Friday, December 31, 2010

Bat Die-Off Moves West to Arizona

NY and some of the eastern and south-eastern states have experienced a 90% bat-die off over the last couple of years, and now, apparently the disease has migrated all they way across country skipping all the other states but somehow finally end up in Arizona...how odd for it to spread that way.

UNDIAGNOSED DIE-OFF, BATS - USA: (ARIZONA)
******************************************
A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases


Date: 28 Dec 2010
Source: Arizona Daily Star



Bat die-off here a mystery
--------------------------
Almost 70 bats were found dead Monday morning along an east-side
walking path -- a mystery that has Arizona Game and Fish officials
searching for answers. One possibility: unseasonably warm Tucson,
Arizona, temperatures.

"The whole situation is somewhat of a mystery in part because the bats
are Mexican free-tailed and should have been long gone by now," said
Mark Hart, a spokesman for the Arizona Game and Fish Department. "They
should have migrated to Mexico 2 months ago. What they were doing
there was unclear. Temperatures have been a little warmer. They may
have overstayed their visit."

Early Monday [27 Dec 2010] morning, a local resident was walking his
border collie [dog] along the path that runs under a bridge on East
Speedway where the road crosses the Pantano Wash when he discovered
dozens of bat carcasses strewn across the walking path. "I hike and
bike a lot and go under a lot of bridges, and I've never seen anything
like it," the resident said.

Of the bats found on the ground, 7 were alive. All of the dead bats
and 3 live ones were sent to the Arizona Department of Health Services
laboratory in Phoenix for rabies testing. 4 remaining live bats were
sent to a U.S. Geological Survey laboratory, where they will be tested
for white-nose syndrome, a fungal infection 1st documented in upstate
New York in 2006. The syndrome has killed millions of bats in the East
and has spread as far west as Oklahoma. The infection does not affect
humans, Hart said.

Investigators could find no evidence of foul play in the death of the
bats. Game and Fish officials used metal detectors to look for spent
ammunition, but they found no sign that the bats had been shot. It's
unlikely that the bats were sickened by chemical perhaps used in
surfacing or de-icing the bridge, Hart said. And the chances are
equally remote that almost 70 bats would simultaneously die of rabies.

The more likely hypothesis is that the bats died from the cold after
failing to migrate south to Central America and Mexico for the winter.
Hart said bats are still roosting under the bridge, and he has a
warning for recreationists who may find one of the mammals on the
ground:

"Don't handle or come near a bat that appears to be either dead or
injured," he said. "That would hold true of a lot of different species
of wildlife, but especially bats, because they do carry rabies."

About the species
-----------------
Mexican free-tailed bats (_Tadarida brasiliensis_) like the ones found
under the Pantano Wash bridge, are found in the western United States,
south through Mexico, Central America and into northern South America.
They are medium-size bats, weighing between 0.4 and 0.5 ounces, with a
wingspan between 12 and 14 inches. Their fur is reddish to dark brown
or gray in color. They have broad, black, forward-pointing ears and
wrinkled lips. Their tails extend more than a third beyond the tail
membranes; most other bats have tails that are completely enclosed
within the tail membranes. Their wings are long and narrow.

Mexican free-tailed bats prefer to roost in caves but will also
inhabit attics, bridges and abandoned buildings. They choose roosts
near water because it attracts the insects they eat. Females produce a
single baby each summer, and all of the babies roost in a "nursery" of
sorts, in the highest and warmest reaches of the cave or other roost
site.

[Byline: Kimberly Matas ]

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail


[Free-tailed bat is so named because it possesses a tail free and
protruding beyond the uropatagium (hind membrane). The Mexican Free
Tail bat is also known (perhaps more correctly) as the Brazilian Free
Tail bat.

Photos may be found at:


Let's hope that some of the bat bodies were sent to a diagnostic
laboratory for a necropsy and perhaps some testing. - Mod.TG]

[The interactive HealthMap/ProMED map for Arizona is available at:
- CopyEd.EJP]

....................sb/tg/ejp/jw
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Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Honey-Bee Die Off, Colony Collapse, Transmission by Pollen Suspected

VIRUSES, APIS - USA: POSSIBLE POLLEN TRANSMISSION SUSPECTED
***********************************************************
A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases


Date: Fri 24 Dec 2010
Source: Science News [edited]



So far, 11 species of wild [insect] pollinators in the United States
have turned up carrying some of the viruses known to menace domestic
honeybees, possibly picked up via flower pollen.

Most of these native pollinators haven't been recorded with honeybee
viruses before, according to Diana Cox-Foster of Penn State University
in University Park. The new analysis raises the specter of diseases
swapping around readily among domestic and wild pollinators,
Cox-Foster and her colleagues report online 22 Dec 2010 in PLoS ONE.
Gone are any hopes that viral diseases in honeybees will stay in
honeybees, she says. "Movement of any managed pollinator may introduce
viruses."

A pattern showed up in the survey that fits that unpleasant scenario.
Researchers tested for 5 viruses in pollinating insects and in their
pollen hauls near apiaries in Pennsylvania, New York, and Illinois.
Israeli acute parasitic virus showed up in wild pollinators near
honeybee installations carrying the disease but not near apiaries
without the virus.

In domestic honeybees, such viruses rank as one of the possible
contributors to the still-mysterious malady known as colony collapse
disorder that abruptly wipes out a hive's workforce, Cox-Foster says.

Now she and others are looking at what the viruses do to wild
pollinators. Preliminary results of ongoing lab tests show some
disturbing effects, Cox-Foster says. "Is this part of the reason why
we've seen the decline of native pollinator species in the US?" she
muses.

Surveys show that wild bumblebees, for example, are dwindling in
numbers, and the new study raises further concerns. "We recognize that
those viruses likely pose a major threat to wild bumblebees," says
Sarina Jepsen of the Xerces Society, an invertebrate conservation
group in Portland, Oregon.

One of the most interesting results in the study is the detection of
deformed-wing virus and sacbrood virus in pollen carried by foraging
bees that weren't infected themselves, comments Michelle Flenniken of
the University of California, San Francisco, who has studied bee
viruses but was not involved in the new work.

Healthy foraging insects carrying virus-laden pollen are one of the
pieces of evidence that Cox-Foster and her colleagues use to argue
that pollen by itself can transmit viral infections. "Knowing that
viruses are found in and can be transmitted from pollen is an
important finding," says Flenniken. This raises concerns about
possible virus transmission through the 200 tons of honeybee-collected
pollen used to feed bumblebees in bee-raising operations worldwide,
Cox-Foster says.

[Byline: Susan Milius]

--
Communicated by:
Thomas James Allen


[Interesting connections seem like they are being made. Perhaps this
will lead to treatment or prevention for colony collapse disorder. -
Mod.TG]

[Images of honeybee compared to bumblebee:

- Mod.JW]

[The PLoS paper mentioned above is available at
.
- Sr.Tech.Ed.MJ]

[see also:
Colony collapse disorder, apis - USA: possible cause 20101007.3635
Colony collapse disorder, apis - Europe: EU 20100915.3348
2009
----
Colony collapse disorder, apis - USA: cause 20090826.3008
Colony collapse disorder, apis - USA: multiple causes susp 20090731.2687
2008
----
Undiagnosed die-off, apis - China: (GD), RFI 20081119.3654
Undiagnosed die-off, apis - UK: pesticides susp. 20081004.3133
Honeybee die-off - UK 20080818.2574
Colony collapse disorder, apis - Germany: chemical ban 20080613.1868
2007
----
Colony collapse disorder, apis - USA: (FL) 20071026.3490
Undiagnosed die-off, apis - USA (Multistate) (03): agent identified
20070907.2960
Undiagnosed die-off, apis - USA : (Multistate) (02) 20070503.1436
Undiagnosed die-off, apis - USA : (Multistate) (02) 20070503.1435
Undiagnosed die-off, apis - USA (Multistate) 20070208.0497]
........................................tg/mj/jw
*##########################################################*
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information, and of any statements or opinions based
thereon, are not guaranteed. The reader assumes all risks in
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and its associated service providers shall not be held
responsible for errors or omissions or held liable for any
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or archived material.
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Deep Inside the Enemy Camp - A PAC Against Animal Rights and the Politicians Who Support Them

The Sportsmen and Animal Owners' Voting Alliance (SAOVA) is a nationwide, nonpartisan group of volunteers seeking to elect politicians who will oppose the "Animal Rightist" (AR) threat to "their rights as Americans" to own and/or exploit animals in any way they see fit,..much like any other "property" or comodity they own. It is the only national group working to protect both sportsmen and animal owners in the legislative and political arenas. SAOVA's members hunt, fish and own livestock, dogs, cats and other pets. They study political candidates in all states to identify those who understand and resist the AR threat, as well as those who are in the pocket of the Animal Rightists."

SAOVA Website; http://saova.org/ARPACS.html

And the politicians who love them;
http://votesmart.org/issue_rating_detail.php?r_id=2104&rtype=E

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Lost Dog - Boxer / N. Greenbush, NY



Please keep an eye out for this poor lost dog. His name is Diesel, a 2yr old neutered male boxer missing from the fenced yard at his residence on Rt.4 North Greenbush, 2 miles south of Hudson Valley College. Please contact the owner at 518-369-7769 or Animal Control at 518-810-2400. There is a 1,000 dollar Reward

Friday, December 24, 2010

Just a Dog




JUST A DOG

From time to time, people tell me, "lighten up, it's just a dog,"
or "that's a lot of money for just a dog."

They don't understand the distance travelled, the time spent,
or the costs involved for "just a dog."

Some of my proudest moments have come about with "just a dog."

Many hours have passed and my only company was "just a dog,"
but I did not once feel slighted.

Some of my saddest moments have been brought about by
"just a dog," and in those days of darkness, the gentle touch
of "just a dog" gave me comfort and reason to overcome the day.

If you, too, think it's "just a dog," then you probably understand
phrases like "just a friend," "just a sunrise," or "just a promise."

"Just a dog" brings into my life the very essence of friendship,
trust, and pure unbridled joy.
"Just a dog" brings out the compassion and patience
that make me a better person.
Because of "just a dog" I will rise early, take long walks and look
longingly to the future.

So for me and folks like me, it's not "just a dog"
but an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future,
the fond memories of the past, and the pure joy of the moment.

"Just a dog" brings out what's good in me and diverts my thoughts
away from myself and the worries of the day.

I hope that someday they can understand that its' not "just a dog"
but the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being
"just a man" or "just a woman."

So the next time you hear the phrase "just a dog,"
just smile,
because they "just don't understand."

~Unknown Author~

Dont Breed or Buy While Shelter Animals Die



Save a Life Not Create a Life

ADOPT!

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Senate Bill Outlaws Shark Finning

Restricts Shark Fin Trading

On Monday the Senate passed legislation that will promote the conservation of sharks internationally and provide a more equal playing field for U.S. fishermen. The bill, sponsored by Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass), closes loopholes in a ban on shark finning imposed by then-president Clinton.

First, vessels are prohibited from having custody, control, or possession of shark fins without the corresponding carcass. Second, it is a violation of law if the total weight of shark fins landed or found on board exceeds 5 percent of the total weight of shark carcasses. Third, and most particularly, all sharks landed must have their fins naturally attached.

With more than 90% of the sharks already absent from world oceans, this is legislation is a big step for sharks. If one is going to kill and harvest a shark, one must use the whole shark. The bill legislates public shame under the High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act with the identification and prominent listing of nations that have fishing vessels that have not adopted a regulatory program for the conservation of sharks that is similar to the U.S.

More good news on sharks - the Shark Conservation Act has passed the House, and now only needs President Obama's signature to become law!

Directors Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud in their film Oceans show from underwater the dropping into the ocean of a shark with dorsal and tail fin cut off. The shark is still alive and sinks despite attempting to swim. The cameraman/diver follows the shark down to a sandy bottom where the shark continues to try to swim to no avail. Such images are not easily forgotten. Now shark finning legislation enacted by the Senate and House outlaws such terrible treatment of sharks.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Vulture Die Off / Poisoning / Kenya

CARBOFURAN POISONING, VULTURES - KENYA
**************************************
A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases


Date: 17 Dec 2010
Source: BBC Earth News [edited]



Poisoning drives vulture decline in Masai Mara, Kenya
-----------------------------------------------------
Vulture populations in one of Africa's most important wildlife
reserves have declined by 60 percent, say scientists. The researchers
suggest that the decline of vultures in Kenya's Masai Mara is being
driven by poisoning. The US-based Peregrine Fund says farmers
occasionally lace the bodies of dead cattle or goats with a toxic
pesticide called furadan. [Furadan is a carbamate pesticide. - Mod.TG]
This appears to be aimed at carnivores that kill the livestock, but
one carcass can poison up to 150 vultures.

Munir Virani, who is director of the Peregrine Fund's Africa programs,
has called for use of Furadan to be banned in the region "to preserve
these keystone members of the scavenging community. People may think
of vultures as ugly and disgusting, but the birds are essential for
the ecosystem," he says.

Their taste for carrion actually makes them the landscape's clean-up
team -- ensuring the region is not littered with bodies, helping
contain the spread of disease and recycling nutrients.

The results of this latest survey of vultures are published in the
journal Biological Conservation. The terrible consequences of a
vulture population crash have already been demonstrated during a case
that became known as the Asian vulture crisis. Populations of Gyps
vultures in particular, in South Asia, crashed by more than 95 percent
over just a few years in the 1990s, primarily because farmers treated
their cattle with the pain-killing drug diclofenac [acid].

The pain-killer, it turned out, was lethal to the vultures, which fed
on the dead cattle. As well as driving 3 species of vulture to the
brink of extinction, the crisis provided a huge amount of food for
wild dogs, which moved in to take the place of the birds. This had the
devastating side-effect of increasing the spread of rabies. And Dr
Virani is concerned that a similar situation could happen in Kenya.

The solution in Africa though, could be much more straightforward than
in South Asia. By boosting the public image of vultures in the
country, the Peregrine Fund hopes to stop people from carrying out
these "revenge poisoning attacks."

Between 2003 and 2005, Dr Virani and his colleagues drove across the
expansive Kenyan landscapes, counting vultures. He and his colleagues
then compared the results of these surveys with the results of surveys
carried out in the 1980s. The comparison revealed a 60 percent decline
in vultures.

Corinne Kendal's work has taken this survey a step further. Ms Kendal
is a researcher from Princeton University in the USA, who has also
been working with the Peregrine Fund -- tracking and monitoring the
birds to investigate the extent of the poisoning.

"We attached the GPS trackers like little backpacks," she tells BBC
News. "There's a piece that sits on their chest and 2 loops around
each wing. But we had 4 out of 16 vultures killed in the 1st year and
3 of those were confirmed cases of poisoning. From a sample of 16,
it's difficult to know how representative that is, but it's extremely
worrying."

The transmitters also revealed that most of the poisoning happened
outside of the reserve, which is a protected area.

"If they stayed in the Mara Serengeti they would hardly ever get
poisoned," says Ms Kendall. "But, based on the transmitters, it
appears that the vultures that use the Masai Mara have very large home
ranges -- from 30 000 to 80 000 square kilometres [11 583 to 30 888
square miles], depending on the species." And the birds can travel
over 250km [155 miles] in a single day. This means that poisoning in
and around the Masai Mara could have an effect on the vulture
populations, not just in other parts of Kenya, but in other countries
in Africa.

Ms Kendall explains to BBC News that in the Mara ecosystem, the birds
consume 70 percent of all available meat. "If we lose vultures,
there's no other animal that will be able to consume the volume," she
says.

The reserve is a vast dining table for the birds, especially during
the annual wildebeest migration, when 1.5 million of the animals march
across the plains in search of grass.

"So without vultures, during the wildebeest migration you would have
carcasses lying everywhere and you would see lots of disease spread,"
said Ms Kendall.

Under threat
------------
In the last 3 months alone, Dr Virani says he has discovered 6 cases
where vultures have been poisoned.

The Peregrine Fund has now recommend that 3 vulture species -- the
African white-backed, Ruppell's, and hooded vultures -- be relisted as
Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, an internationally recognized
compilation of threatened species.

"If we lost the vultures," says Dr Murani, "tourists would have to
travel around the reserve with face masks on, because the stench from
rotting wildebeest carcasses would be unbearable."

[Byline: Victoria Gill]

--
Communicated by:
HealthMap Alerts via ProMED-mail


[Furadan or Curater is the market name for carbofuran, a very toxic
carbamate pesticide. Carbofuran is a systemic plant insecticide
meaning the plant can take it up through the roots and the plant pests
are killed when they consume the plant. Carbofuran is also toxic to
insects via contact with them.

Carbamates are a class of chemicals that work by reversibly inhibiting
acetylcholine esterase, a nerve transmitter. In contrast,
organophosphates irreversibly inhibit acetylcholine esterase.

Carbofuran has been banned from use in Europe and Canada. The US EPA
(Environmental Protection Agency) announced its intention in 2009 to
stop use of the chemical on all crops produced for human consumption.
In essence, it has had the same effect as banning the chemical in the
USA.

Prior to the ban of the granular form of the chemical, one granule was
enough to kill a bird of substantial size. There is a liquid
formulation that is less harmful to birds. However 1 teaspoon of the
liquid is enough to kill a 70 kg [155 pound] human.

These formulations, however illegal, remain a major culprit for
wildlife deaths in Canada, the USA and Britain. Domestic animals in
these same countries are also targeted with this poison. Especially
the granular formulation and to a lesser extent the liquid formulation
has been used in Kenya to kill lions.

Photos of the African White-backed vulture (_Gyps africanus_) may be found at:

and


Photos of Ruppell's vulture (_Gyps ruepellii_ [that is NOT a typo])
may be found at:
and


Photos of hooded vultures (_Necrosyrtes monachus_) may be found at:
and


References:
-----------
CBS News 60 Minutes tv show:


BBC News:


Wobeser et al. 2004. Secondary poisoning of eagles following
intentional poisoning of coyotes with anticholinesterase pesticides in
Western Canada. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 40(2):163-172

US EPA/OPPTS; Reregistration Eligibility Decisions (REDs) Database on
Carbofuran (1563-66-2). EPA-738-R-06-031. August 2006

Environment New Service:
- Mod.TG]

[Location map of Kenya:

Location map of Masai Mara Reserve:

-Mod.JW]

[see also:
2009
----
NSAID intoxication, vulture - Asia (03): ketoprofen, pot. hazard
20091213.4235
NSAID intoxication, vulture - Asia (02): ketoprofen, pot. hazard
20091211.4218
NSAID intoxication, vulture - Asia: ketoprofen, pot. hazard 20091210.4204
2008
----
Rabies, vulture die-off - India (02): link susp. 20080818.2576
Rabies, vulture die-off - India: link susp. 20080817.2554
2006
----
Vulture die-off - Africa, Asia (02) 20061110.3236
Vulture die-off - Africa, Asia 20060718.1978
2005
----
Vulture die-off - India (Gujarat) 20050612.1644
2004
----
West Nile virus, vulture - Russia (Vladivostok) 20040630.1744
Vulture die-off - India, Pakistan, Nepal 20040204.0415
2003
----
Vulture die-off - India, Pakistan, Nepal (02) 20030620.1515
Vulture die-off - India: etiology 20030613.1459
Vulture die-off - India: RFI 20030612.1447
Vulture die-off - India, Pakistan, Nepal 20030212.0375
Rabies and vulture die-off - India 20030207.0329
2002
----
Vulture die-off - India, Pakistan, Nepal (04) 20021018.5590
Vulture die-off - India, Pakistan, Nepal (03) 20021015.5557
Vulture die-off - India, Pakistan, Nepal (02) 20021014.5552
Vulture die-off - India, Pakistan, Nepal: RFI 20021010.5514
2001
----
Vulture die-off - India (04) 20010210.027
2000
----
Vulture die-off - India (03) 20000922.1637
Vulture die-off - India (02) 20000920.1619
Vulture die-off - India 20000530.0867
....................sb/tg/ejp/jw
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using information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISID
and its associated service providers shall not be held
responsible for errors or omissions or held liable for any
damages incurred as a result of use or reliance upon posted
or archived material.
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Wednesday, December 15, 2010

TEXAS CONSUMERS SUE TO STOP HORRIFIC CONDITIONS FOR CHICKENS AT CAL-MAINE EGG PRODUCTION FACILITY

Video footage documenting the extreme cruelty is available here: http://aldf.org/article.php?id=1552

State Agencies Brought under Fire for Failing to Uphold Special Texas Law Outlining Basic Mandates for Protecting Confined Birds

AUSTIN, TEXAS—Concerned residents of Travis County and Gonzales County, Texas, represented by the national non-profit Animal Legal Defense Fund, are filing a lawsuit in Travis County District Court today in an effort to stop the horrific abuses to birds and the human health risks posed by Cal-Maine Foods, Inc.—the nation’s largest egg supplier—at its chicken-raising and egg production facility in Waelder, Texas. Cal-Maine came under an international spotlight last month when an undercover investigation there revealed harrowing, clearly illegal conditions for chickens and a veritable breeding ground for human health threats. The three plaintiffs, who eat eggs and are thus at risk for contracting diseases like salmonella that can be generated at dirty and improperly regulated egg production facilities, are suing the Texas Public Health Commissioner, the Texas Commissioner of Agriculture, and the Texas Animal Health Commission for their failure to protect public health, public safety, and animal welfare in accordance with Texas law. Facilities with conditions like those at Cal–Maine’s Waelder farm have had their eggs recalled in the past.

Why are Texas residents taking their concerns about the treatment of Cal-Maine’s chickens to court? Texas has a special law protecting its feathered residents—Texas Health and Safety Code § 821.003 provides that persons who receive live birds for confinement must keep coops, crates or cages clean, must not overcrowd chickens confined in a cage, and must immediately remove all injured, diseased, or dead birds from coops, crates, or cages. This is in stark contrast with the nightmarish conditions at Cal-Maine that made international headlines last month when a four-week undercover investigation of the facility by the Humane Society of the United States revealed hens confined in overcrowded cages with the rotting corpses of long-dead birds, chickens drowned in filthy manure pits, hens covered in feces from birds in the cages above them, birds suffering from severe, bloody uterine prolapses, and eggs destined for human consumption covered in blood and feces.

The lawsuit seeks injunctive relief for an immediate stop to the abusive practices at the Waelder, Texas egg production facility, which violate state law and endanger public health and welfare. Because the state agencies named in the lawsuit are charged with enforcing the Texas Health and Safety Code—including its specific mandates with regards to the confinement of birds—the lawsuit also asks the Court to find, as a matter of law, that these agencies must administer the law statewide in the future – the same law which is being rampantly violated at the Cal-Maine facility.

“Texas law is clear in its provision to provide protections for birds kept in crates, coops, and cages,” says Stephen Wells, executive director of the Animal Legal Defense Fund. “The horrifying sight of birds at the Cal-Maine egg production facility covered in filth and crammed in cages with the decaying corpses of other birds is not only shocking in its cruelty—it is an affront to Texas law and a true health threat to consumers, who have real reason to be concerned about the safety of their eggs.”

ALDF was founded in 1979 with the unique mission of protecting the lives and advancing interests of animals through the legal system. A copy of the complaint is available upon request.
For more information, visit www.aldf.org

Friday, December 10, 2010

Professional Animal Torturers Issue Proclaimation Against ARAs



Organizations Unite Against AR Violence

AALAS - The American Association for Laboratory Animal Science - has issued a position statement condemning threats and harassment of those who work with animals in research.
AALAS's stance comes in the wake of the latest of numerous incidents - a razor-laden death threat being sent to UCLA neuroscientist, Pro-Test for Science founder and AMP director J. David Jentsch, and the targeting by militants of one of his graduate students.

The statement from AALAS reads in part:



"Acts of terrorism do not result in improvements in animal welfare. Progress comes only from thoughtful discussion and scientific assessment of alternative methods that refine the animal research process-efforts that AALAS itself fosters through educational and scientific programs. Terrorism in the name of "animal rights" jeopardizes the lives of people and animals-in the present by the violence itself, and in the future by hindering the progress of ethical animal-based research designed to find cures and treatments for diseases that affect humans and animals. The AALAS membership extends heartfelt support to our scientific colleagues and their families who have been affected by threats and acts of violence."



This most welcome comment is the latest by a large membership professional association. The 80,000 member AVMA - American Veterinary Medical Association - issued a condemnation of violence, as has the American Society of Primatologists, and Society for Neuroscience. We understand other associations' statements will be issued in coming days.
Visit the Speaking of Research website to read a letter of appreciation by Dr. Jentsch in which he also talks about some of the personal comments of support he and his fellow scientists have received. Be sure not to miss the comments section: In reply to an activist, he states:

"Both in the UK and in the US, researchers are finding the confidence they need to confront the terror face forwards. The days of people being forced into giving up biomedical research are nearly (if not already) over. We may move; we may have extra security concerns; but that's only because of our determination to continue our struggle against human suffering through responsible research. "I am only one person; there are tens of thousands like me that are just as committed. The violence and hate of animal rights extremists will not prevail."


Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Riverside, Ca. Cat Cruelty Case / Offenders Need to Be Found

PHONE CALLS NEEDED.

Please call and speak with the shelter manager and request that this cat NOT be released to its owner, and ONLY be released to a responsible rescue group.

Supposedly, this is at least the 2nd act of abuse to this specific cat, and the 5th or so time something similar has happened at this apartment complex. Plus she's not spayed!

Please call and speak to the shelter manager and request that this cat ONLY be released to a rescue group, where she will receive proper medical care, be spayed, and placed into a loving home.

CONTACT NUMBER: 951-358-7387
Sent: Friday, December 03, 2010 7:46 PM
Subject: RIVERSIDE, CA: Cat Tortured in DRYER, etc...

This kitty was taken to Riverside shelter...I searched Petharbor.com but am not sure which cat it is.
PLEASE NETWORK and let's get this cat out of there!!!!

http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-cat-drier,0,239154.story



Cat Tortured, Bound With Duct Tape, Left in Clothes Dryer to Die

The cat suffered a fractured tooth and some bleeding in her left eye but she is expected to survive.
Officer Chris Peck Holds Cat Found in Drier

4:17 p.m. PST, December 3, 2010

RIVERSIDE ( KTLA) -- Authorities are searching for the person who tortured a cat by binding it with duct tape and placing it into a clothes dryer.

It happened at an apartment complex on Watkins Drive near UC Riverside.

A resident found the animal and called police who immediately alerted the Animal Services Department.

Officers say they are not sure whether the dryer was turned on after the cat was put inside but given the injuries sustained by the animal, "there is a good chance the dryer was turned on when the cat was inside," said Sgt. Jason Sanders of Riverside County Animal Services.

"This is an act of a coward," Sgt. Sanders said. "Who would do something like this to a defenseless animal? I hope the person is found and brought to justice."

The 4-year old female tabby was taken to Western Riverside County/City Animal Shelter in Riverside.

Veterinarians removed the duct tape and say the cat suffered a fractured tooth and some bleeding in her left eye but she is expected to survive.

Riverside County Animal Services Registered Veterinary Technician Eileen Sanders said the cat is doing remarkably well despite what she called a malicious act against her.

"I can't imagine what this poor thing must have felt going through that ordeal," Sanders said.

"Whoever did this is going to move up and harm other animals -- or maybe people."

Sanders believes the cat may be a new mom and say they're concerned there could be a litter of starving kittens that have been left to fend for themselves.

Officers searched the apartment complex but as of late Friday afternoon, no litter was found.

Authorities are asking the public's for help and urge anyone who may have seen anything to call


951-358-PETS (7387)



--
Shelley Davis
Independent Animal Rescue Aide
(661)340-5615 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (

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