———- Forwarded message ———-
From: In Defense of Animals - takeaction [at] idausa.org
Date: Dec 12, 2007 4:24 PM
Subject: IDA eNews: 12-12-07

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News

Holiday Safety Tips for Animal Companions
Keep your whole family safe and happy during this special season
The holidays are a time for family, friends, and fun. But with all the tempting foods, exotic plants, and artificial decorations around, your animal companions may need a little extra protection to keep them safe and happy around this special time of year..

Cast Your Vote for IDA’s Ten Worst Zoos for Elephants in 2007 List
Help us publicize pachyderms’ paltry conditions in captivity
For the last few years, IDA has released its annual list of the Ten Worst Zoos for Elephants to draw attention to the appalling treatment of Earth’s largest mammal in captivity…

Three Face Animal Cruelty Charges for Puerto Rico Bridge Massacre
Perpetrators could spend nine years in prison
The owner of Animal Control Solutions and two of his employees have been charged with animal cruelty for throwing dogs and cats off a bridge in Puerto Rico…

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———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Last Chance for Animals - campaigns [at] lcanimal.org
Date: Dec 10, 2007 1:52 PM
Subject: Michael Vick Sentenced Today, Mon 12/10

Michael Vick: Sentenced to 23 Months
A Victory for Animals!

Michael Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison and three years probation this morning for his role in the “Bad Newz Kennels” dogfighting operation and his participation in the brutal killing of several dogs that did not “perform well”.

During his sentencing the suspended football star apologized to the court and his family. However, Judge Henry Hudson told him, “You need to apologize to the millions of young people who looked up to you”.

In August, Michael Vick entered a plea agreement stating that he took part in an illegal, interstate dogfighting enterprise. In documents filed, Vick said he knew dogs that did not perform well were killed. He said the fights involved gambling although he did not personally place bets. To read the full text of the plea submitted by Michael Vick click here.

Judge Hudson called Vick’s actions “cruel and inhumane” and said that Vick was a full partner in “Bad Newz Kennels” and was therefore equally culpable in all crimes committed. Two of Vick’s codefendants were sentenced last week; Purnell Peace and Quanis Phillips, received 18 and 21 months respectively. The final defendant in this case, Tony Taylor, will be sentenced this Friday.

Prior to the sentencing today Assistant U.S. Attorney General Michael Gill asked Judge Hudson to sentence Michael Vick to jail time at the high end of the guideline range of 18-24 months.
Write to the Honorable Judge Henry Hudson and Assistant U.S. Attorney General Michael Gill and thank them for taking a strong stance against dogfighting.

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Why, oh why, do I get the feeling that this post will see a disproportionate amount of traffic?*

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: In Defense of Animals - takeaction [at] idausa.org
Date: Dec 7, 2007 6:48 PM
Subject: Urgent: Tell FWS to Reject Zoo’s Elephant Semen Import!

Urgent Action Alert: Help elephants by writing to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Deadline is this Monday, December 10!

The Woodland Park Zoo has applied to the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for an extension of its permit to import semen from a male Asian elephant named Rex at African Lion Safari in Canada for the purpose of artificially inseminating its female elephant, Chai. The Zoo is proceeding with the artificial insemination (AI) attempts despite the known risk that any baby born will contract the deadly elephant herpes virus, which in June claimed the life of Chai’s six-year old daughter Hansa.

The elephant herpesvirus causes death by massive internal hemorrhage and has claimed the lives of 10 elephants since 2000.

In addition to the loss of her daughter, Chai has endured four failed artificial insemination attempts to date. The procedure is highly invasive; elephants are restrained for several hours at a time while veterinarians pass an endoscope through their entire reproductive tract into the uterus.

In their zeal to produce a baby elephant (which always increases zoo attendance), Woodland Park Zoo officials are willing to subject any offspring produced to the significant risks of contracting this deadly virus, and to force the mother, Chai, to endure the anguish of watching another baby die a terrible death.

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Update, 12/8/07:

See also: Best Friends: Vick dogs cleared to come to Best Friends.

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Keep reading after this alert for an important appeal from Kinship Circle…

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Kinship Circle - kinshipcircle [at] accessus.net
Date: Dec 6, 2007 5:19 PM
Subject: Vick’s Dogs/ YOU Helped Save Their Lives

KINSHIP CIRCLE ANIMAL DISASTER RELIEF - PERMISSION TO CROSS-POST

COMPANION ANIMAL CAMPAIGNS
12/6/07: UPDATE - Vick’s Dogs… YOU Helped Save Their Lives

—— Forwarded Message
From: Wayne Johnson - seiku [at] tmail.com
Date: Wed, 5 Dec 2007

—–Original Message—–
From: Shaermedia [at] aol.com

To all of you who wrote and called, thank you. 47 pits will have a good holiday, thanks to you.

EDITED FOR LENGTH
For immediate release: December 4, 2007

ALL BUT ONE OF THE REMAINING AMERICAN PIT BULL TERRIERS IN VICK CASE ARE RECOMMENDED FOR PLACEMENT

VALPARAISO, IND. - Of the 48 remaining American Pit Bull Terriers in the Michael Vick civil forfeiture case, 47 have been recommended for placement with rescue organizations, with many likely eligible for future adoption by the public. The recommendations were made by Valparaiso University School of Law Professor Rebecca J. Huss, court appointed Guardian/Special Master of the dogs. One dog has been euthanized for medical reasons.

…Professor Huss recommended the dogs be placed with eight organizations. Those receiving the most dogs are Best Friends Animal Society, with 22, and Bay Area Doglovers Responsible About Pit Bulls (BAD RAP), with ten. The US Attorney late this afternoon filed a motion in U.S. District Court containing the report and urging the Court to adopt its recommendations. The Court will now determine whether to accept or deny the motion.

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———- Forwarded message ———-
From: In Defense of Animals - takeaction [at] idausa.org
Date: Dec 5, 2007 8:06 PM
Subject: IDA eNews: 12-5-07

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News

Guardian of the Month for December - Elaine Hendrix
Actress, activist, and IDA celebrity spokesperson is a superstar for animals
IDA’s Guardian of the Month for December 2007 is the multi-talented Elaine Hendrix.

Victory: Final Four Murphy Horses Safe At Last
Long-suffering Boulder equines will go to new homes in Arizona and California
We are proud to report that the last four Peruvian Paso horses “owned” and bred by Mike Murphy of Boulder, Colo. are finally out of his “care” forever.

Tell Congress to Ban Aerial Gunning of Wolves
Canine-slaughtering season in Alaska to open soon
As part of their “predator control program,” the State of Alaska has already started issuing permits for the aerial gunning of wolves.

IDA Releases Report on Elephant Herpesvirus
Deadly virus is caused by mixing Asian and African elephants in captivity
A relatively recently discovered disease, the Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus (EEHV), is having a deadly impact on Asian elephants in zoos.

IDA Prompts Fish and Wildlife Service to Investigate Illegal Sale of Elephants
Take Action to urge FWS and the USDA to send Tina and Jewel to a sanctuary
Tina and Jewel are Asian elephants in their early forties who have endured lives of hardship and abuse traveling with the Cole Brothers Circus.

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———- Forwarded message ———-
From: In Defense of Animals - takeaction [at] idausa.org
Date: Dec 5, 2007 2:57 PM
Subject: Writing Alert: Elephant breeding under fire

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer published an article about a report IDA issued on the deadly elephant herpes virus. Please write a letter to the editor supporting IDA’s call for an end to breeding of Asian elephants at affected zoos, as well as for severe restrictions on the transfer of elephants between facilities. Send letters to The Seattle Post-Intelligencer at editpage [at] .seattlepi.com.

Read “Elephant breeding under fire” online.

Elephant breeding under fire

Risk to baby too high, activists tell zoo leaders

Last updated December 4, 2007
By KATHY MULADY
P-I REPORTER

Animal rights activists called Woodland Park Zoo’s elephant breeding program “reckless” and “irresponsible,” and demanded Tuesday that zoo leaders abandon plans to artificially inseminate an elephant next month.

The group wants to stop the insemination of Chai until a treatment or cure is found for herpes, the virus that killed the elephant’s 6-year-old offspring, Hansa, in June.

“It is just common sense. You have a contaminated facility. There is a very, very good chance you will have another death,” Catherine Doyle from In Defense of Animals told zoo board members.

“It is unconscionable for the zoo to risk subjecting another young elephant to this fatal disease and putting Chai through the anguish of watching another baby die a terrible death.”

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———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Kinship Circle - kinshipcircle [at] accessus.net
Date: Nov 30, 2007 7:48 PM
Subject: ACT/ The Saddest Dance - India’s Battered Bears

KINSHIP CIRCLE PRIMARY - PERMISSION TO CROSS-POST AS WRITTEN

11/30/07: The Saddest Dance - India’s Battered Sloth Bears
KINSHIP CIRCLE ACTION CAMPAIGN
www.KinshipCircle.org

PHOTO: www.iar.org.uk/india/dancing-bears.shtml

It has been illegal to own or ‘dance’ a bear in India since 1972. However, illegal trade continues with more than 100 cubs illegally captured from the wild each year and sold.

SOURCE OF INFORMATION:

World Society for the Protection of Animals
wspa [at] wspausa.org

VIDEO / India’s Dancing Bears
[click here]

India: Dancing Bears
www.iar.org.uk/india/dancing-bears.shtml

Directory Of Indian Government Websites
goidirectory.nic.in/

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———- Forwarded message ———-
From: In Defense of Animals - takeaction [at] idausa.org
Date: Nov 28, 2007 7:31 PM
Subject: IDA eNews: 11-28-07

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News

Help Stop Elephant Abuses in South Africa
Take Action to oppose cruel capture & training for safaris and circuses.
Your help is needed urgently to halt the continued capture and training of elephants in South Africa for elephant-back safaris and circuses.

Oppose Development of Canned Hunting Facility
Deer, migrating geese, and non-native species caught in the crosshairs
At a recent Seneca County Industrial Development Agency meeting in Upstate New York, a real estate development company proposed a plan to build a $1.3 million canned hunting facility on 2,300 acres of currently vacant land on the former Seneca Army Depot. The Seneca County Economic Development Corporation approved the plan on October 16th.

Colombian Lab Illegally Importing Owl Monkeys
Take Action to urge government officials to halt traffic in wild-caught primates
A research facility in Colombia called the Foundation for Experimental Immunology (FIDIC) is engaged in the illegal international trafficking of wild-caught owl monkeys from the jungles of Peru and Brazil.

Fur Free Friday Generates Heat on the Fur Trade
Holiday shoppers exposed to the true price of fur Thank you to everyone who joined us on Fur Free Friday at any of our many exciting demonstrations around the nation.

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———- Forwarded message ———-
From: API Newsletters - donotreply [at] apiforanimals.org
Date: Nov 22, 2007 7:12 AM
Subject: Celebrate This Thanksgiving by Speaking Out for Animals

Alerts at a Glance:

* Tell Pier 1 What’s Wrong with Using a Capuchin Monkey in Its Holiday Catalog
- This holiday season, your efforts can help educate Pier 1 Imports and reduce the demand for primates and other exotic animals in the entertainment industry.

* Celebrate Fur Free Friday on November 23
- Help animals keep their fur coats for themselves. Ask your favorite retailer to take a stand against fur by joining Consumers for a Fur Free Society and signing the international fur free pledge.

* Fly Free with New National Bird Day CafePress Designs
- Check out fabulous new “Think Outside the Cage” designs, and get tips for putting your National Bird Day event plans in motion.

* Urgent! Letters Needed to Protect California’s Sea Turtles
- Send comments by Friday, November 23 to ensure the future of California’s sea turtles and other marine species living off the California coast.

* Your Comments Help Out Virginia Wildlife
- Update: Find out how speaking out for animals kept two egregious proposals from harming wildlife in Virginia.

* Other Ways to Help Animals:
** “Adopt” a Primate: Give the gift of a bright tomorrow to residents at the API Primate Sanctuary.
** Vehicle Donation: Turn your old car, truck, RV, trailer, or boat into cash to help API continue to successfully advocate for animals.

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———- Forwarded message ———-
From: In Defense of Animals - takeaction [at] idausa.org
Date: Nov 15, 2007 12:29 AM
Subject: IDA eNews: 11-14-07

Having trouble viewing IDA eNews? View it online.

November 14th, 2007

IDA Action Alerts

Stop Volkswagen’s Deadly Bird Experiments
Car company funds studies to decapitate European robins, garden warblers, and zebra finches

Oil Spill Kills Birds in San Francisco Bay
Cargo ship hits bridge, dumps 58,000 gallons of fuel into water

Ask Senate to Stop Sale of Animal Companions to Laboratories
Take Action to urge your elected officials to approve Sen. Akaka’s Farm Bill amendment

Campaign News & Updates

Victory: Japan Dolphins Will Not Go to Dominican Republic
The Save Japan Dolphins Coalition spares the Taiji Twelve from life in a marine park

One Week Left Until Fur Free Friday
Make plans to help animals skinned for fashion on November 23rd

School Kicks Cruel Donkey Basketball Game to the Curb
Thanks to those who contacted high school and Society of St. Vincent de Paul

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