AR-NEWS Digest 593

Topics covered in this issue include:

  1) Beverly Hills 6 - update
     by Vegetarian Resource Center 
  2) The danger of total fasting
     by Vegetarian Resource Center 
  3) Gene Bean Scam
     by bunny 
  4) OT:No weapons,no uranium,no waste
     by bunny 
  5) [UK] Prince of Wales will carry on hunting
     by David J Knowles 
  6) [UK/MS] Bird under threat on volcano island
     by David J Knowles 
  7) FFF PRISONER ROUNDUP (us)
     by civillib@cwnet.com
  8) New Wildlife-Rehab-Discussion List
     by Dave 
  9) EU accepts US Trap offer
     by Tereiman@aol.com
 10) Need Anti-Fur Org in MD
     by Ilene Rachford 
 11) Re: Need Anti-Fur Org in MD
     by Miyun Park 
 12) (US) Pa. Ranch Paradise for Deer Hunters
     by allen schubert 
 13) (US-MN) Canada geese to be relocated to Oklahoma 
     by klaszlo@juno.com (Kathryn A Laszlo)
 14) (US) Certified Vegan Seal in the News
     by Hillary 
 15) (US) Reminder/Hollywood Stars Lend Support to Effort to Ban
  Cruel Traps
     by allen schubert 
 16) Hard Copy piece on Sea World to air 12/2/97
     by "Eric Mindel @ LCA" 
 17) EU ACCEPTS SPURIOUS U.S. TRAP PROPOSAL                                          
     by CFOXAPI@aol.com
 18) [CA] Fortify non-dairy beverages, federal health branch rules
     by David J Knowles 
 19) Job Opening (WA/US)
     by Scott 
 20) Cougars in New Mexico
     by AnimalNM@aol.com
 21) Chicago FFF event update
     by In Defense of Animals 
 22) Server space for shelter web pages
     by gpatrone@OPAL.TUFTS.EDU (Gary Patronek)
 23) EU Trap Ban Action Alert
     by Miyun Park 
 24) BEATING PROBE BEGINS,ARRAIGNMENT SET FOR 'BEVERLY HILLS 6' (US)
     by civillib@cwnet.com
 25) Pigs, Baboons & Xenotransplants at OSU
     by "Robin Russell" 
 26) Dr Robert White
     by Lynette Shanley 
 27) (AU) Ethics committees. 
     by Lynette Shanley 
 28) [CA/US] EU/US trap ban not what it seems
     by David J Knowles 
 29) One Call To Fight Rodeo!
     by SHindi@aol.com
 30) (Aust)Another rabbit bites the dust
     by bunny 
 31) RFI - Holiday gifts
     by David J Knowles 
 32) turkey trouble
     by Vegetarian Resource Center 
Date: Mon, 01 Dec 1997 00:54:01 -0500
From: Vegetarian Resource Center 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: Beverly Hills 6 - update
Message-ID: <199712010554.AAA21970@mail-out-2.tiac.net>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

When I had called the Beverly Hills PD, I was told that
all 6 protesters had been transferred to LACJ Twin Towers on 12/28.

I called again to the LA County Jail - 
(this evening to you in LA, this morning to us in Boston)
to learn the conditions of the Beverly Hills 6 - 
Dr. Jerry Vlasak and his wife Pamela Ferdin Vlasak,
plus the other four protesters.

This time I was answered by another lady who was most helpful.

1
She found Jerry William Vlasak #5468650 in the 
Hospital Module #7100 (for observation) of the Men's County Jail, downtown
at 450 Boucher Street.
His court date is Tuesday, 12/2, in Beverly Hills Municipal Court.
He is charged with "willful cruelty to child, with great bodily injury or
death, and failure to obey a restraining order" and his bail was set a
$50,000.

2
Pam Ferdin Vlasak booking #5468644 - has already had 2 visits.
She's in Twin Towers at the LA County Jail on charge #273A(1)  "willful
cruelty to child, with great bodily injury or death, and failure to obey a
restraining order.  Her bail was set at $50,000 , and her court date in the
Beverly Hills Municipal Court is 8:30 AM on Tuesday, 12/2/97.

3
Dr. Richard McLellan, booking # 5468647 charged with 853.7PC  "failure to
keep a written promise"
his condition is OK and he is now in LACJ Twin Towers 152.  His court date
is Monday, 12/1, in Central LA.

4
Alison H. Lance   booking #5468638 is now in Twin Towers 231, charged with
Civil Disobedience 273a(1) pc  , and her court date is Tuesday, December 2.

5
Michael Welton # 5468643 now in LACJ Twin Towers 152 $50,000, also charged
with Civil Disobedience 273a(1) pc, ail set at $50,0000, and his Court date
(where) set for Tuesday, 12/2 at 8:30 AM

6
Patrick lEE Thames # 5468655  is in the Hospital Module 7100, probably at
the Men's County Jail, downtown at 450 Boucher Street.
His court date in Beverly Hills is on Tuesday, 12/2 at 8:30 AM

The two phone numbers are: 
LA County Jail 213/473-6100
Beverly Hills Police Dept.  310/550-4951



©1997   Maynard S Clark    Vegetarian Resource Center    info@vegetarian.org 
Date: Mon, 01 Dec 1997 00:54:11 -0500
From: Vegetarian Resource Center 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: The danger of total fasting
Message-ID: <199712010554.AAA21973@mail-out-2.tiac.net>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
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QUESTION
Is fasting from water and liquid a dangerous thing to do?
I've been told that one could have death in 72 hours if that were tried.

ANSWER
There seems to be no hard data to answer this
The circumstances and state of health will have a tremendous 
impact on the outcome.  A febrile person in a warm environment 
will not last as long as a cool, well-hydrated one who is mostly 
resting and otherwise in good health.  

We have all read stories of people trapped by earthquakes, etc., 
who have survived up to a week.  


©1997   Maynard S Clark    Vegetarian Resource Center    info@vegetarian.org 
Date: Mon, 1 Dec 1997 14:30:41 +0800
From: bunny 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: Gene Bean Scam
Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19971201142412.26d7135c@wantree.com.au>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

>Grain Cartels Secretly Trading in Non-Genetically Engineered Crops
>
from News Sources

24th November 1997

>Because of mounting consumer concern, especially in Europe, a growing
>international trade has begun to develop in corn and soybeans--as well as
>products derived from these grains--which are tested, certified, and
>labeled as non-genetically engineered. Genetic ID in Fairview, Iowa and TNO
>Nutrition in the Netherlands, two labs testing for genetic contamination,
>report a "brisk business" as food buyers and manufacturers scramble to meet
>increasing consumer demands for non-ge products. Polls in the USA, Europe,
>Canada, Australia, Japan, and other industrialized nations continue to find
>80-90% of consumers demanding mandatory labeling of genetically engineered
>foods--mainly so that they can avoid buying them. Sales of organic or
>"biological" products are rapidly increasing, partly in response to the
>gene foods controversy.
>
>The world's largest grain multinationals (Cargill, Continental, Archer
>Daniels Midland, Bunge, Central Soya, etc.) continue to claim publicly that
>it is "impossible," or at at least "economically impractical," to separate
>out and label gene-altered and regular grains. But recent behind-the-scenes
>surveys of numerous grain handlers and grain dealers in the USA tell a
>different story. The bottom line is that Cargill, ADM, and the other grain
>cartels are already segregating or sourcing non-ge soy and corn and
>supplying it secretly to some of their major European customers. Companies
>such as Tesco, the largest supermarket chain in the U.K., seem to have
>already made "backroom deals" with the cartels to supply them with all the
>non-ge grains they need--as long as they, the buyers, agree to keep their
>sources secret.
>
>This way Tesco gets a marketplace advantage over its other British
>supermarket rivals by being able to advertise that it has a full line of
>non-ge products, while the grain cartels avoid risking the loss of their
>dominant market share to independent grain brokers and shippers. These
>"independents" have already begun to sell significant amounts of non-ge
>grains to European buyers such as SPAR, the Austrian-based supermarket
>chain. Also, under this biotech and cartel-friendly arrangement, the US
>Department of Agriculture and the Clinton Administration can still claim
>that "segregating" ge and non-ge grains and foods are impossible; while
>European Commission and other EU authorities have a handy excuse to back
>off from demanding that the US government require mandatory segregation of
>gene-altered crops.
>
>Inside sources in the US point out that the chemical, biotech, and seed
>giants appear to have begun to selectively "spike" or mix their ge seeds
>with their conventional hybrid seeds. This makes testing more difficult and
>bolsters their often repeated claim that testing for genetic contamination
>is "impossible." Another tactic is to leave enough residues of grain in
>barges and grain elevators and in the cargo holds of ships so that
>independent brokers have a hard time fulfilling non-ge contract obligations
>that require near-100% purity. Yet another recent tactic has been to
>facilitate the selling off of all of Brazil's soybean reserves so that the
>country has no choice now but to accept cargoes of American grain in which
>ge and non-ge soybeans are mixed together.  This situation will then lead
>to the elimination of a law currently on the books in Brazil which makes it
>illegal to import genetically engineered soya. Of course this will also
>prevent independent Brazilian grain traders from "stealing" new customers
>in Europe and Japan away from the cartels.
>
>A Continental Grain spokesperson in Chicago admitted to the Pure Food
>Campaign in August that they are "taking orders" for certified non-ge grain
>for next year's crops. In addition the PFC has learned that a number of
>major US food multinationals have begun making preparations to segregate
>and test their products, so as to avoid consumer boycotts--both overseas
>and in the US. But again, why all the secrecy? First of all, according to
>food industry experts, besides their cozy realtionship with the agri-toxics
>and biotech companies, the grain cartels and the factory farm food
>manufacturers fear setting a precedent. If they bow to "irrational"
>consumer demands to separate out biotech foods and grains, then what is to
>prevent customers from demanding that they do the same thing with
>chemically contaminated grains and foods?

===========================================

Rabbit Information Service,
P.O.Box 30,
Riverton,
Western Australia 6148

Email>  rabbit@wantree.com.au

http://www.wantree.com.au/~rabbit/rabbit.htm
(Rabbit Information Service website updated frequently)

     /`\   /`\
    (/\ \-/ /\)
       )6 6(
     >{= Y =}<
      /'-^-'\
     (_)   (_)
      |  .  |
      |     |}
 jgs  \_/^\_/









Date: Mon, 1 Dec 1997 14:43:52 +0800
From: bunny 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: OT:No weapons,no uranium,no waste
Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19971201143722.2d0f28a0@wantree.com.au>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Anyone wishing to know about the proposed uranium mining in Australia
please visit the following website

http://sage.wt.com.au/~gdaniell/pnd/pnd.htm

General Uranium mining info inc. maps etc

WISE Uranium Project - Home Page
http://antenna.nl/~wise/uranium
===========================================

Rabbit Information Service,
P.O.Box 30,
Riverton,
Western Australia 6148

Email>  rabbit@wantree.com.au

http://www.wantree.com.au/~rabbit/rabbit.htm
(Rabbit Information Service website updated frequently)

     /`\   /`\
    (/\ \-/ /\)
       )6 6(
     >{= Y =}<
      /'-^-'\
     (_)   (_)
      |  .  |
      |     |}
 jgs  \_/^\_/









Date: Mon, 01 Dec 1997 00:05:18
From: David J Knowles 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: [UK] Prince of Wales will carry on hunting
Message-ID: <3.0.3.16.19971201000518.2ebf049c@dowco.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
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>From The Electronic Telegraph - Monday, December 1st, 1997

Prince of Wales will carry on hunting
By Sandra Barwick and Robert Hardman 

THE Prince of Wales is likely to continue to ride regularly with his local
hunts, despite the overwhelming Commons vote on Friday in favour of
outlawing the sport.

Reports at the weekend that the Prince feels that he might have to give up
riding to hounds because it is likely to be banned within two years are
unfounded, according to his friends. He is determined to continue a sport
that he has enjoyed all his life, and one which as a countryman and
landowner he supports, while it remains legal.

The Prince relishes the challenge of riding with a hunt, and believes that
in addition to the thrill of the chase it gives him rare informal
opportunities of meeting people of all walks of life. He has told friends
that he will not easily give up the sport, and when he returned from his
visit to South Africa one of his first actions was to ride out with the
Beaufort Hunt in
Gloucestershire.

Last winter he could be seen out riding with them at most meets, in his
scarlet-edged black jacket, telling friends that he had to make the most of
the sport while he could. "He is likely to take the view that if something
is legal then there is no reason why he should not do it," a friend of the
Prince said yesterday. Only direct ministerial advice to the contrary would
be likely to alter that position. But he has not been advised by ministers
about the issue. A senior Government source said: "At the present moment
foxhunting is legal and so there is no need for Government intervention."

The Prince is used to opposition to his involvement with hunting. By the
age of 11 he had ridden with the West Norfolk Hunt, producing a letter of
protest to the Queen from the National Society for the Abolition of Cruel
Sports.

© Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1997. 



Date: Mon, 01 Dec 1997 00:14:49
From: David J Knowles 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: [UK/MS] Bird under threat on volcano island
Message-ID: <3.0.3.16.19971201001449.2ebf40aa@dowco.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
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>From The Electronic Telegraph - Monday, December 1st, 1997

Bird under threat on volcano island

A BRITISH expert has travelled to Montserrat to lead the fight to save the
island's national bird, which is one of the world's rarest species, after
this year's volcanic eruption wiped out its stronghold in June.

Fewer than 200 of the island's 1,000 Montserrat Orioles, which are found
nowhere else in the world, survived the destruction wreaked by the volcano
but experts are optimistic that the colourful species will survive. 

David Gibbons, of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, is
advising the island's government on preservation measures. The volcano
wiped out the habitat used by most of the population. But Ken Smith,
another RSPB representative who has already visited the island, believes
that the remaining birds, in the Centre Hills, should be "fairly safe".

He said: "It may seem that a natural disaster like this should be allowed
to take its course and that if the oriole were to become extinct, so be it.
But much of Montserrat would have been good habitat for the oriole before
Man started farming on the island and we need to have a rescue plan in hand
if the eruption spreads."

The birds - the male is black and yellow and the female mainly olive-yellow
- appear on the island's stamps. Gerard Grey, of the island's Ministry of
Agriculture, Trade and Environment, said yesterday: "The oriole is our
national bird and we don't want to lose it. Many people have
left the island but the orioles and other wildlife have nowhere else to go.
If things get worse, at least we will have a rescue plan for them."

Other species at risk in the British dependency include endemic reptiles
such as the galliwasp and Montserrat anole (both lizards), as well as the
black snake and ground lizard. The mountain chicken, an edible frog which
is found in the forest habitat of Montserrat and Dominica, is also at risk.

© Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1997. 


Date: Mon, 1 Dec 1997 00:19:25 -0800 (PST)
From: civillib@cwnet.com
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: FFF PRISONER ROUNDUP (us)
Message-ID: <199712010819.AAA14103@smtp.cwnet.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Addendum: Release on Beverly Hills 6:

Regarding the charge of "cruelty" to children for the six activists. It is
based on the fact that 2 juvenile protestors were arrested (and already
released). They've been arrested more times than the adults, and even had a
permission paper with them from their parents saying they could go to the
protest.

However,the police - desperate to embarass good activists - came up with the
charge, although the only danger to the minors were from brutal cops. It's a
sham.

Regarding other cities:

*ALL SAN FRANCISCO (12) arrestees were released late Saturday night...
*LA activists still in jail (6). Arraignment Tuesday.
*Atlanta activists (2) have an arraignment Monday.
*Eatonville, 1 left. Bail hearing Monday.
*Mineapolis, 4 still in jail.
*Long Island, all released.
*Dallas out, Albany out, Boston out, Philly out.


Date: Mon, 01 Dec 1997 04:27:47 -0700
From: Dave 
To: Animal Rights News ,
        Animal Rights Views 
Subject: New Wildlife-Rehab-Discussion List
Message-ID: <34829F2F.83C766F8@goodnet.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
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Dear AR-List Members,

     Wildlife Veterinarians, Rehabbers, and anyone interested in
information and frank, open, and uncensored discussion of all facets of
and relating to wildlife rehabilitation including, but not limited to,
veterinary medicine, ethics, ecology, news, animal rights, wildlife
management, psychology, etc., may wish to subscribe to the new
Wildlife-Rehab-Discussion list -- which, BTW, was inspired by the two
AR-Lists.

   This list is on the same net as the AR lists so the subscription
procedure is the same.  Simply send the following message to
listproc@envirolink.org:

                       SUB WILDLIFE-REHAB-DISCUSSION 

Thanks,

Dave Roth
WRD Host

Date: Mon, 1 Dec 1997 07:57:42 -0500 (EST)
From: Tereiman@aol.com
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: EU accepts US Trap offer
Message-ID: <971201075742_-554571635@mrin53.mail.aol.com>

EU Accepts U.S. Offer on Leghold Traps, Averts Ban

BRUSSELS, Dec 1 (Reuters) - The European Union said on Monday it had accepted
a United States offer on leghold traps, averting a long-threatened ban on
imports of furs. 

It said in a statement a majority of EU ambassadors had accepted the offer,
with only Austria, Belgium and Britain voting against. 

The United States on Friday offered to phase out use of leghold traps over
six years, improving on its earlier offer of eight years. 

The EU had threatened to impose a ban on U.S. fur imports from Monday unless
agreement was reached on halting use of the traps, which the Europeans say
are inhumane. 

Canada and Russia previously agreed to phase out the traps, which are used to
catch animals such as mink, otters and wolves, over five years. 

The EU agreement must be ratified by EU foreign ministers, but the European
Commission will immediately inform national customs administrations not to
block imports of U.S. furs, the statement said. 
 REUTERS 

05:20 12-01-97


Date: Mon, 01 Dec 1997 09:00:18 -0800
From: Ilene Rachford 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: Need Anti-Fur Org in MD
Message-ID: <3482ED22.2C6F@erinet.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Hello, all,

I just received a request for an anti-fur group in the MD area. Can
anyone help?

Thanks,
Ilene

Date: Mon, 01 Dec 1997 10:06:52 -0500
From: Miyun Park 
To: irachfrd@erinet.com, ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: Re: Need Anti-Fur Org in MD
Message-ID: <3.0.32.19971201100648.006f709c@pop.erols.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Compassion Over Killing (COK) is a grassroots group based in Washington,
D.C. We have an anti-fur campaign and regularly protest at stores in D.C.
and the surrounding metro area. Where in Maryland are you?

--Miyun

At 09:00 AM 12/1/97 -0800, Ilene Rachford wrote:
>Hello, all,
>
>I just received a request for an anti-fur group in the MD area. Can
>anyone help?
>
>Thanks,
>Ilene
>
>
>

Date: Mon, 01 Dec 1997 10:35:24 -0500
From: allen schubert 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (US) Pa. Ranch Paradise for Deer Hunters
Message-ID: <3.0.32.19971201103521.007269d4@pop3.clark.net>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

canned hunts ... ref to Fund For Animals
from AP http://wire.ap.org/
---------------------------------------
 12/01/1997 04:26 EST

 Pa. Ranch Paradise for Deer Hunters

 By MICHAEL RAPHAEL
 Associated Press Writer

 JULIAN, Pa. (AP) -- Don Beaver has created just the thing for deer
 hunters who don't have the time or patience to sit in the woods for days,
 hoping a buck happens to wander by. He calls it Paradise Ranch.

 If you love deer and have the checkbook to back it up, the 777-acre tract
 is heaven on Earth. The fenced resort in the foothills of the Alleghenies
 is crawling with deer, and not just any deer -- animals up to 350 pounds
 that are the result of carefully monitored and selected breeding.

 ``The goal was to make the place world class,'' Beaver said. ``It's the
 kind of stuff you dream about as a kid.''

 More than 150 deer live in the central Pennsylvania resort, eating from
 feed stations and alfalfa fields. Another 150 pace inside nine breeding
 pastures, where scientists try to match genetic traits to breed bulky
 bucks.

 Beaver has every intention of keeping the herd strong and growing.

 At the state-of-the-art breeding center, a computer automatically
 releases fresh food spiked with vitamins. Each deer has its DNA mapped,
 with the goal of eventually taking the guesswork out of breeding.

 The careful planning is intended to benefit hunters, who on an average
 hunting day will see 20 to 30 mature bucks. Few go home empty-handed.

 The story is different outside Paradise Ranch.

 Close to a million hunters were expected to search the Pennsylvania woods
 today, when deer season opens. Not all will even see a deer and fewer
 will shoot one heavier than 140 pounds. The state's buck season lasts
 just two weeks, while Paradise Ranch is open six months each year.

 Beaver has hunted for 33 years. As a teen-ager he could spend a week
 looking for the best clearing, then sit in the shadows for days before
 finding the right target.

 Today, with six prospering businesses, he rarely has time for more than a
 weekend of hunting, and he believes other businessmen share his desire
 for recreational efficiency.

 Paradise Ranch is there to make sure such weekends aren't wasted. Private
 guides lead hunters through the ridges and hollows, around the streams
 and ponds to the blinds where they can wait for the trophy buck of their
 choice.

 A four-day stay, including one buck, top-shelf accommodations and meals
 costs $4,900 -- and that's only for the average-sized bucks. Bagging a
 big animal costs extra.

 The deal comes with a guarantee: Leave without bagging a buck and come
 back next hunting season for free.

 ``Guys will go up to Canada three, four times, spend a week out in the
 middle of nowhere, not knowing where they're going and not see a single
 buck,'' Beaver said. ``If I can get them the big bucks and then give the
 camaraderie, I'm pretty excited about my chances.''

 Beaver has run into opposition. Several people have written angry letters
 and he's found threatening messages on his answering machine. Animal
 rights groups denounce the operation as little more than hunting fish in
 a barrel.

 ``There's no sense of fair chance when you have penned-in animals,'' said
 Heidi Prescott, the national director of the Fund for Animals. ``There's
 something rather sick about that.''

 Beaver defends Paradise Ranch by pointing out that his deer have a wide
 range to roam.

 ``I've always done things people haven't done before,'' Beaver said. ``I
 guess I'm used to the criticism.''

 Hunters certainly aren't complaining.

 Lee Taylor, publisher of Texas Trophy Hunters Magazine and the holder of
 several world deer records, proclaimed Paradise Ranch one of the two best
 locations in the country for whitetail.

 ``They'll come from all over the world here,'' he said.

 No matter the success with growing animals ever bigger, Beaver promises
 to keep the numbers reasonable.

 ``I could put 700 deer in here and have them crawling all around us,''
 Beaver said. ``But I'd rather make you wait half an hour, get your feet a
 little cold first. I wouldn't want it to be too easy. What would be the
 point?''
Date: Mon, 01 Dec 1997 10:49:41 EST
From: klaszlo@juno.com (Kathryn A Laszlo)
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (US-MN) Canada geese to be relocated to Oklahoma 
Message-ID: <19971201.121436.5399.0.KLaszlo@juno.com>

Published Nov 27, 1997

Humane Society allowed to move Canada geese to Oklahoma reservation

Dean Rebuffoni
Star Tribune
Minneapolis/St. Paul

The five-month fight between animal protectionists and conservation
officials over 280 captive Canada geese is over: The birds are to be
relocated from Minnesota to a Choctaw Indian reservation in Oklahoma. 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Wednesday that it will allow the
Humane Society of the United States to move the birds by truck within the
next week. They were captured last summer near Minneapolis-St. Paul
International Airport in an annual area roundup of nuisance geese and now
are in pens at a state wildlife facility in Anoka County. 

"We've been given assurances by the Humane Society and the Choctaw Nation
that the chance of these geese returning to Minnesota is minimal," said
Bill Hartwig, the Wildlife Service's regional director. 

"My concern with these particular geese is one of airport safety," he
said. "These are birds that were identified as frequenting areas around
the airport, and I don't want to see them back creating the same
problems."

According to the Wildlife Service, Choctaw officials expect natural
mortality to reduce the number of geese this winter. Their wings have
been clipped, and they won't grow new flight feathers until next summer.
Most of the geese still alive next spring presumably will nest on or near
the southeastern Oklahoma reservation.

John Grandy, senior vice president of the Humane Society, said the
Wildlife Service will place bands on the geese to try to determine if
some of them return to the Twin Cities. 

All told, almost 6,000 nuisance geese were captured in the area last
summer. About 4,300 goslings were captured and relocated out of the area;
1,300 adult geese were slaughtered, and their meat was donated to food
shelves.

Most of the 280 remaining geese also were destined for food shelves
before the Humane Society and two other groups sued to protect them.
Although the three groups initially prevailed in that suit, a federal
judge denied their request that he order the Wildlife Service to ensure
the eventual safe release of the birds. 

That led to talks between the agency and the Humane Society and, in turn,
the agreement to allow the geese to be relocated to Oklahoma. 

About 100 of the birds have received doses of lead as part of study by
the University of Minnesota and the state Department of Natural Resources
(DNR). The study is to determine the potential toxicity to humans who eat
geese, which can ingest the lead shot left over from hunting in areas
used by the birds. 

The study's goal is to ensure that any geese given to food shelves are
safe for consumption -- a concern raised by the Humane Society. The 100
geese will be tested to determine the levels of lead in them. If elevated
levels are found in any of the birds, they will be destroyed and disposed
of sanitarily, the Wildlife Service said. Geese with acceptable levels of
lead will join their 180 feathered friends for the trip to Oklahoma. 

Rick Duncan, a Minneapolis attorney who represents the animal-protection
groups, said they will continue talks with the Wildlife Service and the
DNR "to try to develop a program that minimizes lethal control of
[nuisance] geese" in the metro area. 


Copyright 1997 Star Tribune | Minneapolis-St.Paul




Date: Mon, 01 Dec 1997 11:08:37 -0800
From: Hillary 
To: "ar-news@envirolink.org" 
Subject: (US) Certified Vegan Seal in the News
Message-ID: <3.0.32.19971201110834.0073c8e4@pop01.ny.us.ibm.net>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Can be viewed at 

http://www.nfm-online.com/nfm_backs/Dec_97/soundoff.html

******************************************************

>From The December 1997 Issue of Natural Foods Merchandiser 

SOUNDOFF 


Standardizing Veganism And Tapping A Growing Market



"The Certified Vegan Seal would be displayed on the product label, letting
consumers know that the product ingredients are completely vegan." 


Hillary Morris
President, VSCP Inc.
Brooklyn, N.Y. 

The number of vegans in the United States is currently estimated at 650,000
individuals, and the number of vegetarians is nearly 6 million. Both groups
are growing at an extraordinary pace, yet the term "vegan" continues to be
misconstrued by both the public and product manufacturers. 

Veganism is a lifestyle that seeks to avoid the use of products derived
from or tested on animals. Vegans not only avoid animal flesh, eggs and
dairy products; they also strive to avoid leather, wool, honey, lanolin and
whey, to name a few of the lesser-known animal ingredients. Ingredients
such as stearic acid, lactic acid and sodium lactate--all of which are
potentially animal-derived--often appear in processed goods. One of the
toughest aspects of being a vegan is determining which of these many
ingredients are vegan-correct. 

So vegans, and vegetarians, spend much of their time scouring product
ingredient lists for the presence of animal ingredients. For them, shopping
for natural products turns a pleasurable experience into a rather difficult
and time-consuming ordeal. Honey, whey, casein, cochineal, glycerin,
keratin and bee pollen--these are just a few of the many ingredients vegans
and vegetarians might be on the lookout for in natural products. It is
simply not enough for vegans and vegetarians to know that a product is
organic or natural. They must also be sure that the product is animal-free. 

How do they do this? In cases where an ingredient, such as lecithin and
glycerin, may be ambiguous and unspecified origin, vegan and vegetarian
consumers might go to the trouble of jotting down the company name and
contact information and then, once they've returned home, calling the
manufacturer. Upon getting a satisfactory answer, the customer might then
return to the store and make the purchase. However, and just as likely, the
consumer might avoid purchasing the product altogether, instead choosing a
product that they already know to meet their lifestyle requirements. Even
in cases where the ingredients are specified to be of vegetable origin, the
burden is still on the consumer to carefully read through the ingredient
list--and trust that the manufacturer's perception of "nonanimal origin"
coincides with his or her own. 

Vegans often find that products labeled as "free of animal ingredients" do
not meet vegan requirements, as manufacturers' definitions of "animal
ingredients" vary significantly. Some manufacturers may not consider silk
or whey to be animal ingredients, while vegans do. And so, while the
manufacturer believes that it is assisting those who wish to avoid animal
ingredients, often the vegan or vegetarian consumer ends up more confused
than ever. 

The ambigous term "cruelty-free" is misleading as well. No legal definition
for the term exists, and manufacturers define the term in different ways.
Does it mean the manufacturer doesn't test on animals, or that this
particular product has not been tested on animals, or that the manufacturer
has not commissioned testing on animals? More importantly, products labeled
"cruelty-free" often contain animal ingredients, making the term of little
use for vegans and others who wish to avoid animal ingredients. 

The Vegan Standards and Certification Project Inc. (VSCP), a young
nonprofit organization based in Brooklyn, N.Y., was founded to help clear
up the confusion by setting standards for veganism, and by providing a
Certified Vegan Seal for those products, from food to cosmetics to
clothing, that meet such standards. VSCP is the first organization
dedicated to certifying vegan products. The VSCP hopes to do for the vegan
movement what the organic certification agencies have done for organic
foods, by certifying products that meet strictly defined third-party vegan
standards. The Certified Vegan Seal would be displayed on the product
label, letting consumers know that the product ingredients are completely
vegan. 

And VSCP is not alone. More than 100 vegetarian and animal-protection
organizations across the country have endorsed the project. Vegans and
vegetarians alike, many of whom have been clamoring for some sort of
standard for years, are thrilled about the possibility of simply looking
for the Certified Vegan Seal when they do their weekly shopping. James
Gilley of Santa Barbara, Calif., states: "I am not able to invest the time
and energy into completely avoiding animal products, even though I
sincerely want to. The standards proposed would be an excellent help in
choosing products which comply with my desire." With the imprimatur of the
Certified Vegan Seal, consumers can be sure a product meets strict,
third-party standards for veganism. 

VSCP's standards are straightforward. In a nutshell, products to be
certified must not contain any animal or animal-derived ingredients. This
includes animal meat, milks and milk products and ova, as well as insect
ingredients such as honey, bee pollen, beeswax, royal jelly and cochineal.
All ingredients of ambigous origin such as lecithin, squalene, stearate and
many others, must be of nonanimal origin. Other prohibited ingredients
include animal skins, human-derived ingredients such as keratin, and marine
animal products such as coral, fish scales, and pearl. Products to be
certified must also meet VSCP's no-animal-testing requirement: The
development of the product must not involve, or have involved, testing of
any sort on animals conducted at the initiative of the manufacturer or on
its behalf or by parties over whom the manufacturer has effective control. 

VSCP anticipates that the use and proliferation of the Certified Vegan Seal
will benefit not only vegans and vegetarians but also manufacturers that
wish to notify consumers that their product is vegan. In this manner, VSCP
hopes to encourage manufacturers to recognize vegans and vegetarians as a
viable and crucial market niche, one that will only grow larger as the
health effects of meat consumption and awareness of animal suffering
inherent in the production of so many products become more widely revealed. 
Vegan Standards and Certification Project, Inc.
91 Joralemon Street
Suite 4
Brooklyn, NY 11201
718-246-0014
F: 718-246-5912
email: president@veganstandards.org
http://www.veganstandards.org
Date: Mon, 01 Dec 1997 12:37:09 -0500
From: allen schubert 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (US) Reminder/Hollywood Stars Lend Support to Effort to Ban
  Cruel Traps
Message-ID: <3.0.32.19971201123706.006bcaac@pop3.clark.net>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

from CNN http://www.cnn.com/
------------------------------
Reminder/Hollywood Stars Lend Support to Effort to Ban Cruel Traps

LA Times
01-DEC-97

As Trapping Season Gets Under Way, Alicia Silverstone, James Cromwell,
Kevin Nealon, Ed Begley, Jr., Shari Belafonte and Tippi Hedren Speak Up for
Statewide Initiative at News Conference 

WHAT: A celebrity news conference to urge public support of the Protect
Pets and Wildlife (ProPAW) initiative to protect wildlife and family pets
by banning cruel and indiscriminate traps -- including the steel-jawed
leghold -- for recreation or the fur trade, and two especially dangerous
poisons which are harmful to animals and the environment. Visual/photo
opportunities will include a giant ProPAW petition which celebrities will
sign to urge the public to sign on to help qualify the ballot initiative
and volunteer time in support of the measure; video of animals in traps
(b-roll available at news conference); and a demonstration of the force of
the brutal steel-jawed leghold trap. 

WHO: Speakers will include: 

-- Alicia Silverstone ("Batman and Robin," "Clueless") -- James Cromwell
("Kiss The Girls," "Babe") -- Kevin Nealon ("Hiller and Diller," "Saturday
Night Live") -- Ed Begley, Jr. ("Meego," "St. Elsewhere") -- Shari
Belafonte ("Hotel," "Babylon 5") -- Tippi Hedren ("The Birds") -- ProPAW
representatives 

WHEN: Tuesday, Dec. 2 10 a.m. 

WHERE: The Sportsmen's Lodge/Redwood Rm. 12833 Ventura Blvd., Studio City
818/755-5000 

WHY: Each year in California, more than 15,000 animals including bobcats,
foxes and beavers are trapped for their fur with cruel body-gripping traps.
Untold numbers of dogs and cats -- many of them family pets -- also get
caught and die in these indiscriminate traps. ProPAW volunteers must
collect signatures of more than 433,000 registered California voters by
Jan. 31, 1998 to qualify the proposed ballot measure. The ProPAW initiative
is sponsored by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals, Animal Protection Institute, The Ark Trust, Inc., Doris Day Animal
League, The Fund for Animals, The Humane Society of the United States, and
the International Fund for Animal Welfare. 

NOTE: All attending media must be cleared in advance. 
Date: Mon, 1 Dec 97 11:49:37 -0000
From: "Eric Mindel @ LCA" 
To: "ar-news" 
Subject: Hard Copy piece on Sea World to air 12/2/97
Message-ID: <199712011839.NAA08664@envirolink.org>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

Hi all,

FYI... a Sea World piece on Hard Copy is "scheduled" (meaning, it'll go 
on if no mother gives birth to octoplets or another more enticing bit of 
news occurs) to air on 12/2/97.  This piece has an exclusive incognito 
interview with the spokespeople for the group that broke into and 
vandalized the park on 11/23/97, giving them the opportunity to explain 
what drove them to such activity.  The central focus of the piece is 
supposed to be orcas in captivity, centering around Corky (who's of 
course at Sea World San Diego, where the vandalism took place).

eric

Date: Mon, 1 Dec 1997 13:58:33 -0500 (EST)
From: CFOXAPI@aol.com
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: EU ACCEPTS SPURIOUS U.S. TRAP PROPOSAL                                          
Message-ID: <971201135827_867927245@mrin86.mail.aol.com>


                                       ANIMAL PROTECTION INSTITUTE

                                                            News Release

      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT:  Camilla
Fox
         December 1, 1997                      
(415) 945-9309
     

              EUROPEAN UNION ACCEPTS SPURIOUS U.S. TRAP PROPOSAL 
                                                      TO AVOID TRADE WAR

                     U.S. Makes Empty Promise to Ban Leghold Traps in Six
Years  
                                             to Keep European Fur Market

SACRAMENTO, CA -- In a last-ditch effort to avoid a trade war with the U.S.,
the European Union (EU) caved into political pressure and announced this
morning that it has accepted a "compromise" proposal from the U.S. that will
allow trappers in the United States to continue using steel-jaw leghold traps
for at least another six years.  The agreement comes on the first day an EU
regulation goes into effect banning fur imports of 13 different species from
countries still using the leghold trap. The European General Affairs Council
must ratify the agreement on December 8 to allow the U.S. to continue selling
leghold-trapped furs to Europe.

Passed by the EU in 1991 in an effort to reduce pain and suffering to
furbearing animals worldwide, Regulation 3254/91 was to be implemented
January 1, 1995, but was successfully delayed by the U.S. and other
fur-exporting countries.

Animal advocates see the agreement as a delay tactic that will allow the U.S.
to push for further compromises to the regulation.  The agreement is
non-binding which means it is up to the individual states to prohibit use of
leghold traps.  "This agreement is simply an empty promise to phase out
leghold traps, but there is no regulatory power behind it," said Camilla Fox,
Wildlife Program Coordinator for the Animal Protection Institute. "The U.S.
has had six years to ban the leghold trap and now our government is demanding
six more years to do further trap testing of a device known to break bones,
sever ligaments and rip flesh.  And even after that six years there is
nothing in the agreement that specifically requires states to prohibit
leghold traps," Fox added. 

It is believed that the EU accepted the weak proposal because of continued
threats from the U.S. to challenge the regulation as an illegal trade
restriction under GATT.

Leghold traps and other body-gripping traps kill an estimated 4.5 million
"target" animals each year in the U.S. and maim or kill another 8-10 million
non-target victims, including endangered species and pets. 

As the U.S. government delays banning the infamous leghold trap, outlawed in
more than 80 countries, the American people have taken this issue into their
own hands.  California may become the fourth state to ban leghold traps
through the public ballot initiative process.  The Animal Protection
Institute is one of seven national animal advocacy organizations sponsoring
the "Protect Pets and Wildlife" initiative for the November 1998 California
ballot.

On December 2, Hollywood celebrities, including Alicia Silverstone, will
participate in a Los Angeles press conference to support the initiative and
bring attention to the 15,000 animals trapped for their fur in California
each year. The initiative would ban the use of body-gripping traps for
commercial and recreational trapping in the state.

"Until the U.S. gives up the leghold trap, voters in more and more states
will ban this cruelty at the ballot box," Fox said.  "As a nation purporting
humanitarian concern for the just treatment of all, the United States should
hide its head in shame for thwarting the European Union's efforts to ban a
device Charles Darwin once called the cruelest invention of mankind."     
                                                                        -30-
                                                  

Date: Mon, 01 Dec 1997 11:09:06
From: David J Knowles 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: [CA] Fortify non-dairy beverages, federal health branch rules
Message-ID: <3.0.3.16.19971201110906.08e75ac0@dowco.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

>From The Vancouver Sun - Monday, December 1st, 1997

Fortify non-dairy beverages, federal health branch rules

Judy Creighton
Canadian Press

Non-dairy beverages such as soy milk will soon be fortified with calcium,
vitamin D and riboflavin.

The announcement is being made today by the Health Protection Branch in the
Canada Gazette and takes effect immediately.

Candians who for cultural or health-related reasons do not consume dairy
products have been short-changed nutrtionally by the absence of
fortification in such beverages, says Vancouver dietician Vesanto Melina.
Melina, along with Delta, B.C., nutritionist Brenda Davies, has lobbied the
federal government for fortification of alternative beverages since 1993.

Currently, only plant-based infant formula is fortified with 13 vitamins
and minerals.

Margaret Cheney, chief of the Health Department's nutritional evaluation,
said in an interview Friday that what manufacturers will have is a minimum
list of added vitamins and minerals and "if they add one they must add all
six."

On the minimum list are vitamin A, D, B12, riboflavin, calcium and zinc.
Manufacturers can add to this: vitamin B6, C, niacin, folic acid, thiamin,
pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), phosphorous, potassium and magnesium.

"It's something that is quite honestly long overdue and which we proposed
some time ago," says Cheney. "It is completely in line with all the
policies on addition of vitamins and minerals to foods because products
like soy beverages are used in place of milk.

"It was just common sense that they contain the key nutrients that are
otherwise supplie by milk."

But Helen Bishop MacDonald, director of nutrition for the Dairy Bureau of
Canada in Montreal, says she finds the government's decision "puzzling".

"Given the number of people in Canada who are vegan (those who abstain from
all animal products including milk, cheese and eggs) and who would choose
to have a soy product, I'm not sure it is warrented," she said in a
telephone interview.

In 1995, after publication of 'Becoming Vegetarian', co-authored by Melina,
Davies and Victoria Harrison, MacDonald and her colleagues at the bureau
spoke out against a chapter in the book in which the authors suggest
substitutions for dairy products.

In an advertisment by the bureau, MacDonald wrote that although she doesn't
object to vegetarianism, "we do object to the notion that to be healthy one
has to be a vegetarian, especially a vegan."

She said Friday that she has no problem with products being fortified with
"whatever nutruents Health Canada thinks are appropiate."

"My concern is with calling the product milk or cheese because, I think
that conveys the impression to the public that these products are the
nutritional equivalent to milk or cheese." MacDonald suggests that
plant-based beverages now labelled soy milk should instead be called soy
juice "which, in fact, is what it is and there are laws governing what can
be called milk." 

She says she looks at the issue the same as apple juice being fortified
with vitamin C.

"I look at certain fruit drinks having to be called a drink rather than
juice for the simple reason the government wants to make sure the public is
not misled."



Date: Mon, 01 Dec 1997 11:50:22 -0700
From: Scott 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: Job Opening (WA/US)
Message-ID: <348306E6.3ADAE7B0@xkl.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1; x-mac-type="54455854";
x-mac-creator="4D4F5353"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

Please forward this to any other list read by people who care about
animals.

Job Opening

Position: PetNet Customer Technical Support/Programmer

Job Description: PetNet is a project of the Bosack-Kruger Charitable
Foundation, which produces free shelter management software called
PetWhere for humane societies/animal control agencies, as well as
supporting other animal welfare and animal rights projects. The Customer
Technical Support/Programmer position requires someone who can work
without day to day guidance. Good communication skills are also
necessary. The ability to listen to a users problems and provide
guidance to individuals from varied technical backgrounds is critical.

Job Duties: Primary job duty is to provide technical support to our
customers. Secondary duties will include: software testing and
troubleshooting; FoxPro programming; and support of shipping and
administrative PetWhere tasks as necessary.

Requirements: Windows programming experience (access, visual basic, d
base, etc); knowledge of DOS, Windows 3.x, Windows 95

Other desired experience: programming for a network environment;
programming with FoxPro 2.x, Visual FoxPro experience; Novell, NT, or
other network operating system experience; Internet/Web experience;
FoxFire (report writer) experience.

Other information: position available immediately (12/97). Redmond is
located near Seattle, Washington.

Send resumes to PetNet Manager, Bosack and Kruger Charitable Foundation,
8422 154th Ave, NE, Redmond, WA 98052 or fax to 425/556-9403, or send
e-mail to scott@xkl.com.

Date: Mon, 1 Dec 1997 15:01:33 -0500 (EST)
From: AnimalNM@aol.com
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: Cougars in New Mexico
Message-ID: <971201150132_1315930188@mrin42.mail.aol.com>

Animal Protection of New Mexico, Inc. (APNM)
P.O. Box 11395, Albuquerque, N.M. 87192-0395
(505)-265-2322; fax: (505)-265-2488

   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACTS:  Elisabeth Jennings
     Date: November 26, 1997(505) 329-2904 (pager) or 281-3458;
     and Grove
      Burnett, (505)-751-0351
APNM SUES NEW MEXICO GAME COMMISSION FOR ADOPTING DANGEROUS AND
INAPPROPRIATE
COUGAR POLICY  

     Albuquerque, NM--Today, Animal Protection of New Mexico, Inc. (APNM) filed a
lawsuit against the New Mexico Game Commission in New Mexico District Court
in Santa Fe.  The lawsuit asks the court to set aside the decision the
Commission made at the October 1997 Game Commission meeting allowing hunters
to kill two cougars in ten Game Management Units in the state.  The
Commission policy would take effect on December 1, 1998 when the cougar
hunting season begins.  Commissioners Padilla, Brininstool, Elgin, and Ortega
voted in favor of the increased kill, while Commissioners Cramer, Schuler and
Mayer voted against the measure.  
     By law, the Game Commission is required to "... give due regard to the zones
of temperature, and to the distribution, abundance, economic value and
breeding habits of such game animals...," including cougars.  However, the
Commission failed to consider these aspects when arbitrarily deciding to
 allow more cougars to be killed in ten units within the state.The Commission
passed the bag limit increase:
     -without any certainty about the current population of cougars in New
Mexico;
     -without knowing the effect of their proposed policy on the cougar
population;
     -without regard to the length of time the policy should stay in place; and 
     -without any means for monitoring the effect of this policy on the cougar
population.
In addition, the Commission passed the kill increase in seven of the ten
units, ostensibly to "protect" Desert Bighorn sheep populations.  However,
the Department of Game and Fish's own internal study as well as the ten-year
Hornocker Wildlife Institute study funded by the Department showed that
removing cougars from areas with Desert Bighorn sheep did not result in an
increase in the Desert Bighorn sheep population.
     Notably, the Department's own Wildlife Division staff urged the Commission
not to adopt the "bag limit" increase.  And the Commission ignored broad
public opinion that was presented to them prior to their vote that favored
stronger conservation of cougars in New Mexico.
     "This decision demonstrates the unscientific, undemocratic and obsolete
manner in which so many of our wildlife management decisions are made in New
Mexico and throughout the West.  It is appalling that citizens are left with
no other option than to sue their policy-makers for their irresponsible
decisions," said Elisabeth Jennings, Executive Director of APNM, based in
Albuquerque.
     The plaintiff is represented by the Western Environmental Law Center, a
regional public interest environmental law firm that represents environmental
organizations across the West.  Grove Burnett, Director of the Southwest
Office in Taos, said about the lawsuit, "The State Game Commission's decision
to increase the bag limit on cougars violates the most fundamental standards
of rule making.  There simply is no rational basis for the increase; the
decision is arbitrary and capricious and should be set aside."


Date: Mon, 1 Dec 97 12:41:13 -0800
From: In Defense of Animals 
To: 
Subject: Chicago FFF event update
Message-ID: <199712012040.MAA15231@proxy4.ba.best.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

Chicago animal rights group ARM shared thi update of their FFF event:

250 people participated in the event which included street theater, 10 
naked people, Cruella "de Kill", cave people fighting over fur and a 
rally. 
Date: Tue, 02 Dec 1997 04:55:29 -0400
From: gpatrone@OPAL.TUFTS.EDU (Gary Patronek)
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: Server space for shelter web pages
Message-ID: 
MIME-version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Greetings ~ one of our students has created a web site for a local shelter
and is wondering if anyone knows if donated server space is available
anywhere?

Please reply directly to : Tina Pereira tpereira@opal.tufts.edu

Many thanks!

Gary J. Patronek, VMD, PhD (Epidemiology)
Assistant Professor, Environmental and Population Health
Interim Director, Tufts Center for Animals and Public Policy

Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine
Center for Animals and Public Policy
200 Westboro Rd
North Grafton, MA 01536-1895

508-839-5302 x4708   Voice
508-839-3337   FAX
web site:  www.vec.tufts.edu/vetadmissions/mspubpolicy.html


Date: Mon, 01 Dec 1997 17:24:17 -0500
From: Miyun Park 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: EU Trap Ban Action Alert
Message-ID: <3.0.32.19971201172321.0069ec7c@pop.erols.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

***EU TRAP BAN ACTION ALERT FROM TRACY REIMAN AT PETA***

The European Union (EU) trap ban has been lifted as the EU has accepted the
U.S. offer to phase out leghold traps over the next six years.
Unfortunately, it is not what it appears. The agreement states that they
will phase out *conventional* leghold traps on land. Conventional is not
defined, leaving the agreement full of loopholes. Basically, the U.S. will
be able to continue using some form of leghold traps, such as padded traps,
even after the six-year period.

The EU Foreign Affairs Committee will vote on the agreement next Monday. We
are planning a protest at the White House on Friday, December 5th, when the
EU meets with the U.S. in Washington, urging the U.S. to ban *all* leghold
traps.

We need your help! This is our chance to ban the leghold trap. The
demonstration will be from 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Friday at 1600
Pennsylvania Avenue. Please bring friends. Take an hour off for lunch if
you can.

Hope to see you there. Please call Tracy Reiman at 757-622-7382, ext. 322,
or Miyun Park at 202-686-2210, ext. 302, if you need further information.

Date: Mon, 1 Dec 1997 14:42:36 -0800 (PST)
From: civillib@cwnet.com
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: BEATING PROBE BEGINS,ARRAIGNMENT SET FOR 'BEVERLY HILLS 6' (US)
Message-ID: <199712012242.OAA24171@smtp.cwnet.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

URGENT NEWS ADVISORY
December 1, 1997

Contact: Activist Civil Liberties Committee (916) 452-7179






County Begins Probe of Doctor Beating;
‘Beverly Hills 6' Arraignment Tuesday

     LOS ANGELES – Formal arraignment of 6 anti-fur demonstrators, now known as
the "Beverly Hills 6" – including a doctor handcuffed to a pole and beaten
by Los Angeles County Deputies – is Tuesday, 8:30 a.m. at Beverly Hills
Municipal Court (9355 Burton).

     Los Angeles County Jail authorities confirmed they have begun an internal
investigation – late Sunday they conducted interviews with activists in jail
– into charges Dr. Jerry Vlasak, a Los Angeles surgeon, was brutally kicked
and punched by deputies Saturday.

     Dr. Vlasak participated in anti-fur protest Friday in which 8 people were
arrested during a peaceful sit-in at Fendi Furs on Rodeo Drive. Jailed with
Dr. Vlasak is Dr. Rich McLellan, also a Los Angeles-area doctor. Dr.
McLellan was hospitalized after Beverly Hills police sent him into
convulsions because of suspected illegal use of "pain holds."

     Both doctors, to protest jail conditions, have not eaten since Friday and
have now been moved to jail hospitals. Severe kidney damage can result
within 72 hours, and death in about 5 days from not drinking fluids. The
other 4 jailed activists, including Dr. Vlasak's wife, Pam – a nurse and
former actress (Star Trek Series) – are all on hunger strikes.

     They are being held on felony charges because 2 of the people arrested at
the demonstration Friday were juveniles. However, both received permission
from their parents to attend. Use of the "child endangerment" law is limited
to risk of "great bodily injury" – certainly not a threat at a peaceful
sit-in. Bail is $50,000 each for the "Beverly Hills 6." All are expected to
plead not guilty.

     "This law was meant to punish serious child abuse, not peaceful
demonstrators. Police are making a mockery of the law, and its intended to
use to end real child abuse," said Cres  Vellucci, director of Activist
Civil Liberties Committee, a Sacramento-based legal aide group.

     Thousands of people protested the sale of fur on "Fur Free Friday" in about
100 U.S. cities, and at least 96 anti-fur protestors were, including the 8
in Beverly Hills.
-30-



activists civil liberties committee
PO Box 19515, Sacramento, CA 95819 (916) 452-7179 Fax: (916) 454-6150

Date: Mon, 1 Dec 1997 18:05:33 -0800
From: "Robin Russell" 
To: 
Subject: Pigs, Baboons & Xenotransplants at OSU
Message-ID: <01bcfec6$c673f880$83ce430c@etpswuxg>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
     boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0066_01BCFE83.B850B880"


The following is a press release delivered to 
the local Columbus, Ohio media on
12/01. Since this was sent we have learned that 
the Baboons were transferred from
a current protocol at Ohio State University and 
that the project began today. 

We are planning a demonstration at Wiseman Hall 
on either Wednesday (12/3) or
Thrusday (12/4) from 7:00AM to 1:00PM - The date 
is dependant upon local activists. 

You can contact Dr. Richard Tallman, Chair of 
ILACUC via phone at 614-292-7261 or via mail at OSU, 1960 Kenny Road, Columbus, 
Ohio 43210. 

If you require any additional data please contact me via 
private e-mail. 

Rob Russell
P.O.E.T,


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, December 1, 1997
Contact: Robin Russell @ 224-4598 
P.O.E.T. To Monitor Xenotransplants at OSU
Protect Our Earth’s Treasures has begun monitoring a recently approved 
experimental protocol at The Ohio State University 
which involves the use of 120 baboons and 60 pigs. The project will be 
testing cardiac preservation solutions and 
xenotransplant techniques and is approved to start today.
Dr. Robert Michler, the principal investigator, is known for developing 
xenograft procedures during his tenure at Columbia 
Presbyterian Medical Center (CPMC). In April 1994, Michler submitted a 
protocol to CPMC to perform a baboon-to-human 
heart transplant. The transplant did not occur, and P.O.E.T. questions 
whether Michler was brought to OSU to follow 
through on human/non-human experiments that were not authorized at CPMC. 
Some of the animals will be used in a cardiopulmonary bypass procedure, and 
others for allograft (same species) and xenograft
(cross-species) heart transplants. We are alarmed that this project has been 
put on the fast track starting with its submission 
to the Institutional Laboratory Animal Care and Use Committee (ILACUC) on 
November 10 and culminating with 
its approval less than three weeks later.
P.O.E.T. believes that OSU is rushing full bore into xenotransplants 
without input from the taxpayer who will bear 
the cost of this technology.
The Medical Research Modernization Committee (MRMC) states, 
Xenotransplantation places public health at substantial
risk and hence is an unacceptable technology. In light of epidemiological, 
public health, medical, scientific, economic, and
environmental issues surrounding xenotransplantation, MRMC advocates an 
indefinite freeze on all forms 
of experimentation and clinical application of the 
technology.

Date: Tue, 02 Dec 1997 10:12:56 +1100
From: Lynette Shanley 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: Dr Robert White
Message-ID: <3.0.1.32.19971202101256.006aa594@lisp.com.au>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Over the last few months Dr Robert White of Cleveland Ohio has received
much media coverage in Australia in newspapers, radio and television shows.
He was recently saying on the "Today" show that his research of
transplanting heads must continue. There is a small article in the Herald
Sun which states he has transplanted the head of a monkey. This article is
written as though he has just carried out this research again. Does any one
know if he is still doing this research? Does anyone know why he would be
getting so much media attention in Australia. 
Lynette Shanley
International Primate Protection League - Australia
PO Box 60
PORTLAND  NSW  2847
AUSTRALIA
Phone/Fax 02 63554026/61 2 63 554026
EMAIL ippl@lisp.com.au
Date: Tue, 02 Dec 1997 10:22:10 +1100
From: Lynette Shanley 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (AU) Ethics committees. 
Message-ID: <3.0.1.32.19971202102210.006aa594@lisp.com.au>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Here in Australia we have committees which call themselves ethics
committees. They pass animal experiments. At the beginning of this year I
tried to get the name of these committees changed so the public had a
better idea of what these committee are about. It is interesting to note
these committees won't call themselves anything that explains to the public
exactly what they do. I also asked them to have someone on these committees
trained in philosophical ethics if they would not change their name. 

In March this year I raised the problem at a parliamentry inquiry. A
recommendation has now been passed that the Animal Welfare Committee of the
National Health and Medical Research Council appoint a person to that
committee trained in the discipline of philosophical ethics. It is only a
recommendation. However, with such a person on this committee and the RSPCA
gaining access to laboratories in NSW the doors are slowly opening to
greater public scrutiny. 


Lynette Shanley
International Primate Protection League - Australia
PO Box 60
PORTLAND  NSW  2847
AUSTRALIA
Phone/Fax 02 63554026/61 2 63 554026
EMAIL ippl@lisp.com.au
Date: Mon, 01 Dec 1997 17:40:52
From: David J Knowles 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: [CA/US] EU/US trap ban not what it seems
Message-ID: <3.0.3.16.19971201174052.09af3cd8@dowco.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

EU/US trap ban not what it seems
By David J Knowles
Animal Voices News

BURNABY, BC - The European Union today acted with their collective
cowardice, and agreed to accept the United States to implement a "phase
out" on the use of leg-hold traps over a period of six years, rather than
eight.

This proposal, however, does not even go as far as it appears.

The agreement only covers the use of "restraining" steel-jawed leg-hold
traps and does not cover the use of leg-holds used to trap animals underwater.

It also excludes the use of leg-hold traps "where testing does not identify
viable replacement traps." Research to date, which has cost millions of
dollars in both the US and Canada, over the past 25 years, has failed to
find any replacement. It is therefore unlikely that any further testing
will produce a "humane" trap either.  

The agreement reached with Canada and Russia, like the one today, states
the objective relating to humane trapping is to "establish standards on
humane trapping methods." In other words, more testing, paid for by the
unwitting taxpayer.

Moreover, the tri-party agreement between the EU, Canada and Russia also
includes a provision to "facilitate trade" between the parties. It also
prohibits trade restrictions on any furs or fur products - even those
caught using "illegal" leg-hold traps.

Section 1.3.1 of the agreement states: "the term 'humane' is used only for
those trapping methods where the welfare of the animals concerned is
maintained at a sufficient level." This means, for example, that leg-hold
traps could still be classified as "humane" if 80 % of the tested animals
show none of the indicators of poor welfare listed in Section 2.3.

Even if an animal screams in agony whilst after being caught in a
restraining trap, the trap itself could still be classified as "humane".
Acceptable injuries caused by a trapping method deemed "humane" include:
fractured limbs; severe internal injuries; and spinal cord injuries for 20
% of trapped animals.

Section 1.3.1 also states that there needs to be more "scientific studies"
to determine what happens specifically to animals caught in each kind of trap.

If, after 6 to 8 years, there are no traps that meet the standards for a
particular species, permission will be given to contine the use of cruel
traps for an interim period. "Interim" is not defined.

The Canadian fur industry kills approximately 1 million animals anually. Of
these, 60 % are beaver, muskrat and other animals which are caught in
leg-hold traps set underwater. These traps, defined as "killing leg-hold
traps" are not mentioned in the Canadian declaration.

[Thanks to The Fur-Bearers ( Association for the Protection of Fur-Bearing
Animals) - Vancouver, for supplying information used above.] 

Date: Mon, 1 Dec 1997 21:27:54 -0500 (EST)
From: SHindi@aol.com
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: One Call To Fight Rodeo!
Message-ID: <971201212753_-2094596557@mrin42.mail.aol.com>

Chicago Animal Rights Coalition
                                      December 1,1997
Contacts:  Donna Hertel 630-801-3262
                

RODEO NATIONAL FINALS
URGENT-CALLS AND FAXES 
TO HARD COPY 


September 17& 18, the television show Hard Copy exposed terrible cruelty to
animals at rodeos. The story ran for two nights, and marked the first time on
national television that these phony cowboys were held accountable for their
terrible cruelty.  Hard Copy received thousands of calls supporting their
story.

With the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) National Finals Rodeo
this week, we need to urge Hard Copy to air it again.  Let's not let these
phony, rhinestone cowboys get away with their cruelty without paying a price!
 Shocking bulls into performing is a violation of the PRCA's own humane
regulations, but our videos document just that from dozens of rodeos.   We
also documented the painful tail twisting/pulling/raking of calves and steers
to make them bolt out of the chutes, just so they can endure even more
cruelty.

CHARC has confronted the PRCA with this shocking evidence and they are
running scared.  But rather than deal with the cruelty issues, the PRCA has
simply banned the use of videocams across the country. CHARC is also
challenging the PRCA to a televised debate at the National Finals in Las
Vegas.

Please call Hard Copy at: phone 1-800-753-3703       e-mail ed@tvcopy.com
                                    
There is an answering machine for evening calls


Date: Tue, 2 Dec 1997 11:19:43 +0800
From: bunny 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (Aust)Another rabbit bites the dust
Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19971202111311.2c7ff6a0@wantree.com.au>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

West Australian Newspaper
December 1st 1997

"Few regrets as another rabbit bites the dust"

BY GERALDINE CAPP 

(Photo of wild rabbit lying down being injected with live RCD virus titled
"Doomed. Agriculture WA officer Brett Vukelic injects the deadly calicivirus
disease into one of about 20 rabbits caught near Harvey. Picture John Evans")
Note:The rabbit in the picture looks dead, not alive.

RABBIT (Wild European);  Passed  away peacefully last week
after  a  short  illness. Much  despised  by farmers, 
conservationists and  native  animals. 
Your passing will not be mourned.
 As  harsh  as  it sounds,   everyone agrees that WA is 
better off without  wild rabbits, which displace native animals
degrade  natural  bush and cause soil erosion.
 They cost the commnnity  more  than $600 million a year in 
control  measures  and lost   agricultural production.
 Today  there  are fewer rabbits to wreak havoc on the 
environment after this one was injected with   
the deadly caliclvirus disease near Harvey last week. 
It  was  dead within 40 hours.
 But before it died it probably infected its offspring and 
passed the virus on to fleas,
flies and mosquitoes which are carriers of
the disease.
 The rabbit was one of about 20 caught by
Agriculture WA officer Brett Vukelic and
student  volunteers from the Harvey and
Waroona areas as part of a second  wave  of
calicivirus  injections designed to overcome
immunity to the virus developed  by  some
rabbits.
 The calicivirus was officially released in  WA at Cranbrook in
October last year and was soon followed by releases at 30 other
sites from Shark Bay to Esperance in an effort to wipe out wild
rabbits.
 But  the  results  so  far  have been patchy· The virus has had a
greater impact in the  arid  and semi-arid areas such as the 
Nullarbor Plain, Southern Cross and Lake Grace where numbers have
declined 65-96 per cent.
 But  some  rabbits  in  cooler, wetter areas escaped the 
infection and rabbits younger than 12 weeks had developed immunity,
Mr Vukelic said. The immunity could not be passed on.
 Unless  more than 80 per cent of  a  rabbit  population  was
destroyed, numbers could return to the original levels the 
following year.
End
***************************************************************
To: The  Editor,                                                           
West Australian Newspapers,                                       
Perth

1st December 1997

Dear Editor,

I read with disbelief your item “Few regrets as another rabbit bites the dust” 
written by Geraldine Capp. Your reporter must be extremely uninformed about
the origins and nature of RCD (otherwise known as Rabbit Haemorrhagic
Disease to the rest of the world) to write an article openly praising the
use of the RCD virus as a 
mechanism for killing rabbits. It is true that parts of Western Australia
may be better off with fewer wild European rabbits. However, the use of RCD
as a biological control agent of the wild European rabbits carries with it
unacceptable risks to human and other non-rabbit species of Australia. 

Many international scientists have commented openly on the dangers of using
deadly RCD/RHD as a biological control agent. Dr Brian Walker of CSIRO said
that no guarantees could be given that RCD/RHD would never infect any other
species. Also,
RCD/RHD comes from a family of viruses, of which four out of five main
groups already infect humans. RCD/RHD first broke out in 1984 in China in a
shipment of Angora rabbits flown in from Germany. The origin of this deadly
virus is unknown and there are no vaccines to protect any species other than
rabbits against RCD/RHD should the virus decide to jump species. 

Recently in New Zealand, the New Zealand Ministry of Health and the New Zealand 
Association of Scientists wrote submissions against the proposed use of
RCD/RHD as a biological control agent. The New Zealand government
subsequently voted against the use of RCD/RHD as a bio-control of wild
European rabbits. Also, with regards to the decimation of wild European
rabbit numbers in Western Australia, your reporter seems unaware that no
Environmental Impact Statement was ever undertaken to justify making any
statements such as “WA is better off without wild European rabbits”.
Recently on ABC radio, it was revealed that in some areas where rabbit
numbers had declined drastically, dingoes were observed attacking each other
for food, foxes were observed catching and eating baby wombats and
wedge-tailed eagles hadn’t been seen in 6 months. Smaller birds had
disappeared as well. A draft EIS by BJ Coman warned of the possible
detrimental effect to 11 different species of birds of prey if rabbit
numbers were to decline. 

Please remember that RCD escaped from quarantine at Wardang Island and the
virus has been uncontrollable and unpredictable since then. There is no such
thing as a controlled release of a deadly virus and I urge your reporter to
obtain all the facts on this matter before writing any further articles on
this issue. I am also very sceptical that your photo was that of a live
rabbit being injected with RCD. My opinion is that your photo showed either
a very sick or dead rabbit for I have handled many rabbits and could never
make a rabbit lie in that position without using 2 hands to restrain the animal.

Kind regards,

Marguerite Wegner
***************************************************************************
2nd December 1997

To Mr Howard Sattler,
6 PR Radio,
Perth


Dear Mr Sattler,

Yesterday when I went to buy some groceries at the corner store, the shopkeeper
seemed quite upset. He pointed out to me that the West Australian had published
an article that seemed to promote spreading RCD (rabbit hemorrhagic disease)
in Western Australia. It hadn’t been my intention to purchase the paper but
I did purchase it after all and I wrote to the West Australian (letter
attached). It seems strange that the West would publish such an article that
leaves out the facts that authorities are spreading a hemorrhagic disease of
mammals for which there is no cure and no vaccines to protect any species
other than rabbits! If this disease was to be found to cause illness in
humans, there are no vaccines to protect our children. RCD comes from a
family of viruses , of which 4 out of 5 main groups are already known to
infect humans. RCD first broke out in China in 1984 in a shipment of Angora
rabbits flown in from Germany and no-one knows where it came from or what
caused it to become a sudden bloody and hemorrhagic killer of rabbits. If
RCD did jump species from some other animal in China (which was at the time
following intensive farming techniques and feeding food contaminated with
the faeces of other animals to the rabbits - possibly including parvovirus
which some scientists think has some connection to RCD) then what is to stop
RCD jumping species again? No-one can guarantee that RCD won’t jump species
and the warnings of several eminent scientists have been deliberately
ignored on this issue (some of them are on my website - Rabbit Information
Service including comments from Dr David O. Matson, specialist in 
caliciviruses that infect humans. Dr Matson wrote to our Commonwealth
authorities
in opposition to using RCD as a biological control agent. His warnings were
ignored.) There are others who have written as well, including Dr Alvin
Smith who you interviewed some time ago. Is Monty House (State Minister for
Agriculture)behind this push to further spread RCD in WA?

People like the shopkeeper who showed me the article in yesterday’s West
Australian,
would rather live in a country as free of disease as possible and so would
I. If rabbits are a problem in some areas, having them shot by licensed
professional shooters is far more preferable than trying to kill them by
spreading a deadly and unpredictable exotic hemorrhagic disease such as RCD.


Kind regards,


Marguerite Wegner (Mrs)
***************************************************************************



===========================================

Rabbit Information Service,
P.O.Box 30,
Riverton,
Western Australia 6148

Email>  rabbit@wantree.com.au

http://www.wantree.com.au/~rabbit/rabbit.htm
(Rabbit Information Service website updated frequently)

     /`\   /`\
    (/\ \-/ /\)
       )6 6(
     >{= Y =}<
      /'-^-'\
     (_)   (_)
      |  .  |
      |     |}
 jgs  \_/^\_/









Date: Mon, 01 Dec 1997 19:26:22
From: David J Knowles 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: RFI - Holiday gifts
Message-ID: <3.0.3.16.19971201192622.33dfa922@dowco.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

With the holiday season yet again almost upon us, Animal Voices would like
to compile a list of animal-friendly, pro-ar gifts.

This list will be aired next Monday (Dec 8th), and will also be available
after this date for subscribers to the list. Please let us know by private
e-mail if you would be interested. We are also putting together an updated
"Winter Tips" and "Holiday Tips" lists for your companion animals. These
will also be available from next week. 

We would appreciate your help in putting together the list, and would
welcome your suggestions as to what to buy/give the loved ones in your life
- both human and non-human.

Examples of these would include suitable children's and adult's books ect.

Thanks in advance for your help. 

David J Knowles
Producer/Host
Animal Voices
Coop Radio CFRO 102.7 FM
Vancouver, Canada


Date: Mon, 01 Dec 1997 22:36:16 -0500
From: Vegetarian Resource Center 
To: Veg-News@envirolink.org
Cc: occ-env-med-L@list.mc.duke.edu
Subject: turkey trouble
Message-ID: 
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

The New England Journal of Medicine had a letter to the editor Nov. 20,
1997, (p 1558-9), titled "Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci in Turkeys
and Farmers."

This appears to be due to the use of avoparcin as an antimicrobial
growth-promoter. The writers, from the Netherlands and Denmark, 
studied fecal samples from 47 farms and 47 turkey farmers, 
as well as turkey slaughterers and 188 people living in the same areas.  
They found vancomycin-resistant organisms in 50% of the turkeys, 
39% of the turkey farmers, 20% of turkey slaughterers, 
and 14% of area residents.

This is scary!  Have you heard of vancomycin-resistant
staph-infections?  Bad enough when you need to use 
an outrageously (OK, extremely) expensive antibiotic 
like vancomycin -- but frightening when you no longer 
have any antibiotic that works.

We've yet to hear more on this. These enterococci 
may be susceptible to other antibiotics, 
and I don't know whether they've had trouble with 
any human infections from them.  
Regardless, this is a public-health threat.

--Dr. Mel
Melvin Schorin, MD
melschorin@pol.net
©1997   Maynard S Clark    Vegetarian Resource Center    info@vegetarian.org 


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