IDA's e-news: 5/11/05

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Table of Contents

1. IDA's May 2005 Auction for the Animals

2. Greyhound Racetrack Closure Leaves Dogs In Need of Homes

3. Schedule Posted for the Animal Rights 2005 National Conference

4. Urge the House of Representatives to Pass the Animal Fighting

Prohibition Enforcement Act

5. IDA's Animal Guardian Volunteer Day

6. Denver's Pit Bull Ban Unfair to Dogs and Guardians

 

 

1. IDA's May 2005 Auction for the Animals

 

Support IDA's mission to defend the rights, welfare and habitats of

animals during IDA's Auction for the Animals on eBay for the month of

May. The auction gives you the opportunity to help IDA help animals

while having fun bidding on a wide selection of over 250 elegant,

exciting and unique items valued at more than $45,000 that have been

donated to IDA for this very special online fundraising event.

 

While the auction started on May 1st, the second wave is going on

right now and new items will be added for the third wave starting on

May 15th. There are many fabulous items to bid on, including fantastic

travel and accommodation packages, special celebrity memorabilia, and

tickets for great entertainment and sporting events. Visit

www.ebay.com/ida to see what's available. Once you find an item that

you like, to view its description, the current bid

price, and how much time is left until the bidding ends. Place your

bid and keep an eye on it to make sure that, by the time the bidding

ends, it's YOURS.

 

We are still accepting donated items to sell during the auction, so if

you have an item that you would like to contribute, please contact

Nicole Otoupalik at (800) 338-4451. All donations are tax deductible.

If you already sell on eBay, now is a great time to designate 10-100%

of your own auction proceeds to IDA by registering at

www.missionfish.org, the partner of eBay Giving Works.

 

 

2. Greyhound Racetrack Closure Leaves Dogs In Need of Homes

 

The greyhound track in Plainfield, Conn. will discontinue greyhound

racing, at least for the remainder of 2005, leaving many of the 500

dogs currently at the track in need of homes. Greyhound Pets of

America, a non-profit greyhound rescue organization, is trying to

rescue as many of these dogs as possible, and they need help

immediately.

 

What You Can Do

 

- Adopt or foster a greyhound. All of the dogs in need of homes are

young and healthy, between 2 and 4 years of age. Gentle, quiet, sweet,

and graceful, greyhounds make wonderful family pets. They are great

with kids and get along well with other animals, including cats, once

they've been introduced. They are especially good dogs for apartments

or small homes because when they're not running around they like to

spend a lot of time snoozing and relaxing. For more information about

greyhounds and adoption, visit www.greyhoundpets.org or call (888)

267-1099.

 

- Donate to Greyhound Pets of America. They need resources to care for

all of the greyhounds until homes can be found for them.

 

 

3. Schedule Posted for the Animal Rights 2005 National Conference

 

The program schedule for the Animal Rights 2005 National Conference is

now posted at www.ar2005.org/schedule5.html. AR 2005 features 100

sessions taking place over four days, including workshops, rap

sessions, campaign reports, and high-level discussions of movement

issues and tactics. The 90 presenters represent the broad political

and geographic spectrum of our movement. Speakers include Lorri

Bauston, Michael Budkie, Theo Capaldo, Lawrence Carter-Long, Karen

Davis, Karen Dawn, Michael Greger, Tippi Hedren, Alex Hershaft, Steve

Hindi, Kevin Jonas, Patrice Jones, Elliot Katz, Greg Lawson, Howard

Lyman, Anthony Marr, Michael Mountain, Martin Rowe, Jerry Vlasak, Paul

Watson, Persia White and many others.

 

Special features of the conference include newcomer orientation,

California network planning, an employment clearinghouse, 90 exhibits

of animal rights literature and vegan products, 80 video screenings,

networking receptions, and an awards banquet.

 

The conference will be held at the superb Westin LAX Hotel in Los

Angeles, a facility that features fabulous accommodation rates with

free dog beds, cruelty-free personal care products, discounted vegan

meals, low-cost parking, a free airport shuttle, and use of the

hotel's magnificent Grand Ballroom and Video Theater. More than a

thousand people representing 80 groups are expected to attend.

 

To take advantage of the current discounted rate, please visit

www.AR2005.org/register.htm before May 15. Low-income and work

discounts are still available.

 

 

4. Urge the House of Representatives to Pass the Animal Fighting

Prohibition Enforcement Act

 

Although animal fighting is illegal in virtually every state, it is

still common in the U.S., fueled in part by a subculture naively

fascinated with violence and killing. To combat this criminal

activity, a pair of bills known as the Animal Fighting Prohibition

Enforcement Act has been introduced in the Senate and the House of

Representatives. The Act would strengthen current federal law by

authorizing felony-level jail time for the interstate and foreign

commerce of fighting animals or animal fighting implements (such as

knives that are strapped onto roosters' legs to ensure bloody

battles). Violators convicted under this new law would face up to two

years in prison.

 

The Senate passed its version of the bill on April 29, 2005, and now

it's time for the House to do the same. Please join animal advocates

across the country in the effort to enact this important legislation.

 

What You Can Do

 

Click here (http://ga0.org/campaign/HR817) to send an automatic email

urging your Representative to support H.R. 817.

 

 

5. IDA's Animal Guardian Volunteer Day

 

IDA started Animal Guardian Volunteer Day to honor and recognize the

strong emotional bonds shared by humans and companion animals. We also

wanted to give people an opportunity to share their " guardian pride "

by celebrating the spirit of this important relationship with other

animal lovers. Last year's Animal Guardian Volunteer Day events in New

York City and St. Louis drew crowds of people and companion animals as

well as official recognition from elected representatives. This year,

we are encouraging everyone who cares about animals to volunteer for

an animal-related cause on Saturday, June 11 as a way of giving back

to the animals who give so much unconditional love to us each day.

 

What You Can Do

 

- Choose a volunteer project that interests you. For example, you

could walk an elderly or sick neighbor's dog, organize a fundraiser

for a local shelter, present a humane education program to children or

hold a pro-animal film screening. Register your event at

www.guardiancampaign.org and IDA will mail you the Animal Guardian Day

2005 poster pictured above, which was designed by award-winning artist

Patrick McDonnell, creator of the comic strip " Mutts. " Also be sure to

list your event on IDA's Action Calendar and in your local event

calendars. Contact valerie for more information or for

assistance planning your event.

 

- If you are a member of a grassroots animal advocacy group, promote

Animal Guardian Volunteer Day by including an electronic banner or

button on your website directing people to information on events

taking place around the nation on June 11. You can view and download

buttons and banners at www.guardiancampaign.com/guardian_day.htm.

 

 

6. Denver's Pit Bull Ban Unfair to Dogs and Guardians

 

An unjust ban on pit bulls in Denver, Colo. is forcing hundreds of

loving guardians to move out of the city or give up their beloved

companion animals. Enacted in April, the ban gave guardians only 30

days to remove their dogs from the city or face prosecution. The May 9

deadline has already passed, and many pit bulls relinquished by their

guardians to Denver Animal Control have already been put to death.

 

Denver's breed-specific ban unfairly discriminates against pit bulls

and their guardians based on the myth that this breed is naturally

vicious. In truth, pit bulls are no more violent than other popular

dog breeds. In a recent study by the American Temperament Testing

Society (ATTS), pit bulls were actually found to be less aggressive

than both beagles and golden retrievers on a range of behavioral

measures. This is consistent with the experiences of many people who

adopt pit bulls and find that they are good with children.

 

Unfortunately, some people exploit pit bulls by deliberately training

them for dog fighting rings, fueling the misconceptions about their

natural disposition. In enacting a ban on pit bulls, the Denver City

Council is making scapegoats out of misunderstood animals. They are

taking harmless dogs away from loving guardians while doing nothing to

protect the public or stop the real problem of dog fighting. Those who

abuse pit bulls are already breaking the law, and will most likely

keep their dogs hidden inside rather than surrender them willingly.

 

What You Can Do

 

- Click here (http://ga0.org/campaign/PitBullBan) to send an automatic

email urging the Denver City Council to reverse the ban on pit bulls

and enact a dangerous dog law that would realistically protect the

public. A dangerous dog law would hold individual guardians

responsible for their dog's behavior, regardless of the breed, and

enforce heavy fines or jail time for guardians whose dogs engage in

violent behavior.

 

- If you or someone you know lives in Denver and has a pit bull,

contact rita for help placing the dog in a temporary foster

home.

 

- If you live in the Denver metro area, contact rita to

join the effort to reverse the pit bull ban and restore the rights of

guardians and their animal companions to live in the city of Denver.

 

 

Join IDA and Get a FREE Book!

 

IDA Distinguished Guardian honoree, Stray Rescue of St. Louis Founder

Randy Grim, knows all about heartache and miracles. One dog, Cain, who

later became known as Quentin the Miracle Dog after surviving a St.

Louis gas chamber, forever changed Randy's life. Ever since, IDA has

been proud to promote Quentin as the " poster dog " for ending the use

of gas chambers in shelters and to promote our Guardian Campaign.

 

Randy tells Quentin's amazing story of survival and triumph in his

heartwarming new book " Miracle Dog: How Quentin Survived the Gas

Chamber to Speak for the Animals on Death Row. " As IDA founder and

president Dr. Elliot Katz writes in his introduction to the book, " I

am honored to introduce you to these two very special individuals,

Quentin and Randy, each in their own way performing miracles. Share in

their adventures; their story will fill your heart, as it has filled

mine, with love and hope. Discover how you, too, can become part of

their wonderful story, their miraculous journey, and how you, too can

work miracles. "

 

IDA is pleased to offer a FREE copy of Quentin's inspirational story

when you donate $30 or more to help IDA protect animals. You can give

a tax-deductible contribution directly to IDA via your MasterCard or

Visa using our secure donation website at

https://secure.ga3.org/02/idadonations. Please type " Quentin " in the

First Name field of the " in honor of " section of the form to indicate

that you would like to receive the book. Or, if you prefer, you may

send a check via mail to:

In Defense of Animals - Quentin Book

131 Camino Alto

Mill Valley, CA 94941

 

You can also make a gift over the phone with your MasterCard or Visa

by calling (415) 388-9641. Please let our member services

representative know that you would like a copy of this very special

book when you make a gift of $30 or more to IDA.

 

If you'd like to find out more about supporting IDA, please visit

www.idausa.org/supportf.html.

 

To learn more about Quentin's amazing story, please visit

www.idausa.org/quentin_frame.html. To find out more about Randy Grim -

" the Man who Talks to Dogs " - and his wonderful work on behalf of

animals, visit www.strayrescue.org.

 

With your help we can truly make a difference for the animals!

 

 

Help Someone Kick the Meat Habit with FARM's Meatout Monday Newsletter

 

If you know someone who says they'd like to cut meat out of their diet

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Every week, Meatout Mondays includes tasty vegan recipes, new product

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Please visit www.meatoutmondays.org to review past issues and to

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