This is vivisection
http://vimeo.com/10027920
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Supreme Court HAD TOO Crush Animal Cruelty Law, Lawmakers, Congress, Goofed
Well the wait is over. For those of you who, like myself, have been waiting with baited breath IN FEAR of the outcome of this case that is so very important in our fight to make "animal cruelty entertaintment" productions illegal. One form of this type of entertainment is called "crush videos," and prior to 1999, they have been showing up on the internet and in magazines where sick people,usually women garbed in spiked high-heels and other trappings of the sexually oriented sado-masichistic genre', are shown getting their "sexual delights" in stomping and stabbing to death small animals like kittens, rabbits, hamsters, etc. These depictions show torture & cruelty for the sheer sake of torture and cruety and have NO redeeming value whatsoever. Few, if any, (only the depraved & indifferent) would argue that this kind of entertainment (cruelty for cruelty's sake) is NOT detrimental to society on the whole, for any "rational or reasonable mind" could see it truely is, particularly as effects our children, for they are not immune from exposure to this kind of horrific sensless cruelty.
Because so much of this type of animal cruelty depiction started circulating around in public forums such as the internet and magazines, in 1999 Congress passed a Federal Law in efforts to prohibit exactly this kind of "animal cruelty entertainment."
Here is the text of that 1999 Federal Law; with my annotations in red w/ parenthsis;
TITLE 18 > PART I > CHAPTER 3 > § 48
§ 48. Depiction of animal cruelty
(a) Creation, Sale, or Possession.— Whoever knowingly creates, sells, or possesses a depiction of animal cruelty with the intention of placing that depiction in interstate or foreign commerce for commercial gain, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.
(From the reading I am getting of sec.a (above,) it seems as if the law is applying only to interstate and foreign commerce. Does this mean that if the "depictions" are produced and REMAIN within the producing state, they are exempt from this law? Moreover, "commercial gain" should not have been a factor, as what does it matter if the production was intended for someones personal gain or not? Intentional, malicious cruelty for the pure sake of cruelty is the issue here,... and should have nothing to do with any benefit or not that the producer may realize after the fact of production. The way this law is written, it would allow for publication of intentional, malicious cruelty acts to be published, as long as there was no commercial gain involved. How many people do you know that "gain commercially" from posting their vids on YouTube? A few maybe, but not many, I'll bet. )
(b) Exception.— Subsection (a) does not apply to any depiction that has serious religious, political, scientific, educational, journalistic, historical, or artistic value .
c) Definitions.— In this section—
(1) the term “depiction of animal cruelty” means any visual or auditory depiction, including any photograph, motion-picture film, video recording, electronic image, or sound recording of conduct in which a living animal is intentionally maimed, mutilated, tortured, wounded, or killed, intentionally if such conduct is illegal under Federal law or the law of the State in which the creation, sale, or possession takes place, regardless of whether the maiming, mutilation, torture, wounding, or killing took place in the State; and
(It is apparent from a reading of sec. C (1) (above) there is allowance for cruelty of the type IF legal in the respective states or not prohibited by Federal law. One can only assume they mean "legal cruelty" like hunting, farm-factory type cruelty, rodeos, etc. So if the act of cruelty is not prohibited by any law, it wouldnt be prosecutable under this law, so calm down those engaged in "legal" animal cruelty. You would have been safe in your operations under this law.
Two Kinds of Intent: General and Specific (What the lawmakers failed to consider)
GENERAL: The law here as written requires only a "general - intent," to do something, ...in this case, cause an animal harm. The problem with "general intent" in this law is that people intentionally harm animals all the time. Harsh training methods (that may or may not be legal) is just one example. Tail docking and ear cropping is another, as laws pertaining to this practice vary from state to state. Although cruel, THE INTENTION of the act is not TO BE cruel, but to achieve some other goal.
SPECIFIC intent requires that the actor intended to achieve some result additional to the act in itself. This is in order to prove all the elements needed to be found guilty of the crime. It differs from general intent, which only requires proof that the actor intented to do the prohibited act. For example, the crime of larceny requires not only the general intent to take property, but also the specific intent to permanently deprive another of the property.
In this light, the law in question here would have been better written under a "specific-intent," requirement,...having to find that the actor not only intended to harm the animal, but intended to harm it cruely and maliciously for the sole purpose of being cruel and malicous. Hense, this law is FAR TOO BROAD, lacking in specifity and could very easily be mis-applied.
This law, as written, fails to call into question or to consider the full spectrum of the actors mindset (mens rea) which would illuminate the true or full intentions of the actor in so acting. That is precisely what makes this law so OBSCURE and VAGUE , and therefore, Un-Constutitional. In this light, the High Court had no other choice but to rule the way they did and void this obscure law. So are we mad? Hell yeah WE ARE, but dont blame the judges of the Supreme Court. The blame lays squarely on the asinine lawmakers who wrote such a law and on an asinine Congress who ratified it.)
(Additionally, , IF ONLY the "specific-intent" requirement was used instead of the "general" intent" - there would be less confusion and thus, NO NEED for any exemptions!!)
(2) the term “State” means each of the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and any other commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States.
ttp://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/18/usc_sec_18_00000048----000-.html
---------------------------------------------------------
Supreme Court Kills Animal Cruelty Law
Taren Reed, NewsRunner Pub., Created: 4/20/2010 12:22:56 PM Updated: 4/20/2010 12:27:43 PM
WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court by an 8-1 vote Tuesday struck down a federal law that makes it a crime to sell videos and other depictions of animal cruelty, saying the law infringed on free speech rights.
"We read (the law) to create a criminal prohibition of alarming breadth," Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the majority, noting that nowhere in the disputed law was there a requirement that the depicted conduct actually be "cruel."
The text of the law, used to prosecute a Virginia man who had advertised videos of dogfights in an underground magazine, sweepingly covered "any depiction" in which "a living animal is intentionally maimed, mutilated, tortured, wounded, or killed." (add,...for sheer pleasure and/or malicious intent)
Yet as the justices struck down that prohibition, they specifically said they were not deciding the validity of a law that would target only so-called "crush videos," which typically show women's high heels digging into kittens and other small animals and which had inspired Congress to write the 1999 law in the first place.
Robert Stevens, who had run a business known as "Dogs of Velvet and Steel," appealed his conviction under the law, saying it violated his First Amendment speech rights. He also contended he was trying to provide educational and historical materials about the pit bull breed, not promoting illegal dogfighting.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit threw out his conviction, finding that the law was unconstitutional.
In spurning the Department of Justice's appeal Tuesday, the high court rejected the government's arguments across the board.
The majority forcefully denied the primary claim that animal cruelty, as a class, is not protected by the First Amendment, as obscenity, for example, is not. Roberts said past court cases provide no grounds for carving out a new categorical exception to speech rights, and he deemed the government's argument for more limited First Amendment coverage "startling and dangerous."
Roberts noted that while the 1999 law does not require the conduct depicted to be cruel, it must be "illegal." Yet, Roberts wrote, "There are myriad federal and state law concerning the proper treatment of animals, but many of them are not designed to guard against animal cruelty. Protections of endangered species, for example, restrict even the humane wounding or killing of living animals."
Roberts also swatted away government arguments that federal prosecutors would only go after the most "extreme" cruelty. "This prosecution (in the case of Stevens) is itself evidence of the danger in putting faith in government representations of prosecutorial restraint."
Only Samuel Alito dissented. He emphasized that the law was intended "to prevent horrific acts of animal cruelty - in particular, the creation and commercial exploitation of 'crush videos,' a form of depraved entertainment that has no social value."
http://www.newsrunner.com/display-article/?eUrl=http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/usworld/news-article.aspx?storyid=155023
Thank you Judge Alito for trying and being THE ONLY voice of dissent for the animals!
Because so much of this type of animal cruelty depiction started circulating around in public forums such as the internet and magazines, in 1999 Congress passed a Federal Law in efforts to prohibit exactly this kind of "animal cruelty entertainment."
Here is the text of that 1999 Federal Law; with my annotations in red w/ parenthsis;
TITLE 18 > PART I > CHAPTER 3 > § 48
§ 48. Depiction of animal cruelty
(a) Creation, Sale, or Possession.— Whoever knowingly creates, sells, or possesses a depiction of animal cruelty with the intention of placing that depiction in interstate or foreign commerce for commercial gain, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.
(From the reading I am getting of sec.a (above,) it seems as if the law is applying only to interstate and foreign commerce. Does this mean that if the "depictions" are produced and REMAIN within the producing state, they are exempt from this law? Moreover, "commercial gain" should not have been a factor, as what does it matter if the production was intended for someones personal gain or not? Intentional, malicious cruelty for the pure sake of cruelty is the issue here,... and should have nothing to do with any benefit or not that the producer may realize after the fact of production. The way this law is written, it would allow for publication of intentional, malicious cruelty acts to be published, as long as there was no commercial gain involved. How many people do you know that "gain commercially" from posting their vids on YouTube? A few maybe, but not many, I'll bet. )
(b) Exception.— Subsection (a) does not apply to any depiction that has serious religious, political, scientific, educational, journalistic, historical, or artistic value .
c) Definitions.— In this section—
(1) the term “depiction of animal cruelty” means any visual or auditory depiction, including any photograph, motion-picture film, video recording, electronic image, or sound recording of conduct in which a living animal is intentionally maimed, mutilated, tortured, wounded, or killed, intentionally if such conduct is illegal under Federal law or the law of the State in which the creation, sale, or possession takes place, regardless of whether the maiming, mutilation, torture, wounding, or killing took place in the State; and
(It is apparent from a reading of sec. C (1) (above) there is allowance for cruelty of the type IF legal in the respective states or not prohibited by Federal law. One can only assume they mean "legal cruelty" like hunting, farm-factory type cruelty, rodeos, etc. So if the act of cruelty is not prohibited by any law, it wouldnt be prosecutable under this law, so calm down those engaged in "legal" animal cruelty. You would have been safe in your operations under this law.
Two Kinds of Intent: General and Specific (What the lawmakers failed to consider)
GENERAL: The law here as written requires only a "general - intent," to do something, ...in this case, cause an animal harm. The problem with "general intent" in this law is that people intentionally harm animals all the time. Harsh training methods (that may or may not be legal) is just one example. Tail docking and ear cropping is another, as laws pertaining to this practice vary from state to state. Although cruel, THE INTENTION of the act is not TO BE cruel, but to achieve some other goal.
SPECIFIC intent requires that the actor intended to achieve some result additional to the act in itself. This is in order to prove all the elements needed to be found guilty of the crime. It differs from general intent, which only requires proof that the actor intented to do the prohibited act. For example, the crime of larceny requires not only the general intent to take property, but also the specific intent to permanently deprive another of the property.
In this light, the law in question here would have been better written under a "specific-intent," requirement,...having to find that the actor not only intended to harm the animal, but intended to harm it cruely and maliciously for the sole purpose of being cruel and malicous. Hense, this law is FAR TOO BROAD, lacking in specifity and could very easily be mis-applied.
This law, as written, fails to call into question or to consider the full spectrum of the actors mindset (mens rea) which would illuminate the true or full intentions of the actor in so acting. That is precisely what makes this law so OBSCURE and VAGUE , and therefore, Un-Constutitional. In this light, the High Court had no other choice but to rule the way they did and void this obscure law. So are we mad? Hell yeah WE ARE, but dont blame the judges of the Supreme Court. The blame lays squarely on the asinine lawmakers who wrote such a law and on an asinine Congress who ratified it.)
(Additionally, , IF ONLY the "specific-intent" requirement was used instead of the "general" intent" - there would be less confusion and thus, NO NEED for any exemptions!!)
(2) the term “State” means each of the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and any other commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States.
ttp://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/18/usc_sec_18_00000048----000-.html
---------------------------------------------------------
Supreme Court Kills Animal Cruelty Law
Taren Reed, NewsRunner Pub., Created: 4/20/2010 12:22:56 PM Updated: 4/20/2010 12:27:43 PM
WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court by an 8-1 vote Tuesday struck down a federal law that makes it a crime to sell videos and other depictions of animal cruelty, saying the law infringed on free speech rights.
"We read (the law) to create a criminal prohibition of alarming breadth," Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the majority, noting that nowhere in the disputed law was there a requirement that the depicted conduct actually be "cruel."
The text of the law, used to prosecute a Virginia man who had advertised videos of dogfights in an underground magazine, sweepingly covered "any depiction" in which "a living animal is intentionally maimed, mutilated, tortured, wounded, or killed." (add,...for sheer pleasure and/or malicious intent)
Yet as the justices struck down that prohibition, they specifically said they were not deciding the validity of a law that would target only so-called "crush videos," which typically show women's high heels digging into kittens and other small animals and which had inspired Congress to write the 1999 law in the first place.
Robert Stevens, who had run a business known as "Dogs of Velvet and Steel," appealed his conviction under the law, saying it violated his First Amendment speech rights. He also contended he was trying to provide educational and historical materials about the pit bull breed, not promoting illegal dogfighting.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit threw out his conviction, finding that the law was unconstitutional.
In spurning the Department of Justice's appeal Tuesday, the high court rejected the government's arguments across the board.
The majority forcefully denied the primary claim that animal cruelty, as a class, is not protected by the First Amendment, as obscenity, for example, is not. Roberts said past court cases provide no grounds for carving out a new categorical exception to speech rights, and he deemed the government's argument for more limited First Amendment coverage "startling and dangerous."
Roberts noted that while the 1999 law does not require the conduct depicted to be cruel, it must be "illegal." Yet, Roberts wrote, "There are myriad federal and state law concerning the proper treatment of animals, but many of them are not designed to guard against animal cruelty. Protections of endangered species, for example, restrict even the humane wounding or killing of living animals."
Roberts also swatted away government arguments that federal prosecutors would only go after the most "extreme" cruelty. "This prosecution (in the case of Stevens) is itself evidence of the danger in putting faith in government representations of prosecutorial restraint."
Only Samuel Alito dissented. He emphasized that the law was intended "to prevent horrific acts of animal cruelty - in particular, the creation and commercial exploitation of 'crush videos,' a form of depraved entertainment that has no social value."
http://www.newsrunner.com/display-article/?eUrl=http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/usworld/news-article.aspx?storyid=155023
Thank you Judge Alito for trying and being THE ONLY voice of dissent for the animals!
Monday, April 19, 2010
HANDSOME SCHNAUZER w/ New Hair Cut Will Be PTS Soon!
GRAYSON CO.KY~NEED RESCUE NOW ,will be PTS!!! 11yr old SCHNAUZER at VET'S OFFICE for OVER FOUR WEEKS,no one has CLAIMED!!!!
It was so very sad to see this HANDSOME GUY,after I took his picture he refused to go back to the back of vets office where he is being kept.He had to be picked and and carried back.I am sure he was loved and had been pampered,he had just had a new hair cut when found!! :(
GRAYSON CO.KY~A neighbor had found a 11 yr old schnauzer in her back yard and took to her local vet.The vet has placed ads in the paper and even called all groomers as this sweetie had been just groomed as of now still no luck and they will be having to pts any day ,please call and leave a message if you can say his life.
Call DR.PAYNE
270-259-9355
Thanks to Donna Durbin
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=415021815406
and Lynn Mundinger
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/profile.php?id=1354792689
for passing this SOS around
Wallis Friends Celebrate New Slaughterhouse Plans in Wyoming
A string of comments from Sue Wallis' "United Organizations for Horse-Slaughter" Facebook page; http://www.facebook.com/janniegoodearth?v=wall&story_fbid=111881652179256#!/pages/United-Organizations-of-the-Horse/156599501900?ref=mf
Celebrating the Passage of a Bill in Wyoming that would allow horse-slaughter in that state; (with the exception of two dissenters - lets keep 'em coming anti-horse slaughter folks! You know we definately outnumber them and can make a bigger noise - have at it! Time IS of the essence now)
Wyoming passes landmark bill to facilitate humane horse processing
The United Organizations of the Horse is working with Dr. Temple Grandin to implement an Equine Assurance Program to ensure meat quality and address animal welfare concerns
March 10 at 6:07pm · Comment ·Marji Love Coe So, very glad to read this. Good job Sue,and everyone who had a part in getting this done!!!
March 10 at 6:34pm · It was mostly Sue, We all owe a great big thanks to her.
March 10 at 6:46pm · Marji Love Coe THANKS SUE!!! :-)
March 10 at 7:34pm · Pat Williams DeKalb,iL will re-open at sometime in the future with full awareness that we horse owners are watching them. Gratitudes to those who have educated the people who needed educating.
March 10 at 8:59pm · Bj Johns Oh horse slaughter will open back up.. just because it will not be IL. at this time.. it will open back up.. you can bet on that. And I will be right there to help. I even have a horse or two that I will send there.
March 14 at 10:48am · Nadine Hoy BJ, I would die before I would send one of mine there, I am a responsible horse owner, it is those who cannot afford the vets to quietly euthanize them who have that need. Or those who just don't care a whit about their horses last days, my horses have loved me and I love them enough to spend my last dime to see they never suffer. I hope when I become old and feeble someone cares about my last days.
April 10 at 10:18pm · Christine A. Jubic Nadine, wish all horse owners felt like you. There is NO NEED to slaughter horses. There is help for those who need 2 but cant afford to put there horse(s) humanely down. All they have to do is reach out for help, either from their local animal and/or humane officer, and there are plenty of rescues that would gladly come to their aid to help the consciencious owners "gently" put their beloved animal down. There is only ONE reason anyone could be for horse-slaughter, and that is the money to be made from the horses sale to slaughter. Ray Charles could see this is true.
Why do they keep erasing my posts to the group? Hummmm.
Celebrating the Passage of a Bill in Wyoming that would allow horse-slaughter in that state; (with the exception of two dissenters - lets keep 'em coming anti-horse slaughter folks! You know we definately outnumber them and can make a bigger noise - have at it! Time IS of the essence now)
Wyoming passes landmark bill to facilitate humane horse processing
The United Organizations of the Horse is working with Dr. Temple Grandin to implement an Equine Assurance Program to ensure meat quality and address animal welfare concerns
March 10 at 6:07pm · Comment ·Marji Love Coe So, very glad to read this. Good job Sue,and everyone who had a part in getting this done!!!
March 10 at 6:34pm · It was mostly Sue, We all owe a great big thanks to her.
March 10 at 6:46pm · Marji Love Coe THANKS SUE!!! :-)
March 10 at 7:34pm · Pat Williams DeKalb,iL will re-open at sometime in the future with full awareness that we horse owners are watching them. Gratitudes to those who have educated the people who needed educating.
March 10 at 8:59pm · Bj Johns Oh horse slaughter will open back up.. just because it will not be IL. at this time.. it will open back up.. you can bet on that. And I will be right there to help. I even have a horse or two that I will send there.
March 14 at 10:48am · Nadine Hoy BJ, I would die before I would send one of mine there, I am a responsible horse owner, it is those who cannot afford the vets to quietly euthanize them who have that need. Or those who just don't care a whit about their horses last days, my horses have loved me and I love them enough to spend my last dime to see they never suffer. I hope when I become old and feeble someone cares about my last days.
April 10 at 10:18pm · Christine A. Jubic Nadine, wish all horse owners felt like you. There is NO NEED to slaughter horses. There is help for those who need 2 but cant afford to put there horse(s) humanely down. All they have to do is reach out for help, either from their local animal and/or humane officer, and there are plenty of rescues that would gladly come to their aid to help the consciencious owners "gently" put their beloved animal down. There is only ONE reason anyone could be for horse-slaughter, and that is the money to be made from the horses sale to slaughter. Ray Charles could see this is true.
Why do they keep erasing my posts to the group? Hummmm.
"Concern Worldwide" Promoting the Slaughter of Animals; Donators Urged to Buy Livestock to Feed the Poor
Six Chickens
Chicken Details; http://www.concerngifts.org/product.php?sp_p=D&sp_c=19
Piglet Details; http://www.concerngifts.org/product.php?sp_p=A&sp_c=19
Goat Details; http://www.concerngifts.org/product.php?sp_p=I&sp_c=19
Animal rights and welfare advocates, please contact this otherwise worthy org and ask them to please promote healthy vegetarian diets for 3rd world poor folk,....lets help them to achieve independence and sustainability by encouraging crop growing instead of meat production! What is wrong with these folks? Didnt they get the news from the latest UN report indicating that livestock production is a major contributor to greenhouse gasses and other forms of pollution?
AND I TOLD PETA THE OTHER DAY
Hello,
Thank you for contacting PETA about this important issue.
We oppose sending animals to underdeveloped countries and believe that it makes much more sense to supply the hungry with healthy vegetarian foods. Meat consumption not only causes animals to suffer, but also is linked to world hunger. According to the Population Reference Bureau, “if everyone in the world adopted a vegetarian diet and no food were wasted, current [food] production would theoretically feed 10 billion people, more than the projected population for the year 2050.”
Animal agriculture is the least efficient way to feed the world’s hungry. It takes up to 16 pounds of grain to produce one pound of meat. Animal farms use mountains of grain. Nearly 40 percent of the world’s total and more than 70 percent of U.S. production is fed to livestock, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data. If all that grain were consumed directly by humans, it would nourish more than five times the current U.S. population. If Americans reduced their meat consumption by 10 percent, it would save 12 million tons of grain per year, which would be sufficient to feed all people who die of hunger-related diseases worldwide.
In addition to requiring more resources to produce less food, the rearing of animals for food also has severe negative impacts on the environment. It is undisputed in the scientific community that raising animals for food produces enormous amounts of animal waste that pollute the air, soil, groundwater, and surface water. Perhaps these high levels of contaminants would not be experienced as an immediate result of raising a single animal; however, as the litters proliferate and as animal agriculture becomes more entrenched, so does pollution.
Hunger is certainly a serious problem; more than 800 million people do not have enough to eat, and one in six go hungry every day. According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, almost one in three people in sub-Saharan Africa and more than one in seven in South Asia are malnourished. But looking to meat for the answer will do more harm than good. Feeding people plant foods instead of meat is a far more efficient and productive way to meet the nutritional needs of a community. The human body can obtain all necessary proteins, minerals, and complex carbohydrates from sustainable crops of vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, and fruits. According to the American Dietetic Association, vegetarians have lower rates of heart disease, cancer, obesity, and diabetes than meat-eaters do. Medical reports constantly blame the “Westernization” (i.e., more meat, eggs, and dairy and less whole grains, vegetables, and beans) of diets in other countries as the reason nations like China, India, and Japan are grappling with skyrocketing rates of heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. By promoting the consumption of meat, eggs, and dairy products, HI is putting people’s health at risk. Responsible hunger-relief charities know that the only way to rescue people from hunger while benefiting their overall health is by encouraging the consumption of vegetarian foods. To learn more, please see http://www.GoVeg.com/worldHunger.asp.
To end world hunger, we must move away from a diet based on inefficient, inhumane animal products and toward one based on sustainable, healthy plant foods. Organizations must promote plant-based diets in order to provide nutrition efficiently for hungry populations while avoiding the negative effects that meat-eating has on animal welfare, the environment, and human health. One organization that does so is Food for Life Global (FFL), an exclusively vegetarian hunger-relief organization that operates in more than 50 countries and provides freshly cooked vegetarian meals for the disadvantaged and homeless as well as for victims of disaster—including those in war-affected regions. Instead of supporting counterproductive groups like HI, we urge you to spread the word about organizations such as FFL. You can learn more about FFL at its Web site, http://www.ffl.org.
Another great all-vegetarian hunger-relief charity is The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation, which plants fruit-bearing trees for needy populations. For more information on this charity, please visit http://www.ftpf.org.
We encourage you to write letters to the editors of your local papers regarding Concern Worldwide. PETA’s letter-writing guide, which has tips on how to do this, can be found at http://www.PETA.org/actioncenter/letter-writing-guide.asp; please also feel free to use any of the information above. You can read more thoughts on this issue at http://www.counterpunch.org/sainath12162006.html, http://www.counterpunch.org/rosenberg07302008.html, and http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/andrew-tyler-dont-follow-the-herd-and-give-a-cow-for-christmas-426054.html.
Thanks again for your note and for everything that you do to help animals.
Sincerely,
Megan Vasiles
Correspondence Assistant
The PETA Foundation
Chicken Details; http://www.concerngifts.org/product.php?sp_p=D&sp_c=19
Piglet Details; http://www.concerngifts.org/product.php?sp_p=A&sp_c=19
Goat Details; http://www.concerngifts.org/product.php?sp_p=I&sp_c=19
Animal rights and welfare advocates, please contact this otherwise worthy org and ask them to please promote healthy vegetarian diets for 3rd world poor folk,....lets help them to achieve independence and sustainability by encouraging crop growing instead of meat production! What is wrong with these folks? Didnt they get the news from the latest UN report indicating that livestock production is a major contributor to greenhouse gasses and other forms of pollution?
UN Report; http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2006/1000448/index.html
You can email "Concerned Worldwide" directly from here; infouk@concerngifts.org
AND I TOLD PETA THE OTHER DAY
Hello,
Thank you for contacting PETA about this important issue.
We oppose sending animals to underdeveloped countries and believe that it makes much more sense to supply the hungry with healthy vegetarian foods. Meat consumption not only causes animals to suffer, but also is linked to world hunger. According to the Population Reference Bureau, “if everyone in the world adopted a vegetarian diet and no food were wasted, current [food] production would theoretically feed 10 billion people, more than the projected population for the year 2050.”
Animal agriculture is the least efficient way to feed the world’s hungry. It takes up to 16 pounds of grain to produce one pound of meat. Animal farms use mountains of grain. Nearly 40 percent of the world’s total and more than 70 percent of U.S. production is fed to livestock, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data. If all that grain were consumed directly by humans, it would nourish more than five times the current U.S. population. If Americans reduced their meat consumption by 10 percent, it would save 12 million tons of grain per year, which would be sufficient to feed all people who die of hunger-related diseases worldwide.
In addition to requiring more resources to produce less food, the rearing of animals for food also has severe negative impacts on the environment. It is undisputed in the scientific community that raising animals for food produces enormous amounts of animal waste that pollute the air, soil, groundwater, and surface water. Perhaps these high levels of contaminants would not be experienced as an immediate result of raising a single animal; however, as the litters proliferate and as animal agriculture becomes more entrenched, so does pollution.
Hunger is certainly a serious problem; more than 800 million people do not have enough to eat, and one in six go hungry every day. According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, almost one in three people in sub-Saharan Africa and more than one in seven in South Asia are malnourished. But looking to meat for the answer will do more harm than good. Feeding people plant foods instead of meat is a far more efficient and productive way to meet the nutritional needs of a community. The human body can obtain all necessary proteins, minerals, and complex carbohydrates from sustainable crops of vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, and fruits. According to the American Dietetic Association, vegetarians have lower rates of heart disease, cancer, obesity, and diabetes than meat-eaters do. Medical reports constantly blame the “Westernization” (i.e., more meat, eggs, and dairy and less whole grains, vegetables, and beans) of diets in other countries as the reason nations like China, India, and Japan are grappling with skyrocketing rates of heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. By promoting the consumption of meat, eggs, and dairy products, HI is putting people’s health at risk. Responsible hunger-relief charities know that the only way to rescue people from hunger while benefiting their overall health is by encouraging the consumption of vegetarian foods. To learn more, please see http://www.GoVeg.com/worldHunger.asp.
To end world hunger, we must move away from a diet based on inefficient, inhumane animal products and toward one based on sustainable, healthy plant foods. Organizations must promote plant-based diets in order to provide nutrition efficiently for hungry populations while avoiding the negative effects that meat-eating has on animal welfare, the environment, and human health. One organization that does so is Food for Life Global (FFL), an exclusively vegetarian hunger-relief organization that operates in more than 50 countries and provides freshly cooked vegetarian meals for the disadvantaged and homeless as well as for victims of disaster—including those in war-affected regions. Instead of supporting counterproductive groups like HI, we urge you to spread the word about organizations such as FFL. You can learn more about FFL at its Web site, http://www.ffl.org.
Another great all-vegetarian hunger-relief charity is The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation, which plants fruit-bearing trees for needy populations. For more information on this charity, please visit http://www.ftpf.org.
We encourage you to write letters to the editors of your local papers regarding Concern Worldwide. PETA’s letter-writing guide, which has tips on how to do this, can be found at http://www.PETA.org/actioncenter/letter-writing-guide.asp; please also feel free to use any of the information above. You can read more thoughts on this issue at http://www.counterpunch.org/sainath12162006.html, http://www.counterpunch.org/rosenberg07302008.html, and http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/andrew-tyler-dont-follow-the-herd-and-give-a-cow-for-christmas-426054.html.
Thanks again for your note and for everything that you do to help animals.
Sincerely,
Megan Vasiles
Correspondence Assistant
The PETA Foundation
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Heaven Sent but Hell-Bound if She Dont Change Her Ways
Just a warning. if you decide to go to one of this organization's events...DO NOT BRING YOUR CHILD/CHILDREN with you. We had our 9 yr old with us when the president of Heaven Sent decided to tell us we couldn't adopt a dog we had just fallen in love with. She'll held it against us that 3 yrs ago we had to give a friend of the family our dog because the dog went after my son and niece and nephew. She didn't even care about the reason we found the dog a new home and then (with no finesse and more like a Hitler) stood in front of us while we were sitting on a bench (still holding the dog we fell in love with) and announced with no compassion that "I am the president of this animal rescue and you're application is being denied. You cannot adopt a dog from this organization". My child's eyes immediately filled with tears and by the time we got out the door, he was just SOBBING! The woman has no people or communication skills and no heart for the humans she is dealing with. I was pissed, not at the fact that we were not able to adopt, but the way she delivered it was uncalled for. Maybe she'll read this and work on her personality, because she has none.
Beautiful Am Staff to Be Put Down in New Home Cant be Found
Troy is a 16-month old American Staffordshire Terrier. He is one of two surviving puppies from his liter. His mother died shortly after giving birth. Troy lived with his father in his previous owner’s home. When Troy was 5-months, his father began attacking him so the owner had to place Troy into another home away from the attacks of his father. Troy was then adopted by this couple and is fabulous with the couple. Troy was neutered and went to obedience classes where he learned basic commands (e.g., sit). Troy’s doggie social skills aren’t so good (probably due to the bad experiences he had with his father attacking him) and he is possessive of his toys when other dogs are around. Troy also exhibits social distancing behavior when he isn’t comfortable with unfamiliar situations, which includes being around others that aren’t his guardian. Because the couple didn’t know how to properly read Troy’s body language, they had no idea, at first, that the dog was uncomfortable. So no counter conditioning/de-sensitizing was done. It wasn’t until Troy became very uncomfortable that they noticed. Even when they noticed, they had no idea what to do. As many dog owners know, this type of behavior isn’t out of the ordinary for a dog. It is a dog that just needs to be placed in the right home with someone that has previous dog experience that is willing to work with him. His new home should be an adult only home with no other animals and no children.
I am trying to help a couple re-home their dog named Troy. Although many will be mad that they chose to re-home their dog, please don’t let this get in the way of helping Troy find a new home. If we let this get in the way, it will cost Troy his life because they will bring Troy to the vet to have him put down/killed if a new home isn’t found. I was recently asked to help them and because I don’t want to see Troy dead is the only reason why I am helping them. The couple has stated that they will put down/kill Troy if nothing comes through by April 15th. Because I just got involved in helping them, I am trying to have them give Troy more time so we can get the word out about him so he can LIVE.
Troy is up to date on his vaccines. The couple has all his vet records and will provide you with any details you want on his behavior.
If you can help Troy or need more information to see if he is the right fit for your home, please email Jaime at jamiebarbuto@gmail.com or call her at 631-423-2654. You can also email Russell at russell.fragale@gmail.com or call him at 631-806-2139.
•Location: Adopter Needed to Save Troy
3 Doxie-ChiChi Mixs / 3 Amigos Need New Home
3 small dogs free to loving home (Amsterdam, NY)
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Date: 2010-04-13, 11:22PM EDT
Reply to: Nikkimarie2006@aol.com
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Lily (tan and white) and Precious black and white) are from the same liter, they are chihuahua dachshund mix and about 2 years old. Reese is a long hair pure breed brown miniature dachshund, she is about 1 1/2 years old. They are all non-spayed females, and are free to a good and loving home if they are all kept together. Can't keep due to lack of not being home. Please contact me if you are interested or want to know more information at 518-212-2387 (Candice) or 518-812-3531 (Nicole)
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Earthquake Haults Chinas HORRIFIC Animal Cruelty But Is Only Temporary
Quake in western China kills 400, buries more
By GILLIAN WONG, Associated Press Writer Gillian Wong,
BEIJING – A series of strong earthquakes struck a mountainous Tibetan area of western China on Wednesday, killing at least 400 people and injuring more than 10,000 as houses made of mud and wood collapsed, officials said. Many more people were trapped, and the toll was expected to rise.
The largest quake was recorded by the U.S. Geological Survey as magnitude 6.9. In the aftermath, panicked people, many bleeding from their wounds, flooded the streets of a Qinghai province township where most of the homes had been flattened. Students were reportedly buried inside several damaged schools.
Paramilitary police used shovels to dig through the rubble in the town, footage on state television showed. Officials said excavators were not available. Crews worked to repair the damaged road to the nearest airport and clear the way for equipment and rescue teams. Hospitals were overwhelmed, many lacking even the most basic supplies, and doctors were in short supply.
By nightfall, the airport was operating with emergency power and receiving relief flights carrying medical workers and supplies, state media reported.
Downed phone lines, strong winds and frequent aftershocks hindered rescue efforts, said Wu Yong, commander of the local army garrison, who said the death toll "may rise further as lots of houses collapsed."
With many people forced outside, the provincial government said it was rushing 5,000 tents and 100,000 coats and blankets to the mountainous region, with an altitude of around 13,000 feet (4,000 meters) where night time temperatures plunge below freezing.
Workers were racing to release water from a reservoir in the disaster area where a crack had formed after the quake to prevent a flood, according to the China Earthquake Administration.
The Wednesday quake, which struck at 7:49 a.m. local time (2349 GMT, 7:49 p.m. EDT), was centered on Yushu county, in the southern part of Qinghai, near Tibet, with a population of about 100,000, mostly herders and farmers.
Lightly populated by Chinese standards, the region is remote, making the rescue operation logistically difficult. Relief flights, for example, need to carry in spare jet fuel to augment the limited supplies stored at Yushu's airport, the state-run Xinhua News Agency said.
The USGS recorded six temblors in less than three hours, all but one registering 5.0 or higher. The China Earthquake Networks Center measured the largest quake's magnitude at 7.1. Qinghai averages more than five earthquakes a year of at least magnitude 5.0, Xinhua said. They normally do not cause much damage.
Residents fled as the ground shook, toppling houses made of mud and wood, as well as temples, gas stations, electric poles and the top of a Buddhist pagoda in a park, witnesses and state media said. The quake also triggered landslides, Xinhua said.
"Nearly all the houses made of mud and wood collapsed. There was so much dust in the air, we couldn't see anything," said Ren Yu, general manager of Yushu Hotel in Jiegu, the county's main town. "There was a lot of panic. People were crying on the streets. Some of our staff, who were reunited with their parents, were also in tears."
More than 100 guests of the hotel, which was relatively undamaged, were evacuated to open spaces such as public squares, Ren told The Associated Press by phone. Hotel staff also helped in rescue efforts in other buildings, Ren said.
"We pulled out 70 people, but some of them died on the way to the hospital," Ren said.
The death toll rose to about 400 by afternoon, according to China Central Television. Emergency official Pubucairen was quoted as saying that the number of injured has risen to more than 10,000. The official, who goes by only one name, said rescuers were treating the injured at hospitals, race tracks and sports stadiums.
President Hu Jintao sent a vice premier to supervise rescue efforts and more than 5,000 soldiers, medical workers and other rescuers were mobilized, joining 700 soldiers already on the ground, Xinhua said. A message of sympathy also came from the Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual leader of the often fervently Buddhist Tibetans who is reviled by Chinese leaders.
Yushu and its environs were among the Tibetan areas caught up in the anti-government protests that swept the region in March 2008. Tensions have simmered since, and the region has been closed to foreigners off and on.
CCTV reported that soon after the quake, troops secured banks, oil depots and caches of explosives.
Yushu was for centuries home to important Buddhist monasteries and a trading hub and gateway to central Tibet. In recent years, the government has poured investment into Yushu, opening an airport last year and building a highway to the provincial capital of Xining.
The quake struck along the Longmenshan fault, which runs beneath the mountains that divide the Tibetan plateau to the west and the Sichuan plane to the east. A magnitude-7.9 quake on the fault's eastern edge two years ago left almost 90,000 people dead or missing in Sichuan. Poor design, shoddy construction and the lax enforcement of building codes were found to be rampant.
In Jiegu, about 20 miles (30 kilometers) from the epicenter, the local fire brigade was trying to rescue 20 students stuck inside a school, Kang Zifu, head of the rescue team, told state television. It did not say what type of school it was.
Five students were killed and others trapped in a primary school, a teacher told Xinhua, saying morning classes had not yet started when the quake struck. Another official said students were buried at several primary schools.
More than 85 percent of houses had collapsed in Jiegu, which Tibetans call Gyegu, while large cracks have appeared on buildings still standing, Xinhua cited Zhuohuaxia, a local publicity official, as saying.
"The streets in Jiegu are thronged with panic and full of injured people, with many of them bleeding from their injuries," said Zhuohuaxia, who goes by one name.
A monk named Luo Song from a monastery in Yushu county said his sister who worked at a local orphanage told him three children were sent to a hospital but the facilities lacked equipment.
"There are no doctors, they have only bandages, they can't give injections, they can't put people on intravenous drips," the monk said by phone while on a visit to the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen. Rural hospitals typically are not well equipped.
A local military official, Shi Huajie, told CCTV rescuers were working with limited equipment.
"The difficulty we face is that we don't have any excavators. Many of the people have been buried and our soldiers are trying to pull them out with human labor," Shi said. "It is very difficult to save people with our bare hands."
Comments:
___
MuleKist Of course my heart (as ever) goes out to the innocent ones, but frankly I think this disaster could not have happened in a better place. China is known for its HORRIFIC animal cruelty where they skin their fur-bearing animals alive and toss their naked still alive bodies into piles left to die a slow agonizing death in the hot sun, they boil cats and dogs alive to make an aphrodesiac "juice." They torture their animals(mostly cats and dogs) before killing and eating them, as they believe consuming "tortured meat" will increase their sexual powers. I hope the ground ate up all the torturers - then China will be a better place. Until then, I say boycott ALL THINGS China!....
By GILLIAN WONG, Associated Press Writer Gillian Wong,
BEIJING – A series of strong earthquakes struck a mountainous Tibetan area of western China on Wednesday, killing at least 400 people and injuring more than 10,000 as houses made of mud and wood collapsed, officials said. Many more people were trapped, and the toll was expected to rise.
The largest quake was recorded by the U.S. Geological Survey as magnitude 6.9. In the aftermath, panicked people, many bleeding from their wounds, flooded the streets of a Qinghai province township where most of the homes had been flattened. Students were reportedly buried inside several damaged schools.
Paramilitary police used shovels to dig through the rubble in the town, footage on state television showed. Officials said excavators were not available. Crews worked to repair the damaged road to the nearest airport and clear the way for equipment and rescue teams. Hospitals were overwhelmed, many lacking even the most basic supplies, and doctors were in short supply.
By nightfall, the airport was operating with emergency power and receiving relief flights carrying medical workers and supplies, state media reported.
Downed phone lines, strong winds and frequent aftershocks hindered rescue efforts, said Wu Yong, commander of the local army garrison, who said the death toll "may rise further as lots of houses collapsed."
With many people forced outside, the provincial government said it was rushing 5,000 tents and 100,000 coats and blankets to the mountainous region, with an altitude of around 13,000 feet (4,000 meters) where night time temperatures plunge below freezing.
Workers were racing to release water from a reservoir in the disaster area where a crack had formed after the quake to prevent a flood, according to the China Earthquake Administration.
The Wednesday quake, which struck at 7:49 a.m. local time (2349 GMT, 7:49 p.m. EDT), was centered on Yushu county, in the southern part of Qinghai, near Tibet, with a population of about 100,000, mostly herders and farmers.
Lightly populated by Chinese standards, the region is remote, making the rescue operation logistically difficult. Relief flights, for example, need to carry in spare jet fuel to augment the limited supplies stored at Yushu's airport, the state-run Xinhua News Agency said.
The USGS recorded six temblors in less than three hours, all but one registering 5.0 or higher. The China Earthquake Networks Center measured the largest quake's magnitude at 7.1. Qinghai averages more than five earthquakes a year of at least magnitude 5.0, Xinhua said. They normally do not cause much damage.
Residents fled as the ground shook, toppling houses made of mud and wood, as well as temples, gas stations, electric poles and the top of a Buddhist pagoda in a park, witnesses and state media said. The quake also triggered landslides, Xinhua said.
"Nearly all the houses made of mud and wood collapsed. There was so much dust in the air, we couldn't see anything," said Ren Yu, general manager of Yushu Hotel in Jiegu, the county's main town. "There was a lot of panic. People were crying on the streets. Some of our staff, who were reunited with their parents, were also in tears."
More than 100 guests of the hotel, which was relatively undamaged, were evacuated to open spaces such as public squares, Ren told The Associated Press by phone. Hotel staff also helped in rescue efforts in other buildings, Ren said.
"We pulled out 70 people, but some of them died on the way to the hospital," Ren said.
The death toll rose to about 400 by afternoon, according to China Central Television. Emergency official Pubucairen was quoted as saying that the number of injured has risen to more than 10,000. The official, who goes by only one name, said rescuers were treating the injured at hospitals, race tracks and sports stadiums.
President Hu Jintao sent a vice premier to supervise rescue efforts and more than 5,000 soldiers, medical workers and other rescuers were mobilized, joining 700 soldiers already on the ground, Xinhua said. A message of sympathy also came from the Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual leader of the often fervently Buddhist Tibetans who is reviled by Chinese leaders.
Yushu and its environs were among the Tibetan areas caught up in the anti-government protests that swept the region in March 2008. Tensions have simmered since, and the region has been closed to foreigners off and on.
CCTV reported that soon after the quake, troops secured banks, oil depots and caches of explosives.
Yushu was for centuries home to important Buddhist monasteries and a trading hub and gateway to central Tibet. In recent years, the government has poured investment into Yushu, opening an airport last year and building a highway to the provincial capital of Xining.
The quake struck along the Longmenshan fault, which runs beneath the mountains that divide the Tibetan plateau to the west and the Sichuan plane to the east. A magnitude-7.9 quake on the fault's eastern edge two years ago left almost 90,000 people dead or missing in Sichuan. Poor design, shoddy construction and the lax enforcement of building codes were found to be rampant.
In Jiegu, about 20 miles (30 kilometers) from the epicenter, the local fire brigade was trying to rescue 20 students stuck inside a school, Kang Zifu, head of the rescue team, told state television. It did not say what type of school it was.
Five students were killed and others trapped in a primary school, a teacher told Xinhua, saying morning classes had not yet started when the quake struck. Another official said students were buried at several primary schools.
More than 85 percent of houses had collapsed in Jiegu, which Tibetans call Gyegu, while large cracks have appeared on buildings still standing, Xinhua cited Zhuohuaxia, a local publicity official, as saying.
"The streets in Jiegu are thronged with panic and full of injured people, with many of them bleeding from their injuries," said Zhuohuaxia, who goes by one name.
A monk named Luo Song from a monastery in Yushu county said his sister who worked at a local orphanage told him three children were sent to a hospital but the facilities lacked equipment.
"There are no doctors, they have only bandages, they can't give injections, they can't put people on intravenous drips," the monk said by phone while on a visit to the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen. Rural hospitals typically are not well equipped.
A local military official, Shi Huajie, told CCTV rescuers were working with limited equipment.
"The difficulty we face is that we don't have any excavators. Many of the people have been buried and our soldiers are trying to pull them out with human labor," Shi said. "It is very difficult to save people with our bare hands."
Comments:
___
MuleKist Of course my heart (as ever) goes out to the innocent ones, but frankly I think this disaster could not have happened in a better place. China is known for its HORRIFIC animal cruelty where they skin their fur-bearing animals alive and toss their naked still alive bodies into piles left to die a slow agonizing death in the hot sun, they boil cats and dogs alive to make an aphrodesiac "juice." They torture their animals(mostly cats and dogs) before killing and eating them, as they believe consuming "tortured meat" will increase their sexual powers. I hope the ground ate up all the torturers - then China will be a better place. Until then, I say boycott ALL THINGS China!....
Mondays now meat-free in San Francisco
By: Joshua Sabatini
Examiner Staff Writer
April 6, 2010
Monday in San Francisco is officially the meat-free day of the week.
The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved legislation Tuesday declaring the first day of the week meat-free Mondays, now known as Vegetarian Day or Veg Day.
“With this resolution, San Francisco can join the growing list of communities that have taken action to encourage citizens to choose vegetarian foods as a way to protect the planet and their health,” said Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, a vegetarian for 40 years who introduced the resolution.
As first reported by The Examiner on Tuesday, the legislation urges “all restaurants, grocery stores and schools to offer a greater variety of plant-based options to improve the health of San Francisco residents and visitors and to increase the awareness of the impact a green diet would be on our planet.”
San Francisco resident Abigail Wick supported the board taking a stand on a green diet.
“It promotes a healthier environment and also a healthier body politic,” Wick said.
Eating less meat “reduces serious ecological problems involved in livestock production” and “plant-based diets are good preventative medicine and could help reduce medical costs,” the resolution said.
Also on Tuesday, the board unanimously approved a resolution, introduced by Maxwell, commending those San Francisco businesses that use only eggs from cage-free chickens.
jsabatini@sfexaminer.com
Read more at the San Francisco Examiner: http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/Mondays-now-meat-free-in-The-City-90066777.html#ixzz0l5UC3R00
http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/Mondays-now-meat-free-in-The-City-90066777.html
Examiner Staff Writer
April 6, 2010
Monday in San Francisco is officially the meat-free day of the week.
The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved legislation Tuesday declaring the first day of the week meat-free Mondays, now known as Vegetarian Day or Veg Day.
“With this resolution, San Francisco can join the growing list of communities that have taken action to encourage citizens to choose vegetarian foods as a way to protect the planet and their health,” said Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, a vegetarian for 40 years who introduced the resolution.
As first reported by The Examiner on Tuesday, the legislation urges “all restaurants, grocery stores and schools to offer a greater variety of plant-based options to improve the health of San Francisco residents and visitors and to increase the awareness of the impact a green diet would be on our planet.”
San Francisco resident Abigail Wick supported the board taking a stand on a green diet.
“It promotes a healthier environment and also a healthier body politic,” Wick said.
Eating less meat “reduces serious ecological problems involved in livestock production” and “plant-based diets are good preventative medicine and could help reduce medical costs,” the resolution said.
Also on Tuesday, the board unanimously approved a resolution, introduced by Maxwell, commending those San Francisco businesses that use only eggs from cage-free chickens.
jsabatini@sfexaminer.com
Read more at the San Francisco Examiner: http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/Mondays-now-meat-free-in-The-City-90066777.html#ixzz0l5UC3R00
http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/Mondays-now-meat-free-in-The-City-90066777.html
Captain of NYCPD Mounted Unit Kills 3 Retiring Horses
April 13, 2010 Leave a comment Go to comments
“In my humble, pissed-off opinion” by R.T. Fitch – Author of “Straight from the Horse’s Heart“
“Crap for Brains” Captain Hands Loyal Horses Death for Retirement Present
A lifetime of service thrown right into the garbage
You know, just when you think that things are leveling out and maybe the horses are gaining a little bit of ground you open up the paper or a news website and something like this reaches out and slaps you right in the face. It smarts, it stings and it STINKS! (Sorry, any semblance of a professional demeanor is right out the window)
The retirement package that was administered to three solid veterans of the NYPD was a needle to the neck and an early death where they had an easy 10+ years left to reap the rewards of just being a horse. And the Horse’s Ass…no wait, that is an insult to the horses, the piece of horse poop, no…again that is degrading to the fallen equines…the worthless, stinking, pond scum who issued the order should contemplate if he will receive the same loving treatment upon his retirement. We could only hope!
Jen Carlson of the “Gothamist” reported today:
“Some of New York’s finest four-legged friends have been sent off to greener pastures, with a loud rally cry from animal rights activists sending them off. According to the NY Post, the head of the NYPD’s Mounted Unit, Capt. Barry Gelbman, ordered three retired police horses put down upon their retirement, saying various leg ailments made it impossible to transport them to new homes upstate and in New Hampshire.
The horses—Danny, Willis and Richie Rich—were 15 to 20 years old, and had life expectancies of up to 30, leaving many to question Gelbman’s decision. Allegedly, he made it clear the animals were under his control, as property of his department. But one source told the paper, “They did not need to be euthanized. They just could not travel cramped for 16 hours. They only needed special accommodations to move them.”
This isn’t the first time the NYPD has been involved in scandals involving their horses. On top of running a corrupt auction, in 2005 they sent 58 retired horses to a bankrupt farm where it was discovered they were malnourished.”
There you have it, straight from the horse’s mouth and here is what we are going to do about it. We need to get this turkey’s badge, he needs to ride off into the sunset with moraly bankrupt losers like “Slaugherhouse” Sue Wallis and defunct “Red” Ed Butcher. This idiot is not only an emabarrassement to the proud men and women of NYC who where the blue with honor, he makes me want to turn in my “Human Being” badge.
Let the Mayor of New York know how pissed off you are at http://www.nyc.gov/portal/site/nycgov/menuitem.bd08ee7c7c1ffec87c4b36d501c789a0/index.jsp?doc_name=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nyc.gov%2Fhtml%2Fmail%2Fhtml%2Fmayor.html
Call the NYCPD at 212-868-2585 and let them know how you feel. Fellow advocates have reported back that those answering the phone are upset, too. Tell them where you are from and why you are calling.
We are Equine Advocates and the voices of the horses, it doesn’t make any difference if it is 40,000 captured wild horses in pens, a 100,000 shipped across the border for slaughter or 3 police horses in New York City, it’s all about the horses and they need us, now, more than ever.
Let your voices be heard and tonight, say a prayer for those who gave their lives for the service of man without even so much as a thank you, without a single shred of compassion or gratitude. Offer a prayer of forgiveness to those who were so totally betrayed, like hundreds of thousands before them.
We should know that prayer very well by now; it has become our mantra and how we lull ourselves to sleep at night, it’s the nightmare that haunts us as we try to rest and it’s the fire in our heart that presses us on.
Maybe, just maybe we can retire that prayer, one day…just maybe.
Sometimes I hate being a man.
http://rtfitch.wordpress.com/2010/04/13/captain-of-nycpd-mounted-unit-kills-3-retiring-horses/
Friday, April 9, 2010
The "Anti-Animal Rights" Blog
Comparing the fight for animals rights as a "false religion?" WTF?
Click on title to go to the blog
Click on title to go to the blog
Wine-Wasting-Welfare-Rancher TROY HADRICK Now Supports Horse Slaughter
Remember Troy Hadrick, the "wine wasting welfare rancher" who started the Boycott Yellow-Tail Wine" Campaign because Yellow Tail made a nice contribution to the HSUS?
Click on the title above to see his latest campaign: FOR horse slaughter.
Be sure to leave a comment cause he keeps deleting mine.
Click on the title above to see his latest campaign: FOR horse slaughter.
Be sure to leave a comment cause he keeps deleting mine.
Shelters / Rescues: Take the ASPCAs "$100K Challenge"
Could your shelter use $100,000? The ASPCA $100K Challenge will award more than $125,000 in prizes, including a grand prize of $100K for the shelter that saves the most additional animal lives over 3 months in 2010. Learn all about the ASPCA $100K Challenge and how it will inspire creative solutions for increasing pet adoptions and improving return-to-owner rates. In this informational webinar, the ASPCA’s Bert Troughton and Emily Weiss will lead a discussion of what the Challenge is all about, plus answer any questions potential contestants may have.
Click on title above to learn more and/or register;
http://challenge.aspcapro.org/xn/detail/5376260:Event:118
Click on title above to learn more and/or register;
http://challenge.aspcapro.org/xn/detail/5376260:Event:118
Thursday, April 8, 2010
HSUS targets egg industry with new video
Funny that it should take an organization like HSUS, PETA, SHARK, Humane Farming, etc., to show the OWNERS and REGULATIORS of these places just exactly what occurs in these places on a normal, routine, day to day basis......and they (the "HumaneWatchers" who dont like us "meddling in their bloody business" are telling the world that we are making all this cruelty stuff up,..even accusing us of "fudging" videos and staging scenes! These people need to make an un-announced visit to anyone of these places and they will see for themselves.....or,...maybe they dontreally want to see, for they could be in denial no more. They would have an epithany, I would hope, and come round to the right way of thinking. It is NEVER "ok" to be cruel to an animal, even if WE ARE going to eat it. Hay, this is 5th grade suff! You ARE smarter than a 5th Grader, arent you?
April 7, 2010 by Ken Anderson
Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is stepping up its campaign against what it calls “factory egg farms.”
At a news conference in Des Moines, Iowa today, HSUS disclosed the results of its latest investigation, which in its words, “exposed rampant abuse at the top levels of the egg industry in America.” HSUS showed undercover video which it says was shot inside the barns of two Iowa egg producers, Rose Acre Farms and Rembrandt Enterprises. HSUS says they are the nation’s second- and third-largest egg producers.
HSUS CEO and president Wayne Pacelle says the videos showed, what he called, “appalling abuses” of laying hens, including injuries from overcrowding, broken bones from rough handling by workers and high mortality rates.
“The treatment of these animals in these systems is unconscionable—it is inhumane—and it should not be acceptable for a society that says it values animal welfare,” Pacelle says, “and the agribusiness industry will claim it’s handling the situation just fine—and I defy them to make that argument in any rational and meaningful way after seeing the footage.”
Pacelle says switching to cage-free egg production should be, in his words, “a minimum moral imperative for the industry.
“The alternative is cage-free production, which is not just some unilateral disengagement from high-production systems,” he says. “You have industrial-type cage-free systems that are used all over the country—and they’re supplying WalMart, which has now gone completely cage-free with its private label.”
Pacelle says cage-free hens have two to three times more space per bird than caged hens.
AUDIO: HSUS news conference-opening remarks by Wayne Pacelle (12 min MP3)
Egg industry responds to HSUS video
The egg industry was quick to respond to the egg farms video released by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) Wednesday, calling for a full investigation of the alleged incidents.
HSUS claims the video was shot inside barns owned by two Iowa companies—Rose Acre Farms and Rembrandt Enterprises—the nation’s second- and third-largest egg producers. HSUS calls the treatment of the chickens in the video “appalling” and calls for the egg industry to convert to cage-free egg production.
Kevin Vinchattle is the executive director of the Iowa Egg Council and Iowa Poultry Association. “We need to let both firms investigate and find out what the reality is,” says Vinchattle. “In the past, some people have gone in and staged things. We just have to find out what the reality is so we know what the appropriate response is—but the bottom line is, this is not how it is intended to happen, nor how it’s supposed to happen.”
If the video proves to be legitimate, Vinchattle says, then the problems need to be addressed.
“I have every confidence that those two firms are going to look at that—see if, in fact, any of it is actually from their facilities as HSUS has alleged it is,” he says. “If so, I know they’re going to investigate and they’re going to make sure that things like that are not happening—because that’s not what it’s all about.”
AUDIO: Kevin Vinchattle (12 min MP3)
Meanwhile, the organization that represents 97 percent of the nation’s egg farmers, United Egg Producers (UEP), issued a statement saying it is conducting a full investigation stemming from the HSUS undercover video. UEP oversees the egg industry’s animal welfare certification program, called UEP certified. UEP says its investigation will focus on Rose Acre Farms, one of the farms targeted by the undercover video and the only UEP Certified company mentioned. It says the other farm targeted by the video, Rembrandt Enterprises, is not a member of the UEP Certified program and cannot market eggs featuring the UEP Certified seal.
UEP says it ”takes the alleged violations of its stringent guidelines very seriously and is working to ensure full compliance. ”
UEP Statement
Here is the full text of the statement issued by United Egg Producers:
(April 7, 2010) – United Egg Producers is conducting a full investigation stemming from undercover video shown today in Des Moines, Iowa. UEP’s investigation could include interviews with farm management and employees, review of its employee training programs, review of any photographs, videotape or other materials; and a on-site inspection of the farm.
The UEP Certification program does not tolerate animal cruelty, intentional abuse or neglect. All employees and supervisors at UEP Certified companies are required to sign an Employee Code of Conduct. This Code of Conduct requires that “all birds will be handled with respect and dignity” and that “injured, sick or trapped birds need to be taken care of” and “proper euthanasia of sick, injured or cull birds will be conducted by a trained employee.” Violation of this policy (either through the employee’s direct actions or the employee’s failure to notify management of observed abuse or neglect) may result in disciplinary action including termination of employment and could be cause for the farm to be de-certified by UEP.
The investigation will focus on Rose Acre Farms, one of the farms targeted by the undercover video and the only UEP Certified company mentioned. UEP Certified standards are designed to assure that egg farmers treat their hens in a humane manner. The guidelines require that all hens are handled properly, receive optimum space, nutritious food, clean water, proper lighting, and fresh air daily. If deficiencies are found by UEP’s investigation, they will be corrected or the farm could lose its UEP Certification. However, the other farm targeted by the video, Rembrandt Enterprises, is not a member of the UEP Certified program and cannot market eggs featuring the UEP Certified seal.
As the industry’s leading animal welfare certification program, and one required by most retailers and food service companies, UEP takes alleged violations of its stringent guidelines very seriously and is working to ensure full compliance.
About United Egg Producers
United Egg Producers (UEP) is the nation’s leading egg farming cooperative for U.S. egg farmers, representing 97 percent of U.S. egg farmers, whose members produce eggs including modern cage production, cage-free, free range, organic and other specialty eggs. UEP is based in Alpharetta, GA. To learn more about the egg industry visit www.uepcertified.com.
Tags: Animal rights/welfare, egg production, HSUS
Comments
No Responses to “HSUS targets egg industry with new video”
Christine A Jubic says:
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
April 8, 2010 at 12:01 pm
I cant believe that anyone would think HSUS would go into a place like that and have to fake the cruelty scenes. The animal cruelty and abuses that go on in MOST all of there factory farms is already well documented…not just by HSUS but by other orgs as well, PETA, SHARK, Humane Farming,…etc. No one with a half a brain can doubt that animal cruelty is the NORM at these places with the almighty dollar put waaaay before any considerations of the animal.
To those small-fry “HumaneWatchers” who think these orgs are out to shut your backyard operations down,…think again. You are the smallest fish in the big pond of production, but well, hey, yeah, if the shoe fits, wear it. We are out to STOP animal cruelty, period. If you are against that, well then, what can I say? Its NOT NICE to be Cruel, do DONT do it.
Will have the link to the undercover vid up soon
April 7, 2010 by Ken Anderson
Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is stepping up its campaign against what it calls “factory egg farms.”
At a news conference in Des Moines, Iowa today, HSUS disclosed the results of its latest investigation, which in its words, “exposed rampant abuse at the top levels of the egg industry in America.” HSUS showed undercover video which it says was shot inside the barns of two Iowa egg producers, Rose Acre Farms and Rembrandt Enterprises. HSUS says they are the nation’s second- and third-largest egg producers.
HSUS CEO and president Wayne Pacelle says the videos showed, what he called, “appalling abuses” of laying hens, including injuries from overcrowding, broken bones from rough handling by workers and high mortality rates.
“The treatment of these animals in these systems is unconscionable—it is inhumane—and it should not be acceptable for a society that says it values animal welfare,” Pacelle says, “and the agribusiness industry will claim it’s handling the situation just fine—and I defy them to make that argument in any rational and meaningful way after seeing the footage.”
Pacelle says switching to cage-free egg production should be, in his words, “a minimum moral imperative for the industry.
“The alternative is cage-free production, which is not just some unilateral disengagement from high-production systems,” he says. “You have industrial-type cage-free systems that are used all over the country—and they’re supplying WalMart, which has now gone completely cage-free with its private label.”
Pacelle says cage-free hens have two to three times more space per bird than caged hens.
AUDIO: HSUS news conference-opening remarks by Wayne Pacelle (12 min MP3)
Egg industry responds to HSUS video
The egg industry was quick to respond to the egg farms video released by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) Wednesday, calling for a full investigation of the alleged incidents.
HSUS claims the video was shot inside barns owned by two Iowa companies—Rose Acre Farms and Rembrandt Enterprises—the nation’s second- and third-largest egg producers. HSUS calls the treatment of the chickens in the video “appalling” and calls for the egg industry to convert to cage-free egg production.
Kevin Vinchattle is the executive director of the Iowa Egg Council and Iowa Poultry Association. “We need to let both firms investigate and find out what the reality is,” says Vinchattle. “In the past, some people have gone in and staged things. We just have to find out what the reality is so we know what the appropriate response is—but the bottom line is, this is not how it is intended to happen, nor how it’s supposed to happen.”
If the video proves to be legitimate, Vinchattle says, then the problems need to be addressed.
“I have every confidence that those two firms are going to look at that—see if, in fact, any of it is actually from their facilities as HSUS has alleged it is,” he says. “If so, I know they’re going to investigate and they’re going to make sure that things like that are not happening—because that’s not what it’s all about.”
AUDIO: Kevin Vinchattle (12 min MP3)
Meanwhile, the organization that represents 97 percent of the nation’s egg farmers, United Egg Producers (UEP), issued a statement saying it is conducting a full investigation stemming from the HSUS undercover video. UEP oversees the egg industry’s animal welfare certification program, called UEP certified. UEP says its investigation will focus on Rose Acre Farms, one of the farms targeted by the undercover video and the only UEP Certified company mentioned. It says the other farm targeted by the video, Rembrandt Enterprises, is not a member of the UEP Certified program and cannot market eggs featuring the UEP Certified seal.
UEP says it ”takes the alleged violations of its stringent guidelines very seriously and is working to ensure full compliance. ”
UEP Statement
Here is the full text of the statement issued by United Egg Producers:
(April 7, 2010) – United Egg Producers is conducting a full investigation stemming from undercover video shown today in Des Moines, Iowa. UEP’s investigation could include interviews with farm management and employees, review of its employee training programs, review of any photographs, videotape or other materials; and a on-site inspection of the farm.
The UEP Certification program does not tolerate animal cruelty, intentional abuse or neglect. All employees and supervisors at UEP Certified companies are required to sign an Employee Code of Conduct. This Code of Conduct requires that “all birds will be handled with respect and dignity” and that “injured, sick or trapped birds need to be taken care of” and “proper euthanasia of sick, injured or cull birds will be conducted by a trained employee.” Violation of this policy (either through the employee’s direct actions or the employee’s failure to notify management of observed abuse or neglect) may result in disciplinary action including termination of employment and could be cause for the farm to be de-certified by UEP.
The investigation will focus on Rose Acre Farms, one of the farms targeted by the undercover video and the only UEP Certified company mentioned. UEP Certified standards are designed to assure that egg farmers treat their hens in a humane manner. The guidelines require that all hens are handled properly, receive optimum space, nutritious food, clean water, proper lighting, and fresh air daily. If deficiencies are found by UEP’s investigation, they will be corrected or the farm could lose its UEP Certification. However, the other farm targeted by the video, Rembrandt Enterprises, is not a member of the UEP Certified program and cannot market eggs featuring the UEP Certified seal.
As the industry’s leading animal welfare certification program, and one required by most retailers and food service companies, UEP takes alleged violations of its stringent guidelines very seriously and is working to ensure full compliance.
About United Egg Producers
United Egg Producers (UEP) is the nation’s leading egg farming cooperative for U.S. egg farmers, representing 97 percent of U.S. egg farmers, whose members produce eggs including modern cage production, cage-free, free range, organic and other specialty eggs. UEP is based in Alpharetta, GA. To learn more about the egg industry visit www.uepcertified.com.
Tags: Animal rights/welfare, egg production, HSUS
Comments
No Responses to “HSUS targets egg industry with new video”
Christine A Jubic says:
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
April 8, 2010 at 12:01 pm
I cant believe that anyone would think HSUS would go into a place like that and have to fake the cruelty scenes. The animal cruelty and abuses that go on in MOST all of there factory farms is already well documented…not just by HSUS but by other orgs as well, PETA, SHARK, Humane Farming,…etc. No one with a half a brain can doubt that animal cruelty is the NORM at these places with the almighty dollar put waaaay before any considerations of the animal.
To those small-fry “HumaneWatchers” who think these orgs are out to shut your backyard operations down,…think again. You are the smallest fish in the big pond of production, but well, hey, yeah, if the shoe fits, wear it. We are out to STOP animal cruelty, period. If you are against that, well then, what can I say? Its NOT NICE to be Cruel, do DONT do it.
Will have the link to the undercover vid up soon
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Connecticut Humane Investigated for Putting Money Ahead of Animals
posted by: Sharon Seltzer 1 day ago
The Connecticut Humane Society is in hot water with Attorney General Richard Blumenthal. The organization is being investigated for putting money ahead of the well-being of homeless and abused animals. The group is accused of holding back money for veterinary care from their $52 million budget and instead using aggressive euthanasia on pets as a cost cutting measure.
The investigation started when former employees and volunteers reported allegations of “inadequate care provided to CHS animals.”
Among the complaints given to the Attorney General’s Office were:
Pregnant dogs that didn’t receive enough veterinary care for their survival and the survival of their puppies.
Cats with upper respiratory infections and dogs with heartworm, both treatable diseases, that were euthanized to avoid the cost of extended housing and additional treatment.
A high number of dogs euthanized for treatable behavior problems, such as separation anxiety.
Pets surrendered to the shelter by their owners that were euthanized within a day or two.
Lack of sufficient staff hired to walk dogs or clean cages.
In his initial report Blumenthal found the allegations to be “serious and credible.” He found that CHS seriously restricted the amount of money from its budget for the care and protection of animals. Out of a budget of $52 million, the group put $46 million into a “quasi-endowment fund.”
He issued a statement calling for the group to “release sufficient financial resources to meet its core animal care responsibilities.”
The Board of Directors for CHS responded by saying they were being fiscally responsible, but as the investigation continues Blumenthal is finding out that this may not be the complete reason for holding back funds.
Blumenthal found conflicts of interest in both “appearance and reality” in the society’s business dealings with members of the board. From 2005 to 2007 up to $258,000 was spent on business connected to board members. In numerous instances members of the Board of Directors or their companies appear to have received no-bid contracts for services provided to the organization.
This unchecked power also extended to Richard Johnston who served as both Chairman of the Board of Directors and the paid President who managed the day-to-day activities of the organization and shelter. Johnston held this position for the past 24 years.
Blumenthal said, “This creates serious potential for conflicts in the fiduciary and management roles of both positions.” Johnston stepped down from the job last week, after Blumenthal’s initial report was announced.
The allegations of mismanagement were taken to the Attorney General’s Office by five employees who said they were unfairly fired after they attempted to unionize fellow workers. The co-workers held an election and 35 employees voted to become part of the International Association of Machinists, but when a representative from the union appeared on the scene the society contested the election and fired the employee organizers.
Cathy DeMarco who is one of the five fired, said she organized a group called the Coalition for Change and tried to team up with the Machinists Union because staff members were overworked and poorly trained.
“There are so many animals and so few staff,” she said in an interview. “The animals could not get adequate care for a shelter this size.”
DeMarco also felt sorry for the people who were turning their animals over to CHS. “The public who relinquished their animals to the Humane Society in desperate times, very upset about relinquishing animals, think they’re giving the animal a chance, not knowing they were put down, sometimes within a day or two,” she said.
At first DeMarco and her co-workers talked to CHS management about the situation, but they were met with, “hostility towards employees who voiced concerns about the care and placement provided to animals in CHS’s care.” The allegations of hostility have been confirmed in Blumenthal’s investigation. One employee received a “verbal reprimand” after objecting to the placement of a “potentially dangerous dog” in an area close to people visiting the shelter.
Finally the frustrated staff decided to unionize and when they were fired, they went to Blumenthal’s office.
Even as the investigation continues, it looks more certain that the 129 year-old CHS made a lot of mistakes. And many of their decisions have cost the lives of innocent animals. Boards of Directors have a responsibility to make the best decisions for the population they serve.
If these allegations prove to be true, the repercussion could have an effect on rescue groups across the country. People donate their hard earned money to animal welfare organizations based on the trust they have that the group will accomplish their stated goals. If that trust is broken, the public will stop contributing and animals will suffer.
This story is particularly disheartening to me because a similar situation occurred in my hometown. As a local rescue group profited and grew stronger, the animals in their care suffered. They used every excuse possible to euthanize, including treatable diseases such as ringworm and behavior issues such as shyness. It’s sad to learn that another group like CHS may be using these tactics, as well.
Click on title above for original article and place to leave comments;
http://www.care2.com/causes/animal-welfare/blog/connecticut-humane-investigated-for-putting-money-ahead-of-animals/
April 7, 2010 UPDATE:
CT Humane Society President Resigns Amid an Investigation
Published: Wednesday, March 24, 2010
NEWINGTON, Conn. (AP) — The president of the Connecticut Humane Society has resigned amid an investigation into the organization's finances.
The Humane Society announced Richard Johnston's resignation on Tuesday. Mr. Johnston said in a statement that he has decided to "go on to other philanthropic pursuits" after 24 years of service to the organization.
Attorney General Richard Blumenthal announced in January that he was investigating whether Humane Society officials misused the organization's money for personal expenses. He declined to say whether Mr. Johnston is a target of the probe.
Chris White, the president of the society's board, said an internal investigation found "no concrete evidence whatsoever" of wrongdoing.
Chief Financial Officer Raymond Gasecki has been appointed acting executive director.
Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of CountyTimes.com. But pay attention to this one as the commentator knows of what she speaks;
----------------------------------------------------
JanKozlowski wrote on Mar 25, 2010 11:45 AM:
" While the resignation of Richard Johnston is a good start, judging by remarks made Monday by the new Chairman of the CT Humane Society Board, Chris White, I am not convinced that any real or permanent changes will be made at this institution.
According to the Hartford Courant, Chris White claims that many of the allegations made about the society were not true, or exaggerated and denies any financial mismanagement. To me, that says White doesn't get and worse, doesn't seem to want to get, that there are serious problems at CHS and have been for some time.
As a former volunteer and a long time donor, all I can say is until I see evidence that the Board and Administration are ready to take responsibility for everything that has already happened and implement permanent changes in how they treat employees, volunteers and most importantly the animals entrusted to their care, my checkbook is closed to them. "
The Connecticut Humane Society is in hot water with Attorney General Richard Blumenthal. The organization is being investigated for putting money ahead of the well-being of homeless and abused animals. The group is accused of holding back money for veterinary care from their $52 million budget and instead using aggressive euthanasia on pets as a cost cutting measure.
The investigation started when former employees and volunteers reported allegations of “inadequate care provided to CHS animals.”
Among the complaints given to the Attorney General’s Office were:
Pregnant dogs that didn’t receive enough veterinary care for their survival and the survival of their puppies.
Cats with upper respiratory infections and dogs with heartworm, both treatable diseases, that were euthanized to avoid the cost of extended housing and additional treatment.
A high number of dogs euthanized for treatable behavior problems, such as separation anxiety.
Pets surrendered to the shelter by their owners that were euthanized within a day or two.
Lack of sufficient staff hired to walk dogs or clean cages.
In his initial report Blumenthal found the allegations to be “serious and credible.” He found that CHS seriously restricted the amount of money from its budget for the care and protection of animals. Out of a budget of $52 million, the group put $46 million into a “quasi-endowment fund.”
He issued a statement calling for the group to “release sufficient financial resources to meet its core animal care responsibilities.”
The Board of Directors for CHS responded by saying they were being fiscally responsible, but as the investigation continues Blumenthal is finding out that this may not be the complete reason for holding back funds.
Blumenthal found conflicts of interest in both “appearance and reality” in the society’s business dealings with members of the board. From 2005 to 2007 up to $258,000 was spent on business connected to board members. In numerous instances members of the Board of Directors or their companies appear to have received no-bid contracts for services provided to the organization.
This unchecked power also extended to Richard Johnston who served as both Chairman of the Board of Directors and the paid President who managed the day-to-day activities of the organization and shelter. Johnston held this position for the past 24 years.
Blumenthal said, “This creates serious potential for conflicts in the fiduciary and management roles of both positions.” Johnston stepped down from the job last week, after Blumenthal’s initial report was announced.
The allegations of mismanagement were taken to the Attorney General’s Office by five employees who said they were unfairly fired after they attempted to unionize fellow workers. The co-workers held an election and 35 employees voted to become part of the International Association of Machinists, but when a representative from the union appeared on the scene the society contested the election and fired the employee organizers.
Cathy DeMarco who is one of the five fired, said she organized a group called the Coalition for Change and tried to team up with the Machinists Union because staff members were overworked and poorly trained.
“There are so many animals and so few staff,” she said in an interview. “The animals could not get adequate care for a shelter this size.”
DeMarco also felt sorry for the people who were turning their animals over to CHS. “The public who relinquished their animals to the Humane Society in desperate times, very upset about relinquishing animals, think they’re giving the animal a chance, not knowing they were put down, sometimes within a day or two,” she said.
At first DeMarco and her co-workers talked to CHS management about the situation, but they were met with, “hostility towards employees who voiced concerns about the care and placement provided to animals in CHS’s care.” The allegations of hostility have been confirmed in Blumenthal’s investigation. One employee received a “verbal reprimand” after objecting to the placement of a “potentially dangerous dog” in an area close to people visiting the shelter.
Finally the frustrated staff decided to unionize and when they were fired, they went to Blumenthal’s office.
Even as the investigation continues, it looks more certain that the 129 year-old CHS made a lot of mistakes. And many of their decisions have cost the lives of innocent animals. Boards of Directors have a responsibility to make the best decisions for the population they serve.
If these allegations prove to be true, the repercussion could have an effect on rescue groups across the country. People donate their hard earned money to animal welfare organizations based on the trust they have that the group will accomplish their stated goals. If that trust is broken, the public will stop contributing and animals will suffer.
This story is particularly disheartening to me because a similar situation occurred in my hometown. As a local rescue group profited and grew stronger, the animals in their care suffered. They used every excuse possible to euthanize, including treatable diseases such as ringworm and behavior issues such as shyness. It’s sad to learn that another group like CHS may be using these tactics, as well.
Click on title above for original article and place to leave comments;
http://www.care2.com/causes/animal-welfare/blog/connecticut-humane-investigated-for-putting-money-ahead-of-animals/
April 7, 2010 UPDATE:
CT Humane Society President Resigns Amid an Investigation
Published: Wednesday, March 24, 2010
NEWINGTON, Conn. (AP) — The president of the Connecticut Humane Society has resigned amid an investigation into the organization's finances.
The Humane Society announced Richard Johnston's resignation on Tuesday. Mr. Johnston said in a statement that he has decided to "go on to other philanthropic pursuits" after 24 years of service to the organization.
Attorney General Richard Blumenthal announced in January that he was investigating whether Humane Society officials misused the organization's money for personal expenses. He declined to say whether Mr. Johnston is a target of the probe.
Chris White, the president of the society's board, said an internal investigation found "no concrete evidence whatsoever" of wrongdoing.
Chief Financial Officer Raymond Gasecki has been appointed acting executive director.
Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of CountyTimes.com. But pay attention to this one as the commentator knows of what she speaks;
----------------------------------------------------
JanKozlowski wrote on Mar 25, 2010 11:45 AM:
" While the resignation of Richard Johnston is a good start, judging by remarks made Monday by the new Chairman of the CT Humane Society Board, Chris White, I am not convinced that any real or permanent changes will be made at this institution.
According to the Hartford Courant, Chris White claims that many of the allegations made about the society were not true, or exaggerated and denies any financial mismanagement. To me, that says White doesn't get and worse, doesn't seem to want to get, that there are serious problems at CHS and have been for some time.
As a former volunteer and a long time donor, all I can say is until I see evidence that the Board and Administration are ready to take responsibility for everything that has already happened and implement permanent changes in how they treat employees, volunteers and most importantly the animals entrusted to their care, my checkbook is closed to them. "
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Humane Society of the United States to Release New Undercover Investigations Revealing Rampant Cruelty at Egg Factory Farms
WHAT: Press conference to announce The Humane Society of the United States’ latest undercover investigations into major egg producers. The HSUS will release video footage revealing appalling suffering at multiple egg factory farms and outline critically-needed reforms in animal agribusiness.
The HSUS will also release a new report detailing the problems inherent in cage confinement of laying hens and the importance of the national movement toward cage-free production systems.
WHO: Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The HSUS
WHERE: Des Moines Marriott Downtown
700 Grand Avenue
Des Moines, Iowa
Or by teleconference. RSVP to Erin Williams, 301-721-6446 or ewilliams@humanesociety.org
WHEN: 10:00am CST, Wednesday, April 7
-30-
Media contact:
Erin Williams, 301-721-6446, ewilliams@humanesociety.org
Follow The HSUS on Twitter.
The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization — backed by 11 million Americans, or one of every 28. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty — On the web at humanesociety.org.
The HSUS will also release a new report detailing the problems inherent in cage confinement of laying hens and the importance of the national movement toward cage-free production systems.
WHO: Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The HSUS
WHERE: Des Moines Marriott Downtown
700 Grand Avenue
Des Moines, Iowa
Or by teleconference. RSVP to Erin Williams, 301-721-6446 or ewilliams@humanesociety.org
WHEN: 10:00am CST, Wednesday, April 7
-30-
Media contact:
Erin Williams, 301-721-6446, ewilliams@humanesociety.org
Follow The HSUS on Twitter.
The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization — backed by 11 million Americans, or one of every 28. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty — On the web at humanesociety.org.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Hunter Needs New Home
Please cross post
thanks
henni
katskill mountain critters,
Southern NY State
845-866-1975
Hunter is a lab/pointer mix who is between 1 and 2 years old. He is good with kids and other dogs. Hunter is very lovable and sweet. He is house trained and neutered. His personality and posture make him look dignified and royal. He is fun to play with and loves chewing on his doggy bones. He does not mind sleeping on a floor or doggy bed; however, if you let him to he will cuddle with you in your bed or on your couch. He still needs some encouragement and training when walking on a leash. He is great when using dog/head halter because it keeps him from pulling without causing any pain like choke collars. He learns very quick when you use one of his favorite snacks - bacon bites :
Please call 845-887-3011
Thursday, April 1, 2010
"KinshipCircle" Founder Under Seige by DC Politicians for Anti-Horse Slaughter Campaign
You jus' go girl! We are with you all the way!
Activist targeted by state legislators
BY TONY MESSENGER tmessenger@post-dispatch.com 573-635-6178
04/01/2010
JEFFERSON CITY — Animal activist Brenda Shoss and the Missouri lawmakers who loathe her agree on this: Having your inbox fill up with hundreds of unwanted e-mails is infuriating.
That's what happened to Missouri House members a week ago, when Shoss and members of her advocacy group, Kinship Circle, unleashed a deluge urging legislators to vote against a bill that would open the door for a horse slaughterhouse to come to the Show-Me State.
Lawmakers — both Democrats and Republicans — objected to the tactic. They said they had never before received hundreds of e-mails from all over the nation, and even the world, on a bill.
So they struck back. MORE POLITICAL NEWS
See all our political coverage
The Political Fix keeps you on top of local, state and national politics.
Shoss received calls at her home from offices in the Capitol, taunting her and making "neighing" voices into the phone. One caller sang a version of the theme song from "Mr. Ed." A number of the calls came late at night.
Some legislators programmed their e-mail systems to forward any message containing the word "horse" to Shoss. And some told the activist that they would consider passing the bill out of spite.
"I would think that some people who voted against it previously might change their vote," said Rep. Michael Frame, D-Eureka.
The response of elected officials has left the experienced activist dumbfounded. Even when her organization got involved in the high-profile animal abuse case of NFL quarterback Michael Vick, she had never seen such a vitriolic reaction.
The late-night, anonymous phone calls led Shoss to file a harassment complaint last week with the University City Police Department.
The calls stopped, she said, after the Post-Dispatch started asking lawmakers about them.
Frame is one of the lawmakers who awoke March 22 to a full e-mail box urging him to oppose legislation — pushed by Rep. Jim Viebrock, R-Republic — allowing a horse slaughterhouse in Missouri
The bill would seek to bypass the ban on using federal funds for horse meat inspection by allowing state officials to collect fees and pass them on to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. There are no horse slaughter plants in the U.S., but the meat is considered a delicacy in some countries.
Proponents argue the bill would create a market for horses that are otherwise abused or neglected. Shoss and other opponents argue that Americans don't want to eat horse meat and that the slaughter process is inhumane.
Frame is against the bill, but he said he understands the seething anger felt by some of his colleagues who faced the onslaught of e-mails from as far away as Spain and Australia.
"I spent two hours before even getting to the office doing nothing but deleting those e-mails," Frame said. "Almost none of them were from Missouri. I was as mad as I can be."
Frame was mad enough to call Shoss and give her a piece of her mind. He was one of the few lawmakers to reveal his name, Shoss said.
Other lawmakers chose to respond to Shoss and her fellow activists via e-mail.
"It's so fun to piss you wackos off," wrote Rep. Casey Guernsey, R-Bethany, to one activist from his private e-mail account. "You're lucky I even acknowledge your existence. It's so much fun to taunt people like you — ha! Tell me, is it truly liberating to be so incredibly clueless?"
Guernsey said he heard about some of the phone calls made to Shoss but said he didn't make any of them.
"I e-mailed her and asked her to stop," he said.
Several lawmakers chuckled when asked by the Post-Dispatch about the calls made to Shoss, and some said they thought they knew who made them, but none said they were involved.
The way Guernsey and some of his colleagues see it, they shouldn't have to respond to lobbying on issues from people outside their district. And having to wade through all the e-mails to see whether any are from constituents is a waste of time, he said.
"If they're from Missouri and they have some dog in the fight, that's one thing," Guernsey said.
Shoss said she thinks that attitude is shortsighted.
If horse slaughterhouses were to open in Missouri — which is unlikely, even if Viebrock's bill were to pass — that would affect horses everywhere, she argued.
Shoss is a freelance graphic designer who also does work in advertising. Her e-mail pleas are generally fact-based and not particularly emotional. She directs Kinship Circle, which she founded, as a volunteer. The group also has a volunteer board.
Shoss is a former officer of the St. Louis Animal Rights Team who has also advocated against puppy mills, cockfighting and the poisoning of urban pigeons.
By their nature, animal activists are persistent, Shoss said. She concedes that flooding someone's e-mail box with messages is "inconvenient," but says legislators overreacted.
"Maybe Missouri lawmakers just didn't know how organized and passionate we are," Shoss said.
Shoss' current group has coordinated pig rescues during flooding in Iowa and most recently has been involved in animal rescue following devastating earthquakes in Haiti and Chile.
Other animal activists say that what Kinship Circle does is no different than other political groups that flood lawmakers with e-mail.
"This is the first time I've ever heard of any state legislature reacting so negatively. It's kind of shocking" said Susan Trout of Born Free USA, a national wildlife advocacy organization.
Trout was recently asked to serve on Kinship Circle's board, and she said the group has a good reputation. Trout also said that most animal activist groups, like many political advocacy groups, participate in similar e-mail campaigns all the time.
The House passed Viebrock's bill in a voice vote Monday. It needs one more House vote to go to the Senate.
Shoss said she was shocked by the suggestion that some lawmakers might vote for a bill simply because they didn't like the way her group opposed it.
"They're going to pass a bill to get back at me?" she said. "That's just scary."
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http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/politics/story/529B03467DF1C29A862576F800175189?OpenDocument
Activist targeted by state legislators
BY TONY MESSENGER tmessenger@post-dispatch.com 573-635-6178
04/01/2010
JEFFERSON CITY — Animal activist Brenda Shoss and the Missouri lawmakers who loathe her agree on this: Having your inbox fill up with hundreds of unwanted e-mails is infuriating.
That's what happened to Missouri House members a week ago, when Shoss and members of her advocacy group, Kinship Circle, unleashed a deluge urging legislators to vote against a bill that would open the door for a horse slaughterhouse to come to the Show-Me State.
Lawmakers — both Democrats and Republicans — objected to the tactic. They said they had never before received hundreds of e-mails from all over the nation, and even the world, on a bill.
So they struck back. MORE POLITICAL NEWS
See all our political coverage
The Political Fix keeps you on top of local, state and national politics.
Shoss received calls at her home from offices in the Capitol, taunting her and making "neighing" voices into the phone. One caller sang a version of the theme song from "Mr. Ed." A number of the calls came late at night.
Some legislators programmed their e-mail systems to forward any message containing the word "horse" to Shoss. And some told the activist that they would consider passing the bill out of spite.
"I would think that some people who voted against it previously might change their vote," said Rep. Michael Frame, D-Eureka.
The response of elected officials has left the experienced activist dumbfounded. Even when her organization got involved in the high-profile animal abuse case of NFL quarterback Michael Vick, she had never seen such a vitriolic reaction.
The late-night, anonymous phone calls led Shoss to file a harassment complaint last week with the University City Police Department.
The calls stopped, she said, after the Post-Dispatch started asking lawmakers about them.
Frame is one of the lawmakers who awoke March 22 to a full e-mail box urging him to oppose legislation — pushed by Rep. Jim Viebrock, R-Republic — allowing a horse slaughterhouse in Missouri
The bill would seek to bypass the ban on using federal funds for horse meat inspection by allowing state officials to collect fees and pass them on to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. There are no horse slaughter plants in the U.S., but the meat is considered a delicacy in some countries.
Proponents argue the bill would create a market for horses that are otherwise abused or neglected. Shoss and other opponents argue that Americans don't want to eat horse meat and that the slaughter process is inhumane.
Frame is against the bill, but he said he understands the seething anger felt by some of his colleagues who faced the onslaught of e-mails from as far away as Spain and Australia.
"I spent two hours before even getting to the office doing nothing but deleting those e-mails," Frame said. "Almost none of them were from Missouri. I was as mad as I can be."
Frame was mad enough to call Shoss and give her a piece of her mind. He was one of the few lawmakers to reveal his name, Shoss said.
Other lawmakers chose to respond to Shoss and her fellow activists via e-mail.
"It's so fun to piss you wackos off," wrote Rep. Casey Guernsey, R-Bethany, to one activist from his private e-mail account. "You're lucky I even acknowledge your existence. It's so much fun to taunt people like you — ha! Tell me, is it truly liberating to be so incredibly clueless?"
Guernsey said he heard about some of the phone calls made to Shoss but said he didn't make any of them.
"I e-mailed her and asked her to stop," he said.
Several lawmakers chuckled when asked by the Post-Dispatch about the calls made to Shoss, and some said they thought they knew who made them, but none said they were involved.
The way Guernsey and some of his colleagues see it, they shouldn't have to respond to lobbying on issues from people outside their district. And having to wade through all the e-mails to see whether any are from constituents is a waste of time, he said.
"If they're from Missouri and they have some dog in the fight, that's one thing," Guernsey said.
Shoss said she thinks that attitude is shortsighted.
If horse slaughterhouses were to open in Missouri — which is unlikely, even if Viebrock's bill were to pass — that would affect horses everywhere, she argued.
Shoss is a freelance graphic designer who also does work in advertising. Her e-mail pleas are generally fact-based and not particularly emotional. She directs Kinship Circle, which she founded, as a volunteer. The group also has a volunteer board.
Shoss is a former officer of the St. Louis Animal Rights Team who has also advocated against puppy mills, cockfighting and the poisoning of urban pigeons.
By their nature, animal activists are persistent, Shoss said. She concedes that flooding someone's e-mail box with messages is "inconvenient," but says legislators overreacted.
"Maybe Missouri lawmakers just didn't know how organized and passionate we are," Shoss said.
Shoss' current group has coordinated pig rescues during flooding in Iowa and most recently has been involved in animal rescue following devastating earthquakes in Haiti and Chile.
Other animal activists say that what Kinship Circle does is no different than other political groups that flood lawmakers with e-mail.
"This is the first time I've ever heard of any state legislature reacting so negatively. It's kind of shocking" said Susan Trout of Born Free USA, a national wildlife advocacy organization.
Trout was recently asked to serve on Kinship Circle's board, and she said the group has a good reputation. Trout also said that most animal activist groups, like many political advocacy groups, participate in similar e-mail campaigns all the time.
The House passed Viebrock's bill in a voice vote Monday. It needs one more House vote to go to the Senate.
Shoss said she was shocked by the suggestion that some lawmakers might vote for a bill simply because they didn't like the way her group opposed it.
"They're going to pass a bill to get back at me?" she said. "That's just scary."
Write a letter to the editors | Subscribe to a newsletter | Subscribe to the newspaper
Read the latest news stories | View all P-D stories from the last 7 days
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/politics/story/529B03467DF1C29A862576F800175189?OpenDocument
Animal Cruelty "Artist" Tatooing Pigs
Click on title above for petition;
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/petition/331861667
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/petition/331861667
China Dogs (and Cats) NO MORE!
Click on title above to see vid about Chinas HORROFIC Dog & Cat meat trade;
by Kasperay Ray - a Champion for Animals and the Lord.
WARNING: Graphic
Bill Extending Animal Cruelty to Livestock Stalls in Tennesee
WPLN News
Wednesday, March 31st, 2010, by Jacqueline Fellows
Tennessee lawmakers refused to make abusing farm animals a felony.
News coverage of half-starved horses, seized by humane groups in the mid-state, were behind a proposed law to make it a felony to intentionally abuse a livestock animal.
It’s already a felony to treat a companion animal, like a dog or cat, with such “aggravated cruelty.” One example would be failing to feed the animal until it is at risk of dying.
Leighann McCollum, a lobbyist for the Humane Society of the U.S., says her group will continue to try to pass the bill in Tennessee.
“We’re not deterred at all; we plan on bringing this bill back next year. Had a tremendous amount of support from the public, as well as the agricultural community.”
Nashville Representative Janis Sontany took the bill before the House Agriculture Committee for three straight weeks. At the end, it failed to even get a motion.
http://wpln.org/?p=16259
Wednesday, March 31st, 2010, by Jacqueline Fellows
Tennessee lawmakers refused to make abusing farm animals a felony.
News coverage of half-starved horses, seized by humane groups in the mid-state, were behind a proposed law to make it a felony to intentionally abuse a livestock animal.
It’s already a felony to treat a companion animal, like a dog or cat, with such “aggravated cruelty.” One example would be failing to feed the animal until it is at risk of dying.
Leighann McCollum, a lobbyist for the Humane Society of the U.S., says her group will continue to try to pass the bill in Tennessee.
“We’re not deterred at all; we plan on bringing this bill back next year. Had a tremendous amount of support from the public, as well as the agricultural community.”
Nashville Representative Janis Sontany took the bill before the House Agriculture Committee for three straight weeks. At the end, it failed to even get a motion.
http://wpln.org/?p=16259
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