Humane Society of U.S. refuses to disclose salaries; ANIMAL PEOPLE BARRED FROM ANIMAL CARE EXPO

December 1, 1992 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, December 1992:

WASHINGTON D.C.––The salaries of the chief executives of the

Humane Society of the U.S. and Humane Society International were omitted

from the copy of IRS Form 990 that HSUS/HSI filed with the New York State

Charities Bureau in April 1992.

Known for providing prompt media access to tax records on nonprof-

its, the N.Y. Charities Bureau confirmed November 16 that the missing records,

Schedule 3 on the 1991 form, had apparently never been filed––although

required by law. Other information essential to determining the true balance of

program and fundraising expenditures was also missing. ANIMAL PEOPLE

then requested Schedule 3 directly from HSUS/HSI. November 17, HSI exec-

utive secretary Janet D. Frake advised ANIMAL PEOPLE to seek the missing

information through the Freedom of Information Act. ANIMAL PEOPLE has;

the information will be published when located by the IRS, which began a data

search for it on November 18.

Vegetarian in an Orphanage

December 1, 1992 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, December 1992:

Few American-born people have

been vegetarians longer than Marion

Friedman, of Philadelphia. Now 68,

Friedman quit eating meat in 1935, at age

11, as a resident of the Northeastern

Hebrew Orphans Home––”An Orthodox

home,” she points out. “I lived there from

age four to age 18, when I graduated from

high school. I never knew my father, as

my parents divorced when I was an infant,

and I never was in touch with him. My

mother (suffragist and labor activist Reba

Gomporov) put me in the home only

because she was unable to care for me in

the difficult Depression times, but she saw

me every Sunday.”

They’ve spayed/neutered 5,000 animals––this year!

December 1, 1992 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, December 1992:

DENVER, Colorado––If people won’t take

their animals to a veterinary clinic for spaying or neuter-

ing, Jeff Young takes the Planned Pethood Plus clinic to

the animals. Working out of a bus, in cooperation with

local humane societies and activist groups, veterinarians

Young and business partner Mark Chamberlain set out

to alter 6,000 animals during 1992; surpassing 5,000 in

mid-November, they were right on pace, Young said.

The humane organizations publicize Young’s arrival in

each community and get the paperwork done in

advance. This enables him to go right to work, per-

forming as many as 32 surgeries per day, at average

fees of $15/tomcat, $20/queen, $25/male dog, and

$35/female dog.

ANIMAL CONTROL & RESCUE

December 1, 1992 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, December 1992:

Montgomery County, Virginia, on November

10 became the first East Coast community to enact a

comprehensive anti-pet breeding ordinance. Similar to

ordinances recently passed in San Mateo County,

California, and King County, Washington, the ordinance

cleared the county council by a 6-0 vote after language

requiring private breeders to license each animal individual-

ly was removed. Anyone who allows pets to reproduce now

must buy a breeder’s permit, the permit number must be

listed in ads offering to sell or give away the offspring, and

the newborn animals must receive vaccinations. The licens-

ing fee for unaltered dogs and cats will be increased by an

unspecified but substantial amount, while the licensing fee

for animals who have been altered will remain $6.00. Each

license is good for three years. The ordinance also enables

the county to sterilize any dog or cat found roaming at large

at least three times in a calendar year. Whether the ordi-

nance can be enforced is still a matter of debate. A compli-

cating factor is that Montgomery County veterinarians

reportedly charge some of the highest prices for spay/neuter

found anywhere in the U.S.––$200 and up––and even dis-

count coupons available through the county humane society

cost as much as $70. Free coupons are available to low-

income pet keepers.

Animal Damage Control thrown out of New Mexico: WOULDN’T CHECK TRAPS

December 1, 1992 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, December 1992:

ALBUQUERQUE – –Living up to an old

promise, State Land Commissioner James Baca on

November 16 evicted the federal Animal Damage

Control program from New Mexico because the adminis-

trators wouldn’t agree to make ADC coyote trappers

check their traps at least once every 48 hours.

The eviction order covers six to eight million

acres of state-owned land, much of which is leased to

sheep and cattle ranchers. As environmental and animal

protection groups applauded, ranching groups called for

Baca’s ouster.

Helping pets keep homes

December 1, 1992 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, December 1992:

ALBANY, N.Y.––The Whiskers Animal

Benevolent League spays, neuters, and finds homes for

cats––and also helps both cats and dogs to stay in their

homes by helping pet keepers locate housing .

“One of our volunteers works exclusively on hous-

ing,” co-president Sue Mahar told ANIMAL PEOPLE.

Whiskers sees this as a priority because inability to find

housing that will accommodate pets is one of the leading

reasons why people surrender their pets to animal shelters.

“People call us with needs, and we research listings,”

Mahar continued. “We call every ad that doesn’t specifically

say ‘no pets.’ We also have an ad running continually in the

local real estate paper, and make contacts with rental agen-

cies. We’ve found that in a lot of apartment and condomini-

um complexes, they will accept pets if you can provide

some references, some places you’ve lived with the pets

where the landlords haven ‘t had problems.”

Andrew aftermath: The hurricane is over, but the storm goes on

December 1, 1992 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, December 1992:

MIAMI, FLORIDA–– First came Hurricane

Andrew, devastating south Florida and tearing a path of

destruction along the northern edge of the Gulf of Mexico

all the way to Louisiana. In the wake of the August 24

storm, animal rescuers impressed the world with prompt,

professional response. Observers including New York Times

correspondents, military personnel, and coordinators of

relief for human disaster victims praised––and sometimes

envied––what they saw.

“Noah was there!”, ANIMAL PEOPLE declared.

Then came exhaustion and frustration. In some

instances the need for help dragged on months longer than

public attention remained focused on the plight of the vic-

tims, both human and animal. Donations were fewer, as

were accolades. Combat fatigue soon followed. In other

cases, individuals who gained a sense of meaning and self-

worth from helping out insisted on continuing to “help” long

after their efforts ceased to be useful––and felt hurt when

told to go home.

Guest Column: Wildlife Ballot Initiatives And Why They Fail by Dena Jones Jolma

December 1, 1992 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, December 1992:

The initiative process is the most difficult and expensive approach to reforming

wildlife management at the state level. Opponents of wildlife management reform,

including the powerful National Rifle Association and Wildlife Legislative Fund of

America, are willing and able to spend in excess of one million dollars to defeat individ-

ual state initiatives. These groups have been successful in turning around public opinion

on issues such as banning steel-jawed leghold traps by financing intense media cam-

paigns.

Not since 1930 in Massachusetts have voters approved a trapping ban in a

statewide election. On this past Election Day, the voters of Arizona turned down a ban

on use of steel-jawed traps on public lands by a three-to-two margin. With that vote,

Arizona joined Oregon (1980) and Ohio (1977) as states where trapping bans have failed

in recent years.

Editorial: Veterinarians are animal people too

December 1, 1992 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, December 1992:

Veterinarians, as a profession, have a morale problem. It’s not that they don’t love

their work; most do. Dropouts from veterinary work are few, while competition to get into

veterinary schools is intense as ever. The morale problem comes, rather, from feeling

unappreciated. And it isn’t just a matter of not getting enough pats and tail-wags from happy

patients. Increasing numbers of veterinarians are having trouble meeting the sometimes con-

flicting demands of maintaining ethical standards and making a living.

Today’s veterinarians are acutely conscious of ethical issues involving animals.

Witness the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons’ recent stand against docking dogs’ tails

(see page 14); the 1991 survey of University of Missouri veterinary graduates that found

nearly half believe animals have rights and four-fifths believe leghold traps are cruel; the

widespread participation of veterinarians in the Friends of Animals and Spay U.S.A. dis-

count spay/neuter programs; and the emergence of two vet-based animal protection soci-

eties, the American Association of Veterinarians for Animal Welfare and the Association of

Veterinarians for Animal Rights. Volunteers from both were among the first rescuers on the

scene in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew.

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