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Issue
193 - May 1, 2002
| Update: Forgea Saved! |
| Thanks to the dedicated efforts of
HUMANElines readers and the valiant efforts of the U.S.
Coast Guard, the Hawaiian Humane Society, and American Marine
Services, Forgea, the dog who was abandoned on the sinking
tanker, Insiko, has been saved. On Friday (4/26/02), crew
members of the American Quest (contracted by the Coast Guard
to find the Insiko and Forgea) boarded the ship and coaxed
Forgea into the lap of a dog-loving crew member, who whisked
her to safety on board the American Quest. Currently, the
Insiko is being towed back into port in Honolulu, where Forgea
will be thoroughly checked over by a veterinarian before she
undergoes the required 120-day quarantine (during which time
she'll be pampered at the Kauai Humane Society) and is placed
in a safe home. |
| Call to Oppose the Outrageous Farm
Bill |
| Earlier this year, animal advocates had
reason to be heartened, as animal-friendly Representatives and
Senators worked to attach animal protection provisions to the
Farm Bill (H.R. 2646), a bill that sets agriculture policy for
the next several years. The House and Senate had adopted
amendments to combat animal fighting, the bear parts trade,
puppy mills, and the abuse of downed animals. In the dim light
of the conference committee, however, key House and Senate
negotiators—led by Representatives Larry Combest (R-TX-19) and
Charles Stenholm (D-TX-17)—weakened or gutted the animal
protection provisions. In addition, they successfully pushed
for the adoption of anti-animal amendments, such as measures
to exclude birds, mice, and rats from coverage under the
provisions of the Animal Welfare Act, and to force commercial
airlines to carry baby chicks as ordinary mail, leading to
their terrible suffering and high mortality. Conferees also
decided to give billions of dollars in new subsidies to
massive factory farms. The final version of the Farm Bill
marks an effort by a small number of legislators to substitute
their judgment for the full House and Senate, which acted
favorably on most animal protection provisions. It is for
these reasons that we are now strongly urging members of
Congress to vote "No" on the entire Farm Bill.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Please contact your two U.S. Senators
and your Representative immediately (Congressional
switchboard: 202-224-3121) and let them know that it is
unacceptable for the Farm Bill to do so much harm to animals
and the environment—ask them to vote "No" on H.R. 2646, the
Farm Bill. If you need to identify your federal legislators,
visit http://www.vote-smart.org/
or call The HSUS at 202-955-3666. Calls are needed now
to defeat the Farm Bill. A House vote is expected Thursday
afternoon, and Senate action is to follow shortly
thereafter. |
| Montana Bison Emergency |
| Bison in Montana are facing a crisis
situation: the Montana Department of Livestock (MDOL) has
decided to kill all bison captured outside of Yellowstone
Park's protective boundaries, ostensibly to protect a handful
of domestic cattle from possible infection with brucellosis.
Previously, the MDOL had tested all captured bison,
slaughtered those who tested positive for brucellosis, and
released the rest. Even this system was far from perfect
because a positive test result only indicates that an animal
has been exposed to the disease, not whether the animal is
currently infected. MDOL's recent decision to slaughter all
captured bison without even testing them is scientifically
unjustified and is costing millions of taxpayer dollars. To
make matters worse, hundreds more bison may soon be killed
when MDOL and cooperating agencies shift from capture and
slaughter of bison to simply shooting those who remain outside
of the Park on May 1.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Your urgent (polite) calls and faxes
are needed to stop this killing. Please contact Montana
Governor Judy Martz and Montana's state Veterinarian, Dr.
Arnold Gertonson, and ask that they immediately stop the
capture, slaughter, or shooting of all bison or, at a minimum,
that they reinstate testing of all bison captured on April 30
and initiate hazing of those who remain outside of the Park as
of May 1.
Governor Judy Martz: 406-444-3111/ Fax: 406-444-4151
Dr.
Arnold Gertonson, State Veterinarian: 406-444-2043 / Fax:
406-444-1929 |
| Don't Let the Poultry Industry Hijack
Organic Standards |
| Factory farming industry members are trying
to usurp the "organic" label and use it on chickens that they
raise in extremely inhumane, factory farming conditions. As
the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) Livestock
Committee meets to establish national standards for organic
poultry, giant corporations are intensively lobbying the Board
to allow their industrialized factories to be certified as
"organic". These industrial producers have even succeeded in
getting one of their representatives onto the NOSB Livestock
Committee. The factory farming industry's attempt at creating
an illusion of humaneness and good health is outrageous and
disingenuous. If allowed, it will only strengthen an industry
that does immeasurable harm to animals and the environment.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Please contact the NOSB Livestock
Committee by the May 6th deadline, and ask them to
deny the organic label to factory farms. Tell them that
an industry that thrives on overuse of antibiotics and
inhumane confinement systems has no business using the
"organic" label. Faxed comments will be the most helpful.
Contact:
Katherine Benham
USDA-AMS-TMP-NOP
Room 4008, South
Building
1400 and Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC
20250-0020
202-720-3252
Fax: 202-205-7808
E-mail: Katherine.benham@usda.gov | |
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