A n i m a l   W r i t e s © sm

The official ANIMAL RIGHTS ONLINE newsletter

  

 

 

    Publisher   ~ EnglandGal@aol.com                                           Issue # 02/23/00

        Editor    ~ JJswans@aol.com

    Journalists ~ PrkStRangr@aol.com

                     ~ MRivera008@aol.com

                     ~ SavingLife@aol.com

 

 

    THE TEN ARTICLES IN THIS ISSUE ARE:

  

    1  ~ The Rest of the Story by MRivera008@aol.com

    2  ~ Keep Animals Out of Florida State Fair by KMBwolf@aol.com

    3  ~ HSUS & Fund For Animals Call For Apology

    4  ~ $10,000 Reward For Stolen Labrador Retriever

    5  ~ Youth Activist Training

    6  ~ Save Rockledge's Gopher Tortoises

    7  ~ Animal Rights Symposium

    8  ~ Tuna Noodle Casserole Veganized!

    9  ~ The Millionth Execution

   10 ~ Quote To Remember

  

 

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The Rest of the Story

by MRivera008@aol.com

 

In a recent Animal Writes article, I wrote about situations in which dogs may bite and our reaction to them.  In this follow-up piece, I would like to share some facts about avoiding dog bites that I learned during animal control officer training.

 

There are many lists circulating that purport to identify the “top ten biting dogs”.  I think these lists do a great disservice to dogs and humans alike.  Any dog will bite.  Any dog can and will bite at any time.  To believe that the dog you are dealing with won’t bite you, because his breed isn’t listed, is to invite trouble.  Strangely enough, these lists change from year to year, probably based on the popularity of any one breed, at any time.  For example, there was quite a stir when it was revealed that Golden Retrievers were among the top ten biting dogs.  Upon further inspection, we learn that Goldens were also among the most popular for that year.  More Goldens = more reports of bites by Goldens.  Makes sense.  There are many breeds that get a bad rap simply for being.  Doberman Pinschers, Rottweilers, Akitas, Chow Chows or American Staffordshire Terriers all have reputations to live down.  The true nature of the dog lies in his or her genetics, not her breed.  If her genes are descended from dogs that bite out of fear, anxiety or just plain meanness, then she’ll bite too.  If she is genetically predisposed to benevolence, then she’s gentle unless she is carefully trained to be aggressive.  Some people train aggressiveness by design, others by ignorance, but the end result is still the same.

 

Having said all that, here is the lowdown on how to avoid being bitten.  There are telltale signs, body language at its best, that you will observe when a dog is about to bite.  The dog will have his head up, eyes staring you down, his ears will be erect, body very tense. His tail is usually held erect, or could be wagging in a nervous gesture, the dog will stiffen when touched or approached.  Sometimes a dog will growl, but not always.  It isn’t a scientific fact, but large dogs usually send out signals when they are agitated, whereas small dogs usually don’t.  A Chihuahua or Lhasa will simply just snap and that’s that.  Big dogs give you time to react, little dogs usually do not.  Most people who work with strange dogs will tell you they almost always prefer working with big dogs to small ones for that very reason.

 

But what is your reaction?  What should you do when you know you are about to be attacked?  Try to stay calm, which sounds like a pretty stupid statement under the circumstances, but the fact is, if you pretend you are in control, it will go a long way toward psyching out the dog.  Assume an air of being in charge, in essence, the Alpha, and you have a much better chance of winning this contest.  It may be an act, but the dog doesn’t know that!  Keep the animal in view, but avoid direct eye contact.  Dogs in the wild, when they are looking for a fight, stare down their opponent.  If you look the dog directly in the eye, he will interpret this as a challenge. 

 

During a disaster-preparedness training session, the instructor told the story of how so often Animal Control Officers (ACO’s) will be called to the scene of a situation involving an angry dog.  The scene, as he described it, is pretty comical.  The ACO arrives to find several big, brave macho cops atop their patrol cars, weapons drawn, surrounding an angry pit bull who has them all at bay.  A pretty, petite blonde-haired, blue-eyed ACO shows up and proceeds to exit her truck.  As the police officers shout at her to “stay back”, she comes within a few feet of the dog, squats to the dogs level, looks off into the distance and pats the ground, all the while chattering “happy talk” to the dog.  The dog happily trots over to her, tail wagging, and she leads him away to her truck, leaving the astonished law-enforcement officers to wonder how they were outsmarted by a lowly dog-catcher! 

 

The dynamics of what has just happened here are pretty simple, the ACO didn’t challenge the dog.  She assumed an air of being “in charge”, she didn’t look the dog in the eye, she acted as if there was nothing wrong, and the dog followed her lead.  Had the dog not fallen for the “happy talk”, the ACO could have still won him over by assuming a commanding presence, using soft, low tones (simulating the growl of an Alpha wolf) and offered her clipboard or bite stick for him to bite while she positioned her catch pole around her neck.  

 

We have all seen little puppies who “mouth” the arm of the nearest person.  They do this to calm themselves.  Biting calms the dog, and you may be able to get him to calm down enough just by offering something to bite. 

 

In an episode of E.R. a few seasons back, Dr. Mark Green came upon a person in a car who needed medical assistance.  But there was a dog in the car, and the dog, understandably, wouldn’t allow anyone near.  After a few tense moments, Dr. Green held out an object, like a brace or crutch, and the dog bit the object.  Keeping his mouth on the object, the dog was gently “led” away from the car so the paramedics could get in.  I was thrilled to see that what I had been taught in officer training was demonstrated on a television show with such precision and success!

 

The old adage about not running still holds true.  Dogs will give chase, but standing still is usually pretty hard to endure.  The best advice is to back away slowly, always facing the animal.  Try to put a barrier between you.  Anything that you can place between you and the dog should be immediately pressed into service.  A chair works great in this situation but you may also want to consider your HMO manager, your collection of Barry Manilow records, a vacuum cleaner, or a small city. 

 

The best advice is, as always, to avoid a situation where you are likely to become involved in an altercation with an angry dog.  But if you have managed to really piss off one of your canine friends and he isn’t falling for the “Mommy has a cookie” trick, remember these four things:  never look the dog in the eye; become the ALPHA: LARGE AND IN CHARGE; offer ‘em something (other than your appendage) to bite; and put something between you and the dog.  Good luck, we’ll be right behind you!

  

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Keep Animals Out of Florida State Fair

by KMBWolf@aol.com

 

The annual Florida State Fair has for years used animals in their entertainment events. Animals are forced to perform in front of humans in uncomfortable situations.

 

Some of the several events include:

 

* Bee Bearded Man -- Endangering the lives of the bees if they feel the need to sting

 

* BULL-ennium 2000 -- A rodeo-like event exploiting and torturing bulls, calves, and steer

 

* Insect Encounter -- "Petting zoo" for insects and arachnids

 

* Milk a Cow -- Where the inexperienced get to yank and pull at cow's udders for entertainment

 

* Mooternity Ward -- Pregnant cows giving birth in front of an audience

 

* Ugliest Chicken Contest -- Exploiting chickens in front of audiences, making light of the actual plight of chickens

 

* Baboon Lagoon -- "The largest group of performing primates in the world", consisting of 9 baboons and "their jungle friends"

 

* Wynn's Petting Zoo -- Baby and adult farm animals touched and fondled by visitors, including children who tend to be rough around animals

 

* Spectacular Bengal Tiger Show -- Tigers forced to dance and entertain an audience

 

* The Welde Bear Show -- 5 bears performing tricks for visitors

 

* Rosaire's Royal Racers -- Pigs forced to race against each other

 

...and much more...

 

The fair glorifies dairy farmers, keeping the truth of how animals are really treated. Based on the scheduled events, this fair teaches that animals are entertaining objects, things to laugh at.

 

The fair has a number of sponsors, including

 

   -Pepsi

   -Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

   -Dairy Farmers, Inc,

   -Pantene

   -Planters Peanuts

   -Vicks VapoRub

 

Please call the Florida State Fair Authority and tell them to take the animals out of their fair, and tell them why you are upset:   1-800-345-FAIR

 

Also, please contact the sponsorship executive and let her know that some of her sponsors are not animal friendly:

 

  Emily Howell

  Senior Sponsorship Executive

  howelle@doacs.state.fl.us

  (813) 627-4227

  Fax: (813) 740-3505

 

To see the list of events in its entirety, visit their website:

 

http://www.floridastatefair.com/fair_contact_info.html

 

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HSUS & Fund For Animals Call For Apology

 

WASHINGTON - Today [February 16], The Humane Society of the United States and The Fund for Animals called on State Representative Ronald W. Gauch to publicly apologize for his false charge that a photograph included in an advertisement about trapping in the Boston Globe was a "fabrication."  Gauch, who has led the effort in the State House to repeal voter-approved Question 1 and reinstate the use of inhumane and indiscriminate body-gripping traps in the Commonwealth, issued a press statement calling an advertisement from The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and The Fund for Animals (The Fund) a fraud.  The HSUS and The Fund ran the ad in The Boston Globe on February 3, in anticipation of a Senate vote on a modified version of the Gauch bill to weaken Question 1.  Voters approved Question 1 in a landslide vote in November 1996, favoring it with a 64 percent majority.

 

"Representative Gauch has violated the public trust by using his office to make false and scurrilous charges against reputable animal protection organizations," states Wayne Pacelle, a senior vice president of The Humane Society of the United States.  "In the process, he has damaged his credibility and cast even greater doubt about his effort to substitute his judgment for that of 1.4 million voters who approved Question 1 and sought to ban inhumane traps."

 

"The fact is, family pets and wildlife are caught in inhumane and indiscriminate traps," adds Michael Markarian, executive vice president of The Fund for Animals.  "Laddie, the animal pictured in our advertisement, was just one of many victims caught in the deadly grip of a Conibear trap."

 

Just days after Gauch made his charge about the authenticity of the photo, the reporter who covered the original incident wrote a column entitled "I remember Laddie."  Also, the owner of Laddie, Patricia Cotter of South Natick, wrote, "This was not fraud.  This was a very sad experience in our family.  Laddie was never the same.  The right side of his head was severely affected...as was his hearing."

 

A statewide poll conducted in early February by Opinion Dynamics revealed that 64 percent of voters oppose any legislation to allow the use of body-gripping traps to kill muskrats and beavers.  "Despite propaganda from Gauch and other longtime critics of Question 1, there has been absolutely no attrition in public support for Question 1.  Legislators should respect the will of the people, and not follow the lead of legislators prone to make reckless charges," concludes Pacelle of The HSUS.

 

The Humane Society of the United States and The Fund for Animals were two primary backers of Question 1.

 

Source: Michael Markarian <mmarkarian@fund.org>

 

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$10,000 Reward For Stolen Labrador Retriever

 

My name is Dewayne Eubanks.  I am a neurosurgeon, conservationist, dog lover, horseman and all -'round country boy.  I was brought up to believe in caring for the animals that we own and I love my 4 year old black Lab, Rebel, like my kids.  He was stolen from my home on Dec 18, 1999.  I have solid information that he was taken by (or for) a nearby "buncher" who sells dogs to research facilities.  I am working on proving it. For now, I am working very hard to get him back, realizing that it is extremely unlikely. 

 

He is a 70 # male, has a tattoo on inner thigh (but it is EXTREMELY hard to see), and a HOME AGAIN MICROCHIP implanted.  He is a typical black lab, with no white patch anywhere.  Close inspection will reveal scattered INDIVIDUAL white hairs, especially in the neck/chest area.  He had cut his left rear leg (inside "knee") about two weeks before being stolen and had two staples in place when he was taken.  He has also had the right foreleg sewn up last year.  He has a seizure disorder and in hot weather will have a heat stroke if not carefully watched.  He carries his tail curled up over his back (like an Akita) when he is happy.

 

My home on County Road 464 in Jonesboro, AR.  The thieves are believed to have been in an older car, dilapidated, and probably 2 men. They were seen in an old, grayish midsize car (?Ford?) working this area again a few days later.  I have not found out for certain if he was sold to a puppy mill, black market trainer, or (worse case scenario) a research facility.  I know that USDA regulations require labs to refuse any animal that is chipped or tattooed, but I have been told that this is routinely ignored.  I know that there are only 60 inspectors for the entire country to try to enforce the Animal Welfare Act.

 

My goal is to post this notice on every animal Website that I can find and send it to every USDA licensed Class "A" and Class "B" animal dealer and every licensed research facility, vet school and medical school in the country.  I would appreciate it if you could keep your eyes open for my friend.  I will pay $3000 dollars for his safe return, no questions asked. I will pay $7000 MORE for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the thieves and others involved in the conspiracy.

 

If you are a research facility and have received this notice, I beg you to CAREFULLY check your animals for implanted chips (all brands) and tattoos.  As a neurosurgeon, I support animal research for worthwhile purposes when the data cannot be acquired any other way and when the animals are PROPERLY PROCURED and properly cared for -- but NOT WHEN THEY ARE OUR PETS THAT HAVE BEEN STOLEN.  Two months ago, I had no idea that there was such a vast network of criminal activity in this area but I have learned volumes lately about the seedy underbelly of animal procurement.  I am planning a Website specifically devoted to the problem of stolen animals, making public the incredible evidence that I have uncovered in only 6 weeks as well as serving as a database for others who have had pets stolen.  Please feel free to forward this to anyone or anywhere you wish.  If you would like to be notified when the Website is up and going, please forward to me your e-mail address.

 

  Thank You.

  K. Dewayne Eubanks, M.D.

  Jonesboro, AR

  SkyDoc314@aol.com

  870-931-5511  (home), 870-931-5599  (fax)

 

Please pass this on to anyone you can think of who would be able to help.

 

Source: info@uan.org (UNITED ANIMAL NATIONS)

 

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Youth Activist Training

 

The Center for Environmental Citizenship and the League of Conservation Voters Education Fund will be holding 6-day training for youth activists in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington DC this summer. The "Summer Training Academies" will teach youth activists organizing and political skills to protect the environment.  As someone who was at one of the training last year, it is certainly the best training I've ever received (and I've been an activist for nearly half my life).

 

There will also be an Environmental Journalism Academy to teach students to use journalism to protect the environment. Learn about how to report, research, and get action out of your stories. The EJA will also be in the summer, and it will be in Washington, DC.

 

All these academies are taught by top-notch trainers and feature well-known activists as its guest trainers and speakers. Check out their website for more information and applications, www.envirocitizen.org Apply NOW!

 

If you would like more info on CEC (besides checking out their website), check out E Magazine's feature on CEC and one of its programs, Campus Green Vote,  http://www.emagazine.com/november-december_1999/1199curr_seeds.html

 

Source: Wackko8281@aol.com

 

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Save Rockledge's Gopher Tortoises

 

Please voice your concerns to Rockledge City Hall 690-3978

            and Florida Game and Fish Commission (352) 955-2330. 

            Call Earl Jacobs if you can help 504-3668.

 

In March, the city of Rockledge plans to begin construction of phase one on their new community sports park where they plan to level 35 acres of pine flatwoods and bulldoze over 50 gopher tortoise burrows.  The city plans to bury alive this large population of tortoises that will slowly suffocate or starve to death.  Most of the tortoises are concentrated in a small area near the eastern border.  No considerations were made in the design to protect the gopher tortoises and their habitat.  Rockledge is now applying for an Incidental Take Permit that will legally allow them to destroy their natural habitat and kill the tortoises.  The gopher tortoises cannot be relocated because they carry a common contagious infection known as Upper Respiratory Tract Disease, URTD.  Glatting Jackson, the consulting and planning firm for the city, misled the Rockledge city council by telling them that URTD is fatal and compared it to AIDS.  When in fact, the mortality rate is not known.  URTD is a bacterial infection and gopher tortoises can recover from the illness.  URTD is no justification for killing gopher tortoises.

 

The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) population has been reduced 80% in the last 100 years by rampant urbanization.  In Florida it is listed as a "species of special concern".  Ecologists consider it a keystone species because their large burrows provide shelter for over 358 species.  Gopher tortoises can live 40 to 60 years.  Rockledge needs to change it's plans for the park so that the tortoises and their habitat are preserved.

 

Source: John.E.Cielukowski@jci.com

 

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Animal Rights Symposium

 

Sponsor: The Alliance For Animals in Virginia

Date:    Virginia's 14th Animal Rights Symposium, Sat. March 25, 2000

Place: Norfolk Airport Hilton, Norfolk, VA.

Registration fee:  $25.00; Students $15.00

Checks payable to: Alliance for Animals in Virginia, P.O. Box 68065

            Virginia Beach, VA 23471

            * Five excellent speakers, merchandise and literature.

            * Payment in advance required by 21 March.

For information: Doreen Dykes: Tel. (757) 464-5284; Fax (757) 554-0982

 

Source: rosenb1@juno.com (Bettylou Rosen)

 

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Tuna Noodle Casserole Veganized!

by Scott - sfrizz@hotmail.com

 

Just wanted to let you know that I successfully veganized Tuna Noodle casserole the following way:

 

I used Rokeach mushroom soup (no dairy and it's 100% vegetarian). It has the taste and texture of cream of mushroom soup, only it is dark brown in color which is easily remedied with the addition of Edensoy original soymilk or that and tofu sour cream (Tofutti's Sour Supreme).  The "tuna" is drained, canned chickpeas which I put in the blender blade bowl of a food processor and pulsed until it had the ground flakiness of tuna.

 

For the "egg" noodles, I used "Light and fluffy" macaroni dumplings

 

Mix 2-3 cans of the soup (and a little soymilk if using it) with the cooked dumplings and the ground chickpeas and bake in the oven at 350-400 until heated through and presto! You'll never need tuna again. You can even put some Tofutti vegan American cheeze slices on top which are vegan.

 

Enjoy! ( I found the soup at Murray Ave. Kosher. I imagine the kosher section of a lot of grocery stores would carry the Rokeach line.)

 

<> <> <> <> <> <> <>

 

Postscript by Animal Rights Online Vegan Cooking expert, VegeTexan@aol.com

 

I like to add some diced onion and celery to my tu-No casserole.  Many health food stores carry pastas that are not made with eggs, including ribbon noodles which would work well in this recipe if you can't find the macaroni dumplings.  Vegan mushroom soup can be made from scratch if you can't find the brand Scott suggested.  Cook minced mushrooms (portabello mushrooms have a lot of flavor) in a neutral tasting milk alternative, oatmilk or a soymilk like Edensoy original, don't use vanilla flavored) and add a bit of cornstarch or whole wheat flour to thicken.  There are also at least two tuna substitutes available in cans called Tuno, one from Loma Linda and one from Worthington, but they are a bit salty and oily.  But hey, if that bothers you, just think back to the last time you had sex on the beach....not so bad anymore is it?

 

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The Millionth Execution

 

Gentle spirit, let me lay

cheek on furry breast

Let my tear wet tender paw

Before your skin they wrest

 

Let me ease your suffering

the moment that you go

to be hung, to be scourged

Korean song of woe

 

Gentle spirit, rock with me

through our silent night

let us sneak together off

Escape the bully's bite

 

Your pain is mine, I lay my cheek

upon your battered breast

bone of dog, whisk' of cat

In you I pass love's test.

 

2000 Written By Diana Morton

Email: tapster@mindspring.com

 

www.koreananimals.org

 

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Quote To Remember

 

  "But for the sake of some little mouthful of flesh, we deprive a soul of the sun

            and light and of that proportion of life and time it had been born into the

            world to enjoy."

                                                                        -Plutarch

 

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>

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