Horses and Cattle

May 1, 1993 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 1993:

Senator Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii) and Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-New York) have reintroduced the Downed Animal Protection Act, as S. 367 and H.R. 559, which would require stockyards to promptly euthanize sick and injured animals. Support for the measure may be addressed to Senators and Congressional Representatives.

The American Horse Protection Association’s sixth annual training seminar for equine cruelty investiga-

tors will be held May 20-21 at College Park, Maryland. Get details from Ellen Foysyth, 202-965-0500.

Norma Bearcroft, president of the Canadian Wild Horse Society, has asked members to approve a resolution to disband the struggling group by year’s end.

CHILDREN AND ANIMALS

May 1, 1993 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 1993:

The National Institutes of Health is now distrib-

uting seven sets of Let’s Visit a Research Laboratory Lesson

Plans free to public schools and to anyone else on request.

“Even though the Michigan Humane Society agrees with

legitimate uses of animals in biomedical research,” MHS

lobbyist Eileen Liska told U.S. Senator Carl Levin in a

recent letter of protest, “these are clearly an example of bla-

tantly one-sided pro-animal research propaganda, and as

such are an inappropriate use of tax dollars. The brochures

do not portray the scientific and ethical complexities of ani-

mal research. I have found a disturbing number of factual

errors in the texts. And also please notice how the refer-

ences at the end of each lesson plan are equally one-

sided––especially the frequency with which the National

Association for Biomedical Research and Foundation for

Biomedical Research are referenced. These are special

interest organizations with sizeable budgets for promoting

their viewpoint. There is no justication for allowing the NIH

to use limited federal funds,” supposed to be spent on pro-

moting public health, “to help such special interests.” The

lesson plans are available from Public Inquiries, National

Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Room 15C-05, 5600

Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857.

The dream that haunts Vic Koppelberger by Donna Robb

May 1, 1993 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 1993:

The dream that haunts Vic Koppelberger came to

him 30 years ago, and changed his life.

“I stood in a room before all the animals I ever

shot,” Koppelberger remembers. “They were lined up and

staring at me. It was my judgement day.”

Koppelberger, now 75, never hunted again.

He had the dream shortly after a disturbing hunt-

ing experience. Using a stuffed owl as a decoy,

Koppelberger and his game warden hunting companion hid

in the woods at the edge of a clearing. The owl, perched on

a stump, attracted crows who dive-bombed the stuffed

enemy. The crows made easy targets.

HUNTING

May 1, 1993 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 1993:

The Wildlife Legislative Fund of

America, a hunting and trapping lobby,

recently sneaked an amendment to the 1994-

1995 Ohio Department of Natural Resources

budget through the state House of

Representatives that would raise $450,000 a

year for a subsidiary, the Wildlife Conserv-

ation Fund of America, through a 25¢ sur-

charge on the sale of hunting, fishing, and

trapping licenses. The amendment was intro-

duced by representative Ronald Amstutz, at

request of WLF director Tom Addis. After the

proposed diversion of public money to a spe-

cial interest lobby became known, Amstutz

claimed it was all a mistake. “I was misin-

formed,” he told Michael Sangiacomo of the

Cleveland Plain Dealer. “I thought it was a

small raise for the people who write the licens-

es. I made certain assumptions, and apparent-

ly I was wrong. I never looked at the lan-

guage.” ODNR legislative liasion Scott Zody

said his agency “did not ask for” the amend-

ment, “and does not support it.”

COURT CALENDAR

May 1, 1993 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 1993:

Animal Trafficking

Worldwide Primates propri-

etor Matthew Block, 31, of Miami,

drew 13 months in federal prison on April

17 for his part in arranging for six infant

orangutans to be smuggled from Indonesia

to the Soviet Union––the 1990 Bangkok

Six case. Hoping to win a plea bargain,

Block testified against three accomplices

and helped set up the January 26 arrest of

a Mexican zoo director for allegedly trying

to smuggle a gorilla. However, assistant

U.S. attorney Guy Lewis told U.S. district

judge James Kehoe that Block had never

fully cooperated with either investigation,

had lied about his degree of involvement

in the orangutan deal, and was still in

touch with smuggling associates. Block

now faces USDA action for allegedly

feeding primates at his facility spoiled

food, failing to provide water, and keep-

ing them in vermin-infested cages.

Doberman deeds

May 1, 1993 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 1993:

When a tiger abandoned her newborn cub recently at

the zoo in Chhat Bir, India, the zookeeper in desperation gave the

cub to his Doberman pinscher to nurse. After 17 days, both dog

and tiger were reportedly doing well.

Orphaned by Hurricane Andrew when his original fam-

ily lost their home and left him at the SPCA in Jefferson Parish,

Louisiana, a Doberman named Max found a new home with Ava

Mareno of New Orleans last October. On March 27, Max saved

her two-year-old daughter Brittany’s life by pulling away another

dog who was mauling her.

Wild Cats

May 1, 1993 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 1993:

Genetic researchers trying to save

the highly endangered Florida panther on

April 9 recommended a shift away from cap-

tive breeding, the focus of present recovery

efforts. Instead, the team suggested, closely

related Texas cougars should be released into

panther habitat to diversify the gene pool by

natural means. Under the plan, panther kittens

would no longer be removed from the wild for

use in captive breeding, since their gene pool

is presently so narrow that the offspring would

be likely to inherit genetic defects.

Oceans

May 1, 1993 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 1993:

The International Whaling Commission commenced

its annual meeting in Kyoto, Japan, on April 19 as a throng of

1,000 demonstrators marched outside to demand an end to the cur-

rent global whaling ban, in effect since 1986. The IWC scientific

committee met during the last week of April to review current data

on whale populations, while the general commission meeting is

set for May 10-14. Japanese whalers, who already kill 300 minke

whales a year under the auspices of a government research pro-

gram, want to resume whaling on a commercial scale. Iceland has

already resumed commercial whaling, after qutting the IWC.

Zoos & Aquariums

May 1, 1993 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 1993:

Soon after Hurricane Andrew, the Miami Metro Zoo

mailed nearly a million appeals for emergency aid to members of ani-

mal protection groups and to subscribers to magazines about animals.

Zoological Society of Florida deputy director Cynthia Zeigler told

The Chronicle of Philanthropy recently that 27,675 people responded

within the first six months, donating $484,000––results so impres-

sive that TCPgave the story a full-page spread.

Organizing to obstruct attempts by the Shedd Aquarium

in Chicago to capture three Pacific white-sided dolphins off Santa

Catalina Island, California, the Whale Rescue Team claims to have

commitments for participation from the owners of 40 boats and two

aircraft. “The flotilla will use all nonviolent means necessary to pre-

vent the capture,” says Whale Rescue Team founder Peter

Wallerstein.

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