———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Kinship Circle - info [at] kinshipcircle.org
Date: Nov 24, 2006 12:47 PM
Subject: LETTER/ Don’t Let Animal Fighting Bill Die In Committee

Kinship Circle Primary - PERMISSION TO CROSS-POST AS WRITTEN
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The life of the 109th Congress expires at the end of the year, and Sensenbrenner will lose his chairmanship when the new Congress convenes in January. The bill to protect animals will also die. Advocates hope the legislation will be resurrected for the 110th Congress to consider.

11/24/06 — Don’t Let Animal Fighting Bill Die In Committee
KINSHIP CIRCLE ACTION CAMPAIGN
www.KinshipCircle.org

SOURCE OF INFORMATION:
House Judiciary Chairman Blocks Bill Against Animal Fighting
abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=2652909&page=1

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SAMPLE LETTER

Feel free to use portions of our letter, but please add some original thoughts. Hundreds of identical letters may lessen the impact.

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Representative John Boehner, House Majority Leader
1011 Longworth H.O.B.
Washington, DC 20515
ph: 202-225-6205; fax: 202-225-0704
web email (for OHIO CONSTITUENTS ONLY; limited space): johnboehner.house.gov/contact.asp
website: johnboehner.house.gov/

Office of the Majority Leader
H-107 The Capitol
Washington, DC 20515
ph: 202-225-4000; fax: 202-225-5117

Dear Rep. Boehner,

The voting public overwhelmingly backs H.R. 817, the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act. I urge you to bring H.R. 817 to the House floor for an up-or-down vote before the 109th Congress ends.

I was dismayed to learn that despite unanimous passage in the Senate and 324 co-sponsors in the House, Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner blocked H.R. 817, stating “Congress and the FBI have better things to do with their time…”

One of those “things” ought to be a crackdown on illegal gambling, auto theft, drug trafficking, arms smuggling, money laundering, and acts of human violence associated with animal fighting networks. In addition, the cockfighting industry is tied to Exotic Newcastle Disease (END) and deadly Avian Influenza (AI). To combat END and AI, officials have exhausted hundreds of millions of dollars on containment and compensation.

Under present law, fighters who transport animals across state lines are charged with a mere misdemeanor. H.R. 817 establishes felony penalties for: “(1) selling, buying, transporting, delivering or receiving dogs and other animals in interstate or foreign commerce for fights.” H.R. 817 upgrades to felony the sponsorship/exhibition of fight animals, as well as interstate
and foreign commerce in knives, gaffs, and other sharp implements used in cockfights. Offenders face up to two years in prison.

Although 50 states outlaw dogfighting and 47 classify it a felony, a lack of federal oversight makes it easy to evade the law. Fighters meet in empty homes, garages and warehouses or remote parks and barns to play their dogs in makeshift arenas. In between fights, dogs live at the end of thick logging chains in backyard compounds cluttered in feces, ant-infested kibble
and rusty water pails.

If dogs don’t succumb to internal trauma, blood loss, shock, dehydration, collapse or infection, they subsist with wounds and abscesses on their heads, throats, shoulders and legs. Ears are bloody stubs and some faces are so lacerated dogs can hardly breathe. Once a dog’s “game” is gone, he is abandoned to die by starvation or jeopardize public safety.

Like dogfighters, cockfighters dose their birds with stimulants and steroids acquired on the black market. They arm roosters with razor-sharp gaffs to extend their feet up to 3 inches. In the ring, birds shred each other’s lungs, livers, wings and legs. They gouge out eyes and detach spinal cords.

H.R. 817 has nationwide support from the National Sheriffs’ Association, National Chicken Council, American Veterinary Medical Association, Humane Society of the United States, and over 400 state and local law enforcement agencies. There is no reason this bill should die in committee. Please move it to the floor for an up-and-down vote now.

Thank you,

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Modeling Kinship Circle’s Vegan Goddess: SHAC 7 defendant Lauren Gazzola
SCROLL TO EMAIL END TO VISIT LAUREN’S SUPPORT SITE AND WRITE HER IN PRISON.

COOL CLOTHES - www.kinshipcircle.org/kinshiplace/

Kinship Circle is a nonprofit organization. Ongoing donations help us meet expenses for the literature, website, research and campaigns — that let YOU take action for animals. Please keep Kinship Circle in mind when you donate.

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Lauren Gazzola is an animal rights activist and political prisoner.

In March 2006, she and 6 codefendants were convicted on terrorism charges For (allegedly) running a website that encouraged and reported on protest activity against one of the world’s largest product testing labs, Huntingdon Life Sciences.

That’s right, terrorism - for running a website. Needless to say, the first amendment implications of the case are enormous and the defendants have high hopes for their appeal. In the meantime, they are sitting in federal prison, relying on those of us on the outside for support!

Visit www.SupportLauren.com to find out more about the case, Lauren, and what you can do to support her!

Visit www.SHAC7.com to learn more about Lauren’s codefendants!

Prison can be a boring, lonely place. Send Lauren letters and books (you may send paperbacks directly through the mail. Hardcovers must be sent from the distributor (amazon.com, AKpress.org, etc.) or directly from the store when you purchase a book) at:

Lauren Gazzola
#93497-011
FCI Danbury
Federal Correctional Institution
Route #37
Danbury, CT 06811

Also, Lauren will be writing a Blog from prison. Sign up to receive these monthly writings directly by clicking here:
lists.riseup.net/www/info/laurensblog

If you know others who would like to subscribe to the list please send their email address to info [at] SupportLauren.com

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Tagged: animals animal+rights action+alerts kinship+circle dogs canines dogfighting cockfighting Sensenbrenner Lauren+Gazzola activism animal+activist SHAC7