LA to ban selling cats and dogs

With so many companion animals needing homes already, it makes no sense to breed more to sell in pet stores for profit.

Paws Up!

To the Los Angeles City Council for approving a motion to ban the sale of cats and dogs in pet stores.

According to a news story, “The L.A. City Council voted…in favor of banning stores from selling dogs, cats and rabbits that are not rescues in an effort to curb the city’s animal euthanasia rates.”

By focusing pet store sales on rescued animals rather than on those bred most often in puppy mills, the city hopes to encourage the adoption of animals from local shelters and thereby reduce the pet overpopulation in Los Angeles.

Take Action: Los Angeles residents, contact your city council members and let them know you support their effort. Residents of other jurisdictions, if there are pet stores in your area selling puppies and kittens from mills, suggest to your elected officials they take the same action Los Angeles has.

Los Angeles City Council
City Hall
200 North Spring St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Tele. No.: 213-485-2121

Source:
Southern California Public Radio 89.3 KPCC
CBS Los Angeles

 

Elephants to Find New Home

Elephants do not deserve to be in captivity.

Paws Up!

To the Calgary Zoo for announcing plans to relocate its endangered Asian elephants.

According to a news story, “Zoo President Dr. Clement Lanthier says ‘The decision is all about animal welfare.’ ‘It was based on a growing acceptance and understanding of the importance of the social structure in elephant herds and the knowledge that their welfare is better served by being part of a large social group.’”

NHES opposes zoo elephant exhibits in which the elephants have insufficient space for roaming and foraging since elephants typically roam 10 miles a day over ranges measuring hundreds of square miles. In addition, some exhibits have elephants residing on hard ground and cement surfaces, contributing substantially to painful foot and leg ailments. Foot disease is a common cause of death in captive elephants. Elephants in some exhibits endure conditions that induce psychological and emotional suffering; for instance, living in isolation for extended periods of time. They suffer from the inability to partake in natural behaviors, like forming family groups and may develop stereotypies, such as swaying or patterned walking, which are considered symptoms of psychological distress. Frequently, elephants are forced to live in climates that do not replicate their natural environment, causing them additional undue stress.

Take action: Canadian residents, please send a note of thanks to the president of the Calgary Zoo. If a zoo in your community has an elephant exhibit which limits the elephants in enjoying their true nature, contact the director and let him or her know of your desire to see the elephants moved to an appropriate sanctuary.

Dr. Clement Lanthier
President
Calgary Zoo, Botanical Garden & Prehistoric Park
1300 Zoo Road NE
Calgary, Alberta
Canada T2E 7V6

Source:
The Calgary Herald

Idaho Joins 47 Other States

Paws Up!
To Governor Butch Otter of Idaho for signing into law a bill that creates a felony animal cruelty statute.

According to a news source, “The legislation signed by Otter and approved by lawmakers in the final days of the 2012 Legislature makes a third animal cruelty conviction over a period of 15 years a felony, leaving the Dakotas as the only states without a felony crime on the books for animal cruelty.”

Strict animal cruelty laws protect both animals and people.

Animal neglect and cruelty pose a definite risk not just to the animals harmed but to the community in which such abuse occurs and society as a whole. Therefore, when an individual perpetrates actions of intentional animal cruelty, society must respond with appropriate measures.

Take Action: Idaho residents, thank Governor Otter for his action. Residents of North and South Dakota, contact your legislators requesting they support felony animal cruelty statutes in their states.

The Honorable Butch Otter
Governor
State Capitol
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720
Tele. No.: 208-334-2100
Fax: 208-334-3454
E-mail: http://gov.idaho.gov/ourgov/contact.html

Source:
http://www.idahostatesman.com/2012/04/05/2064891/gov-signs-animal-cruelty-measure.html

Burros Dodge a Bullet

These wild burros are members of an irreplaceable relic herd that has lived in the state for hundreds of years.

Paws Up!

To the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for suspending a policy that allows burros to be killed in a state park.

Along with suspending the killing of burros in the Big Ben Ranch State Park, “The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will contribute up to $10,000 toward a humane society aerial survey of the wild donkeys at [the park] this spring to establish baseline data …”

These wild burros are members of an irreplaceable relic herd that has lived in the state for hundreds of years. While they are not native to the area and are therefore thought to cause much damage to the eco-system, they do represent a part of the heritage of the old West. Therefore, concerned organizations are searching for an appropriate rescue ranch for these burros instead of destroying these animals.

Take Action: Texas residents, thank the director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for the actions the department has taken and encourage the department to search for non-lethal means to control the burro population.

Carter Smith, Executive Director
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
4200 Smith School Road
Austin, TX 78744
Tele. No.: 800-792-1112

Source:
The Associated Press

 

Partnership Helps Animals

It makes no sense to needlessly kill animals in the classroom when so many great alternatives to dissection exist.

Paws Up!

To the National Association of Biology Teachers and Froguts, Inc. for teaming up to provide alternatives to animal dissection in K-12 and higher education biology classes.

According to a news release, “Froguts Inc, a leading provider of K-12 and higher education biology simulations and labs, is pleased to announce that it has partnered with The National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) to support the association’s efforts and expand the services it provides to biology teachers.”

NHES opposes dissection because killing an animal just to study it is inherently cruel when, in fact, equally viable alternatives exist that do not involve killing animals. We encourage all educational institutions, teachers, parents, and students to use available alternatives to dissection.

Take Action: Many states have student choice laws that allow students to opt-out of live-animal classroom dissection projects. If your state does not have such laws, urge your legislators to enact student choice laws. In the meantime, let your school biology teachers know of this partnership and encourage them to pursue alternatives to classroom dissection. In addition, write the National Association of Biology Teachers and Froguts, Inc. to thank them for their partnership.

Daniel Ward, President
National Association of Biology Teachers
1313 Dolley Madison Blvd, Suite 402
McLean, VA 22101
Fax: 703-790-2672
E-mail: office@nabt.org

Richard Hill and David Hughes, Founders
Froguts Inc.
601 Union St. Suite 4200-202
Seattle, WA 98101
Fax: 206-535-2436
Email: support@froguts.com

Source:
Vocus PRWeb

Cosmetic Company Funds Research to Stop Animal Testing

"Finding alternatives to animal testing is in the best interests of not only animals, but also humans."

Paws Up!

To L’Oreal for giving $1.2 million to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to fund research that may help end animal testing.

According to a news release, “The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and L’oréal cosmetic company announced a research collaboration designed to determine if EPA’s chemical toxicity forecaster (ToxCast) can be used in systemic toxicity tests. EPA is using ToxCast to screen chemicals to understand their potential impact on processes in the human body that lead to adverse health effects.”

Millions of animals are used in all types of product testing even though the Food and Drug Administration does not require all products (for example, many personal care products) be tested on animals. Finding alternatives to animal testing is in the best interests of not only animals but also humans, as often animal testing has led researchers to believe substances are safe for humans when, in fact, they are not.

Take Action: Write L’Oreal a note expressing your thanks for their commitment to help end product testing on animals.

Frédéric Rozé, President & CEO
L’Oréal USA
575 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10017
Tele. No.: 212-818-1500
Email: Contact Form

Sources:
United States Environmental Protection Agency
ABC7-KGO TV

The Score Is Fish 0, Marlins -0

The beauty of these sea creatures is being cheapened by making them nothing more than a ballpark spectacle.

Paws Down!

To Marlins’ baseball team president David Samson for incorporating giant fish tanks in the new stadium design.

Can you image a baseball pitcher hurtling a ball at you at 104.8 mph? That’s the fastest speed ever recorded. While most pitchers don’t reach that speed, 90 mph is not unheard of. So, again, put yourself in the line of a 90 mph pitch coming straight at you.

That’s what is going to happen to the tropical fish at the new Marlins baseball stadium in Miami. The design of the stadium calls for two 20-foot-long tropical fish aquariums to be placed directly behind home plate.

While the president of the Marlins thinks such a design “screams Miami,” it also screams animal abuse. The beauty of these sea creatures is being cheapened by making them nothing more than a ballpark spectacle.

Take Action: Write a letter to Marlins’ president David Samson letting him know fish belong in the sea, not in a tank behind home plate.

David Samson, President
Miami Marlins
501 Marlins Way
Miami, FL 33125

Source:
The Huffington Post

 

Elephants on the Move

It's great that Connie and Shaba remain together, but the best place for them to be is a wildlife sanctuary.

Paws Up!
To Reid Park Zoo, Tucson, Arizona, for deciding to keep elephants Connie and Shaba together as they moved to a new location.

Paws Down!
To the same zoo for sending them to the San Diego Zoo instead of an elephant sanctuary.

Where the animals are concerned, sometimes a good act turns out to not be a great act. According to a news source, “…after weeks of public outcry, the [Tucson, Arizona] city council decided to keep Connie and Shaba together.” However, that decision, although on the surface a good one, still leaves the two elephants at the mercy of zoo officials in San Diego where they are now residing.

These two elephants have a long history of caring for one another and deserve to be retired to an elephant sanctuary instead of another zoo.

Take Action: Write a letter to the San Diego Zoo asking them first to respect the two elephants by keeping them together and to further respect them by retiring them permanently to an appropriate elephant sanctuary.

Douglas G. Myers, Executive Director
San Diego Zoo Global
c/o the San Diego Zoo
2920 Zoo Drive
San Diego, CA 92101

Source:
KGUN-TV9
Reid Park Zoo

 

Money Talks

"When any of us stands up to animal cruelty in whatever form we find it, we encourage others to do the same."

Paws Up!

To CEO Marcus Lemonis of Camping World for pulling his advertising from the Celebrity Apprentice show.

According to a news report, “‘I wouldn’t spend another nickel with them,’ said CEO Marcus Lemonis, according to celebrity gossip site TMZ.” Lemonis was referring to his having been an advertiser on the Celebrity Apprentice show which features one of Donald Trump’s sons. Donald Jr. was photographed along with his brother Eric with dead wild and exotic animals from a hunting trip to Africa a couple years ago (the pictures just recently surfaced).

When any of us stands up to animal cruelty in whatever form we find it, we encourage others to do the same. Therefore, NHES applauds Lemonis’ actions.

Take Action: Write a letter of thanks to CEO Lemonis. His money speaks for animal care and concern.

Marcus Lemonis, Chairman and CEO
Camping World, Inc.
650 Three Springs Rd.
Bowling Green, KY 42104
Tele. No.: 270-781-2718
Fax: 270-745-7192

Source:
The Globe and Mail

 

Just Because You Can, Should You?

Paws Down!

To the Trump brothers who shot wild and exotic animals on a safari in Africa.

Elephants, an endangered leopard, a buffalo, a crocodile and other "big game" animals were all killed by the Trump brothers under the claim that they were feeding the needy.

The Trump brothers are seen with pictures of the animals they killed while on safari in Africa a couple years ago (the pictures recently surfaced). They consider themselves hunters and have said they have little reason to be ashamed of their actions. What they don’t seem to understand that is just because you can buy something—an expensive trip to Africa and hunting licenses—doesn’t mean you have to. The rationale they gave is that the dead animals would feed the local inhabitants. The money the brothers spent on the trip and the license fees they paid for each kill could have, most likely, fed many more people over a longer period of time than the flesh from these once wild and exotic animals.

Take Action: Write the Trump brothers and let them know how you feel about their actions. Killing wild animals for sport is cruel and uncivilized.

Donald Trump Jr.
Erick Trump
c/o Trump Organization
725 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10022

Source:
The Daily Mail
The Huffington Post

Related Post: When you think about it…should the rich be judged by different standards where animals are concerned?