Guest guest Posted January 26, 2001 Report Share Posted January 26, 2001 \\\\=^..^=///// www.vote.com www.peta.org www.petitionpetition.com PETA Action Alerts -- January 23, 2001 ___ Urge Oklahoma Zoo to Close Cruel Exhibit Dolphins and other marine mammals are held captive and forced to perform at the Oklahoma City zoo exhibit, Aquaticus. There are typically two or three dolphins on display there at any given time, and, unbelievably, six dolphins have died at the zoo since 1986‹four of these deaths have occurred in the past two years, the most recent a being a 5-month-old named Lily. It is irrefutable that dolphins suffer immeasurably in captivity. In their natural environment, dolphins swim together in family pods up to 100 miles a day. They communicate and navigate through the use of echolocation and typically spend only 10 to 20 percent of their time at the water¹s surface. A captive environment, especially one in which the animals are forced to perform for spectators, not only deprives these animals of following some of their most basic instincts, it often drives them insane and leads to death. For more information on marine mammals, please visit DolphinFreedom.com. Please contact the Oklahoma City zoo and ask that it prevent further suffering by immediately dismantling Aquaticus: Dr. Connie Mack McCoy Interim Executive Director and CEO Oklahoma City Zoological Park 2101 N.E. 50th St. Oklahoma City, OK 73111 ___ UPDATE: Animal Collector in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico Many thanks to all who contacted government officials about the dogs suffering at an animal collector's compound in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico. Another administrative hearing was held in November at the health department, in which a health inspector confirmed that Ms. Sara Córdova is indeed operating a " shelter " that is filthy and full of dogs. Although this is a direct violation of the Health Department's March 21, 2000, stipulation, which prohibits the collector from operating a shelter in any form without the proper permits, the examiner in the hearing has refused to rule in a timely manner on the case and to have the dogs removed by a reputable humane organization. The site still has no water service, no electric service, no means of separating aggressive dogs from gentle ones, no separation of males from females (resulting in more puppies being born into a hopeless situation), and reportedly, no veterinary care. In the past, PETA documented dogs suffering from mange, distemper, parvovirus, broken limbs, malnutrition, and severe flea and tick infestations. Many dogs died lingering deaths that could have been prevented with basic animal-care standards. In January, the ruling governmental party of Puerto Rico changed with the election of a new governor, Sila Calderón, who has designated a new head of the Health Department. Please lend your voice once again in behalf of the dogs in Vega Baja. Send or fax a letter to the new head of the Health Department, asking him to enforce the March 21, 2000, stipulation, which should prohibit Ms. Córdova from operating a shelter on Route 688 in Vega Baja. Ask Secretary Rullán to have the dogs removed immediately by a reputable humane organization. Johnny Rullán, Secretary Puerto Rico Department of Health P.O. Box 70184 San Juan, PR 00936 Fax: 787-250-6547 ___ Trafalgar Square Pigeons Need You! Last week, at the most difficult time of year for wildlife in Britain, Mayor Livingstone attempted once again to permanently evict Bernard Rayner, the last licensed pigeon-feed vendor in Trafalgar Square, by revoking his license for the second time in five months, effective immediately! He also ordered the Greater London Authority (GLA) to spend just 30 days " weaning " the birds off food when pigeon experts say that two years is a more realistic period. Since the dead of winter is the worst possible time to begin such a program, the Pigeon Conservation League estimates that up to 25 percent of the pigeons in Trafalgar Square, approximately 2,000 birds, will die. In response to Mayor Livingstone¹s callous decision, avian experts and animal protection groups have rallied together once again to condemn an action that will see thousands of birds condemned to starve or freeze to death with their primary food source removed. On Monday, January 22, members of pigeon rescue groups and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) were joined by members of parliament to defy the mayor's order and to stop the world's most loved and famous pigeons from slow starvation by delivering food to the hungry birds. Tony Banks, former minister for sport, was among those distributing cracked corn to the birds. Thankfully, immediately following the demonstration in Trafalgar Square by PETA and Tony Banks, the High Court ruled in favor of Bernard Rayner. Now, as with the last time his license was revoked, Rayner has been granted a temporary reprieve by the High Court, which has restored his license to trade in Trafalgar Square until February 7, when the matter will receive a full hearing. Since he announced his decision to ban bird-feeding in Trafalgar Square back in October, Mayor Livingstone has received thousands of letters and petitions from around the world begging him to work with animal protection groups to slowly reduce the square¹s pigeon population over a long period of time. Avian experts agree: Many of these domesticated birds, who for generations have known and depended upon this single source of food, will die of starvation. They have no experience foraging, food supply is short, their numbers have thrived, and the young and very old are particularly and immediately vulnerable. In fact, during the ban, about a dozen pigeons were found dead every day in the square, with no visible signs of injury or illness, i.e., they starved to death. Your help is needed now! Please send a strong note to Mayor Livingstone (and encourage friends, family members, coworkers, and neighbors to do the same) demanding that he reinstate the feed vendor¹s license at once. Write to: The Honorable Ken Livingstone Mayor of London Greater London Authority Romney House Marsham St. London SW1P 3PY Fax: 020 7983 4000 Tel.: 020 7983 4008 E-Mail: mayor ___ Beautiful Doves in Iowa Need Your Help! Last January, animal protection groups stopped a bill that would have established a mourning dove hunting season in Iowa. Unfortunately, this year, hunters are pushing a new bill, House File 43, through the legislature to allow the hunting of these peaceful, backyard birds. Because the bill already passed the House, it may come up for a vote in the Senate as soon as January 22, 2001. If this bill passes the Senate, hundreds of thousands of gentle songbirds will be killed for sport every year in Iowa. Please help the doves by contacting your state senator in Des Moines immediately and telling him or her to oppose House File 43 and any other legislation that would permit mourning dove hunting in Iowa. Contact information: The Honorable _______________ Iowa Senate State Capitol Des Moines, IA 50319 Tel: 515-281-5129 Web: www.legis.state.ia.us/Members/79GA-members.html Also, contact Governor Tom Vilsack and tell him to veto House File 43 and any other mourning dove hunting bill that arrive on his desk. Contact information: The Honorable Tom Vilsack Office of the Governor State Capitol Des Moines, IA 50319 Tel: 515-281-5211 Fax: 515-281-6611 Web: www.state.ia.us/governor/comments/index.html Hunters claim that dove-hunting is a challenge. However, most dove hunts involve luring the birds to areas baited with seed and shooting them at point blank range as they ascend upon being flushed from these fields. This " challenge " is comparable to shooting mockingbirds at a feeder--not the kind of activity anyone in their right mind would acknowledge with pride. We recommend that sportsmen use clay targets instead--they present more of a challenge with no cruelty. Hunters rarely kill doves immediately and many languish with horrible injuries. Doves are small and provide only a half-dollar size piece of flesh under each breastbone (which is often contaminated by the lead shot), so no effort is made by shooters to retrieve and kill the injured birds. In fact, scientific studies indicate that more than 20% of doves shot by hunters are left wounded and unretrieved (Haas, G.H., " Unretrieved shooting loss of mourning doves in north-central South Carolina " , Wildlife Society Bulletin, 5: 123-125). For example, of the 400,000 doves killed in Ohio in 1995-96, 100,000 were left to suffer and die long, excruciating deaths. ___ Bronx Zoo Opens Fire on Homeless Animals The Bronx Zoo has admitted that it shoots homeless dogs to protect its " exotic animal collection. " Homeless dogs are not pests and should not be hunted and killed by zoo personnel simply because other means of stopping these populations from entering the zoo (i.e., fencing) have not been implemented effectively. Like the animals in the zoo¹s " exotic animal collection, " dogs are sentient beings who experience pain, hunger, and fear, and it is unconscionable that the Bronx Zoo would simply shoot them in a misguided and ill-advised attempt at protecting its " collection. " The Bronx Zoo has considerable resources, some of which should be spent on ensuring that proper fencing is erected to protect the zoo¹s " exotic animal collection. " In addition, the zoo should work with animal control and the community in to reduce the number of homeless animals in the area (i.e., trapping, spaying and neutering, etc.) in the area, thereby curtailing animal suffering as well as the threat, these unfortunate animals allegedly pose to animals at the zoo. Please, write the Bronx Zoo in protest of its shooting of homeless animals and demand that it implement only humane methods of animal control. Write to: James M. Large Jr. Acting President The Wildlife Conservation Society Bronx Zoo 2300 Southern Blvd. Bronx, NY 10460 ___ For the latest action alerts and campaign updates, be sure to check out PETA's Web site at http://www.peta-online.org. To or to this list, please visit http://www.peta-online.org/alert/subs.html _______ People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals 501 Front St., Norfolk, VA 23510 757-622-PETA http://www.peta-online.org _______ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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