BULLFEATHERS & SUCH

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 1999:

Told that as a shareholder
he would be given three minutes at
the May 5 annual PepsiCo shareholders’
meeting in Purchase, New York,
to tell fellow PepsiCo shareholders
about Pepsi advertising in bullrings,
SHARK founder Steve Hindi allowed
PepsiCo executives to read his speech
in advance, as required, and travelled
from Chicago to the meeting after getting
purported final approval––but on
arrival was told by PepsiCo associate
general counsel Lawrence Dickie that
he would not be allowed in because
PepsiCo had received an anonymous
call which included a bomb threat.
Recounted Hindi, “Dickie said PepsiCo
had ‘consulted the authorities,’ who
agreed I should not attend. I called the
FBI, the New York State Police, and
the White Plains and Harrison police
departments,” which have jurisdiction
in Purchase. “None of them knew anything
whatever about PepsiCo getting a
bomb threat. There was no report on
file. If PepsiCo feels it cannot defend
its relationship with bullfighting,”
Hindi added, “and I agree it cannot, it
should end that relationship. Meanwhile,
PepsiCo shareholders have a
right to know what PepsiCo is doing.
Barring me was just one indefensible
act concocted to cover up another.”

Montgomery, New Jersey,
on May 21 adopted an ordinance prohibiting
rodeos from using electrical
prods or spurs; requiring injured or ill
animals to be removed from competition;
and allowing animal abuse
charges to be filed for alleged violations.
The New Jersey Coalition for
Animals thanked Steve Hindi and
Vermont veterinarian Peggy Larson, a
former rodeo performer, for helping
them videotape the abusive conduct at
the 1998 Montgomery rodeo that convinced
the town council to act.
About nine months after
discovering four Clyde Beatty-Cole
Brothers Circus elephants w i t h
alleged open wounds from trainers’ use
of the ankus (elephant hook), the
USDA Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service in late April charged
the circus with two counts of violating
the Animal Welfare Act during appearances
in Danbury, Connecticut, and
Middleton, New York. The circus is
contesting the charges.
Texas state representative
Ron Wilson (D-Houston) in early May
reported receiving a telephoned death
threat after introducing a bill to ban socalled
hog/dog rodeo, in which two
dogs try to pull a confined pig down by
the ears.