A n i m a l W r i t e s © sm
The
official ANIMAL RIGHTS ONLINE newsletter
Publisher ~ EnglandGal@aol.com
Issue # 11/10/02
Editor
~ JJswans@aol.com
Journalists ~ ParkStRanger@aol.com
~ MichelleRivera1@aol.com
~ sbest1@elp.rr.com
THE ARTICLES IN THIS ISSUE ARE:
1 ~ This Story Sounds Fishy To Me By Greg Lawson
2 ~ A Reminder - ACT Radio
3 ~ Election Results
4 ~ National Gentle Thanksgiving
5 ~ Free CD - "Meet Your Meat"
6 ~ Just In Time For Fur-Free Friday
7 ~ Early Age Spay/Neuter & Neuter Before Adoption By
Patricia L. Howard
8 ~ Job Opportunities
9 ~ Creatures Of God By Ann Winter
10~ Memorable Quote
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~1~
This Story Sounds Fishy to Me
By Greg Lawson - ParkStRanger@aol.com
When
we mention the ten billion animals that die every year in the US for our dinner
plates or the 50 billion that are killed world wide each year for human feed,
we are neglecting to mention the fish. Aquatic life forms are not
included in that total because they are impossible to count as individuals;
instead they are measured in tons, close to 75 million tons annually.
This bothers me. When a body count is measured by weight instead of by
individuals, it seems rather callous.
Many years ago I was a pesco-vegetarian during the early part of my journey to
veganism. I remember the excuses I used, that fish were low on some
arbitrary scale of intelligence or ability to feel, that eating fish didn't
have the same disastrous effects on the environment that the factory farming of
cows, pigs and chickens have.
Later I learned that the oceans of the world have been overfished.
Numerous species are gone now and many species teeter on the brink of
extinction. All of the world's major fisheries have either reached or
exceeded their limits. As a result, the farming of fish has become a fast
growing industry. Today, nearly one quarter of the world's catch of fish
is used to feed farm animals including farmed fish. The most common
species farmed are trout, salmon and carp.
In order to save the decreasing supply of wild fish, and to save money,
scientists in England have just developed a chemical that makes farmed fish
into vegetarians. I'd like to get my hands on that chemical, I have a few
friends who could use a dose.
Maybe turning farmed fish into vegetarians will save some of the wild fish
stocks, but it seems a silly half solution. Turning people into
vegetarians would save a lot more. Why aren't these scientists working on
a chemical for humans?
The British scientists say the chemical is a naturally occurring pheromone and
that it is unlikely to adversely affect their health. I never trust
scientists who use words like "unlikely."
Farmed fish have many of the same problems other farmed animals have.
Antibiotics are used to promote growth and this can result in an increase
in antibiotic-resistant bacteria. A variety of chemicals are used as
disinfectants for equipment and for pest control in the tanks. Residues
can be passed on to humans who eat these fish.
There is as much cruelty in the farming of fish as there is on any other
factory farm. Please don't be a part of the cruelty. The most
important step that any individual can take for all animals and for the
environment is to go vegan.
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~2~
A Reminder- ACT Radio
Remember to listen to ACT Radio, Animal Concerns
of Texas, a new radio show hosted by Greg Lawson and Steve Best of El Paso,
Texas, and journalists for Animal Writes. ACT premiers tonight, Sunday,
November 10th, at 7:30pm mountain time.
ACT Radio features interviews, news and commentary about current animal issues,
veganism and other topics of interest to animal advocates. KTEP FM can be
heard via the web at :
El Paso NPR - KTEP 88.5 :
National Public Radio for the Southwest
http://www.ktep.org/program_detail.ssd?id=103
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~3~
Election Results
From The Fund for Animals - alerts@fund.org
The results of the 2002 animal protection ballot
initiatives are in! Overall, the people spoke out in a huge way for
animals, with victories in five of six statewide ballot measures, and six of
six county measures.
ARIZONA: Proposition 201 -- VICTORY -- 20% to 80%. Voters rejected Proposition
201, which would have expanded gambling at greyhound racing tracks and provided
a new revenue stream for the greyhound racing industry, which mistreats and
kills thousands of dogs a year. Surplus dogs and dogs who do not meet
racing standards are often shot or bludgeoned to death. The failure of
Proposition 201 helps to minimize the profit that can be made from the
exploitation of greyhounds.
ARKANSAS: Initiated Act 1 -- DEFEAT -- 37% to 63%. The failure of Initiated Act
1, to make extreme acts of animal cruelty a class D felony, is the result of
widespread misinformation from animal abuse industries. Initiated Act 1 would
also have toughened laws against cockfighting, creating penalties equivalent to
those for dogfighting, in addition to making egregious acts of animal abuse a
felony. Yet opponents of the act, led by the Arkansas Farm Bureau, wrongly
portrayed the act as an extremist measure that would have outlawed animal
research and other animal use industries.
FLORIDA: Amendment 10 -- VICTORY -- 55% to 45%. The first measure ever to be
adopted in the United States to ban the confinement of animals on factory
farms, Amendment 10 bans the caging of pigs in gestation crates -- tiny, two
foot by seven foot cages in which pregnant pigs are housed for almost all of
their dismal existence. The crates are so small that confined pigs can't even
turn around. Years of this tortured life leads to a spate of physical and psychological
ailments. With the passage of Amendment 10, these intelligent animals
will be spared the agony of gestation crates, and giant hog farms may be
discouraged from taking up residence in Florida.
GEORGIA: Amendment 6 -- VICTORY -- 71% to 29%. The approval of Amendment 6, to
create a special spay/neuter license plate, will bring sorely-needed funds to
spay/neuter programs. Money from the sales of the special
"animal-friendly" license plates will subsidize low-cost companion
animal sterilization programs in the state, preventing the birth and ultimate
euthanasia of tens of thousands of unwanted cats and dogs. Georgia joins
nineteen other states that already have a special animal-friendly license plate
and, like them, Georgia will help raise millions of dollars to combat the
problem of companion animal overpopulation and the suffering it causes.
OKLAHOMA: State Question 687 -- VICTORY -- 56% to 44%. SQ 687 passed easily,
making Oklahoma the 48th state to ban the cruel practice of cockfighting. Only
Louisiana and a few counties in New Mexico remain! Oklahoma Governor
Frank Keating, in endorsing SQ 687, has stated, "Cockfighting is cruel; it
promotes illegal gambling and it is simply embarrassing to Oklahoma to be seen
as one of only a tiny handful of locations outside of the Third World where
this activity is legal." With this important victory, the people of
Oklahoma can proudly say they do not allow the brutal sport of cockfighting in
their state, and they have established stiff felony penalties for cockfighting
violations.
OKLAHOMA: State Question 698 -- VICTORY -- 46% to 54%. The defeat of SQ 687, an
anti-animal measure, is an important victory for the animals. Denounced by the
Daily Oklahoman as "shameful" and "dishonest," this measure
would have amended the Oklahoma Constitution to require nearly twice the number
of signatures to qualify an animal protection measure for the ballot. With the
rejection of SQ 698, Oklahomans who care about animals now retain the same
access to the legislative process that is enjoyed by the farm bureau and other
groups who profit from the exploitation of animals.
WEST VIRGINIA: Sunday Hunting -- VICTORY -- Sunday hunting was on the ballot in
Cabell, Hardy, Kanawha, Putnam, Webster, and Wirt counties, and was soundly
defeated in all six counties. During the May primaries, all 35 of the counties
voting rejected Sunday hunting. Sunday is the one day a week during
hunting season when hikers, campers, and other non-consumptive wildlife
recreationists can use the outdoors without fear of being shot, and Sunday
hunting is opposed by a diverse coalition of farmers, wildlife advocates, and
citizens.
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~4~
National Gentle Thanksgiving
From Farm - campaigns@farmusa.org
We invite you to join the national Gentle
Thanksgiving campaign.
Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate life, not take it. Please take a couple of
hours this month to share some veggie treats, distribute leaflets, or set up an
information table (more ideas below). We ask you to do something (anything) for
the 40-50 million turkeys slaughtered for this one day "celebration."
Participating is easy. You can:
- Share veggie treats with your friends & family
- Set up an information table
- Distribute leaflets
- Hold a vigil or fast
- Visit a local TV or radio station
- Visit a shelter
- Distribute food samples, or
- Show a video (at church, at a club, or on the street)
Visit our web site at: http://www.farmusa.org/thanksgiving or call 888
FARM USA to get advice, to obtain useful materials, and to register your event.
Registering your plans is important and enables you to:
1. Receive an Action Kit (inc. handout, petition & more)
2. Increase the national participation numbers and attract media
attention
3. Inform activists in your community
FARM is working with United Poultry Concerns and Turtle Island (maker of the
fabulous Tofurky) to draw attention to the compassionate alternatives to the
cruel and unnecessary tradition of consuming innocent, feeling turkeys.
Turtle Island will donate free Tofurky for select events so please contact us
today.
Thank you for your active compassion. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Dawn Moncrief, Gentle Thanksgiving 2002
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~5~
Free CD - "Meet Your
Meat"
By Chalissa1@aol.com
I
am an environmentalist, an animal activist & a vegetarian.
I have converted the "Meet your Meat" video into a CD rom & will
send a copy of it for free to anyone with a CD burner & a pledge to make at
least 4 copies to give to their meat eating friends.
I sent out a total of over 750 CD's last year to 60 different countries. My
goal in 2002 is to double that number. I am at 1213 this year so far!
Please forward this message.
Anyone willing to participate, please forward your mailing address to
Chalissa1@aol.com
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~6~
Just In Time For Fur-Free
Friday
The Fund for Animals has produced a new 60-second
anti-fur radio ad, narrated by Wendie Malick of "Just Shoot Me." The
ad will run in New York City and Washington, DC, beginning on Saturday,
November 30. In New York, the ad will air on WINS-AM 1010 and WWPR-FM 105.1. In
Washington, the ad will air on WTOP-AM 1500 and WKYS-FM 93.9. If you would like
to listen to the ad, it is online at:
http://fund.org/uploads/wendie_malick.mp3
Michael
Markarian
President
The Fund for Animals
8121 Georgia Avenue, Suite 301
Silver Spring, MD 20910
T 301-585-2591 ext. 216
F 301-585-2595
mmarkarian@fund.org
http://fund.org
Take Action!
http://action.fund.org
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~7~
Early-Age Spay/Neuter and
Neuter Before Adoption
By Patricia L. Howard - Anmlsfirst@aol.com
One
statistic cites the national compliance rate for sterilization of cats and dogs
adopted from public and private shelters and rescue groups to be less than 60
percent. Is it any wonder, then, that shelters are still in the killing
business and not in the sheltering business? With seven to 10 million cats and
dogs destroyed each year in shelters, it is clear that overpopulation is the
greatest killer in the nation of dogs and cats, and a major cause of animal
pain and suffering.
The problem of overpopulation can be solved and the number of unwanted cats and
dogs substantially reduced if all the tools at the disposal of rescue groups
and shelter workers are in place – two of the most critical being early-age
spay/neuter (sterilization of puppies and kittens from seven to 16 weeks of
age) and neuter before adoption, the policy of sterilizing all adopted animals
before they go to their new homes. With more than a decade of research and
published veterinary studies to recommend it, the practice of early-age
spay/neuter is still not widely practiced by shelters, humane groups, and
veterinarians. This is in spite of the success the procedure is shown to have
had in reducing numbers of animals brought to shelters each year or abandoned
to fend for themselves.
Shelters who have adopted policies of neuter before adoption realize that
early-age spay/neuter is the most important aspect of the strategy. The large
number of infant animals placed in homes that must otherwise require follow-up
scheduling of sterilizations, sometimes months later, increases the risk of
these animals falling through the cracks or coming into early reproductive
maturity and contributing to the overpopulation problem. Early-age spay/neuter
also circumvents the real possibilities of adoptors who are noncompliant with
adoption agreements or contracts, those who are financially unable to comply,
or those who are simply negligent.
One reason that early-age spay/neuter is not status quo is the fear that it may
be disadvantageous, or even dangerous, to the future health of the animal.
However, early-age spay/neuter has been endorsed by the American Veterinary
Medical Association (AVMA). As stated by that organization, "... AVMA
supports the concept of early ovariohysterectomies and gonadectomies in dogs
and cats, in an effort to stem the overpopulation problem in these
species." In his 1987 report published in the Journal of the American Veterinary
Association (JAVMA), Leo L. Lieberman, DVM, challenged the veterinary
profession to take a fresh look at the traditional timing of sterilization. He
concluded that kittens and puppies sterilized as early as seven weeks of age
suffer no medical or behavioral side effects. He also stated that kittens and
puppies sterilized before 12 weeks of age experienced fewer complications from
the surgery. A later report by Lieberman addressing the short-term results and
complications (or, more specifically, the lack thereof) of prepubertal
gonadectomies in cats and dogs appeared in the July 1, 1997 issue of JAVMA.
Lieberman received the 1997 Geraldine R. Dodge Humane Ethics in Action Award
for his continued work in early-age spay/neuter and neuter before adoption.
Later articles, by Michael G. Arohnson, VMD, and Alicia Fagella, DVM, of the
ASPCA's Angell Memorial Hospital in Boston, were published in JAVMA outlining
surgical techniques for sterilizing six- to 14-week-old kittens (January 1993),
along with techniques for proper anesthesia. "On the basis of our findings
in this study and another study," said Arohnson and Flagella, "the
anesthetic and surgical risk for neutering pediatric kittens is minimal,
providing proper precautions and techniques are used." Peter Theran, VMD,
published his study on surgery and anesthesia protocols for both puppies and
kittens in the March 1993 issue.
Research by these and other veterinarians points to the safety of early-age
sterilization and the lack of evidence to support fears that it may interfere
with the animals' development or compromise health in later years. Gloria
Binkowski, DVM, in an article for Natural Pet, stated, "While performing
sterilization procedures on puppies and kittens does require some adjustment of
technique on the part of the surgeon, it seems that performing the surgery on a
very young animal is no more difficult, and may even be easier, than on an
older animal." She, too, emphasized the effectiveness of the practice in
addressing the problem of overpopulation. W. Marvin Mackie, DVM, of Animal
Birth Control in San Pedro, California, who has been performing early-age
sterilization since 1988, agrees. With four clinics under his supervision,
Mackie has been active for more than a decade teaching safe pediatric surgical
and anesthetic protocol to veterinarians who wish to make it an integral part
of their practices or who wish to assist shelters and humane organizations in
their fight against overpopulation.
Mackie demonstrated the technique for early-age sterilization in a video which
he makes available to veterinarians, adoption groups, and shelters. The video,
showing spays and neuters being performed on cats as young as eight weeks of
age, is a convincing testimony to the relative ease of the procedures, both for
doctor and patient, compared to the same procedures performed on mature animals
(six months of age or older). In a sequence showing a mother cat and her kitten
being spayed virtually side by side, the mother's slow recovery contrasted
vividly with the extraordinarily quick recovery of her kitten. Mackie stresses
that, although the organs are tiny in the juvenile compared to the adult, the
procedure is made easier by the lack of bleeding that is a component of mature
female cats (who are often coming into heat when the surgery is performed) and
by the lack of fatty tissue that in adults must be circumnavigated during
abdominal entry and uterine horn retrieval. In a 2002 article for the Pet
Savers Foundation, Mackie cites a study conducted at Texas A&M where senior
veterinary students performed sterilization surgery on 1,988 cats and dogs
which showed that post-surgical complications were the lowest for animals less
that 12 weeks of age.
In addition to decreased surgical risk, there is no evidence that the occurrence
of FUS (feline urological syndrome), particularly in the male cat, will be
increased by pediatric sterilization, according to veterinarians who practice
the procedure. Other concerns, such as poor skeletal development and behavior
problems, also are unfounded, said Susan Little, DVM, citing studies conducted
at the University of Florida, among others. Shelters who have practiced
early-age spay/neuter report no increase in physical or behavior problems.
Besides AVMA, early-age sterilization and neuter before adoption has received
support from such organizations as the Association of Veterinarians for Animal
Rights, the American Animal Hospital Association, the ASPCA, Spay/USA, and the
American Humane Association. But with the support of so many veterinarians,
university research attesting to its safety, and the obvious positive effect on
overpopulation, why have so few shelters adopted early-age spay/neuter as
policy, and why are so many veterinarians still reluctant to learn and perform
the procedure?
Many of us can recall a time when even spays and neuters of adult animals were
not all that common. Over time, demands made for the surgery by educated and
responsible guardians of companion animals, as well as shelters and rescue
groups, made them so. We also can recall a time such common tests as those for
FeLV and FIV were not readily available. These, too, are now standard
practice–as are the more holistic and alternative health care options we
desired for our animal companions. Consumer education and consumer demand
appear to be the keys to obtaining a critical mass of veterinarians who are
trained in the techniques (surgical and anesthetic) of early-age sterilization,
and are willing to make them part of their practice. It also is crucial that
these techniques be taught at veterinary schools, as they now are at Tufts,
Washington State University, and Texas A&M, among others.
Representatives of shelters and rescue organizations that practice early-age
sterilization and neuter before adoption report that adoptors are happy with
the program because they are released from the responsibility of remembering to
make the trip to the veterinarian. Moreover, they are able to reach a segment
of the working poor who, even with reduced fees cannot always afford visits to
the veterinarian. They also say that they are actively addressing their mission
to reduce animal suffering and paint a brighter picture for the future of
unwanted animals–one that all too often ends in death. Mindful of the success
of neuter before adoption, the safety of early-age spay/neuter, and the
unbelievable numbers of unwanted cats and dogs that are still being killed or
abandoned each year, releasing unsterilized animals to adoptive homes is a risk
that shelters and rescue groups should no longer be willing to take.
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~8~
Job
Opportunities
PCRM is looking for qualified candidates for the
following positions:
Nutrition Director: Full-time supervisory position in nutrition
education, advocacy, and research programs in Washington, D.C. Candidates
should have experience with vegetarian nutrition, clinical research, and
program supervision.
Research Analyst: Full-time position in the research department in Washington,
D.C. The research analyst will promote alternatives to animal use in scientific
research. Applicants should have a scientific background, an advanced degree,
and good writing and interpersonal skills.
Fundraising Position: Full-time position available in Washington,
D.C. Experience with direct mail, planned gifts, fund-raising planning, grant
writing preferred.
Office Manager: Full-time position available in Washington, DC.
Experience with contract review, personnel matters and all aspects of office
management required; IT, legal and finance skills a plus.
If you are interested in any of these positions, please send cover letter,
resume and salary requirements to HR Dept., PCRM, 5100 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.,
Suite 400, Washington, DC 20016; fax: 202-686-2216; or pcrm@pcrm.org.
For more information, please call Laurice Ghougasian at 202-686-2210, ext. 319,
or go to http://www.pcrm.org/pcrm/jobs.html.
Laurice A. Ghougasian, J.D.
Corporate Affairs Director
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
5100 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20016
(202) 686-2210, ext. 319
(202) 686-2155 (fax)
http://www.pcrm.org
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~9~
Creatures Of God
By Ann Winter
Animals bring to us a love not found in (the) humankind.
Theirs is a love of unspoken warmth,
companionship, and tenderness.
Theirs is an unconditional love, born out
of trust and loyalty.
All creatures in nature are created
from God’s love
And formed in His true delight.
Each has a special place in the
cycle of life.
Whether fur, feather, quill, scale,
skin, or hide,
Their existence is essential to the
balance and continuation
Of harmony in our universe.
The comfort we receive from earthly
creatures is soulful,
And at times heavenly.
The bond between animals and humans is one
not easily broken.
Even in death,
Beloved animals stir love, comfort, and
fond memories.
We learn so much from the simple lives
and love of animals
Let us always remember to hold them
firmly in our love,
As they hold us firmly in their trust.
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~10~
Memorable Quote
"The eating of meat extinguishes the great seed of compassion."
~ Buddha (563-483 BC)
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Susan Roghair - EnglandGal@aol.com
Animal Rights Online
P O Box 7053
Tampa, Fl 33673-7053
http://www.oocities.org/RainForest/1395/
-=Animal Rights Online=-
&
Advisory Board Member, Animal Rights Network Inc.,
not-for-profit publisher of The Animals' Agenda Magazine
http://www.animalsagenda.org/
The
Animals' Agenda Magazine: WebEdition
«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»
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