From ANIMAL PEOPLE, January/February 2000:

Animal rescue information was scarce after December floods and mudslides that killed at least 30,000 people in Venezuela––but Reuters reported from Tanaguarena on December 23 that one Ricardo Rodrieguez had turned to rescuing animals upon finding no people left alive, and had freed about 80 dogs plus miscellaneous cats, parrots, monkeys, and other species from the muck and rubble. “The animals are given food and water he has hoarded in an abandoned house,” said Reuters. “He gives them to relief teams and soldiers leaving the disaster area, “so they can start a new life.”

Attorneys Katharine Meyer and Eric Glitzenstein, who won Endangered Species Act protection for grizzly bears, Canada lynx, and the Queen Charlotte goshawk in cases funded by various national advocacy groups, have formed their own nonprofit advocacy front, the Wildlife Advocacy Project. Named WAP director was D’arcy Kemnitz, formerly coordinator for the Alliance for Animals and midwest regional coordinator for the Grassroots Environmental Effectiveness Network, sponsored by Defenders of Wildlife.

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE, January/February 2000:

Said PETA cofounder Ingrid Newkirk of a Little Rock city government plan to divert funds from zoo improvements to buy land for the future Bill Clinton p r e s idential library, “The Little Rock zoo is the worst in the country. The idea that money is going to be taken away from them to fund Clinton’s library is an abomination.” Her remarks were published as far away as China, where officials are sensitive about American criticism of Chinese zoos.

Comedian Richard Pryor, suffering from multiple sclerosis and previously afflicted by severe burns resulting from drug abuse, reportedly sent Christmas cards urging recipients to withhold donations from charities which fund animal research.

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, January/February 2000:

Virologist Harold E. Varmus, 60, director of the National Institutes of Health since 1993, left at year’s end to head the Memorial SloanKettering Cancer Center i n New York City. Under Varmus, the NIH budget rose from $10.3 billion to $15.6 billion––but animal use in research continued a 20-year decline, the retirement of nonhuman primates from research use to sanctuaries became almost routine, and the propaganda wars waged against antivivisectionists by his predecessors markedly cooled.

Matt and Mary Kelly in December announced the sale of the Brodie Mountain Ski Resort in western Massachusetts, scene of many vegetarian and animal activist gatherings, to Brian Fairbanks, owner of the nearby Jiminy Peak ski area. “Fairbanks has committed to keep the veggie offerings throughout the food services at Brodie,” Matt Kelly wrote. Three vegetarian events booked for Brodie during 2000 will remain on the calendar.

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE, January/February 2000:

The National Humane Education Society paid secretary. treasurer William J. Kropp $146,714; paid president Anna Briggs $40,303; and paid assistant secretary James D. Taylor $34,255. The PRedator Project paid no board members and paid no one more than $50,000. The Sierra Club paid assistant secretary Deborah Sorondo $165,503; paid chair Michael McClosky $151,128; paid executive director Carl Pope $138,103; paid assistant treasurer Louis Barnes $130,461; paid assistant treasurer Hamilton Leong $80,123; paid assistant treasurer Jeffrey Christy $ 37,820 ; paid ex-president Adam Werbach $18,273; and paid president Charles McGrady $13,250.