If you want a friend you can count on, look to the furry canine curled up
at your feet. No one is more comforting than a dog, and the net is filled
with sites celebrating and providing information on these animals, who, to
some of us, are part of the family. So whether you own a dog, enjoy
playing with them, or are considering adopting or buying a pet, you should
find these sites a good read.
Start your search at the I Love Dogs Web site at
www.i-love-dogs.com,
which provides links to just about every dog-related site on the World
Wide Web.
Another large, comprehensive site is the About.com Dogs site at
dogs.about.com/mbody.htm.
This site features articles on various topics of interest to dog owners,
such as what to do if your dog gets car sick.
And for those considering getting a dog, there's an important section on
how to decide whether you're ready, how to choose between purchasing and
adoption etc. at
/library/weekly/aa071600a.htm.
Cheryl Smith has written several books on dog training, and if you go to
her Web site at
www.writedog.com/askaway.html,
you can e-mail your questions about training problems and she promises to
e-mail you her answers.
And there is an entire Web site devoted to helping cats and dogs get along
at
www.dogs-with-cats.com.
One site that kept me amused for quite a while was DogsInTheNews.com at
dogsinthenews.com.
As its name suggests, this site collects and posts news stories on pooches
from all over the globe (particularly from Europe, it seems, or perhaps
Europeans have an especially high percentage of dogs). The funniest and
most interesting stories from the past year are still posted on the site.
Another amusing dog-related site is this tribute to the now-defunct "Angriest
Dog in the World" cartoon by movie director David Lynch
www.bcpl.net/~dbroida/angrydog.html.
Here, on a site devoted to Lynch and his work, are several examples of the
"Angriest Dog" strip, which may make you think twice about keeping Fido
tied up all day.
Remember, there are many wonderful dogs and puppies who need homes. Just
call your local animal shelter or check the ads in the newspaper. (Source:
an article by Hannah Brown in The Jerusalem Post)
(02/02/2002) Lost Orca Youngsters
Vancouver, B.C. — Scientists say a lonely killer-whale calf that has
spent the past six months in a remote inlet on Vancouver Island's west
coast is Luna, an orca presumed dead after disappearing from Puget Sound
last summer. The 2-1/2-year-old calf, known to scientists as L-98, was
born in L-Pod, resident orcas that frequent the state's inland waters.
"This hasn't happened since our studies began (30 years ago). We've
never had an animal disappear and then come back," said John Ford, a whale
researcher with the Pacific Biological Station.
Researchers have tentatively identified another lone whale swimming
between Seattle and the Kitsap Peninsula as belonging to a pod that lives
off the Canadian coast and rarely ventures into U.S. waters.
Researchers are simply observing the whales for now, although no one is ruling out an attempt to help them reunite with their
families. (The Seattle Times/1 Feb 2002)
(03/02/2002) French fishermen blamed for killing hundreds of dolphins
French fishermen pursuing sea bass may be responsible for the deaths of hundreds of dolphins off the coasts of Britain and France, Britain's Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society
believes. In the past month, 80 dolphins have been washed up dead off England's south coast, three times the number last year, while 300 dolphins were found dead on the beaches of France's Atlantic coast in nine days in late January.
Marks showed they had been caught in nets, and some had been mutilated in an attempt to make them sink. The deaths are occurring during the winter hunt for sea bass – for which there is now a huge demand – in the waters south-west of the British Isles by about 50 French trawlers. The French boats are operating as pelagic (open sea) pair trawlers, a technique in which two boats draw a net rapidly near the surface water. Research shows this technique can produce a big unintentional entrapment of dolphins, porpoises and small whales. The French boats will not allow observers on board.
The conservation group is calling for the EU to monitor pelagic pair trawling closely. Ali Ross, of the group, said: "We think the finger of suspicion points at the French sea bass fishery over the recent dolphin kills, but pair trawling for all species presents dolphins with a serious threat." (Source : The Independent (UK) - Feb 1, 2002)
(04/02/2002) Hundreds of cocks will be tortured and killed during Spanish festival
In the second week of February, time of Carnival, this year, begin in Extremadura (Spain) one “festival” that can be described as follows:
Suspend alive cocks by the paws and killing them with
sticks or pull violently their heads with bites . The suffering of these animals are
horrific.
These “festivals” are made in several villages in Extremadura such as : Albalá del Caudillo, Valdecasa de Tajo,etc. This campaign aims to pressure the authorities of Extremadura and the government of Spain to forbid immediately these shows and at the same approve in the region an Animal protection Law, with strong sanctions against those who mistreat
animals.
Please express your feelings and protests to the following
addresses:
It’s unconceivable to learn that in several villages of Exremadura, like Albalá del Caudillo, Valdelacasa de Tajo, etc., hundreds of cocks are SUSPEND ALIVE COCKS BY THE PAWS AND KILLING THEM WITH STICKS OR PULL VIOLENTLY THEIR HEADS WITH
BITES.
Once again, the region of Extremadura shows their cultural, political and social retardment, face to other Autonomics Communities of Spain that once had the same shows and today forbid them due to laws of animal’s protection.
Therefore, I ask that you adopt immediately measures in order to PROHIBIT these barbaric “festivals”, which are included in the “Carnival 2002”.
I urge you, Dear Sirs, to approve a Law , similarly to Castilla-La Mancha and
Castilla- León, who have advanced laws of animal's protection.
Sincerely
Name:
Country:
E-mail:
(05/02/2002) Danger for Fungie, the famous dolphin !
DUBLIN, Ireland (AP) - A fishing boat grounded off Ireland's
storm-swept Kerry coast could endanger the health of the country's
best-loved dolphin, the government warned Monday.
Fungie, a friendly dolphin who has lived in Dingle Bay for several
years, is swimming too close to boats inspecting the trawler Celestial
Dawn. Officials placed absorbent booms around the vessel, which has leaked
some of the 17,500 gallons of diesel fuel in its hold.
"Usually people are delighted to see her, but right now they want her to swim
away. Diesel and dolphins don't mix,'' said Tom McLoughlin of the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources.
"If any gets into her system it could make her very ill.''
The Spanish-registered vessel was trapped on rocky outcrops near
Dingle Bay on Saturday during storms that caused widespread flooding in
Ireland and Britain.
The weather remained volatile Monday, as boats carrying pollution
officials and representatives of the vessel's insurers surveyed the
Celestial Dawn to determine how much diesel was leaking and whether it
could be safely towed away from the rocks.
The 10 members of trawler's crew were treated for hypothermia. One sailor remained hospitalized
Monday. The Spanish captain was being questioned by Irish marine officials about why the vessel ran
aground.
(06/02/2002) UK: £175,000 grant to save great apes
The government is to put £175,000 behind an international campaign to
save the great apes - humankind's closest relatives - from extinction. UN
chiefs last year launched an appeal for funds to protect dwindling
colonies of gorillas, chimpanzees and bonobos in Africa, and orangutans in
Indonesia from hunting and habitat destruction.
Humans and the surviving primates diverged from a common ancestor
about 7m years ago. Bonobos, sometimes called pigmy chimps, share 98.4% of
their DNA with modern humans. Gorillas share almost 98% and even
orangutans share more than 96% of their genetic inheritance with humans.
Chimpanzees have shown the ability to communicate with humans in sign language and manipulate numbers as well as use tools and transmit cultural information to other
chimpanzees. Yet as human numbers have soared to more than 6bn, ape
populations have fallen away dramatically. The wild orangutan population
in Borneo is under severe threat. There may be no more than 150,000
chimpanzees, 100,000 gorillas and 15,000 bonobos at large in the forests
and savannahs of Africa. Their territories have been reduced and
fragmented by farmers and loggers. Many are being systematically killed
for bush meat, and their orphans sold for the pet trade.
The British aid will go to help protect gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and to back a conservation programme by Bristol Zoo Gardens in eastern
Cameroon. (Source Guardian Unlimited)
(07/02/2002) Born to die - Ireland: Greyhound
Coursing Casualties
The Association of Hunt Saboteurs wish to highlight the unacceptable
'high death rate' of Coursing Greyhounds as the 3 day final in Clonmel
marks the end of the current season.
A large percentage of 'losers' will invariably prove too much of a liability to keep
alive. The dogs being mere pawns in the Coursing game, are considered too costly a burden for trainers and so called owners to feed and maintain for another
year. These unfortunate dogs will be marked for disposal by either shooting or lethal injection , some may even die before the Powerstown Park gates close at the end of the 2001/2
season.
Less succesfull dogs will no doubt end their days suffering with untreated injuries in Dog Pounds around the country, many being dropped off to be killed on the way home from Coursing trials, a quick disposal for the small sum of 18
euros. The pounds kill these gentle majestic animals on demand, knowing that in Ireland, the worlds oldest pedigree dog is rejected by the majority as merely a running machine. Other countries such as the UK and the USA cherish these dogs and adopt them as the loyal human companions they really are. They are known as the 45 MPH couch potato in the States.
Sentiment and profit are mutually exclusive in a world where winners live
(at least till the next event) and losers pay with their lives. An insight into the nastier side of the Greyhound business is well hidden from the public gaze as death is part and parcel of this outdated barbaric business - and not just to the gentle
hares.
In Ireland the Irish Coursing Club has made no provisions for these dogs, they merely promote the fast buck and encourage over-breeding without a consideration that healthy young dogs are dying in their
thousands.
>22,000 greyhound pups were registered in the year 2000.
>128 dogs took part in the Oaks/Darby at Clonmel.
Bernie Wright
Press Officer, Assoc of Hunt Saboteurs
Phone 087-2651720/01-8642968.
(08/02/2002) Not only in India: The Cruel Circus
Have you ever seen a polka dotted lion? Well, the circus in town has one of this. And it's definitely not a new
species. Wild animals that have been incarcerated in a circus very often bear such scars across their body. To tame a
wild, fearless creature of the jungle, sometimes, electric probes or red-hot iron rods are used to shock or burn the animal into
submission. Denial of food and other forms of punishment are used to kill the instinctive spirit of the wild.
The circus authorities claim that they treat their animals like their
children. Let us presume their proclamation to be true for the moment. So
then what is the problem? Let us examine the animals' situation. The lions
with Rajkamal Circus are housed in enclosures measuring 150x 112x 115 cms.
That is an area smaller than even a bed for a majestic creature known as
the Lord of the jungle. In this tiny cramped cage the lion eats, sleeps,
drinks and defecates. For its entire lifetime, the great beast is
incarcerated in a dingy wagon. The lion in its natural habitat roams free
as it is the master of all it surveys. An animal whose natural instinct is
to run and chase, to hunt in a vast area, which it claims as its
territory. These predators do not hunt for the thrill of it; they only
hunt for food when they are hungry.
But circus animals are confined to small spaces, chained, and restricted in every area of their
lives. They are unable to express their normal behavioural repertoire, and as a
result, become bored, frustrated, and display abnormal, stereotypic
behaviours. Very often these are signs of
mental derangement. There were a wide range of injuries and illnesses amongst the circus
animals; lions suffering joint problems, lameness, stomach and other infections from living conditions, eye trauma and muscular atrophy and injuries from
equipment. Most of the animals were showing signs of mental disturbance.
In the wild lions play an important ecological role. Since they are
the primary consumers, they keep the population of grazing animals in
check. Also, their presence as predators ensures that the herds of grazing
animals keep moving on. If the ungulates stayed in the same area for long,
the grass would get eaten to a point beyond regeneration. We need animals
to be where they belong: in the wilderness.
Child and adult alike find animals fascinating and go to the circus
not knowing the tormented lives these animals lead. But now the questions
have been raised. However well the animals may be treated, is not the very
act of keeping wild animals in captivity cruel? With the best will in the
world, circuses cannot provide the facilities needed for the health and
mental well-being of their animals. It isn't so much a question of there
being good or bad animal circuses. Circuses by their very nature cannot
provide for their animals properly and should therefore not be allowed to
keep them.
No longer can we justify life imprisonment when the animals' only crime is to be one of God's beautiful
creations. Let's do what we can to awaken people to see the cruelty in animal
captivity, so that this immense misery need not continue. The vast majority of people who patronize animal entertainment are unconscious of the conditions suffered by the
animals. The
more we can expose the actual realities of the situation, the more public
awareness will develop - and the more the demand will increase for a
change in the way animals are treated.
Join 'People For Animals' Bangalore/India in boycotting circuses with animals – do visit our website at
www.pfabgl.org
(09/02/2002) UAE stages first camel beauty contest
The United Arab Emirates has held its first national beauty contest
for camels with a prize fond of about $27,000 and various trophies for
winners.
"The aim is to mark the respect and love the UAE have for the camel,"
member of the UAE's National Federal Council Faraj bin Hamouda told the
Khaleej Times newspaper. In a special statement, Mr bin Hamouda stressed
that the camel was the best companion of his countrymen during the pre-oil
era, and the competition in Abu Dhabi would help to pass that feeling of
respect to the younger generation.
The contest was held in four categories - adults, individuals, under 2 years and the camel
studs, with two winners each pocketing top prize of almost $2,000. Camel is a favourite animal in the countries of the Gulf
region, where camel racing is a national sport with huge bets often placed during
tournaments. In 1995 a camel was sold in the UAE for $500,00, and only last month a local man bought a camel who won a big international race for $156,000.
(Source BBC – 8 Feb 2002)
(10/02/2002) South Africa wants to trade rhino horn
South Africa is seeking permission to trade in white rhinoceros horns,
a move sure to draw heated criticism from animal welfare organisations.
Trade in the horns and other body parts of all species of rhino has been
prohibited since 1977 under the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species (Cites).
"It would enable South Africa to have limited sales of white
rhinoceros horns," said Phindile Makwakwa, a spokesperson for the South
African Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. A final draft of
the South African proposal is expected to be presented to the Cites
Secretariat in June ahead of the next Cites' meeting in Chile in November.
Conservationists say the ban has stemmed the slaughter of the
endangered animals, whose horns are prized for use as dagger handles in
Yemen and as traditional medicines in southeast Asia. South Africa
maintains its population of white rhinoceros is healthy, growing and
well-protected and that the cash raised will be used for conservation
programmes.
On the brink of extinction a century ago, the southern African
sub-species of white rhino was saved by conservation efforts in South
Africa. Its global population now stands at over 8 000, with most
inhabiting South African game parks and reserves. Animal welfare activists
say lifting the ban would create a legal market that poachers could
exploit to sell illegal horns.
"We see this as a global issue. We just don't see it as a matter of
South Africa saying we have good enforcement measures in place," said
Jason Bell, the director of the southern African branch of the
International Fund for Animal Welfare.
"The bottom line is that many other countries don't have these measures and so their populations could be at risk... The people who deal in these products are unscrupulous," he said. He added that lifting the ban could threaten rarer species of rhino, such as the black rhino of Africa and the great one-horned rhino of Asia. Other controversial draft proposals being mooted by the South Africans include one to sell the stockpile of ivory from elephant tusks at the famed Kruger National Park. The 1989 ban on ivory sales is credited with halting widespread poaching of Africa's elephants. Conservationists say recent "one-off" ivory auctions by Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe have led to more poaching by criminals intent on laundering "dirty ivory". South Africa is also examining a proposal to have Cites let it set hunting quotas for free-roaming cheetahs, the world's fastest land mammals, which are now protected in the country.
(Source: News24 )
(11/02/2002) Pandas cling to survival in China
There is probably no other animal so widely identified with wildlife conservation, but the giant panda's future is still seriously threatened. The main reason is loss of habitat. The pandas need more large areas of forest so they can stabilize their numbers and multiply. Only about 1,100 still survive in the wild, along the edge of the Tibetan plateau in China. Most of them live in small fragments of mountain forest protected by a network of some 30 or so nature reserves. But there are large tracts of good habitat outside the preserves that are unprotected, which could be the key to the panda's long-term survival. In a recent study published in Science magazine, researchers warn that giant pandas could face extinction if confined to existing reserves. China provides strong support for panda conservation, but experts say more effort is needed to protect panda habitat, such as creating more reserves, making existing ones larger and linking them together. Such actions would allow isolated populations of pandas to make contact with each other. Giant pandas do not reproduce well in captivity, but if given enough space in the wild, experts say, they will take care of the
rest. (Source. CNN - 10 Feb 2002)
(12/02/2002) Exclusive: FDA Investigates Dog Food Mystery
In an exclusive report Thursday night, News2Houston learned that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is examining the contents of pet food after receiving complaints from veterinarians that it's taking longer to put pets to sleep or sedate them. The FDA admits to finding trace amounts of the powerful drugs used to kill animals in pet food before. Dr. Mike Huddleston, a veterinarian, said that he's never heard of the practice but acknowledges that the effects could be devastating.
"The amount of overdose of the barbiturate that you give I'm sure would be in all the tissue of the animal," Huddleston said. "So if you use that animal in dog or cat food that would definitely cause serious problems, there's no question."
The issue of pets in food came to light, largely from a book written
by Ann Martin titled, "Food Pets Die For," in which she takes on the
multi-billion dollar pet food industry. Martin said in her book, "The
industry is virtually self-regulated. Just about anything and everything
is fair game for use in pet food …" According to Martin, some of items
found in pet food include the following: Condemned and contaminated
material from slaughter house facilities, road kill, dead, diseased and
dying animals, euthanized companion animals.
FDA pet food test results are expected to be released later this month. A representative with the Pet Food Institute, which represents pet food makers, denies using any cat or dogs in its products, and that the industry follows strict federal and state
guidelines. (Source Yahoo! and KPRC Click2Houston.com)
(13/02/2002) Release of more than 200 Beagles from a Medical Laboratory
In late 2001, People for Animals Bangalore negotiated the release of more
than 200 Beagles
from a medical laboratory where they were in horrible condition, waiting
to be experimented upon. The Beagles were eagerly adopted and are having
the time of their lives. They could never have dreamt that there was a
world of love outside the cold confines of laboratory cages
where their infrequent contact with humans was invariable stressful. The
first Beagle released in this program, Sultan, currently rules over the
home of one dog lover. Here is a peek at the Chronicles.
A note on Sultan
I believe I got the first Beagle from PFA's Beagle Adoption program. I
opened the door of the parked Ambulance to peep in and found a dog wagging
its tail furiously. I had no choice. He adopted me right away. We call him
Sultan and it seems an extremely appropriate name. He
honestly believes he owns everything. He was all skin and bones initially
but there was a complete transformation within a week as he kept eating
monotonously with amazing dedication. He's a slightly bigger Beagle and is
a combination of a bottomless pit (his stomach), high energy and a
philosopher. Being his slave, I am forced to scratch his chin, ears and
stomach on demand. He sits next to the sofa where he can keep an eagle eye
on me. That’s when he sinks into philosophising. His eyes gaze into
space, deep with meaning. He seems burdened by the pain and suffering in
this world. Or is he simply brooding about the inadequate meal he was
forced to eat? We will never know.
He knows that he is not supposed to get on the sofa. But he keeps testing
these artificial limits. Yesterday, he pretended to be sniffing at
something on the sofa and put his forelegs up. Then he slowly looked back
at me and raised one hind leg up. "No Sultan!" I said evenly. He
controlled himself for a few seconds. Then he looked back again and slowly,
very slowly, took his other leg up. I shouted at him and he came down. But
there's little doubt that he spreads himself on the sofa when I am not
there to check. Each walk is an adventure. He is now amazingly strong and
drags me along. Sniff, sniff, sniff, sniff, sniff, sniff. Every thing that
he comes across is ruthlessly sniffed at. People, grass, insects, sticks,
stones, other dogs, disgusting wastes - everything. One thing - he is very
popular with the kids in the neighbourhood. Many kids have overcome their
fear of dogs by interacting with Sultan.
They say that owners start looking and behaving like their dogs. I wonder
if something has started rubbing off on me. The other day, someone asked
me why I was breathing so fast. "Me?" I said, my nose twitching
and sniffing "No way. I'm not a dog! Is that a biscuit? Can
I have it?"
Meatout 2002, March 20, is just around the corner. This annual international campaign gives caring people in the US, Canada, Europe, and around the world an opportunity to share the message of good health and non-violence with their communities. Although the official day is March 20, events will also be occurring before and after that day. Anyone is welcome to participate, either by attending someone else's event or by having an event of their own. Festivals, receptions, workplace lunches, cooking demos, lectures, leafleting, information tables, and exhibits are already in the works in the US and over a dozen other countries (see
www.meatout.org/html/meatout_events.html
). Almost 200 events are listed, and new events are being registered online every day. Participation can be as easy as setting up an information table at a supermarket or as elaborate as holding a Meatout festival for hundreds of people. Educational materials will be provided free of charge.
This year marks the 18th year of Meatout. Don't miss out on your chance to create positive change in the world around you - get involved today!
To learn more or to request a free Meatout Action Kit, visit
www.meatout.org, send an email to register@meatout.org, or call 1-800-MEATOUT.
To register your own Meatout event, please visit
www.meatout.org/html/mo-contact.html.
Scotty: This is incredible!
McCoy: Is she telling us that [Dogs] and [Cows] are conspiring ...TOGETHER?
Star Trek VI
ALVA, OK — According to an article in
NewsOK,
a gang of farmyard car-thieves pulled off the animal heist of the century
when they cleverly liberated a man of his pickup truck. While one cow
created a roadside diversion on Lyle Sneary's Oklahoma farm, prompting Mr.
Sneary to exit his truck, "Rancher" the dog locked the doors and took off.
Meanwhile, adding insult to absurdity, the rest of the herd of cows
charged at the hapless man. It would've been the perfect crime, except
that the dog crashed the truck into a tree several yards down the path.
"That part of the day I was not real happy," says Mr. Sneary. Some time
after the incident, Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Chris West stopped by
the house and assessed the situation, reporting: "I'm going to have to
revoke Rancher's driver's license."
Mr. Sneary describes how he and Rancher, a Blue Heeler, were feeding
cattle in a pasture when the dog noticed a cow that was down. The two
drove to the heifer, and Mr. Sneary left Rancher inside the pickup truck
while he went to check on the cow. He managed to get the cow back on her
feet and fed her some hay. That's when the rest of the herd began to
charge toward him, coming for the food. The farmer started yelling and
waving at the herd, causing Rancher to get excited inside the cab of the
pickup truck. First the dog jumped on the automatic door lock, locking the
vehicle. Then he jumped on the dash, knocking the gear shift out of park.
Then he stomped on it.
When Mr. Sneary saw the truck moving, he jumped onto the sideboard and tried to reach inside the window to control the vehicle, but it was heading straight for a tree. At the last instant, the man bailed out and rolled into a field where he watched his truck slam into the tree, smashing the front end. The man and dog had to walk a mile and a half to a telephone so they could call
Mrs. Sneary. (Source:
thedognet.net/dogsinthenews/)
(16/02/2002) Austria: Rescue of a wounded pig
Last Sunday night animal rights activists rescued a seriously injured pig and brought it to the vet-hospital of an Austrian animal
haven. After a " pig factory operator " from Neukirchen/ Enknach (Upper
Austria) was acquitted despite a catastrophic state of health of the animals in November 2001, the activists of the
"Verein gegen Tierfabriken" (VgT) saw no other way but emergency measures in the form of a spectacular release action. The wounded pig
was, under the supervision of a veterinary, calmed and brought to an animal
hospital. This initiative saved the life of the animal because according to specialists a further stay in the pig-factory would have meant a painful
death.
After all other means had been exhausted without the slightest
improvement to the conditions of the animals, the putting into practice of
a legal emergency rescue-action remained the only way-out.
EDINBURGH: Scotland's semi-autonomous assembly yesterday voted to ban
hunting with dogs, making it the first part of Britain to pass the
controversial measure to outlaw fox hunting. The assembly voted to outlaw
the centuries old tradition after six hours of debate. Opponents of the
bill had staged demonstrations in a last-ditch bid to stop the ban.
Members of the pro-fox hunting lobby Rural Rebels, many dressed in orange
boiler suits, barracked at ministers as they arrived for a meeting of the
Scottish Cabinet in Edinburgh. The Countryside Alliance vowed to go ahead
with 10 hunts in Scotland today even if the bill passed. Supporters of
hunting, among them the heir to the British throne, Prince Charles, say it
is a natural rural pastime and a way of keeping the fox population in
check. The hunting debate has divided Britain for a decade, with the other
side arguing that the pastime represents institutionalised animal cruelty.
Last year, the House of Commons, Britain's lower house of parliament, overwhelmingly approved a draft law for a ban on hunting with dogs but the upper House of Lords rejected the
proposal. Because peers threw out the measure, it must return to the Commons, but a new vote is said to be a long way down Prime Minister Tony Blair's agenda. They also argue their right to pursue the pastime even if city-dwellers object to it.
(Source Daily Telegraph 15 Feb 02)
The SSPCA fears for the well-being of hunt hounds
Animal welfare activists are worried that fox hounds may be destroyed
if they are put out of work by a future ban on hunting with dogs. The
Scottish Parliament passed the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Bill
on Wednesday, paving the way for a countrywide ban on the practice by this
autumn. Pro-hunt campaigners have vowed to challenge the decision in court
but now the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
(SSPCA) says it fears for the future welfare of hunt dogs if the ban goes
ahead. One critic of the bill, which was introduced by Labour MSP Mike
Watson, said the SSPCA should have thought of these concerns while it was
actively supporting the bill.
Libby Anderson, the SSPCA parliamentary officer, said: "As a provider
of care and shelter for animals at risk, we have been extremely concerned
at the possible fate of animals put out of work as a result of the end of
hunting with dogs”. Ms Anderson suggested that countryside sport
enthusiasts should explore drag hunting, where mounted hunts follow a
scent rather than an animal. Her comments were welcomed by Tricia Marwick,
the Scottish National Party MSP who led the bill through parliament after
Mr Watson was promoted to tourism minister.
The bill must receive Royal Assent after which ministers will announce the date it will take
effect, thought to be before the start of the autumn hunting season. (Source: BBC )
(18/02/2002) Scientists Introduce World's First Cloned Cat
A group of Texas researchers have introduced a two month old, white
and brown striped kitten known as "CC" for "Carbon Copy." She's the
world's first cloned cat. The shorthaired tabby is the only survivor of 87
cloned embryos implanted in feline surrogate mothers. Scientists say
copying cats could provide more animals for scientific research or help
pet owners reproduce a beloved companion. In fact, the cat project is an
offshoot of a private citizen's effort, as yet unsuccessful, to clone the
family dog, who is getting on in years.
The Humane Society of the United States has condemned Thursday's announcement, saying there are already too many unwanted cats and dogs in the United States.
(Source: VOA News 15 Feb 2002 )
(Notice) MAINTENANT CA SUFFIT, maltraiter des animaux en toute impunité? CA JAMAIS!
MANIFESTATION contre le jugement de la honte et contre l'échec de la
justice pour que justice soit rendue dans l'affaire de la cruauté sur les
marchés aux bestiaux d'Anderlecht et de Ciney. LE 17 FEVRIER 2002 A 14 H
PALAIS DE JUSTICE A BRUXELLES
PLACE POELAERT Itinéraire -
Affiche .
Unissons-nous pour la justice unissons-nous pour les animaux sans défense.
Info: Animaux en Péril : 02/385.00.75 ou GAIA: 02/245.29.50
voir
nouvelles
ENOUGH!
Should animal abuse go unpunished? NEVER!
DEMONSTRATION against the court's shameful ruling, against the failure of justice.
So that justice can prevail in the case of cruelty at the cattle markets of
Anderlecht and Ciney.
ON 17 FEBRUARY 2002 AT 2PM PALACE OF JUSTICE BRUSSELS PLACE POELAERT.
Let's stand together for justice Together we will be strong for defenceless animals.
For further information please call 02/245.29.50.
(19/02/2002) Due to a wave of protest by animal defenders a cruel "tradition"
could be stopped
In the beginning of
February, ANPBA and MATP launched a campaign to stop the torture of hundreds of cocks in the region of Extremadura
(Spain). The horrific barbarity consisted in hanging living cocks up by their feet and killing them with sticks or pulling at their
heads, even biting them.
Shocked animal defenders and associations all over the world sent letters of protest against this medieval barbarity and by their solidarity achieved an end to an extremely cruel tradition.
As a consequence of this international expression of disgust and knowing that the law could made them pay high fines, Albalá del Caudillo (one of the villages that organised those festivals) used dead
cocks, whereas Valdelacasa del Tajo made the festival without animals.
Animal defenders from everywhere in the world have helped to achieve yet another victory and bring the proof that the union of all of us will always make the
difference.
Congratulations.
Maria Lopes
Coordinator of the Lisbon’s Delegation of MATP
Coordinator of the European Platform Against Bullfights
(20/02/2002) Three to five animals to be killed for one shawl
The illegal trade in shahtoosh-shawls still runs rampant globally in defiance of international ban, according to a recent undercover investigation conducted by the International Fund for Animal Welfare
(IFAW), a non-governmental organization which aims to protect animals.
The shahtoosh shawl is a sign of high social status and is worth
several thousand dollars in the West. However the fleece for making the
shawl comes only from the under-fleece of the Tibetan antelope. One
shahtoosh means the killing of three to five Tibetan antelopes. Driven by
huge profits, illegal hunters still resort to indiscriminate poaching,
which has lead to a sharp decrease in Tibetan antelopes in the
Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Statistics show that the number of Tibetan
antelopes has dropped from millions in the early 20th century to less than
60,000 presently, with some 20,000 antelope being poached annually.
In an investigation not long ago, IFAW investigators, using concealed cameras, posed as buyers and were offered the luxury shawls in a boutique in Rome. The footage was then passed on to the Italian authorities who subsequently raided the boutique. An official from the IFAW China said here Tuesday the findings of this investigation are
alarming, and prove that the trade is continuing despite increasing international concern for the survival of the Tibetan
antelope. Each shahtoosh shawl is contributing to an ecological tragedy, the official
said, urging followers of fashion to reject this shawl before it's too
late. (Source: Xinhuanet 19 Feb 2002)
(21/02/2002) China's Environment Authority Warns Pollution from Animal-breeding
Booming poultry and livestock farms are emerging as the new polluters
in China because most operators fail to clean up animal faeces, according
to the country's environmental protection authorities. Animal and poultry
breeding have become the leading source of pollution in vast rural areas
in China. About 1.9 billion tons of faeces were produced by poultry and
livestock farms across the nation in 1999, 2.4 times the amount of
industrial waste, the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA)
found in a recent survey.
Water pollution and unpleasant smells which come from inadequately
treated animal waste may worsen because the animal husbandry business will
continue to boom in order to satisfy the increasing consumption of meat
and poultry, a SEPA official said.
Raising livestock and poultry has been encouraged in many areas in
China as a way to help farmers increase incomes. But pollution prevention
is often the "missing link" due to the ignorance of business owners, the
official said. Local environmental protection departments who pay little
attention to pollution control are also responsible, he said.
It has been found that 90 percent of animal farms nationwide were built without any thought of their possible effect on the environment, and 60 percent of the farms lack pollution-prevention facilities. About 80 percent of large and medium-sized poultry and livestock farms are located in densely-populated areas in east China, and around major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai. The SEPA plans to increase efforts in this field through trial projects for pollution control and with comprehensive utilization of animal waste in some key
areas. (Source: Xinhua News Agency)
(22/02/2002) Hunters 'breeding foxes' to provide for the kill
Hunts across the country are breeding foxes in specially made dens to
ensure an adequate supply of the animals, undermining claims that they are
killed only in the name of pest control. The 'artificial earths' are built
on the territory of more than 50 hunts, from the Isle of Wight to Cumbria,
including some of Britain's most prestigious such as the Quorn and
Beaufort hunts.
The earths are usually sunken concrete chambers built into the ground
and connected by a network of tunnels. Foxes are encouraged to live in
them and are sometimes fed and given water. They are usually built in
areas near to key hunt 'meets', for example in woodland that will be
hunted on Boxing Day or other prime occasions. The earths ensure that
foxes are always available for a hunt in a specific area.
Animal rights campaigners last night expressed dismay over the use of
such a widespread national network of artificial earths, claiming that the
policy exploded a key argument of the pro-hunting lobby, which campaigns
on the basis that fox hunting is a form of pest control.
'Artificial earths are designed to ensure that hunts have a healthy
population of foxes to kill. They are basically breeding these animals to
be hunted. It is nothing to do with controlling a pest,' said a spokesman
for the League against Cruel Sports.
Even some among the hunting fraternity admit that some hunts use
artificial earths and leave out animal carcasses to ensure a plentiful fox
population.
Last week the Scottish Parliament voted to ban hunting with dogs, prompting speculation that similar measures will be attempted in England and Wales. Pro-hunting groups have vowed to challenge such a ban.
(excerpts of an article in The Observer 17 Feb 2002)
(23/02/2002) People for Animals” had been wondering: Mission impossible?
The People for Animals received a desperate call from the Karuna
Animal Shelter located at Puttaparthi in Andhra Pradesh. Having heard of
the super care meted out to injured or traumatized animals at the PfA
Shelter at Kengeri they told us about an injured onitor lizard, rescued
from hunters. We made immediate arrangements to get the animal to Kengeri.
When we received the reptile it was in a state of shock, partially paralysed, with a dislocated left fore limb and one of its claws broken. The Lizard's tail had been slashed with a knife, its back and shoulders lacerated after an attack by the hunter's dogs. The trauma of that animal was clearly visible.
Would saving, then rehabilitating, this Monitor Lizard be a mission
impossible? The team of experts at the PfA was determined to take on this
challenge. They had to wrench this animal from death's door and return it
alive and well to its own environment.
Initially maintenance and replacement fluids were administered. Almost four inches of the tail was amputated. The animal was put on antibiotics and its lacerations treated. Homeopathic preparations and hydrotherapy were used to tackle the paralysis while simultaneously physiotherapy for the dislocated limb was initiated. Another major concern for the PfA
doctors was the animal's refusal to eat, a sure sign that the Lizard had given up hope. Two weeks later it started feeding voraciously, a month later there was a marked improvement in the Lizard's locomotion. A relief for the doctors! They knew that the battle for its survival was won!
But there was another problem. When this animal had been brought in there was no special place to house it. It was kept in a big cage. This being against the tenets of the PfA, a decision was unanimously taken that the PfA Shelter and Rehabilitation Center was in need of an outdoor reptile treatment zone, with hydration tanks and plenty of sunlight, catering to
the physiological requirements of sick reptiles.
In less than six weeks the new reptile wing was ready. The Monitor
Lizard was shifted into the specially constructed enclosure and suddenly
normal behavioural patterns were noticed. It started basking in the sun
and soaking in the water tank. Having regained 80% of its locomotory
skills, the Monitor Lizard was fully recovered.
However comfortable a shelter can be, a wild animal belongs to the
wild. And so on 17th January the Monitor Lizard was taken to a pristine
forest 10 km from Puttaparthi township and released into its original
habitat, near a water source where another lizard of the same specie was
spotted.
Mission Impossible? Not for the PfA! With their unyielding efforts, our team had done it again!
(24/02/2002) Soccer stars plead with Korea to stop killing dogs
England and Liverpool players Michael Owen, Jamie Redknapp and Emile
Heskey on Thursday urged South Korea not to torture cats and dogs. They
signed an animal rights petition which "implored the host country of this
year's World Cup to put an end to the hanging, beating, burning and
boiling alive of dogs and cats before they are slaughtered and eaten".
South Korea has enlisted the help of a nutritionist dubbed "Dr
Dogmeat" to promote canine cuisine ahead of the soccer tournament and fend
off criticism from animal rights activists. The trio of star English
players said: "We respectfully urge the government of South Korea to
ensure that cats and dogs receive full protection from intentional cruelty
and torture."
The petition was organised by PETA (People for the Ethical Protection of Animals) which claimed: "Before dogs are eaten, they are often strung up and beaten, causing an adrenaline flow that flesh-peddlers claim increases male virility. Cats are thrown alive into boiling water to extract their 'juice' for use in tonics," it
added. (Source: Reuters February 22, 2002)
Jerom Chimpanzee should have been twenty years old this month. Had he
lived the life of his ancestors, he might be dwelling in a riverine
forest, making knowledgable decisions about where to spend his time - in a
fig tree overlooking the savanna, chasing red-tailed monkeys through the
canopy, following a friend off into the undergrowth. He might have
developed into a proud and handsome individual, carrying 130 lbs. on his
tall frame, his jet-black hair and dark face giving him a secretive look.
He might have populated a forest with his offspring, ensuring the future
of wild chimpanzees.
Jerom never lived this life - he was created for humans, so that we may pursue our unattainable goal of living without disease. Although intelligent and often full of opinions, such individuals are not consulted before their lives are stolen from them for use in biomedical research.
Jerom lived until nearly the age of fourteen at the Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center, a federally-funded laboratory in Atlanta, Georgia. He was taken from his mother when he was an infant, raised as if an orphan, and experimentally infected with HIV at the age of
two. When I met him eleven years later he was alone and dying. Instead of a proud figure, he was lean and gaunt, his hair dull, his skin pale, his eyes sunken from wasting and bright with fear and fever. He was distrustful of humans, unsure of himself, and frustrated at his lot in life. He suffered in almost every way a caged chimpanzee can suffer, and then he died. To the people who created him, his only value was the data that came from his blood. To me, everything about Jerom was of value.
If Jerom was alive today, it is likely that he would still be living alone, in sight of other chimpanzees he'd never again be able to touch. If he was twenty, he would have spent the last eighteen years indoors, without even once in that time feeling a cool breeze or warm sun on his face. In eighteen years he would have spent every single day in a wet concrete cell, his only entertainment provided periodically by a human, in the form of a small plastic toy,
shreddable box or newspaper, or maybe a cartoon on television. He would have spent the last eighteen years eating only what humans decided he would eat, and only when they decided - no matter what he really wanted or liked, no matter when he was hungry.
Jerom died six years ago, February 13th, and no longer has to endure such treatment - conditions determined by lawmakers and researchers to be "humane" and codified by the Animal Welfare Act, but known to be barbaric and cruel by many of us who have been there (for more information, visit www.lpag.org). Jerom may be lucky - ten of his fellow research subjects are right now continuing to live this life at Yerkes. Two of them - Buster and Nathan - are caged alone as was Jerom, and have been for years. For years. Imagine it - hundreds
upon hundreds of days without the touch of another save a latex-and-tyvek garbed human once in a while, and then only at the whim of the human. The other eight live in pairs and trios, but suffer the same conditions of confinement and disrespect.
Buster and Nate are both a bit older than Jerom would have been now. The reasons for their social deprivation are unknown. Neither are known to have developed clinical symptoms of AIDS, so it's likely they're not alone for health reasons. Maybe it's inconvenient for Yerkes to give them the social outlets they no doubt crave.
Every year I tell this tale to move your heart. If you are reading this because you are a part of the struggle for the independence of biomedical research subjects, fight on - they need you still.
If you are reading this and remain unmoved, permit me to try a different tack: in the nearly twenty years that chimpanzees have been used as biomedical research subjects for HIV prevention and vaccines, no successful drugs, vaccines, insights or any other advances have been discovered or created as a result of the chimpanzee studies. With the possible exception of Jerom, chimpanzees do not develop AIDS; the virus acts very differently in the chimpanzee immune system than in the human. If you can't care about the chimpanzees, consider the money wasted on them - money that could be spent actually helping humans. Millions of dollars every year are spent on their upkeep alone, not to mention the wasted research dollars, wasted time, and wasted energy.
Don't just take my word for it. Groups of medical doctors around the world have joined together to protest not the inhumane conditions of laboratory life, but the faulty scientific premises underlying biomedical research. Not just the chimpanzee work, but studies on tens of thousands of monkeys, dogs, rabbits and other nonhumans as well. You should be concerned - every one of these individuals suffers for your medical needs, and is directly affected by the products you consume, and the tax dollars you spend. Your funding supports a system that is cumbersome and archaic, and produces negligible results at best. Advances in technology combined with epidemiological and clinical human studies have been shown to
produce far better and more applicable results for humans.
Take this economic and medical concern, and add to it the ethical dimensions of what I'm telling you. 200 AIDS chimpanzees languish in biocontainment cells - some large, some small, all artificial and restrictive - around the US. Over 1500 more chimpanzees used to
study gout, hepatitis, malaria, reproduction, and other human conditions, and others not being studied at all, may have a bit more space and possibly a chance to smell fresh air, but live similarly deprived lives in laboratories here and around the world. Every one of them has a face, a name, a personality. Every one has been enslaved because humans decided that this injustice is justified.
The CHIMP (Chimpanzee Health Improvement, Maintenance and Protection) Act, which was enacted last year to provide alternatives to laboratory housing, may improve the lives of some of these individuals in the coming years by removing them from the laboratories and giving them larger areas with larger social groups. But the CHIMP Act is not enough - in order to remedy the wrongs, research on chimpanzees must stop, and reproduction must be halted.
The recent deaths of Pablo and Annie Chimpanzee, beloved residents of the Fauna Foundation, Canada's only chimp sanctuary, prove that it's not enough to get them out. Pablo and Annie were not old individuals, yet four years of unconditional love and respect in
sanctuary were no match for the decades they spent in research. Most striking about their autopsies were the massive adhesions tying their organs together, caused by years of being darted, the preferred laboratory method of sedating chimpanzees. No amount of love, space or choice could have undone that trauma.
Giving laboratory chimpanzees larger cells with access to the outdoors, social groups, food choices, and alternatives to darting is a step but is not enough, and is not what they deserve: they deserve respect - they deserve to not live in service to humans. The one thing they can never have in captivity is complete freedom of choice,
the one thing that defines a truly free people. And they are people - not humans, but people - and we are doing not only them, but ourselves a grave disservice by treating these people as if they were born to serve us, and not to live the dignified lives of which they are capable. Their lives, although research claims them, belong to nobody but themselves, and what they need more than anything is to be treated accordingly.
Research claimed far too many of them this year, and all of them at an age much younger than their life expectancy:
- Manual: Yerkes inmate, HIV+, Jerom's sometime-friend died of unknown causes on April 17, 2001, age 22;
- Sonia: Yerkes inmate, died of organ failure in a small cage and without her family, June 5, 2001, age 42;
- Gina: Coulston Foundation (New Mexico laboratory) inmate, died of exposure to sun and heat while locked outside, June 5, 2001, age 12;
- Sellers: Yerkes inmate, died accidentally of strangulation while on a gout study, unsupervised and alone in a tiny cage, June 11, 2001, age 18;
- Pablo: Fauna Foundation resident, died of excess internal scar tissue and all-around poor health, October 6, 2001, age 31;
- Annie: Fauna Foundation resident and matriarch, died of gangrene of the intestine and all-around poor health, January 10, 2002, age 42;
- Koen: BPRC (Dutch laboratory) inmate, HIV+, died of unknown causes, January 29, 2002, age 28.
These are just the individuals with human friends who cared enough to tell their stories. Without doubt there are many others. In memory of all of them, and with grief for the two babies who were recently taken from their mothers at the Coulston Foundation to be sold into
the entertainment industry so that we may laugh at television commercials, and on behalf of the remaining AIDS Project chimpanzees at Yerkes - Buster, Nathan, Arctica, Joye, Betsie, Jonah, Marc, Roberta, Tika and Hallie - I ask you to remember them, and remember Jerom.
Please write to Yerkes' Director Stuart Zola:
954 Gatewood Road
Atlanta, GA 30322
404.727.7844
szola@emory.edu
Tell him you care, and that you'd like an explanation for the treatment of these individuals.
Rachel Weiss 13 February, 2002
(26/02/2002) Lioness' unusual mothering urge transfixes Kenya / She's adopted babies of another species
The MATP discovered through a Portuguese newspaper "Farpas" that the Portuguese matador Mário Coelho, will perform two Portuguese bullfights in Iraq. Yes, it's true. The bullfights are scheduled for April, will take place in a portable bullring in the football stadium of Baghdad with the presence of Mr. Saddam Hussein.
Even in our worst nightmares we could not imagine that the bullfighters aimed to go to Arabic countries. These bullfights are included in the Portuguese Cultural week.
We need all the support, because to avoid this bullfight will be very difficult. In the interview given by Mario Coelho to this newspaper he says: " The Arab world is a potentially unexplored market".
Therefore, if these bullfights are performed they will spread to other
Arabic countries. Once more we count on your huge support to avoid this
bullfight.
For the Animals
Maria Lopes
Coordinator of the Lisbon's Delegation of MATP
Coordinator of the European Platform Against Bullfights
Please send protest letters to the following addresses: (All the emails were previously tested and all work, belllow you will find them in block to
copy/past)
The MATP-Movimento Anti-Touradas de Portugal informed me that you will allow a bullfight in your country and that you will preside the
same.
According to the information this bullfight will take place in April in the football stadium of Baghdad as part of the Cultural Week of Portugal.
Please let me inform you that bullfights are not culture, nor in Portugal, nor in any country. Bullfights are spectacles of violence and torture held upon an innocent and defenseless animal that did not choose to be in the
bullring. The purpose of these spectacles is not showing tbravery or art, but profit. The bullfighters aim to earn each day more and more money. Since in the countries with bullfights they are loosing money because people don't attend bullfights
anymore, they choose your country.
Therefore, don't allow spectacles of violence in your country. These
spectacles lead to violence amongst people. Please follow the example of
Moscow where last year a Portuguese bullfight was not allowed - just like
in Cuba in 2000.
I urge you to forbid immediately this bullfight.
Sincerely
Name
Country
Email
(Notice) Meatout 2002
Meatout 2002, March 20, is just around the corner. This annual international campaign gives caring people in the US, Canada, Europe, and around the world an opportunity to share the message of good health and non-violence with their communities. Although the official day is March 20, events will also be occurring before and after that day. Anyone is welcome to participate, either by attending someone else's event or by having an event of their own. Festivals, receptions, workplace lunches, cooking demos, lectures, leafleting, information tables, and exhibits are already in the works in the US and over a dozen other countries (see
here). Almost 200 events are listed, and new events are being registered online every day. Participation can be as easy as setting up an information table at a supermarket or as elaborate as holding a Meatout festival for hundreds of people. Educational materials will be provided free of charge.
This year marks the 18th year of Meatout. Don't miss out on your
chance to create positive change in the world around you - get involved
today!
To learn more or to request a free Meatout Action Kit, see
here, send an
email, or call 1-800-MEATOUT.
To register your own Meatout event, please see
here
(Notice) AVEA - Association Végétarienne pour l'Egalité Animale
L’Association Végétarienne pour l’Egalité Animale remet en cause
toutes les formes d’utilisation des animaux et offre une structure
d’information sur la notion d’égalité animale et ses implications
pratiques (végétarisme, végétalisme, veganisme).
Son activité se concrétise dans la distribution régulière de tracts,
le collage d’affiches, et l’interpellation des journalistes, élus ou
toutes personnes ou organismes pouvant être concernés par la souffrance
des animaux.
Dans le souhait de préciser les objectifs visés, l’AVEA diffuse un
guide intitulé « Egalité animale… mise en pratique » et propose deux
importants sites Internet: Website 1 -
Website 2
(28/02/2002) Fear of imported disease as tons of smuggled food seized from luggage
Important Notice : Contributions and articles
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individuals who wrote them, and do not necessarily represent the
opinions of animal_net
