Exposed: The Slaughterhouses Where Racehorses Are Retired

While millions of viewers watch this year's Belmont Stakes, former champions like Charismatic and War Emblem are half a world away in Japan. Thousands of other less famous U.S.-bred thoroughbreds have also been exported overseas for breeding and racing. When they are no longer useful, most of these horses will be slaughtered.

PETA undercover investigators have recorded exclusive footage in a Japanese horse slaughterhouse, in which 4,500 horses are killed and cut up each year—many of them racehorses—to be made into food for dogs and humans. Slaughterhouses such as the Kumamoto Shokuniku Center, which was exposed by our investigators, are often the last stop in a system that routinely produces tens of thousands of "surplus" thoroughbreds each year because there is no plan for what to do with them after their racing or breeding days are over.

Ten years ago Charismatic won the 125th Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. He nearly went on to win horse racing's Triple Crown before he tragically broke his leg near the finish line at the Belmont Stakes. Unlike Barbaro, Eight Belles, and the more than 1,000 U.S. racehorses who suffer fatal breakdowns on the track every year, Charismatic survived and was sold soon after like a commodity and exported to Japan for breeding purposes.

While millions of viewers watch this year's Belmont Stakes, Charismatic—half a world away and with his value as a stallion plummeting—could be facing the same fate as fellow Kentucky Derby winner Ferdinand, who was slaughtered for dog food at the end of an unsuccessful stud career in Japan.

In 2008, more than 100,000 American-bred horses were exported to Canada, Mexico, and Japan and slaughtered for meat—many of these were thoroughbreds.

For Charismatic, War Emblem, and the tens of thousands of less famous racehorses who face slaughter, please take the three actions to the right of this letter. While racing fans are glued to media coverage surrounding the Belmont Stakes, there is no better time to make a difference in the lives of thousands of horses. Thank you.

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Group pleads out to save hoarded cat

A north Texas rescue center is pleading for help to save an animal rescued from a hoarded cat situation

Gypsy, a 2-year-old Siamese cat, was rescued from a 300 square foot motel room enclosed with almost two dozen other cats.

Ronald Teague, 62, was arrested by Plano police March 30 for outstanding warrants including cruelty to animals and theft.

Tonja Pfister, Texas Siamese Rescue managing director, said the shelter was contacted by Plano Animal Services about the young cat’s needs. She said Gypsy is a diabetic cat that has not had proper care.

“He is grossly underweight and no treatment for diabetes in months,” Pfister said. “X-rays discovered many broken and self-healed unset bones. I do not even want to speculate what he has been through, yet he is still the sweetest cat.”

Pfister said in addition to being a diabetic, Gypsy also suffers from ringworms, a urinary tract infection, dehydration and a kidney infection.

In order to save Gypsy and give him the care he needs to stay alive, Pfister said the rescue center needs about $1,000. She said Gypsy has to be anaesthetized for blood work, needs x-rays, antibiotics and a glucose curve to ensure he receives the right amount of insulin.

“He will need an insulin supply for a month until we can raise a subscription for him,” Pfister said. “It is a very sad day when a survivor and very sweet kitty like Gypsy cannot be saved because of financial constraints.”

Pfister said the Siamese Rescue center will be forced to euthanize Gypsy if funds are not collected in 13 days.

“He [Teague] might be the only person in the world I would want to physically hurt because of what he has done to this cat,” Pfister said. “I’m not that type of person, but what he did is just awful.”

Jonnie England, Metroplex Animal Coalition director of animal advocacy, said when Plano police arrested Teague, she was notified and was appalled by the condition of the motel room.

She said the room was wall-to-wall with litter boxes, food bowels and plates.

“There were three cats shut in the bathroom and some under the bed and on the furniture,” England said. “The smell was overwhelming.”

England said the cats’ conditions varied some being overweight and some being surprisingly underweight.

“He is a hoarder, a classic hoarder,” England said. “In the mind of a hoarder they think they can care for these animals the best way possible and there is nothing wrong with the conditions.”

Jamey Cantrell, Plano Animal Services manager, said since the cats were recovered, three have been adopted to rescue agencies and staff is trying to find homes for the remaining 18.

“Euthanizing is our last resort,” Cantrell said. “We are getting these cats healthy and are hoping to find them a home.”

To make a donation for Gypsy visit www.tx.siameserescue.org and click on Support Us. To inquire about the remaining cats in Plano contact Animal Services at 972-769-4360.

Contact Stephanie Flemmons at sflemmons@acnpapers.com

Ban the Gas Chamber for Animals in Michigan!

Target: Michigan House
Sponsored by: American Humane Association


Michigan House Bill 4263, the Humane Euthanasia of Shelter Animals Act, would ensure that when the state's unwanted, sick or unadoptable shelter animals have to be euthanized, the procedure will only be done by injection of sodium pentobarbital. This method is called euthanasia by injection.

The American Humane Association considers euthanasia by injection to be the only acceptable and humane means of euthanasia for animals in animal shelters.

Even though a majority of the shelters in the state use euthanasia by injection, 12 still use outdated, inhumane gas chambers. Shelter workers overwhelmingly wish to hold and comfort a frightened animal in its final moments of life. That act may be the only kindness the animal has ever known.

In contrast, even with vigilant oversight, euthanizing any animal by means of a carbon monoxide or dioxide gas chamber is both severely inhumane to medium and large animals, and demoralizing to the workers who have to euthanize. Such outdated practices also create public outcry and demean the purpose of an animal shelter.


HB 4263 is sponsored by Rep. Rick Jones and was drafted by American Humane and the State Bar of Michigan Animal Law Section. Please sign today to support this bill.

Sarah Palin: Stop the Aerial Killing of Wolves

Governor Sarah Palin's administration has launched a terrible new assault on wolves in Alaska. In just a few days, 66 wolves were killed by aerial gunners with high-powered rifles.

I just sent a message to Governor Palin telling her to stop Alaska's unfounded aerial hunting program immediately, and end her bloody war on wolves. You can help, too! Please click on the link below, sign the petition, and help spread the word. Thanks!

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/579425122

Help Save Polar Bears

Polar bears are dying and will soon be wiped out entirely if we don't take immediate action to curb global warming. One of George W. Bush's 11th-hour decisions greatly weakened protections for the polar bear and other species under the Endangered Species Act by issuing regulations reducing protections for the polar bear and exempting greenhouse gas emissions -- the number-one threat to the bear -- from regulation.

Congress, however, has passed special legislation granting President Barack Obama's Interior Secretary Ken Salazar 60 days to revoke the damaging Bush regulations with the stroke of a pen.

Please sign the petition at www.savethepolarbear.org and pass it on to a friend today.

With your help, we'll reach our goal to get 50,000 signatures and convince Interior Secretary Salazar to revoke the Bush regulations before the May 9, 2009 deadline.

Horse-slaughter bill gallops through state Senate

By MIKE DENNISON
Gazette State Bureau

HELENA - The bill to encourage construction of a horse-slaughtering plant in Montana won endorsement from the state Senate Thursday, putting it one step away from the governor's desk for signature into law.

The Senate endorsed House Bill 418 on a 27-23 vote, setting up a final vote today before the measure advances to Gov. Brian Schweitzer, who hasn't taken a position on it.

HB418 expressly allows private horse-slaughter plants to be built in Montana and offers them legal protections from those who might challenge a plant's license.

Supporters have said a slaughter plant not only would bring needed investment and jobs to Montana, but also would provide a place for people to dispose of unwanted horses, which most Montanans consider livestock.

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Bush administration takes parting shot at endangered wildlife

Last minute Endangered Species Act regulations put nation's wildlife at risk of extinction

WASHINGTON—Rushing to put in place changes it failed to secure in the past eight years, the Bush administration has finalized new Endangered Species Act (ESA) regulations today, cutting huge holes in the safety net that protects animals and plants in danger of becoming extinct.

First proposed by the Department of the Interior a little over three months ago, the new regulations will eliminate the requirement that agencies seek advice from expert biologists with federal wildlife agencies in decisions about whether dams, towers, highways and other projects will likely harm imperiled species.

"This administration’s disdain for wildlife and the environment has never been more clear than it is today," said Jamie Rappaport Clark, executive vice president of Defenders of Wildlife and former director of the Fish and Wildlife Service. "For 35 years, the Endangered Species Act has helped save and recover imperiled wildlife on the brink of extinction. Now, with this administration facing its last days, they are doing everything they can to cement their anti-environmental legacy before the Obama administration takes office."

The Bush administration’s last minute rulemaking has drawn heavy criticism from the public, lawmakers, conservation groups and newspaper editorialists around the country. More than 250,000 comments opposing the changes were submitted to the Interior Department in the 60 days it allowed for the public to respond to the changes.

But the massive public outcry seems to have fallen on deaf ears. In its push to finalize the rules before President-elect Barack Obama takes office, the department had only 15 people spend only 32 hours reading the comments, averaging mere seconds in reviewing each of the more than 250,000 comments. Department officials then ignored the major concerns raised by the comments, making only cosmetic changes to the original proposals.

Both President-elect Obama and key Democratic leaders have signaled that they will oppose the ESA changes. In addition, Defenders intends to take immediate legal action to stop these regulations.

Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne has argued that the new regulations are needed to keep the ESA from being used to limit emissions from coal power plants and other polluting sources that contribute to global warming. This continues the Bush administration’s failed approach of ignoring the problem.

"Global warming presents the greatest threat this generation has seen to ourselves, our wildlife and our environment, and yet the Bush administration has dragged its feet on addressing the impacts of a warming planet for its entire time in office," Clark said. "While the ESA by itself certainly can't provide a comprehensive solution to global warming, its protections will be essential in helping at-risk species survive a changing climate. If allowed to stand, these regulations will deprive the Obama administration of a powerful tool to protect wildlife and ecosystems from the effects of global warming."

Many of the ESA regulation changes finalized today were tried before in a failed legislative effort by former Representative Richard Pombo (R-CA), whose anti-environmental record and repeated attacks on the ESA contributed to his defeat in the 2006 elections.

"The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service are the keepers of the flame for our threatened and endangered wildlife. They are equipped to make decisions based on looking at the whole picture for a species, on what’s happening to their habitat, their health and other significant impacts," Clark said. "It seems that the Bush administration has prioritized the interests of its industry allies over its responsibility to the public for protecting our nation’s imperiled wildlife. We will work in the courts, with Congress, and with the Obama administration to overturn these damaging regulations, so that we can begin to address the environmental neglect and damage that has been done over the last eight years."

###

Defenders of Wildlife is dedicated to the protection of all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With more than 1 million members and activists, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife heritage for generations to come. For more information, visit www.defenders.org .

Death Sentence Looms for Prairie Dogs, Ferrets

Officials in Logan County, Kansas want to invade land owned by wildlife-friendly ranchers to poison the state's largest prairie dog town!

This isn't only bad news for the prairie dogs -- but also the highly endangered black-footed ferrets that depend on them.

I just wrote to Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, urging her to do all she can to stop the poisoning -- you can, too. Just go to this website to help:

http://action.defenders.org/saveprairiedogs

Prairie dogs play an important role in the health and balance of the American plains. Hawks, burrowing owls, swift fox and other wildlife -- especially the highly endangered black-footed ferret -- depend on prairie dogs for burrows and a food source.

But after decades of poisonings, prairie dog populations -- and the health of the grasslands they support -- have declined. In fact, just days ago, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that they will consider prairie dogs for protections under the Endangered Species Act.

We can't let county commissioners poison the Kansas prairie -- and end recovery of one of North America's most endangered animals in the state.

Take action today to help save these animals -- the poisonings could start as early as Monday, December 15th:
http://action.defenders.org/saveprairiedogs


Thanks!

Pilots fly doomed dogs to better life

By Sharon L. Peters, Special for USA TODAY

Puppy love is reaching new heights.

Pilots are donating their time, planes and fuel to transport dozens of dogs a month from overcrowded shelters where they face almost certain death to rescue groups and shelters several states away that are committed to finding them homes.

The mission-of-mercy relocations are flown by general aviation pilots who have signed on with the recently formed Pilots N Paws, a Web-based message board where pilots can access information about animals in need.

Once the electronic connection is made, dogs plucked by rescuers from death row — mostly in the South where sterilization rates are low and pet overpopulation is rampant — are loaded onto small planes and flown one, two or six at a time to rescue groups and shelters that have available space.

"These are wonderful dogs that simply had the bad luck of winding up in a place where there are too many pets in shelters," says Pilots N Paws co-founder Jon Wehrenberg of Knoxville, Tenn. The retired manufacturing executive and weekend pilot has flown scores of dogs from high-kill shelters this year. Earlier this month, his mission involved six small mixed-breed dogs from Knoxville's Young-Williams Animal Center.

The happy half-dozen enjoyed a smooth-sailing, 90-minute flight to Greensboro, N.C., where they were met by radio station executive Jennifer Hart, head of Animal Rescue & Foster Program, who had arranged foster care. One dog has been adopted; the others are receiving additional attention, socialization and training and should be ready for new homes soon after Thanksgiving.

Beginning of the journey

"Pilots N Paws has given about 20 of our animals a second chance," says Tim Adams, executive director of the Young-Williams shelter, which euthanizes 70% of the animals that land there. "We take in 17,000 animals a year, and Knoxville simply isn't big enough… to get new homes for them here. Twenty animals saved may not sound like much, but every one of them matters."

Pilots N Paws started operating in February soon after Wehrenberg offered to fly a Doberman in Florida to his pal Debi Boies of Landrum, S.C., who is a retired nurse, horse breeder and long-time rescuer. He began asking questions about the rescue world and learned about the passionate underground railroad of animal lovers who orchestrate days-long road journeys to save some of the 4 million to 6 million animals destined for euthanasia in U.S. shelters annually.

(MORE)

White House Proposes to Butcher Endangered Species Act

This Monday, just months before the curtains close on the Bush administration, Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne announced a proposal for the biggest overhaul of the Endangered Species Act since 1986. Kempthorne's proposed rules would excuse thousands of federal activities, including all greenhouse gas emissions, from review under the Act, letting federal agencies decide for themselves whether projects potentially devastating to the environment would indeed harm endangered plants and animals. The rules would codify Kempthorne's previously announced plan to green-light activities that add to climate change -- without inspecting their impacts on protected species like the polar bear.

History has shown that letting agencies babysit themselves regarding their own projects -- instead of consulting with government scientists, as is now required -- just doesn't work. When agencies were allowed to self-consult on logging activities in 2005, it turned out that 62 percent of those projects violated the Endangered Species Act. "These [new] regulations are a recipe for disaster for the extinction of endangered species," said Center for Biological Diversity science director Noah Greenwald. "It's a classic example of letting the fox guard the henhouse."

(MORE)

Tracking Animal Cruelty Crimes Act (S. 2439)

Please visit the Compassion Index - AWI's Legislative Action Center to find your federal legislators and see how much compassion they show on important animal protection measures currently
before Congress. The CI also allows you to contact your legislators on these issues.

The FBI tracks the incidence and pattern of crimes committed in the United States. The data provided by such crime-tracking enable law enforcement agencies to target their crime fighting resources and implement better prevention and prosecution. However, there is currently no separate
reporting category for animal cruelty crimes. The Tracking Animal Cruelty Crimes Act (S. 2439), introduced by Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), would change this.

Why is it important to track animal cruelty crimes?

• Animal cruelty is a heinous offense in and of itself, causing terrible suffering for so many sentient creatures. It is a crime in all 50 states and certain egregious acts are felonies in 43 states and the District of Columbia.
  
• Animal cruelty also often coincides with domestic and child abuse. Moreover, a clear and recognized link exists between animal abuse and other forms of violence in society. Ironically, the FBI was one of the first to establish this link, yet the agency has yet to track
  animal cruelty crimes as a separate category.
  
• The FBI’s programs for collecting and disseminating crime statistics are invaluable tools for guiding law enforcement operations, crime prevention programs, and research and planning
  efforts. Assigning the crime of animal cruelty to its own reporting classification, as required under S. 2439, would enable law enforcement, social service agencies, researchers, and others to track trends at the state and national level and to determine the demographic characteristics and other factors associated with animal abuse. Significantly, the National District Attorneys Association supports the legislation.
  
• Having the improved information about animal cruelty crimes that S. 2439 would generate would lead to much greater understanding of—and more effective responses to—both animal abuse and other offenses. Animal cruelty—including animal fighting—would be regarded as serious crimes against society, thereby bringing greater investigative and prosecutorial resources to the problem at the state and federal level.

This small change would yield significant benefits for efforts to prevent and intervene in the cycle of violence that victimizes so many animals and people.

Help animals in China: take action today

Unfortunately, the Chinese fur industry continues its unrepentant slaughter of dogs and cats, whose skins are often deliberately mislabeled as "Asian Jackal" or "rabbit" when sold overseas. While the attention of the world is on the Olympic Games, we want to spotlight this cruel practice and invoke worldwide pressure against the Chinese fur industry.

Now more than ever, we need your help to make sure as many people as possible know about the suffering that goes into the production of every fur garment.

Consumers everywhere need to know the truth about fur. When people learn that millions of innocent animals are beaten, boiled, hanged, and electrocuted for their fur every year ... when they learn that every fur coat, lining, trim, or fur cat toy represents the intense suffering of several dozen animals? and when they learn that furriers intentionally mislabel fur as not taken from dogs and cats or as fake ... then every decent human being will want to go FUR-FREE.

Take the FUR FREE PLEDGE!

Congress Takes Horse Cruelty Head On!

For seven years now, you have helped us fight hard to protect America’s horses from the cruel and preventable practice of horse slaughter. Sadly, the few individuals profiting from this industry have spent vast sums of money to mislead some in the horse industry and US Congress. They have turned a serious animal cruelty issue into a political game. Despite all of this, support continues to grow for a ban because no false stories or fabricated tales of “unwanted horses” can derail the simple truth – horse slaughter is cruel.

As of today, House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) and Congressman Dan Burton (R-IN) have taken up the reins of this cause and committed themselves to ending horse slaughter by sponsoring H.R. 6598, the Conyers-Burton "Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act". This bill directly addresses the cruelty of horse slaughter – a consequence of the industry that even opponents of ending horse slaughter admit exists. This legislation is not new, as the original bill introduced in 2002 to end horse slaughter included enforcement language from Title 18 of the US Criminal Code for those found guilty of breaking the law. Chairman Conyers has simply removed the unnecessary language from the earlier versions to specifically target those causing the cruelty to horses.

Every five minutes, an American horse is brutally slaughtered for human consumption in plants in Mexico and Canada. Ironically, industry lobbyists admit to Congress that the foreign horse slaughter plants are cruel, yet the companies the lobbyists represent also own and operate these very plants across the border! Despite unsubstantiated claims of “unwanted” and “abandoned” horses, these foreign-owned plants and their killer-buyers continue to buy horses from all over America at an alarming rate to meet the demand for the animals’ flesh in fancy European restaurants.

Horse slaughter is a brutal process from beginning to end. Killer-buyers have no regard for the horses’ welfare; they just need to find as many of the animals as possible in order to fill a quota. Because the horses’ final destination is slaughter, no concern is paid to their treatment when they are collected, during transport, or in the slaughterhouse. A former equine investigator for the Pennsylvania state police summed this industry up perfectly when she said, “… horses were deprived of food and water because they were going to slaughter anyway. My conclusion is that the slaughter option encourages neglect…Money is the only objective of selling horses to slaughter. Those of us in the trenches have seen enough.”

Constituents concerned about the welfare of America’s horses must use this opportunity to speak up to their Members of Congress. The slaughterhouses, their lobbyists and the few pro-horse slaughter groups will be on Capitol Hill screaming loudly because they know support for ending horse slaughter is already strong. They know that if this issue is given a fair hearing and a fair vote, horse slaughter will end immediately.

Even though this fight has gone on for years, we must never forget that until Congress acts and passes a federal ban, horses are being hauled across the United States before being sent to Canada and Mexico to be slaughtered under even worse conditions. The slaughterhouses and their supporters hope to wear down horse advocates by stalling the political process. We must send a message that we will not stop until ALL horses are protected from slaughter.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Please call, write or email your Representative today, urging him or her to support H.R. 6598, the Conyers-Burton "Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act". Chairman Conyers and Congressman Burton intend to do everything in their power to move this measure through Congress as soon as possible. Be sure to mention the facts above and those found here.

Many Members of Congress have already supported a similar measure, so this is not a new proposal; click here to see if your legislator cosponsored the original bill. If your Representative is on the Judiciary Committee, please urge him or her to attend any upcoming hearing and speak out on this important legislation as well.

To find your Representative and learn his or her stance on horse slaughter, please visit www.compassionindex.org. You can contact your legislators directly through the Compassion Index as well.

Write to:

The Honorable (name of US Representative)
US House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

Please note: HR 6598, the Conyers-Burton "Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act" is NOT the same as H.R. 503/S. 311, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (AHSPA), but it will do the same thing – end horse slaughter. Many members already support the AHSPA, so garnering support should be straightforward.

Rescues/Organizations: The list of organizations and rescues supporting a ban on horse slaughter is tremendous, and we want to make sure your voice is heard on Capitol Hill, too. If you represent a rescue or organization, please take a minute to draft a letter of support for H.R. 6598, the Conyers-Burton "Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act" for us to share with the bill's sponsors and other Members of Congress. Give personal experiences, include photos and share your work with us. Opponents of horse slaughter are not working every day with horses -- you are. Please email your letters and some pictures to chris@awionline.org or fax them without a cover to (888) 260-2271. We will ensure that Congress hears your support!

No matter how you contact your legislator, please be sure to provide him or her with your name and mailing address, and as a constituent, request a response on this issue. Please also share our “Dear Humanitarian” eAlert with family, friends and co-workers, and encourage them to contact their legislators, too. As always, thank you very much for your help.

Sincerely,

Cathy Liss
President
www.awionline.org
www.compassionindex.org

Congress Asks: Fat Cats or Polar Bears?

Wealthy speculators are driving up gas prices and fueling calls for harmful new drilling off our coasts and in pristine places like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

It’s a classic match-up: Wall Street fat cats versus American families and the natural treasures we leave to our children. And in the next two weeks, Congress will vote to see who wins.

Help protect our polar bears from profit-hungry speculators and Big Oil. Urge Congress to pass legislation to address high gas prices by restoring accountability and transparency in the oil markets.

Speculation in the oil markets is a major factor in high gas prices.

Here’s how it works: Weak oversight and accountability in the oil market allows wealthy investors from around the world to drive up the price we pay for gas by purchasing oil that they have no intention of using.

According to Michael Masters of Masters Capital Management, who testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee in June, “with greater regulation [of speculation], oil prices could drop to $65 or $70 a barrel within about 30 days.”[1]

Ask your Senators and Representative to pass legislation to address high gas prices and protect our polar bears and other wildlife from the oil speculators and Big Oil’s disastrous drilling plans.

Officials within the Bush Administration’s own Energy Information Agency estimate that oil from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge wouldn’t hit the market for several years and would only reduce gas by a few pennies. Similarly, the agency has said that offshore drilling would not significantly impact domestic production or prices before 2030.

But this drilling would come at a terrible cost to our wildlife and the environment. Arctic drilling activities would disturb the most important onshore denning habitat for America’s threatened polar bears -- potentially causing polar bear mothers to abandon their cubs.

Offshore drilling has its own problems: Each platform produces toxic discharges that can poison and kill marine wildlife and dumps tons of air pollutants into our atmosphere.

Please take a stand against irresponsible policies that hurt our families and put our wildlife at risk. Send your message now!

More drilling may benefit wealthy investors, Big Oil companies and their allies in Congress, but it won’t lower prices at the pump or end America’s oil addiction.

Respectfully,
Rodger Schlickeisen
President
Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund

Stop Plan to Kill America's Wild Horses

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is the agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior that administers America's public lands, including the animals who call this land home.

As part of its wild horse management program, the BLM has spent the past several years rounding up wild horses and keeping them in private, long-term holding facilities—which is expensive. Now, the agency wants to euthanize thousands of healthy horses, claiming it is too costly to feed and care for them.

The ASPCA encourages the BLM to explore other solutions, including but not limited to reopening additional land for the horses and increasing certain contraception programs that have already proven safe and effective.

What You Can Do

Please visit the ASPCA Advocacy Center to email a letter to your legislators in the U.S. Congress urging them to oppose the BLM’s plan to kill thousands of healthy wild horses.Thank you for taking action for America's animals.

Polar Bear to Be a Protected Species

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Interior Department declared the polar bear a threatened species Wednesday, saying it must be protected because of the decline in Arctic sea ice from global warming.

Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne cited dramatic declines in sea ice over the last three decades and projections of continued losses. These declines, he told a news conference, mean the polar bear is a species likely to be in danger of extinction in the near future.

Kempthorne also said, though, that it would be "inappropriate" to use the protection of the bear to reduce greenhouse gases, or to broadly address climate change.

Reflecting views recently expressed by President Bush, Kempthorne said the Endangered Species Act was "never meant to regulate global climate change."

He said the decision to list the bear includes administrative actions aimed at limiting the impact of the decision on energy development and other climate related activities.

(MORE)

Polar Bear Breakthrough - SOS

Alaska's polar bears have moved one big step closer to receiving protection under the Endangered Species Act.

A federal judge just ordered the Bush Administration to stop dragging its feet and decide by May 15 whether it will safeguard America's polar bears from the threat of extinction due to rising temperatures and rapidly melting sea ice.

It took a lawsuit by NRDC, the Center for Biological Diversity and Greenpeace to force this latest breakthrough. The court ruled that the Bush Administration had violated the law by missing its January deadline and then proceeding to delay for months more.

While the Administration stalled for time, it rammed through oil and gas leases in some of the polar bear's most important Arctic habitat.

By ordering a May 15 deadline for this decision, the federal courts have thrown polar bears an important lifeline.

That's because the Endangered Species Act requires this momentous decision to be made solely on the best available science -- not politics -- and the science is absolutely clear that the polar bear urgently needs protection from the impacts of global warming.

With reports of polar bears starving and drowning...snowy dens collapsing on mother bears and their newborn cubs...and populations in decline, there is no longer any doubt that the climate crisis is taking a terrible toll on these magnificent creatures.

But despite the iron-clad evidence, there is no assurance that the Bush Administration will do the right thing on May 15. Given President Bush's pro-polluter agenda and relentless attacks on wildlife, it is still possible that the Interior Department will deny protection for the polar bear.

In that case, we'll be fully prepared to drag the Bush Administration back to court and fight in the legal arena until polar bears win the protection they so urgently need.

I’ll be sure to let you know as soon as we get word of the Administration’s decision. In the meantime, if you haven't done so already, please take a moment to tell your senators to stop oil development in Alaska's prime polar bear habitat.

With Alaska's polar bears under siege, I am so grateful to have you working by our side to help ensure their survival.

Sincerely,

Frances Beinecke
President
Natural Resources Defense Council

Watching A Dog Starve To Death Is Not Art!

AKC Executive Field Rep

AKC RHP Field Coordinator

Please sign and crosspost to everyone you know. Not just rescuers. Send to friends and family, too.

This is a very serious matter...

In 2007, the 'artist' Guillermo Vargas Habacuc, took a dog from the street, tied him to a rope in an art gallery, and starved him to death.

For several days, the 'artist' and the visitors of the exhibition have watched emotionless the shameful 'masterpiece' based on the dog's agony, until eventually he died.

Does it look like art to you? (there were pictures in my original email that are so horrible to see I couldn't post them - but they are people watching a dog starve to death and the dog begging for help. It's heart breaking)

But this is not all... the prestigious Visual Arts Biennial of the Central American decided that the 'installation' was actually art, so that Guillermo Vargas Habacuc has been invited to repeat his cruel action for the biennial of 2008.

PLEASE HELP STOP HIM.

http://www.petitiononline.com/ea6gk/petition.html


Please read to the end of this....He has been INVITED to do this again THIS year.

Note: He paid five local children to help him catch the terrified stray dog...in the impoverished area. The dog had no way to escape capture or his fate once he was in the hands of this cruel maniac.

But this is not all... the prestigious Visual Arts Biennial of the Central American decided that the 'installation' was actually art, so that Guillermo Vargas Habacuc has been invited to repeat his cruel action for the biennial of 2008.

PLEASE HELP STOP HIM.

http://www.petitiononline.com/ea6gk/petition.html


Besides signing the petition, please also write or e-mail the gallery that will host the 2008 exhibition to ask them to prohibit him. We can also write to other galleries that carry his other works and ask them to boycott him. Here's some addresses:

(1) EXHIBITION IS TAKING PLACE AT:

info@madc.ac.cr

Centro Nacional de la Cultura
Antigua Fábrica Nacional de Licores.
Avenida 3, calle 15/17. San José, Costa Rica.
Teléfono: (506) 257 7202 / 257 9370
Fax: (506) 257 8702


(2) ANOTHER GALLERY SHOWING HIS WORK:
This is the email address to a gallery which currently holds some of
Vargas' work for display and sale. If anyone would like to ask the gallery to
drop him from their list of artists the email address is below.
Email address: info@jacobkarpio-galeria.com

ALSO: The Animal Legal Defense Fund. suggests:

At this point, we feel the most effective method of protest is to write local animal protection agencies demanding they put a stop to this exhibit. You can search for agencies here in the Latin America/Caribbean section http://worldanimalnet.org/new.asp?co=&geo=SA&prov=&cat=are .

Stop China From Skinning Cats & Dogs Alive!

China has emerged as one of the world’s most powerful economies but is still mistrusted and feared (as distinct from respected) because since emerging from behind the bamboo curtain, it’s government has done little to dispel its autocratic image and apparent disregard for human rights. Quite apart from human rights, decent people everywhere could never accept a society so depraved and bereft of common decency as to accept the skinning of live animals as acceptable behaviour.

It’s burgeoning economy has resulted from flooding the world with cheap consumer products produced by a cheap unregulated work force. A fact that is understandable, having regard to its enormous population and fantastic work ethic.

In turn, China has developed an insatiable appetite for raw product from other countries and governments keen to export to China are reluctant to criticise or offend the Chinese government.

Given this background, will your government impose economic sanctions against China or openly criticise the Chinese government or demand that it puts a stop to the Chinese cat and dog fur trade? Most unlikely. However, there will surely be individuals within governments, so incensed and horrified by the trade that they will support Our Cause.

The Chinese government is well aware of the economic power play behind the scenes. It also knows it has a long way to go earn acceptance from the free world.
And make no mistake, China absolutely craves acceptance as a world leader that is trusted and respected and there are emerging signs that it is prepared to adopt more acceptable and responsible policies to earn that acceptance.

It knows that if it behaves or permits behaviour that is abhorrent to people of the democratic world, it will not earn the trust or respect it craves. Its our duty to show China that it can take a single , but highly significant step towards overcoming the prejudice of the millions of free-thinking decent people, if it recognises animal rights and, in particular, abolishes the abhorrent trade in cat and dog fur.

Cat and dog pelts sell for about US$1 each and every year, 2,000,000 cats and dogs suffer a horrific death, skinned alive for the pelts.

For what?

1. An insignificant contribution towards the Chinese economy - a few million US$; and

2. A clear message to the world that so long as the Chinese government permits the trade, China is not fit to take its place as a leading nation and certainly not one that is entitled to any trust or respect.

The “adverse fallout” and abhorrence for the Chinese government resulting from the trade will far exceeds the paltry contribution it makes towards China’s economy. It is in China’s interest, to abolish the trade.

It’s our duty to tell the world about the trade and kick up such a stink that our message reverberates around the world.

Remember Tianamen Square. Let’s make this another Tianamen Square – this time, for the animals.

Please sign the Online Petition. It’s the First Step in Our Fight!”

http://animalsaviors.org/petition.html

Gas leasing review could undercut protection for the Wyoming Range

With 126,000 new oil and gas wells projected to be built across our western public lands over the next 20 years, it's up to us to ensure that areas rich in wilderness and wildlife are protected.

The Wilderness Society has been working locally and with WildAlert members like you to curtail drilling plans in areas with special wildlife and wilderness values. The Wyoming Range is just such a place - click here to help protect it!

A rugged chain of mountains in the western part of the state, the Wyoming Range is prime habitat for moose, deer and elk. It's a beloved spot for blue-ribbon fishing and other recreation. This place is so special that Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso has introduced legislation to protect it from leasing.

But the Forest Service is considering whether to lease these public lands to oil and gas drilling before Congress can act to protect them. Please take action today and ask the agency to withdraw the proposed leases in the Wyoming Range.

Thank you!
Kathy Kilmer
The Wilderness Society

Poaching Plague Hits U.S. Bears

Many bears are killed just for their gallbladders, which are used in traditional Asian medicines to treat a variety of illnesses. Although accepted alternatives exist in traditional medicines, demand for bear parts is soaring.

As Asian bear populations have fallen, poachers are turning to bears in the U.S. to satisfy a flourishing black market. Each year, 30,000 or more bears are killed illegally in the U.S.

I just asked my Representative to sign on as a cosponsor to the Bear Protection Act (H.R. 5534) -- bipartisan legislation that would help end this poaching plague. You can, too. Just visit the web site below:

http://action.defenders.org/endbearpoaching

Poachers target hibernating bears in their dens and even track radio-collared bears that are part of scientific studies. And law enforcement agents report grisly findings: bear carcasses left in the woods with only the gallbladder and other parts removed.

Visit http://action.defenders.org/endbearpoaching and help save our bears!

Thanks!

Earth Day Action: Jaguars, Polar Bears Threatened by Inaction

Tuesday is Earth Day, and while millions of Americans will do what they can to enjoy and protect America’s natural treasures, there’s one man who should be doing a lot more: President Bush’s Secretary of the Interior, Dirk Kempthorne.

Take Action for Earth Day! Urge Congress to hold hearings on Secretary Kempthorne’s abysmal track record on protecting America’s wildlife.

As Secretary of the Interior, Dirk Kempthorne is supposed to be looking out for America’s natural treasures. He’s supposed to be concerned about the future we’ll leave for our children.But since being appointed almost two years ago, Secretary Kempthorne hasn’t listed a single new species under the Endangered Species Act -- even though federal biologists warn that at least 280 native species could disappear forever without such protections.

Urge Congress to hold Secretary Kempthorne accountable for his failure to act for wildlife by holding Congressional hearings...

Jaguars: Despite the presence of jaguars in the United States and the existence of large swaths of prime jaguar habitat, Kempthorne’s department has refused to create a recovery plan for these endangered cats, claiming that this big cat is a “foreign” species. But under this flawed argument, the U.S. would have had no obligation to protect bald eagles, wolves, grizzlies or other native species -- so long as they existed somewhere outside the lower 48 states!

Polar Bears: Secretary Kempthorne has repeatedly delayed listing the polar bear under the Endangered Species Act and in February approved harmful offshore drilling in the Chukchi Sea -- essential habitat for one of the two remaining U.S. polar bear populations. Last fall, federal scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey reported that polar bears could be extinct in Alaska by 2050. Other Species: Under Kempthorne, the Interior Department has even denied vital protections for wolverines, red knots and right whales -- all species in serious decline and dangerously close to extinction.

Urge your Representative to hold Kempthorne accountable in Congressional hearings for not doing more to protect polar bears, jaguars and other wildlife...

It’s the Secretary of Interior’s job to protect our wildlife and wild places. And it’s Congress’ job to hold the Secretary accountable when he fails to do his job.

This Earth Day, please take a moment out of your day to speak out for responsible management of our precious wildlife.

Sincerely,
Rodger Schlickeisen
President
Defenders of Wildlife

P.S. To celebrate Earth Day, Defenders’ DC staff will be volunteering at Patuxent National Wildlife Refuge in Maryland. To help wildlife in your community this Earth Day, please take our Earth Day Pledge and check out our events page to find special Earth Day celebrations with our outreach representatives in Colorado, California and New Mexico.

Yellowstone Bison Slaughter Tops 1,100

Bison once numbered in the tens of millions across the Great Plains until a wholesale slaughter nearly wiped them out.

Now some of America's last free-roaming wild bison are being slaughtered on a scale not seen since the 1800s. And hundreds more could to be killed.

Take action now! Write the Montana Promotion Division -- the state's tourism officials -- and speak out for sensible wildlife management of these American icons!

Each winter, Yellowstone National Park bison migrate from snow-covered highlands to lower elevations outside the park’s boundaries in search of food.

But because of an unfounded fear that bison will transmit a disease called brucellosis to domestic cattle, bison face a grim fate -- even though there has never been a documented case of a wild bison transmitting the disease to cattle.

Once these majestic animals cross park boundaries, federal and Montana state officials chase bison back into the park where food is scarce -- or they are shipped off to slaughter.

This year alone, more than 1,100 bison have been killed -- nearly a quarter of the wild population. This is no way to manage one of the most beloved icons of the American West.

Write Montana tourism officials today and tell them that you want Montana to stop killing America’s bison.

The Montana Promotion Division -- the state’s tourism department -- is our best ally in Montana to press state officials to stop the shameful bison slaughter.

Together we can help ensure that America’s wild bison will continue to roam the American West.

Thanks for all you do to protect wildlife and the places it lives.

Sincerely,

Mike Leahy
Rocky Mountain Region Director
Defenders of Wildlife

Tell the Park Service to Save Yellowstone's Buffalo, Not Slaughter Them!

Yellowstone's wild, free-roaming buffalo herd is under siege.

The Bush Administration is turning the herd's birthing ground into a killing ground for hundreds of mighty bison -- better known as American buffalo.

We must speak out against this cold-blooded cruelty NOW -- because every week, more of these noble creatures are being herded into cattle trucks to be slaughtered.

This winter alone, more than 1,200 wild bison have been brutally killed -- or shipped to slaughterhouses -- by the Montana Department of Livestock, with the cooperation and approval of the National Park Service.

And come May, newborn calves are just as likely to be killed as their mothers.

We cannot stand by and let this massacre continue: Send a protest message now.

Right now, it's still winter in Yellowstone, and these unsuspecting buffalo are following historic migratory routes in search of food at lower elevations where there is less snow.

When the buffalo venture near or beyond the park's boundary, they will continue to be rounded up and killed -- unless we start a national outcry.

What makes this sacrifice so senseless is that it's all to protect roughly 200 domestic cows and steers that graze near the park from the theoretical risk of a disease -- brucellosis -- that has never been transmitted from bison to cattle in a natural setting.

Even more tragic, newborn calves and their mothers will be rounded up this spring in their birthing ground of Horse Butte, Montana -- a completely cattle-free zone -- which means they are being killed for absolutely no reason.

Please speak out and stop the slaughter. Yellowstone's buffalo are a national treasure: America's last, free-roaming herd. The National Park Service should be their guardian, not an accomplice to their execution.

Already, more than 90,000 Americans have submitted protest messages demanding that the National Park Service call a halt to the killing.

But now with so many newborn buffalo about to be killed -- we need to do more. Please submit your protest message and help us stop the spring massacre.

Together, we must speak out to spare the lives of Yellowstone's surviving buffalo so that they can again roam wild and free.

Sincerely,

Frances Beinecke
President

Please help! First baby seal killed this morning

Dear Friend,

Just before dawn this morning, the annual hunt for baby seals began in Canada.

Over the next few weeks, 275,000 harp seals will be brutally clubbed or shot for their fur. Incredibly, though, many people believe that Canada ended this hunt in the 1980s. But it's still happening, right now. That's why the sealers don't want us here -- with our cameras rolling.

For four years, The Humane Society of the United States' ProtectSeals team has stood its ground as Canada's extraordinary harp seal nurseries are transformed each spring into bloody killing fields. The sealers have rammed our cars, smashed our boats, and brandished the very same clubs that they use to kill baby seals -- all in a vain attempt to intimidate us.

Then yesterday, Canada’s government took an unprecedented step: It refused to issue hunt observation permits to our team -- and to journalists -- in time for us to document the slaughter this morning. This means that sealers, if they have reached the seals by now, are killing baby seals without witnesses. Which is exactly what they want.

Watch our video to see what we're up against. It's hard to watch (and you can skip it if you prefer). But it shows why we'll remain here, steadfast, until Canada ends this barbaric hunt for good. Exposing the hunt is the surest way I know to stop it forever.

As another year's slaughter begins, watch our video now -- and then please make a donation to sustain our team on the ice and end this hunt once and for all.

The seal hunters don't want us here, but with your support, we'll continue the fight until the cruel hunt ends.

Sincerely,
Rebecca Aldworth
Director of Canadian Wildlife Issues
The Humane Society of the United States

Help Save Polar Bears and Other Arctic Wildlife

The news for polar bears is bleak -- polar bears could disappear entirely from Alaska within 50 short years due to a drastic decline in Arctic sea ice.

But Big Oil and their allies in Congress are willing to sell out our vanishing polar bears for a few barrels of oil. Well, I'm doing something to protect Arctic wildlife and our polar bear's last stand -- and I hope you will, too.

It's easy to get involved -- Just take action online at the website below:

http://action.defenders.org/arcticwilderness

Polar bears and other Arctic wildlife are facing a double-barreled threat from Congress and the Bush/Cheney Administration.

President Bush is calling for Arctic National Wildlife Refuge drilling in his budget. And Sens. Ted Stevens and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska have introduced legislation to link drilling plans to gas prices -- despite federal estimates that such drilling would do next to nothing to reduce gas prices.

Drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would, however, threaten the most important land-based habitat that America's vanishing polar bears have left.

Please urge your Senators to reject the latest Arctic Refuge drilling plans and permanently safeguard this special place by designating portions of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as federally protected wilderness -- take action online now at:

http://action.defenders.org/arcticwilderness

Thanks for your help...

Yellowstone Buffalo Headed to Slaughterhouse. Save Them Now.

Yellowstone's wild, free-roaming buffalo herd is under siege.

The Bush Administration is turning America's greatest national park into a killing ground for hundreds of mighty bison -- better known as American buffalo.

We must speak out against this cold-blooded cruelty NOW -- because every week, more of these noble creatures are being herded into cattle trucks to be slaughtered.

This winter alone, more than 1,000 wild bison have been brutally killed by the National Park Service and the Montana Department of Livestock -- or shipped to slaughterhouses.

And come May, newborn calves are just as likely to be killed as their mothers.

We cannot stand by and let this massacre continue: Send a protest message now.

Right now, it's still winter in Yellowstone, and these unsuspecting buffalo are following historic migratory routes in search of food at lower elevations where there is less snow.

When the buffalo venture near or beyond the park's boundary, they will continue to be rounded up and killed -- unless we start a national outcry.

What makes this sacrifice so senseless is that it's all to protect 12 to 16 domestic cows and steers that graze near the park from the theoretical risk of a disease -- brucellosis -- that has never been transmitted from bison to cattle in a natural setting.

Yes, you read those numbers right: 1,000 wild bison slaughtered to protect a little more than a dozen cows outside the park that have most likely been vaccinated against the disease, or easily could be.

Please speak out and stop the slaughter. Yellowstone's buffalo are a national treasure: America's last, free-roaming herd. The National Park Service should be their guardian, not their executioner.

Our goal this week is to create a virtual "stampede" of 50,000 protest messages that will convince the National Park Service to call a halt to the killing.

Together, we must speak out to spare the lives of Yellowstone's surviving buffalo so that they can again roam wild and free.

Sincerely,

Frances Beinecke
President
NRDC Action Fund

Pigs Scalped in the Name of Medicical Education - There is a Better Way!

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, MD is one of the last schools to use live animals for surgical training.

Tell the Dean of Johns Hopkins to stop teaching cruelty to animals and start teaching compassionate medicine!

One of their heartless practices involves anesthetizing pigs and cutting into their bodies with scalpels while they are still alive.

When the class is over, the poor creatures are killed and their bodies end up in waste disposal bags.

It’s time for every single medical school to stop inflicting pain and suffering on defenseless animals and start using human-focused or computer simulated teaching alternatives!

Last year the American Medical Student Association passed a resolution encouraging non-animal alternatives in medical education. Already, more than 90 percent of schools have eliminated live animal labs from their curricula altogether. Urge Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine to follow suit >>

Thank you for doing what's right for every living creature.

Urgent: Greater Yellowstone Wolves Delisted - Act Now!

It happened today - the Bush administration has just eliminated federal protections for hundreds of endangered wolves in Greater Yellowstone and the Northern Rockies.

Please protest this decision now - it will only take a minute to send your message in support of protecting these wolves!

This decision leaves wolves in Greater Yellowstone and the Northern Rockies at the mercy of outrageous state management plans that allow for the killing of as many as 1,200 wolves - 80% of all the region's wild wolves!

Idaho officials want to use aerial gunning to kill wolves in their state. Wyoming agencies have left the door open to the use of traps and poison to eliminate wolves. And officials in both states - and Montana - have proposed wolf hunts.

That's not responsible wildlife management. It's a recipe for disaster.

Please make your voice heard today and demand continued protections for wolves!

Thank you for your urgent action today!

Barker's gift launches animal ethics course at Drury

Steve Koehler
News-Leader

A $1 million endowment from game-show legend Bob Barker will establish the country's first undergraduate course on animal ethics at Drury University.

Before a standing-room-only crowd of students and faculty — as well as several dozen dogs and a few cats — Barker handed over a check to Drury President Todd Parnell on Monday.

"I'm flattered beyond words for so many of you to be here," said Barker, a Drury alum and longtime host of "The Price is Right." He spoke to the audience packed into a large room in the Trustee Science Building in the middle of Monday's ice storm.

The money, Parnell said, will give Drury students "the means to an education dominated by the most prestigious universities in the country."

Several law schools, including those at Harvard and Stanford, have also received gifts from Barker to fund the study of animal rights.

"It's going to be so interesting for you," Barker told students. "My hope is that the model is duplicated across the country."

The semester-long course will begin in either the fall of 2009 or the spring of 2010. It's an interdisciplinary class that will examine animal rights through various areas including religion, the environment, criminology, philosophy and biology.

Wendy Anderson, associate professor of biology, said her portion of the course will explore several areas, including the environmental impact of confined animal feeding operations; the impact of exotic animals becoming pets or being placed in zoos; what happens when pets are released into the ecosystem; and the impact on vegetation and other animals.

Other parts of the course will look at laws protecting animals, how animals are regarded in religion and advances that have been made to minimize animal testing.

"It's very exciting. It's something that's uniquely Drury," Anderson said. "I plan on going to the classes every day myself. I'm only teaching for two weeks, and I want to see what the other (faculty) are teaching."

The enthusiasm of the faculty impressed Barker.

"I had high hopes for this course and after visiting with the faculty, my hopes are boundless now," Barker said. "It's going to be known as a wonderful, wonderful course."

The idea for the course came from Patricia McEachern, associate professor of French at Drury and an animal-rights advocate. She talked with Barker while he was on campus to deliver Drury's commencement address in May.

"Bob Barker is a personal hero to me. He's done more for animals than any human being on the planet. He is a modern-day St. Francis of Assisi," she said.

McEachern said Barker called her office this fall and left a message asking her to call him at home.

"I couldn't do that," she initially thought. But she eventually called and the two spoke often as they developed the course that would include classroom work, appearances by special speakers and conferences on the subject.

"We hope that whatever area we go into, we develop an empathy for animals and animal rights," she said.

McEachern admitted Monday that she was so excited after dropping Barker off at his hotel room Sunday night that she forgot to take the check. Thankfully, Barker reminded her to take it.

She kept the check on her nightstand and gave it to Parnell Monday at the press conference.

Jessica Kleekamp, a junior studying English, will likely graduate before the course is available. But she showed her support Monday by carrying a sign that resembled the podium contestants stand behind on Barker's game show.

It read: "1,000,000. Animal Rights" and on the other side it read: "Have Your Pet (Spayed) or Neutered."

"I've watched Bob since I was a little kid," Kleekamp said. "I like him as both (animal rights advocate and game show host). I knew him first as a game show host, but I think he's really great at animal rights, too."

Campaigners vow to find goats a home

By Rob Dabrowski

A herd of goats used for military scientific tests look set to be rehoused, thanks to The News.
The 40 animals, three-quarters of which were subject to controversial lab studies in which they were put into pressure chambers, are now likely to be able to start new lives at animal sanctuaries across the south.When the Ministry of Defence vowed to stop all testing at its QinetiQ site in Gosport last Wednesday, the future of the goats was uncertain.

QinetiQ was unable to guarantee that some of the animals wouldn't be culled, but The News contacted an animal rights group to alert them to the goats' plight and members have vowed to rehouse the animals in sanctuaries.The Southern Animal Rights Coalition has said it will take the animals and find them loving homes.

A vet will now check whether the homes are suitable.

SARC member Tom Harris, 24 of Alver Road, Gosport, said: 'Their welfare has always been our number one priority so it's imperative to find good homes for all these animals.'

After the lives they've led I sincerely hope that they can live out the rest of their years in a peaceful happy way and as close to nature as we can get them.

'Peter Viggers, MP for Gosport, added: 'There are technical provisions which apply here and a vet must certify that the animal is kept in appropriate conditions and that it will not suffer.'Having discussed the matter with QinetiQ, I'm confident that those involved will do their very best to achieve a satisfactory outcome.'

QinetiQ spokesman Douglas Millard said a vet who is looking after the welfare of the goats will investigate whether the sanctuaries are suitable.'Every effort will be made to relocate as many of them as possible to appropriate and certified establishments,' he said.

The full article contains 314 words and appears in n/a newspaper.

Last Updated: 11 February 2008 12:15 PM

Hard-Luck Animal Shelter Must Raise $17,000

MENTOR, Ohio -- There are more problems for the animals at the Lake Humane Shelter in Mentor.

First, the building lost heat and now the sewer system is backed up, but that's only the beginning of what the nonprofit organization is going through.

In the midst of these problems, workers discovered some animals that had been dumped on the property in freezing conditions.

The people who run the shelter had no choice but the close the doors again after the heater stopped working a few days ago, forcing them to put animals in offices and other spaces not designed to house them.

After getting a $17,000 bill to fix the furnace, the shelter had more bad luck.

"We're not a government agency, we get no government funding. We don't get any United Way funding. Everything you see, everything we do is funding by private donations," said the shelter's Gail Keegan. "These animals need to be fed, they need to be kept warm, and our very first priority is our animals."

When shelter workers found a dog and two cats dumped on the property in the middle of the heating and sewage crisis, their hearts were broken.

One of the cats and a dog survived, but the other cat didn't, freezing to death in an icy puddle.

But the people who run the shelter refused to give up, and they finally got some good news: a check from the invisible fence company.

Little by little, the shelter has been getting donations, but it's still far from the $17,000 goal.

To help, go to www.lakehumane.org.

Pets Abandoned by Owners After Foreclosure

Animals Are the Newest Mortgage Victims as Owners Leave Pets Behind
By EVELYN NIEVES
Associated Press Writer
Jan. 30, 2008—


STOCKTON, Calif. (AP) -- The house was ravaged -- its floors ripped, walls busted and lights smashed by owners who trashed their home before a bank foreclosed on it. Hidden in the wreckage was an abandoned member of the family: a starving pit bull.

The dog found by workers was too far gone to save -- another example of how pets are becoming the newest victims of the nation's mortgage crisis as homeowners leave animals behind when they can no longer afford their property.

Pets "are getting dumped all over," said Traci Jennings, president of the Humane Society of Stanislaus County in northern California. "Farmers are finding dogs dumped on their grazing grounds, while house cats are showing up in wild cat colonies."

In one such colony in Modesto, two obviously tame cats watched alone from a distance as a group of feral cats devoured a pile of dry food Jennings offered.

"These are obviously abandoned cats," Jennings said. "They're not afraid of people, and they stay away from the feral cats because they're ostracized by them."

The abandoned pets are overwhelming animal shelters and drawing fury from bloggers, especially as photos of emaciated animals circulate on the Internet.

The first people to enter an abandoned house, such as property inspectors and real estate brokers, have discovered dogs tied to trees in backyards, cats in garages, and turtles, rabbits and lizards in children's bedrooms.

No one keeps track of the numbers of abandoned pets, but anecdotal evidence suggests that forsaken animals are becoming a problem wherever foreclosures are climbing. Stockton and Modesto have some of the nation's highest foreclosure rates.

Despite months of warning before a foreclosure, many desperate homeowners run out the clock hoping to forestall an eviction. Then they panic, particularly if they are moving to a home where pets are not permitted.

The situation has become so widespread that the Humane Society urged home owners faced with foreclosure to take their animals to a shelter.

Shelters are trying to keep up, but the spike in abandoned pets comes at a time when fewer people are adopting animals. Home sales are plunging to their lowest level in decades, and new homeowners are often the most likely to seek a pet.

Even people who are buying homes are not adopting pets.

"People are not bringing home puppies because times are tough, and animals cost money," said Sharon Silbert, president of Animal Rescue of Tracy, a community near Stockton.

The mortgage crisis showed few signs of easing Tuesday after a real estate tracking company announced that many homeowners started to fall behind on mortgage payments in the last three months, setting the stage for more foreclosures this year.

The San Joaquin Animal Shelter in Stockton is fielding more desperate calls from animal owners about to be evicted. Many call as a last resort after being turned down by various rescue groups with no room for more animals.

"They're usually breaking down on the phone," said Kathy Potter, a shelter dispatcher. "I'm quite direct with them that there's a 50-50 chance the animals might be put down."

Still, shelter operators say, half a chance is better than none.

"They may be euthanized at a shelter," said Stephanie Shain of the Humane Society of the United States. "But they'll be fed and have water and have a humane euthanization, as opposed to spending the last days of their lives eating carpet or wallboard."

Bloggers are furious with the "foreclosure pet" phenomenon, especially after seeing photos of emaciated animals on the Internet. Some critics say the pet owners have already proved they are irresponsible by buying houses they could not afford or mortgages they did not bother to understand.

"They see a pet as property, no different than a worn sofa tossed into the alley when the springs pop," says a posting about foreclosure pets on About.com.

The problem is exacerbated because most people grappling with foreclosure are returning to rental housing or moving in with relatives -- two situations where it can be difficult or impossible to bring pets.

"What we've always known is that when times are hard for people, they're hard for their pets," said Stephen Zawistowski, a vice president at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Abandoning animals is illegal in most states under anti-cruelty laws, but the laws are not rigidly enforced.

In Stockton, shelter workers recently reunited a family with two rottweilers they had left behind in their foreclosed house. The family was staying in a homeless shelter, the dogs being cared for by neighbors at the family's behest. Shelter workers were able to find housing for the family and their dogs.

But happy endings elude a majority of foreclosure animals.

"Their best shot is for the owners to plan ahead some," Jennings said. "But they didn't plan when they bought their house. I don't see that happening anytime soon."


Copyright © 2008 ABC News Internet Ventures

Help me save polar bears

What does George Bush have against polar bears?

The Bush/Cheney Administration's own scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey say that global warming and habitat loss could eliminate polar bears from Alaska by 2050. Yet, the president had little to say in his State of the Union about what -- if anything -- his administration would be doing to prevent their extinction.

Take action now. Urge George Bush to protect polar bears by sending a message online at:

http://action.defenders.org/stateofpolarbears

Year after year, President Bush has called for harmful drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, one of the most important onshore denning habitats for U.S. polar bears. Earlier this month, his Secretary of the Interior approved the sale of drilling rights in the Chukchi Sea, potentially threatening even more bears with pollution, spills and disruptive activities.

The Bush/Cheney Administration will come to an end next year, but we can't allow their decisions and lack of action to spell extinction for U.S. polar bears.

Take action now at:

http://action.defenders.org/stateofpolarbears

Thanks for taking the time to help!
Allie:)

Run This Ad, Save Wolves from Slaughter

The Bush Administration has just handed down its long-awaited "License to Kill" rule. It's the equivalent of a death sentence for hundreds of endangered gray wolves in Greater Yellowstone and across the Northern Rockies.

We can still force the White House to call off the guns -- before any shots are fired -- but we must move quickly.

All we need is your help.

We've produced a powerful ad that is ready to run and spark nationwide opposition. But we must raise $150,000 to place it in the national edition of The New York Times, where it will alert both the public and Congress in time to stop the slaughter.

You can make it happen. If just 6,000 supporters like you donate $25 each, we can make sure this ad sounds the alarm within the next few critical days.

Click here to read the full text of the ad -- and help us run it.

Millions of Americans have no idea that the Bush Administration is planning to spend our tax dollars to slaughter hundreds of wolves -- while they are still protected under the Endangered Species Act!

But with your help, millions of Americans will know within a matter of days.

And thousands of them will go online and urge their members of Congress to unite in opposition to this outrageous attack on an endangered species.

At the very same time, our partner organization -- the Natural Resources Defense Council – will be challenging the Bush Administration's cold-blooded plan in federal court.

Together, we can block the slaughter -- before it starts -- but only if we act swiftly.

Planes and helicopters, capable of killing entire packs of wolves in seconds, are waiting for the Open Fire order that could come at any time.

So please, read the full ad right now and make an emergency online contribution.

Help us give America's wolves a fighting chance.

Thank you.

Polar Bear Protection Delayed. Oil Drilling Okayed.

This letter urges concerned Americans to come to the rescue of the Alaskan polar bear, which is facing extinction due to global warming and is now threatened by the more immediate danger of oil development being rushed through by the Bush Administration.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Dear Friend,

By speaking out today, you can help save Alaska's polar bears from the threat of toxic oil spills.

The Bush Administration is trying to rush through the sale of oil and gas leases in prime polar bear habitat -- the Chukchi Sea off of Alaska -- before the polar bear can win protection under the Endangered Species Act.

Please join us in supporting legislation -- the Markey bill -- that would reverse the go-ahead for this dangerous sale. Otherwise, the Alaskan polar bear, which is already facing extinction as global warming melts its sea ice habitat, would face the more immediate threat of a toxic oil spill.

There is no proven method of cleaning up oil spills in the Arctic's icy waters -- and there is virtually no way for oil-covered polar bears to survive.

Please speak out now to put polar bear protection ahead of oil and gas development.

Go to http://www.PolarBearSOS.org/takeaction_polar_bears

Thank you for speaking out at this critical time.

Sincerely,

Frances Beinecke
President
Natural Resources Defense Council

Save Healthy Animals From a Needless Death

Animal care and control centers across the country are doing everything they can, but the number of healthy and treatable dogs and cats that are euthanized is still devastatingly high.

Support comprehensive programs for ending euthanasia of healthy and treatable animals!

What we need is a financial solution to this problem that has the full support of the community. The American Humane Association has a program that does just that. It's called Getting to Zero®.

This program is based on a series of community-based interventions that have proven to reduce pet euthanasia, and includes areas such as adoption, foster care, spay/neuter, training and transfer.

Every year, an estimated four to six million dogs and cats are euthanized in animal care and control facilities in the United States. This problem remains a source of shame for our country.

Sign the petition today supporting programs to bring the number of healthy and treatable animals that are euthanized down to zero in the next 25 years.

Thank you for helping these animals.

Humane Society asking for help in Akron as dog population skyrockets

PENINSULA -- The Humane Society of Greater Akron (HSGA) says it has been overwhelmed with the number of dogs it has up for adoption. This month alone the shelter has taken in 51 dogs.

Finding a home for each animal can be difficult this time of year as adoption rates tend to go down when the cold weather hits while cruelty to animal cases go up, according to the HSGA.

Now the humane society is reaching out to the community for help.

"We're a no time limit shelter, so every animal that's healthy and adoptable stays here until they find a home," HSGA spokeswoman Chalan Geul said. "The [dogs] are just sitting here waiting for a wonderful home, and we want to make that happen for them as soon as we can."

There are currently about 200 dogs waiting to find a family. If you're interested in helping out, contact the HSGA at (330) 657-2010.

Top Ten Cold Weather Tips For Our Furry Friends!

From the ASPCA.

Brrrr…it’s cold outside! The following guidelines will help you protect your companion animals when the mercury dips.

1. Keep your cat inside. Outdoors, felines can freeze, become lost or be stolen, injured or killed. Cats who are allowed to stray are exposed to infectious diseases, including rabies, from other cats, dogs and wildlife.

2. During the winter, outdoor cats sometimes sleep under the hoods of cars. When the motor is started, the cat can be injured or killed by the fan belt. If there are outdoor cats in your area, bang loudly on the car hood before starting the engine to give the cat a chance to escape.

3. Never let your dog off the leash on snow or ice, especially during a snowstorm—dogs can lose their scent and easily become lost. More dogs are lost during the winter than during any other season, so make sure yours always wears ID tags.

4. Thoroughly wipe off your dog's legs and stomach when he comes in out of the sleet, snow or ice. He can ingest salt, antifreeze or other potentially dangerous chemicals while licking his paws, and his paw pads may also bleed from snow or encrusted ice.

5. Never shave your dog down to the skin in winter, as a longer coat will provide more warmth. When you bathe your dog in the colder months, be sure to completely dry him before taking him out for a walk. Own a short-haired breed? Consider getting him a coat or sweater with a high collar or turtleneck with coverage from the base of the tail to the belly. For many dogs, this is regulation winter wear.

6. Never leave your dog or cat alone in a car during cold weather. A car can act as a refrigerator in the winter, holding in the cold and causing the animal to freeze to death.

7. Puppies do not tolerate the cold as well as adult dogs, and may be difficult to housebreak during the winter. If your puppy appears to be sensitive to the weather, you may opt to paper-train him inside. If your dog is sensitive to the cold due to age, illness or breed type, take him outdoors only to relieve himself.

8. Does your dog spend a lot of time engaged in outdoor activities? Increase his supply of food, particularly protein, to keep him—and his fur—in tip-top shape.

9. Like coolant, antifreeze is a lethal poison for dogs and cats. Be sure to thoroughly clean up any spills from your vehicle, and consider using products that contain propylene glycol rather than ethylene glycol. Visit the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center more information.

10. Make sure your companion animal has a warm place to sleep, off the floor and away from all drafts. A cozy dog or cat bed with a warm blanket or pillow is perfect.

County Shelter Locked Up and Animals Left for Dead

Camden, Tennessee police and the Benton County sheriff have shut down the Benton County Animal Shelter. On Friday, January 11, 2008 several rescues and volunteers along with authorities entered the facility. The police and sheriff's deputies were forced to break a lock to get inside.

And, once inside, they say at least 12 animals were found dead. The remaining 60 animals were suffering from illness and starvation, some barely breathing. One dog was found near death with her litter of dead, decaying puppies lying next to her in a cage that also contained other dogs. The dog was described by Shannon Dykstra of West Tennessee Animal Rescue, Inc., as "severely emaciated, lethargic and severely anemic". The dog, named Miracle Myrtle, was rushed to a hospital.

The animals were found without food and water. The cats were being held in cages that were too small.

Law enforcement authorities declared the facility a crime scene. About 25 puppies were euthanized because of parvo. Click here to watch a video filmed by a local TV station of the conditions found in the shelter. Click here for another video of this ghastly scene.

The rescue groups and volunteers spent hours cleaning the shelter and began efforts to provide care and placement for the remaining animals. Several animals have been placed in boarding kennels for now. West Tennessee Animal Rescue is caring for several of the dogs.

Apparently, the shelter's one full time employee, Jackie Boyett, had simply locked the shelter and left. Boyett is already facing trial on January 23 on drug charges. Boyett was also found this week to have one of the shelter's pit bulls at home where the dog was being used in a stud service. As of Friday, though, it was not clear Boyett had even been fired.

Camden police plan to meet with the Benton County District Attorney General, Hansel McCadams, to request a full investigation. They expect charges to be filed.

What You Can Do

If you can help with the animals, please contact Shannon Dykstra at wtar@bellsouth.net or info@WestTnAnimalCoalition.org or call at (901) 541-5090

Also, write or call District Attorney General McCadams and urge prosecution in this case.

District Attorney General Hansel McCadams

P.O. Box 686
100 Court Square
Huntingdon, TN 38344
Phone: (731) 986-5031
Fax: (731) 986-5208


Miracle Myrtle

Oh, and Miracle Myrtle was found to have a severe infection and underwent surgery. So far, she is holding on....

The dogs pictured here are available for adoption from West Tennessee Animal Rescue, www.petfinder.com/shelters/VT31.html

http://www.animallawcoalition.com/public-shelters/article-342

Save the Chukchi Polar Bears!

America’s polar bears could disappear forever within a few short decades. But that’s not stopping the Bush/Cheney Administration from opening tens of thousands of square miles of vital polar bear habitat to exploitation by Big Oil.

The Chukchi Sea on Alaska’s northwest coast is essential to the survival of one of the two remaining populations of polar bears in America. Drilling in the area could be disastrous, creating noise, pollution and other disturbances that could harm the fragile polar bear population that depends on ice in the Chukchi Sea to find food and to raise their young -- sea ice that's rapidly melting.

In the face of dwindling sea ice and a warming climate, these polar bears are already struggling to survive -- swiming greater distances and often drowning in their search for suitable pack ice for hunting. In fact, the government’s top scientists warn that America’s polar bears could disappear as early as 2050.

But just days before the Department of Interior once again delayed the announcement of new federal protections for the nation’s polar bears, federal officials announced a potentially disastrous plan: to sell offshore drilling rights on nearly 46,000 square miles of the Chukchi Sea.

Tell Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to delay the sale of drilling rights that could disrupt polar bear habitat and would extend America’s dependence on fossil fuels that cause global warming.

Our polar bears are already struggling to survive. Please take action now to help save them.

The Story Of Stuff

This is a must see video... (takes a few minutes to load... but worth the wait)

http://www.storyofstuff.com/

Bush/Cheney Admin. Puts Hundreds of Yellowstone Area Wolves at Risk

While most Americans have been celebrating the holidays, officials in the Bush/Cheney Administration have been working behind the scenes to pave the way for the killing of hundreds of wolves in the Greater Yellowstone area.

We can't let them get away with it!

Please go to Defenders of Wildlife's website to send a message to U.S. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne and urge him to abandon efforts to let states start killing wolves and to delay de-listing of gray wolves in the Northern Rockies:

http://action.defenders.org/sneakattack

Over the last several weeks, officials within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have been quietly moving forward with rule changes that would allow officials in Idaho and Wyoming to begin killing wolves -- even before gray wolves are removed from the list of federally protected threatened and endangered species.

This latest proposal would jump start plans to use fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and other means to kill hundreds of wolves, leaving few more than 200 of the wolves in Idaho. In fact, three-quarters of the wolves in the Lolo District of the Clearwater National Forest could be removed... even before they are de-listed.

And, unfortunately, it's not just Idaho's wolves that are threatened by the proposal. Hundreds of wolves in Wyoming could be shot and trapped under the new rules -- whether wolves are removed from the endangered and threatened species list or not.

A decision on the proposal is expected in the next few weeks. Please email Secretary Kempthorne right now and let him know that you oppose any proposal that would threaten the long-term future of wolves in the Northern Rockies and Greater Yellowstone Region.

Take action online now at:

http://action.defenders.org/sneakattack

Thanks so much for helping me save wolves!

Shelter or Prison?

For more than a decade, PETA has routinely fielded serious complaints from volunteers, employees, and visitors alleging cruelty and terrible neglect at All Creatures Great and Small (ACGS)—a "no-kill" shelter in Hendersonville, North Carolina.

Illness runs rampant among the estimated 400 dogs and 300 cats who are warehoused in an inadequate facility at ACGS. Animals sustain injuries daily—the majority of which are ignored, no matter how severe and painful they are.

PETA's undercover investigation—spanning seven months—revealed blatant, ongoing violations of state animal protection laws, state and local health and environmental laws, state laws applicable to the solicitation of charitable contributions, and state laws applicable to the administration of state payroll and income taxes. In April 2007, representatives of PETA and the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) met with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture (NCDA) and presented extensive documentation of systemic animal abuse and neglect at ACGS.

Undercover Investigation »

Mars Candy Kills Animals

Got a sweet tooth? Think twice before picking up a Mars candy bar! You should know that candymaker Mars, Inc.—creator of M&M's, Snickers, Twix, Dove, Three Musketeers, Starburst, Skittles, and other candies—funds deadly animal tests, even though there are more reliable human studies and not one of the tests is required by law.

Mars is currently funding a deadly experiment on rats to determine the effects of chocolate ingredients on their blood vessels. Experimenters force-feed the rats by shoving plastic tubes down their throats and then cut open the rats' legs to expose an artery, which is clamped shut to block blood flow. After the experiment, the animals are killed. Mars has also funded cruel experiments in which mice were fed a candy ingredient and forced to swim in a pool of a water mixed with white paint. The mice had to find a hidden platform to avoid drowning, only to be killed and dissected later on. In yet another experiment supported by Mars, rats were fed cocoa and anesthetized with carbon dioxide so that their blood could be collected by injecting a needle directly into their hearts, which can lead to internal bleeding and other deadly complications.

Click here to find out more about Mars' cruel experiments.

Mars' top competitor, Hershey's, has pledged not to fund or conduct experiments on animals. Other major food corporations—including Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Ocean Spray, Welch's, and POM Wonderful—have also publicly ended animal tests after hearing from PETA.

Click here to read PETA's letters to Mars CEO Paul Michaels.

Tell Mars to Drop Deadly Animal Tests!