———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Cathy Liss, Director Government and Legal Affairs – ealert [at] awionline.org
Date: Dec 14, 2007 10:40 AM
Subject: AWI eALERT: U.S. Congress Gives Pet Safety and Protection Act a Green Light

If you have trouble reading this e-mail, go to www.awionline.org/legislation/eAlerts/121007.htm

U.S. Congress Gives Pet Safety and Protection Act a Green Light
Contact Your Legislators NOW!

December 14, 2007

Dear Humanitarian:

Our companion animals may soon be safe from thieves who make easy money by obtaining them illegally, then selling them for experimentation. The U.S. Congress is poised to adopt the Pet Safety and Protection Act (PSPA), also known as “Buck’s Bill.” The legislation is named after Buck, pictured at left, a dog who was rescued from notorious animal dealer C.C. Baird – the subject of the HBO special “Dealing Dogs.” Sadly, because of a lack of much needed veterinary care, Buck died. Though he was rescued, he could not survive the ravages previously inflicted by heartworms.

Buck’s Bill would prevent Class B dealers and unlicensed individuals from selling “random source” dogs and cats to laboratories. As we enter what we hope is the home stretch, we need your help to ensure success.

The House of Representatives passed the PSPA in July as part of the FARM Bill, and it has already been accepted as an amendment to the Senate FARM Bill. We anticipate passage of the Senate version of the FARM Bill today or next week. Next, House and Senate Agriculture Committee Members will go to conference to iron out any differences in the language of their respective bills. This final stage of the process is expected to take place in mid-January 2008.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Anti-animal welfare members on the conference committee may seek to eliminate or weaken the PSPA. It is essential that all conferees be encouraged to support the House version in the FARM bill, as the Senate version includes a 5-year phase-in period, as well as potentially problematic ambiguous language.

Please contact as many conferees as you can, making those who represent your district or state a priority. (A list of conferees and their phone and fax numbers and mailing addresses can be found by clicking here: House – Senate.)

Please contact the conferees as soon as possible.

1. You can send letters by the U.S. Postal Service, but please send them immediately to ensure they are cleared through security and delivered to the Congressional offices as soon as possible.

2. You also can fax your letters to the offices. Please be sure they are sent by mid-January.

3. Another option is to call conferees once they return on Monday, January 14th.

When contacting legislators, please mention:

* Adoption of the PSPA will prevent illegally acquired dogs and cats from being sold by random source, Class B dealers for research.
* You appreciate that both chambers of Congress have attached the PSPA to their versions of the FARM Bill.
* You respectfully request that he or she support the House version of the PSPA and hope that this will be reported out of conference.

You may also wish to request that a written response be sent to you, as both a way to formally acknowledge your call and to confirm the stated position on this issue.

Please share our “Dear Humanitarian” letter with family, friends and co-workers, and encourage them to contact their Members of Congress, too. As always, thank you very much for your help. Happy Holidays and best wishes for the New Year (including adoption of this measure!).

Sincerely,
Cathy Liss
Director, Government and Legal Affairs

www.awionline.org

www.compassionindex.org

P.S. If you would like to receive our “Dear Humanitarian” letters via email, please visit www.awionline.org/joinus to sign up. You can also send an email to eAlert [at] awionline.org to be added to our list. Please be sure to include your mailing address if you would no longer like to receive a hard copy. Email alerts are sent more frequently and allow you to help us on a timelier basis.

For over 56 years, AWI has been the leading voice for animals across the country and on Capitol Hill. Please join us in our ongoing campaigns to reduce the sum total of pain and fear inflicted on animals by humans. Sign up for AWI eAlerts to receive the latest news on what you can do to help us protect all animals: www.awionline.org/joinus.

Forward important AWI eAlert!

Animal Welfare Institute | PO Box 3650 | Washington | DC | 20027

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Last Chance for Animals – campaigns [at] lcanimal.org
Date: Dec 14, 2007 8:21 PM
Subject: Great News! Senate Passes Farm Bill with Pet Safety & Protection Act Attached! 12/14

Great News! The Senate Passed the Farm Bill with the Pet Safety & Protection Act Attached!
Contact Your Legislators Now!

Did you get inspired to help animals by watching “Dealing Dogs?”

Here is how you can make a difference…

Please contact as many conferees as you can, making those who represent your district or state a priority.

See below for all the details.

Thank you on behalf of the animals!

Great News! The Senate passed its version of the Farm Bill with the Pet Safety & Protection Act (PSPA) attached as an ammendment! (The House also passed the PSPA in July as part of the Farm Bill.)

The next step – the House and Senate Agriculture Committee Members will go to conference to iron out any differences in the language of their respective bills. This final stage of the process is expected to take place in mid-January 2008. See below how you can help pass the PSPA.

“The Senate passing the Farm Bill with the PSPA attached is terrific news for companion animals and LCA. We have been investigating and busting Class B dealers for over 20 years. This legislation is greatly needed. Last year, HBO released ‘Dealing Dogs,’ LCA’s undercover investigation into pet theft and subsequent bust of the nation’s most notorious Class B dealer, C.C. Baird. ‘Dealing Dogs’ was seen by millions and LCA is thankful that Congress is paying attention to the pet theft issue. We look forward to the passage of the Farm Bill,” said LCA Founder & President Chris DeRose. “The countless animals that have been stolen and/or abused at the hands of B dealers deserve this Bill. Please help and contact your Legislators now!”

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Anti-animal welfare/rights members on the conference committee may seek to eliminate or weaken the PSPA. It is essential that all conferees be encouraged to support the House version in the FARM bill, as the Senate version includes a 5-year phase-in period, as well as potentially problematic ambiguous language.

Please contact as many conferees as you can, making those who represent your district or state a priority. (A list of conferees and their phone and fax numbers and mailing addresses can be found by clicking here: House – Senate.)

Please contact the conferees as soon as possible.

1. You can send letters by the U.S. Postal Service, but please send them immediately to ensure they are cleared through security and delivered to the Congressional offices as soon as possible.

2. You also can fax your letters to the offices. Please be sure they are sent by mid-January.

3. Another option is to call conferees once they return on Monday, January 14th.

When contacting legislators, please mention:

* Adoption of the PSPA will prevent illegally acquired dogs and cats from being sold by random source, Class B dealers for research.
* You appreciate that both chambers of Congress have attached the PSPA to their versions of the FARM Bill.
* You respectfully request that he or she support the House version of the PSPA and hope that this will be reported out of conference.

You may also wish to request that a written response be sent to you, as both a way to formally acknowledge your call, letter of fax and to confirm the stated position on this issue.

Donate to LCA

For the Animals,

Campaigns Department
Last Chance for Animals
Forward email

Last Chance for Animals | 8033 Sunset Blvd. #835 | Los Angeles | CA | 90046

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Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare action alerts Last Chance for Animals lca awi animal welfare institute farm bill 2007 farm bill pet theft dog canine cat feline pet companion animal animal research animal testing animal experimentation vivisection pspa Pet Safety & Protection Act bunchers class b dealers random source dealers hbo dealing dogs

Our Holiday Wish List to Congress

* Enact Legislation Ending Horse Slaughter
* Protect Companion Animals from Theft for Lab Use

As your Representative and Senators wrap up the first session of the 110th Congress, several animal protection issues remain unresolved. But there is still time for our elected representatives to act NOW and your calls are needed to remind them that the American public expects action on these very important issues before they return home for the holidays.

American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (H.R. 503/S. 311)

What more can be said about this issue? The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (AHSPA) has become one of the most talked about animal protection bills in a very long time. In the Senate there are currently 37 bipartisan cosponsors of S. 311 while in the House there are 188 cosponsors of H.R. 503.

Recently, the Animal Welfare Institute co-hosted a “Horses on the Hill Day” with the sponsor of S. 311, Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA). Celebrities, veterinarians and young women from local riding schools, including Senator Landrieu’s daughter, descended on Capitol Hill to let legislators know the importance of this legislation.

Now we need you to make your voices heard. Call your Representative and Senators today and ask them to cosponsor the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act and ask leadership for a vote before they leave for the Holiday recess.

For more information on horse slaughter, including a statement from Senator Landrieu regarding recent misinformation on her bill, please visit www.awionline.org/legislation/horse_slaughter/index.htm.

To find your Representative and Senators visit www.compassionindex.org or call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to be connected to your legislators. Be sure to call your Representative and both Senators and request a written response from each Member of Congress articulating his or her position on the legislation.

We can enter 2008 knowing our horses are safe from slaughter if Congress acts immediately and passes the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. Each day Congress fails to act hundreds of American horses are being sent to a grueling death in Mexican and Canadian slaughterhouses.

Pet Safety and Protection Act

This important bill to protect companion animals from being fraudulently sold into research was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives this past summer as an amendment to the House version of the FARM Bill. However, before it can become heide2law, we must pass it as part of the FARM Bill in the U.S. Senate.

Known as the Akaka/Stevens amendment to the Senate FARM Bill, this legislation prohibits the sale of random source dogs and cats by Class B dealers for experimentation. The measure will protect pets from theft and abuse, while also supporting biomedical research by helping to ensure that researchers know the genetic status and health history of the animals they use in experimentation.

While the FARM Bill has currently been stymied in the Senate, it is not too late for this legislation and the Akaka/Stevens amendment to be debated and voted upon.

Please call your Senators and ask that they move the FARM Bill and support the Akaka/Stevens amendment.

To find your Senators, visit www.compassionindex.org or call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to be connected to your legislators. For more information on this issue please visit www.awionline.org/legislation/pet_safety/index.htm.
Make ending horse slaughter and protecting our family companion animals from theft and suffering part of your Holiday Wish List. Ask Congress to do the same. Help make a difference by ending the suffering of thousands of animals.

Please be sure to share this eAlert with your friends, family and coworkers so they can help speak out for the animals. Thank you for all you do to help. Best wishes for a Happy Holiday for human and non-human alike!

Sincerely,

Cathy Liss
Director, Government and Legal Affairs
Animal Welfare Institute

www.awionline.org

www.compassionindex.org

For over 56 years AWI and its legislative arm, the Society for Animal Protective Legislation, have been the leading voice for animals across the country and on Capitol Hill. Please join us in our ongoing campaigns to reduce the sum total of pain and fear inflicted on animals by humans. Sign up for AWI eAlerts to receive the latest news on what you can do to help us protect all animals: www.awionline.org/joinus.

Animal Welfare Institute | PO Box 3650 | Washington | DC | 20027

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Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare action alerts awi animal welfare institute horses horse slaughter horse meat pet companion animal dog canine cat feline pet theft bunchers class b dealers animal experimentation animal testing animal research vivisection American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act ahspa Senator Mary Landrieu Pet Safety and Protection Act farm bill 2007 farm bill Akaka/Stevens amendment

Animal Welfare Institute

Illegal Whale Hunt Requires Independent Investigation

October 12, 2007

Last month, five members of the Makah tribe illegally attacked a gray whale in the Strait of Juan de Fuca in Washington State. Piercing the whale with five to 10 harpoons and firing up to 21 bullets, the Makah whalers violated multiple federal laws. Some 10 excruciating hours later, the whale died and sank into the depths of the ocean. Nicknamed “Kelpie” by local residents, the whale had a habit of playing in kelp forests and frequently surfaced covered with kelp. Kelpie provided countless hours of enjoyment to those who reside and enjoy recreational activities in the area.

The Makah Tribal Council and its whaling commission have said that they knew nothing about the illegal whale hunt. Yet, the tribe’s chairman has said that the perpetrators of this crime had been talking about the hunt days before it occurred, and the head of the tribe’s whaling commission approved access to the high-caliber weapon used to shoot the whale. In addition, two of the men who participated in the hunt were whaling commission members. Makah leaders have stated several times that those involved in the illegal hunt will be prosecuted in tribal court, but not a single charge has been filed, to date.

Though the Makah tribe has repeatedly referred to its cultural connection to whales to justify its desire to whale, the tribe does not have a legitimate subsistence need to whale and, therefore, can’t satisfy either U.S. or international legal standards to engage in aboriginal subsistence whaling. Whaling for only cultural reasons is not permitted.

Those responsible for the illegal hunt violated the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Whaling Convention Act, and a host of other federal laws, including the maritime laws administered by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) and laws protecting public health and safety. The federal government, under the direction of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), is investigating and the U.S. Attorney recently announced that a federal grand jury had indicted the five whalers on three federal misdemeanor charges. Considering the ongoing efforts by NMFS to facilitate the Makah’s desire to whale and the appointment by NMFS of a Makah tribal member – John Haupt – as its lead investigator, the results of any NMFS investigation is highly questionable.

Please help us press the U.S. Attorney General and the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington to call for an independent investigation of this illegal whaling incident and to push for the prosecution of the whalers to the fullest extent for violating federal laws. Please send an e-mail (see sample e-mail below) or call them to insist that an independent investigation by the FBI or other non-partisan agency is essential because NMFS has an obvious conflict of interest and can’t both support Makah whaling and investigate an incident of illegal whaling by Makah tribal members. Please make calls and send e-mails as soon as possible, as an independent investigation must be initiated soonest before memories fade and potential evidence disappears.

Thank you for your immediate attention to this serious matter, and for asking your friends, relatives and colleagues to act as well.

Sincerely,
Cathy Liss
President

Sign up for AWI eAlerts to receive the latest news on what you can do to help us protect all animals at www.awionline.org

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Sample E-mail:

[Insert Date]

Acting U.S. Attorney General Peter D. Keisler
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001
Tel: (202) 514-2000
E-mail: AskDOJ [at] usdoj.gov

and

Mr. Jeffrey Sullivan, U.S. Attorney
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Western District of Washington
700 Stewart Street, Suite 5220
Seattle, WA 98101-1271
Tel: (206) 553-7970
E-mail: emily.langlie [at] usdoj.gov

Dear Mr. Keisler, Mr. Sullivan [If possible e-mail separate letters to each person]:

Only weeks ago, five members of the Makah tribe pursued and brutally killed a gray whale in the Strait of Juan de Fuca in northwest Washington State. This hunt was blatantly illegal and violated several federal laws including the Marine Mammal Protection Act and Whaling Convention Act. In addition, by carelessly firing a large caliber weapon in the vicinity of recreational boaters and near a populated shoreline, these individuals compromised public health and safety.

I understand that the Makah Tribal Council has explained that it was unaware of and did not approve this hunt. In addition, Council members have repeatedly claimed that these individuals will be prosecuted under tribal laws in tribal court. I trust that the Makah tribe will punish these individuals through their system of tribal justice though I am concerned that, to date, no tribal charges have been filed.

I also understand that the National Marine Fisheries Service is the lead agency responsible for investigating this incident. The role of NMFS in this investigation is of considerable concern to me given its close relationship to the Makah tribe and its efforts, spanning more than a decade, to facilitate the tribe’s whaling plans. Moreover, shockingly I have learned that the lead NMFS investigator on this case, a Mr. John Haupt, is a member of the Makah tribe. Notwithstanding Mr. Haupt’s abilities as an investigator, this appears to represent a serious conflict of interest. Another federal agency, preferably the Federal Bureau of Investigation, must be called in to conduct an independent investigation of the case.

Therefore, I strongly encourage the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney of Washington State to demand that an additional investigation be undertaken by another agency – preferably the FBI – as soon as possible.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]

Animal Welfare Institute | PO Box 3650 | Washington | DC | 20027

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Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare action alerts awi animal welfare institute whales whaling whale hunt Makah the Makah tribe gray whale Strait of Juan de Fuca Washington hunt hunting Marine Mammal Protection Act the Whaling Convention Act

American Freedom Campaign: Encourage the presidential candidates to sign the American Freedom Pledge
I pledge to fight to protect and defend the Constitution from assault by any President.

Animal Welfare Institute (AWI): Pro-Animal Bills Pending in U.S. Congress: Please Visit Your Legislators
Pet Safety Protection Act, American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act & Dog Fighting Prohibition Act

Consumer’s Union: Don’t lick Elmo!
Urge your members of Congress to ensure that the products and food that end up on our shelves are safe.

Earthjustice: Stop the Owl Extinction Plan: Political Interference Puts Birds, Forests, and Science At Risk
Please take action to tell the Fish and Wildlife Service by August 24 not to bow to the timber industry while our nation’s forests, rivers, and wildlife pay the price.

Ecological Internet / Climate Ark: Jet-Setting Leonardo DiCaprio the Convenient Environmentalist
Growth in aviation threatens the Planet, celebrities flying in private jets are no friend to the environment, and shared climate sacrifice means the super-rich must swear off jet-setting ways.

Kinship Circle: Animal Tests Lie. Urge ICCVAM To Do Its Job., 8/16/07
“I respectfully ask my elected representatives, ICCVAM, and its member agencies to intensify efforts to fund and validate non-animal research tools.”

Kinship Circle: LETTER/ Foie Gras For Sale On Amazon.com, 8/13/07
“If Amazon wants my business, it needs to cancel the sale of foie gras. Please make the responsible decision to remove all foie gras products from your website.”

United Poultry Concerns (UPC): 8/16/07: Contact the Rabbinical Council of America About Kapparot Using Chickens
Please write a respectful letter to the Rabbinical Council of America and ask them to advocate that kapparot be performed with money rather than chickens.

Newsletters

The Animals Voice eNewsletter, August 16, 2007
AnimalsVoice.com is the premiere online resource for animal rights and its defenders.

Compassion Over Killing (COK): Compassionate Action, August 16, 2007
COK’s eNews: Party at Java Green, vote for COK, and more!

Earthjustice: eBrief, August 2007
Drillers stopped dead in the water & more

United Animal Nations (UAN): eJournal: VOL. 3, NO. 7 – August 2007
Enter our scholarship contest, hurricane tips & more!

Petitions

No More Monkeys Imported for Cruel, False “Research”!

Express Your Outrage: Poisoning of Marin County Dogs

SHELTER FOR ZOO-ANIMALS WHO CANNOT BE REHOMED

Pitt bull rights

Tell California’s Elected Officials: Don’t Give Away California’s Water!

Your Daily Click-Through Reminders

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