Wild horses & cattle at risk in the Danube Delta

December 2, 2005 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, December 2005:

Wild horses & cattle at risk in the Danube Delta
by Andreea Plescan with further research by ANIMAL PEOPLE

Untamed and undiscovered by tourism and
development, the Danube Delta is home to more
than 300 bird species, 160 fish species, and
more than 800 plant families.
Protected as a wetlands biosphere
reserve, the Romanian portion of the Danube
Delta occupies 2,622 square miles of channels and
canals, widening into tree-fringed lakes, reed
islands, marshes, some oak forest intertwined
with lianas and creepers, desert dunes, and
some traditional fishing villages.
The Danube Delta is also home to the
largest population of wild horses and cattle in
Europe. Their combined population is officially
estimated at about 7,500. Some escaped from
farms to join wild herds during the 2005 floods.
Some escaped earlier, or their ancestors did.
Many were released to graze on the biosphere
reserve by farmers who hoped to recapture them
later, but abandoned them when horse flesh and
beef prices dropped.

Letters [Dec 2005]

December 2, 2005 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, December 2005:

Irish greyhounds

I am concerned that people reading your November 2005 article
“How Irish dog racers muzzle humane critics” will think that Limerick
Animal Welfare takes money from the Irish Greyhound Racing Board, or
that we in some way support the greyhound racing industry. Limerick
Animal Welfare is opposed to greyhound racing, as it encourages the
overbreeding and abuse of greyhounds. Indeed I have just bought
some greyhound coats for our next protest which state “Race Cars not
Dogs.”
We cannot speak for other welfare organizations, and it is
unfortunate that some have decided to accept money from the Greyhound
Racing Board. This gives the board the opportunity to say that they
are working with welfare groups and saving many greyhounds.
Unfortunately, the amount expended on greyhound welfare by the Board
is a pittance despite the huge government subsidies they receive.
Limerick Animal Welfare has been rescuing greyhounds and
lurchers from dog pounds and other sites for 12 years. Avalon, the
greyhound sanctuary, of which I am a director, has done this work
for at least eight years. Avalon usually shelters 75 greyhounds and
lurchers.

Letters

Elephant Sanctuary to get last Cuneo eles

December 2, 2005 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, December 2005:

CHICAGO–The Elephant Sanctuary at Hohenwald, Tennessee, in
late December 2005 expects to receive nine female elephants from the
Hawthorn Corporation of Richmond, Illinois. The move will put John
Cuneo, 74, out of the elephant training and rental business after
48 years.
Cuneo started the Hawthorn Corporation as a traveling circus
in 1957. Later Cuneo found a more profitable business niche in
leasing animals to other circuses and boarding exotic animals.
Cuneo agreed in March 2004 to settle 47 alleged Animal Welfare Act
violations by divesting of his 16 elephants by August 2004. The
divestiture was repeatedly delayed by disputes over where to send
them.

Trafficking brings H5N1 threat home

December 2, 2005 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, December 2005:

NEW HAVEN–Pickled “jellyfish” could bring the potentially
deadly H5N1 avian flu virus to the U.S., a courtroom learned on
December 15 in New Haven, Connecticut. Food King Inc. owner
Vichittra “Vicky” Aramwatananont pleaded guilty to smuggling more
than 27,600 pounds of chicken feet into the U.S. from Thailand,
mislabeled “jellyfish” to evade inspection. The chicken feet were
sold in 11 states.
“Aramwatananont faces up to six months in prison, but is not
expected to receive jail time when she is sentenced on March 24,”
reported Associated Press writer Matt Apuzzo. “Food King will pay
$170,000 as part of a plea agreement.”
Still passing mostly from bird to bird, rarely crossing into
humans and even more rarely into other mammals, H5N1 has killed 71
people in Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, China and Cambodia since
2003: just over half the total number of people known to have become
infected. Most victims were poultry workers, cockfighters, or
members of the families of poultry workers and cockfighters, who
shared their homes with sick birds.

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