Congress considers law that would ban use of elephants in circuses
Good things are happening for the poor wild animals in circuses. Ingrid Newkirk of Peta posted this. “It has to do with elephants who are beaten with bullhooks by Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Feld Entertainment, Inc., parent company of Ringling, will now pay a penalty of $270,000. for violations of the Animal Welfare Act dating from June 2007 to August 2011. It is the biggest penalty paid by a circus in the history of the United States.” But there is more good news. Congressmen, led by Jim Moran (Dem), have introduced the Traveling Exotic Animal Protection Act, HR 3359, which says that “No exhibitor may allow for the participation of an exotic or wild animal (including a non-human primate) in an animal act if, during the 15- day period preceding such participation, such animal was traveling in a mobile housing facility.” Although this doesn’t sound so stringent, it will stop traveling circuses. Unfortunately, this bill does not address wild animals in films, television or advertising or those used in rodeos. As disappointing as that is, this bill is worth passing as it would be a significant blow to using/abusing wild animals in show business and it will virtually end their use in traveling circuses. Please call your Representatives and Senators and politely ask them to support this important bill. Continue reading »
Watch out for HumaneWatch!
HumaneWatch has recently had full page ads in the LA Times, accusing the Humane Society of the United States of spending less than 1% of their budget on our country’s shelters. But the truth is that HSUS is not responsible for the overpopulation in our shelters nor is their mission to tackle that particular aspect of the problem. However, they do very effective work to reduce the pet overpopulation in other ways. HumaneWatch is anti-animal, anti-human and very pro-business. Too many people are fooled by their name & their confusing ads and I think it is crucial for the animal community to know that THEY ARE OUR ENEMY! Please pass this knowledge on so none of us are fooled by their ridiculous claims. Continue reading »
MEAT AGGRAVATES WORLD HUNGER
Cornell University Science News
Aug. 07, 1997
U.S. could feed 800 million people with grain that livestock eat, Cornell ecologist advises animal scientists Future water and energy shortages predicted to change face of American agriculture.
From one ecologist’s perspective, the American system of farming grain-fed livestock consumes resources far out of proportion to the yield, accelerates soil erosion, affects world food supply and will be changing in the future.
“If all the grain currently fed to livestock in the United States were consumed directly by people, the number of people who could be fed would be nearly 800 million,” David Pimentel, professor of ecology in Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, reported at the July 24-26 meeting of the Canadian Society of Animal Science in Montreal. Or, if those grains were exported, it would boost the U.S. trade balance by $80 billion a year, Pimentel estimated. Continue reading »
WHO IS REALLY PRO-LIFE? In honor of Congress’ incoming Tea Partiers
I think it’s time to really look at who in this world are the real pro-lifers. You see, I don’t think it’s the Sarah Palins or Mike Huckabees or any of the people who claim to be. Their concerns and protections are really only for the fetus when it’s in the womb. They stop the moment a human being is actually born. I think they should call themselves “pro-fetus-ers.” These people who cry “foul” that their freedoms are being taken away are the very same people who want to take away a woman’s right/freedom to choose whether to term or terminate a pregnancy, which has been a constitutional right since 1973.
Fighting Prop. 23 one phone call at a time
This article from the LA Times by Steve Lopez is the most personal and powerful of all that I have read on this dreadful proposition 23 here in California. I feel very strongly about defeating this proposition as it is an attempt to roll back environmental protections that we, the California voters, have passed. I so appreciate when others use their voices for the unfortunate & forgotten among us and Alicia Rivera is a voice to be reckoned with and I am so grateful. I truly believe that defeating Prop 23 will be the most decisive act, for all living beings in California, as we all depend on clean air, water and land. It will also send a message that we Californians cannot be bought out by big businesses. So please VOTE DEMOCRATIC & VOTE NO on PROP 23! Continue reading »
Human Rights Included
I haven’t really written about human rights but i believe that human & animal rights are interrelated. Just as a strong correlation has been found to link human and animal abuse, so it is with our rights. I was raised in a family whose parents fought for human rights, whether it was fighting the injustice of the criminal court system which was their expertise or fighting for the betterment of the poor and the many forms of the “underdog”. One of these discriminated groups are our farm workers who work so hard and get so little. So I am outraged by our California governor, the multi-millionaire Arnold Schwarzenegger, for vetoing a bill passed by both parties to pay farm workers overtime. I am posting this incredible opinion in the LA Times on August 3 because he presents the historical and present discrimination of our farm workers and points to the disgrace of this veto! Continue reading »
LOVING OUR DOGS TO DEATH
She was just a couple of days old; alone, totally unaware of her need for a family, physically craving her mother’s warm milk and body, unknowingly waiting & longing for someone to rescue her- that is, waiting for someone to adopt her. Was this another dog? Or kitten? Or was this homeless girl a child? Actually, this was me. Like millions of children and pets in this country alone, faced with a similar situation, I too needed to be adopted by a loving family. I think that is why I became involved with the sad situation for our beloved pets. Continue reading »
The Ugly Truth behind the Wild Horse & Burro Round-Ups
Several years ago, I bought over 1,500 acres in Northern California for the purpose of saving the poor wild horses and burros who were being driven off their land for the grazing of cows & sheep. The amazing Barbara Clarke runs this beautiful sanctuary and has written an excellent piece on this issue & our government’s prejudicial treatment of them. Please read and support the Roam Act, SB 1579, which would provide these magnificent animals more protection. Thank you. Continue reading »
Cetacean Freedom
SeaWorld is now owned by Blackstone Group. There are three of them in the United States- San Diego, California, Orlando, Florida & San Antonio, Texas.If you are like me and are against marine mammals being used in entertainment and bred for future marine parks, then it is important to boycott all of their businesses. That is why I have provided a list of the businesses owned by the Blackstone Group. Continue reading »
Pedro Nava for California Attorney General!
It is now less than a week before our California Primary election which takes place next Tuesday, June 8th. I again want to urge your support for PEDRO NAVA for Attorney General. Check him out at Pedronava.com and do what you can to get this man elected. He will be a strong advocate for people , animals and the environment, and NOT big corporations and special interests. I know many of us can’t even imagine such a person in office but, if we get him elected, he will be that elected official who stands up for us. Help me so he will help all of us! Continue reading »
