are coming to be viewed as more than property — at home and in court.
By Lorraine Mirabella, Baltimore Sun
January 2, 2011
Reporting from Baltimore —
Sheriff's deputies knocked on Roger and Sandra Jenkins' front door early one Saturday to serve a court paper to the couple's teenage son. Within minutes, a chaotic scene unfolded, and the family's chocolate Labrador retriever had been shot by one of the deputies and had collapsed bleeding in the snow.
The dog survived, but its owners say it is permanently disabled. The couple sued the Frederick County Sheriff's Office in October, alleging reckless endangerment and infliction of emotional distress.
The case highlights the rapidly evolving field of animal law, which is growing as people insist that pets are not property, but part of the family.
"The common law is that a dog is just chattel — a piece of property that's easily replaced," said Rebekah Lusk, an associate attorney with the Thienel Law Firm in Columbia, Md., who handles animal law cases and represents Roger and Sandra Jenkins. "People focusing on animal law are saying the courts need to see animals as not just a replacement piece of property."
Maryland lawmakers approved a measure in 2009 allowing pet owners to set up trusts for their animals. An owner can designate a trustee to oversee the care of the animal upon the owner's death in the same way that a parent would create a trust for children.
Custody cases involving pets have been filed too. In July, a Calvert County Circuit Court judge ordered a divorcing couple to share custody of their dog.
And law schools are seeing greater interest in the animal law field. Seminars address animal welfare, pet trusts, veterinary malpractice, endangered species protections, 1st Amendment issues, pet-custody disputes, the link between animal cruelty and violent behavior, and animals' legal standing.
"Judges are no longer laughing these issues out of court," said Alan Nemeth, an adjunct professor at the University of Baltimore who teaches a seminar in animal law. "It's become more legitimate, even in divorce cases. That's a big change, and it has been happening across the country."
Courts in some jurisdictions have begun to make a link between domestic violence and cruelty to animals, said Susan Hankin, an associate professor at the University of Maryland School of Law. "If someone goes to court to get a protective order, it includes not just the victim and her children, but her pets can be included."
Hankin, who teaches an animal-law seminar that includes estate planning, custody and service animals, said interest in the topic was growing.
"There's an increasing recognition that animals play a role in our life that's different from property," she said. "It really includes a wide range of legal territory.... You can learn a lot of the areas of law by looking at the relationship between people and their companion animals."
In the Jenkins' case, according to the lawsuit filed in Frederick County Circuit Court, two deputy sheriffs went to the family's home in Taneytown, Md., in January to serve a court paper on their 18-year-old son, who no longer lived with his parents and was facing a drug-possession charge.
Roger Jenkins says he told a deputy that he needed to put the family's dogs away before he allowed him in the house. The lawsuit says that while Jenkins was letting the dogs outside to put them in a kennel, his Labrador, Brandi, noticed the unfamiliar vehicles in the driveway and began barking.
That prompted an officer to shoot the dog in the leg and chest without warning, according to the lawsuit. "Characteristic of the Labrador retriever breed of dog, Brandi is very friendly, not aggressive, and posed no threat to the deputies," the lawsuit states. "Her natural instinct, as is any dog's instinct, is to announce the presence of unfamiliar people on her property by barking."
The Frederick County Sheriff's Office denies liability and says the actions were legally justified, according to a document filed with the court in December.
The incident followed the July 2008 shooting deaths of two Labrador retrievers in Prince George's County, Md., during a raid by a police SWAT team and county narcotics officers at the home of Berwyn Heights Mayor Cheye Calvo. Police mistakenly thought his wife was involved in drug trafficking.
A lawsuit filed by Calvo against the state of Maryland is pending.Suits filed over dog shootings highlight growing field of animal law
A Maryland... more
-
-
-Michael Vick(notes) has been getting support from all sides during his road to redemption. He's now getting it from the leader of the free world.
NBC's Peter King reports that Barack Obama called Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie earlier this week to congratulate him for giving Vick a second chance after his release from prison. According to King, the president said that released prisoners rarely receive a level playing field and that Vick's story could begin to change that.
Forget your political allegiances or feelings about Michael Vick and take a step back to think about this. The sitting president of the United States went out of his way to publicly praise a man who, 3 1/2 years ago, many thought would never play again in the NFL. Even the most ardent believers in Vick couldn't have fathomed a turn-around like this.
In retrospect it seems obvious that Vick would get a second chance in the NFL, but it wasn't so clear-cut back when he was lying to the commissioner, getting sternly admonished in federal court and serving out a sentence at Leavenworth. We tend to take for granted unbelievable events when they slowly unfold before our eyes. The step-by-step nature of these sorts of tales tend to minimize the shock when taken in over a long process. So though it now seems like it was all pre-destined to work out like this, it wasn't: Vick's rise and fall and rise is a truly stunning tale. He went from star to pariah to inmate to backup to MVP candidate to political prop for the leader of the free world all in a span of a couple years.
more-
LINK - - -
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Obama-calls-Eagles-owner-to-congraulate-him-for-?urn=nfl-300632
image -
http://i26.tinypic.com/ejzsc9.jpg-Michael Vick(notes) has been getting support from all sides during his road to... more
-
-
From: Grey2K.................
For over 60 years, the public has been prevented from seeing the terrible way dogs are treated at Tucson Greyhound Park. Last summer, our team of professional investigators finally got into the kennel compound to learn the truth.
This groundbreaking investigation was covered last night by KOLD-TV Channel 13 TV News. Click here to see the story:
http://grey2kusa.c.topica.com/maaosgKab1ZITaUfVdUeaeQyhC/
Last year, GREY2K USA released a report documenting that a dog was injured every 3 to 4 days at Tucson Greyhound Park in 2008. Greyhounds suffered broken legs, fractured skulls, dislocations, and muscle tears. Now, our investigators have proven that dogs at Tucson Greyhound Park also endure lives of terrible confinement.
* The kennel compound consists of a series of warehouses surrounded by a barbed wire fence and blocked by a guard shack.
*
*
* Greyhounds are kept inside these warehouse-style kennels in small, stacked cages which are barely large enough for them to stand up or turn around.
*
*
* Greyhounds at Tucson racing kennels are kept in complete darkness.
*
*
* Greyhounds at Tucson racing kennels are fed raw, untreated 4-D meat.
*
*
* The majority of dogs our investigators observed were muzzled right inside their cages.
This is no way to treat a dog!From: Grey2K.................
For over 60 years, the public has been prevented... more
-
-
The Humane Society of the United States says its undercover investigation documents inhumane treatment of breeding pigs and piglets at a factory farm in Waverly that's owned by a subsidiary of Smithfield Foods.
At a Wednesday morning news conference, the HSUS says its investigator spent a month working inside the facility and found many incidents of abuse.
"We conducted this investigation to shine a very bright light on this very dark world of animal abuse that exists in these operations in which gestation crates are used," said Senior Director, Factory Farming Campaign, HSUS.
For example, HSUS alleges that three times, the investigator informed employees that a pig was thrown into a dumpster alive. The animal had been shot in the forehead with a captive bolt gun, which is designed to render an animal unconscious, and was thrown in the dumpster still alive and breathing.
Other incidents HSUS says it documented were female breeding pigs crammed inside "gestation crates" so small the animals could barely move and employees mishandling piglets and tossing them into carts.
HSUS says the company, which is among the nation's top animal agribusiness, pledged in 2007 to phase out the use of gestation crates within 10 years, but that last year, the company changed its mind. Citing the economic climate.
Shapiro, "the company can not rely on the economic recession as an excuse for failing to allow its animals merely the ability to turn around when the company just posted its highest earnings last quarter in the company's entire 74 year history."
Smithfield Foods said care and safety is its top priorty and that it began an investigation since learning of a possible incident through its animal welfare hotline.
Shapiro said other large pork producers, such as Maxwell Foods, are already gestation crate-free.Cargill is 50 percent gestation crate-free.
HSUS says seven states across the country have already banned the use of gestation crates.
Shapiro says gestation crates are not illegal in Virginia and Smithfield Foods doesn't face any criminal charges.The Humane Society of the United States says its undercover investigation documents... more
-
-
52 seconds of lizard abuse, then sweet justice. The lizard is not taking this kids sh*t anymore. If the kid just quit being such a mean little focker maybe Santa would bring him some real toys.52 seconds of lizard abuse, then sweet justice. The lizard is not taking this kids... more
-
-
Fans Bid Zenyatta Farewell At Hollywood Park
December 5, 2010 8:18 PM
Fans bid farewell to Zenyatta, who was the only female horse to ever win the Breeder’s Cup. (credit: CBS)
From darleeneworks
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA(AP) — Zenyatta bid a final farewell to her legions of fans on Sunday at Hollywood Park, pricking her cotton-stuffed ears at the gaggle of cameras one more time before heading into retirement.
The superstar mare who won 19 of her 20 career races patiently walked around the paddock before taking to the track for a last stroll. Fans cheered and snapped photos as Zenyatta made her way along the grandstand so everyone could see her.
“It’s amazing the following she has and we’re fans ourselves,” Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert said.
Zenyatta entered the paddock in between races wearing a pink saddlecloth from one of her wins in the Apple Blossom Handicap. Groom Mario Espinoza walked her in circles as 11,216 fans yelled her name and photographed every shake of her head.
She made her farewell tour without a rider in the saddle, a way to keep her low-key in an atmosphere that otherwise suggested she would be racing. It was several minutes before Zenyatta briefly high-stepped, a move that drew an approving roar from the crowd that mostly ignored the running of the sixth race while watching her.
“You can have a 20-year lull and when something like Zenyatta comes along, the public responds,” said Bo Derek, a member of the California Horse Racing Board. “The fans confirm I’m not the only horse racing fan.”
Owners Jerry and Ann Moss looked on lovingly as the 6-year-old mare made the rounds.
“We’ve been very lucky and blessed to have Zenyatta. This is a great day,” a smiling Jerry Moss said, his arm wrapped around his wife. “We’re feeling fantastic. We have a great horse retiring 100 percent sound.”
The Mosses were joined by trainer John Shirreffs, his wife and the Mosses’ racing manager Dottie Ingordo-Shirreffs, jockey Mike Smith, exercise rider Steve Willard, Espinoza, hotwalker Carmen Zamona and pony boy Freddy Wilson.
“It was a tough morning to say goodbye to `Big Mama.’ I think I’m going to miss her more than all my wives,” said Wilson, who has been married four times.
As Zenyatta walked onto the track, a replay of her victory in the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic played on the videoboard. Smith leaned against the rail, watching intently as she beat the boys in a race that bolstered her credentials.
Smith briefly took the reins from Espinoza and walked Zenyatta around as planes headed for nearby Los Angeles International Airport roared overhead. Smith handed over the reins and twice tapped his heart with his right hand before walking away.
“I’m really excited and really happy, but very sad,” he said, tears welling in his brown eyes.
Handmade signs decorated the grandstand, expressing the fans’ affection and appreciation of a horse who became a crossover star, with her own Twitter and Facebook accounts and appearances in national magazines and TV shows.
“We will miss you Zenyatta” read one sign. Another said, “Zenyatta thank you!!”
A young blond-haired girl carried a homemade pink letter `Z’ decorated with pink feathers in the paddock. Several fans donned pink-and-green clothing in a nod to the colors of the Mosses’ silks.
“You have special feelings about horses, but a lot of people don’t share that feeling,” Shirreffs said. “But everybody shared it with Zenyatta. That was the wonderful thing about her.”
Zenyatta retired last month after finishing second by a head to Blame in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs for the only blemish on her record.
She heads off to Kentucky on Monday to begin a breeding career. Espinoza will accompany her and stay a few days to help Zenyatta adjust to her new surroundings. She will make a public appearance in the paddock at Keeneland before being sent to Lane’s End Farm near Versailles.
“We’re going to miss her, but that’s what happens,” Shirreffs said. “The big thing is to enjoy the ones that you have when they’re with you.”
The Mosses couldn’t resist a bit of campaigning on Sunday, with both of them wearing “Vote Zenyatta” buttons in reference to her bid to win Horse of the Year honors in January.
Fans did the same, chanting “Horse of the Year” while Zenyatta was on the track.
“I think the industry will miss a huge opportunity if they don’t give her Horse of the Year,” said Shirreffs, who didn’t wear the pin.Fans Bid Zenyatta Farewell At Hollywood Park
December 5, 2010 8:18 PM
Fans bid... more
-
-
SHARED BY...
Jennifer Lee Pryor
President, Indigo Inc.
President, Tarnished Angel, Inc.
www.richardpryor.com
Director, Pryor’s Planet
www.pryorsplanet.com
From: nancyelizabeth green
Sent: Wednesday, November 24, 2010 1:07 PM
Subject: Fwd: WCTV (Tallahassee) CBS affiliate refusal to air news spot
A quick update to the situation in Ga. The station backed down from showing the spot, as the lawyer for the ministry called their legal dept. I called CBS in New York to issue a complaint. I am trying to find an attorney to help protect this woman and her animals from a greed-entrenched Christian entity and a town totally intimidated. These animals will starve if she cannot receive some type of feed assistance. I am hoping if people call CBS, maybe the spot will be aired and the truth will be revealed. Thank you
nancyelizabeth green
__________________________
-----Original Message-----
From: nancyelizabeth green
To: pjcooper
Cc: kokob
Sent: Wed, Nov 24, 2010 10:53 am
Subject: RE:WCTV (tallahassee) CBS affiliate refusal to air news spot
Ms. Cooper: The reporter (Ms. Caroline Gonzmart) did the interview. She was both professional and kind. High Point Ministries was informed, but did not send anyone. The spot was to be aired twice yesterday. Ms. Bannister received a call, approx. 4pm, telling her apologetically that the station could not air the spot as scheduled. Apparently, Mr. Kevin Cauley, attorney for the High Point Ministries, called WCTV's legal dept., and the rest is history. There was nothing negative or disparaging in the spot; just informing the community of the removal of animals, without any writ of possession filed or served, by High Point Ministries. I left messages with both the news director and station manager @ WCTV. This is of great concern to the animal community. This truly is a story of David vs. Goliath. The Tallahassee community has a right to know , and WCTV has a duty to reveal the truth, regardless of the influence of parties involved.
nancyelizabeth green atlanta ga.
"I urge you to ask yourself just how honorable it is to preside over the abuse and suffering of animals."
Richard Pryor
Dream High Farms (5013c) in Wigham, Ga. has been evicted without notice, by the High Point Ministries (Tallahassee, Fla.). This "christian"-based group, run by Donna Floyd, is wealthy; some say it has more $$$ than God! Three jets, a Russian orphanage; you get the idea. They had the sheriff remove 8 horses and one donkey last Friday night. No papers were ever filed or served, and Becky Bannister (founder of Dream High Farms) has adoption papers (2008) for the equines. They also took most of the feed and hay, which leaves Becky with barely enough to feed the remaining animals. This is a very small, rural town (631 people), and this ministry has the power of wealth and religion. I called local TV stations, trying to get a reporter to the property, when the sheriff was allowing the removal of these animals.
P.S. Becky just called me and told me a WCTV (CBS affiliate in Tallahassee), has responded, and is due @ Dream High Farms @ 9am, tomorrow (Tuesday) morning! I hope they have the guts to show the community, what the High Point Ministries is really all about. This situation is particularly despicable, as animals and children are being deprived under the guise of religion.
Thank you for passing this along to your contacts.
Respectfully, nancy elizabeth Green atlanta ga.
____________________________
Subject: Fwd: -11/12/10 HIGHPOINTE MINISTRIES EVICTING 5013c rehab for special needs children through animals
ATTENTION: The situation with the High Point Ministries (see below) has worsened. This evening, the sheriff of Wigham approached Mrs. Bannister's property and said they were removing her horses. No legal papers (eviction or otherwise), were presented. Several horses were confiscated. I was on the phone with Becky during the "theft" of her animals. The sheriff threatened her with obstruction of justice, as she objected. I tried to call TV stations, to get a reporter on the scene. I could not get anyone's attention. This is a travesty!
High Point Ministries needs to be confronted on their seemingly "unchristianlike" behavior. This is a small Georgia community (631population.) But, like its large city counterparts, $$$ appears to make right. The Sheriff needs to be investigated( Grady county) as to why he would assist in the removal of property without any type of court mandate. Please contact Becky Bannister.
Sent: Fri, Nov 19, 2010 10:30 am
Subject: -11/12/10 HIGHPOINTE MINISTRIES EVICTING 5013c rehab for special needs children thru animals
Press Release
11/12/10
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dream High Farms, Whigham, Georgia
A Nonprofit Animal Rescue falls victim to greed of Christian Ministry.
Dream High Farms (an IRS approved 501(c)(3)) was founded in 2007 by Becky Bannister and her husband Richard. Richard Bannister is a Vietnam Air Force Veteran, who works for the U.S. Post Office. Becky has a background in adolescent psychology, mental retardation and substance abuse. They are located in Whigham, Georgia, in the southwestern portion of the State.
They currently provide needed shelter for 98 horses, 13 greyhounds, 50 peacocks, and 187 other assorted animals, including 2 llamas. Over the last five years they have provided Equestrian Assisted Therapy for hundreds of at risk youth in southwest Georgia and northern Florida.
In 2008 High Pointe Ministries stepped in to assist the agency, offering to purchase the land so that the Animal Rescue agency could continue in perpetuity. Tragically, benefactor Mike Floyd, passed away in January of 2010, leaving no will and control of the Christian Conglomerate to his wife Donna Floyd and his daughter Melode.
Donna Floyd is host of a Christian TV Show called “Wisdom for Winning” on WKOW, carried on Titan TV. High Pointe Ministries owns many interests in TV and radio, among other business entities.
I month ago High Pointe Ministries suspended all youth programming on the property, citing liability issues. With no warning, Dream High Farms was informed that they will be thrown off the property and High Pointe Ministries would take over the operation (see www.magnoliahorsefarm.com)
High Pointe Ministries (supposedly a Christian Organization) is behaving in a decidedly Un-Christian manner.
For more information contact:
Becky Bannister
850-899-7844
229-762-4407
.
http://highpointeministries.com/images/HighPointeSplash.jpg
.SHARED BY...
Jennifer Lee Pryor
President, Indigo Inc.
President, Tarnished... more
-
