FW: Civet Cats in China

[Guest guest]

> " info " <info

> " kala santha " <kalasantha

>Civet Cats in China

>Wed, 14 Jan 2004 10:11:53 -0500

>

>Thank you for taking the time to write to PETA. Please be advised that this

>is an auto-response, which we rely on because of the large volume of mail

>that we receive; however, we monitor our mail closely, and in the event

>that this response does not answer your question, a PETA correspondent will

>promptly answer any further query from you.

>

>We appreciate your concern about the unconscionable treatment of animals in

>Asia's live markets. Dogs are cruelly beaten to death, cats are boiled

>alive, and the recent slaughter of 10,000 civet cats on the suspicion that

>they may have been SARS carriers aroused outrage worldwide. (To see our Web

>feature on SARS, go to www.PETA.org/feat/sars/.)

>

>We, too, are deeply disturbed by animals' suffering in these markets and

>are fighting to close them down. Please read the articles following this

>message to learn about our efforts. For more information about live markets

>in Korea, go to www.PETA.org/feat/korea/.

>

>If the suffering of these animals in Asia upsets you, then you will be

>outraged to know that animal factory farms and slaughterhouses in our own

>backyards are guilty of the same heart-wrenching cruelty. Chickens, who are

>intelligent creatures with distinct personalities like cats and dogs, are

>crammed into filthy, tiny cages and left with no room to move. They, like

>the cats in the images you may have seen from Asian live markets, are also

>thrown into scalding tanks (designed to remove feathers), often while still

>fully conscious. We are outraged at images of dogs' being strung up and

>having their throats slit, but we allow slaughterhouses to dangle a cow by

>one leg and do the same thing, while she writhes and screams in pain and

>fear.

>

>We are fighting to protect all animals from being cruelly treated and

>killed for their flesh by advocating vegetarianism. To learn more, visit

>GoVeg.com <http://www.goveg.com/> .

>

>What You Can Do to Help Asian Cats and Dogs

>Although some laws technically denounce the consumption of dogs and cats,

>these laws are often not enforced. It is important to let ambassadors in

>your country know that you are opposed to inhumane treatment of animals

>killed for food. Please contact the following officials and politely urge

>them to develop enforceable animal-protection laws that explicitly prohibit

>the beating, boiling, and other torture of dogs and cats prior to

>slaughter:

>

>Chinese Embassy

>2300 Connecticut Ave. N.W.

>Washington, DC 20008

>202-328-2500

>

>Embassy of the Republic of Korea

>2450 Massachusetts Ave. N.W.

>Washington, DC 20008

>202-939-5600

>202-232-0117 (fax)

>

>Thanks again for your inquiry and for your compassion.

>

>Sincerely,

>

>Coleen Kearon

>PETA Correspondent

>

> " Actor Martin Sheen urges Hong Kong chief to shut animal markets "

>Agence France Presse

>September 24, 2003

>

>Hollywood film star Martin Sheen has called on Hong Kong chief executive

>Tung Chee-hwa to heed appeals to permanently close the territory's

>live-animal markets.

>

>In a letter to Tung written on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment

>of Animals (PETA), Sheen said the live markets were cruel to animals and

>caused epidemics, including SARS.

>

>He said the animals were housed in crowded, filthy conditions.

>

>The pneumonia-like Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) took 297 lives

>from nearly 1,800 infections and shook the territory's economy earlier this

>year.

>

> " Should you act on this proposal, compassionate people everywhere, from

>Hong Kong to Hollywood, will applaud your taking action to reduce both the

>immense suffering of animals and the threat of human epidemics like SARS

>that are associated with live markets, " Sheen said in the letter released

>by PETA Wednesday.

>

> " The decision to prohibit live-market sales of animals will help decrease

>the problems of existing and future epidemics and lessen animal suffering, "

>said Sheen, who starred in The West Wing, which recently won an Emmy award

>for best drama in the United States.

>

>Following the SARS outbreak, there were renewed calls in Hong Kong to close

>all live markets.

>

>An outbreak of the avian flu in 1997 claimed six lives and prompted

>authorities to order the slaughter of Hong Kong's poultry population.

>

>

> " 'President' Sheen joins lobby for poultry ban "

>Hong Kong Imail

>September 25, 2003

>

>The " American president " has written to Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa on

>behalf of SAR chickens.

>

>Martin Sheen, who plays President Jed Bartlet in the television series West

>Wing, on Tuesday, wrote to Tung to lend his support to a proposal to

>permanently close wet markets.

>

>The government's Team Clean task force last month suggested a ban on live

>poultry sales was one way to improve environmental hygiene across the

>territory, but the idea has gone no further.

>

> " Should you act on this proposal, compassionate people everywhere, from

>Hollywood to Hong Kong, will applaud your taking action to reduce both the

>immense suffering of animals and the threat of human epidemics like Sars

>that are associated with live markets, " Sheen wrote.

>

>Hong Kong University microbiologists this month confirmed the Sars virus

>was an animal-borne disease, but warned it was too early to confirm that

>civet cats - such as those sold in Shenzhen animal markets - were its

>original carriers.

>

>The American actor was supporting the group People for the Ethical

>Treatment of Animals (Peta).

>

> " Peta has informed me that it often receives complaints from tourists who

>are shocked and upset when they encounter live markets, " Sheen continued.

>

> " And many other tourists, whose own countries have long banned live

>markets, are too upset about the sight to travel to countries that still

>allow this inherently cruel trade.

>

> " The anguish of animals who are transported to and sold at live markets is

>obvious. As you know, chickens are crammed into tiny, filthy wire cages,

>suffering tremendously from extreme heat and stress, and many die from heat

>exhaustion.

>

> " Furthermore, the animals sold at live markets are deprived of food and

>water at the markets. "

>

>Although local chicken industry officials would be fighting to keep the

>markets open, no one was speaking up on behalf of the chickens, Peta's Asia

>representative Jason Baker told MetroNews yesterday.

>

> " There's no one I guess except animal welfare groups who are pushing to get

>these things changed, " he said.

>

> " We want to show the government that there is support out there for closing

>these markets. " Sheen had acted for Peta and other causes in the past, and

>was approached last week by the group to help put international attention

>on the markets, Baker said. Peta would like the world to become vegetarian,

>although Baker said he was unsure if Sheen was.

>

> " Either way, that isn't even the point of the letter that he's written, "

>Baker said.

>

> " Because these chickens are going to be slaughtered anyway, the idea is to

>make their lives that little bit better. "

>

>That would happen if they were kept in a cooler, centralized location

>outside the city, saving inspectors travel time, Baker said.

>

>The Chief Executive's Office last night said it had not received the

>letter, which was believed to have been faxed. Banning live poultry sales

>was an option the government was considering as a way of combating avian

>flu, a Health, Welfare and Food Bureau spokeswoman said.

>

>But as more feedback was needed, public consultation documents would be

>published by the end of the year, she added.

>

>

>

>

>

>

 

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