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Even though a majority of the shelters in the state use euthanasia by injection, 12 still use outdated, inhumane gas chambers.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 Such outdated practices also create public outcry and demean the purpose of an animal shelter.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.

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.

(MORE)

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

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."