Universal Declaration wins key preliminary to U.N. approval

June 1, 2007 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 200&
PARIS–The 169-nation World Organization for Animal Health
(Office International des Epizooties) on May 25, 2007 ratified the
present edition of the Univ-ersal Declaration on Animal Wel-fare,
including recognition of animals’ sentience.
The World Society for the Protection of Animals and ancestral
bodies have sought since 1952 to win United Nations approval of
various versions of the Universal Declar-ation, which evolved out of
documents drafted for presentation to the League of Nations in 1924
and 1926.
If approved by the U.N., the Universal Declaration would
become international law. OIE ratification is regarded as a critical
preliminary to placing the declaration before the U.N., which has
not yet reviewed any of the drafts. Created by the League of Nations
in 1920, the World Organization for Animal Health was among the few
surviving League projects that were moved to the U.N. when it formed
in 1945.

BOOKS: World Society for the Protection of Animals Members Manual

June 1, 2007 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2007:

World Society for the Protection of Animals Members Manual
Looseleaf binder & CD formats – 348 pages. Annual membership fee: $80.00.
http://www.wspa-usa.org/pages/1948_becoming_a_u_s_member_society.cfm

As “Go forth and multiply!” is the first commandment of
survival for institutions and causes, as well as species, some of
the first publications of the earliest British and American humane
societies were essays encouraging sympathizers in distant places to
organize in a similar manner.
The 348-page WSPA Members Manual is probably the most
ambitious such effort yet. It draws liberally from many other humane
how-to publications, not always with acknowledgement. Each chapter
ends with an extensive list of further information sources.

Cultural defense of cruelty to bulls succeeds in South Africa

June 1, 2007 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2007:
CAPE TOWN–Asked to recognize
bullfighting as a “World Heritage” cultural rite,
the United Nations Educational & Scientific
Organization may look toward South Africa for
precedents–and find sharply contradictory
examples.
On the one hand, UNESCO project officer
for peace, human rights and democracy Ben Boys
in 2003 lauded South Africa for becoming the
first nation in Africa to add humane education to
the national school curriculum.
On the other, the South African National SPCA
has repeatedly been unable to accomplish anything
to reduce the ritual mayhem inflicted on bulls as
part of the Zulu “First Fruits” festival,
revived in 1992 after the end of apartheid.

Melamine hit Africa too

June 1, 2007 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2007:
CAPE TOWN–At least 30 and possibly as many as 65 dogs died
after eating melamine-contaminated pet food in Cape Town, South
Africa, veterinary pathologist Fred Reyers told Helen Bamford of the
Cape Argus in April 2007.
Little noticed beyond Cape Town, the South African cases
followed much the same trajectory as the high-profile melamine pet
food contamination crisis in the U.S.
“Royal Canin, which makes its own brands as well as Vets
Choice, said in a statement that corn gluten contaminated with
melamine was delivered to South Africa by a third party supplier and
originated from China,” Bamford wrote.

Melamine fed to fish

June 1, 2007 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2007:
VANCOUVER–The potential for global ecological disaster as
result of cheating in international trade was illustrated on May 8,
2007, when the Vancouver-based Canadian division of Skretting
International recalled fish food sold to 25 Oregon Department of Fish
and Wildlife hatcheries because it contained melamine.
As melamine is water-soluable, it does not accumulate in the
bodies of fish, unlike heavy metals such as mercury and chemical
compounds, such as PCBs.
“We do not believe this poses any significant human health
threat,” said FDA food safety chief David Acheson.
But melamine itself was not the cause for worry. The greater
concern was what if the contaminant had been more volatile,
longer-persisting, or biologically active?

Falwell’s father was a dogfighter

June 1, 2007 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2007:
LYNCHBURG, Virginia–Obituaries for
televangelist Jerry Falwell, who died on May 15,
2007 in Lynchburg, Virg-inia, not far from
where the Michael Vick dogfighting case was
breaking, skipped lightly over at least two
aspects of his early life.
Little mentioned was Falwell’s role as an
ardent segregationist from his debut on WBRG
radio in June 1956 until several years after the
Congress On Racial Equality tried to integrate
his church in 1964.
Not mentioned at all was that Falwell’s
father, Carey H. Falwell, a key figure in many
of his sermons, was at least twice convicted of
hosting high-stakes dogfights, at a time when
dogfighting, cockfighting, and pigeon shoots
were among the fundraising mainstays of the Ku
Klux Klan.

Israel bans cosmetic & cleaning product testing on animals; EU advisory body approves alternatives

June 1, 2007 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2007:
JERUSALEM–The Knesset on May 21, 2007 voted 29-0 with two
abstentions to approve on third and final reading a law prohibiting
animal testing of cosmetic and cleaning products.
Taking effect immediately on passage, the law “frees the
2,000-3,000 animals in Israel who are currently used to test cosmetic
and cleaning products,” said the Jerusalem Post. However, the law
allows continued laboratory use of animals in developing medicinal
products and health care procedures.
Bill author Gideon Sa’ar of the Likud Party told the Knesset
that he intrduced it at request of his 16-year-old daughter, Daniella.
“On the basis of what Daniella saw and learned,” Sa’ar said,
“she convinced me that this bill needed to be passed. I am very
proud of this new generation, who want a more humane society.”

High Court favors impounding dogs

May 1, 2007 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 2007:
MUMBAI–The Constitutional bench of the Bombay High Court on
April 20, 2007 heard arguments on the constitutionality of Animal
Birth Control programs in Mumbai and Goa. The cases before the High
Court parallel claims made by ABC program opponents in Bangalore and
Hyderabad that releasing street dogs after sterilization
unconstitutionally jeopardizes the safety of citizens.
“The 3-judges bench is expected to direct setting up
committees as per the ABC rules to monitor the implementation and
progress of ABC in Mumbai and in Goa,” reported Mumbai attorney
Norma Alvares. “The judges have accepted the argument that killing
dogs is not the solution to the problem, and want to give ABC a
chance to show that it is effective in reducing the numbers of dogs
and curbing rabies.

Obituaries

May 1, 2007 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 2007:
Veronica Parker, 41, and her daughter Charlotte, 10, were
on March 24, 2007 trampled by an elephant in musth in Hwange
National Park, Zimbabwe, after leaving their vehicle to try for a
closer look at the elephant from behind an anthill. Kelvin Parker,
husband of Veronica and father of Charlotte, was uninjured. Tour
guide Andy Trevillia, 38, was seriously injured after trying to stop
the elephant with a rifle shot. Noted Zimbabwe Conservation Task
Force founder Johanny Rodrieguez, “The elephants in Hwange have
become increasingly skittish around humans because they associate
them with gunfire due to subsistence poaching, commercial poaching
(for ivory) and the fact that Zimbabwe is the only country in Africa
where shooting game for weekly rations is legal. The recent removal
of 12 juveniles from their herds for use in the tourist industry and
elephants being trapped in wire snares doesn’t help their
mood either.”

Obituaries

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