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Issue
188 - March 27, 2002
| Puppy Mill Calls Needed Again |
| As reported in the New York Times on
Sunday (3/24), the American Kennel Club is waging a fierce
campaign against the Puppy Protection amendment to the Farm
Bill. It's ironic that the AKC would strenuously lobby to
block these modest—and long overdue—improvements to current
federal law governing commercial dog breeders. Even more
ironic is that, according to AKC's own figures, almost 97% of
its registrants are not affected by the federal law, which
exempts those having fewer than four breeding females—yet the
AKC has disingenuously urged these "hobby breeders" to fight
the puppy amendment. AKC also fails to mention that it
actually registers puppy mills and profits from this
relationship. We can't let their misinformation prevail.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Contact the following two key members
of the Farm Bill conference committee and tell them you hope
they'll agree to the Senate's Puppy Protection amendment
without weakening it. Let them know that hobby breeders are
exempt from the law, and that the amendment's modest
provisions dealing with socialization, over-breeding, and
license revocation for chronic violators are all urgently
needed.
- Representative Larry Combest (R-TX): 202-225-2171 / Fax:
202-225-0917
- Representative Charles Stenholm (R-TX): 202-225-0317 /
Fax: 202-225-8510
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| Fighting the Furriers |
| Although the fur season is winding down, it
is important to remember that animals trapped for fur or
raised on fur farms suffer all year long. Because fur farms
are not regulated, animals suffer terribly from inhumane
confinement, disease, and unsanitary conditions before being
killed through neck-breaking, anal electrocution, or gassing.
As one of the largest retailers and promoters of this grisly
industry, Neiman Marcus bears responsibility because it
profits from this suffering. The Fund for Animals has joined
the ongoing grassroots campaign asking Neiman Marcus to
exercise compassionate and responsible business practices and
stop selling fur. To order free educational flyers from the
Fund, e-mail pmckosky@fund.org. To
learn how you can become involved in the campaign, visit http://www.neimancarcass.com/.
You can also call Neiman Marcus toll free: 800-937-9146 (ask
for the executive office) and ask it to stop selling fur
garments. |
| Update: Crucial Juncture for La Paz
Dolphins |
| The La Paz dolphins are seven (formerly
eight) wild dolphins captured off the coast of Baja Mexico in
December 2000. Since then, they have been confined in what
marine mammal scientists have deemed one of the worst dolphin
holding facilities known, the "FINS Dolphin Learning Center"
facility in La Paz, Mexico. The ongoing fight for the release
of these seven beleaguered dolphins was made all the more
urgent last year by the death of Luna, a female dolphin who
succumbed to the stress of her capture and captivity. The
public outcry stemming from this tragedy compelled Mexican
officials to institute a permanent ban on capturing wild
dolphins in January of 2002. On March 6, 2002, the Mexican
government took one step further and confiscated the seven
remaining dolphins from the FINS facility. However, what
initially appeared to be a sure route to freedom for the seven
dolphins has taken a grim turn: there is now conclusive
evidence that some Mexican officials seek to relocate the
dolphins to another captive facility, rather than releasing
them back into their ocean home, as animal advocates have been
hoping for.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Contact Mexican officials and politely
but firmly but urge them to rehabilitate and release the
remaining seven dolphins from the FINS facility. Time is of
the essence—your faxes and e-mails are essential in
determining the dolphins' fates.
- Dr. Victor Lichtinger, Secretary of the Environment: vlichtinger@semarnat.gob.mx /
fax: 52-55-56-28-06-43
- Lic Jose Campillo Garcia, Procurador del Medio Ambiente:
jcampillo@correo.profepa.gob.mx
- Lic Diana Ponce Nava, Subprocuradora de Recursos
Naturales: dponcenava@correo.profepa.gob.mx
- Soc. Regina Barba Pirez, Coordinadora de Participación
Social y Transparencia: rbarba@semarnat.gob.mx
- Presidente Vicente Fox Quesada: vicentefox@presidencia.gob.mx
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| Update: Sing Sing Kitten Killer
Sentenced |
| Last March, a Sing Sing Correctional Facility
prison guard perpetrated a terrible act of cruelty by
intentionally crushing five kittens in a trash compactor in
Ossining, New York. On Friday (3/22), Judge Kenneth Lange
sentenced Ronald Hunlock to jail time for the killings. During
sentencing, Judge Lange said that Hunlock's action was "so
offensive and so calculated and so gratuitously cruel it
diminishes the humanity of everybody." Judge Lange sentenced
Hunlock to one year for killing each of the kittens and one
year for trying to kill the mother (who managed to slip away),
allowing that both sentences could be served
concurrently. | |
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