AR-NEWS Digest 507 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) RCD Emergency plan-killer rabbit virus(New Zealand) by bunny 2) [CA] Fish farm report says "risk low" by David J Knowles 3) [CA] All the fun of the fair by David J Knowles 4) Polar Bears' Ice Habitat Threatened by Global Warming by David J Knowles 5) Dutch Oil Co Threatens GP With Legal Action Over Climate Change by David J Knowles 6) [UK] MPs admit they are addicted to cars by David J Knowles 7) [UK] Sausage overdose warning by David J Knowles 8) [UK/NZ] Wind velocity test on flatulent sheep by David J Knowles 9) [UK/IN] Killer mongooses and peacocks to curb snake bites by David J Knowles 10) [CA] How safe are burgers in Canada? by David J Knowles 11) TEAR Press Release for 8/27 by Greg Thomisee 12) Boston Globe 8/26: McDonald's beefing up foreign presence; Fast-food by Maynard Clark 13) [UK] MPs admit they are addicted to cars by David J Knowles 14) [UK/NZ] Wind velocity test on flatulent sheep by David J Knowles 15) [UK/IN] Killer mongooses and peacocks to curb snake bites by David J Knowles 16) [UK] Sausage overdose warning by David J Knowles 17) TEAR Press Release for 8/27 by Greg Thomisee 18) (NZ) Rabbit virus illegally released in infested farmlands by allen schubert 19) (US) Dangerous Juices Glance by allen schubert 20) New Zealand RCD outbreak (ABC TV Australia) by bunny 21) Fwd: Gorilla-Shooting Man Nabbed by LMANHEIM@aol.com 22) Detroit News Soundoff: Should Hunting Be Allowed in Parks--Call! by Mike Markarian 23) MD killing Canada Geese by Jean Colison 24) Kim appears in the cover of a Spanish newspaper by "sa338@blues.uab.es" 25) ELLE magazine promotes cruelty by "sa338@blues.uab.es" 26) ar pictures by liberation2@juno.com 27) (US) Meatpackers May Alter Beef Methods by allen schubert 28) King Royal update by PAWS 29) RCD/RHD(deadly rabbit virus)"Uncontrollable"-New Zealand by bunny 30) Kiwis race to contain rabbit killer (New Zealand) by bunny 31) (US) Philadelphia/C.A.R.E./Mobilization for Animals--tabling by allen schubert Date: Wed, 27 Aug 1997 13:01:32 +0800 From: bunny To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: RCD Emergency plan-killer rabbit virus(New Zealand) Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19970827124503.3ea74c74@wantree.com.au> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Wed, 27th August 1997 RCD Emergency Plan (New Zealand) The Ministry of Agriculture hopes roadblocks will stop the RCD rabbit killer virus spreading further, but says there is still a confusing picture on how far the RCD virus has spread. Attempts to stop the virus spreading in Australia have failed but MAF's chief vet, Barry O'Neil, says it's hoped the road blocks now in place in Central Otago will work. He says they're doing their best to contain the virus and prevent illegal or accidental spread of the disease. However Mr O'Neil says MAF is looking at properties as far north as Marlborough where the killer rabbit virus may have spread. He says a helicopter surveillance of Central Otago has spotted large numbers of dead rabbits. But so far only one property has been confirmed with the virus through laboratory tests. One of the Cromwell farmers whose farm is quarantined is elated the rabbit killer virus RCD has arrived. MAF placed four properties under quarantine yesterday, including that of farmer Donald Young . Mr Young says he has no idea how the virus has reached his property. He says the rabbit damage to his farm is horrendous and he's delighted that RCD is here. Biosecurity Minister, Simon Upton, doesn't believe the virus is established here yet and says it's not yet known if RCD will naturally spread rapidly here. He says the insects suspected of spreading RCD in Australia probably aren't present in New Zealand. But an Australian RCD expert, Dr Brian Cook, believes the virus will spread quickly in New Zealand, but not as quickly as in Australia. There the virus spread over 50 kilometres a day, and even crossed Bass Strait into Tasmania. Dr Cook says the climate in New Zealand is different however. But he says RCD will probably travel a few kilometers every week, touching some areas but not others. Farmers say it's a waste of time trying to stop the RCD virus spreading. Cromwell farmer Jeff Brown says farmers are in no doubt it's already killing rabbits in areas beyond the Cromwell quarantine area. He says from what he's heard the RCD virus has already spread from one end of the South Island to the other. He says his farm's plagued by rabbits and it's been the best day of his life. Meanwhile the Department of Conservation says 29 native species are at risk from RCD virus. Conservation Minister Nick Smith says its mostly birds such as the black stilt and yellow-eyed penguin, which could be targeted by ferrets and wild cats who normally prey on rabbits. But he says native lizards and insects are also at risk. (27.8.97) =========================================== 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: Wed, 27 Aug 1997 01:39:37 -0700 (PDT) From: David J Knowles To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: [CA] Fish farm report says "risk low" Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19970827014005.19c7a28e@dowco.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" VANCOUVER, BC - The long-awaited report on the future of salmon farming in B.C., conducted by provincial government scientists over the past two years, was released Tuesday. The report found that the environmental risks from the farms were "low", but also admited that there were gaps in scientific data about these risks. The scientists looked at the risks to humans from the use of antibiotics in the salmon which are similar or the same as those used in human disease treatment; the risk to the wild Pacific salmon population from the escape of the farmed Atlantic species; and the risk to the marine environment as a whole from the waste products from the farms into the sea. The report recommended that the moratorium imposed on opening further farms be kept in place for the time being. A spokesperson for the Sierra Legal Defence Fund called on the government to find the missing data before acting on the report's recommedations. Fisheries minstry spokesperson said it would take several months for all the information in the report to be studied. A spokesperson for the BC Salmon Farming Association, the industry lobby group, refered to the report as "not bad." David J Knowles Animal Voices News Date: Wed, 27 Aug 1997 01:39:43 -0700 (PDT) From: David J Knowles To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: [CA] All the fun of the fair Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19970827014010.19c7a6a0@dowco.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" VANCOUVER, BC - The Pacific National Exhibition is an annual agricultural fair, which has been noted for its insensitivity and cruelty towards animals on display. Several years ago, the PNE adopted an animal welfare policy, which according to the document, states they were "aware of the increasing interest in matters of animal welfare." Whilst further stating that they were unable to meet all the objectives immediately, they were "strongly committed" to their achievement. How many of these objectives have been met? The objectives are:- 1 - All animals must be transported to and from the fair in a matter consistent with the appropiate codes of practice. (Although Animal Voices has no evidence to suggest the above isn't been met, the codes of practice for animal transportation are voluntary, have no meaning in law, and are weakly enforced.) 2 - Whilst at the fair, all animals must be maintained in an excellent state of health. The fair veterinarian may require an ill or diseased animal to be removed or treated. 3 - All animals must receive appropiate food and water, and bedding as necessary. Housing must be appropiate for the species and condition of the animals, Trained and competent staff must be in attendence between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 12 midnight. (The staff are mostly school students, hired for the duration of the fair, and most receive only minimal training. They appear unable, or unwillling to stop children from putting their fingers into enclosures and prodding the animals.) 4 - All animals must be humanely treated, and kept free of stress and pain. (As reported last week, Animal Voices encountered a lame piglet, which was reported to the display barn supervisor, whose response was to do nothing as the piglet was only worth $30 to the farmer, and it would cost in the region of $500 to treat. One of the major "attractions" at this year's fair - as in previous years - was a rodeo, and this year saw the re-introduction of pig racing into the program of events. Pig racing was removed from the PNE in 1986, after local animal-rights activists drew attention to the cruelty involved in this event. Additionally, the petting zoo, sponsored by a local dairy company, allows only a one hour rest and food break for the animals between the fair's opening at 10:30 a.m. and the close at 10:30 p.m.) 5 - In all exhibits (such as the cow calving) the natural dignity of the animal must be protected from the public by clever exhibit design (use of one-way mirrors etc.), limited access, or by video taping and replaying on a large screen. (The cow calving display continues to be one of the saddest displays at the PNE. No attempt at using any of the above is evident, and the cows must give birth in full view of often-cheering members of the public.) 6 - All animals must wear appropiate identification. 7 - All rules pertaining to animal welfare as set out in the various prize lists will be strictly enforced. 8 - Increasingly, the exhibition of animals at the fair will be for educational rather than entertainment purposes. (There has been a token effort at education. Signs posted on some cattle displays point out the "fact" that cattle graze on land which is unsuitable for other purposes, and other, similar, tidbits of information.) 9 - The PNE wishes to take a prominent role in the area of farm animal welfare and will promote discussion and exhibition of the various options to increase farm animal welfare as they are developed throughout the world. (Whilst taking some small, cosmetic steps, it remains as a promoter of animal abuse. It manages to dress up the reality of modern farming by trying to give the impresion that animals are generally well-cared for, but even then fails to meet its own standards.) David J Knowles Animal Voices News [I will be following this up and will post again soon.] Date: Wed, 27 Aug 1997 01:39:46 -0700 (PDT) From: David J Knowles To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: Polar Bears' Ice Habitat Threatened by Global Warming Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19970827014013.19c7bad2@dowco.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >From Greenbase - Greenpeace's press-release server POLAR BEARS' ICE HABITAT THREATENED BY GLOBAL WARMING BEAUFORT SEA, Alaska, August 26, 1997 -- Shrinking sea ice in the Arctic due to rising temperatures will cause reductions in ice algae crucial to the entire Arctic food chain: from fish to seals and polar bears, scientists have told a Greenpeace expedition. The Western Arctic is one of the fastest warming regions in the world, warming at a rate of 0.75 degrees C per decade for the past three decades, several times the average global rate. Norwegian studies have found the area of the Arctic Ocean covered by sea ice has declined 5.5 per cent since 1978. The Arctic is seen as an early indicator of the impacts of global climate change, caused primarily by the burning of oil, coal and gas. Dr. Vera Alexander of the Fisheries and Ocean Science Department at the University of Alaska, an expert on ice-edge ecology, has been observing dramatic changes in temperature and ice-edge extent for the past 20 years. Alexander stated that the continued decline of the sea ice will affect the production of algae, which live beneath the ice, and form the very base of the arctic food chain. "Without the ice algae", Alexander noted "there would be no possibility of a food chain as we know it". The resulting impacts would ripple up the food web affecting fish, seals, whales and polar bears. World renowned polar bear biologist Jack Lentfer (retired, formerly with the Marine Mammal Commission and US Fish and Wildlife Service) also expressed concerns about the impacts of global warming. Noting that bears give birth in snow dens, Lentfer stated that rising temperatures and earlier spring melts could expose bear cubs too early in their development to the harsh arctic environment. Amidst the increasing signs of human-induced climate change, the oil industry in the Alaskan Arctic is rapidly expanding towards the Russian and Canadian borders, seeking to develop and open up several major new oil fields. "We can't afford to burn the oil we have already found," said Steve Sawyer, Greenpeace Arctic Expedition leader. "Burning more than about one quarter of the world's existing reserves of oil, coal and gas risks causing catastrophic climate change. It's completely irresponsible to spend billions exploring for more." Lentfer has also predicted serious direct impacts for polar bears resulting from Arco's off-shore oil development in the area of Camden Bay, off the coast of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Lentfer told Greenpeace the area has the highest number of polar bear dens in Alaska. ARCO Oil plans exploratory drilling there in November, 1997. In December nations of the world will meet in Kyoto, Japan to agree on carbon dioxide emission limitations and reductions. Greenpeace is calling for an end to all new oil exploration as a first step in the necessary phase out of fossil fuels. Date: Wed, 27 Aug 1997 01:39:48 -0700 (PDT) From: David J Knowles To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: Dutch Oil Co Threatens GP With Legal Action Over Climate Change Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19970827014015.19c7b6de@dowco.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >From Greenbase - Greenpeace's press-release server DUTCH OIL COMPANY THREATENS GREENPEACE WITH LEGAL ACTION OVER CLIMATE CHANGE PROTEST AMSTERDAM, August 26, 1997 - Greenpeace said today it would continue its action to protect the global climate ahead of a legal action of at least $US1 million a day by the Netherlands Oil Company (NAM), half owned by Shell and Esso. Greenpeace learned this afternoon that NAM will seek an injunction and a possible damages claim against Greenpeace Netherlands this Friday in Amsterdam. "While Greenpeace awaits the court's decision on the injunction we will continue our action," said Greenpeace spokesperson Martijn Lodewijkx. Greenpeace is calling for NAM to withdraw its injunction and halt its proposed exploration underneath the Wadden Sea. "Esso and Shell are showing indifference to dangerous climate change and are resorting to legal intimidation to stifle public protest," Lodewijx said "These companies through the Netherlands Oil Company want to use the drilling site as a stepping stone to new exploration and production of gas on the Wadden Sea area, a wetland with a crucial role for biodiversity in Europe, particularly migratory birds." The injunction application follows Greenpeace's occupation of NAM's exploratory gas drilling site north of the Wadden Sea between the islands Ameland and Schiermonnikoog off the north coast of Holland on Sunday. The action continues the environmental organisation's international campaign to protect the climate from global warming. "The activities of NAM demonstrates the need for the Dutch government to step in and take concrete action towards the reduction of CO2 emissions," Lodewijkx said. Over the past several months Greenpeace has confronted British Petroleum at its Foinaven field in the Atlantic Ocean northwest of the Shetland Islands, and American oil company Arco in the Arctic off the north coast of Alaska. The NAM drilling rig, which is being towed by two tugs, is 1.4 nautical miles away from the drilling site. The drill site is only 2.3 kms away from a location at which the Dutch company was not allowed to drill after a Dutch court ruling in April. It is only 100 metres outside the North Sea Coastal Zone in which drilling is banned. "We cannot afford to burn more than a quarter of the global fossil fuel reserves without causing a dangerous escalation of global warming and catastrophic climate change - more severe droughts, floods, storms and the spread of infectious diseases such as malaria." Date: Wed, 27 Aug 1997 01:39:51 -0700 (PDT) From: David J Knowles To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: [UK] MPs admit they are addicted to cars Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19970827014018.19c7b5ec@dowco.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" >From The Electronic Telegraph - Wednesday, August 27th, 1997 MPs admit they are addicted to cars By Charles Clover, Environment Editor MOST MPs, by their own admission, drive in preference to using public transport, tend to travel alone in cars with large engines and frequently exceed the speed limit on motorways. A survey of MPs shows that the vast majority are addicted to their cars - possibly even more so than the public - at a time when the Government is pledged to reducing car dependency among the public. While a majority of MPs who replied to a questionnaire from the Bolton Institute of Higher Education agreed that more people should travel by public transport, 69 per cent of them said that their cars were "a necessity". Eighty-five per cent of the respondents said that their car was their main mode of transport and almost as many said that they used their cars as a matter of convenience. Almost half of the 100 MPs who replied to the survey admitted driving cars with an engine capacity of more than 2.3 litres. More than five per cent of the MPs, whose names are not disclosed, were candid enough to admit that they travelled at more than 80mph, given a clear motorway and 55 per cent admitted that they would travel at more than 70mph under the same conditions. The survey was aimed at sitting MPs of all parties just before the general election. It did not show significant differences between parties. Christopher Nwagboso of the Vehicle Systems Research Centre, one of the authors, said: "If MPs are saying we should end our love affair with the car it seems only fair that they should be showing an example. "In practice they tend to have driving habits that can be interpreted as being detrimental to the environment by driving alone, fast and in cars with large engines." No response was received from John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister, who drives a Jaguar, and Tony Blair declined to fill in the questionnaire for "personal reasons". © Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1997. Date: Wed, 27 Aug 1997 01:39:53 -0700 (PDT) From: David J Knowles To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: [UK] Sausage overdose warning Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19970827014020.19c75650@dowco.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" >From The Electronic Telegraph - Wednesday, August 27th, 1997 Sausage overdose warning A MAN who collapsed after eating too many sausages may have been affected by the dangerous chemicals used in cured meats, a doctor warned yesterday. The 58-year-old man ate 10 sausages in 20 minutes at a doctor's party before he suffered a drop in blood pressure. He recovered within 10 minutes. But Dr Justin Stebbin, from St George's Hospital, London, said the man had a lucky escape. He suggested that he was affected by the high nitrate content of the sausages. These chemicals could be lethal in sufficient quantities. Nitrates and nitrites are commonly used to colour and preserve cured meats such as ham, bacon and certain sausages. The chemicals are converted to methaemoglobin, which displaces oxygen in the blood. Dr Stebbin said the sausages at the party each had 150 parts per million of nitrate. The statutory safety limit is 250 parts per million. After the man collapsed, the doctor host measured his blood pressure, and found that it was extremely low. "The 10 sausages consumed were calculated to be equivalent to 68mg of ingested nitrate," Dr Stebbin wrote in the Postgraduate Medical Journal. However, the Ministry of Agriculture said wide margins were set for the safety limits. A person would have to eat several pounds of food containing nitrates to suffer any ill effects. A spokesman said: "You'd probably feel sick from the sausages first." A spokesman for the British Sausage Bureau said those at the party were almost certainly imports. He said: "Most British sausages use ascorbic acid as their preservative, which is essentially vitamin C." © Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1997. Date: Wed, 27 Aug 1997 01:39:57 -0700 (PDT) From: David J Knowles To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: [UK/NZ] Wind velocity test on flatulent sheep Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19970827014024.19c7b4c2@dowco.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" >From The Electronic Telegraph - Wednesday, August 27th, 1997 Wind velocity test on flatulent sheep By Roger Highfield, Science Editor SCIENTISTS have set up instruments downwind of flatulent and burping sheep to investigate methane gas emissions thought to contribute to global warming. The study is being conducted in New Zealand, where there are 50 million sheep and 3.7 million humans. Ruminant livestock are responsible for 70 per cent of New Zealand's methane emission, and belching sheep account for half of that. The nation generates eight times the OECD average of methane emission per head of human population, said Dr Mark Ulyatt of the Grasslands Research Centre, Palmerston North. Two Crown research institutes are monitoring individual sheep to see what affects methane production, while another two measure methane concentrations in the air. Dr Murray Judd, one of the air testers, said researchers from New Zealand Pastoral Agricultural Research found a flat part of the country with consistent wind directions and had set up a tower downwind of the sheep paddocks, with instruments to measure wind, temperature and methane concentrations. Dr Ulyatt said most testing of individual sheep used a sample device over the noses and mouths of grazing animals. Special respiratory chambers can be used to test emissions from the other end but the team was not testing flatulence this time. "I get a lot of flak from this," he added. © Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1997. Date: Wed, 27 Aug 1997 01:39:59 -0700 (PDT) From: David J Knowles To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: [UK/IN] Killer mongooses and peacocks to curb snake bites Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19970827014026.19c7b38e@dowco.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" >From The Electronic Telegraph - Wednesday, August 27th, 1997 Killer mongooses and peacocks to curb snake bites AN Indian state plans to raise mongooses and peacocks to kill snakes after the death of 40 people from bites in the past three months. The plan has been drawn up in the central state of Madhya Pradesh where 506 people have died from bites in the last decade. The incidence of bites reportedly rose during the monsoon when floods washed snakes into villages. © Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1997. Date: Wed, 27 Aug 1997 02:59:51 -0700 (PDT) From: David J Knowles To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: [CA] How safe are burgers in Canada? Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19970827030018.2e9fc5de@dowco.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" VANCOUVER, BC - How safe are the burgers sold in Canada? Depends on who you ask. There has been a lot more awareness of the potential for contamination with E.Coli since the recent outbreak in the U.S., but government officials maintain that Canadian consumers have little to fear. Dr Jim Brunton, a microbiologist at Toronto Hospital, told CBC television that only 5 - 10% of people infected, usually children between 18-months and 12-years-old, suffer the serious kidney failure. But, he addded, between a third and a half of those infected suffer from bloody diarrhea, severe abdominal pains and tenderness - what Brunton refers to as a "very unpleasant experience." Brunton says that the meat inspection carried out only looks for gross abnormalities, such as the meat being obviously bad, but such examination doesn't detect E.Coli contamination. A study by the University of Guelph, Ont, showed that every herd out of 80 studied showed some degree of infection by E.Coli, but the cattle do not show any symptoms of the disease. Around 1,000 Canadians are infected annually, but government meat inspectors say the strict system in Canada means that Canadian meat is essentially safe. Rick Hutfloetz, a federal meat inspector, told the CBC that random sample testing for E.Coli is carried out several times a day at federally-inspected slaughterhouses, but many slaughterhouses in Canada are not federally-inspected. Brunton points out that what worries him is the spread of E. Coli infection to vegetables - something which has not received the same amount of media attention as outbreaks in the meat supply. He said that in Japan, 8,000 schoolchildren were affected by an outbreak of E.Coli H0157 which was traced to radish sprouts served as part of a school lunch. Dr Jean Kamanzi, a senior official with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, credited the relatively low level of infection in Canada to the strict monitoring in place, but also admitted to some luck. He told the CBC that Canada has "one of the best systems in the world." - a common theme put out by all Canadian officials from the minister of agricuture downwards, whenever a concern about a potential danger is drawn to their attention. Anne Nickerson-Jackie, whose daughter contracted Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome, and now has chronic renal failure, advocates mandatory labelling on ground beef which would include safe cooking and handling instructions, similar to that required in the U.S. She is supported by the Kidney Foundation of Canada. She told the CBC that although a meeting had taken place between the grocery industry and Health Canada, in March, 1996, nothing further has happened. Chris Mitchell, a spokesperson for the Consumers Association of Canada, opposes the idea of mandatory labelling, pointing out that not all consumers read labels, and that according to figures from Stats Can 40% of Canadians do not have sufficient reading skills to make use of such labelling. Mitchell believes that the government and meat industry do all they can, and that the system is much better than that in the U.S. - something Nickerson-Jackie disagrees with. Nickerson-Jackie said it was just luck that Canada hasn't has a large Jack-in-the-Box-type incident, but believes the government would act quickly if such an incident did occur. What action it would take in this event remains to be seen. David J Knowles Animal Voices News Date: Wed, 27 Aug 1997 06:50:34 -0400 From: Greg Thomisee To: AR News Subject: TEAR Press Release for 8/27 Message-ID: <199708270650_MC2-1E4F-FEAE@compuserve.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Disposition: inline TEAR TEXAS ESTABLISHMENT FOR ANIMAL RIGHTS 660 Preston Forest Center Suite 354 Dallas, TX 75230-2718 Phone 972-623-6170 Fax 972-416-3555 Press Release Contact: Greg Thomisee Phone: (972)623 6170 or (214) 763 7681 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 27, 1997 ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS PROTEST EMU BEATING DEATHS Fort Worth -- Animal rights activists will protest the decision made by the Tarrant County district attorneys office NOT to prosecute Steven and Russell Vinson for clubbing to death 22 emus on June 28. The demonstration will be at the Criminal Court Building, 401 W. Belknap Street, Ft. Worth, Texas, beginning at 2:00 pm, Wednesday, August 27. The demonstration is organized by Texas Establishment for Animal Rights (TEAR). The group does not condone such acts of violence and strongly encourages the grand jury to prosecute this case. On Wednesday, Don Feare will file a case with the Grand Jury requesting the prosecution of medical doctor Stephen Vinson, who along with his brother Russell, beat to death 22 emu on June 28, 1997. Richard Alpert, a Tarrant County prosecutor, said that Texas law allows owners to kill their animals as long as they do not torture them. The district attorneys office said on July 21 that there was no proof that the men's conduct was cruel. The last bird to die in the pen was described by the humane investigator as vomiting blood and staggering until it fell on the ground and couldn't get up anymore. TEAR is determined to not let this tragedy go unanswered! -End- Date: Tue, 26 Aug 1997 23:09:21 -0400 From: Maynard Clark To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: Boston Globe 8/26: McDonald's beefing up foreign presence; Fast-food Message-ID: <199708271133.HAA08474@envirolink.org> McDonald's beefing up foreign presence=20 Fast-food giant looks to dominate global market By Patricia Commins, Reuters, 08/26/97=20 CHICAGO - Faced with intense competition in the United States, McDonald's Corp. is increasingly relying on its international operations for the majority of its profits and the bulk of its new-store openings.=20 ''I think there definitely will come a time when 80 percent of our profits come from outside the United States,'' James Cantalupo, president and chief executive of McDonald's international operations, said in a telephone interview. ''I would describe our international business as one of huge opportunity.'' McDonald's, which reaped nearly 60 percent of its overall operating income outside the United States in 1996, has restaurants in 103 countries. The latest - Bolivia and Ecuador - are slated to open in October.=20 For McDonald's, the global market, where it has more than 9,000 restaurants, represents an open field compared with the United States.=20 While McDonald's dominates the US fast food market with more than 12,000 restaurants, the domestic industry is considered by many analysts to be saturated. Thus, for players like McDonald's, Grand Metropolitan's Burger King, and Wendy's International Inc., the US strategy is one of stealing market share.=20 McDonald's, which from mid-1995 to the end of 1996 saw six straight quarters of declining US same-store sales, has scaled back on its domestic expansion. Of 2,400 restaurants expected to be opened this year, 80 percent will be overseas. In the past, about two-thirds of McDonald's new openings have been overseas.=20 International operations account for 60 percent of McDonald's profits and more than 80 percent of new units and are expected to grow at about four times the rate of its business in the United States, Merrill Lynch analyst Peter Oakes said in a recent report.=20 McDonald's international presence goes back more than 25 years to a time when the company was starting to sell hamburgers abroad while its US business was carrying the profit load.=20 '' [The] US business carried our international operation for many years, while we were building an infrastructure that is paying dividends today,'' Cantalupo said.=20 With McDonald's opening some 2,000 restaurants outside the United States each year, it will open more units overseas in the next five years than it did in the past 30 years, Cantalupo said.=20 About 40 percent of McDonald's international restaurants are company owned, with another 40 percent operated by franchisees and another 20 percent in joint ventures.=20 ''Now our challenge is to dominate those markets ... because that's where the world income is represented,'' he said.=20 After establishing a presence in many international markets - including a foothold in places like India, where it sells lamb and vegetarian sandwiches, and China - McDonald's has taken the lead from its global competition.=20 '' [The] most significant international markets [i.e., ones with large populations and growing incomes] have already been entered, and most well ahead of the competition,'' Lehman Brothers analyst Mitchell Speiser said in a recent report on McDonald's.=20 Still, Cantalupo says, repeating an oft-quoted company statistic, McDonald's serves less than 1 percent of the world's population on a daily basis. That, he believes, presents a ''huge'' opportunity to sell hamburgers and french fries to a growing world population with an increasing appetite for Western products.=20 ''If you use 12,000 restaurants in the States as any potential benchmark for outside the United States, even adjusting for income levels you have the potential for many times what we have today outside the United States,'' Cantalupo said.=20 McDonald's stock fell 7/16 to 495/16 on the New York Stock Exchange.=20 This story ran on page D06 of the Boston Globe on 08/26/97.=20 =A9 Copyright 19docroot Globe Newspaper Company.=20 Boston Globe 8/26: McDonald's beefing up foreign presence; Fast-food gian Date: Wed, 27 Aug 1997 01:39:51 -0700 (PDT) From: David J Knowles To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: [UK] MPs admit they are addicted to cars Message-ID: <199708271133.HAA08478@envirolink.org> >From The Electronic Telegraph - Wednesday, August 27th, 1997 MPs admit they are addicted to cars By Charles Clover, Environment Editor=20 MOST MPs, by their own admission, drive in preference to using public transport, tend to travel alone in cars with large engines and frequently exceed the speed limit on motorways. A survey of MPs shows that the vast majority are addicted to their cars - possibly even more so than the public - at a time when the Government is pledged to reducing car dependency among the public. While a majority of MPs who replied to a questionnaire from the Bolton Institute of Higher Education agreed that more people should travel by public transport, 69 per cent of them said that their cars were "a necessity". Eighty-five per cent of the respondents said that their car was their main mode of transport and almost as many said that they used their cars as a matter of convenience. Almost half of the 100 MPs who replied to the survey admitted driving cars with an engine capacity of more than 2.3 litres. More than five per cent of the MPs, whose names are not disclosed, were candid enough to admit that they travelled at more than 80mph, given a clear motorway and 55 per cent admitted that they would travel at more than 70mph under the same conditions.=20 The survey was aimed at sitting MPs of all parties just before the general election. It did not show significant differences between parties. Christopher Nwagboso of the Vehicle Systems Research Centre, one of the authors, said: "If MPs are saying we should end our love affair with the car it seems only fair that they should be showing an example. "In practice they tend to have driving habits that can be interpreted as being detrimental to the environment by driving alone, fast and in cars with large engines." No response was received from John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister, who drives a Jaguar, and Tony Blair declined to fill in the questionnaire for "personal reasons". =A9 Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1997.=20 [UK] MPs admit they are addicted to cars Date: Wed, 27 Aug 1997 01:39:57 -0700 (PDT) From: David J Knowles To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: [UK/NZ] Wind velocity test on flatulent sheep Message-ID: <199708271133.HAA08483@envirolink.org> >From The Electronic Telegraph - Wednesday, August 27th, 1997 Wind velocity test on flatulent sheep By Roger Highfield, Science Editor=20 SCIENTISTS have set up instruments downwind of flatulent and burping sheep to investigate methane gas emissions thought to contribute to global warming. The study is being conducted in New Zealand, where there are 50 million sheep and 3.7 million humans. Ruminant livestock are responsible for 70 per cent of New Zealand's methane emission, and belching sheep account for half of that. The nation generates eight times the OECD average of methane emission per head of human population, said Dr Mark Ulyatt of the Grasslands Research Centre, Palmerston North. Two Crown research institutes are monitoring individual sheep to see what affects methane production, while another two measure methane concentrations in the air. Dr Murray Judd, one of the air testers, said researchers from New Zealand Pastoral Agricultural Research found a flat part of the country with consistent wind directions and had set up a tower downwind of the sheep paddocks, with instruments to measure wind, temperature and methane concentrations. Dr Ulyatt said most testing of individual sheep used a sample device over the noses and mouths of grazing animals. Special respiratory chambers can be used to test emissions from the other end but the team was not testing flatulence this time. "I get a lot of flak from this," he added.=20 =A9 Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1997.=20 [UK/NZ] Wind velocity test on flatulent sheep Date: Wed, 27 Aug 1997 01:39:59 -0700 (PDT) From: David J Knowles To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: [UK/IN] Killer mongooses and peacocks to curb snake bites Message-ID: <199708271133.HAA08487@envirolink.org> >From The Electronic Telegraph - Wednesday, August 27th, 1997 Killer mongooses and peacocks to curb snake bites AN Indian state plans to raise mongooses and peacocks to kill snakes after the death of 40 people from bites in the past three months. The plan has been drawn up in the central state of Madhya Pradesh where 506 people have died from bites in the last decade. The incidence of bites reportedly rose during the monsoon when floods washed snakes into villages.=20 =A9 Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1997.=20 [UK/IN] Killer mongooses and peacocks to curb snake bites Date: Wed, 27 Aug 1997 01:39:53 -0700 (PDT) From: David J Knowles To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: [UK] Sausage overdose warning Message-ID: <199708271133.HAA08490@envirolink.org> >From The Electronic Telegraph - Wednesday, August 27th, 1997 Sausage overdose warning A MAN who collapsed after eating too many sausages may have been affected by the dangerous chemicals used in cured meats, a doctor warned yesterday. The 58-year-old man ate 10 sausages in 20 minutes at a doctor's party before he suffered a drop in blood pressure. He recovered within 10 minutes. But Dr Justin Stebbin, from St George's Hospital, London, said the man had a lucky escape. He suggested that he was affected by the high nitrate content of the sausages. These chemicals could be lethal in sufficient quantities. Nitrates and nitrites are commonly used to colour and preserve cured meats such as ham, bacon and certain sausages. The chemicals are converted to methaemoglobin, which displaces oxygen in the blood. Dr Stebbin said the sausages at the party each had 150 parts per million of nitrate. The statutory safety limit is 250 parts per million. After the man collapsed, the doctor host measured his blood pressure, and found that it was extremely low. "The 10 sausages consumed were calculated to be equivalent to 68mg of ingested nitrate," Dr Stebbin wrote in the Postgraduate Medical Journal. However, the Ministry of Agriculture said wide margins were set for the safety limits. A person would have to eat several pounds of food containing nitrates to suffer any ill effects. A spokesman said: "You'd probably feel sick from the sausages first." A spokesman for the British Sausage Bureau said those at the party were almost certainly imports. He said: "Most British sausages use ascorbic acid as their preservative, which is essentially vitamin C." =A9 Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1997.=20 [UK] Sausage overdose warning Date: Wed, 27 Aug 1997 06:50:34 -0400 From: Greg Thomisee To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: TEAR Press Release for 8/27 Message-ID: <199708271133.HAA08494@envirolink.org> TEAR TEXAS ESTABLISHMENT FOR ANIMAL RIGHTS 660 Preston Forest Center Suite 354 Dallas, TX 75230-2718 Phone 972-623-6170 Fax 972-416-3555 Press Release Contact: Greg Thomisee Phone: (972)623 6170 or (214) 763 7681 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 27, 1997 ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS PROTEST EMU BEATING DEATHS Fort Worth -- Animal rights activists will protest the decision made by the Tarrant County district attorneys office NOT to prosecute Steven and Russell Vinson for clubbing to death 22 emus on June 28. The demonstration will be at the Criminal Court Building, 401 W. Belknap Street, Ft. Worth, Texas, beginning at 2:00 pm, Wednesday, August 27. The demonstration is organized by Texas Establishment for Animal Rights (TEAR). The group does not condone such acts of violence and strongly encourages the grand jury to prosecute this case. On Wednesday, Don Feare will file a case with the Grand Jury requesting the prosecution of medical doctor Stephen Vinson, who along with his brother Russell, beat to death 22 emu on June 28, 1997. Richard Alpert, a Tarrant County prosecutor, said that Texas law allows owners to kill their animals as long as they do not torture them. The district attorneys office said on July 21 that there was no proof that the men's conduct was cruel. The last bird to die in the pen was described by the humane investigator as vomiting blood and staggering until it fell on the ground and couldn't get up anymore. TEAR is determined to not let this tragedy go unanswered! -End- TEAR Press Release for 8/27 Date: Wed, 27 Aug 1997 08:08:15 -0400 From: allen schubert To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: (NZ) Rabbit virus illegally released in infested farmlands Message-ID: <3.0.32.19970827080813.006e876c@clark.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" from USA Today web page: --------------------------------------- Rabbit virus illegally released in infested farmlands WELLINGTON, New Zealand - A rabbit-killing virus has been illegally introduced into farmland on New Zealand's South Island, apparently by farmers desperate to save their grazing lands. The Ministry of Agriculture confirmed Tuesday that rabbit calicivirus disease has been found on at least four farms in Central Otago, and suspected outbreaks at three other South Island locations. All these areas have huge wild rabbit populations. Police immediately quarantined the farms where the dead rabbits were found, set up roadblocks to monitor traffic, banned the movement of any stock animals and began an investigation to track down those people responsible. The virus may have been brought in from Australia. Date: Wed, 27 Aug 1997 08:23:02 -0400 From: allen schubert To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: (US) Dangerous Juices Glance Message-ID: <3.0.32.19970827082258.006e9d40@clark.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" more on e. coli from AP Wire page: ------------------------------------ 08/27/1997 01:31 EST Dangerous Juices Glance By The Associated Press E. coli bacteria, usually associated with undercooked meat, only recently was found in unpasteurized apple juice or cider. Until recently, cider was considered too acidic for E. coli to survive, but a new strain is strong enough to pose a risk to children, the elderly and people with weak immune systems. How could E. coli, found mainly in the intestinal tracts of animals, get into cider? Apples that fall off the tree could pick up bacteria on the ground. Apple pickers whose shoes leave bacteria on a ladder could transfer it to apples after touching the ladder rungs. Or orchards could be irrigated with contaminated water. Over 98 percent of fruit juices are pasteurized, a heat treatment that kills E. coli. Any unrefrigerated apple juice has been pasteurized; juices sold chilled may or may not be. Date: Wed, 27 Aug 1997 22:10:28 +0800 From: bunny To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: New Zealand RCD outbreak (ABC TV Australia) Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19970827215352.2bf764e2@wantree.com.au> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ABC TV (Australia) - Inaccurate reporting on the TV News Wednesday 27th August 1997 re New Zealand RCD outbreak. At the end of an item on ABC TV regarding the outbreak of RCD in New Zealand, ABC commentator uttered the words.."Authorities have ruled out possibilities of humans and any other species [except rabbits presumably] contracting the virus [RCD/rabbit hemorrhagic disease]." This is totally inaccurate.Authorities cannot and have not proven that rabbits and other species won't contract RCD/RHD. In fact, on "60 Minutes" in 1996, Dr Brian Walker CSIRO said that no guarantees could be given that RCD would never infect any other species. The August 1996 report on RCD contains results that show "positive" reactivity to RCD in species other than rabbits, and the Australian authorities have not proven that RCD will not infect any other species. The New Zealand Ministry of Health and the New Zealand Association of Scientists both sent submissions to New Zealand MAF against the adoption of RHD/RCD and three independent virologists upheld the concerns of US Calicivirus expert, Dr Alvin Smith who has spoken out in Australia and New Zealand on the dangers of spreading the RCD virus. Dr David Matson, a virologist and eminent authority on calicivirus infections in humans also warned both the New Zealand authorities and the Australian authorities on the potential dangers of spreading RCD/RHD.Australian authorities chose to ignore warnings from overseas scientific authorities whilst New Zealand authorities took heed of the valid concerns regarding the deliberate spread of a deadly hemorrhagic virus of mammals for which there is no cure and no safe vaccines to protect any other species. =========================================== 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: Wed, 27 Aug 1997 16:09:01 -0400 (EDT) From: LMANHEIM@aol.com To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: Fwd: Gorilla-Shooting Man Nabbed Message-ID: <970827160700_546986705@emout12.mail.aol.com> Allen, if this has any HTML, I resign!!!! :-) -Lynn In a message dated 97-08-27 11:28:31 EDT, AOL News writes: << JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AP) - A man who jumped into a gorilla pen at the Johannesburg Zoo while fleeing police last month is back in custody again, after running from the law a second time. Isaac Mofokeng escaped Aug. 15 from a police jail, after gaining notoriety for shooting a gorilla in the course of trying to avoid arrest July 18. That day, with police in pursuit, Mofokeng ran into the zoo and leaped into the gorilla enclosure. Max, a 400-pound gorilla, grabbed the man, apparently to protect his mate. Mofokeng shot Max in the jaw and shoulder. The enraged gorilla then attacked and bit two police officers who had also gone into the pen. Mofokeng was captured; Max was sedated and taken to a nearby clinic for treatment. An instant celebrity who was given a bulletproof vest by police and named a reserve officer, Max has been recuperating back at home. Mofokeng, already wanted on earlier charges of rape, abduction and robbery, was charged after the zoo escapade with trespassing, firearm violations, and contravening the nation's animal protection act. ``I want to say I'm sorry to the gorilla,'' he told reporters at his Aug. 11 court appearance. ``I was just protecting myself.'' He and another inmate escaped four days later, apparently by slipping through the bars around an exercise yard at a jail. He was taken into custody Tuesday after police tracked him to a home in Mpumalanga province. Police Capt. Carla Prinsloo said he put up no resistance this time. ``He merely asked permission to put his clothes on and came quietly,'' she said. >> --------------------- [embedded html file deleted] To edit your profile, go to keyword NewsProfiles. For all of today's news, go to keyword News. Date: Wed, 27 Aug 1997 14:29:17 -0700 (PDT) From: Mike Markarian To: ar-news@envirolink.org, seac+announce@earthsystems.org, en.alerts@conf.igc.apc.org Subject: Detroit News Soundoff: Should Hunting Be Allowed in Parks--Call! Message-ID: <2.2.16.19970827181157.5367ac9a@pop.igc.org> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Forwarded from private e-mail: >Today's Detroit News has a story about a golf course that the >Huron-Clinton Metro Park System wants to obtain through a grant. The >grant application specifies that hunting would allowed to reduce nuisance >geese on the greens. > >The story, 'Golf Course Geese Face Death,' is the lead in the Metro >section and has a corresponding Soundoff question: Should hunting be >permitted in a Metropark for any reason? > >Please respond by: > >faxing at (313) 222-2335; >call (313) 252-2200, and press News Hotline 0901; >Write Soundoff, The Detroit News, 615 W. Lafayette, Detroit, MI 48226; >E-mail soundoff@detnews.com. Date: Wed, 27 Aug 1997 18:05:00 -0400 (EDT) From: Jean Colison To: Ar-news Subject: MD killing Canada Geese Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII State plans hunts to thin out Canada geese flocks by JoAnn Grbach , Staff Writer Bethesda Gazette ------------------------------------------------------------------------ August 27, 1997 Hunters in Montgomery County and other parts of the state will begin to thin out an increasingly booming geese population next week that Maryland officials say is causing economic and health problems. Roughly 60,000 to 80,000 Canada geese have made Maryland their home, and officials say this has led to excess droppings, traffic problems and damage to landscapes and crops. "The problems that occur are going to occur more frequently and get more acute as the numbers increase," said Bill Harvey, regional manager for the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Because of this, the state has added two more hunts to the traditional late fall and early winter season in order to kill more birds. "As that population increases and expands, regulated hunting is really one tool we have available to us to reduce that population density and bring those numbers down," said Ken D'Loughy of the Maryland Wildlife and Heritage Division. "We get calls from golf courses, farmers [and] community associations ... that have ponds or extensive areas of grass. Those seem to be magnets for resident Canada geese." Maryland's Eastern Shore has always been a traditional site for geese hunting, but now many of the state's western counties, including parts of Montgomery, are joining the hunt as these waterfowl are quickly adapting to more suburban and urban areas. Hunting in Montgomery County is allowed in the northern and western areas, including sections of Poolesville, Boyds and Barnesville. The first hunt of the season is scheduled to begin Tuesday and last until Sept. 25. Hunters are limited to five geese per day, according to D'Loughy. This is not the first time the state has tried to control a booming wildlife population through hunting. The county killed 313 deer during three managed hunts last December and January as part of a total management scheme to handle the high numbers. Deer were responsible for eating park vegetation and causing accidents on county roads. But there are those who believe hunting will not significantly reduce the high numbers of geese in the area. "Hunting is always the solution they come up with, [and] I don't see that it does it," said Chris Montuori, director of Second Chance Wildlife Center in Gaithersburg. "They don't shoot enough to make a difference, and they're not shooting in the areas to make a difference." Montuori sees at least eight ducks or geese come into the center each day because they have been hit by a car or suffered other problems from living in an urban or suburban area. There are 11 species of geese, and the Giant Canada Goose has become known as resident to this area. The geese have become domesticated to the surroundings and can thrive almost year-round. Many people don't realize geese are creatures of habit and tradition. After eggs are hatched, goslings grow, learn to fly and then will always return to the same location where those events occurred, according to Harvey of the DNR. So year after year, more goslings return to where there were only a few geese the year before and hatch their own eggs, This causes the population to multiply quickly. The population has steadily increased in the northeast region of the country and in Maryland over the last 10 years, according to Diane Pence, wildlife biologist with the Northeast Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services Division. The division estimates the resident population in the region is more than 1 million now. At the same time, nearly 80,000 resident geese have made Maryland their home -- up from between 10,000 and 15,000 less than 10 years ago. Numbers specific to Montgomery County were unavailable. Some of the reasons geese thrive in this area are because it is safe from hunting and predators, as well as having access to plenty of food and water. Montuori and D'Loughy agree that two of the more heavily populated areas in the county are Lake Whetstone in Gaithersburg and the lake at Rio in the Washingtonian Center. Hunting is not allowed at either of the locations. The state's decision to liberalize hunting is one method to decrease the rising numbers of geese in the state. And with the help of several federal agencies, other measures are surfacing as a way to control that wildlife population. "The only reason we would try and manage a population is because it's causing damage," Pence said. Montuori is skeptical about the hunts' effectiveness. "If they go in and blast away two-thirds of the ducks and geese, they're going to get more," she said. "What people really need to do is look at the design of the lake and make it less desirable." Measures to control the population range from non-lethal habitat modifications to one extreme where geese are rounded up to be taken to slaughter houses -- a situation that first occurred in Minneapolis. While Montuori has spent the last 10 years saving, rehabilitating and relocating these waterfowl, she is not opposed to slaughtering because the potential for extreme overcrowding, environmental stresses and other natural occurrences will produce a much worse scenario. "It's because I do love them that I feel it's probably the smartest thing to do," she said. "The only solutions aren't going to be totally unpalatable." Date: Thu, 28 Aug 1997 00:23:33 +0200 From: "sa338@blues.uab.es" To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: Kim appears in the cover of a Spanish newspaper Message-ID: <3404A8E5.6F1A@blues.uab.es> MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit I am Nuria from Barcelona. Kim Basinger has appeared in the edition of the 27/8/97 in the cover of El Periodico, one of the most important newspapers in Spain. The new is about Kim's actions to save animals from circuses.For the animals, Nuria http://www.geocities.com/heartland/hills/3787 Date: Thu, 28 Aug 1997 00:29:08 +0200 From: "sa338@blues.uab.es" To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: ELLE magazine promotes cruelty Message-ID: <3404AA34.1E00@blues.uab.es> MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit I am Nuria from Barcelona. In the spanish issue of ELLE magazine there are articles that promote bullfighting and fur. Please tell them that cruelty is not ELLEgant elle@hachette.es More information here http://www.geocities.com/heartland/ranch/1231/elle.htm Thanks for your concern,for the animals Nuria http://www.geocities.com/heartland/hills/3787 Date: Wed, 27 Aug 1997 20:16:57 -0400 From: liberation2@juno.com To: ar-news@envirolink.org, ar-views@envirolink.org Subject: ar pictures Message-ID: <19970827.201708.10366.3.liberation2@juno.com> Hey folks, I'm pretty busy right now, so I can't promise when it will be up, but I'm going to start working on a web site that will have a very extensive collection of pictures of animal abuse(this will hopefully go far beyond the arr's collection) Anyway's I'd appreciate it if people would send me the addresses of site's that have picture's of animal abuse. At this time, I don't have a scanner, however hopefully the 'vegan fairy' will come through & I'll eventually get one, so when that day arrives I'll let people know so that they can send me picture's via snail mail. THANKS! -Kim (liberation2@juno.com) ************************************** Check out the Voices for Wildlife website!!! http://www.angelfire.com/pa/vfw Date: Wed, 27 Aug 1997 20:54:09 -0400 From: allen schubert To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: (US) Meatpackers May Alter Beef Methods Message-ID: <3.0.32.19970827205406.006c9ba0@clark.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" from AP Wire page: ----------------------------------- 08/27/1997 16:22 EST Meatpackers May Alter Beef Methods By EILEEN GLANTON AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) -- Meatpacking trade groups are pushing the industry to change hamburger processing methods and abandon the common practice of mixing in one day's leftovers with the next day's supply. Experts say the process, known as ``reworking'' the refrigerated meat, is safe. But it's one more way E. coli bacteria that sickened about 16 people in Colorado this month could spread through several batches of meat. The entire meat industry has been rattled by Hudson Foods Inc.'s recall of 25 million pounds of ground beef. It became the nation's largest meat recall in history, expanding from 20,000 pounds to 1.2 million to 25 million as investigators discovered Hudson had reworked its leftovers. Virtually every meatpacker reworks their supplies, said Rosemary Mucklow, executive director of the National Meat Association, a trade group. Typically, ground beef that hasn't been processed at the end of one day's production run is covered, labeled and refrigerated. The next day, it's added to the fresh supply for processing. U.S. regulators have no set policy against the process. ``As long as the meat is wholesome, the procedure is safe,'' said Mucklow. But on Monday, Mucklow's group sent a letter to its 600 members, including meatpackers, processors and equipment suppliers, recommending that they no longer mix in the leftover meat. ``We are recommending an absolute break in continuity'' between one day's production and the next, Mucklow said. The Agriculture Department and Hudson Foods believe the E. coli bacteria in Hudson's beef patties most likely came from one of several slaughterhouses the company uses. The bacteria contaminated frozen beef patties made at Hudson's Columbus, Neb., plant June 5. Because the beef had been reworked, no one could prove that meat processed on the ensuing days was not tainted, as well. ``There was no clear break in production,'' Mucklow said. The scare cost Hudson Foods one of its major customers, as Burger King said it would no longer buy its beef from Hudson. It also spooked the entire industry, said Janet Riley, spokeswoman for the American Meat Institute. ``Everyone was shocked by the magnitude of what happened to Hudson,'' Riley said. ``It's particularly frustrating because, even in the most perfect plant, there's no way to guarantee perfect product.'' Several meatpacking companies contacted Tuesday would not confirm plans to change their reworking practices. But Michael Johnson, a microbiologist at the University of Arkansas who has consulted with Hudson Foods, said meatpackers are likely to act before the government requires them to. ``It's in their best interests as businesses to adopt even stricter measures than the government requires,'' said Johnson, also a member of the Food Safety Consortium. ``They need to regain the confidence of the companies they supply.'' The Agriculture Department is expected to issue a report on the Hudson scare within two weeks, and many expect some recommendation on the use of leftover meat. Mucklow said the government would probably seek proof of a production break. ``There is nothing wrong with rework,'' she said. But in the future, a plant might decide to contain its leftovers, processing them the next day but not mixing them into a fresh supply. Or, the leftovers could go into a cooked-beef product, which kills bacteria. Better record-keeping could also keep a future contamination scare from growing to the scope of the Hudson recall, Mucklow said. Ground beef, for example, often comes from more than one source, and careful records would make it easier to pinpoint a possible source of contamination. Experts note the production plant is only one of several points of entry for bacteria. Johnson said scientists are developing animal vaccines and pasteurization techniques, and restaurants have improved their food-safety procedures, testing meat by temperature rather than by color to ensure it's cooked through. ``There's no one magic pill to fix what's really a very safe food supply,'' said Johnson. Date: Wed, 27 Aug 1997 21:04:19 -0400 (EDT) From: PAWS To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: King Royal update Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII This article appeared in Wednesday's Albuquerque Journal: Star Lauds Elephant Aid by City: Activists Want Circus to Stop Exhibiting Hollywood beauty Kim Basinger was in Albuquerque on Tuesday to stop a Texas-based traveling circus from what she called beastly treatment of its own animals. At a news conference in front of the Rio Grande Zoo, Basinger praised the city's swift and "compassionate" response to the August 6 discovery of a dead 8 year old elephant and ten other animals inside a crowded, overheated trailer belonging to King Royal Circus. She also praised state District Judge Susan Conway's decision last week to award the city temporary custody of the two elephants and eight llamas which the actress saw briefly from a distance at their sanctuary at Albuquerque's San Gabriel park. Basinger has been actively involved with the Sacramento-based Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) in easing what she calls "the terrible plight of all animals in circuses" since viewing a videotape of an elephant training session in 1994. She called Tuesday for the USDA Secretary Dan Glickamn to follow Albuquerque's example and "confiscate" animals she said are still being abused by King Royal Circus and to make permanent last week's 21 day suspension of the circus' right to exhibit. Animals still belonging to King Royal, she said, "are being dragged around the country and suffering in the name of entertainment." Basinger and PAWS director Pat Derby, who attended the Tuesday news conference presented a list of complaints to Glickman las April about "the miserable lives of elephants in traveling shows," Derby told reporters. But King Royal's attorney Ron Koch, said by telephone the circus has the right to operate while appealing the USDA suspension. Koch, who was unsuccessful last week in staving off the city's custody bid, said Basinger's statements about the circus were "reckless" and "irresponsible." Koch said he believes Heather's death was "purely and simply a tragedy, an accident." Koch said Basinger should have gone to "sit down and talk with" the animals' trainer and handler, 23 year old Darryl Ben Davenport, who remains with the surviving elephants and llamas. Davenport, the son of King Royal owner John Davenport, has been charged in a criminal complaint with one count of cruelty to animals; eleven counts of failing to provide proper animal care; one count of obstructing a police officer and has been cited for failing to have proper vehicle registration and insurance. His assistant, 19 year old John Davis is facing similar counts. Date: Thu, 28 Aug 1997 09:12:59 +0800 From: bunny To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: RCD/RHD(deadly rabbit virus)"Uncontrollable"-New Zealand Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19970828085612.2c077082@wantree.com.au> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Thu, 28th August 1997 RCD "Uncontrollable" (New Zealand) The Ministry of Agriculture admits it won't be able to control the outbreak of the rabbit virus RCD. MAF spokesperson, Gary Clark, says the Ministry is waiting for test results today to confirm if the disease has spread outside the Cromwell area. He says little is known about how the virus will spread in this country. He says there certainly aren't hillsides littered with dead bodies, but rabbits may be dying in their burrows. An Australian scientist says MAF hasn't a hope of containing the rabbit virus. Ron Sinclair says the virus is spreading in parts of Australia with a similar climate to where it has been released in Cromwell. He says it spreads better in colder areas of Australia, than in warmer areas. Test results from rabbits in Maniototo and the McKenzie country should be known by midday and MAF will then decide whether to expand its control area. The virus was found in rabbits in the Cromwell area on Tuesday and five farms in the area have been quarantined. MAF is also checking rabbits in the Wairarapa and Waikato for RCD infection. Meanwhile Central Otago police looking for the RCD smuggler are checking local farmers passports. Police inquiries will include checking farmers names against the immigration computer which monitors international arrivals and departures. But it could be a long job - a contingent of Central Otago farmers took time off last month for the Tri Nations rugby in Australia. The suspicion among some farmers is that it's likely the livers of infected Australian rabbits were smuggled into New Zealand. The Government says if RCD has spread, a decision will have to be taken on whether containment is worth the cost and effort. The Minister for Biosecurity, Simon Upton says that decision lies with MAF's Chief Vet who can change the legal status of RCD. He says Monday's Cabinet meeting will discuss the outbreak, and that will give MAF time to make a decision. (28.8.97) =========================================== 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: Thu, 28 Aug 1997 09:14:44 +0800 From: bunny To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: Kiwis race to contain rabbit killer (New Zealand) Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19970828085757.2c0783d4@wantree.com.au> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Kiwis race to contain rabbit killer (The Australian newspaper, Thursday August 28th 1997) [2 photos with this article, one presumably of Donald Young and truck titled "Degradation to jubilation ...Donald Young's property in Central Otago was the first to be found with the disease"-Fotopress picture and "Dead rabbits adorn a fence at Lowburn" with four dead rabbits hanging by their ears from a wire fence"] Road blocks were set up and aerial searches conducted across the South Island of New Zealand yesterday in an attempt to control the apparent illegal introduction of the rabbit calicivirus disease, believed to have spread from Australia. The disease has killed up to 180 million rabbits across Australia since it was accidentally released from a research station in early 1995, which was followed by controlled releases and has led to widespread revegetation across wide sweeps of arid country. When the NZ Government refused to release the virus last month, citing unknown consequences, angry farmers threatened to release it illegally. Rabbits infest much of the New Zealand high country in both the North and South islands. On Tuesday, six samples from three dead rabbits found on a Cromwell, Central Otago, property in the South Island tested positive for calicivirus. Four farms in the area were placed under quarantine immediately. Officials were also checking rabbit corpses in the Twizel and Maniototo areas in the lower central South Island and conducting helicopter sweeps of suspected outbreak sites hundreds of kilometres apart. "It appears this disease has been deliberately and illegally introduced," said the Ministry of Agriculture's chief veterinary officer Barry O'Neil. Farmers Federation spokesman Mr Edward Orr said that while the federation did not support illegal introduction of a biological control agent, it always had believed it would arrive accidentally or intentionally. "A number of farmers on the brink of disaster from the degradation caused by rabbits are delighted to see a new tool to destroy this rodent," Mr Orr said. "That is why we are happy. I would be too." Farmer Geoff Brown, from Lowburn in Central Otago, described the calicivirus devastation as "the greatest day of my life". Liz Brown, from Luggate, north of the outbreak said, said: "I hope it is very virulent and spreads like hell. I can't remember when I felt this excited. Its better than Christmas." Chairman of the Australian calicivirus management group, Mr Graham Eggleston said that with more than a dozen daily flights between Australia and New Zealand and the disease's spread requiring only part of an infected animal, it would be almost impossible to determine how the virus got to New Zealand. He said if the New Zealand Government found it impossible to eradicate, Kiwis would now have to consider how best to make use of it. Head of livestock for NSW Farmers, Mr Mick Keogh, said "We can understand the frustration of the NZ high country farmers who, like Australian producers, see rabbits as a major environmental pest and require tools to assist in their eradication". End =========================================== 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: Wed, 27 Aug 1997 22:17:00 -0400 From: allen schubert To: ar-news@envirolink.org Subject: (US) Philadelphia/C.A.R.E./Mobilization for Animals--tabling Message-ID: <3.0.32.19970827221658.006ca7bc@clark.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Compassion for Animals, Respect for the Environment (CARE) and Mobilization for Animals will hold a tabling/outreach event on "Super Sunday" Sept. 7th, 11am-5pm in Philadelphia. Booths will be #405 and #407. Location will be near 22nd St. and Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The CARE and Mobilization for Animals booths will feature veggie dogs, hummus & pita sandwiches, t-shirts ("I don't eat anything with eyes except potatos"), free literature, etc.. For more information, call: 215-242-0465.