From ANIMAL PEOPLE, March 2008:

 
First cruelty conviction in Cairo

In November 2007 some people here in Cairo complained that a
bad smell was coming from a neighbouring flat. The police were
called, and when the flat was opened, it was found to contain many
dead and dying animals.
The Egyptian Society of Animal Friends rescued several birds
and dogs, plus a female monkey and her baby, but the baby died
that evening. A male monkey had already died.
ESAF filed a complaint accusing the flat owner of neglect and
willful cruelty. The case was presented to the court by the district
attorney under the agriculture law as neglecting to report sick
animals. Read more

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, January/February 2008:

 
Re “Greenpeace says ‘Eat roos'”

Saw your most interesting article “Greenpeace says ‘Eat
roos'” in the October 2007 edition of your fabulous Animal People
newspaper. However, the film made by Greenpeace in 1986 against
killing kangaroos was actually called Goodbye Joey, not “Goodbye to
Joey,” as Paul Watson recalled. I was involved in making the film
in West Queensland, as I was then employed as a kangaroo campaigner.
I resigned in 1992, after Greenpeace dumped their roo campaign and
several other pro-animal campaigns. Their recent promotion of roo
meat for human consumption is a disgrace. I could not agree with
Watson more in denouncing it.
I met Jet Johnson during the film making, and completely
understand and support his view on the kangaroo issue. Greenpeace
does not want to say “Don’t eat any red meat–this would be vitally
important to lowering greenhouse gasses.” One can only ask why not.
Read more

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, November/December 2007:

Jewish Vegetarians of North America on global warming

Because the world is heading rapidly
toward an unprecedented catastrophe from global
warming and other environmental threats, Jewish
Vegetarians of North America has produced a
documentary, A Sacred Duty: Applying Jewish
Values To Help Heal The World, to address these
threats. JVNA will send a free DVD of this
documentary to anyone who will help arrange a
screening or help promote it in some other way.
Produced by the multi-award-winning film
maker Lionel Friedberg, A Sacred Duty shows how
a shift toward plant-based diets is essential to
reduce global climate change. It also challenges
people to consider the many moral issues related
to our diets, including how animals are treated
on factory farms and the effects on human health
and the environment.
Although intended for a Jewish audience,
A Sacred Duty is like Jewish rye bread: you
don’t have to be Jewish to appreciate it. The
movie will appeal to anyone interested in such
topics as Biblical teachings, Israel, the
environment, health, nutrition, vegetarianism,
hunger, and resource usage.
–Richard H. Schwartz, Ph.D.
President
Jewish Vegetarians
of North America
and Society of Ethical &
Religious Vegetarians
Phone: 718-761-5876
Fax: 718-982-3631
<rschw12345@aol.com>
Read more

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, October 2007:

 
Iranian street dog sterilization program is thwarted

As an update to “Dogs symbolize the west in Iran,” in your
September 2007 edition, I should say that the mayor of Hashtgerd was
changed, and the city hall did not keep the promises made by the
former mayor to support a neuter/return program for street dogs
instead of killing them. They did not help the Vafa Animal Shelter
at all. And they are again killing the dogs.
Unfortunately, I think both parties had not thought
very carefully about what they were promising. Sterilizing and
vaccinating the dogs of Hashtgerd will need a lot of space,
volunteers, and financial assistance. But the project saved 74 dogs
while it operated.
Mrs.Samira Moghaddam has called the police on behalf of the
Center for Animal Lovers, and suggested that we could help them to
take care of the dogs whom Radio Free Europe reported were jailed for
being out in public, but the police have not responded yet. We
thought we could both take care of them and find out about their
final destiny.
Unfortunately, you used the former address for the Vafa
Animal Shelter in your article. The right address is #785, Khayyam
Ave., Tehran, Iran.
Read more

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, September 2007:
Trying to stop net-&-bolt deer killing

About a year ago, I became informed about net-and-bolt deer
killing, which is now going on in several cities here in New Jersey,
and is extensively practiced around the U.S.
In net-and-bolt deer culls, deer are baited and trapped in
nets (usually more than one at a time), and held to await execution
by an “authorized agent,” who usually has no veterinary experience
or other experience in killing animals with minimal pain and
distress. The deer are killed by firing a steel bolt into their
heads.
Killing hooved animals with a captive bolt gun is approved by
the American Veterinary Medical Association for use in
slaughterhouses and other situations in which the bolting can be done
quickly and accurately, with minimal awareness by the victim animal
that something bad is about to happen. However, netting and bolting
deer causes great pain and distress. The deer often do not die
instantly. Instead, they may receive several boltings before death,
because in order to cause instant death, the bolt must hit a certain
part of the brain. This is almost impossible because the netted deer
are flailing and throwing themselves around, making it impossible to
target one particular spot, which is much smaller for a deer than
for cattle, pigs, horses, and sheep, the species for whom the
AVMA recommendation was developed. Netted and bolted deer suffer a
slow, excruciating death, not to mention broken limbs resulting
from their struggles to escape from the nets.
Several of us are banding together to fight this, but we
need more support, more help. Please, if there is anything that
you can do, contact me.
–Jessica Ross
Princeton, N.J.
<ross.jessie@gmail.com>
Read more

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, July/August 2007:

 
Quaker questions

I don’t think I am alone in wishing that the Christian
churches would join the rest of us in fighting for the animals. Most
churches have strong environmental statements, caring for creation
and so on, but take little action in terms of condemning the cruelty
and misery inflicted on animals by humans.
I am not a Quaker, but I applaud their move to come to grips
with the issues by agreeing to examining the following questions at
the Friends World Council for Consultation Triennial, which will be
held in Dublin in August 2007–
“This Concern has been raised by the Central and Southern Africa
Quakers for discussion at the Dublin Triennial:
Do we recognise the suffering imposed upon billions of
nonhuman animals by human animals in the flesh and milk industry; in
vivisection laboratories; in using them for power and entertainment
and in the taking of their natural habitat? Given that nonhuman
animals are utterly powerless to resist this oppression, how is our
Society called to act?”
May I suggest that “animal people” with church connections
draw the attention of their church to the Quaker example?
–Olga Parkes
New Lambton Heights, Australia
<animals@networksmm.com.au>
Read more

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2007:
 
Turtles & foxes

ARCHELON, the Sea Turtle Protection
Society of Greece, has for more than 20 years
conducted conservation projects on the major
nesting grounds of the loggerhead sea turtle
(Caretta caretta) in Greece. Our activities
involve sea turtle and nest protection, habitat
management, rehabilitation, and public awareness
and environmental education.
The success of our work relies heavily on
the participation of volunteers–more than 500
people every year.
Volunteers this year will work on
Zakynthos, where the first National Marine Park
for sea turtles in the Mediterranean was recently
established; at Lakonikos Bay, where sand dune
restoration has begun and nature trails are in
operation; the Bay of Kyparissia, where we
prevent fox predation and have a new nature
information center; Crete, where tourism is a
challenging partner in sea turtle protection;
and Athens, where the ARCHELON Rescue Centre
rehabilitates injured turtles from all over
Greece.
Read more

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 2007:
 
Cats & rabbits

I read with interest the March 2007 ANIMAL PEOPLE article
“When the cat is away,” about the feral rabbit population increasing
tenfold on Macquarie Island since the island feral cats were
exterminated in June 2000.
As a neuter/return volunteer, I have fought extremely hard to change
attitudes towards feral cats in a similar situation locally,
involving Robben Island, where former South African president Nelson
Mandela spent most of the 27 years that he was imprisoned for
opposing apartheid. The situation is dire.
–Rita Brock
Cat Assistance Team
P.O. Box 48157
Kommetjie
South Africa
082-806-3144
<rijo@icon.co.za>
Read more

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, April 2007:
“Dr. Bean” of Mdzananda clinic in South Africa

When Thobane Dolophini was ten years old, he investigated
the comings and goings of cats and dogs at Mdzananda Animal Clinic.
At the time, neither he or friends and family were aware that he
possessed an innate affinity and ability to care for sick and injured
animals.
Vet Mario van Rensburg nicknamed Thobane “Dr Bean,” and the
name has stuck.
Recalls Mdzananda director Jane Levinson, “In 2003, when
we did a spayathon, a very badly burnt puppy needed constant care
and nursing. Dr. Bean helped put this puppy on a drip. He nursed
the puppy, dressed the puppy’s wounds, and fed the puppy. Dr.
Bean saw the staff members involved in the spayathon and on his own
initiative, he cleaned the cages and gave the dogs in hospital clean
water and food. He also washed the floors of the clinic.”
Over the years Dr. Bean has quietly watched vets and vet
assistants clean, stitch, dress wounds, administer medication and
patiently explain proper animal care procedures to pet keepers. Even
though Thobane has a quiet and reserved manner, he has never needed
an invitation to do the same. His continued interest and hands on
approach to animal care has earned him the attention of the vets at
Mdzananda, who have become determined to further his education and
teach him clinical skills whenever they can.
Read more