Plague! INDIA, AFRICA CONFRONT THE ULTIMATE ANIMAL CONTROL NIGHTMARE; Tight urban budgets gave rat-catching and trash collection a low priority

November 1, 1994 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, November 1994:

SURAT, India––Inadequate animal control service was largely responsible, authorities say, for the most deadly

outbreak of plague worldwide in 28 years at Surat, India. More than 400,000 residents fled the city as the outbreak became

known, creating risk the disease would spread to nearby communities, including Bombay, 160 miles to the north.

Remembering plague outbreaks that killed thousands during the 1940s and 1950s, 950 million Indians feared the worst.

Quarantines, inexpensive prophylactic tetracycline treatments, and fast information-sharing by electronic mail were

Woofs & growls

November 1, 1994 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, November 1994:

The October 6 edition of the Congressional

Record revealed that the Doris Day Animal League and

the Humane Society of the U.S. lined up with the

National Rifle Association and Gun Owners of America

in opposition to S. 349, the Lobbying Disclosure Act of

1994, which was eventually killed by filibuster.

If the American SPCA thought it could

avoid protesters by holding its September 27 annual

meeting in Burbank, California, instead of New York

City, it got a surprise, as members of the New York-

based Henry Bergh Coalition followed the board west

and staged a 20-minute demonstration, joined by repre-

sentatives of several west coast groups. The effort drew

the attention of the Los Angeles Times to the adminis-

trative irregularities that have erupted into headlines in

New York throughout the past year, as the ASPCA

moves to turn over animal control duties to New York

City by January 1, 1995.

Wiseguys don’t faze Watson

November 1, 1994 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, November 1994:

MARINA DEL REY, Calif.– –Kathleen Marquardt, chair of

the anti-animal rights group Putting People First, debuted October 3 as

host of Grassroots Radio, a daily two-hour talk show on the Talk America

Network, carried 4-6 p.m. EST. First-week guests, a who’s who of wise-

use wiseguys, included biomedical researcher Adrian Morrison, predator

restoration foe Troy Mader of Abundant Wildlife, and Ron Arnold, self-

designated founder of the “wise use” movement, whose funding reputedly

comes largely from Sun Myung Moon’s Unification Church.

The second week, Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd

Conservation Society debated George Blichtfield of the pro-whaling High

North Alliance, whom he was to have debated on July 6 while en route to

protest whaling off the northern coast of Norway. That debate was can-

celled when the Norwegian patrol boat Andennes rammed Watson’s ves-

sel, the Whales Forever. “He asked me if it was true that I’d said some

day we will be able to communicate with whales and will regret what

we’ve done to them,” Watson chuckled. “I said ‘Yes. What’s your point,

George?’ He said, ‘That’s stupid,’ and then just lost it. Marquardt

seemed pretty timid––she hardly said a thing.”

Fur

November 1, 1994 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, November 1994:

While the fur trade for the third year in

a row touts a comeback, facts and figures again

tell a different story. “For the first time in 50

years,” the Ritz Thrift Shop advertised in October,

“the Ritz is offering new designer furs,” apparently

clearing unsold stock from other furriers.

A burst of auction fever last winter

boosted the average mink pelt price from $20.49 in

Toronto on December 14 to $29.91 at Copenhagen

the next day, sparking even faster bidding at sever-

al other auctions, but by the season-ending auction

in Finland the average had fallen back to $20.50.

Even then, a third of the pelts offered didn’t sell,

perhaps because furriers had already bought half

again more pelts than they’ve sold in garments dur-

ing any of the past five winters, at an overall aver-

age of $30.13. To break even, retailers will have to

sell more fur this winter than they have since 1989-

1990, for 35% more money than they got last win-

ter: an average mink coat price of $3,200. In

October, the average was closer to $2,500.

Hunting

November 1, 1994 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, November 1994:

The hook-and-bullet lobby is out to get

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service director Mollie

Beattie, the first nonhunter ever to hold the post,

Dennis Jensen reported October 1 in Vermont Sunday

Magazine––but few of the lobbyists he interviewed

dared identity themselves. “There’s the good-old-boy

network out there,” said former Vermont Fish and

Wildlife Department commissioner Steve Wright.

“And the fact that she is a woman. Many of these

guys have never worked with a woman in a powerful

position and just don’t know how.”

Legislation for Animal Welfare asked

members to help re-elect Ohio state senator Roy Ray,

targeted for defeat by the gun lobby over his opposi-

tion to opening a dove season. Dove-hunting propo-

nents, says Defenders of the Dove Campaign coordi-

nator Ritchie Laymon, “plan to bring their bill up on

the floor of the Senate after the November elections,”

as uncommitted representatives, “once safely back in

office, can vote for the interests of the wealthy hunt-

ing lobby and against the wishes of most Ohioans.”

TONY LARUSSA SAYS IT AIN’T SO

November 1, 1994 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, November 1994:

CONCORD, California––”Yes, that is actually me in the Wendy’s

commercial,” Tony LaRussa admits. “But yes, my family and I are every bit as

involved in vegetarian eating as always. I blame myself more than anyone else

for participating in a commercial that encourages eating meat!”

The commercial in question promotes Wendy’s new chicken, bacon,

and Swiss cheese sandwich. It first aired in early October, while LaRussa and

family were touring abroad, causing thousands of viewers familiar with Tony

and Elaine LaRussa’s record on vegetarianism and animal protection to wonder

if they’d been misled. In the commercial, an unidentified coach hangs up the

bullpen telephone, turns to LaRussa, and says “Marinara.”

From Trouble to good faith: A chat with Dale Schwindaman, top cop for the Animal Welfare Act

November 1, 1994 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, November 1994:

WASHINGTON D.C.––Dale Schwindaman called

to talk about Trouble.

As USDA Deputy Administrator for Regulatory

Enforcement and Animal Care, Schwindaman is the top cop

at the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service––the exec-

utive responsible for enforcing the Animal Welfare Act. On

the beat since the act was passed in 1966, Schwindaman

took charge two years ago with strong concerns about long-

standing problems that hadn’t been effectively addressed,

determination to do something about it, and a few ideas

about doing it by speaking softly while carrying a big stick.

Pet theft in particular bothered him. Schwindaman

spent much of his time from 1966 until 1981 trying to nab

the “random source” animal dealers who fence stolen dogs

and cats to laboratories. In those days he didn’t have the

laws, the budget, or the political backing to succeed. After

moving to the USDA veterinary branch for a decade, how-

ever, Schwindaman returned to APHIS just as the Pet Theft

Act of 1990 took effect, enabling the USDA to crack down

on dealers who can’t document the origin of the animals they

sell––whether or not the animals are traced to theft.

Canadian SPCA depends on fundraiser

November 1, 1994 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, November 1994:

MONTREAL––Ten months after losing the Montreal pound contract to

the for-profit firm Berger Blanc, the embattled Canadian SPCA needs to raise $1

million this fall––nearly triple last fall’s figure of $370,000––just to stay open.

For now, the CSPCA is struggling just to raise the capital to print and mail

appeals. As of late September, the staff hadn’t been paid in three weeks, while

executive director Alex Wolf had paid himself just $600 in the 20 weeks since he

assumed the position in a board coup––and was pinch-hitting at the adoption desk.

His immediate predecessor was paid $75,000 a year.

The 10th executive director in the past 10 years, Wolf has already sur-

vived two attempted ousters; the resignation of seven veterinarians; and the resigna-

tion of six out of 15 board members, including president Caroline Kipling, who had

served just four months. Another former board member, Pauline Maroulis, said the

resignations were “because we just couldn’t put up with Alex’s personality,” but the

many conflicts he inherited, among unionized and volunteer staff, board members,

and English and French-speaking personnel weren’t his doing.

“This is a classic turnaround situation,” Wolf said, “where you have to

make a lot of cuts, make a lot of people wait for money, and where you have to

reorganize without having resources.”

Animal rights meet civil rights by Jacquie Lewis

November 1, 1994 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, November 1994:

Animal rights activists peacefully exer-

cising their First Amendment Rights don’t expect

to be kidnapped, physically abused, held cap-

tive, and arrested for battery––but it happened to

Susan Koenker on February 15, 1992.

Susan, along with other participants in

a PETA-sponsored event, was explaining to

prospective buyers at a General Motors auto

show that GM was then the only car maker in the

world performing crash tests on animals. The

show was at McCormick Place, a sprawling con-

vention center and part of city property, on

Chicago’s lakefront.

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