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This is important for anyone who has pets to read - and read
entirely. Don't think this only concerns "exotic" pets. Dogs
and cats will be next and I can and will prove it if need be.
And don't think this will not happen because it will if no one
does anything. This is so important to me. I am about to go
offline after I complete my back ups but I would like to hear
what everyone thinks about this. I am not advocating snagging
wildlife and caging them but there are situations where
interactions are beneficial on both sides - AND - I do NOT
believe these groups should have the right to interfere with
my choices as long as they are not harmful. These "laws"
NEVER benefit the responsible owner and abusers are never
deterred by them. Sane regulations ... maybe. BANS ....NO.
I am obviously upset and I hope some of you are too.
Linda
Subject: [Phoenix_Exotics] IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR EVERYONE
WHO KEEPS BIRDS & WANTS TO CONTINUE TO DO SO
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR EVERYONE WHO OWNS OR KEEPS BIRDS &
WANTS TO
CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO DO SO
Permission given to cross post
--------------------------
I have been challenged by several Animal Rights activists in
bird rescue to
"prove" that any Animal Rights organizations want to make it
illegal to own or
keep birds. Here's this summer's "smoking gun" on the
issue.
These are excerpts from this summer's "HSUS / PETA Private
Action Alert
Newsletter Issue 22 Summer 2003" (the newsletter is printed
below the quotes).
This is information every bird owner, breeder, and rescuer
needs to read and
understand. This information is especially important for
those in the bird
world who still believe Animal Rights groups have our birds'
best interests at
heart, and who still believe Animal Rights groups have no
plans to outlaw the
keeping of birds as pets.
Animal Rights groups believe your birds should be outlawed
because they are
"wild animals". They are actively seeking legislation to
outlaw the
ownership and possession of exotics, including parrots and
other birds, by
individuals. This would mean that all pet owners, most
breeders, and rescues and
sanctuaries would not be able to keep exotic birds. No one
is exempt from the
agenda.
Of particular note to those involved with animal welfare -
This newsletter
praises the efforts of HSUS and PETA members during the Exotic
Newcastles
Disease (END) outbreak in the Western U.S., which resulted in
the "termination of
over 105,000 exotic pet birds to date." Note that
"termination" means
killing. Keep in mind that existing federal and state laws
allowed government
agents to kill more than 3 million birds in the past year,
most of which were
never tested for END or showed any symptoms of the disease.
In the
overwhelming number of cases, the birds (including those more
than "105,000 exotic pet
birds" that HSUS/PETA is pleased to see were killed), were
simply killed for
being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
If the ownership of birds is outlawed, as HSUS / PETA clearly
state is their
goal, does anyone think your birds will not be subject to the
same fate?
California prohibits the ownership of Quaker parrots, and if
they are discovered
by fish and game or animal control they are regularly killed.
Do you think
your birds will be treated any differently?
I welcome any comments anyone has to this post.
Genny Wall
__________________________
EXCERPTS:
"As a principle, The Humane Society of the United States
(HSUS) strongly
opposes the keeping of exotic and nondomestic animals (wild
animals) as pets. This
includes the many parrots and other exotic birds, ferrets,
reptiles, rabbits,
mice, rats, squirrels, raccoons, and wildcats."
"Wild animals are not domesticated simply by being
captive-born or
hand-raised by a human mother."
"Wild animals range from the parakeets found in numerous
petshops to
performing elephants in circuses. The most popular forms of
wild animals enslaved into
the pet industry are various parrots, cockatoos, ferrets,
raccoons and big
cats."
"Why are public health and safety a concern?
Every year, privately owned wild animals seriously injure or
kill humans
...... parrots have bitten off fingers and ears, especially
children"
"Wild animals should only be kept in captivity by professional
zoological
facilities. The only individuals who should be allowed to have
wild animals are
licensed wildlife rehabilitators and certain breeders"
"Are there any bans being presented to the government to
prohibit the
possession of all wild animals?
Yes, a large number of animal rights groups have joined with
us to appeal to
the legislation to eliminate the possession of all exotic
animals currently in
the US and Canada ......... to make illegal the
possession; private
ownership; husbandry; transporting; sales; confinement; and
capture of all exotic
wild animals that are in the exotic wild animal pet trade"
"Who would be adversely affected by a ban on possession of
wild animals?
Most legislation would only affect those persons, businesses,
or groups who
want to sell or keep wild animals and those who wish to
exploit animals for
"entertainment"" purposes; The legislation would not attempt
to regulate
laboratory activities or government-sponsored field studies"
"Doesn't the federal Animal Welfare Act protect wild animals
owned as pets?
this law provides no protection for wild animals kept strictly
as pets."
"How did we fare in the END [Exotic Newcastle''s Disease]
elimination
process?
Thanks to the help of the USDA and our many animal rights
groups and
subscribing supporters like you, we were successful in seeing
the termination of over
105,000 exotic pet birds to date."
"Refuse to support the bird trade, as birds are wild animals
and even if some
bond with their human companions, they are never tame and
should never be
kept in captivity"
"It is the belief of many here at PETA that birds should be
euthanized -
which will end their suffering - as the alternative to being
confined to cages and
forced to be companions to humans that just aren''t satisfied
with having a
cat or dog"
"We as human beings should be contented with merely watching
them interact
among their own kind in the wild. The sooner we put an end to
the pet trade, the
better for all animals"
"Enslaved and Stressed: There is no such animal as a ""cage
bird."" All caged
birds are either captured or captive-bred. No bird was born to
be in a cage.
Stay informed of the stresses of such birds in the next
issue."
---------------------
TEXT OF HSUS/PETA PRIVATE ACTION ALERT NEWSLETTER ISSUE 22
SUMMER 2003
THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES
PeTA PEOPLE FOR THE ETHICAL TREATMENT OF ANIMALS
Private Action Alert Newsletter Issue 22 Summer 2003
Should Wild Animals Be Kept as Pets?
As a principle, The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)
strongly
opposes the keeping of exotic and nondomestic animals (wild
animals) as pets. This
includes the many parrots and other exotic birds, ferrets,
reptiles, rabbits,
mice, rats, squirrels, raccoons, and wildcats.
Appropriate care for wild animals requires considerable
expertise,
specialized facilities, and total dedication to the animals''
needs. When wild animals
are kept as pets, their lives are likely to be filled with
misery. Often they
languish in a cramped backyard cage or circle endlessly in a
cat carrier or
aquarium. Their suffering may begin with capture覧every year
millions of birds
and reptiles suffer and die on the journey from their habitat
to the pet store.
The wild-pet trade threatens the very existence of some
species.
With few exceptions, wild animals are difficult or impossible
to care for.
They often grow to be larger, stronger, and more dangerous
than owners expect or
can manage. Their nutritional and social needs are generally
unknown, and
recognizing medical problems is difficult for the untrained
individual. They can
even pose a danger to human health and safety through disease
and parasites.
Wild animals are not domesticated simply by being captive-born
or hand-raised
by a human mother. It''s a different story with dogs and cats,
who were
domesticated thousands of years ago. These special animal
companions depend on
humans for food, shelter, veterinary care, and affection. Wild
animals, by nature
self-sufficient, fare best without our interference. As any
animal matures,
the need for a mother ends and the instinctual behavior of the
adult animal
replaces the dependent behavior of the baby or juvenile.
Inevitably, the cuddly
baby wild animal becomes an aggressive biter or displays
destructive and
seemingly temperamental behavior without provocation or
warning. Such an animal has
become a problem and is either neglected, passed from owner to
owner, or
disposed of in other ways.
Wild animals range from the parakeets found in numerous
petshops to
performing elephants in circuses. The most popular forms of
wild animals enslaved into
the pet industry are various parrots, cockatoos, ferrets,
raccoons and big
cats.
Should individuals keep wild or exotic animals as pets?
No. Wild and exotic (non-native) animals are unsuitable for
home rearing and
handling. They have complex needs that are difficult to meet.
Most individuals
have neither the finances nor the experience to care for them
properly. It
has been estimated that 90% are dead within the first two
years of captivity.
Many wild animals forced into a domestic situation cause
injury to humans,
especially children. Others, if released into the environment,
can cause
irreversible and costly damage to our ecosystem.
Why are public health and safety a concern?
Every year, privately owned wild animals seriously injure or
kill humans. Pet
snakes have suffocated babies; parrots have bitten off fingers
and ears,
especially children; raccoons have killed children; and lions
have mauled their
owners. Individuals legitimately concerned about wild animals
being kept in
their neighborhoods regularly seek assistance in dealing with
this problem.
Animals in traveling acts also present considerable danger to
the public. One
particularly notorious act involved a wrestling bear that,
though muzzled and
declawed, managed to bite off fingers and break bones.
Furthermore, wild and exotic animals carry a number of
diseases that are
transmissible to humans, including polio, rabies,
tuberculosis, hepatitis,
rickets, tularemia, leptospirosis, salmonella, ringworm, and
other parasites.
When is captivity justified?
Wild animals should only be kept in captivity by professional
zoological
facilities. The only individuals who should be allowed to have
wild animals are
licensed wildlife rehabilitators and certain breeders. In both
cases, they
should demonstrate a thorough knowledge of their field and an
ability to care for
the animal humanely.
Are there any bans being presented to the government to
prohibit the
possession of all wild animals?
Yes, a large number of animal rights groups have joined with
us to appeal to
the legislation to eliminate the possession of all exotic
animals currently in
the US and Canada. You can help us pass this law into effect
by writing your
state legislators and congressmen and urge them to pass laws
294, and 1009
respectively; to make illegal the possession; private
ownership; husbandry;
transporting; sales; confinement; and capture of all exotic
wild animals that are
in the exotic wild animal pet trade. This will also enforce
the laws already
existing appertaining to our local wildlife as well.
Relatively few state laws already on the books apply to all
wild/exotic
animals; many prohibit or restrict the private ownership of
wild animals native to
that state through their hunting and trapping regulations, or
they involve
just one or two species such as skunks, raccoons, or venomous
snakes. A few,
unfortunately, have the same shortcoming as some local laws;
i.e. they either
totally ignore or at best address only adequately the humane
considerations of
such ownership. Some of the newer ones, however, seem more
conscious of this
aspect of the problem. Few states make any provision for
performing animals and
other traveling exhibits or roadside menageries.
Who would be adversely affected by a ban on possession of wild
animals?
Most legislation would only affect those persons, businesses,
or groups who
want to sell or keep wild animals and those who wish to
exploit animals for
""entertainment"" purposes; The legislation would not attempt
to regulate
laboratory activities or government-sponsored field studies.
Legitimate possession of
wild animals would continue with the welfare of the animals
safeguarded. Such
bills are not intended to criminalize purely unintentional or
momentary
captures of wild animals (e.g., a child picking up a toad in
the woods). The
specific intent required for possessory crimes, precautions
written into legislative
history, and prosecutorial discretion are all safeguards
against absurd
applications of the statute.
Doesn''t the federal Animal Welfare Act protect wild animals
owned as pets?
This law, even if fully enforced, only provides protection to
those animals
in the custody of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) permit
holders, i.e.,
research facilities, dealers, exhibitors, and operator''s of
auctions. Thus,
this law provides no protection for wild animals kept strictly
as pets. Some
states have laws that either forbid or regulate the ownership
of wild animals,
but they are in the distinct minority.
How much can it cost a government to have such a law?
A better question might be, ""How much can it cost not to have
one?"" A
government, state or local, does not have to incur much, if
any, cost to enact and
enforce this type of law. It can, however, incur great expense
if it fails to
control the private ownership of wild and exotic animals in
some way. Local
communities with such ordinances report that costs involved
are negligible.
How did we fare in the END [Exotic Newcastle''s Disease]
elimination process?
Thanks to the help of the USDA and our many animal rights
groups and
subscribing supporters like you, we were successful in seeing
the termination of over
105,000 exotic pet birds to date. Unfortunately, too many
breeders are using
currently existing laws to evade the quarantine and
elimination of these birds,
and possibly continue to spread END. This is why we need
supporters like you
to write your state legislators and urge them to pass bills
294 and 1009.
Express to them that you support the bans and want them in
effect immediately. We
would not have been able to come as far as we have without
your support.
POSTING NOTE: [I have deleted several parts of the text of
following
sections of the newsletter to keep the post shorter - email me
at
if you want a copy of the newsletter with
this text]
Keep Your Pet Safe on July 4th
There is more you can do online at hsus.org. Animal lovers,
start your
computers!
The race to help pets has gone cyber, and with just one click
of the mouse
you can support The Humane Society of the United State''s
Rural Area Veterinary
Services (RAVS) program, which delivers desperately needed
veterinary care and
spay/neuter services to underserved areas across the country.
The HSUS and Care2 have teamed up to launch the ""Race for
Pets in Need"" on
the Care2.com web site, described as ""the Yahoo for people
who care about the
environment."" The race is an online program in which every
click of the
mouse generates a donation to the RAVS program.
Donations are generated via sponsors who agree to be featured
on the Race for
Pets in Need pages, which are located under the ""Pets in
Need"" logo in the
""Take Action"" section of the Care2 web site. If no sponsors
are secured for
the period of the race, Care2 will donate $1 for every 1,000
clicks to The
HSUS. The program was officially launched on April 18, and in
just 13 days, it
had already attracted more than 105,000 clicks.
Through Care2.com, The HSUS will potentially reach nearly a
million people
each month with life-saving information about our Pets for
Life program,
designed to keep pets and their people together by addressing
the reasons why pets
lose their homes. The Care2 website will also feature a
different pet tip each
week, taken from The HSUS Pets for Life behavior tip sheets.
""This is a really quick-and-easy way for people to make a
difference for the
animals, while getting great pet tips at the same time"" says
Stephanie
Shain, director of Companion Animal Outreach at The HSUS.
""It''s something people
can do everyday, right from their computer. Activism doesn''t
get any easier
than this.""
Write Your Own ""Declaration of Independence"" for Animals 覧
and Win a Free
T-Shirt!
This Independence Day, as we celebrate our personal freedom,
let''s remember
that animals still desperately need their liberation.
In 100 words or less, tell PETA what changes you''ll make in
your life
starting on the 4th of July (or now!) to bring the right to
""life, liberty, and the
persuit of happiness"" one step closer for animals. Will you
adopt a vegan
diet? Help get MasterCard to drop its support for animal
circuses? Start buying
cruelty-free shampoo? Protest Iams? Push for a law in your
town prohibiting
the chaining of dogs?
We''ll post the most compelling essays on PETA''s Web site or
in PETA''s
Animal Times. Ten winners will receive PETA''s free ""Animal
Liberation/Human
Liberation"" T-shirts.
Enjoy Independence Day Meals Without Meat This 4th of July
With Our Tasty
Recipes!
Cure BBQ Cravings With Hearty Mock Meats: These days, almost
any well-stocked
supermarket sells a variety of veggie burgers and ""Not Dogs""
that you can
pop into the microwave for a two-minute meal or toss on the
grill at your next
backyard barbecue. PETA''s picks: Boca Original (Vegan) veggie
burgers and
Lightlife Smart Dogs.
Do the food editors of your local newspapers run page after
page of recipes
for ribs and BBQ beef burgers every single summer? This year,
ask them to try
something new by spotlighting vegan barbecue dishes! You can
find contact
information on the Web site. If they get stuck, food editors
are welcome to reprint
any of PETA''s recipes in their publications.
If your church is planning a pig-roast fundraiser, ask the
pastor to pass on
the pork and serve animal-friendly vegetarian fare覧such as
veggie burgers
and dogs覧instead. Remind other churchgoers that God''s
message of mercy and
compassion doesn''t mesh with modern-day factory farms, where
animals suffer
every single day.
Hungry for some all-American vegan apple pie? Try PETA''s
recipe:
Get PETA''s ""Proud to Be a Vegetarian American"" bumper
stickers. Visit
www.peta.org
Bird Overpopulation and Control Methods
The current overpopulation of captive birds in this country is
quickly
approaching that of cats and dogs; most bird sanctuaries are
full to overflowing,
and homeless birds are shunted from pillar to post. According
to PIJAC (the Pet
Industry Joint Advisory Council), in 1990 there were 11
million pet birds
living in 5.1 million households in the U.S. By 1996, the
number of birds had
grown to 40 million, while the number of homes remained fairly
consistent at 5.9
million. With the added consideration of a bird''s
lifespan-many parrots live
50 to 100 years, often outliving their human companions-the
resulting
overpopulation crisis means that euthanasia is a problem with
regard to birds just as
it is with cats and dogs. Refuse to support the bird trade, as
birds are wild
animals and even if some bond with their human companions,
they are never tame
and should never be kept in captivity. Birds are meant to fly
and be with
others of their own kind in a natural environment. Confinement
causes birds to
have temper tantrums and mood swings. Birds can also be
mischievous and highly
destructive. They sometimes chew carpet, electrical and phone
wires, and
practically any other material in your home. It is not their
fault that they do not
make good house companions. Many birds are abandoned and
euthanized due to
their natural behavior being perceived as intolerable by their
human companions.
It is the belief of many here at PETA that birds should be
euthanized - which
will end their suffering - as the alternative to being
confined to cages and
forced to be companions to humans that just aren''t satisfied
with having a cat
or dog. They should be left in the wild of their native
habitats and exist
peacefully within their own flocks. We as human beings should
be contented with
merely watching them interact among their own kind in the
wild. The sooner we
put an end to the pet trade, the better for all animals.
""Bond Girl"" Denise Richards Aims to Terminate PETCO''s
""License to Kill"".
Read her letter.
A Bug''s Death: The ""splatometer"" is poised to become the
next hip
conservation tool.
The Feminine Mistake: Water contaminated with residue from
birth-control
pills can bend the gender of male fish, according to Canadian
researchers who
presented scientific findings last week to the American
Chemistry Council.
Clear Skies Looking Dirty: One of President Bush''s most
ambitious
environmental proposals is in jeopardy
In our next issue:
Monkeypox: The outbreak of monkeypox in the U.S. lends
credence to The
HSUS''s longtime opposition to the keeping of wild animals as
pets. The virus
entered the country via small mammals imported from Africa for
the pet trade, and
has spread to prairie dogs, and even rabbits, who were also
destined for pet
stores. Monkeypox is merely the latest disease on the block;
exotic animals kept
as pets have posed a danger to human health for years. Learn
more about the
illness and whether your pet is at risk.
Animal abuse issues:
Enslaved and Stressed: There is no such animal as a ""cage
bird."" All caged
birds are either captured or captive-bred. No bird was born to
be in a cage.
Stay informed of the stresses of such birds in the next issue.
Rainforest Habitat Destruction: Each day thousands of acres of
rainforest is
destroyed, many endangered species become increasingly
extinct. Find out what
you can do to help!
EU Chemicals Law Means Massive Animal Slaughter:
Want to stay on top of all the issues available to the public?
Visit our
websites at www.hsus.org, www.peta.org. Visit www.cwapc.org -
our new joint
website banding together with other smaller animal rights
organizations - together
we can make a difference for a better tomorrow. We would not
exist without your
help. THANK YOU FOR MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR ANIMALS 覧 TODAY!!
From: "Jerry & Linda Gleisser"
Date: Sat Jul 26, 2003 1:55 pm
Subject: FW: [Phoenix_Exotics] IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR EVERYONE
WHO KEEPS BIRDS & WANTS TO CONTINUE TO DO SO
Cleveland, Ohio
gleisser@runbox.com
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