Yep, sadly the government still uses live animals in training.
You can find out more and learn how to express your distaste of vivisection by the military at https://secure2.convio.net/pcrm/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=215&AddInterest=1781&JServSessionIdr006=fs33kyabu1.app2b
Monday, December 22, 2008
After Shocking Investigation of Horrors Behind Petland, this Holiday Season, the HSUS and GEARI Remind You to Pick a Dog or Cat From a Shelter
The HSUS and GEARI Remind You to Pick a Dog or Cat From a Shelter and Not from a Pet Store that is Supplied by Breeders and Puppy Mills
Here’s a great page on the horrors of puppy mills. Remember, breeders create puppy mills, which in turn feed the pet stores. According to eh investigation carried out by the HSUS regarding Petland, they are egregious supporters of animal cruelty and puppy mills.
Article:
http://www.hsus.org/pets/issues_affecting_our_pets/get_the_facts_on_puppy_mills/
The Humane Society of the United States reveals the results of a shocking investigation revealing that pet store chain Petland Incorporated is the nation's largest retail supporter of puppy mills. Watch our video and then take action.
Here’s a great page on the horrors of puppy mills. Remember, breeders create puppy mills, which in turn feed the pet stores. According to eh investigation carried out by the HSUS regarding Petland, they are egregious supporters of animal cruelty and puppy mills.
Article:
http://www.hsus.org/pets/issues_affecting_our_pets/get_the_facts_on_puppy_mills/
The Humane Society of the United States reveals the results of a shocking investigation revealing that pet store chain Petland Incorporated is the nation's largest retail supporter of puppy mills. Watch our video and then take action.
Loud Noises in Oceans by Ships, Sonar, and Oil and Gas Exploration Causing Harm to Range of Sea Species, Including Whales, Dolphins and Sea Turtles
As stated in the article below, this is a serious issues, as “Increased noise levels have not only been scaring animals and shortening the distance over which they can communicate with each other, but some loud noises may directly cause tissue damage while others can spur animals into surfacing too quickly, leading to injuries similar to the bends.”
Article:
What's All the Ruckus?
http://www.grist.org/news/2008/12/04/ludnss/index.html?source=rss#null
Human-caused noises in oceans messing with wildlife, experts say
Loud noises in the world's oceans, caused by ships, powerful sonar, and oil and gas exploration, are negatively affecting a range of sea critters, including whales, dolphins, sea turtles, and others, according to a report by the International Fund for Animal Welfare. Increased noise levels have not only been scaring animals and shortening the distance over which they can communicate with each other, but some loud noises may directly cause tissue damage while others can spur animals into surfacing too quickly, leading to injuries similar to the bends.
Article:
What's All the Ruckus?
http://www.grist.org/news/2008/12/04/ludnss/index.html?source=rss#null
Human-caused noises in oceans messing with wildlife, experts say
Loud noises in the world's oceans, caused by ships, powerful sonar, and oil and gas exploration, are negatively affecting a range of sea critters, including whales, dolphins, sea turtles, and others, according to a report by the International Fund for Animal Welfare. Increased noise levels have not only been scaring animals and shortening the distance over which they can communicate with each other, but some loud noises may directly cause tissue damage while others can spur animals into surfacing too quickly, leading to injuries similar to the bends.
Oil Sands Projects, Like Oil Drilling, Put Animal Life In Danger: For Example, Canadian Oil Sands Projects Projected to Kill Up to 166 Million Birds
And yet they’re still going to go through with it. Many preach for oil sands, but as you’ll read, it’s fraught with danger for animal life as well.
Article:
A Bird in the Sand Is Worth ... Very Little
FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR THE FUL L STORY: http://www.grist.org/news/2008/12/03/brdsnd/index.html?source=rss#null
Canadian oil sands projects could kill up to 166 million birds, study says
Posted at 6:18 AM on 03 Dec 2008
Canadian oil sands projects are likely to kill up to 166 million birds over the next 50 years through habitat loss, pollution, and other effects, according to a study by a coalition of environmental groups.
Article:
A Bird in the Sand Is Worth ... Very Little
FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR THE FUL L STORY: http://www.grist.org/news/2008/12/03/brdsnd/index.html?source=rss#null
Canadian oil sands projects could kill up to 166 million birds, study says
Posted at 6:18 AM on 03 Dec 2008
Canadian oil sands projects are likely to kill up to 166 million birds over the next 50 years through habitat loss, pollution, and other effects, according to a study by a coalition of environmental groups.
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
British Columbia Govt. (Canada) Paid Aboriginal Group in the Chilcotin to Shoot Wild Horses for Wolf Bait: How You can Help
Also did this to round up other wild horses for live sale, ultimately to slaughterhouses.
Just another sad and irrational governmental decision that used short sided reasoning. Please read below. I’ve posted the contact information that a reader provided on who to contact about this incident.
Posting from Reader
Is there anyone that can help with this very serious issue? Wild horses are being slaughtered in the interior of BC, Canada. I feel public pressure is the only way to stop this outrageous crime.
Please read this:
http://www.vancouversun.com/paid+have+Chilcotin+wild+horses+shot+wolf+bait/1039272/story.html
'Ministry of Forests and Range' Contact info:
Contacts
Ministry Office
Ministry of Forests and Range Mailing address:
PO BOX 9529 STN PROV GOVT
VICTORIA BC V8W 9C3
Minister's Office
HONOURABLE PAT BELL
PO BOX 9049 STN PROV GOVT
VICTORIA BC V8W 9E2
Telephone: 250 387-6240
Fax: 250 387-1040
Deputy Minister's Office
Doug Konkin
Deputy Minister
Telephone: 250 356-5012
Media Enquiries
For Media Enquiries, please contact:
Sophia Proctor
Public Affairs Officer
Telephone: 250 387-4592
Fax: 250 387-8485
E-mail: sophia.proctor@gov.bc.ca
thank you,
Teresa Taylor
BC,Canada
Article:
Gov't paid to have Chilcotin's wild horses shot for wolf bait
http://www.vancouversun.com/paid+have+Chilcotin+wild+horses+shot+wolf+bait/1039272/story.html
By Larry PynnDecember 5, 2008Comments (50)
The B.C. government paid aboriginal people in the Chilcotin to shoot wild horses for wolf bait and to round up other wild horses for live sale, ultimately to slaughterhouses, The Vancouver Sun has learned.
The Ministry of Environment purchased the shot horses as wolf bait for a predator study related to the recovery of threatened caribou herds in the Interior, while the Ministry of Forests and Range bankrolled the live capture of horses as part of a program to reduce competition with range cattle.
News of the provincial actions is generating debate even within the aboriginal community over the management of wild horses in the Chilcotin and the need to ensure their humane treatment.
Joe Alphonse, director of government services with the Tsilhqot'in National Government (TNG), said in an interview Friday his people have been capturing horses for generations for personal use. The sale to auctions and ultimately to slaughterhouses is also a way for natives on economically depressed reserves to earn money.
"It's acceptable," he said. "It's a last resort, but it still can provide a little bit of income. That's been a part of what we've had to rely on."
But Alphonse said his people cannot condone the shooting of wild horses for use as wolf bait.
"That's not something we would endorse," he said. "I think that if the majority of our people found out the Ministry of Environment is trying to hire people to shoot horses, there'd be outrage.
"If you're going to take a horse, you pay respect and get out on the land and chase that animal in on horseback. If you can't do that, to sit and hide there and shoot guns at a horse out in the wild where the animal could get wounded and suffer, we wouldn't endorse that."
Alphonse said the forests ministry, through an agreement with TNG, paid the Stone band $200 a horse to catch 25 horses last winter to reduce competition with ranchers' cattle. Up to half of the horses were sold at auction and ultimately sent to slaughterhouses, he said, and the rest were kept in the Chilcotin as saddle horses.
The forests ministry would like to continue the program this winter if funding is available.
Environment Ministry spokesman Dan Gilmore confirmed the ministry paid members of the Xeni Gwet'in First Nation of the Nemaiah Valley $500 apiece for four horses last winter.
"When it came time to consider how best to lure and capture wolves for the purposes of the mountain caribou recovery program, it was recommended that we use horseflesh," he said in a statement.
"Knowing of the activities of first nations, we undertook to ask if any first nations communities could offer us horses for the purposes of our mountain caribou project.
"We had a number of positive responses, and acted to purchase horses for an agreed price. First nations people selected the horses to be supplied to us, and dispatched them in preparation for transport."
Rodger Stewart, regional manager of environment for the Cariboo, said his office dealt directly with the Xeni Gwet'in administration, which has management control over the horses, and said he would not rule out making another request in the future. The Xeni Gwet'in could not be reached to comment Friday.
The horses were shot last winter to aid in the live capture of wolves near Quesnel as part of ministry research into threatened caribou populations. Gilmore said larger carcasses are preferred because they keep the wolves longer at one location, and that moose carcasses are not always available.
Mike Pedersen, Chilcotin forest district manager, said the horse culls are a response to ranchers' concerns about loss of forage. "It's a worthwhile project," he said, noting that horses also compete with moose and mule deer. "These guys (ranchers) just have to buy more hay. And in these times for those individuals, it's extremely difficult."
Aerial surveys in the area showed that the wild horse population has increased to 442 in 2008 from 123 in 1998.
Pedersen said he would like to continue the program this year, but won't know if there is money for it until January.
Alphonse said that despite native participation in the government-financed cull, he does not believe there are too many wild horses in the Chilcotin. "There's not an overpopulation," he said.
The Spanish introduced the modern horse to North America about five centuries ago. By the time explorer Simon Fraser ventured through the Chilcotin two centuries ago, the horse was already there.
David Williams of Friends of the Nemaiah Valley said he supports the right of natives to capture horses. But he urged the province to declare the free-roaming horses wildlife and to develop policy to ensure their capture is scientifically justified and humane. Currently, wild horses are considered feral and lack protection.
The Tsilhqot'in National Government represents 3,500 people in six communities.
Just another sad and irrational governmental decision that used short sided reasoning. Please read below. I’ve posted the contact information that a reader provided on who to contact about this incident.
Posting from Reader
Is there anyone that can help with this very serious issue? Wild horses are being slaughtered in the interior of BC, Canada. I feel public pressure is the only way to stop this outrageous crime.
Please read this:
http://www.vancouversun.com/
'Ministry of Forests and Range' Contact info:
Contacts
Ministry Office
Ministry of Forests and Range Mailing address:
PO BOX 9529 STN PROV GOVT
VICTORIA BC V8W 9C3
Minister's Office
HONOURABLE PAT BELL
PO BOX 9049 STN PROV GOVT
VICTORIA BC V8W 9E2
Telephone: 250 387-6240
Fax: 250 387-1040
Deputy Minister's Office
Doug Konkin
Deputy Minister
Telephone: 250 356-5012
Media Enquiries
For Media Enquiries, please contact:
Sophia Proctor
Public Affairs Officer
Telephone: 250 387-4592
Fax: 250 387-8485
E-mail: sophia.proctor@gov.bc.ca
thank you,
Teresa Taylor
BC,Canada
Article:
Gov't paid to have Chilcotin's wild horses shot for wolf bait
http://www.vancouversun.com/
By Larry PynnDecember 5, 2008Comments (50)
The B.C. government paid aboriginal people in the Chilcotin to shoot wild horses for wolf bait and to round up other wild horses for live sale, ultimately to slaughterhouses, The Vancouver Sun has learned.
The Ministry of Environment purchased the shot horses as wolf bait for a predator study related to the recovery of threatened caribou herds in the Interior, while the Ministry of Forests and Range bankrolled the live capture of horses as part of a program to reduce competition with range cattle.
News of the provincial actions is generating debate even within the aboriginal community over the management of wild horses in the Chilcotin and the need to ensure their humane treatment.
Joe Alphonse, director of government services with the Tsilhqot'in National Government (TNG), said in an interview Friday his people have been capturing horses for generations for personal use. The sale to auctions and ultimately to slaughterhouses is also a way for natives on economically depressed reserves to earn money.
"It's acceptable," he said. "It's a last resort, but it still can provide a little bit of income. That's been a part of what we've had to rely on."
But Alphonse said his people cannot condone the shooting of wild horses for use as wolf bait.
"That's not something we would endorse," he said. "I think that if the majority of our people found out the Ministry of Environment is trying to hire people to shoot horses, there'd be outrage.
"If you're going to take a horse, you pay respect and get out on the land and chase that animal in on horseback. If you can't do that, to sit and hide there and shoot guns at a horse out in the wild where the animal could get wounded and suffer, we wouldn't endorse that."
Alphonse said the forests ministry, through an agreement with TNG, paid the Stone band $200 a horse to catch 25 horses last winter to reduce competition with ranchers' cattle. Up to half of the horses were sold at auction and ultimately sent to slaughterhouses, he said, and the rest were kept in the Chilcotin as saddle horses.
The forests ministry would like to continue the program this winter if funding is available.
Environment Ministry spokesman Dan Gilmore confirmed the ministry paid members of the Xeni Gwet'in First Nation of the Nemaiah Valley $500 apiece for four horses last winter.
"When it came time to consider how best to lure and capture wolves for the purposes of the mountain caribou recovery program, it was recommended that we use horseflesh," he said in a statement.
"Knowing of the activities of first nations, we undertook to ask if any first nations communities could offer us horses for the purposes of our mountain caribou project.
"We had a number of positive responses, and acted to purchase horses for an agreed price. First nations people selected the horses to be supplied to us, and dispatched them in preparation for transport."
Rodger Stewart, regional manager of environment for the Cariboo, said his office dealt directly with the Xeni Gwet'in administration, which has management control over the horses, and said he would not rule out making another request in the future. The Xeni Gwet'in could not be reached to comment Friday.
The horses were shot last winter to aid in the live capture of wolves near Quesnel as part of ministry research into threatened caribou populations. Gilmore said larger carcasses are preferred because they keep the wolves longer at one location, and that moose carcasses are not always available.
Mike Pedersen, Chilcotin forest district manager, said the horse culls are a response to ranchers' concerns about loss of forage. "It's a worthwhile project," he said, noting that horses also compete with moose and mule deer. "These guys (ranchers) just have to buy more hay. And in these times for those individuals, it's extremely difficult."
Aerial surveys in the area showed that the wild horse population has increased to 442 in 2008 from 123 in 1998.
Pedersen said he would like to continue the program this year, but won't know if there is money for it until January.
Alphonse said that despite native participation in the government-financed cull, he does not believe there are too many wild horses in the Chilcotin. "There's not an overpopulation," he said.
The Spanish introduced the modern horse to North America about five centuries ago. By the time explorer Simon Fraser ventured through the Chilcotin two centuries ago, the horse was already there.
David Williams of Friends of the Nemaiah Valley said he supports the right of natives to capture horses. But he urged the province to declare the free-roaming horses wildlife and to develop policy to ensure their capture is scientifically justified and humane. Currently, wild horses are considered feral and lack protection.
The Tsilhqot'in National Government represents 3,500 people in six communities.
Friday, December 05, 2008
GEARI is Looking for Volunteers to Post Animal Rights News to the GEARI Blog: Make a Positive Contribution to Animal Rights and Concerns
Make a Positive Contribution to Animal Rights and Concerns that Affect the Lives of Non-Human Animals.
As many of you know, it’s difficult to keep up with everything in life. Try as hard as I can, I simply cannot post on every news story. As such, I am picky with what I pick to post on. And, as in the example of the Whale Wars posting last week, I keep that up so as to make sure a lot of people see it.
However, the load is pretty big now, so I’m seeking volunteers to post on animal rights news stories and events. I will train on where to find them, and how to post, etc.
I’ll still edit the stories, and will also keep posting. But, I really want to make sure we cover all stories regarding animal rights.
This animal rights news blog has grown considerably since its inception. Like our main site – geari.org, we drive to be a great research resource for animal rights related information. We need to keep growing and going!
So, if you’re interested, email me via the link in this blog, or via geari.org (at) gmail.com
This could be a way for you to make a positive contribution to animal rights and concerns that affect the lives of non-human animals!
I look forward to hearing from you.
As many of you know, it’s difficult to keep up with everything in life. Try as hard as I can, I simply cannot post on every news story. As such, I am picky with what I pick to post on. And, as in the example of the Whale Wars posting last week, I keep that up so as to make sure a lot of people see it.
However, the load is pretty big now, so I’m seeking volunteers to post on animal rights news stories and events. I will train on where to find them, and how to post, etc.
I’ll still edit the stories, and will also keep posting. But, I really want to make sure we cover all stories regarding animal rights.
This animal rights news blog has grown considerably since its inception. Like our main site – geari.org, we drive to be a great research resource for animal rights related information. We need to keep growing and going!
So, if you’re interested, email me via the link in this blog, or via geari.org (at) gmail.com
This could be a way for you to make a positive contribution to animal rights and concerns that affect the lives of non-human animals!
I look forward to hearing from you.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Animal Planet’s Whale Wars: Fridays - 9PM: Follows Capt. Paul Watson - Sea Shepherd Conservation Society to Prevent Japanese from Killing Whales
I’m sure many of you know of this show. I received this email today and wanted to share it for those who have yet to watch the show. I encourage all to do so, as we need to have Animal Planet know that shows exposing animal cruelty (whaling) will be supported.
Unfortunately, the Japanese continue to carry out their cruel ways by thumbing their noses at international law and kill whales.
As stated below, “…the crew has managed to save more than 300 whales.” I’ll let the email below say the rest.
See too the Whale Wars ekit at http://press.discovery.com/ekits/whale-wars for more information on the show, including past episodes.
Here is the main web page for Animal Planet’s Whale Wars is http://animal.discovery.com/tv/whale-wars/
For more on the truth behind whaling in general and Japan and it’s insistence on whaling illegally, see http://geari.blogspot.com/2006/10/iceland-resume-whaling-excellent.html
For more on Japan and it’s other deranged practice of killing of dolphins - http://geari.blogspot.com/2006/11/coalition-of-marine-scientists-has.html
Email I received about Whale Wars:
I just wanted to follow up with you to see if you had the opportunity to watch the first 3 episodes of Animal Planet’s Whale Wars this month? After only 3 episodes, Whale Wars has been rated as Animal Planet’s best performing Friday primetime telecast in five years.
Animal Planet’s Whale Wars (Fridays at 9PM) follows Captain Paul Watson (co-founder of Greenpeace) of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and his crew as they confront and try to prevent Japanese ships from killing whales off the coast of Antarctica (the crew has managed to save more than 300 whales). This show is packed with excitement – so far, Captain Paul Watson and his crew of 34 have battled sea sickness, a helicopter accident, a dangerous encounter with a Japanese whaling boat, a hostage situation, and more.
If you missed the show, I’ve included the link to the e-kit below, where you can watch full episodes. I’d love to hear your thoughts and see if you are interested in blogging about the show! If you are interested in posting a blog entry, let me know and I can send you a few clips you can embed in your post.
Please let me know if you have additional questions!
Regards,
Andrea
Whale Wars ekit: http://press.discovery.com/ekits/whale-wars (The ekit has lots of additional information about the show, including crew bios, episode descriptions, full episodes, and more)
Unfortunately, the Japanese continue to carry out their cruel ways by thumbing their noses at international law and kill whales.
As stated below, “…the crew has managed to save more than 300 whales.” I’ll let the email below say the rest.
See too the Whale Wars ekit at http://press.discovery.com/ekits/whale-wars for more information on the show, including past episodes.
Here is the main web page for Animal Planet’s Whale Wars is http://animal.discovery.com/tv/whale-wars/
For more on the truth behind whaling in general and Japan and it’s insistence on whaling illegally, see http://geari.blogspot.com/2006/10/iceland-resume-whaling-excellent.html
For more on Japan and it’s other deranged practice of killing of dolphins - http://geari.blogspot.com/2006/11/coalition-of-marine-scientists-has.html
Email I received about Whale Wars:
I just wanted to follow up with you to see if you had the opportunity to watch the first 3 episodes of Animal Planet’s Whale Wars this month? After only 3 episodes, Whale Wars has been rated as Animal Planet’s best performing Friday primetime telecast in five years.
Animal Planet’s Whale Wars (Fridays at 9PM) follows Captain Paul Watson (co-founder of Greenpeace) of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and his crew as they confront and try to prevent Japanese ships from killing whales off the coast of Antarctica (the crew has managed to save more than 300 whales). This show is packed with excitement – so far, Captain Paul Watson and his crew of 34 have battled sea sickness, a helicopter accident, a dangerous encounter with a Japanese whaling boat, a hostage situation, and more.
If you missed the show, I’ve included the link to the e-kit below, where you can watch full episodes. I’d love to hear your thoughts and see if you are interested in blogging about the show! If you are interested in posting a blog entry, let me know and I can send you a few clips you can embed in your post.
Please let me know if you have additional questions!
Regards,
Andrea
Whale Wars ekit: http://press.discovery.com/ekits/whale-wars (The ekit has lots of additional information about the show, including crew bios, episode descriptions, full episodes, and more)
Humane Society of the United States files Lawsuit Against Lord & Taylor, Macy's, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue: Falsely Label Fur Clothing Items
Just as with false advertising in general, failing to properly label clothing items as contacting fur is against the law. More specifically, it is a violation of the federal Fur Products Labeling Act and the Federal Trade Commission Act.
As stated below, “[t]he suit claims that Dillard's, Lord & Taylor, Macy's, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and designer Andrew Marc misrepresent fur products by labeling and marketing them as "faux fur," when they are not; or by advertising and labeling products as common raccoon, fox or rabbit fur, when they are really made from raccoon dog, a canine species from Asia….”
This isn’t the first time this issue has come up. We wrote a story here - http://geari.blogspot.com/2007/01/retail-company-jc-penny-knowingly.html about JC Penny knowingly selling items with dog fur.
In relation, I also wrote a while back on fur and China. Please see that post at:
http://geari.blogspot.com/2006/02/cruel-china-keeps-up-its-status-as.html
Article:
Humane Society sues retailers, designers over fur
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hvG9dlIes0vYdnVcKDKSaLUYBLQwD94LLQH00
By GILLIAN GAYNAIR – 21 hours ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Humane Society of the United States filed a lawsuit Monday against six major retailers and fashion designers alleging they falsely advertise and label fur garments.
The suit claims that Dillard's, Lord & Taylor, Macy's, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and designer Andrew Marc misrepresent fur products by labeling and marketing them as "faux fur," when they are not; or by advertising and labeling products as common raccoon, fox or rabbit fur, when they are really made from raccoon dog, a canine species from Asia.
The complaint also alleges that the retailers are in violation of the federal Fur Products Labeling Act and Federal Trade Commission Act, which prohibit mislabeling of fur products.
Rebecca Judd, senior attorney with the Humane Society, said the group is seeking a court order to halt to what she called deceptive business practices by retailers.
"We filed this after we tried now for several years to have the fur industry stop their widespread false advertising and labeling," Judd said.
She added the group wants to alert consumers, especially those concerned about animal welfare, that fur garments are "best left out of the shopping bag."
Representatives from Macy's and Neiman Marcus said they don't comment on pending litigation. Dillard's, Lord & Taylor and Andrew Marc did not return telephone calls for comment. A representative from Saks could not be immediately reached by The Associated Press after calls seeking comment.
Judd said the suit was filed in D.C. under its Consumer Protection Procedures Act because the Humane Society focused much of its investigation in the Washington region. All the retailers named in the suit have stores in the area. Andrew Marc sells his brands online and in retail stores around Washington.
Since it began investigating in 2005, Judd said the Humane Society has sent dozens of letters to retailers — including those named in Monday's suit — informing them of their findings.
Some companies, including Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger stopped selling fur products, Judd said. Others, such as rap artist Sean "Diddy" Combs, quit producing coats from his Sean John line that had raccoon dog fur; and rapper Jay-Z pulled coats with raccoon dog from his Rocawear label.
Raccoon dogs resemble oversized, fluffy raccoons and aren't kept as pets. According to the suit, more than 1.5 million of them are being raised for their fur in China, and have been documented to be skinned alive. Importing raccoon dog fur isn't illegal.
The Humane Society never received a "written commitment to stop selling mislabeled fur" from the six defendants after alerting them to the group's findings, Judd said.
The defendants are also among more than 20 companies named in two legal petitions the Humane Society filed earlier this year and in 2007 with the Federal Trade Commission, which enforces the federal fur labeling act.
In the petitions, the animal rights group ask the commission to fine the high-end retailers and designers of clothing that contains mislabeled fur. The group also would like inventories seized and, possibly, charges filed.
In 2007, Charles Jayson, chief executive of Andrew Marc, disputed the Humane Society and insisted in a statement that all fur on his coats labeled as raccoon contains "only farm-bred raccoon fur from Finland, and our items labeled 'faux fur' are a 100 percent synthetic fabric."
Mislabeling fur is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $5,000 fine or a year in prison. Fur valued at less than $150 doesn't have to be labeled.
The petitions are still pending.
The Humane Society said it began investigating mislabeled fur claims after the society got a tip from someone who bought a coat with trim labeled as faux fur that felt real. At the time, teams bought coats from popular retailers and then had the coats tested by mass spectrometry, which measures the mass and sequence of proteins.
The society said most of the fur came from China.
As stated below, “[t]he suit claims that Dillard's, Lord & Taylor, Macy's, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and designer Andrew Marc misrepresent fur products by labeling and marketing them as "faux fur," when they are not; or by advertising and labeling products as common raccoon, fox or rabbit fur, when they are really made from raccoon dog, a canine species from Asia….”
This isn’t the first time this issue has come up. We wrote a story here - http://geari.blogspot.com/2007/01/retail-company-jc-penny-knowingly.html about JC Penny knowingly selling items with dog fur.
In relation, I also wrote a while back on fur and China. Please see that post at:
http://geari.blogspot.com/2006/02/cruel-china-keeps-up-its-status-as.html
Article:
Humane Society sues retailers, designers over fur
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hvG9dlIes0vYdnVcKDKSaLUYBLQwD94LLQH00
By GILLIAN GAYNAIR – 21 hours ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Humane Society of the United States filed a lawsuit Monday against six major retailers and fashion designers alleging they falsely advertise and label fur garments.
The suit claims that Dillard's, Lord & Taylor, Macy's, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and designer Andrew Marc misrepresent fur products by labeling and marketing them as "faux fur," when they are not; or by advertising and labeling products as common raccoon, fox or rabbit fur, when they are really made from raccoon dog, a canine species from Asia.
The complaint also alleges that the retailers are in violation of the federal Fur Products Labeling Act and Federal Trade Commission Act, which prohibit mislabeling of fur products.
Rebecca Judd, senior attorney with the Humane Society, said the group is seeking a court order to halt to what she called deceptive business practices by retailers.
"We filed this after we tried now for several years to have the fur industry stop their widespread false advertising and labeling," Judd said.
She added the group wants to alert consumers, especially those concerned about animal welfare, that fur garments are "best left out of the shopping bag."
Representatives from Macy's and Neiman Marcus said they don't comment on pending litigation. Dillard's, Lord & Taylor and Andrew Marc did not return telephone calls for comment. A representative from Saks could not be immediately reached by The Associated Press after calls seeking comment.
Judd said the suit was filed in D.C. under its Consumer Protection Procedures Act because the Humane Society focused much of its investigation in the Washington region. All the retailers named in the suit have stores in the area. Andrew Marc sells his brands online and in retail stores around Washington.
Since it began investigating in 2005, Judd said the Humane Society has sent dozens of letters to retailers — including those named in Monday's suit — informing them of their findings.
Some companies, including Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger stopped selling fur products, Judd said. Others, such as rap artist Sean "Diddy" Combs, quit producing coats from his Sean John line that had raccoon dog fur; and rapper Jay-Z pulled coats with raccoon dog from his Rocawear label.
Raccoon dogs resemble oversized, fluffy raccoons and aren't kept as pets. According to the suit, more than 1.5 million of them are being raised for their fur in China, and have been documented to be skinned alive. Importing raccoon dog fur isn't illegal.
The Humane Society never received a "written commitment to stop selling mislabeled fur" from the six defendants after alerting them to the group's findings, Judd said.
The defendants are also among more than 20 companies named in two legal petitions the Humane Society filed earlier this year and in 2007 with the Federal Trade Commission, which enforces the federal fur labeling act.
In the petitions, the animal rights group ask the commission to fine the high-end retailers and designers of clothing that contains mislabeled fur. The group also would like inventories seized and, possibly, charges filed.
In 2007, Charles Jayson, chief executive of Andrew Marc, disputed the Humane Society and insisted in a statement that all fur on his coats labeled as raccoon contains "only farm-bred raccoon fur from Finland, and our items labeled 'faux fur' are a 100 percent synthetic fabric."
Mislabeling fur is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $5,000 fine or a year in prison. Fur valued at less than $150 doesn't have to be labeled.
The petitions are still pending.
The Humane Society said it began investigating mislabeled fur claims after the society got a tip from someone who bought a coat with trim labeled as faux fur that felt real. At the time, teams bought coats from popular retailers and then had the coats tested by mass spectrometry, which measures the mass and sequence of proteins.
The society said most of the fur came from China.
Animal Abuser and Convicted Felon Michael Vick Pleads Guilty to State Charges of Dogfighting
Remember, Vick was recently convicted of federal charges related to dog fighting. So, these are additional charges.
For those who have forgotten, please visit our story about his dog fighting conviction and description of horrible abuse of dogs he carried out at http://geari.blogspot.com/2007/08/michael-vick-former-quarterback-of.html
Article:
Vick Pleads Guilty to State Charge
http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/nflnewsfeed/2008/11/vick-pleads-guilty-to-state-charge.html?hpid=moreheadlines
Michael Vick pleaded guilty today to a state dogfighting-related charge and was sentenced to a suspended jail term.
The resolution of the state charges against Vick, the quarterback who is serving a 23-month federal prison sentence and is on indefinite suspension by the NFL, potentially could speed his prospective return to football. With no further charges pending against him, Vick becomes eligible to serve the final portion of his federal prison sentence in a halfway house.
"I want to apologize to the court, my family and to all the kids who looked up to me as a role model," Vick told the judge during today's hearing, according to the Associated Press.
Vick appeared in Surry County Circuit Court in Sussex, Va., reportedly arriving more than two hours early and wearing a gray suit.
He pleaded guilty to one count under a plea deal and not guilty to another count, and had that charge dropped. He was sentenced to a three-year suspended jail term and probation.
The jail term remains suspended as long as Vick completes four years of good behavior.
Surry County Circuit Judge Samuel Campbell approved the plea deal. He had not been bound by it in sentencing Vick.
Vick is serving his federal prison sentence in Leavenworth, Kan., for his role in a dogfighting operation based at a home that he owned in Virginia. He's scheduled to be released on July 20, 2009.
Each of the state felony counts against Vick was punishable by up to five years in jail. Vick pleaded guilty to one count of promoting dogfighting and not guilty to a count that involved animal cruelty, under the plea deal.
Vick was taken to Virginia last Thursday after Campbell rejected a request by Vicks' attorneys for him to plead guilty by videoconference.
The NFL will have to rule on Vick's suspension and his eligibility to play. Such a ruling is unlikely before he's released from prison. He remains under contract to the Atlanta Falcons but the franchise's owner, Arthur Blank, has said the team will not have him back. Vick's attorneys have indicated in bankruptcy court proceedings that he expects to play in the NFL again.
Vick reportedly arrived around 6:40 a.m. for his court appearance today. He had shackles on his wrists and ankles, according to the AP, but they were removed for the hearing. Family members and friends attended the hearing. About 20 uniformed police officers were stationed outside the building and Vick was driven to a covered garage in the back, the AP reported. Nine animal rights protesters stood quietly outside, according to the AP report.
For those who have forgotten, please visit our story about his dog fighting conviction and description of horrible abuse of dogs he carried out at http://geari.blogspot.com/2007/08/michael-vick-former-quarterback-of.html
Article:
Vick Pleads Guilty to State Charge
http://views.washingtonpost.com/theleague/nflnewsfeed/2008/11/vick-pleads-guilty-to-state-charge.html?hpid=moreheadlines
Michael Vick pleaded guilty today to a state dogfighting-related charge and was sentenced to a suspended jail term.
The resolution of the state charges against Vick, the quarterback who is serving a 23-month federal prison sentence and is on indefinite suspension by the NFL, potentially could speed his prospective return to football. With no further charges pending against him, Vick becomes eligible to serve the final portion of his federal prison sentence in a halfway house.
"I want to apologize to the court, my family and to all the kids who looked up to me as a role model," Vick told the judge during today's hearing, according to the Associated Press.
Vick appeared in Surry County Circuit Court in Sussex, Va., reportedly arriving more than two hours early and wearing a gray suit.
He pleaded guilty to one count under a plea deal and not guilty to another count, and had that charge dropped. He was sentenced to a three-year suspended jail term and probation.
The jail term remains suspended as long as Vick completes four years of good behavior.
Surry County Circuit Judge Samuel Campbell approved the plea deal. He had not been bound by it in sentencing Vick.
Vick is serving his federal prison sentence in Leavenworth, Kan., for his role in a dogfighting operation based at a home that he owned in Virginia. He's scheduled to be released on July 20, 2009.
Each of the state felony counts against Vick was punishable by up to five years in jail. Vick pleaded guilty to one count of promoting dogfighting and not guilty to a count that involved animal cruelty, under the plea deal.
Vick was taken to Virginia last Thursday after Campbell rejected a request by Vicks' attorneys for him to plead guilty by videoconference.
The NFL will have to rule on Vick's suspension and his eligibility to play. Such a ruling is unlikely before he's released from prison. He remains under contract to the Atlanta Falcons but the franchise's owner, Arthur Blank, has said the team will not have him back. Vick's attorneys have indicated in bankruptcy court proceedings that he expects to play in the NFL again.
Vick reportedly arrived around 6:40 a.m. for his court appearance today. He had shackles on his wrists and ankles, according to the AP, but they were removed for the hearing. Family members and friends attended the hearing. About 20 uniformed police officers were stationed outside the building and Vick was driven to a covered garage in the back, the AP reported. Nine animal rights protesters stood quietly outside, according to the AP report.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
List of Charities that Test on Animals and List of Charities that DO NOT Test on Animals
Unfortunately, just as with companies, charities still unnecessarly engage in animal testing (vivisection).
Perhaps you are a regular giver to a particular charity, but want to make sure they do not test on animals. Perhaps you want to start giving to a particular charity but do not want to support animal testing (vivisection).
How do you quickly find out if a particular charity tests on animals?
It’s actually pretty easy to do so.
I’ve listed three key resources below that will help you research if a charity engages in, or does not engage in, animal testing (vivisection). Please bookmark or pass on to friends, co workers and family.
For a link to a current list of charities that test on animals (perform animal testing), visit http://www.geari.org/charities-test-on-animals.html
For a link to a current list of charities that DO NOT test on animals (DO NOT perform animal testing), visit http://www.geari.org/charities-dont-test-on-animals.html
Another excellent way to find out if a charity tests on animals or does not test on animals is to visit the PCRM Human Charity Seal lookup site at http://www.humaneseal.org/search.cfm Simply put in the name of a charity or search by category, and very quickly you will find out if that charity is associated with animal testing (vivisection). Quick and very easy to use.
List of Companies that Test on Animals and List of Companies that DO NOT Test on Animals
Unfortunately animal testing (vivisection) is alive and well. What if though you want to quickly find out if a particular company tests on animals? How do you do that?
I periodically like to remind people just how easy it is to quickly find out if a company does test on animals or if a company does not test on animals. I’ve listed three key resources below that will help you research if a company engages in, or does not engage in, animal testing (vivisection).
Please bookmark or pass on to friends, co workers and family.
For a link to a current list of companies that test on animals (perform animal testing), visit http://www.geari.org/companies-test-on-animals.html
For a link to a current list of companies that DO NOT test on animals (DO NOT perform animal testing), visit http://www.geari.org/companies-dont-test-on-animals.html
The National Anti-Vivisection Society(NAVS) Animal Testing Company and Product Look Up Tool at http://www.navs.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ain_pt_whois Simply put in the name of a company or the name of a product and very quickly you will see if that company or product is associated with animal testing. A quick and easy-to-use resource.
I periodically like to remind people just how easy it is to quickly find out if a company does test on animals or if a company does not test on animals. I’ve listed three key resources below that will help you research if a company engages in, or does not engage in, animal testing (vivisection).
Please bookmark or pass on to friends, co workers and family.
For a link to a current list of companies that test on animals (perform animal testing), visit http://www.geari.org/companies-test-on-animals.html
For a link to a current list of companies that DO NOT test on animals (DO NOT perform animal testing), visit http://www.geari.org/companies-dont-test-on-animals.html
The National Anti-Vivisection Society(NAVS) Animal Testing Company and Product Look Up Tool at http://www.navs.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ain_pt_whois Simply put in the name of a company or the name of a product and very quickly you will see if that company or product is associated with animal testing. A quick and easy-to-use resource.
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Excellent Video Shows the Life and Concerns of the Endangered Mountain Gorilla: Clear Footage & Sound Interviews take you Into their Challenged World
The endangered Mountain Gorilla is a species that has always held a place in my concerns. As many know, like the chimpanzee, the mountain gorilla is a closely related primate species to modern Homo sapiens (humans). Though most don’t view it as such, it is true that their destruction is our destruction. In the same respect, unfortunately, their destruction is also due to human destruction caused a lot by human activity.
This video does a couple of things. For one, it gives a very excellent and clear video trip into the Bwindi Forest and to the daily life of the Mountain Gorilla. It’s hard not to be in awe of the environment they live in, and of their beauty and behavior.
Two, it gives a clear description of why they are endangered and what factors are contributing to their continual population decline. There are only 720 left in the wild. A critical state indeed.
A few factors mentioned include:
Pressure for resources: Oil and gas, minerals, land – for coffee and lumber (hardwoods – aka, vanity).
As mentioned in the video, they are “surrounded by a sea of humans.” So pressure for arable land from locals.
War, political instability, national and regional conflicts: Everyone remembers the hell of the strife between Uganda (where the Bwindi Forest is), Rwanda, DRC.
The disgusting practice of bush meat: Gorillas inadvertently and purposely caught in snares to fee the vanity of the appetite of groups of humans.
I encourage all of you to take a few minutes and view the video. It really is well done and will give you a clear look at the life of the Mountain Gorilla and the real concerns they face.
The video is embedded below. Simply click on it to view it.
You can also view the video via this link
http://www.vbs.tv/video.php?id=1877562164
This video does a couple of things. For one, it gives a very excellent and clear video trip into the Bwindi Forest and to the daily life of the Mountain Gorilla. It’s hard not to be in awe of the environment they live in, and of their beauty and behavior.
Two, it gives a clear description of why they are endangered and what factors are contributing to their continual population decline. There are only 720 left in the wild. A critical state indeed.
A few factors mentioned include:
Pressure for resources: Oil and gas, minerals, land – for coffee and lumber (hardwoods – aka, vanity).
As mentioned in the video, they are “surrounded by a sea of humans.” So pressure for arable land from locals.
War, political instability, national and regional conflicts: Everyone remembers the hell of the strife between Uganda (where the Bwindi Forest is), Rwanda, DRC.
The disgusting practice of bush meat: Gorillas inadvertently and purposely caught in snares to fee the vanity of the appetite of groups of humans.
I encourage all of you to take a few minutes and view the video. It really is well done and will give you a clear look at the life of the Mountain Gorilla and the real concerns they face.
The video is embedded below. Simply click on it to view it.
You can also view the video via this link
http://www.vbs.tv/video.php?id=1877562164
Legislative Animal Rights Victory: Massachusetts Voters Overwhelmingly Vote to Ban Greyhound Racing in the State
This amazing ban does a couple important things. For one, the obvious is that it will immediately put an end to the suffering of racing dogs at tracks in the state of Massachusetts. The other less obvious consequence, is that it will begin to raise awareness to the suffering and cruelty behind greyhound racing in general. In effect, it answers the question: why is greyhound racing cruel? This full ban will make people stop and think about greyhound racing in a greater way, as it probably is an issue they haven’t thought much about before.
To learn more about why greyhound racing is inherently cruel, visit this excellent page by Grey2K USA at http://www.grey2kusa.org/racing/cruel.html Here are just a few facts you will see at the page:
“A Life of Endless Confinement: While at the racetrack, dogs are confined in small cages barely large enough for them to stand up or turn around for long hours each day. On average, over one thousand dogs live in warehouse style kennels at each racetrack.
Dogs Suffer Serious Injuries: Thousands of dogs are seriously injured each year at commercial racetracks, including dogs that suffer broken legs, cardiac arrest, spinal cord paralysis and broken necks. Unfortunately, not all of these injuries are reported to the public because some states do not even keep records on the number of dogs injured each year.
Dogs are Killed When They are No Longer Profitable: Thousands of dogs are killed when they are injured or are no longer fast enough to be profitable. According to the pro-racing National Greyhound Association, an estimated 5,000 dogs were killed in 2003.”
Article:
Mass. voters approve dog racing ban
http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2008/11/question_3_setu.html?p1=Well_MostPop_Emailed4
November 4, 2008 10:18 PM Email
(David Kamerman/Globe Staff)
Christine Dorchak, president of Grey2K USA, a greyhound advocacy group, cheered with Kathy Estridge, Leslie Scheideler, and Tracy Casner, during a party for supporters of the dog racing ban at a Boston nightclub.
By Stephanie Ebbert, Globe Staff
Massachusetts voters today embraced a ballot question to end greyhound racing in the state, rejecting track owners’ arguments that the ban would cost jobs at a time of economic hardship in favor of protecting dogs from harm.
The contentious ballot question passed amid emotional ad campaigns by both sides. Proponents used images of sad-eyed greyhounds that they say are caged inhumanely and raced to injury while opponents put the spotlight on the track employees who would be put out of work if the ballot question passed.
"It's not fair to the dogs," said Dulce Fajardo, 41, a Roxbury Democrat who voted for the ballot question. "I love animals. And for me this is something cruel. They can't defend themselves so we have to do it for them."
The Associated Press called the outcome shortly after 10 p.m.
The Committee to Protect Dogs argued that racing dogs are treated inhumanely -- kept in cages for most of the day and often injured when they are forced to run for sport. The campaign relied upon data kept by the State Racing Commission since mid-2002 showing injuries to more than 800 greyhounds.
The committee -- formed by Grey2K USA, the Humane Society of the United States, and the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals-Angell Medical Center -- spent an estimated $500,000 through Oct. 15, the most recent reporting deadline, campaign finance reports show, and received about $144,000 in in-kind contributions. Activists estimated they had 500 volunteers at the polls today, some of them with their own greyhounds by their sides.
"We had an overwhelmingly positive response, my dog and I," said Christine Dorchak, the co-chair of the committee who worked the polls with her dog, Zoe. "We're optimistic that this will, in fact, be the year of the greyhound."
The Massachusetts Animal Interest Coalition -- funded by the Raynham-Taunton Greyhound Park -- launched an emotional counter-campaign arguing that the employees of the state's two dog tracks had done nothing wrong. Instead, the track workers said, they have been following the regulations as handed down by the State Racing Commission after the last ballot question failed. (They note that the injuries they must report to the commission include minor ones.) The coalition argued that the ballot question would put the needs of dogs before the needs of people -- among them, some 1,000 employees of the state's two dog tracks who would lose their jobs.
This time, the ballot question proposed to phase out racing by 2010, leaving workers time to find alternative jobs. But the track and kennel owners fighting the initiative were unmoved by that gesture, saying that a ban on racing would still eliminate jobs and tax revenue at a time when both are sorely needed.
"The real question here is an economic one," said Glenn Totten, a consultant working with the coalition to fight the ballot question. "I don't think things are any better in Worcester or Springfield or Pittsfield in 2008 in comparison to where they were in 2000."
The opposition relied entirely on in-kind contributions from the Raynham-Taunton track of little over $206,000 through the Oct. 15 reporting deadline, and spent about $400,000 since then on broadcast advertising. The campaign was getting help at the polls from union forces, including the electrical workers, carpenters, police, and Teamsters unions.
To learn more about why greyhound racing is inherently cruel, visit this excellent page by Grey2K USA at http://www.grey2kusa.org/racing/cruel.html Here are just a few facts you will see at the page:
“A Life of Endless Confinement: While at the racetrack, dogs are confined in small cages barely large enough for them to stand up or turn around for long hours each day. On average, over one thousand dogs live in warehouse style kennels at each racetrack.
Dogs Suffer Serious Injuries: Thousands of dogs are seriously injured each year at commercial racetracks, including dogs that suffer broken legs, cardiac arrest, spinal cord paralysis and broken necks. Unfortunately, not all of these injuries are reported to the public because some states do not even keep records on the number of dogs injured each year.
Dogs are Killed When They are No Longer Profitable: Thousands of dogs are killed when they are injured or are no longer fast enough to be profitable. According to the pro-racing National Greyhound Association, an estimated 5,000 dogs were killed in 2003.”
Article:
Mass. voters approve dog racing ban
http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2008/11/question_3_setu.html?p1=Well_MostPop_Emailed4
November 4, 2008 10:18 PM Email
(David Kamerman/Globe Staff)
Christine Dorchak, president of Grey2K USA, a greyhound advocacy group, cheered with Kathy Estridge, Leslie Scheideler, and Tracy Casner, during a party for supporters of the dog racing ban at a Boston nightclub.
By Stephanie Ebbert, Globe Staff
Massachusetts voters today embraced a ballot question to end greyhound racing in the state, rejecting track owners’ arguments that the ban would cost jobs at a time of economic hardship in favor of protecting dogs from harm.
The contentious ballot question passed amid emotional ad campaigns by both sides. Proponents used images of sad-eyed greyhounds that they say are caged inhumanely and raced to injury while opponents put the spotlight on the track employees who would be put out of work if the ballot question passed.
"It's not fair to the dogs," said Dulce Fajardo, 41, a Roxbury Democrat who voted for the ballot question. "I love animals. And for me this is something cruel. They can't defend themselves so we have to do it for them."
The Associated Press called the outcome shortly after 10 p.m.
The Committee to Protect Dogs argued that racing dogs are treated inhumanely -- kept in cages for most of the day and often injured when they are forced to run for sport. The campaign relied upon data kept by the State Racing Commission since mid-2002 showing injuries to more than 800 greyhounds.
The committee -- formed by Grey2K USA, the Humane Society of the United States, and the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals-Angell Medical Center -- spent an estimated $500,000 through Oct. 15, the most recent reporting deadline, campaign finance reports show, and received about $144,000 in in-kind contributions. Activists estimated they had 500 volunteers at the polls today, some of them with their own greyhounds by their sides.
"We had an overwhelmingly positive response, my dog and I," said Christine Dorchak, the co-chair of the committee who worked the polls with her dog, Zoe. "We're optimistic that this will, in fact, be the year of the greyhound."
The Massachusetts Animal Interest Coalition -- funded by the Raynham-Taunton Greyhound Park -- launched an emotional counter-campaign arguing that the employees of the state's two dog tracks had done nothing wrong. Instead, the track workers said, they have been following the regulations as handed down by the State Racing Commission after the last ballot question failed. (They note that the injuries they must report to the commission include minor ones.) The coalition argued that the ballot question would put the needs of dogs before the needs of people -- among them, some 1,000 employees of the state's two dog tracks who would lose their jobs.
This time, the ballot question proposed to phase out racing by 2010, leaving workers time to find alternative jobs. But the track and kennel owners fighting the initiative were unmoved by that gesture, saying that a ban on racing would still eliminate jobs and tax revenue at a time when both are sorely needed.
"The real question here is an economic one," said Glenn Totten, a consultant working with the coalition to fight the ballot question. "I don't think things are any better in Worcester or Springfield or Pittsfield in 2008 in comparison to where they were in 2000."
The opposition relied entirely on in-kind contributions from the Raynham-Taunton track of little over $206,000 through the Oct. 15 reporting deadline, and spent about $400,000 since then on broadcast advertising. The campaign was getting help at the polls from union forces, including the electrical workers, carpenters, police, and Teamsters unions.
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
"Stop Animal Cruelty" Measure in California Passes: Bans Farmers from Raising Egg-Laying Hens, Veal Calves, Pregnant Pigs in Small Cages by 2015
The final percentage I saw was 63 to 33%, so, an overwhelming victory.
As always, any measure in this direction is positive. All can hope though that this measure raises awareness to the cruelty of these industries and subsequently, to people to stop eating veal, etc. This measure simply allows more room for the penned.
For those who need a reminder as to the cruelty of veal, including photos and pictures of abused baby cows, see: http://www.noveal.org/
Article:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/04/MN6V13QHQJ.DTL&type=politics
A measure that would ban farmers from raising egg-laying hens, veal calves and pregnant pigs in small cages and crates by 2015 appeared to be headed for victory Tuesday night.Supporters of Proposition 2 said the initiative would guarantee farm animals a better life, giving them the space they need to stand up, turn around, lie down and extend their wings, as well as prevent diseases caused by overcrowding.
Opponents argue that the measure would put California's egg industry out of business, as well as put consumers at risk for disease from imported eggs produced in countries with less stringent standards.
Voters seemed to be siding with the Humane Society of the United States, the backers of the initiative. With nearly a third of the precincts reporting, the "Stop Animal Cruelty" measure was winning by a ratio of better than 3 to 2.
"It's common sense to give animals raised for food enough space to turn around," said Wayne Pacelle, president and chief operating officer of the Humane Society. "We are heartened and encouraged by the returns that provide affirmation of that principle."
Florida, Arizona, Colorado and Oregon have passed similar laws for swine and veal.
But California would be the first state in the nation to demand that all egg-producing chickens be kept in more spacious enclosures or free to roam a henhouse.
Most pig and veal farmers in the state have already gone to larger pen sizes for their animals, making the battle mostly between poultry ranchers and animal-rights activists.
California produces about 6 percent of the nation's table eggs, a $330 million business in 2007. Fifty percent of the eggs sold in California come from other states.
Five to 8 percent of the eggs produced in the state come from cage-free chickens. The majority of California's fryer and broiler chickens are already cage-free.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Happy Halloween! Here is a List of Animal Friendly (Vegan) Candy
What an important question this time of the year.
According to http://www.peta.org/feat/halloween01/ and http://www.petakids.com/candy.html, the following candies are gelatin-free, and overall vegan.
As always, if someone sees a candy on this list that they do not believe is vegan, please let us know via a post on this blog. We’ll look into it!
Airheads taffy
Atkins peanut butter bars
Blow Pops
Charms lollipops
Chick-o-Sticks
Cracker Jack
Cry Babies
Dem Bones
Dots
Dum-Dums
Fireballs
Goldenberg’s Peanut Chews
Hot Tamales
Hubba Bubba bubblegum
Jolly Ranchers (lollipops and hard candy)
Jujubees
Jujyfruits
Lemonheads
Mambas
Mary Janes (regular and peanut butter kisses)
Mike and Ike
pumpkin Now and Later
Pez
Ring Pop lollipops
Smarties
Sour Patch Kids
Starburst (jelly beans and hard candy)
Super Bubble
Swedish Fish
Sweet Tarts
Tropical Source mini chocolate bags
Twizzlers
Zotz
According to http://www.peta.org/feat/halloween01/ and http://www.petakids.com/candy.html, the following candies are gelatin-free, and overall vegan.
As always, if someone sees a candy on this list that they do not believe is vegan, please let us know via a post on this blog. We’ll look into it!
Airheads taffy
Atkins peanut butter bars
Blow Pops
Charms lollipops
Chick-o-Sticks
Cracker Jack
Cry Babies
Dem Bones
Dots
Dum-Dums
Fireballs
Goldenberg’s Peanut Chews
Hot Tamales
Hubba Bubba bubblegum
Jolly Ranchers (lollipops and hard candy)
Jujubees
Jujyfruits
Lemonheads
Mambas
Mary Janes (regular and peanut butter kisses)
Mike and Ike
pumpkin Now and Later
Pez
Ring Pop lollipops
Smarties
Sour Patch Kids
Starburst (jelly beans and hard candy)
Super Bubble
Swedish Fish
Sweet Tarts
Tropical Source mini chocolate bags
Twizzlers
Zotz
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
More on Sarah Palin and Backward Policies: Opposed the Listing of Beluga Whales as Endangered Species
Luckily NOAA didn’t agree with her blatantly obvious backward policies. Keeping in line with typical Republican policy, Palin used the same old lines to attempt to prevent the implementation of sound and reasonable protection of an endangered species. I assume more of the same should she take over in January.
Article:
Boogie Woogie, Beluga Boy
http://www.grist.org/news/2008/10/17/beluga/index.html?source=rss
Belugas listed as endangered over Sarah Palin's objections
Posted at 2:29 PM on 17 Oct 2008
Despite opposition from Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, beluga whales in the Cook Inlet have been declared endangered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The agency estimates that only 375 belugas currently frolic in the inlet, down from some 1,300 in the 1980s. Restricting subsistence hunting by Native Alaskans has not helped the problem, says NOAA, and whales continue to be threatened by development, oil and gas exploration, and industrial activities (as well as beach strandings, disease, and being munched by killer whales).
Palin strenuously opposed the listing, stating in Aug. 2007 that the science was inconclusive and that "an unnecessary federal listing and designation of critical habitat would do serious long-term damage to the vibrant economy of the Cook Inlet area." There may indeed be an impact: Unlike the feds' polar-bear listing, the beluga listing contains no caveat that economic development should remain unhindered.
Article:
Boogie Woogie, Beluga Boy
http://www.grist.org/news/2008/10/17/beluga/index.html?source=rss
Belugas listed as endangered over Sarah Palin's objections
Posted at 2:29 PM on 17 Oct 2008
Despite opposition from Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, beluga whales in the Cook Inlet have been declared endangered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The agency estimates that only 375 belugas currently frolic in the inlet, down from some 1,300 in the 1980s. Restricting subsistence hunting by Native Alaskans has not helped the problem, says NOAA, and whales continue to be threatened by development, oil and gas exploration, and industrial activities (as well as beach strandings, disease, and being munched by killer whales).
Palin strenuously opposed the listing, stating in Aug. 2007 that the science was inconclusive and that "an unnecessary federal listing and designation of critical habitat would do serious long-term damage to the vibrant economy of the Cook Inlet area." There may indeed be an impact: Unlike the feds' polar-bear listing, the beluga listing contains no caveat that economic development should remain unhindered.
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Brigitte Bardot Calls Out Sarah Palin: 'a disgrace to women' and Lacking Any Respect for Animal Life
Glad the famous are now starting to speak as to the cruelty of Sarah Palin. I wrote recently about Palin and her support of animal cruelty here http://geari.blogspot.com/2008/09/sarah-palin-animal-abuser-and-animal.html
Bardot is clear in what she sees as Palin’s cruel nature:
"This shows your total lack of responsibility, your inability to protect or simply respect animal life,"
Article:
Brigitte Bardot slams Sarah Palin as 'a disgrace to women'
http://livenews.com.au/Articles/2008/10/08/
Brigitte_Bardot_slams_Sarah_Palin_as_a_disgrace_to_women
Screen icon and 1960s sex symbol Brigitte Bargot has slammed Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, calling her a disgrace to women.
"I hope you lose these elections because that would be a victory for the world," the French actor-turned-activist wrote in an open letter to Palin.
"By denying the responsibility of man in global warming, by advocating gun rights and making statements that are disconcertingly stupid, you are a disgrace to women and you alone represent a terrible threat, a true environmental catastrophe," wrote Bardot.
Bardot, who now leads an animal rights foundation, blasted Palin for supporting Arctic oil exploration, which is reportedly threatening delicate animals habitats, and for ignoring calls to protect polar bears.
"This shows your total lack of responsibility, your inability to protect or simply respect animal life," Bardot wrote.
Finally, the 74-year-old chastised Palin for depicting herself as a pitbull wearing lipstick and asked the Republican running mate to stop comparing herself to dogs.
"I know them well and I can assure you that no pitbull, no dog, nor any other animal for that matter is as dangerous as you are," Bardot wrote.
Bardot is clear in what she sees as Palin’s cruel nature:
"This shows your total lack of responsibility, your inability to protect or simply respect animal life,"
Article:
Brigitte Bardot slams Sarah Palin as 'a disgrace to women'
http://livenews.com.au/Articles/2008/10/08/
Brigitte_Bardot_slams_Sarah_Palin_as_a_disgrace_to_women
Screen icon and 1960s sex symbol Brigitte Bargot has slammed Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, calling her a disgrace to women.
"I hope you lose these elections because that would be a victory for the world," the French actor-turned-activist wrote in an open letter to Palin.
"By denying the responsibility of man in global warming, by advocating gun rights and making statements that are disconcertingly stupid, you are a disgrace to women and you alone represent a terrible threat, a true environmental catastrophe," wrote Bardot.
Bardot, who now leads an animal rights foundation, blasted Palin for supporting Arctic oil exploration, which is reportedly threatening delicate animals habitats, and for ignoring calls to protect polar bears.
"This shows your total lack of responsibility, your inability to protect or simply respect animal life," Bardot wrote.
Finally, the 74-year-old chastised Palin for depicting herself as a pitbull wearing lipstick and asked the Republican running mate to stop comparing herself to dogs.
"I know them well and I can assure you that no pitbull, no dog, nor any other animal for that matter is as dangerous as you are," Bardot wrote.
Rare Black Rhinoceros Dies While Being Transported to Oregon Zoo
What else can be said other than score one more for the crulty of zoos. Good f…ing job Oregon Zoo. You killed another one!
Article:
Rare black rhino dies en route to Oregon Zoo
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008238237_webrhinodeath07.html?syndication=rss
A rare black rhinoceros died while being transported to Portland from Kansas City for breeding purposes, the Oregon Zoo said Tuesday. The rhino became agitated...
By Mary Hudetz
The Associated Press
PORTLAND — A rare black rhinoceros died while being transported to Portland from Kansas City for breeding purposes, the Oregon Zoo said Tuesday.
The rhino became agitated early Monday about 20 miles outside Phoenix, causing the truck to sway. Zoo staff immediately stopped the truck to check on her before heading to the city's zoo to seek care.
The Phoenix Zoo had a crane delivered and the rhino was unloaded from the truck into an elephant barn. The rhino died Monday night from unknown causes.
"It just doesn't always go they way you hope it does," said Oregon Zoo veterinarian Dr. Lisa Harrenstien, who flew to Arizona on Monday to help care for the animal. "It can take a turn for the worse, and you do what you can to get back on track."
The Phoenix Zoo is performing a necropsy to determine the cause of death, said Oregon Zoo spokesman Bill LaMarche. Preliminary results should be available within three weeks.
There are an estimated 3,500 black rhinos left in the world and 67 are held in captivity, LaMarche said. "Poachers hunt them mercilessly for their horn," he said. "The species is really on the brink."
LaMarche said staffers transporting the rhinoceros from Kansas City, where it was born in 2000, took a detour through Arizona because of snow advisories in Wyoming.
The Species Survival Plan, which is run by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, had called for the 8-year-old female named Kipenzi, which means "precious one" in Swahili, to breed with the Oregon Zoo's 21-year-old male.
LaMarche said another female will likely be sent to the Oregon Zoo through the plan, which aims to sustain a genetically diverse population among animals in North American zoos.
Black rhinos are native to Eastern and Central Africa.
Article:
Rare black rhino dies en route to Oregon Zoo
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008238237_webrhinodeath07.html?syndication=rss
A rare black rhinoceros died while being transported to Portland from Kansas City for breeding purposes, the Oregon Zoo said Tuesday. The rhino became agitated...
By Mary Hudetz
The Associated Press
PORTLAND — A rare black rhinoceros died while being transported to Portland from Kansas City for breeding purposes, the Oregon Zoo said Tuesday.
The rhino became agitated early Monday about 20 miles outside Phoenix, causing the truck to sway. Zoo staff immediately stopped the truck to check on her before heading to the city's zoo to seek care.
The Phoenix Zoo had a crane delivered and the rhino was unloaded from the truck into an elephant barn. The rhino died Monday night from unknown causes.
"It just doesn't always go they way you hope it does," said Oregon Zoo veterinarian Dr. Lisa Harrenstien, who flew to Arizona on Monday to help care for the animal. "It can take a turn for the worse, and you do what you can to get back on track."
The Phoenix Zoo is performing a necropsy to determine the cause of death, said Oregon Zoo spokesman Bill LaMarche. Preliminary results should be available within three weeks.
There are an estimated 3,500 black rhinos left in the world and 67 are held in captivity, LaMarche said. "Poachers hunt them mercilessly for their horn," he said. "The species is really on the brink."
LaMarche said staffers transporting the rhinoceros from Kansas City, where it was born in 2000, took a detour through Arizona because of snow advisories in Wyoming.
The Species Survival Plan, which is run by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, had called for the 8-year-old female named Kipenzi, which means "precious one" in Swahili, to breed with the Oregon Zoo's 21-year-old male.
LaMarche said another female will likely be sent to the Oregon Zoo through the plan, which aims to sustain a genetically diverse population among animals in North American zoos.
Black rhinos are native to Eastern and Central Africa.
Despite Conviction of Cruel Michael Vick, Dogfighting is Growing Among the Youth in the United States
Unfortunately, the case of cruel and evil Michael Vick has done little to deter dogfighting.
As stated below, "There are at least 100,000 young kids fighting their dogs under the radar in America," estimates Chicago-based anti-violence advocate Tio Hardiman, who built his estimate on conversations with young dogfighters and authorities in 35 states he has visited. In contrast, about 40,000 adults are involved in organized dogfighting, according to the Humane Society of the United States.” It goes on, “The most active and numerous dogfighters, experts say, are 13 or 14 or 17 years old — inner-city youths who have trained their pit bulls to fight other dogs in the neighborhood.”
Sad to see this reality.
Article:
A fight to save urban youth from dogfighting
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-09-29-dogfighting_N.htm
By Sharon L. Peters, Special for USA TODAY
The vast majority of dogfighters are not rich and famous like former football star Michael Vick or as organized as the pit masters who schedule high-stakes blood battles that rake in thousands of dollars a night.
The most active and numerous dogfighters, experts say, are 13 or 14 or 17 years old — inner-city youths who have trained their pit bulls to fight other dogs in the neighborhood.
"There are at least 100,000 young kids fighting their dogs under the radar in America," estimates Chicago-based anti-violence advocate Tio Hardiman, who built his estimate on conversations with young dogfighters and authorities in 35 states he has visited. In contrast, about 40,000 adults are involved in organized dogfighting, according to the Humane Society of the United States.
Hardiman, who is a special consultant to the Humane Society and has launched an anti-dogfighting program in Chicago, says large numbers of youngsters are conducting street dogfights "in almost every urban inner city," and the numbers are growing. Among the cities he lists: Chicago; St. Louis; New York; Atlanta; Memphis; Detroit; Jackson, Miss.; Los Angeles; New Orleans; Milwaukee; Baltimore; Charlotte; and Newark.
"The kids are getting younger and younger," says Randy Grim, executive director of Stray Rescue of St. Louis. He roams the worst streets rescuing dogs, most of them scarred-up fight-trained pit bulls discarded because they weren't vicious enough. "I saw a kid in a park, he was probably 8 or 9 years old, training and strengthening his pit bull by having him tread water in a creek."
FIND MORE STORIES IN: United States Newark Michael Vick Chicago-based Humane Society Stray Rescue of St. Louis Tio Hardiman
It's not about the dog
Getting and fighting a pit bull has become a way for inner-city youth to "show their toughness," "develop a reputation in the neighborhood" and "make some money," says Kelly Daley, who led a recent University of Chicago Survey Lab study on dogfighting. Urban kids see dogfighting as a stature builder, and they give no thought to what the animals endure, she says. "This kind of stuff doesn't have anything at all to do with the dog."
Reformed Chicago dogfighter Kione Ford, 16, fits the description. Dogfighting "made me kind of popular," he says. And each time one of his dogs got hurt, "I'd think, 'Well, next time he'll win.' "
Most dogfighting by young people is not the sort described during the Vick episode — big-money events held in well-constructed pits for large audiences. Youth dogfights are usually forced skirmishes between leashed pit bulls on the sidewalks or alleys, or low-stakes unleashed contests in backyards and basements. The results, however, are similar to organized matches: dogs maimed or dying by the thousands every year, enough cash or veneration bestowed on winners to keep them committed, and owners — teens and pre-teens in this case — growing increasingly non-empathetic and violence-prone.
"We've got a whole new generation of criminals coming up as a result of all this," Grim says. Although dogfighting by inner-city kids has been reported for two decades, he says, it is now more prevalent, more enmeshed in the fabric of communities and more appealing to a broader circle of urban youth.
Making dogs fight is "not something that's a thought process at all, it's just something they do" as part of the intertwined activities of violence, says Cynthia Bathurst of Safe Humane Chicago, a coalition aimed at ending inner-city violence against humans and animals. Hardiman agrees: "Violence against dogs doesn't even register."
Life expectancy: 18 months
The Vick case hasn't deterred young urban tough guys. "It actually generated more interest among urban youth," Grim says. Suddenly, kids who had believed dogfighting was only a ghetto or rural Southern sport saw rich role models were involved. "They thought, if (Vick) does it, it's cool."
The fact that Vick got prison time and that dogfighting is a felony doesn't stop them because they reject both as establishment punishment leveled against the disenfranchised, Grim says.
Kids get drawn in at an early age, says Hardiman, motivated by the "glamorization" of dogfighting by rap and hip-hop music and by neighborhood values that prize machismo. They give little value to animals and assert that pit bulls "were born to fight."
"We discovered (in St. Louis) a group that held a dogfight for a church fundraiser, and that sends a pretty strong message to children," Grim says.
A kid gets a pit bull from a breeder who churns out litters in backyards or abandoned buildings, or from a pet store known to have a non-public cache of pit puppies, or they steal animals chained out in a yard or on a fire escape.
The youngster learns from friends or uncles how to turn the animal into a fighter, often starting by setting it against smaller dogs or cats referred to as "pit bait," creatures that almost never survive the encounters. Most kids also do torturous things to their dogs to make them meaner, more pain tolerant, more likely to go the extra mile in battle, says Robert Missari of Rescue Ink, which scours the boroughs of New York for abused animals.
"These kids may make some money on fights," Missari says, "but it's equally about the whole macho thing and security thing of being able to say, 'My dog is the toughest on the block, my pit bull can kill your pit bull.' "
Dogs that are decent fighters may survive several bouts before being mauled so badly they die or are killed. "The life expectancy of an inner-city pit bull is 18 months," says Hardiman. Dogs that won't fight or don't fight well are regarded as "not worthy," and they're shot, hanged or set loose.
Authorities sometimes take a dog away from its owner, but these can be tough cases. There are few witnesses, kids claim they don't know who owns a mauled dog, and there has been a pattern of pleading down cases to misdemeanors, experts say.
Kids can quit
Ultimately, the mind-set of young dogfighters must be changed, Hardiman says. Later this year, he'll take to Atlanta and Charlotte his Campaign to End Dogfighting, which rechannels kids and their dogs to more constructive agility and obedience competitions. He's bolstered by apparent successes that include Ford, who vows he'll never make a dog fight again, and George Brent, 18, who fought his dog Red for months, then hooked up with Hardiman's team. Red earned the American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizenship certification.
Tamaris Jones, 17, says he won't fight again. He and dog Trouble have spent months of Saturdays in Hardiman's program. "They explained to me that it wasn't right to fight him," Jones says. "I would be mad at (Trouble) when he lost, and I'd hug him when he won. Now he's not a fighter no more. I can hug him all the time."
The Humane Society of the United States also is working on other ways to de-romanticize dogfighting, including public service announcements from messengers these kids respect, people who speak their language and understand their lives. Music mogul Russell Simmons has signed on; other like-thinking rappers and sports figures are being contacted.
Grim plans a humane-education camp next summer that will address dogfighting; Rescue Ink is going into the schools this fall with the message; and Bathurst has joined Best Friends Animal Society to spread the anti-violence word in several cities.
"We're creating a movement around seeing these animals in a different way," Hardiman says.
While he insists "80% of inner-city youths love their dogs and don't fight them," he acknowledges that reversing the other 20% is tough. "I get a kid for a few hours, and the rest of the time he's living where he's living, and they're not reinforcing my message, they're doing what they do … fighting dogs."
But he knows some are strong enough to leave fighting forever. His evidence is Sean Moore, 37, who works with him to steer kids onto a different path. Moore was a revered dogfighter from age 13 to 18. Fifteen of his dogs died in fights or he killed them to end their agony after hideous injuries.
"I apologize every day for what I did back then," Moore says.
He left that life when he realized "I didn't want to be a killer no more. It was an ego trip. I sometimes made some money. But I'm just not a killer."
McDonald's Illegally Uses Image of Paul McCartney in Store: McCartney Calls for Boycott
Just the usual from McDonald’s and their illegal tactics.
Article:
Sir Paul McCartney calls for McDonald's boycott
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/3157502/
Sir-Paul-McCartney-calls-for-McDonalds-boycott.html
Sir Paul McCartney has called for fans to boycott McDonald's after the fast food chain used an image of the former Beatle in its Liverpool store.
The singer, who has been a vocal advocate of vegetarianism for 30 years was said to be furious after discovering pictures of the Beatles had been placed prominently in a restaurant in his home town.
His image appeared alongside former band mates John Lennon, Ringo Starr and George Harrison.
Geoff Baker, a spokesman for Sir Paul said: "What sort of morons do McDonald's think Beatles' fans are.
"It's ridiculous and insulting to use images to peddle hamburgers. Fans should boycott McDonald’s, and not just in Liverpool."
Sir Paul is a staunch supporter of animal rights, president of the Vegetarian Society of Great Britain and an ambassador for People for the Ethical treatment of Animals (PETA). His late wife Linda had her own range of vegetarian foods.
A PETA spokeswoman said: "He became a vegetarian after watching lambs play in a field outside his home and surely would not want anyone to use his likeness to help promote meat.
"We hope anyone who sees his picture on the wall will be reminded that he's a vegetarian and skip the Big Mac for a veggie burger."
A McDonald's spokeswoman said the pictures were to "acknowledge the outstanding contribution the Beatles made to both local and global culture."
Article:
Sir Paul McCartney calls for McDonald's boycott
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/3157502/
Sir-Paul-McCartney-calls-for-McDonalds-boycott.html
Sir Paul McCartney has called for fans to boycott McDonald's after the fast food chain used an image of the former Beatle in its Liverpool store.
The singer, who has been a vocal advocate of vegetarianism for 30 years was said to be furious after discovering pictures of the Beatles had been placed prominently in a restaurant in his home town.
His image appeared alongside former band mates John Lennon, Ringo Starr and George Harrison.
Geoff Baker, a spokesman for Sir Paul said: "What sort of morons do McDonald's think Beatles' fans are.
"It's ridiculous and insulting to use images to peddle hamburgers. Fans should boycott McDonald’s, and not just in Liverpool."
Sir Paul is a staunch supporter of animal rights, president of the Vegetarian Society of Great Britain and an ambassador for People for the Ethical treatment of Animals (PETA). His late wife Linda had her own range of vegetarian foods.
A PETA spokeswoman said: "He became a vegetarian after watching lambs play in a field outside his home and surely would not want anyone to use his likeness to help promote meat.
"We hope anyone who sees his picture on the wall will be reminded that he's a vegetarian and skip the Big Mac for a veggie burger."
A McDonald's spokeswoman said the pictures were to "acknowledge the outstanding contribution the Beatles made to both local and global culture."
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