Dog attacks raise issues for lawmakers

January 1, 2007 Archivist Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, January/February 2007:
At least 32 U.S. communities adopted or
considered adopting breed-specific dog control
legislation in 2006, responding to attacks
involving pit bulls and Rottweilers.
The debate over whether possession and
sale of pit bull terriers, Rottweilers, and
possibly other dog breeds should be restricted to
protect public safety is in essence a debate
about possibly the oldest of all philosophical
questions vexing lawmakers.
Since Biblical times opinions have
conflicted as to whether laws should seek to
prevent harm by forbidding potentially injurious
behavior, or merely punish those whose behavior
results in actual harm.

Hauler is banned for life in alleged racing greyhound adoption scam

January 1, 2007 Archivist Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, January/February 2007:

The Arizona Department of Racing on December 19, 2006 issued a
lifetime ban from involvement in the Arizona greyhound industry
against Richard Favreau of Calhan, Colorado, for failing to
account for more than 140 greyhounds he took from the Tucson
Grey-hound Park between Nov-ember 2005 and July 2006.
Owners of retired racing dogs paid Favreau $150 apiece to
find adoptive homes for them. Greyhound Protection League president
Susan Netboy believes at least 177 dogs are missing. Only six of
Favreau’s purported adoptions have been verified.
“The animals may have been killed for profit,” wrote Arizona
Department of Racing director Geoffrey Gonsher.

Primate Freedom Project wins museum building verdict

January 1, 2007 Archivist Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, January/February 2007:
MADISON, Wisc.–Dane County Judge Sarah O’Bean ruled on
November 28, 2006 that the Primate Freedom Project holds a legal
contract to buy a building located between the National Primate
Research Center and the Harry Harlow Primate Psychology Laboratory.
Both labs are operated by the University of Wisconsin.
O’Bean ordered owner Roger Charly to complete the sale to
retired California physician Richard McLellan, for the specified
price of $675,000. Charly is expected to appeal.
Primate Freedom Project founder Rick Bogle moved to Madison
in 2004 to renovate the building into a planned National Primate
Research Center Exhibition Hall, expected to become a rallying point
for opposition to primate experiments.

Watson acquittal reversed

January 1, 2007 Archivist Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, January/February 2007:
Prince Edward Island Supreme Court Justice Wayne Cheverie on
November 29, 2006 overturned the April 2005 acquittal of Sea
Shepherd Conservation Society founder Paul Watson for allegedly too
closely approaching a seal kill.
Eleven other Sea Shepherd crew members were convicted of the
charge, filed after seven of them were beaten on April 1, 2005 by
members of the crew of the sealing vessel Brady Mariner. Watson
escaped conviction under an exemption for people who witness seal
kills from their homes, by contending that the Sea Shepherd flagship
Farley Mowat was his permanent home.

International adoption pioneer in trouble in California

January 1, 2007 Archivist Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, January/February 2007:

SAN MARCOS, Calif.–Mina Sharpe, 25, who founded the
Taiwan Abandoned Animal Rescue Foundation in Taipei at age 12, may
be charged with violating probation, after San Marcos animal control
officer Tunis VanBerkum on December 9, 2006 found her keeping 16
dogs and two rabbits in allegedly filthy conditions in a
700-square-foot home.
The animals were surrendered to the Escondido Humane Society.
Earlier in 2006 Sharpe was convicted of keeping 18 dogs in
unsanitary conditions at her former home in Carlsbad, and was
ordered to find other homes for all but two of them.

Safe Air Travel for Animals Act questioned

December 1, 2006 Archivist Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, December 2006:
BOSTON–Eighteen months after the Safe Air Travel for Animals
Act took effect, five years after becoming federal law, observers
are beginning to ask whether it serves any useful purpose.
The law requires airlines to report losses or deaths of pet
animals in transit, previously reported voluntarily.
“Since June 2005,” wrote Boston Globe reporter Peter J. Howe
on November 3, 2006, “airlines have reported only 74 pet incidents,
involving roughly just 0.01 percent of all animals carried in cargo
holds during that period, a review of reports filed at the U.S.
Transportation Department found.”

Bush inks amended version of Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act

December 1, 2006 Archivist Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, December 2006:

WASHINGTON D.C.–U.S. President George W.
Bush on November 27, 2006 signed into law the
Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act. AETA extends to
animal industry workers the provisions of the
1982 Animal Enterprise Protection Act, which
covered only property.
Sent to Bush in final form on November
13, AETA is expected to be the last major piece
of animal-related legislation passed by the
Republican majority who had controlled both the
U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives
since the 1994 midterm Congressional election.
Control of both the House and the Senate
passed to the Democrats in the November 2006
midterm election. Opponents declared immediately
their intent to challenge AETA in court and seek
amendments in the next Congress, but support for
AETA was strong among both parties, and despite
allegations that AETA may infringe on civil
liberties, in final form it was not opposed by
the American Civil Liberties Union.

European Commission votes to ban dog & cat fur

December 1, 2006 Archivist Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, December 2006:
Brussels–The European Commission on November 20 adopted a
proposal to ban the import, export, and sale of cat and dog fur
throughout the European Union.
“The draft regulation will now be considered by the European
Parliament and the Council of Ministers for adoption by the
co-decision procedure,” explained the EC announcement.
“There is evidence that cat and dog fur is being placed on
the European market, usually undeclared as such or disguised as
synthetic and other types of fur,” the EC announcement summarized.
“The vast majority of the cat and dog fur is believed to be imported
from third countries, notably China.”
Fifteen of the 25 EU member nations have already individually
introduced legislation against cat and dog fur. “The proposed
regulation adopted today addresses EU citizens concerns, and creates
a harmonized approach,” the EC announcement stipulated. “It also
establishes a system of information exchange on the detection of cat
and dog fur.”

Class action in greyhound theft for sale to labs case

November 1, 2006 Archivist Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, November 2006:
MILWAUKEE–Greyhound racing trainer George Panos, of Hudson,
Wisconsin, in mid-October 2006 filed a class action lawsuit on
behalf of as many as 1,000 racing dog owners against former Greyhound
Adoption of Iowa president Daniel Shonka for allegedly selling dogs
to laboratories without the owners’ consent. Shonka claimed to be
placing the dogs in good homes, the suit alleges.
Shonka on February 6, 2003 pleaded guilty to both felony and
misdemeanor theft of greyhounds by fraud. The owners were told
either that Shonka was racing their dogs at the now defunct St. Croix
Meadows Greyhound Racing Park in Hudson, Wisconsin, or that he had
placed the dogs in homes.

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