[Fwd: LETTER TO THE EDITOR - Wild Animal Ordinance - Alameda County Fair]

[Guest guest]

June, 7, 2004

 

Hey, all,

 

Let's not give up just yet. Some letters to the Board of Supes would be

helpful. Nothing fancy, just ask that this issue receive the public

hearing that it deserves before the full Board of Supervisors. (The May

18 hearing certainly didn't qualify.) As submitted, the proposed

ordinance should NEVER have been assigned to the " Fair Liaison

Committee. " I had requested that the ordinance apply to all of

unincorporated Alameda County, and all County-owned property, as well as

the Fairgrounds. As noted, there were 30 people (other than my five

witnesses) present at the " hearing " in support of the ordinance, none of

whom got to express her/his views. I'm not convinced that Supes

Haggerty and Carson read any of the reams of supporting materials I sent

to them. Our witnesses did a great job, but it all fell on deaf ears.

I'm convinced that minds were made up long before the hearing.

 

Rick Pickering, CEO of the Fair, spent most of his time that day

promoting the " educational " value of wild animals and wild animal acts

at the Fair. He could use some letters, too: Rick Pickering, CEO, and

Members of the Board, ALAMEDA COUNTY FAIR, 4501 Pleasanton Avenue,

Pleasanton, CA 94566, tel. 925/426-7501; fax 426-7599.

 

BUT MOST IMPORTANT, PLEASE WRITE:

Gail Steele, President

ALAMEDA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

1221 Oak Street

Oakland, CA 94620

tel. 510/272-6692; fax 271-5115

email - dist2

 

ASK THAT COPIES BE GIVEN TO ALL BOARD MEMBERS.

 

PLEASE SEND AFA (BLIND) COPIES OF ANY LETTERS YOU SEND, OR RESPONSES YOU

RECEIVE (Action for Animals, P.O. Box 20184, Oakland, CA 94620).

 

It ain't over 'til the Fat Lady sings. Presently, she's just breathing

hard.

 

Holler with any questions.

 

Cheers,

 

Eric Mills, coordinator

ACTION FOR ANIMALS

tel. 510/652-5603

 

 

 

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR - Wild Animal Ordinance - Alameda County

Fair

Mon, 07 Jun 2004 13:51:17 -0700

EricM <afa

undisclosed-recipients:;

 

 

 

June 7, 2004

 

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

 

The democratic process got mugged in Oakland last month. Despite

overwhelming public support, on May 18 the Alameda County Board of

Supervisors' " Fair Liaison Committee " (Supes Scott Haggerty and Keith

Carson) abdicated their responsibility to their constituents and killed

a proposed ordinance banning wild animal acts at the Alameda County

Fair. In the past, the Fair has featured elephant rides, demeaning

tiger and bear acts, alligators, and photo ops with a baby chimp. Bad

for the animals, bad--and potentially dangerous--for the public. And

inappropriate for a county agricultural fair. The endless travel,

unnatural living conditions, and the stresses of performance-on-demand

are harmful to the animals, as are the often brutal training methods.

 

The Board received some 200 letters in support of the ordinance, and not

one opposed. A dozen animal welfare organizations representing more

than 100,000 members in Alameda County (the Oakland Zoo, the SPCA, the

Humane Society of the U.S., et al.) submitted support letters, as did

Senator Don Perata and Assembly Members Wilma Chan and Loni Hancock.

Even County Sheriff Charlie Plummer was on board.

 

Supervisor Haggerty wasted a good deal of precious time extolling the

alleged virtues of the Fair's 4-H program, his daughter's dedication to

her ailing pig, and his close ties (!) to the Fair Board members--all

irrelevant to the matter at hand. He should have recused himself due to

conflicts of interest. More than 30 ordinance supporters were not

allowed to speak.

 

Those concerned should express their dismay to Board president Gail

Steele, an avowed animal lover (c/o 1221 Oak Street, Oakland, CA

94612). This matter deserves a public hearing before the full Board of

Supervisors. Further, the ordinance should apply to all of

unincorporated Alameda County, and all County-owned property, not just

the Fairgrounds. The animals, the public, and the democratic process

deserve better.

 

Sincerely,

 

Eric Mills, coordinator (and sponsor of ordinance)

ACTION FOR ANIMALS

P.O. Box 20184

Oakland, CA 94620

tel. 510/652-5603