Stallwood to edit Animals’ Agenda; Pacelle quits
From ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 1993:
MONROE, Connecticut– –
Kim Stallwood, former executive director
of People for the Ethical Treatment of
Animals, has been named to replace
board member Jim Motavalli as editor of
the troubledAnimals’ Agendamagazine.
Days later, on April 26, board
president Wayne Pacelle abruptly quit,
without stating his reasons. Now national
director of the Fund for Animals, Pacelle
got his first job in animal rights as
Animals’ Agenda assistant editor in 1987.
Recommended to Fund by then-editor
Kim Bartlett and editor-at-large Patrice
Greanville, Pacelle took his present post
in 1988; was elected to the board in 1989;
became president in 1991; and was
reelected last November, after presiding
over the ouster of Bartlett, who resigned
after news editor Merritt Clifton was
fired. In March, Pacelle joined in firing
Greanville as well.
Stallwood worked at PETA from
late 1986 until March 1992. Earlier, he
co-edited a newsletter for the British
Union Against Vivisection. He left the
BUAV shortly after it paid £35,000 to
Wickham Research Laboratories to settle
a libel suit filed in response to a letter
from the BUAV office manager. The let-
ter urged the Winchester city council
planning committee to reject plans to
expand the Wickham plant. Stallwood
was apparently part of a faction who felt
the suit should have been contested, at risk
of losing £250,000.
Letters Stallwood wrote to the
Animals’ Agenda during his PETA stint
indicate the magazine will take a doctri-
naire line on animal rights, avoiding con-
troversy over tactics and use of resources.
For instance, Stallwood wrote on January
24, 1989, that PETA would not “agree to
any activity in support of the magazine
without the board adopting editorial poli-
cies that openly commit the magazine to a
more positive role in movement building,
and a commitment to not publish attacks
on individuals or organizations active in
animal rights.” He also called for review
of any articles involving controversy by
the board, most of whom are also board
or staff with advocacy groups.
Stallwood reportedly plans to
move the Animals’ Agenda editorial office
to his Baltimore home by June 1,
although the lease on the present office in
Connecticut has seven months left to run.
