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Issue
186 - March 13, 2002
| Farm Bill Update—Help Downed Animals |
| Negotiations are ongoing by the House/Senate
conference committee on the Farm Bill. We know opposition
forces are generating lots of calls and letters, pushing to
weaken or eliminate pro-animal amendments in the final version
of the Farm Bill. We must keep our calls and letters coming.
This week, please focus your efforts on supporting the Downed
Animal Protection provisions, included in both the Senate and
House versions of the Farm Bill but nonetheless in jeopardy
due to opposition pressure. These provisions, championed by
Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Daniel Akaka (D-HI) and
Representatives Gary Ackerman (D-NY) and Amo Houghton (R-NY),
mandate humane euthanasia of animals who are too sick or
injured to stand and walk unassisted at stockyards, auctions
and other intermediate livestock markets. Current law allows
these animals to be kicked, shocked, dragged with chains,
pushed with bulldozers, and hauled by forklifts en route to
slaughter.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Contact the following key members of
the Senate-House Conference Committee and urge them to "retain
the animal protection amendments in the final version of the
Farm Bill—and keep the Downed Animal Protection provisions
intact."
- Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA): 202-224-2035 / Fax:
202-224-9287
- Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN): 202-224-2035 (same as
Harkin's) / Fax: 202-224-1725
- Representative Larry Combest (R-TX): 202-225-2171 / Fax:
202-225-0917
- Representative Charles Stenholm (D-TX): 202-225-0317 /
Fax: 202-225-8510
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| Don't Let Alabama Cruelty Be Ignored |
| In August of 2000, Alabama's governor signed
Alabama's felony animal cruelty bill into law. Less than a
month later, witnesses report that in Delmar, Alabama, Will
Robinson shot and then burned alive the family dog, after
finding her digging through the trash. Witnesses have also
told The HSUS that Robinson killed the dog in front of his own
sobbing children and that they heard the puppy "suck fire into
her lungs and then die." Despite the overwhelming evidence, a
grand jury last year failed to indict Mr. Robinson for animal
cruelty. An ongoing campaign has been underway to persuade the
Winston County District Attorney to submit the Robinson case
to a second grand jury. Even Governor Siegelman added his
voice and asked District Attorney John Bostick to "explore
every possible legal means of successful prosecution."
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Send your letters to District Attorney
Bostick, asking that he "resubmit the Robinson case to the
next Winston County Grand Jury." Let him know that as the
first test of Alabama's felony cruelty law, this case is of
utmost importance. Write to:
Mr. John Jackson Bostick
Winston County District
Attorney
P.O. Box 211
Double Springs, AL 35553
Fax:
205-489-5660
E-mail: mailto:mdabostic@sonet.net |
| Suarez Seven Inspire Federal
Legislation |
| On Tuesday (03/11/02), Congressman Earl
Blumenauer (D-OR) introduced federal legislation to make
illegal the use of polar bears in traveling shows or circuses.
The Polar Bear Protection Act, which has more than 30 original
cosponsors, was introduced in response to the tragic plight of
the "Suarez Seven," a group of beleaguered captive polar bears
being forced to perform in the searing tropical heat of the
Caribbean and Central and South America. The condition of
these bears had earlier sparked more than 70 members of the
U.S. House and Senate to sign letters supporting the
confiscation and transfer of the bears to more humane
facilities. To date, several U.S. zoos have offered to house
the bears, including the Detroit Zoo and the Baltimore Zoo.
The latter has already taken in one of the bears, a female
whom the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seized because the
circus provided false identity papers for her.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Contact your U.S. (not state)
Representative today (Capitol switchboard: 202-224-3121) and
ask that s/he cosponsor Rep. Blumenauer's Polar Bear
Protection Act. Explain that you are very concerned with
preventing future, tragic situations like that of the Suarez
Seven (now the Suarez Six). If you need help identifying your
U.S. Representative, contact The HSUS at 202-955-3666 or go to
http://www.house.gov/writerep |
| This Easter, Give Animals a Break |
| Because holidays are traditionally a time for
celebration and family gatherings, it can be easy to forget
that they are often the toughest times of the year for
animals. Pigs, in particular, suffer terribly on factory
farms, en route to becoming the holiday hams that are so
popular at Easter. "Gestation crates" and "farrowing crates,"
where sows are kept virtually locked in place for the majority
of their lives, are methods of intensive confinement that
pervade the modern factory farming system. This Easter, why
not consider setting a compassionate, new tradition by
preparing a vegetarian or vegan spread for your family's
dinner? Many wonderful recipes and meat-free alternatives can
be found at: http://www.hsus.org/12226. And don't forget to
visit http://www.bancruelfarms.org/
to find out how you can take action to help pigs in factory
farms. | |
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