ADL-LA fined $49,600 for demos

June 1, 2007 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2007:
LOS ANGELES–A Los Angeles Superior Court judgment on May 3,
2007 fined the Animal Defense League of Los Angeles $49,600, after
representatives pleaded “no contest” to seven criminal charges,
including trespassing and conspiracy, arising out of a series of
demonstrations held outside the homes of Los Angeles Animal Services
employees in 2004 and 2005.
“Seven other charges were dropped by city prosecutors,”
Associated Press reported.
The court placed all members of the Animal Defense League of
Los Angeles under three years of probation, including a prohibition
on “annoying, harassing, threatening, stalking or committing any
act of force or violence” against L.A. Animal Services staff.
“The group is barred from demonstrating within 100 feet of
the homes of previously targeted workers,” said Associated Press,
“and the league must remove their photos and personal information
from its web site.”

32 British activists held after May 1 raids

June 1, 2007 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2007:
LONDON–More than 700 police officers on
May 1, 2007 raided 29 addresses in 12 British
counties, two addresses in The Netherlands, and
one in Belgium, detaining 15 men and 17
women–all in Britain–on suspicion of
involvement in arsons and vandalism committed in
the name of animal rights.
The dawn raids reportedly seized £100,000
in cash, numerous mobile telephones, computer
equipment, and documents.
The most prominent address raided was the
25-year-old Freshfields Animal Rescue Centre in
Merseyside. Freshfields manager Dave Callender,
47, in March 1996 was sentenced to serve 10
years in prison for conspiring to commit arson.
“A jury at Birmingham crown court heard
he had enough material to make more than 100
incendiary devices,” wrote Guardian crime
correspondent Sandra Laville. “The prosecution
alleged that he was planning a ‘campaign directed
at targets which included cattle farms,
slaughterhouses, meat traders, egg production
farms, and also societies connected with hunting
and other field sports.’

Attempt to legally adopt chimp goes to appeal

June 1, 2007 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2007:
VIENNA–Austrian judge Barbara Bart on April 24, 2007
rejected the request of British teacher Paula Stibbe, 38, a
longtime resident of Vienna, that she be allowed to legally adopt
Hiasl, 26, a male chimpanzee, whom she has visited weekly at a now
bankrupt sanctuary since 1999. Stibbe immediately appealed the
verdict.
Stibbe petitioned to adopt Hiasl, she said, out of concern
that he might be sold to a laboratory outside of Austria. Bart ruled
that the adoption could not proceed because Hiasl is neither a
mentally impaired human nor in a crisis situation requiring emergency
intervention.

Spring 2007 legislative sessions send pro-animal bills to the governors of 14 states

June 1, 2007 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2007:

Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano has signed a bill requiring
that engine coolant or antifreeze that contains more than 10%
ethylene glycol must include denatonium benzoate, a bittering agent,
to keep animals and children from drinking it by accident.
Connecticut Governor Jodi Rell has signed a bill, based on a
model promoted nationally by the Humane Society of the U.S., that
requires the state to include provisions for pets and service animals
in disaster planning.
Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels on May 4, 2007 signed a bill
which makes killing an animal to threaten, intimidate, coerce, or
terrorize a household family member a Class D felony, punishable by
up to three years in prison and a fine of $10,000. The new law also
makes sexual intercourse or deviate sexual conduct with an animal a
Class D felony.
Iowa Governor Chet Culver on May 15, 2007 signed a bill
prohibiting Internet hunting, in which hunters kill animals from
distant locations using web cameras to spot their targets and a
mouse-click to shoot. Model anti-Internet hunting bills have been
promoted nationally in recent years by HSUS.
Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley has signed a bill that bans
chaining dogs outside and unattended in unsafe or unsanitary
conditions, at least the third state-level legislative success for
Dogs Deserve Better and other opponents of chaining. The offense was
made a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and/or up
to 90 days in jail. Before passing the bill, the Maryland Senate
removed language from the original draft which specified that
inclement weather is an unsafe condition, while the Maryland House
of Delegates excised a ban on chaining dogs outside between midnight
and six a.m.
Nebraska Governor Dave Heine-man as of the end of May 2007
had signed bills making reckless animal abandonment a felony offense
and banning Internet hunting. Nebraska became the 30th state to
outlaw “Internet hunting.” Still awaiting Heineman’s attention was a
bill to strengthen state regulation of commercial dog breeding.
Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons on May 23, 2007 signed into law
a bill requiring that pets and service animals must be provided for
in state disaster planning.

Horse slaughter for human consumption halted

June 1, 2007 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2007:
SPRINGFIELD, AUSTIN, WASHINGTON D.C.–Horse slaughter for
human consumption appeared to be ended within the U.S. on May 24, as
result of legislation signed that day by Illinois Governor Rod
Blagojevich, killed by the Texas legislature the same day, and
allowed to stand without comment by the U.S. Supreme Court two days
earlier.
Illinois House Bill 1711, introduced by state
representative Bob Molaro and state senator John Cullerton,
prohibits killing horses for human consumption, effective
immediately. Cavel International had operated the last horsemeat
slaughtering plant in the U.S. in DeKalb, Illinois.

New shelter & animal protection law in South Korea

June 1, 2007 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2007:
BOEUN, Korea–Korean Animal Pro-tection Society founder
Sunnan Kum formally opened a new KAPS shelter on April 15, 2007,
seven years after a donation of $25,000 from actor Danny Seo helped
her to acquire the land.
“Back in 1986,” Sunnan Kum recalled, “I purchased land in
Daegu,” her home city, “for the purpose of taking care of abandoned
dogs and cats for the first time. I had expected then that there
would not be so many abandoned animals. I used to believe that
anyone who encountered helpless animals would take care of them with
sympathy.
“I know that I was so naive and foolish to have had that
belief,” she continued. “I found many cats and dogs suffering in
extreme starvation and thirst all over this country. Warm-hearted
people would often bring me such animals instead of selling them to a
market. In no time, my land was fully occupied by cats, dogs, and
even wild animals.”

Asia
Law

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.

Judge halts Alaska wolf bounties

May 1, 2007 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 2007:

ANCHORAGE–Alaska Superior Court Judge William Morse on March
30, 2007 ruled on behalf of Friends of Animals, Defenders of
Wildlife, and coplaintiffs that the Alaska Department of Fish & Game
does not have the authority to pay bounties to aerial gunners for
killing wolves.
However, Morse added, the Alaska Board of Game can
authorize bounties. Morse held that the 1984 repeal of a state law
allowing bounties applied only to administrative actions of the
Department of Fish & Game, not to actions of the Board of Game.
Thus, while the Morse verdict suspended a bounty program introduced
on March 21, it left the possibility that the Board of Game may
reinstate it, or start a new bounty program.

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