OBITUARIES
From ANIMAL PEOPLE, March 1993:
Al-Hafiz Basheer Ahmad Masri,
78, who died July 12, 1992 in England, was
recently remembered by colleagues. The
leading authority on Islamic teachings about
animals, Masri retired as Imam of the Shah
Jehan Mosque in Woking, England, in
1968. He went on to write two influential
books, Islamic Concern for Animals and
Animals In Islam, demonstrating that the
Prophet Muhammed considered kindness to
animals a sacred duty, and opposed vivisec-
tion, factory farming, and ritual slaughter,
which Masri equated with animal sacrifice.
Masri also narrated a video, Creatures of
God, for the International Network for
Religion and Animals.
Silvia E. Vitale, late of East
Arlington, Massachusetts, has been memo-
rialized by the foundation of Animal
Umbrella, an anti-pet overpopulation group
whose projects include arranging discount
neutering for people on limited incomes and
assisting local neuter/release practitioners.
Get details from Joanne Bruno, Box 1324,
East Arlington, MA 02174; 617-648-0934.
Robert L. “Travis” Beekman,
61, a homeless man noted for having res-
cued a drowning dog from a frozen pond in
Central Park, New York, was found dead
of a heart attack in the Central Park
boathouse on December 29. Well-liked by
park visitors, who set up a memorial fund,
Beekman will be remembered with a drink-
ing fountain for dogs, a kiosk for commu-
nity notices, and a model boat event for
children.
Margaret A. Tavani, 77, long
active in spay/neuter, anti-vivisection, and
anti-fur work, died recently in Havertown,
Pennsylvania.
