Used dogs to terrorize prisoners

June 1, 2006 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2006:

FORT MEADE, Md.– A court martial jury of four officers and
three enlisted soldiers on June 1, 2006 convicted former U.S. Army
dog handler Sergeant Santos A. Cardona of aggravated assault and
dereliction of duty.
Cardona, 32, of Fullerton, California, in 2003-2004
allegedly used his dog to terrorize inmates at the Abu Ghraib prison
in Iraq. A 12-year veteran, Cardona was acquitted of improperly
allowing his dog to bite a prisoner, and of conspiring with another
dog handler to terrify prisoners into urinating or defecating on
themselves.
More sensational allegations about U.S. troops using animals
to frighten prisoners during interrogation may surface as result of a
case filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and Human Rights
First against U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld in November
2005, on behalf of Iraqi businessmen Thahe Mohammed Sabbar, 37,
and Sherzad Kamal Khalid, 35.

Islamic PETA attorney leads D.C. demonstration

June 1, 2006 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2006:

WASHINGTON, D.C.–PETA attorney Bina Ahmed in early May 2006
won extensive exposure for pro-animal Islamic teachings in Arab News,
an internationally distributed print and electronic newspaper based
in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, by staging a protest in Washington D.C.
against Austral-ian live exports of sheep and cattle for slaughter in
the Middle East.
Ahmed told Barbara Ferguson of Arab News that she became involved in
animal rights “because of lessons we are taught in Islam about
kindness to people and animals and all living things.”

North America

Bear escape, mauling, & deadly fire may bring tougher Ohio exotic regs

June 1, 2006 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2006:

CLEVELAND–Ohio state senator Tim Grendell (R-Geauga County)
on May 26, 2006 pledged to introduce a bill to increase restrictions
on keeping exotic pets and wildlife. “State law now requires
wild-animal breeders to obtain a license and keep records, but does
not require cages,” observed Cleveland Plain Dealer reporter John
Horton.
Two incidents in three days may at last have brought
legislative attention to the hazards of keeping exotic and wild
animals, more than 22 years after the first such incident involving
one of the keepers involved.
On May 22, 2006 a 500-pound black bear escaped from a cage
at the Grand River Fur Exchange in Hartsgrove Township, one of 57
businesses in Ohio that hold permits to breed a total of 137 captive
black bears. The bear mauled Rachel Supplee, 36.

Humane success makes market for mixed-breed pups

June 1, 2006 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2006:

TACOMA–Why did the Humane Society of
Tacoma & Pierce County fire one 15-year employee
on May 25, and suspend another without pay for
three days, for mistakenly euthanizing five
Labrador-mix puppies?
Why did Joseph P. “Jo Jo the Dog Man”
O’Neill, 70, die alone of a heart attack on
June 22, 2005 aboard a train in Poland, after
40-odd years of rounding up surplus puppies in
rural Ohio for sale in New Jersey?
Why are puppies suddenly the hottest
animal commodity crossing the Mexican border,
supplanting the traffic in parrots?
After a decade of rumors about an
impending puppy shortage, mostly disregarded by
animal advocates as breeder propaganda, the U.S.
and western Europe are experiencing a puppie
scarcity so severe that even some young dogs
considered utterly unadoptable just a few years
ago are quickly finding homes.

Stock shows keep kids away from drugs?

May 1, 2006 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 2006:

DENVER–Eleven years after scandals over use of the banned
growth-enhancing synthetic steroid clenbuterol embarrassed livestock
shows from coast to coast, the issue is back bigtime.
Eighteen of the top 35 exhibitors at the January 2006
National Western Stock Show Junior Market Lamb competition in Denver
were disqualified, National Western Stock Show spokesperson Kati
Anderson announced on April 5, after Colorado State University at
Fort Collins pathologists “concluded that the lambs had been injected
with a substance that caused inflammation and swelling of tissue,
making the animals appear more muscular,” said Denver Post staff
writer Jim Kirksey. The symptoms describe the most readily evident
effects of clenbuterol.
The 18 exhibitors “will get neither prize money nor the
proceeds from the sale of their lambs,” and may be banned from
future National Western competitions, Kirksey reported. They may
also face charges of cruelty to animals, tampering with livestock,
attempted theft, and conspiracy, deputy district attorney Diane
Balkin told Kirksey.

Spring 2006 brings notable legislation in seven states

May 1, 2006 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 2006:

Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius on April 17, 2006 signed
into law the state’s first felony cruelty penalty. Persons convicted
of felony cruelty must serve at least 30 days in jail, pay a fine of
from $500 to $5,000, must undergo a psychological evaluation, and
must complete an anger management course before being released. The
law also requires persons convicted a second time of misdemeanor
neglect of animals to spend at least five days in jail.
Maine Governor John Baldacci on March 31, 2006 signed the
first state law specifically giving judges the authority to include
pets in a protective order against domestic violence. “Baldacci
called it ‘unconscionable’ that 76% of victims who seek safety at
domestic violence shelters report that their abusers either harmed or
threatened their pets as a tool to control and intimidate them,”
reported Sharon Kiley Mack of the Bangor Daily News. Anne Jordan of
the Maine Animal Welfare Advisory Council cited data published by the
California-based Latham Foundation showing that 87% of Wisconsin
domestic violence victims reported that animal abuse occurred in
their presence; 70% of animal abusers convicted in Massachusetts had
previous records for violent crimes; and animal abuse occurred in
88% of the families involved in New Jersey child abuse investigations.

Three strikes against major poultry producers

May 1, 2006 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 2006:

April 1, 2006 was the deadline by which
United Egg Producers was to complete a six-month
phase-out of egg cartons labeled “Animal Care
Certified,” by agreement with the U.S. Federal
Trade Commission in settlement of a complaint by
Compassion Over Killing that the logo was
misleading. “Consumers should now find a logo
reading “United Egg Producers Certified,”
reminds COK. “If you find egg cartons bearing
the “Animal Care Certified” logo still in stores
or see the logo advertised, please contact COK at
<info@-cok.net>, or call 301-891-2458.”

Gaming politics & greyhounds

May 1, 2006 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 2006:

BOSTON–Does anyone care if Native American-run gambling
casinos donate to campaigns to end greyhound racing?
The Massachusetts-based anti-dog racing group Grey2K USA
“receives support from the Humane Society of the U.S.,” which
“routinely accepts cash donations from Indian casinos,” alleged
Boston Herald chief investigative reporter Dave Wedge on April 20,
2006, raising two questions: are casinos actually involved in
anti-greyhound racing efforts, and if they are, is there anything
questionable about opponents of gambling on animals accepting support
from promoters of non-animal based gambling, especially in view that
hundreds of humane societies are partially supported by raffles and
bingo?
“In my recollection, the only time we have partnered in any
financial way with Indian casinos was in fighting efforts by
greyhound tracks to [get state legislatures to] allow slot machines
at their tracks,” HSUS president Wayne Pacelle told ANIMAL PEOPLE.
This was a fight recently lost in Florida, where the
Hollywood Greyhound Track is now allowed to have slot machines. A
similar proposal is still under legislative consideration in
Massachusetts.

A 2nd ex-OSU chimp dies at Primarily Primates

May 1, 2006 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 2006:

SAN ANTONIO– A second former Ohio State University
laboratory chimp has died soon after arrival at the Primarily
Primates sanctuary in Leon Spring, Texas.
Bobby, 16, was found dead in his cage on April 20, about
seven weeks after the death of Kermit, 35, who was at Primarily
Primates for less than a day.
Necropsy results due as the May 2006 edition of ANIMAL PEOPLE
went to press are expected to find that as with Kermit, Bobby died
from a pre-existing heart condition. “Bobby did visit a cardiologist
about five years ago and was put on heart medication,” Primarily
Primates spokesperson Vernon Weir told ANIMAL PEOPLE. “I understand
that the university stopped this medication several years ago,
presumably because it was not necessary over the long term.

« 1 … 79 80 81 82 83 … 321 »