A
n i m a l W r i t e s ©
sm
The official ANIMAL RIGHTS ONLINE newsletter
Established 1997
Editor ~ JJswans@aol.com
Issue # 06/20/04
Publisher
~ Susan Roghair - EnglandGal@aol.com
Journalists ~ Greg Lawson -
ParkStRanger@aol.com
~ Michelle Rivera -
MichelleRivera1@aol.com
THE ARTICLES IN THIS ISSUE ARE:
1 ~ Those Of You Without Sin Cast The First Stone: Judgementalism and
Shaming in The Animal Rights
Community
2 ~ Dolphin Freedom Haiti
3 ~ Win-Win-Win
4 ~ Free Puppymill Education CDs
5 ~ Finally, Some Rodeo Justice
6 ~ When Your Dog Becomes Vicious
7 ~ Destiny Of My Skin
6 ~ Memorable Quote
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~1~
Those Of You Without Sin Cast The First Stone:
Judgementalism and Shaming in The Animal Rights Community
By Stephanie L. Weiss Ph.D
- PsychSLW@aol.com
First off, I would like to congratulate Michelle Rivera on
organizing a wonderful, informative conference in Palm Beach Gardens yesterday,
June 12, 2004. The speakers were articulate, admirable and educational in their
speeches. The food was delicious too!
One of the speakers, Captain Fred Mascaro, a warm compassionate animal guardian
in his personal life and a strong advocate for animals in his work, delivered a
heartfelt presentation about his love for animals that stirred the audience to
tears, and he shed quite a few of his own. When the floor was opened up for
questions, I found myself shocked, disturbed and ashamed of being part of the
group among which I sat. Two women began attacking Mr. Mascaro for owning
pedigreed dogs instead of getting them from the pound. This became the focus of
the question and answer section, and this well meaning man's pain at being
attacked and shamed, was visible. He was already vulnerable from talking about
the bond between animals and humans that has deeply touched his life, and then
arrows were being slung at him for buying his dogs from a store.
The ironic part of this is that there were milk and egg products on the menu,
therefore the participants who ate these were contributing the forced molting,
forced lactation, and numerous other crimes perpetuated by the factory farm
industry. Brings to mind the saying, "Those of you who are without sin
cast the first stone." If the women who addressed this with him as he
stood bearing his heart at the podium had a modicum of insight and empathy for
this human being, they would have sensed his pain and either held their tongues
or addressed him privately about their feelings about the sale of pedigreed
pets. He is a public figure and finding out how to reach him is very easy. I
found his number myself, and called him to express my support and address the
insensitive treatment he received as a guest at the conference.
This is the very behavior that alienates people from joining animal rights
groups. Animal Rights People sometimes forget that humans are part of the
animal community too. They are not perfect. When a human animal is good and
well meaning and trying hard to please, as Mr. Mascaro obviously was, how can
we in good conscience publicly slap him with a newspaper because he wasn't what
might be considered perfect in all of his choices? Shouldn't we offer our
fellow humans the same understanding and gentleness that we offer our animal
companions?
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~2~
Dolphin Freedom Haiti
The spirit needs some good news from time to time, so here 'tis.
Please check out the link below. It has a great video of the dolphin release in
Haiti.
Go to: www.dolphinproject.org/?pageid=29070
THE BRAVE NEW GOVERNMENT OF HAITI SAYS NO TO DOLPHIN EXPLOITATION:
"Haiti wants to promote eco-tourism. We don't want tourists to come here
and look at animals that are suffering. We already have so much suffering, we
don't want to promote that kind of tourism," says Mr. Yves-André
Wainright, the secretary of State for the Environment.
Read the whole story here:
http://www.onevoice-ear.org/english/campaigns/marine_mammals/free.html
IF YOU WANT TO SEND A THANK YOU LETTER TO THE AUTHORITIES FOR RELEASING THE SIX
DOLPHINS AND SIX SEA TURTLES, PLEASE SEND IT BY REGULAR MAIL TO:
Monsieur Philippe Mathieu
Ministère de l'Agriculture
Damien Route Nationale #1
Port-au-Prince
Haïti
Monsieur Yves-André Wainright
Ministère de l'Environnement
181, Haut Turgeau
Port-au-Prince
Haïti
Richard O'Barry
Marine Mammal Specialist
One Voice - Miami
phone/fax: 305-6681619
e-mail: ricobarry@bellsouth.net
www.onevoice-ear.org
www.dolphinproject.org
Helene O'Barry
Field Correspondent
ONE VOICE
France
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~3~
Win-Win-Win
From Ruby Gochie -
7thstop@earthlink.net
FUNDRAISING - This new fundraising plan, available to shelters,
rescues, and individuals, can be found at www.healthypetnet.com/7thstop/
The Win-Win-Win- fund Raising Program gives your contributors an opportunity to
feed their pets a premium health food and help save other pets lives, while
your organization earns an ongoing income.
I know fundraising is a challenge you face on a daily basis. HealthyPetNet has
created a simple and effective vehicle for your fundraising needs....offer your
contributors a full line of holistic premium pet products and pet foods and
generate ongoing income. It's a Win-Win-Win for everyone!
Your organization Wins!
you reap ongoing income
you reap the benefits of virtually no competition with other fundraiser
Non-Profits
you get a FREE starter kit
you get a FREE E commerce Web site
you get FREE annual distributor renewal fee
you get FREE customer Service and FREE informed technical staff to assist you
have NO monthly sales qualifications
you have NO stocking of products
you have NO inventory. Products are delivered right to your contributors door.
Your contributors Win
they buy premium products
they support your organization
they get a product they need, not candy, magazines.
delivered to their door!
peace of mind in knowing they are giving their pets the best
contributors have NO RISK, products have a full money back guarantee
Every Pet Wins
pets get superior products that can help them live a healthier, happier, and
longer life
HPN is dedicated to making a difference in pets lives
all products are formulated to be safe, wholesome and effective
all products are manufactured with the highest standards
all products are formulated by Dr. Jane Bicks a highly respected and nationally
recognized holistic veterinarian
You’re not alone
HPN sponsors support assistance is available everyday
online support
corporate support
marketing support
technical support
field support
We will help you maximize your fund raising efforts
your sponsor will help identify a key person in your organization to lead HPN
fundraising efforts
your sponsor will help you set up your web site, which will enable you to widen
your promotional efforts plus provide you contributors with a convenient way to
order anytime
7th STOP
Sharing Treatment Of Pets & People
Ruby Gochie 4-H Leader/HPN fundraiser
(434)-753-3716
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~4~
Free Puppymill Education CDs
There are hundreds of thousands of dogs suffering in commercial
kennels across this country. They are kept in small cages for their entire
lives. They are bred every time they come into season from six months on -
twice a year every year, year after year after year. They freeze in the winter
with no heat and swelter in the summer. These dogs never know a loving touch.
Never have a single toy. Never have a soft bed or a treat.
Commercial kennels breed dogs to sell to pet stores. If every person in this
country stopped buying dogs in pet stores, the commercial kennels would go out
of business and the puppymills would end. Please tell everyone you know about
the connection between pet stores and puppymills.
Help Spread the Word
Hearts United for Animals has just created an educational CD about commercial
kennels. On the CD you will find a twenty minute movie and information about
how to help the dogs in the kennels. We hope that people will show the movie at
presentations to educate the public about commercial kennels. Or you can set
the movie up to play on a laptop computer and put it at an adoption fair or at
a business - let it play over and over. It will attract a crowd. You could show
it at a boy/girl scout meeting, a school class, a social club, rescue meetings,
shelter functions or church groups. It's great for kids to learn about
commercial kennels and educate their friends - a powerful show and tell. Or
give one to someone who is not informed about puppymills.
Host a Presentation
The CDs require Quick Time to play so only play on computers not tvs. (This is
not a high production value movie from Hollywood!) You can play it on any
computer - we would recommend a large screen monitor. Or you can use a digital
projector and project it on a screen. Quick Time is on the CD or you can
download it for free from the www.apple.com
website. For a limited time, we are giving these CDs away at no charge. You
have to pay a packing and shipping charge of 3 dollars. They are limited to one
per customer. To order go to our store - http://www.nexternal.com/tss.
Click on Prisoners of Greed. You don't have to order anything else from the
store. Of course if you see something you like, we would appreciate any order
to help offset the cost of creating and donating these CDs. Discount coupons
for dog lovers are available.
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~5~
Finally, Some Rodeo Justice
By Steve Hindi - Sharkintl@aol.com
I am happy to announce that Tuesday, June 15, two Illinois rodeo
stock contractors pled guilty to misdemeanor animal cruelty stemming from a
rodeo documented by SHARK investigators Mike Kobliska, my daughter Eva and
myself.
The rodeo took place in Morris, Illinois last September. We actually documented
about a half dozen rodeo goons shocking animals but most were apparently from
other states and escaped prosecution. Nonetheless, this should send a very
clear message to the Rodeo Mafia that things are changing in Illinois.
I am especially proud of my daughter Eva for persisting in her efforts to help
rodeo victims, since she was the victim of a cowardly act of violence from a
rodeo thug back in 2002. Then 11-year-old Eva was repeatedly bumped while she
attempted to videotape a rodeo in Charleston, Illinois. This shook her up
pretty bad for a while, but she didn't let it stop her. Eva actually took some
of the Morris rodeo footage, and now her efforts have paid off.
Here is an irony; one of the guilty stock contractors – Michael Latting – is a
high school principal when he isn't zapping bulls with a few thousand volts of
juice. Isn't that special? What kind of example is he setting?!
According to the Grundy County State's Attorney's Office, Michael Latting and
Juaquin Santos pled guilty to illegally shocking bulls in the chute at the Big
Bucks Rodeo in Morris, Illinois last September. Each received six months court
supervision and were fined $300.00. Further violations can bring in higher fines
and possible jail time.
Ideally, SHARK would have liked to see both men barred from participating in or
attending any future rodeos, but we realize that was only wishful thinking.
Please express your appreciation to the Grundy County State's Attorney for
pursuing this case and recognizing the blatant animal cruelty.
Sheldon Sobol
111 E. Washington Street
Morris, IL 60450
Fax: 815-942-0142
Please also thank Carrol Imig, Bureau Chief of Animal Welfare at the Illinois
Department of Agriculture. Without Mr. Imig's cooperation, this case would have
never gotten off the ground.
Carrol Imig
Illinois Department of Agriculture
Bureau of Animal Welfare
State Fairgrounds - PO Box 19281
Springfield, Illinois 62794-9281
Phone (In IL): 1-800-273-4763
Phone (Outside IL): 217-782-6657
Fax: 217-524-7702
E-mail: cimig@agr.state.il.us
Thanks to your calls and letters, this case was taken seriously, and we thank
you! You can be sure that SHARK will be attending many rodeos again this summer
to expose more animal abusers, so please let us know if you are interested in
helping SHARK end rodeo animal cruelty!
Below is the text from an article that ran today in the Kankakee Daily Journal.
Unfortunately, we could not download the article from the website.
For the Animals,
Steve Hindi
SHARK
Sharkintl@aol.com
www.sharkonline.org
Latting pleads guilty to cruelty
Morris - St. Anne rodeo producer Mike Latting pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor
charge of animal cruelty Wednesday in circuit court at Morris.
Latting was fined $300 and sentenced to six months court supervision.
Charges were brought against Latting following an incident last fall at a
Morris rodeo.
Videotape evidence provided by animal rights activist Steve Hindi showed
electric prods being used to agitate bulls in the chutes prior to an event.
Latting, who provided livestock for the rodeo, and fellow bull owner Juaquin
Santos of Indiana were both charged in what is believed to be the first
rodeo-related case of animal cruelty in Illinois.
Latting, who is principal at Donovan High School, was not available for comment
today. He had denied the accusations last April but refused to comment on the
case in The Journal. Santos also denied the charges.
Hindi, president of Showing Animals Respect and Kindness, spurred state
officials three years ago to take steps ensuring better treatment of animals at
rodeo. He and others used videotapes to record alleged abuse at the National
High School Finals Rodeo held July 2000 in Springfield.
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~6~
When Your Dog Becomes Vicious
By Amy Blaymore Paterson
Animal Legal Defense Fund
http://www.aldf.org/packets/vicious.html
A dog bite can be traumatic for all concerned. If your dog does
the dirty deed, and you are sued, a familiarity with the rules governing dogs
and their owners is essential before responding to legal action.
Can you be sued?
In most states, you, as the dog owner, are financially responsible for damages
caused by your companion animal.
What is the basis of the lawsuit?
The three most common bases are: a dog bite statute, the common law rule, or
ordinary negligence.
1) Dog Bite Statutes. Laws in
numerous stares impose "strict liability"; that means the owner is
held responsible. regardless of whether he or she was at fault. The effect of
these statutes, however, may be mitigated by the conduct of the victim-i.e., if
they were trespassing, or teasing, tormenting or provoking the animal. (See
owner's defenses, below).
2) The Common Law Rule. In addition
to statutes, the courts have developed a system of rules called the
"common law". The common law imposes liability on a dog owner if the
owner knew the dog was inclined to be dangerous to people and had a tendency to
cause the type of injury that was, in fact, suffered.
3) Negligence. Under the negligence
theory, the victim must prove that the owner's careless behavior in handling or
controlling the dog directly caused the injury.
What type of damages are available?
In most personal injury lawsuits, the victim may be compensated for medical
bills and, if relevant, for lost wages as well as damage to property. If the
owner's conduct was outrageous or the dog had injured someone previously, the
owner may be liable for punitive damages. Damages for pain and suffering,
although more difficult to assess. may also be recovered. However. the extent
and value of the damages must be proven by the bite victim.
Does the dog owner have any legal
defenses?
Available defenses will vary according to the state in which you are sued and
the theories under which you are sued You may successfully defend such a
lawsuit if you can prove that: the bite victim was trespassing: the victim's
own negligence contributed to his injures; the victim provoked the dog into
attacking: or the victim knew there was a risk of being injured by the dog, had
an opportunity to avoid the injury and did not do so.
In conclusion, know the laws and act responsibly before any injury ensues. In
the event of an injury. research your options. You may need to seek the advice
of an attorney, or the matter may be amicably settled out of court or through
mediation. For a full discussion of your legal rights and responsibilities as a
companion animal owner, an excellent resource book is Dog Law by Mary Randolph.
published by Nolo Press, 950 Parker Street, Berkeley, CA 94710 ($12.95).
Prevention is the best policy
* When walking your dog, keep him on a leash.
* Keep your dog in an enclosed yard or indoors with you.
* Never allow your dog to roam the neighborhood.
* Always have current license and rabies vaccination tags on your dog's collar.
* If you think your dog might injure someone, don't allow people to approach
him; post warning signs on your property and don't allow the dog to
"answer" your front door when visitors are there.
* Homeowner's or renter's insurance policies may provide coverage for damage
caused by your dog. Check your policy.
For more information on dog bite law, read Dog Law by Mary Randolph. Written
for non-lawyers, it's a helpful book on a variety of legal issues relating to
canine companions. It's available from Nolo
Press, 950 Parker Street, Berkeley, CA 94710, (415) 549-1976.
Amy Blaymore Patterson is an ALDF
attorney member, currently in practice with the law firm of Kathleen D.
Stingle, Vernon, CT.
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~7~
Destiny Of My Skin
By Alexi Howk - ahowk@juno.com
I see you,
You don't see me.
I hear you,
You don't hear me.
I cry,
You don't cry for me.
My world is lonely, filled with fear and imprisonment.
I pace frantically in my cage,
back and forth,
back and forth.
I hate my skin, that breeding fur ground.
I'd rather be naked and free.
My captor comes and takes me away,
To the dark den that awaits my worth.
Pliers and electrical wires attached to my anal,
A push of the button sparks the electricity,
Convulsing,
Convulsing,
Convulsing.
I am motionless,
I am speechless,
I am free.
I don't see you,
You see me.
I don't hear you,
You hear me.
I don't cry.
You don't cry for me.
In your eyes, I'm worthy on your back.
I love my skin, that deathbed that ends my misery.
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~8~
Memorable Quote
"I had bought two male chimps from a primate colony in Holland. They lived
next to each other in separate cages for several months before I used one as a
[heart] donor. When we put him to sleep in his cage in preparation for the
operation, he chattered and cried incessantly. We attached no significance to
this, but it must have made a great impression on his companion, for when we
removed the body to the operating room, the other chimp wept bitterly and was
inconsolable for days. The incident made a deep impression on me. I vowed never
again to experiment with such sensitive creatures."
~ Christian Barnard, surgeon
«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»
Susan Roghair - EnglandGal@aol.com
Animal Rights Online
http://www.oocities.org/RainForest/1395/
-=Animal
Rights Online=-
«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»
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