———- Forwarded message ———-
From: PETA – newsmanager [at] peta.org
Date: Oct 19, 2007 8:05 AM
Subject: Kudos to J. Herzog and Sons!

G.W. Exotic Animal Memorial Park’s (GW) “Mystical Magic of the Endangered”—an exotic-animal display and magic show—appears at malls across the country. A PETA undercover investigation at GW documented many examples of horrendous abuse and neglect, including dead, dying, and injured animals; extremely crowded conditions; and a serious lack of basic necessities such as food, water, and veterinary care.

In addition to being cruel, exotic-animal shows also put people in serious danger. In January 2007, a mall patron was bitten by a young African lion exhibited by GW at Sunset Mall in San Angelo, Texas.

After recently receiving information from PETA, J. Herzog and Sons property management company made the compassionate decision to prohibit GW from appearing at any malls managed by J. Herzog!

What You Can Do

Please thank J. Herzog and Sons for its animal-friendly decision and let them know that as a consumer, you greatly appreciate the company’s progressive stance:

Gayle Segura, National Marketing Manager
J. Herzog and Sons
1720 S. Bellaire St., Ste. 1209
Denver, CO 80222
303-757-8811
303-757-1911 (fax)
gsegura [at] jherzog.com

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Posted more as an FYI, and not as an endorsement of PETA’s specific program…which Vick obviously only attended to help his legal case. Along with “finding” Jesus and all that jazz.

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Ingrid Newkirk – newsmanager [at] peta.org
Date: Oct 2, 2007 5:13 PM
Subject: Michael Vick Takes Empathy Course at PETA HQ

Following news of his guilty plea, I contacted Michael Vick suggesting that he hear—for the first time in his life, he confirmed—about animal protection issues, learn how animals feel joy and pain and deserve respect, and receive specific instruction on what to say to young people whom he has influenced in the worst possible ways.

In mid-September, Michael Vick visited PETA’s headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, to meet with me privately. I told him that PETA advocates an end to all exploitation and needless violence based on prejudice, including the prejudice against other species, and that we believe that he should equip himself with information and materials in order to be able to live up to his responsibility to counsel children not to engage in cruelty to animals. He expressed his willingness to learn and his belief that everything in life happens for a reason, and he offered an apology to PETA and to “everyone” for “what I have done to dogs.” I also explained that even if he took our basic empathy course, our position that he should serve jail time and have a lifetime ban on contact with animals would nevertheless remain unchanged, and he accepted that.

Two weeks ago, Michael Vick returned to PETA to take the “Developing Empathy for Animals” course, an all-day seminar on “who animals are,” alternatives to cruelty, animal protection philosophy, and humane education, which PETA has now excerpted online. We believe that this course should be adopted by the NFL for all players to take in order to give them a chance to learn empathy, compassion, and nonviolence. Two days after the seminar, Vick came back to PETA’s office to take the course exam.

PETA’s course teaches the Golden Rule – —treat others as you wish to be treated. Only time will tell whether Michael Vick has benefited from what he has learned, but he has pledged to use this knowledge to urge kids not to follow in his footsteps and to be kind to animals. Meanwhile, we are urging the NFL to take the important step of requiring that every player do what Michael Vick has done and take the course in order to help prevent future acts of violence against animals and to equip players with information about respecting animals that they can share with their young fans.

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Action Alerts

DawnWatch: Animal Testing — Three famous deaths and a ray of hope 9/12/07
Alex the parrot, Felix the monkey, and Anita Roddick the Body Shop founder who pioneered the mass marketing of animal friendly cosmetics, have died.

Defenders of Wildlife: Protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge — Forever
Write your elected officials today and urge them to support the Udall-Eisenhower Arctic Wilderness Act (H.R. 39), a bill that would permanently protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): Protect Yellowstone and the Greater Rockies
Help block drilling in Colorado wildlife refuge

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA): Dozens of Allegedly Neglected Dogs in Meigs County, Tennessee, Need Your Voice!
PETA has received allegations of serious neglect of numerous dogs at 1627A Sam Davis Rd. in Decatur, Tennessee.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA): Tell University of Illinois to Stop Cruel Dog Lab!
Please urge the university to shut down the dog lab and mandate the adoption of FIDO immediately.

(more…)

Action Alerts

Defenders of Wildlife: Don’t Let Great Cats & Rare Canines Vanish Forever
Tell Congress to do its part — and join in the effort to protect these creatures world-wide.

Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF): Stop the Spying!
Tell the government to stop surveillance of Americans’ communications without a warrant.

People for the American Way (PFAW): Tell Congress: End Warrantless Spying on Americans!
Tell your members of Congress how you feel about the Bush administration’s warrantless spying on Americans.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA): ‘Bambi Butchers’ Horror
On August 26, 2007, a PETA investigator filmed the slaughter of deer at Musicon, Inc., a deer farm and venison sales company in Goshen, New York.

Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS): Urge Congress to Hold Strong on a Clean Energy Bill!
Please tell your senators and representative that America’s new Energy Bill must include a 35 mile per gallon fuel economy standard AND a 15 percent renewable electricity standard.

(more…)

Action Alerts

American Freedom Campaign: Tell your Senators to confirm an attorney general who will defend the Constitution.
Tell Senate: No more Albertos!

American Rivers: RiverAlert: Tell the Army Corps to Close Hurricane Highway
Urge the Corps to properly close the MRGO. Comments are due Tuesday, September 4, so please act today!

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA): California: Urge Governor to Sign Pet Protective Order Bill
California Pet Protection Bill Now Before Governator! CA SB 353, a bill that will allow courts to include animals in restraining orders against batterers, has passed both houses of the Legislature.

Audubon: Last Wild Whooping Cranes Threatened
Tell the Army Corps of Engineers to put this development project on hold until proper environmental review can be conducted.

Audubon: Close the ‘Hurricane Highway’ in New Orleans
Let the Army Corps of Engineers know why restoring coastal wetlands is both good environmental policy and good for New Orleans.

(more…)

Action Alerts

Center for Biological Diversity: Kempthorne Awarded Rubber Dodo
On Friday, August 24, we awarded the first annual Rubber Dodo Award to Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne in recognition of his one year and 90 days in office without listing a single new species as threatened or endangered. That’s a record.

DawnWatch: NY Times on meat and global warming link 8/29/07
“Trying to Connect the Dinner Plate to Climate Change”

DawnWatch: Bob Barker offers to pay for Maggie’s move to sanctuary — Anchorage Daily News, 8/28/07
“Bob Barker says price is right to move Maggie off to California.”

Defenders of Wildlife: Keep Bald Eagles Soaring!
Tell the U.S Fish & Wildlife Service to keep strong protections in place for bald eagles.

Greenpeace: Say Yes To Cape Wind
We need YOUR help to get Congress on track and make offshore wind a reality.

(more…)

Action Alerts

Animal Protection Institute (API): Urge USDA to Get Luna and Tonka off the Road
Please contact the USDA today and urge it to step in and require that Ringling Bros. retire Luna and Tonka from travel — for the elephants’ own health and well-being, and for the safety of the public.

Ecological Internet / Climate Ark: Protest Australia’s Ancient Forest Logging and Climate Change Eco-Hypocrisy
Dramatic efforts required to stop the expansion of Tasmanian old-growth forest logging by construction of a massive new paper pulp mill by Gunns Ltd

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA): Tell the NFL to Recognize Animal Abuse as an Offense Warranting Suspension–and More
PETA is calling on the NFL to add cruelty to animals—in all its forms—to its personal conduct policy.

Newsletters

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA): News Alert: August 24, 2007
ASPCA Applauds Investigation of Vick Case/Pet Food Recall Update

Best Friends Animal Society: eNews, August 24, 2007
Hundreds of orphan pets rescued by Best Friends Network

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———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Ingrid Newkirk – newsmanager [at] peta.org
Date: Aug 22, 2007 9:26 PM
Subject: What to Do if You See Animal Abuse

Photo via royblumenthal

What to Do if You See Animal Abuse

The horrifying allegations of animal abuse at Michael Vick’s property in Virginia have shocked everyone, but just as heartbreaking are the many similar stories that don’t make the news. PETA receives thousands of calls and e-mails every year from people who have witnessed animal abuse or neglect. They are desperate to help but don’t know what to do. Here are some steps you can take if you observe cruelty to animals:

1. Find out which agency is responsible for investigating and enforcing anti-cruelty laws in your state, county, or town. This may be a local humane society or a taxpayer-funded animal shelter. In areas without such organizations, citizens should call the police or sheriff’s department.

If an animal is in a life-threatening situation, call authorities immediately. Follow up with them in a timely manner to determine their findings and their planned course of action. If they do not respond right away, call PETA at 757-622-7382.

2. After you contact authorities, prepare a short written statement detailing the key points of what you observed. Give dates, approximate times, and locations. Timely fact-gathering is crucial—the more time that passes, the greater the risk that evidence will disappear, injuries will heal, or you’ll forget specific details. Written statements from other witnesses will help back up your observations, and if possible, take pictures and date them—photos or videos will strengthen your case.

Always keep a dated record of everyone you’ve contacted, along with the content and outcome of your discussions. Never forward a letter, photograph, or other documentation to anyone without first making a copy for your own files. Make it clear to authorities that you wish to pursue the case and that you are willing to lend your assistance if necessary. Be sure to follow up! If you stay involved, authorities are more likely to do the same.

3. If the first contact doesn’t produce results, go straight to a supervisor. If that doesn’t work, appeal to local government officials, such as the mayor, the district attorney, or city council members. A call to the media in your area (television and print) can move mountains. Above all, don’t give up—you may be an animal’s only hope!

Helping abused or neglected animals can be difficult and heart-wrenching, but they are depending on you to take action. Please contact PETA if officials fail to respond quickly to your complaint or if you need guidance or support. Together, we can save even more lives.

Thank you for everything you do for animals.

Very truly yours,
Ingrid E. Newkirk
President

This e-mail was sent by:
PETA
501 Front St., Norfolk, VA 23510
United States

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Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare action alerts peta people for the ethical treatment of animals animal abuse animal cruelty cruelty to animals animal neglect factsheet dog canine cat feline pet companion animal flickr domestic violence interpersonal violence

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(more…)