Category: Tactics

Early neuter: cruel or kind?

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE, March 1993:

Cruel! by Leslie N. Johnston, DVM

There is a trend now to establish
what are called spay/neuter clinics at all of
the city and county animal pounds and at the
various so-called humane animal shelters all
across our country. The term spay/neuter is
incorrect use of the English language. The
simple term neuter is enough.
The people running these clinics
are also ignorant about neutering dogs and
cats. The trend now is to neuter the dog or
cat before he or she leaves the facility,
regardless of age (as early as six weeks of
age). To neuter a dog or cat this early is
cruel, inhumane, deceptive, and the most
sadistic vivisection that could be done to a
poor little animal.

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Editorial: Surviving the long, cold winter

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE, March 1993:

We knew this would be a long, cold, difficult winter. Here at the confluence of
the Berkshires, the Adirondacks, and the Green Mountains, winters are always long and
always cold. Bears stay in their dens. Deer and rabbits nibble bark. Coyotes prowl farther,
venturing into daylight to drag away half-frozen roadkills. Even the crows look lean,
reserving their caws for real occasions. Though free to come and go through a special kitty
door, the feral cats we’ve rescued huddle close to the basement heater. Several have even
moved into the house, sleeping with humans for apparently the first time.
Despite the length of the winter here, in the shadows of tall mountains that make
days short even in midsummer, despite the bitter Arctic blasts that turn our little hollow
into a wind tunnel, snapping off trees and driving our dogs inside within minutes no matter
how much they crave exercise, we felt six weeks ago as if spring was just around the cor-
ner. ANIMAL PEOPLE, we thought, was in great shape for such a young and risky ven-
ture. As indeed it is. Starting with only our own good names as collateral, we’ve built up a
respectable international circulation; distinguished ourselves for prompt, thorough, broad-
ranging coverage; become the periodical of record in the animal protection field.

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When a horse needs help

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE, March 1993:

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – –
Held the weekend of February 6-7, the First
International Conference on Equine Rescue
could have run days longer, in Rich Meyer’s
estimation. As horse expert for the
American Humane Association, Meyer
knows horse rescue ranks among most shel-
ter directors’ and animal control officers’
worst nightmares. First, there’s the sheer
size and strength of the animal to contend
with. Second, where there’s one starving or
abused horse, there are usually several.
Third, shelters set up to handle dogs and
cats usually don’t have facilities for live-
stock: big trailers, paddocks, pastures.
Their regular veterinarians tend to be small
animal specialists. And their budgets aren’t
easily stretched to accommodate the special
needs and appetites of equines.

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Cutting euthanasia rates and choking puppy mills: THE CONTROVERSIAL CASE FOR THE NORTH SHORE ANIMAL LEAGUE’S UNCONVENTIONAL METHODS

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE, March 1993:

PORT WASHINGTON, New York ––
According to the most recent tax records available from
New York state and the Internal Revenue Service, the
North Shore Animal League in 1991 contributed more than
$3.5 million toward the cost of neutering more than 220,000
cats and dogs; donated $2.4 million to 21 other animal shel-
ters and two veterinary schools; adopted out more than
43,000 animals; issued more than 41,000 free 30-day health
insurance policies to guarantee the well-being of animals
adopted out; vaccinated more than 41,000 animals; treated
more than 17,000 animals at an in-house veterinary clinic
(open 16 hours a day, seven days a week); and made
71,000 post-adoption contacts to insure that the animals
were neutered, well cared for, and well-adjusted in their
adoptive homes.

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

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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.

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

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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.

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

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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.

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Who Gets The $$$? Read this before you donate!

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE, December 1992:

You’re getting more begging letters than Christmas
cards. Some of the begging letters come disguised as
Christmas cards––only when you open them, out topple not
snapshots of friends and relatives, but instead photographs
you wish were from Halloween and fake, depicting every
kind of animal abuse.
Every begging letter describes a heartrending situ-
ation. Every sender claims credit for dramatic compassion-
ate actions. Each claims to be making the very best possible
use of your money.

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Editorial: Change vs. “movement”

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE, November 1992:

Our mail box has been full of letters either presuming or attacking our presumed
position with respect to the animal rights movement. Animal rights philosopher Tom Regan
among others welcomed our contribution to the movement; New York activist Dawn
Hernandez jumped on us for “movement-bashing”; and on the letters page, opposite,
Michael Gurwitz proposes that we should rename the movement, whatever it happens to be.
As we see it, though, the “movement” is largely history. A movement is the take-
off phase of a theme in social evolution, when a cause has relatively few supporters, and
must provoke confrontation to draw notice––often taking rhetorically extreme and practical-
ly impossible positions for the same reasons that an infant shrieks. The primary aim of the
animal rights movement was restoring animals to public awareness, after nearly a century
of slipping interest in humane concerns. Public opinion polls, political response (pro and
con), and a few striking camapign successes all showed that this was achieved by 1988, as
sociologist Bill Moyer of the Social Movement Empowerment Project pointed out in 1989
to a gathering of “movement” leaders convened by ANIMAL PEOPLE publisher Kim
Bartlett and Priscilla Feral of Friends of Animals.

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