———- Forwarded message ———-
From: In Defense of Animals – takeaction [at] idausa.org
Date: Dec 28, 2006 4:28 PM
Subject: Writing Alert: Governor will support a ban on cockfighting

The Santa Fe New Mexican published an article about New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson’s declaration that he would support legislation to make cockfighting illegal in that state. Cockfighting is currently legal in only two U.S. states: Louisiana and New Mexico. Please send a letter to the editor in support of the ban on cockfighting. Send letters via an online feedback form.

Read “Governor will support a ban on cockfighting” online.

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———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Kinship Circle – info [at] kinshipcircle.org
Date: Dec 27, 2006 4:04 PM
Subject: LETTER/ Whales Slain For Sport In Faeroe Islands

Kinship Circle Primary – PERMISSION TO CROSS-POST AS WRITTEN
(Please do not delete identity/disclaimer information)

WARNING: Some may find 2 photos below disturbing.

12/27/06 – Whales Slain For Sport In Danish Faeroe Islands
KINSHIP CIRCLE ACTION CAMPAIGN

www.KinshipCircle.org

SOURCE OF INFORMATION:
Defending Whales / Danish Faeroe Islands

Welcome to the Faeroe Islands, a self-governing community within the United Kingdom of Denmark. Recreational past time: Bludgeoning whales

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UPDATE, 1/4/07: Yesterday, the HSUS issued a press release on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s plan to allow the trophy hunting of the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge mountain lions.

Here’s a brief excerpt:

The HSUS criticized the draft plan citing an August 31, 2006 federal court decision declaring that the federal government is violating the law by opening or expanding sport hunting at national wildlife refuges without proper environmental review.

“This plan runs counter to the basic tenets of sustainable management and sound wildlife conservation,” said Lauren Nolfo-Clements, Ph.D., wildlife scientist for The HSUS. “Opening a hunting season in an area where there is only an estimated population of five mountain lions is reckless and indefensible.”

According to the draft environmental assessment, hunting groups had expressed interest in opening the refuge to mountain lion hunting, leading the Kofa Refuge staff to draft the plan. The hunting plan also estimates an annual cost of $24,000 for the trophy hunting program.

You can read the whole statement here.

Many thanks to Ron for passing along the info!

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Via the Center for Biological Diversity:

Save the desert-dwelling Yuma Puma from trophy hunters now!

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposes to begin trophy hunting of mountain lions in the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge in western Arizona.

The Fish and Wildlife Service, cooperating with the Arizona Department of Game and Fish, proposes to permit the killing of one cougar per year on the Refuge or elsewhere in the region where cougar hunting is already permitted. Only five cougars are known to live on the Refuge—including a mother and two kittens. The agencies acknowledge that if the breeding female is killed her kittens might die also. Please tell the Service to back off from this reckless course and not allow this inaugural mountain lion hunt on the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge.

These five animals constitute a significant portion — perhaps a majority — of the widely scattered mountain lions living throughout western Arizona.

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Tagged: animals animal+rights action+alerts center+for+biological+diversity puma yuma+puma hunting trophy+hunting mountain+lions Kofa+National+Wildlife+Refuge arizona conservation cougars

Here’s the TOC from IDA’s 12-27-06 newsletter.

Click on the links to take action, or read the whole newsletter online.

IDA Action Alerts

Have a Vegan New Year; Kick off 2007 with a compassionate resolution

Help Bring Puppy Killers to Justice; Retrial for teen brothers set for January

IDA Applauds Santa Clara County for Ending Squirrel Poisoning; County water district agrees to explore humane “pest control” alternatives

Campaign News & Updates

IDA’s 2006 Victories and Highlights; Help us make 2007 another banner year for animals

National Geographic Profiles IDA-Africa’s Dr. Sherri Speede; Read article about chimpanzee sanctuary founder’s lifesaving work

One Week Left to Get Discounted Tickets for IDA’s Star Studded Benefit Concert; Buy tickets for yourself and as gifts for family and friends

An archive of past IDA eNews newsletters is available here.

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Tagged: animals animal+rights action+alerts ida in+defense+of+animals animal+abuse dog canine cruelty+to+animals vegan go+veg new+year new+years+resolutions Santa+Clara+County squirrels humane+pest+control

More info here.

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Center for Food Safety – office [at] centerforfoodsafety.org
Date: Dec 26, 2006 1:07 PM
Subject: FDA Expected to OK Food from Cloned Animals

DESPITE LACK OF SCIENCE AND STRONG PUBLIC CONCERN, FDA EXPECTED TO OK FOOD FROM CLONED ANIMALS

Inadequate Safety Review Threatens U.S. Food Supply and Animal Welfare

(December 26, 2006) The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is expected later this week to release a preliminary safety assessment that clears the way for marketing of meat and dairy products from cloned animals for human consumption. The assessment and the agency’s expected endorsement of cloned food comes despite widespread concern among scientists and food safety advocates over the safety of such products. The move to market cloned milk and meat also flies in the face of dairy and food industry concern and recent consumer opinion polls showing that most Americans do not want these experimental foods.

“Instead of doing its job, the Bush FDA has ignored the science and fast-tracked this decision for the benefit of a few cloning companies,” said Joseph Mendelson, Legal Director for the Center for Food Safety (CFS). “This is a lose-lose situation for consumers and the dairy industry.”

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UPDATE, 1/4/07: COK also has a (free!) booklet of vegan recipes, available to all on their website: order.cok.net/easy_vegan_recipes/. Way cool, huh? many thanks to Erica of COK for sharing the info!

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I come bearing yummy yummy yummy vegan chewy chocolate chip cookies, via Compassion Over Killing ! Well, a recipe for them, anyway. The rest is up to you.

I made a batch on x-mas Eve and, I’ve gotta say, they’re the best homemade cookies I’ve had in recent memory. Usually, when making desserts, I try to convert a non-veg recipe, and it never works out quite right. The milk-to-soy milk is easy, but the eggs always give me a problem. Methinks that’s why my cookies are never chewy enough. COK did all the work for me this time, and – voilà – chewy chocolate chip cookies, as promised.

Recipe and pics after the jump.

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Reader’s Digest currently has a poll online asking readers to vote for their Hero of the Year, 2007; all the candidates have previously been profiled in the magazine. Among the choices is Nathan J. Winograd of The No Kill Advocacy Center.

The No-Kill Advocacy Center helps communities establish no-kill shelters, programs, and services for dogs, cats, and other unwanted animals:

At the No Kill Advocacy Center, we believe that it is up to us to put aside the fatalistic attitudes that change is impossible; that the best we can offer homeless animals is the two prong strategy of failure: adopt some and kill the rest; that a No Kill Nation is unattainable.

It is up to each and every one of us to work together to implement sheltering models that have saved thousands of animals. A No Kill Nation is within our reach; and if we work together – with certainty of purpose, assured of our own success, with the philosophy of “what must be done, shall be done” – the attainment of our goal will not be far off.

Put us to work saving the animals in your community.

To cast your vote, click here and be sure to choose “The Animal Lover” (that’s Nathan!). You can read Nathan’s story, “No Pet Left Behind,” here.

Results tba in April.

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Tagged: animals animal+rights action+alerts No-Kill+Advocacy+Center reader’s+digest hero+of+the+year 2007 Nathan+J.+Winograd Nathan+Winograd no-kill dogs canines cats felines animal+shelters animal+adoption vote poll

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Kinship Circle – kinshipcircle [at] brick.net
Date: Dec 25, 2006 3:52 PM
Subject: KC DIGEST: Dog Cull On Hold, Puppy Baking Re-Trial, Cruelty Abroad + MORE

Kinship Circle Primary – PERMISSION TO CROSS-POST AS WRITTEN

12/25/06: KINSHIP CIRCLE DIGEST / Alerts From Members
China Dog Cull On Hold, Puppy Baking Re-Trial, Cruelty Abroad + MORE

IN DECEMBER DIGEST:

1. CONFIRMED: China Dog Massacre On Hold, More Action Needed
2. India: Moon Bear Burned Alive
3. Hungary: Extreme Cruelty To Dogs
4. Coyote Killer Poisons Neighborhood Dogs Too
5. Atlanta Puppy-Baking Trial Ends In Hung Jury
6. SHAC 7: Christmas In A Correctional Institution
7. Bulgaria: Sponsor Future For Animals Foundation
8. Mercy’s Killer Will Stand Trial On April 23, 2007
9. Onboard With Captain Watson & Sea Shepherd Crew
10. Turkish Activists Fight In Court For Animal Rights
11. PETITIONS

Each DIGEST includes:
* NEWS and CALL-TO-ACTION, submitted by KC members.
* CONTACT INFORMATION to reply directly to the activist who supplied the alert.
* Related KINSHIP CIRCLE LINKS (if applicable) for more background info.

PLEASE NOTE: Submissions are from KC members and do NOT originate from Kinship Circle itself. In many cases, no sample letter is included. But we urge you to write or call on your own…

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On Christmas Morning…

I wish,

For every dog
searching trash cans for breakfast,
a filled bowl with his name printed in bright letters.

For every dog
who slept fitfully last night, chained in a frozen yard, a soft, warm
bed with a person snoring gently nearby.

For every shelter dog,
spending Christmas morning in a soiled run, a forever home, filled with
sounds and smells of family.

For every “Christmas” puppy given today,
a tolerant, caring owner
who won’t abandon you
as you grow into a real dog.

For every ailing pet,
enough money for your owner
to pay the bills to make you well.

For every lost dog,
a clear, safe road, and well marked path,
to lead you home.

For every old and tired friend,
a warm fire, and a soft bed,
to ease your aches and pains.

and

For every Heart Dog at the Bridge,
a moment when you know that you
are remembered today,
missed again,
and loved forever.

- Author unknown

(Via.)

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Tagged: animals animal+rights poem rescue animal+rescue shelters animal+shelters adoption animal+adoption dogs canines cats felines christmas x-mas volunteer donate foster rainbow+bridge love companion+animals

(Via.)

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Tagged: animals animal+rights poem rescue animal+rescue shelters animal+shelters adoption animal+adoption dogs canines cats felines christmas x-mas volunteer donate foster companion+animals