KINSHIP CIRCLE ANIMAL DISASTER AID NETWORK
Networking resources for animal disaster victims + companion animal campaigns
www.kinshipcircle.org/disasters

5/10/08: Afraid On The Streets, Since Katrina

IN MAY GULF COAST NEWSLETTER:

1 - Where Are Turtle & Blue, Katrina’s Lost? (But Seen!)
2 - Highlights & Updates
3 - Stranded Cats Of Lakeview Still Need Homes
4 - Donations Aid Anti-Dogfighting Effort In Louisiana
5 - Help Neglected Dogs in Rural Mississippi
6 - Join MuttShack At Disaster Response Summit
7 - NOLA: Katrina Animal Memorial 2008 (Be There!)
8 - $1 Million In Grants For Post-Katrina Animal Care
9 - LA/SPCA Expands Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Services

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1. Where Are Turtle & Blue, Katrina’s Lost? (But Seen!)

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TURTLE: LOST KATRINA CAT
MID-CITY - STILL SEARCHING - SIGHTED IN 2007
CONTACT: 205-585-7822, cat.seeker [at] hotmail.com

disaster.petfinder.com/emergency/rescue/search.cgi?id=PF51996&idWildcards=all

TURTLE: Spayed female, age now 12 years
* Black and orange Tortoiseshell/Calico, white markings on chest and feet
* LOST FROM: S. Murat & Banks, seen since Katrina, within 2-1/2 blocks
* LOST SINCE: Katrina, last sightings - 2007

SIGHTINGS: 541 S. Murat St. (and across street)
300 block of S. Alexander (at Palmyra)
Baudin St., Palmyra St. - owner certain of sighting a year ago, about 9 pm.
Feeder in area may have seen Turtle last year in early am at feeding station.
POSSIBLE LOCATIONS TO CHECK, general area bounded by: Canal St., N.
Carrollton Ave., City Park Ave., and Pontchartrain Expressway (or Tulane Ave.)

Owner seeking information on who sighted a cat matching the description at 541 S. Murat St. location noted on the feeding station logs posted on ARNO website in 1/06. Owner has checked old feeding stations in area from late 2005 to early 2006. Also checked list of feeding stations maintained since Katrina by “Holly” … CONTACT: 205-585-7822, cat.seeker [at] hotmail.com

BLUE: LOST CAT - MID-CITY - SEEKING NEIGHBORHOOD CAT
MISSING SINCE FALL 2006
CONTACT: 205-585-7822, cat.seeker [at] hotmail.com

I was at a temporary facility in New Orleans, LA 70119, after Katrina…
disaster.petfinder.com/emergency/rescue/reportDetail.cgi?id=61427

BLUE: Spayed female, small gray cat
* Friendly feral, was part of neighbor’s feral colony
* LOST FROM: Banks and S. Murat St.
* MISSING SINCE: Fall 2006, still seeking

Blue hung around house where Turtle lived (three houses from her former home) and was fed by Turtle’s owner after the storm. Neighbor moved after Katrina and couldn’t take her. Turtle’s owner was about to take her inside when Blue disappeared in Fall 2006… CONTACT: 205-585-7822, cat.seeker [at] hotmail.com

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2. Highlights & Updates

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RE: 4/17/08 - NEW ORLEANS COP FIRES 8 BULLETS INTO BELOVED DOG

www.kinshipcircle.org/letter_library/letter_new.asp?LetterID=1735

KINSHIP CIRCLE received the “thank you” below from Dr. Patrick Coleman, the Lakeview, New Orleans resident whose dog Jax was needlessly slaughtered by police in his fenced backyard.

From: Patrick Coleman, wpcoleman [at] gmail.com
Date: Sat, 3 May 2008 / Subject: Thank you Re: Jax

Thank you so much for the information posted regarding Jax, my 4 year old Doberman, who was shot and killed by a police officer responding to a false burglary alarm at my home on April 14, 2008. With so many people writing letters, blogging, posting… I only hope that his death brings about change as his life did for myself and everyone who met him.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart in memory of Jax, Patrick

W. Patrick Coleman IV, M.D. / 4425 Conlin Street; Metairie, LA 70006
Office: 504-455-3180; Fax: 504-885-2512

ON A LIGHTER NOTE: SOME NOLA COPS HELP ANIMALS…

Lakewood (New Orleans) Police Officer Dustin Carrell stopped traffic on westbound SR-512 near I-5 to help a mother duck and her ducklings safely cross the road: www.liveleak.com/view?i=c1c_1209428470&p=1

HELP NEEDED AT MID-CITY (NOLA) FEEDING STATIONS

1. Anyone feeding cats at Bienville and Rocheblave? Starving cats located behind abandoned home, seen (week of Apr. 14) by Lynn Chiche of SpayMart. Lynn takes care of 300 cats at the SpayMart shelter in Mississippi and cannot come to feed there. Email her for location details, or if you know anyone feeding cats there: Lynn Chiche, SpayMart: spaymart [at] hughes.net

2. Paul Cory took over feeding/watering cat colonies on Bienville, North White, and North Gayoso Streets. Cats were fed daily by a lady who stopped due to family illness. Paul can only feed once a week and needs help. He’ll show where to feed and provide food. Paul’s been feeding cats in other areas of Mid-City. He’s in NOLA only once a week to feed the cats, but lives in Mississippi: Paul Cory: 504-512-2090, user171181 [at] aol.com

VOTE FOR PAWS SHELTER, IN STRUGGLING PLAQUEMINES PARISH

REPLY TO: RAMONA BILLOT, ramonabillot [at] yahoo.com

Plaquemines Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) is a rescue/shelter in one of Katrina’s hardest hit areas, Plaquemines Parish. You can vote every day forthe chance for PAWS to win $5000! Each month $5000 is being given to your favorite shelter. Please vote everyday for PAWS at this link: www.petfinder.com/contests/petrescue/index.cgi

ANGEL’S GATE WAS FEATURED ON ORPAH, 4/28/08

REPLY TO: Susan Marino, angelsgate_susan [at] yahoo.com

www.angelsgate.org — Jill Rappaport of NBC’s Today Show filmed a segment with Angel’s Gate for The Oprah Winfrey Show which aired April 28, 2007… Susan Marino, of Angel’s Gate, made multiple trips to New Orleans to aid animal victims of Katrina. Her first trip was in September 2005, just after the storm hit. She remained there for five weeks… www.angelsgate.org/katrina_revisited.htm

VIDEO: KATRINA SHAME IN 2008
REPLY TO: capron [at] pets911.org
VIDEO: Who’s Rebuilding New Orleans? By Zach Pentel and Brendan Polmer
We’ll give you a hint: It’s not the government.
campusprogress.org/opinions/2838/who-rebuilding-new-orleans

ANIMAL RESCUE CERTIFICATION & TRAINING
REPLY TO: Amanda St John, amanda [at] muttshack.org
In the event of future disasters, preparedness/training play a vital role!
www.muttshack.org/Animal_Rescue_Certification_and_Training.htm

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3. Stranded Cats Of Lakeview Still Need Homes

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ALERT FROM / REPLY TO:
Jeanette Althans, JAlthans [at] chnola.org * www.lakeviewcats.org

www.lakeviewcats.org/fosteradopt

FOSTER OR ADOPT A LAKEVIEW KITTY:

Kitten litters need to be taken off the streets, along with unaltered adults who need TNR. We desperately need fosters and kitten adopters. Also, there are several friendly “Katrina” cats left in Lakeview who deserve forever homes. They’ve been on the street for 2+ years and crave human attention:

* Friendly adult cats who survived Katrina, but are left on the streets (fosters needed while we search for owners)

* Adult cats who survived Katrina and remain very scared. These cats need a little extra attention until they adjust.

* Various age kittens (2 months to 8 months); some need extra handling until they adjust.

CONTACT: Jeanette Althans, jalthans [at] cox.net
Kathy Sweeney, kathybsweeney [at] yahoo.com

LAKEVIEW (NEW ORLEANS) STILL LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS:

Kathy Sweeney and Jeanette Althans need volunteers to help TRAP, FOSTER and ADOPT Lakeview’s left-behind and their offspring. Volunteer feeders are welcome too. PLEASE SEE: www.lakeviewcats.org

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4. Donations Aid Anti-Dogfighting Effort In Louisiana

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ALERT FROM / REPLY TO:
Jeff Dorson: 901-268-4432, stopcruelty11 [at] gmail.com

GPS SYSTEMS TO AID IN ANTI-DOGFIGHTING OPERATIONS:

(Metairie, LA) A Humane Society of Louisiana patron’s recent gift of GPS systems to Louisiana State Police intends to help troopers combat dogfighting. Mr. Bill Johnson, a long-time supporter/member of Humane Society of Louisiana, and Mr. Jeff Dorson, HSL Executive Director, delivered 24 systems to Captain Josephy Lentini, head of the force’s Gaming Enforcement Division. Twenty-four state police vehicles will be outfitted with GPS systems, which will let them better track suspects and coordinate surveillance operations — often in rural areas of the state…

During the past several years, the Louisiana State Police, Gaming Enforcement Division, has arrested over 150 individuals suspected of engaging in dogfighting activities. Officers have seized over $25,000 in cash, contraband, narcotics, and illegal weapons.

Humane Society of Louisiana (HSL) has worked tirelessly on educating the public, law enforcement agencies, and lawmakers on the prevalence of dogfighting and need to increase penalties. HSL, based out of New Orleans, operates a statewide animal abuse hotline (1-888-6-humane) and routinely investigates animal cruelty complaints. HSL also recently created Rapid Response Animal Abuse Team, comprised of more than 200 individuals around the state and region who help solve animal abuse crimes and advocate stronger laws to safeguard the humane treatment of animals… For more information: www.humanela.org/

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5. Help Neglected Dogs in Rural Mississippi

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ALERT FROM / REPLY TO:
SHARON MOORE: 601-513-5424 or 601-626-8697
Diane Michell, DianeCMichell [at] netscape.net

RAVEN’S RESPITE FROM MISERY. CAN YOU HELP?

MERIDIAN, MISSISSIPPI — FROM SHARON MOORE: This 6 year old kind and precious dog was found chained in a bad neighborhood. Her brother’s bones and fur lay on the ground where he’d died still chained to his house. They were reported a year ago to animal control with pictures. They refused to go out. I befriended the owners, and took Raven and the three puppies to the vet. They were treated for mange, given revolution, antibiotics, and wormed.

Raven has no milk, and her two puppies (black ones) are only 8-weeks- old and emaciated. She is heartworm positive and I want to spay her. The owners have agreed, but will not give her up. She is no longer chained… On May 8, the three puppies and Raven returned to the vet for another dip, revolution, shots, re-worming, and I purchased dip and revolution for their other dog, Wild Thing… I cannot afford frontline, collars, crates, and vet charges even though I have a very kind group that will take the three puppies…

HOW TO HELP RAVEN, WILD THING, AND PUPPIES:

Please help Sharon Moore give these neglected dogs a better life. Sharon has been rescuing dogs like Raven since moving to MS soon after Katrina. Could you please help Sharon with medical costs for the dogs?

DONATIONS TO THE VET:
Dr. Diane Donaldson, Till Newell Animal Hospital
2200 Hwy 45 N.; Meridian, MS 39301
ph: 601-485-8049; fax is 601-485-6435

DONATIONS TO EAST MISSISSIPPI ANIMAL RESCUE:
PayPal account: www.eastmsanimalrescue.com/
Specify donation for: Sharon Moore’s costs for Raven, Wild Thing, puppies.
Contact Paula Joyner, President of EMAR: prjoyner [at] comcast.net

FOR MORE INFO, CONTACT SHARON MOORE: 601-513-5424 or 601-626-8697

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6. Join MuttShack At Disaster Response Summit

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ALERT FROM / REPLY TO:
Amanda St. John, founder, MuttShack Animal Resuce
amanda [at] muttshack.org * www.muttshack.org
15981 Yarnell St. #188, Sylmar CA 91342
730 Orleans Ave, 2nd Floor, New Orleans, LA 70116

MuttShack Washington is forming a coordinating group to work with the cities, counties and state for animal disaster response. Sign up at MuttShack: www.muttshack.org/MuttShack_Registration_Form.htm

EMERGENCY ANIMAL RESPONSE, RESCUE AND SHELTERING SUMMIT:

Saturday, May 17, 2008 / 8:00 a.m. to noon
Pierce County Emergency Operations Center
2501 S 35th St Suite E; Tacoma, Wa 98409

General Session: Pierce County Animal Disaster Response Team Members and other community leaders.
Workshop Sessions: Emergency pet shelter planning, general animal handling, shelter operations in a disaster, related pet services, and logistics.

All animal related service organizations, vets, vet techs, animal care persons, shelter operators, animal behaviorists, pet/feed store operators, etc. and the general animal loving public should attend. According to facility rules, only service animals may attend.

DUE TO LIMITED SEATING, RSVP TO:
Daucie Willson, Shelter Coordinator, Pierce County DEM, 253-798-2751 or
dwillso [at] co.pierce.wa.us

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7. NOLA: Katrina Animal Memorial 2008 (Be There!)

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ALERT FROM / REPLY TO:
Jeff Dorson, Humane Society of Louisiana, stopcruelty11 [at] gmail.com

COME COMMEMORATE THE 3RD ANNIVERSARY OF HURRICANE KATRINA:

During the 2005 storm season, tens of thousands of people helped our city in its darkest hour — when failed levees and floods stranded thousands of residents and over 50,000 companion animals. The loss of human and animal life was incalculable…but we are forever indebted to those who came to our aid. To show our gratitude, I hope you’ll accept my personal invitation to return to the City of New Orleans to commemorate the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. We’ve planned a day-long memorial service…

FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 2008 — 10:00 A.M.

Join us to unveil the nation’s first memorial statue honoring animals lost during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. In the chambers of the New Orleans City Council, Councilwoman Stacy Head will accept the statue on behalf of the city. We’ve commissioned respected artist, Mr. Richard Chashoudian… An invocation will be read along with a special reading by Ed Kostro, poet and author. Authors Allen and Linda Anderson will read from their award-winning book, Rescued: Saving Animals From Disaster. Honorary awards will go to individuals/groups for their work in the 2005 storm season and beyond.

ATTEND LUNCHEON AT ASTOR CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL:

After this historic event, the audience is invited to attend a special vegetarian luncheon with guest speakers, at the Astor Crowne Plaza hotel:
- 739 Canal Street, near the French Quarter.
- $25 per person, including tax and gratuity
- Order prepaid luncheon tickets by emailing: info [at] humanela.org
Provide: name, address, phone, email, credit card number, expiration date, and number of tickets you are purchasing.

LODGING: DISCOUNT RATE FOR OUT-OF-TOWN GUESTS

Astor Crowne Plaza: $89, for singles or doubles
- Ask for Humane Society of Louisiana special price to qualify for discount.
- To reserve room, call: call 1-866-750-4202 before July 29, 2008.

CAN’T JOIN US? SPONSOR THE KATRINA PET MEMORIAL STATUE:

Names of donors that give over a certain level will be engraved on a plaque alongside the statue, on permanent display. To inquire about the levels of sponsorship, contact: Jeff Dorson, stopcruelty11 [at] gmail.com

DONATE TO ONGOING CARE OF ANIMALS HOMELESS BY KATRINA:

HSL still cares for more than 100 animals made homeless by Hurricane Katrina. To help these wonderful animals, please send donations to:
Humane Society of Louisiana, P.O. Box 740321, New Orleans, LA 70174
Or donate via our PayPal account at: wwwHumanela.org

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8. $1 Million In Grants For Post-Katrina Animal Care

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ALERT FROM / REPLY TO:
Anna Arceneaux, anna [at] gnof.org

$1 Million in Grants Available For Post-Katrina Animal Rescue, Care
4/21/08 - Contact: Richard Martinez, 504-598-4663, richard [at] gnof.org

NEW ORLEANS — July 1 is the deadline to apply for Noah’s Wish Grants through the Greater New Orleans Foundation. About $1 million is available for the grants. The awards will be announced on Aug. 15.

Grants will reimburse organizations in the United States for direct costs associated with rescue and care of animals affected by Hurricane Katrina (from Aug. 29, 2005, to the present or to an agreed-upon time in the future). Each grant amount will not exceed $50,000. Grantees must be public charities or governmental entities. Applicants are required to provide copies of eligible bills paid for animal emergency relief or recovery…

Noah’s Wish was a nonprofit organization that participated in animal rescue operations immediately after Hurricane Katrina struck in August 2005. After news reports showed its efforts caring for animals in the storm-battered area, contributions poured in from generous donors. But some of those funds were improperly used for other purposes, so the California Attorney General’s office stepped in. The result was a court settlement with Noah’s Wish that restricted the use of the funds. The funds may only be used for the animal victims of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. The funds can’t be used for other disasters or future disaster preparedness.

More information and an application, at GNOF’s website: gnof.org

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9. LA/SPCA Expands Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Services

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ALERT FROM / REPLY TO:
Mary Morris, LA/SPCA, Spay/Neuter Program Coordinator: 504-368-5191 ext. 141
Gloria Dauphin, Gloria [at] la-spca.org * www.la-spca.org/prevention/vouchers.htm

The Dorothy Dorsett Brown Mobile Center

LA/SPCA EXPANDS LOW-COST SPAY NEUTER SERVICES:

NEW ORLEANS (5/2/08) — Effective June 1, 2008 the LA/SPCA’s low-cost spay/neuter services will be available to ALL individuals, families, rescue organizations, and other humane welfare groups, to step up the LA/SPCA’s efforts to end pet overpopulation throughout the region.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
$25 feral cat/kitten (includes ear-tipping and rabies vaccination)
$40 owned male cat/kitten
$50 owned female cat/kitten
$50 male dog/puppy (under 20 lbs.)
$75 male dog/puppy (21-50 lbs.)
$75 female dog/puppy (under 20 lbs.)
$100 per female dog/puppy (21-50 lbs.)

HOW DO I MAKE AN APPOINTMENT?
Call Louisiana SPCA’s spay/neuter appointment desk: 504-368-5191, ext. 141

WHERE ARE THE SURGERIES?
The Louisiana SPCA’s mobile spay/neuter center; parked at The Louisiana SPCA, 1700 Mardi Gras Blvd., corner of L.B. Landry, in Algiers.
MORE INFO: www.la-spca.org/prevention/vouchers.htm

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Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare action alerts kinship circle brenda shoss hurricane katrina hurricane katrina natural disaster nola new orleans louisiana gulf coast animal rescue animal adoption pet companion animal dog canine cat feline feral cats feral dogs spay neuter donate volunteer Mississippi Mississippi Animal Rescue Raven puppies animal abuse animal neglect animal cruelty cruelty to animals chaining tethering Muttshack Jax Patrick Coleman news in the news update PAWS Plaquemines Animal Welfare Society oprah angels’ gate Lakeview Lakeview Cats Roaming animal fighting dogfighting blood sports education training conference workshop disaster response disaster preparedness memorial Humane Society of Louisiana HSL Noah’s Wish grants LASPCA spay neuter flickr photos

KINSHIP CIRCLE PRIMARY - PERMISSION TO CROSS-POST
The following information is brought to you courtesy of Kinship Circle.
Please DO NOT hit reply! Respond directly to: lucrezia2010 [at] yahoo.com or gil [at] exploreveg.org

ALERT FROM KINSHIP CIRCLE SUPPORTER:
5/9/08: Their Lives, Our Voices / June 6-8 Midwest Conference

ALERT FROM / REPLY TO:
Kathryn Quam, lucrezia2010 [at] yahoo.com
Gil Schwartz, gil [at] exploreveg.org

THE MIDWEST’S PREMIERE ANIMAL ADVOCACY CONFERENCE!
Join hundreds of others this summer at the animal advocacy conference, “Their Lives, Our Voices.”
* WHEN: June 6-8, 2008
* HOSTED BY: Compassionate Action for Animals
* WHERE: Minneapolis, Hubert H. Humphrey Conference Center
www.tlov.org/tlov2008/location.html

REGISTER EARLY TO SAVE MONEY!
Special half-price early registration open only until May 16, 2008:
* $50 for the general public
* $20 for students
* This includes four full vegan meals!
* Visit our website now to learn more about the event and register at this special price! www.tlov.org

SPEAKER LINE-UP, SO FAR:
Carol Adams (author); Gene Baur (Farm Sanctuary); Paul Shapiro (Humane Society of the United States); Collen Patrick-Goudreau (Compassionate Cooks); Freeman Wicklund and Nathan Runkle (Mercy for Animals); Erica Meier (Compassion Over Killing); Matt Ball (Vegan Outreach); pattrice jones (author), Hillary Rettig (author), Karen Davis (United Poultry Concerns), Karen Dawn (DawnWatch) and many more!
www.tlov.org/tlov2008/speakers.html

Their Lives, Our Voices’ focus is on farmed animal advocacy efforts and practical ways to help animals in your community. We want to enable as much attendee participation and networking as possible, so we’re hoping you can come and make this a great event.

Register today! www.tlov.org

Gilbert Schwartz, Campaign Coordinator, Compassionate Action for Animals
300 Washington Ave SE, Rm. 126; Minneapolis, MN 55455
www.ExploreVeg.org
Office: 612-626-5785; Cell: 612-296-9020; gil [at] exploreveg.org

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*DISCLAIMER: The information in these alerts is verified with the original source. Kinship Circle does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information or for the consequences of its use. Nothing in this email is intended to encourage illegal action in whatever country you are reading it in. Kinship Circle does not engage in, nor support, any form of harassment or unlawful activity. Nothing in this alert serves to promote such conduct.

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Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare action alerts kinship circle brenda shoss events education conference june animal advocacy animal activism activism Their Lives, Our Voices

According to writer Anne Morrow Lindbergh, the trials of motherhood make moms the great vacationless class. Although she may have been talking about the human variety—the moms who are near and dear to us—other animals show the same tireless dedication to their children. PETA hopes that this Mother’s Day, while you are praising your family’s matriarch, you’ll also remember that some of the best moms in the world are found in the animal kingdom.

Northern Fur Seals

Human mothers tuned in to Channel Mom may find themselves responding to anybody’s child when they hear someone calling the M word, but fur seals never make this mistake. Fresh from foraging for food, moms have to find their young quickly in a sea of hundreds—or possibly thousands—of seals, so both mother and pup depend on their uncanny powers of vocal recognition to find one another. Both will call out and answer, responding selectively to one another until they are reunited.

Elephants

The TLC that these mammoth mothers bestow on their babies is among their most engaging qualities. Always ready to give an affectionate caress, a gentle nudge in the right direction, or a cool bath to help their babies beat the heat, doting moms maintain constant touch with their young ones, never allowing them to stray too far from their side. Mothers even stay in touch with their adult kids and enjoy close relationships with their daughters that can last up to 50 years.

Cows

For cows and their calves, it’s love at first sight. The first minutes after birth are spent developing a bond that will last a lifetime. Throughout life, mother and child maintain social contact and regularly enjoy each other’s companionship. Their attachment and affection for each other is so deep that if they are forced apart, they both suffer severe stress. Moms have been known to escape their enclosures and travel for miles looking for their calves.

Dolphins

Dolphins are known for graceful synchronized swimming, but dolphin mothers and their babies also synchronize their breathing for the first few weeks following the babies’ birth. These dedicated moms may nurse their young for up to 10 years and will also mentor less experienced females by allowing them to babysit as practice for when they have babies of their own.

Cheetahs

Let’s hear it for single moms! These lightning-fast felines have their paws full caring for their cubs all on their own. Not only does mom protect her children from predators while she is nursing them, she also hunts for them from the time they are weaned until they are 14 to 18 months old. Overly active offspring can make the task of hunting even harder: Cubs often scare hunted animals away with their animated antics, leaving mom so worn out that she sometimes falls asleep in the middle of a hunt.

Chickens

Nurturing begins in the nest for these caring moms. Mother hens will turn their eggs as many as five times an hour and cluck softly to their unborn chicks, who chirp back to her and to one another from within their shells! Once chicks hatch, devoted moms use their wings to shield their babies from predators and have been known to refuse to leave their nests during a fire if they have newly hatched peeps.

This Mother’s Day, please take a moment to recognize the unique bond between mothers and children of all species. For tips on practicing kindness and compassion in honor of all animal moms, please visit PETA.org.

My Two Moms

And a happy, happy Mother’s Day to my two moms, Wendy

and Kaylee.

Wendy, obviously, is my human mother, while Kaylee is both my buhbie and mommy, all rolled into one delightfully marshmallowy little package.

Also, Mother’s Day greetings to the new family of geese and goslings that have taken up residence in our pond.

Y’all have made my otherwise drab workdays much brighter, even though you won’t let me get close enough to take a decent picture!

(Photos via g-na, Picture Taker 2, Lance and Erin, chalkie_colour_circl es, wenfeitong, Topinambour and moi.)

(Crossposted.)

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Tagged: holidays observances mother’s day mothers animals cheetahs cows bovines dolphins chicken chicks geese gosling seals Northern Fur Seals elephants dogs canines my furbabies kaylee jack russell terrier rat terrier wendy flickr photos

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU): Act Now: Stop Secret Spying Deal
Late Friday night, the ACLU caught wind of a dangerous backroom deal brewing. The “deal” would rush a House vote that would push through a dangerous sellout on government spying powers, possibly in the next few days.

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU): Demand More Media Choices
The consolidation of TV, radio and newspaper ownership hinders vigorous public debate and poses a great threat to the First Amendment rights of all Americans. Tell your members of Congress to support S.J. Res 28, and get the FCC to end media consolidation.

Born Free USA / The Animal Protection Institute (API): Help Us Keep Animals Like Indy from Being Caught in Cruel Traps
Work with us to protect dogs, cats, and other animal victims from suffering in traps. Most state agencies do not track incidents like Indy’s death, but we do, and we need your help.

CREDO Action: Tell the Senate: Stop Big Media
Sign the petition at right to Majority Leader Harry Reid and your senators in support of Senator Dorgan’s resolution of disapproval of the new media ownership rules.

DawnWatch: KFI interview on “Thanking the Monkey” and animal cruelty — 5/3/08
Wayne Resnick, on Los Angeles’s largest talk radio station, KFI, interviewed me about “Thanking the Monkey: Rethinking the Way We Treat Animals” on his weekly show last Saturday, May 3.

DawnWatch: Extraordinary ABC report on egg farm horrors — 5/5/08 plus NBC 5/6/08
Dan Noyes and San Francisco’s ABC I-team aired a superb report last night, Monday May 5, on an egg farm investigation.

Defenders of Wildlife: Fighting For Your “Rights” in Congress
Ship strikes are taking their toll on the North Atlantic right whale as these gentle giants migrate through busy shipping lanes on the eastern seaboard. But the Bush/Cheney Administration refuses to intervene — choosing instead to do nothing as these marine mammals continue to move toward extinction.

Farm Sanctuary: Winning Update on the Trader Joe’s Campaign
After investigative footage obtained by Farm Sanctuary and the most recent undercover investigation by Mercy for Animals that exposed abhorrent and inexcusable cruelty administered by the egg farm Gemperle, Trader Joe’s has finally decided to end the sale of eggs produced by this company…lease thank Trader Joe’s for their recent decision to end purchases from Gemperle, and urge them to end all sales of eggs produced from battery caged hens.

In Defense of Animals (IDA): Tell Senators to save the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the Pacific Coastline
Some Senate Republicans have filed an amendment to the Flood Insurance Bill (S. 2973) that would open up vast natural areas to the oil, coal, and logging industries, destroying many important animal habitats on land and at sea. We have little time to defeat this amendment, so please take action now to urge your Senators to vote against cloture for Amendment #4720 to S. 2973 and maintain the Democratic filibuster.

In Defense of Animals (IDA): Tell Western Washington Fairgrounds to Ditch Cruel Circus
Circus Vazquez is scheduled to appear at the Western Washington Fairgrounds in Puyallup May 16 to 20. Last month, a tiger with the circus was attacked and killed by one or more of her cagemates after the circus left six tigers crammed together in one cage. Circus Vazquez is currently traveling with elephant handler Will Davenport. In the past year, the Davenport family has been repeatedly cited by the USDA for inhumane handling and failure to provide adequate care to three elephants, named Queenie, Tina and Jewel.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA): Thoroughbreds: Drugged, Whipped, and Run to Death–Join Our Call for Congressional Hearings
Please ask your member of Congress to take action to investigate the horse racing industry’s dark side by calling for hearings right now.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA): Michigan Man Accused of Routinely Torturing His Three Dogs–Speak Out Now!
Please thank Newaygo County Prosecuting Attorney Chrystal Roach and 27th Circuit Judge Anthony Monton for their hard work on this case. As animal abusers almost never strike only once, please also ask them to make sure that—if convicted and in addition to serving the maximum sentence allowed by law—Reed is prohibited from owning or harboring any animals for as long as possible. In addition, urge them to ensure that he receives psychological evaluation and counseling at his own expense.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA): Tell Carriacou Island Officials to Stop Sea Turtle Torture!
Horrified visitors to the Island of Carriacou—off the coast of Grenada in the Caribbean—contacted PETA after witnessing the horrific manner in which locals torture sea turtles to death. Witnesses report seeing these beautiful animals pulled from their ocean home, flipped over onto their backs on dry land, and left to bake to death in the hot sun. A heartbreaking video provided by tourists shows a group of overturned and helpless turtles that flail their flippers in a futile attempt to save themselves.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA): Demand That Charges Be Filed Against Apparent Puppy Fighters!
PETA caseworkers couldn’t believe their eyes when they saw videos posted on MySpace depicting several young men who were apparently forcing puppies to fight. The videos show several pit bull puppies who were fighting each other. The puppies repeatedly attempt to “back off” from the fight—as is their instinct—but the young men continually bring the puppies face-to-face, shaking and jostling the animals to enrage them.

The Wilderness Society: America’s Serengeti
The Senate is expected to vote as early as May 13 on an energy package full of outdated ideas–especially targeting the Arctic Refuge for drilling–that would move America away from, not toward, a secure energy future.

Campaign Updates, Press Releases, etc.

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU): Stand Up For Freedom
Stand Up for Freedom and help us stop the abuse of power at the ACLU; 2008 Membership Conference, June 8-10 in Washington, D.C.!

Farm Sanctuary: Last Call to Purchase Gala Tickets!!
Don’t miss this exquisite black-tie evening and a chance to help farm animals! Join Farm Sanctuary and hundreds of animal advocates on May 17.

Mercy for Animals: Investigation Update: Trader Joe’s Dumps Gemperle Enterprises
Mercy For Animals’ newly released investigative footage of the gross neglect and cruel treatment of hens at Gemperle Enterprises’ factory egg farm in California has generated a flurry of media attention across the nation, including stories on CNN.com and by the LA Times, and the Associated Press. In response to MFA’s investigation, just yesterday Trader Joe’s grocery chain announced that it would no longer purchase eggs from Gemperle Enterprises!

Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS): Science Idol: The Scientific Integrity Editorial Cartoon Contest
This spring, creative minds throughout America will have the opportunity to show off their artistic and comedic talents in support of independent science by entering the third annual Scientific Integrity Editorial Cartoon Contest.

Carnivals

Carnival of the Green # 126

Newsletters

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA): eNews, May 9, 2008
Kentucky Derby Tragedy/Live Chat Today

The Animals Voice eNewsletter, May 8, 2008
FEATURE — HENS USED IN THE EGG INDUSTRY

Best Friends Animal Society: eNews, May 9, 2008
Better late then never! (Happenings Around the Network)

Best Friends Animal Society: eNews, May 9, 2008
Another victory against dog fighting

Center for Biological Diversity: Endangered Earth Online, No. 408, May 8, 2008
Endangered Earth: Turtles Saved, Whales Not So Lucky

Defenders of Wildlife: eNews, May 2008
eNews: Amphibians Slipping Away

National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA): ParkLines, May 2008
FEATURED PARK: Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida

New American Dream: New Dream News, Issue No. 48, May 9, 2008
Plastic or Paper? Neither!

Organic Consumers Association: Organic Bytes #134: 5/8/2008
Monsanto, Cargill, and ADM Rake in Billions on World Food Crisis & more

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA): eNews, May 8, 2008
PETA E-News: Free Veggie Burgers for a Month!

Petitions

Petition to Stop the Export of Nepal’s Monkeys and Associated Research

Pet and Former Farm Pig Canned Hunted

Stop Parks Canada from allowing the murder of polar bears

Stop Japanese Whaling!

Comprehensive Pet Animal legislation [Florida]

Gunnisons Prairie dog conservation plan for the city of Santa Fe

Recycling in Houston, Texas

Stop oil and gas drillings in the Wadden Sea

Your Daily Click-Through Reminders

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Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare animal activism animal advocacy activism environment environmental environmentalism environmentalist green nature action alerts activism link dump link roundup link farm link love link sanctuary click through sites click to donate care2 the animal rescue site the rainforest site news in the news newsletters wildlife conservation pet companion animal dog canine cat feline

Oh, and if you’re feeling generous and looking to shower me with birthday gifts, why don’t you send some cash BETA’s way? BETA = Beirut for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, and they could sure use it more than moi:

Hezbollah fighters, their guns blazing, seized control of west Beirut on Friday after three days of deadly street battles with pro-government foes pushed Lebanon dangerously close to all-out civil war.

Convoys of triumphant Shiite opposition gunmen firing into the air and flashing victory signs took to the streets after routing Sunni militants loyal to the Western-backed government of the divided nation.

As the fighting eased, the army and police moved across areas now in the hands of Iranian- and Syrian-backed opposition forces which have been locked in an 18-month power struggle with the ruling coalition.

Previous editions:
Friday Activist Vlogging: Teh wimmins of cuntry (and clams, too!)
Friday Activist Vlogging: Stuff Honkies Heart
Friday Veggie Vlogging: What’s Your Cut?
Friday Veggie Vlogging (Zoop!)
Friday Veggie Vlogging (”3fer” ed.)
Friday Veggie Vlogging (”My Retro Boyfriend” ed.)
Friday Veggie Vlogging (”You are what you eat” ed.)

(Crossposted.)

——————-

Tagged: friday veggie vlogging friday activist vlogging youtube spoon the underdog dennis kucinich

CREDO Action: Tell Speaker Pelosi: Stand Strong on Wiretapping Legislation!
Our hard fought victories on the Bush administration’s illegal wiretapping program are in danger once again.

Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF): Don’t Let the Justice Department Harvest DNA from Innocents
An outrageous Justice Department proposal directs federal law enforcement agencies to collect DNA samples from anyone they arrest. Speak out against this proposal that turns the principle of “innocent until proven guilty” on its head!

In Defense of Animals (IDA): Ask Kentucky horse racing chairman to make safety reforms to protect animals
One study shows that over 800 horses die every year from injuries sustained in races because of the dangerous conditions they are forced to run in. Please Take Action to urge the chairman of the Kentucky state agency that regulates horse racing to make reforms that will protect horses from injury and death on the track.

In Defense of Animals (IDA): Ask your legislators to pass laws regulating factory farms
The Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production (PCIFAP) has put the factory farm industry on the defensive with a major independent study showing the devastating impact that intensive animal agriculture has on human health, the environment, rural economies and culture, and animal welfare.

In Defense of Animals (IDA): Ask your state’s Governor to ban animal electrocution for fur
New York recently became the first state on the nation to ban one of the cruelest methods used to kill animals for fur – anal and genital electrocution. If other states follow New York’s lead by passing similar legislation of their own, even more animals will be spared from this horrific end to their lives.

International Society for Animal Rights (ISAR): JOIN ISAR’S “ONE-HUNDRED-THOUSAND-SIGNATURES” CAMPAIGN TO END THE SIMULATED ABUSE OF AND CRUELTY TO ANIMALS IN “ENTERTAINMENT” AND SALE OF PRODUCTS
Through the efforts of animal rights and animal welfare organizations, some of the physical abuse of and cruelty to live animals in movies and on television has been ameliorated. However, instead of live animals being abused and cruelly treated, a related phenomenon has surfaced which is at least as bad, if not worse: “fake” animals are being abused and cruelly treated in the name of “entertainment” and to sell products.

Newsletters

Bill of Rights Defense Committee (BORDC): Dissent Is Patriotic, May 2008, Vol. 7, No. 4
People’s Campaign for the Constitution & more

In Defense of Animals (IDA): IDA eNews: 05-07-08
News & Features

United Animal Nations (UAN): eJournal, VOLUME 4 :: NO. 5 :: May 2008
Respond to Derby disaster, enter our photo contest

Vegan Outreach: E-Newsletter, May 7, 2008
During Fall semester 2007, Adopt a College activists set a new distribution record of 415,622 booklets handed directly to students on 471 campuses across North America — breaking the previous record by 20%!

VegCooking.com: Recipe of the Week, May 7, 2008
Gnocchi With Garlic Tomato Sauce

Petitions

To Get YouTube to Remove Animal Cruelty Videos

STOP THE TRANSPORTATION OF AMERICAN HORSES ACROSS BORDERS FOR SLAUGHTER

Ban Deadly Pesticides that Kill Wildlife

Your Daily Click-Through Reminders

————————-

Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare animal activism animal advocacy activism environment environmental environmentalism environmentalist green nature action alerts activism link dump link roundup link farm link love link sanctuary click through sites click to donate care2 the animal rescue site the rainforest site news in the news newsletters wildlife conservation pet companion animal dog canine cat feline

KINSHIP CIRCLE PRIMARY - PERMISSION TO CROSS-POST AS WRITTEN

5/7/08: Eight Belles Ran For Her Life…And Died

FROM KINSHIP CIRCLE / PLEASE READ:

We ordinarily write all SAMPLE LETTERS. However in the recent death of young Eight Belles in the Kentucky Derby — we cannot out-write the magnificent letter PETA’s Ingrid Newkirk sent to presidential hopeful, Hillary Clinton. Ms. Newkirk’s letter is presented as a sample letter below:

1. CHANGE AS MANY WORDS AS POSSIBLE, TO MAKE THE LETTER YOUR OWN.
Include a DISCLAIMER as shown (BELOW). Remember: You are NOT Ingrid Newkirk.

2. KINSHIP CIRCLE BELIEVES HORSE RACING, LIKE DOGFIGHTING AND COCKFIGHTING, SHOULD BE OUTLAWED. However, if you’d like to participate in a campaign that calls upon “the racing industry to suspend the jockey and trainer, bar the owner from racing at the track, and… stop using young horses susceptible to horrific injuries…” PETA provides a web letter here: getactive.peta.org/campaign/eight_belles/iiwn8g8227xnmxix

Kentucky Horse Racing Authority
4063 Ironworks Pkwy, Building B; Lexington, KY 40511
ph: 859-246-2040; fax: 859-246-2039
email: lisa.underwood [at] ky.gov, jim.gallagher [at] ky.gov

LEFT PHOTO: Track personnel try to hold down Eight Belles after the 134th Kentucky Derby Saturday, May 3, 2008, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. Eight Belles was euthanized after breaking both front ankles following a second-place finish in the Kentucky Derby. (AP Photo/Brian Bohannon)
abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory?id=4784855

RIGHT: Eight Belles and trainer Larry Jones walk before the Derby.
news.bostonherald.com/sports/other_sports/horse_racing/view.bg?articleid=1091901

==========================

TO HILLARY CLINTON: INGRID NEWKIRK’S LETTER

==========================

Hillary Clinton (D)
Hillary Clinton for President
4420 North Fairfax Drive; Arlington, VA 22203
ph: 703-469-2008; fax: 703-962-8600
web mail: www.hillaryclinton.com/help/contact/

Dear Senator Clinton:

Animal cruelty is not a partisan issue. In light of Eight Belles’ tragic death in the Kentucky Derby, I ask you to condemn horse races.

I support sentiments expressed in the letter below and urge you to denounce brutal spectacles such as horseracing. Horses forced to run so fast their legs can’t support their weight never “win.” Dogfighting, cockfighting, and horseracing measure an animal’s worth in dollars. When their glory fades, racehorses are neglected and abused. Some wind up on kill floors.

Animal protection issues matter to myself and many other voters. Please be more aware of this untapped constituency and take a stand against cruelty.

“As a high profile political figure with the esteem of many women, I regret to say that your public support of horseracing — and specifically betting on Eight Belles — makes you culpable in her destruction. I ask you now to publicly condemn races like the Kentucky Derby. Eight Belles ran for her life and was fiercely whipped as she came down that final stretch when she was no doubt in a great deal of pain. We cannot call ourselves a civilized nation if we allow any living being to endure such abuse.

“Races like this are the equivalent of child sweatshops. These are not even seasoned horses: They are young fillies and colts whose joints are not formed enough to endure such a grueling race. Despite this, they are pushed beyond their limits. The Triple Crown and other major horse races have become the graveyards of too many horses who were called champions.

“For example, Go For Wand, who went down in the 1990 Breeders’ Cup Distaff and then stumbled up and tried to keep running with her broken leg dangling; Union City, who fractured a leg in the 1993 Preakness and was destroyed; Prairie Bayou, who that same year suffered a compound fracture in the Belmont Stakes and had to be destroyed; George Washington, who was euthanized after breaking his leg while running the Preakness last year; and of course Barbaro, the ‘poster horse’ of the racing industry’s failures and excesses, who despite efforts could not be saved from the injuries sustained during the 2006 Preakness.

“Barbaro’s injuries were terrible — fractures of his canon bone, sesamoids, and long pastern as well as the dislocation of the fetlock joint. These are just a few of the horses we hear about — they are the winners, the horses who run the big races. Hundreds of horses meet the same painful, deadly fate every year in the horseracing industry.

” A racetrack is not a place for a fun day out. Attending the Derby is as despicable as attending a dogfight. Most horses you see will not end up out to pasture on a beautiful ranch but will be sent overseas to be slaughtered for someone’s dinner plate. At some point, all horses stop winning.

“We call on you to publicly reject betting on such hideous spectacles of domination over wonderful animals who deserve more than pain and death for human profit and amusement.

“Very truly yours,
Ingrid E. Newkirk, President, PETA”

###

**Please do NOT send Kinship Circle your signed letters. They will get deleted. Kinship Circle conducts research and provides you with all available contact information. We DO NOT send your comments for you. To be effective, your letters must be sent from YOUR ADDRESS, not ours.

==========================

TO BARACK OBAMA & JOHN MCCAIN: NEWKIRK’S LETTER MODIFIED

==========================

Barack Obama (D)
Obama for America; P.O. Box 8102; Chicago, IL 60680
ph: 1-866-675-2008
web mail: my.barackobama.com/page/s/contact2

John McCain (R)
John McCain 2008; P.O. Box 16118; Arlington, VA 22215
ph: 703-418-2008
web mail: www.johnmccain.com/Contact/

Dear Senators Obama and McCain:

Animal cruelty is not a partisan issue. In light of Eight Belles’ tragic death in the Kentucky Derby, I ask you to condemn horse races.

I support sentiments expressed in the letter below and urge you to denounce brutal spectacles such as horseracing. Horses forced to run so fast their legs can’t support their weight never “win.” Dogfighting, cockfighting, and horseracing measure an animal’s worth in dollars. When their glory fades, racehorses are neglected and abused. Some wind up on kill floors.

Animal protection issues matter to myself and many other voters. Please be more aware of this untapped constituency and take a stand against cruelty.

“Eight Belles ran for her life and was fiercely whipped as she came down that final stretch. She was no doubt in a great deal of pain. We cannot call ourselves a civilized nation if we allow living beings to endure such abuse.

“Races like this are the equivalent of child sweatshops. These are not even seasoned horses: They are young fillies and colts whose joints are not formed enough to endure such a grueling race. Despite this, they are pushed beyond their limits. The Triple Crown and other major horse races have become the graveyards of too many horses who were called champions.

“For example, Go For Wand, who went down in the 1990 Breeders’ Cup Distaff and then stumbled up and tried to keep running with her broken leg dangling; Union City, who fractured a leg in the 1993 Preakness and was destroyed; Prairie Bayou, who that same year suffered a compound fracture in the Belmont Stakes and had to be destroyed; George Washington, who was euthanized after breaking his leg while running the Preakness last year; and of course Barbaro, the ‘poster horse’ of the racing industry’s failures and excesses, who despite efforts could not be saved from the injuries sustained during the 2006 Preakness.

“Barbaro’s injuries were terrible — fractures of his canon bone, sesamoids, and long pastern as well as the dislocation of the fetlock joint. These are just a few of the horses we hear about — they are the winners, the horses who run the big races. Hundreds of horses meet the same painful, deadly fate every year in the horseracing industry.

“A racetrack is not a place for a fun day out. Attending the Derby is as despicable as attending a dogfight. Most horses you see will not end up out to pasture on a beautiful ranch but will be sent overseas to be slaughtered for someone’s dinner plate. At some point, all horses stop winning.

“We call on you to publicly reject betting on such hideous spectacles of domination over wonderful animals who deserve more than pain and death for human profit and amusement.

“Very truly yours,
Ingrid E. Newkirk, President, PETA”

###

**Please do NOT send Kinship Circle your signed letters. We DO NOT send your comments for you. To be effective, your letters must be sent from YOUR ADDRESS, not ours.

==========================

SOURCE OF INFORMATION / REFERENCE LINKS

==========================

PETA Writes to Clinton About Eight Belles
blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/05/peta-writes-to.html

Tragedy overshadows unbeaten Big Brown’s Kentucky Derby win
abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory?id=4784855

Eight Belles’ trainer defends jockey
news.bostonherald.com/sports/other_sports/horse_racing/view.bg?articleid=1091901

Another Horse-Racing Horror
www.nytimes.com/2008/05/06/opinion/06tue4.html?th&emc=th

Race’s Aftermath Shows Sport’s Brutal Side
www.nytimes.com/2008/05/04/sports/othersports/04rhoden.html

VIDEOS & MORE COVERAGE / Death at the Derby
abcnews.go.com/search?searchtext=Eight%20Belles&from=10&to=19&type=feature

*************************

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info [at] kinshipcircle.org or kinshipcircle [at] accessus.net
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PLEASE DONATE TO KINSHIP CIRCLE (It’s tax-deductible):
www.kinshipcircle.org/donation/

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Action campaigns on animal cruelty issues worldwide
Kinship Circle Animal Disaster Aid Network: kinshipcircle [at] accessus.net
Animal rescue coordination/news in disasters + companion animal alerts

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*DISCLAIMER: The information in these alerts is verified with the original source. Kinship Circle does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information or for the consequences of its use. Nothing in this email is intended to encourage illegal action in whatever country you are reading it in. Kinship Circle does not engage in, nor support, any form of harassment or unlawful activity. Nothing in this alert serves to promote such conduct.

———————–

Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare action alerts kinship circle brenda shoss horse horses horse racing eight belles kentucky derby kentucky derby larry jones animal abuse animal cruelty cruelty to animals peta people for the ethical treatment of animals ingrid newkirk hillary clinton john mccain barack obama news in the news photos flickr

KINSHIP CIRCLE PRIMARY - PERMISSION TO CROSS-POST AS WRITTEN

5/3/08: Stabbing Pigs To Teach Human Surgery?

EMAIL kinshipcircle [at] accessus.net FOR WORD DOC OF A FORMATTED LETTER.
Easily modify letter and copy/paste it into an email or print out to fax or mail.

Pigs used in laboratory research. This photo is NOT from Hartford Hospital.

===========================

FULL CONTACT INFORMATION. Sample letter follows.

===========================

Hartford Hospital
80 Seymour Street; Hartford, CT 06102
main ph: 860-545-5000; main fax: 860-545-5066
web mail: www.harthosp.org/PatientVisitors/ContactUs/ContactForm/default.aspx

Mr. Elliot Joseph, President and CEO
ph: 860 545-2100; email: ejoseph [at] harthosp.org

Dr. Lenworth Jacobs, Director, Trauma Program/ATOM
ph: 860-545-3112; fax: 860-545-5132; email: ljacobs [at] harthosp.org

Erica Thompson, Coordinator, ATOM program
ph: 860-545-3766; email: ethomps [at] harthosp.org

Liz Pelletier, Animal Research Facility Manager/IACUC member
ph: 860-545-3164; email: epellet [at] harthosp.org

Dr. Laurine Bow, Director, Research Program
email: lbow [at] harthosp.org

===========================

EMAIL BLOCK: All emails found. Some contacts have no available email.

===========================

ejoseph [at] harthosp.org, ljacobs [at] harthosp.org, ethomps [at] harthosp.org, epellet [at] harthosp.org, lbow [at] harthosp.org

*Kinship Circle cannot guarantee validity of email addresses. During campaigns, recipients may change or disable their email addresses. Emails from government, corporate, or institute websites may be incorrect.

===========================

SAMPLE LETTER — This letter is prepared to inform you about the issue.
Try to shorten and personalize your letter before sending.

===========================

Dear Mr. Joseph, Drs. Jacobs and Bow, Ms. Pelletier and Ms. Thompson:

As an advocate of viable medical research and training, I am dismayed Hartford Hospital relies upon old-fashioned animal experimentation for its Advanced Trauma Operative Management (ATOM) course.

I understand Hartford Hospital, in collaboration with the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, oversees a 3-hour lab for which students pay $1,500 to injure adult pigs. The animals are stabbed in various organs of the abdomen and chest, including the bowel, bladder, kidney, diaphragm, liver, spleen and heart. Each month, five pigs undergo 14 different mutilations. After prolonged confinement, they either die during the drills or are destroyed at the end of the session.

U.S. Department of Agriculture documents show Hartford Hospital regularly holds more than 100 pigs for ATOM exercises, along with mice, dogs, guinea pigs, rabbits and sheep for use in other experiments.

Deliberately maiming pigs delays knowledge and squanders the state’s resources. Experimenters cannot replicate human conditions in animals with physiological, cellular, genetic and psychological attributes significantly different from our own.

Please join over 95% of American medical schools that do not use animals in surgical training. Most Advanced Trauma Life support courses have discarded live animal labs and the American College of Surgeons no longer recommends animal experimentation in its curriculum.

I urge you to use animal-free techniques with human-focused results — such as virtual reality simulators, hands-on physician mentoring, cadavers mechanically equipped to pump artificial blood through vessels and emulate live human surgery, etc.

Animal-free research supplies data relevant to humans. It deletes overhead to confine, feed, conduct autopsies, and dispose of laboratory animals. A New England Journal of Medicine report (2007) highlights the “very detailed feedback and…more subtle measurement of trainee performance” surgical students gain from use of virtual reality simulators. Furthermore, the article summarizes, inanimate models are “safe, reproducible, portable, readily available, and…cost-effective.”

Please terminate the use of live animals in surgical courses at Hartford Hospital. Animal labs not only numb students to pain and suffering, but also dissuade them from evolving with the most credible and proficient technologies available. Thank you for your valuable time and consideration.

Sincerely,

===========================

SOURCE OF INFORMATION / REFERENCE LINKS

===========================

Hartford Hospital is hell for animals
www.uchckillsmonkeys.com/harthosp.html

Justin Goodman, CONNECTICUT FOR ANIMALS
connecticutforanimals.blogspot.com
www.uchckillsmonkeys.com
justin_goodman [at] sbcglobal.net

*************************

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www.KinshipCircle.org * www.kinshipcircle.org/disasters/

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Action campaigns on animal cruelty issues worldwide
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Animal rescue coordination/news in disasters + companion animal alerts

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*DISCLAIMER: The information in these alerts is verified with the original source. Kinship Circle does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information or for the consequences of its use. Nothing in this email is intended to encourage illegal action in whatever country you are reading it in. Kinship Circle does not engage in, nor support, any form of harassment or unlawful activity. Nothing in this alert serves to promote such conduct.

————————-

Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare action alerts kinship circle brenda shoss animal experimentation animal research animal testing vivisection animal labs live animal labs pig pigs pig labs education hartford hospital hartford ct connecticut atom Advanced Trauma Operative Management University of Connecticut School of Medicine uconn

However, I did find the following press release on the WSPA’s website:

Animals that cyclone survivors depend on need help now

A veterinary team from the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) is on stand-by in Thailand awaiting entry authority to cyclone struck Myanmar to assess and then relieve the suffering of thousands of animals that human survivors depend on for food and their livelihoods.

WSPA is receiving daily updates from The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) while preparing its rapid assessment and response team.

Philip Russell MBE, WSPA’s Director of Disaster Management, said: “No one else, Governments, humanitarian NGOs or owners have the resources to care for these animals, most of which are owned by poor impoverished families. If those that survived die, so too will the livelihoods of thousands of people.”

He added that, as WSPA so often finds, when operating in emergencies many families will have or be in the process of selling off their remaining livestock at severely reduced prices to ensure some monetary value for immediate subsistence, mainly because they cannot now keep them alive.

WSPA, supported by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) will assess and respond to the needs of animals.

One way of helping to stop the spread of disease is to separate animals into temporary holding pens. Emergency feed will also be needed as it is unlikely that there is any food for surviving livestock in and around camps or spare hay of any type available in Myanmar. Any precious grass that is not ruined by the flood will be owned by individuals and not for sale.

Wet conditions, lowered immune systems, endemic disease such as Foot and Mouth and overcrowded camps create a highly disease prone and contagious environment. WSPA seek to advise government livestock veterinarians on the need for and how to deliver veterinary checks to enable preventative treatment in the form of antibiotics, vaccinations and de-worming.

“WSPA works to align animal welfare and humanitarian agendas to reduce poverty, hunger and disease in humans. Equally, by complimenting humanitarian efforts in this way we increase the number of animals we protect,” said Russell.

If you’d like to make a donation to help in these relief efforts, here are links to each of the three organizations’ disaster relief funds: WSPA, IFAW and the HSUS.

I tried searching for animal welfare/rescue groups based in Myanmar, but came up linkless. If anyone out there knows of a local group in need of aid, please let us know in the comments!

Additionally, CNN has a list of human relief organizations here.

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Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare action alerts wspa world society for the protection of animals natural disaster cyclone burma myanmar disaster relief animal rescue news in the news floods flooding

“For two years in a row, we’ve sustained a substantial loss. […] That’s an astonishing number. Imagine if one out of every three cows, or one out of every three chickens, were dying. That would raise a lot of alarm.”

Dude, I hate to be the one to break it to you, but somewhere upwards of 99.99999% of American cows and chickens are dying. To the rate of roughly 10 billion per year. To break it down even further, that’s about 9 billion chickens and 25 million cows. Per year. In America. America alone.

Dennis, you don’t even need to imagine such a thing. Look no further than your dinner plate.

(Crossposted from.)

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Tagged: animals animal rights animal welfare food meat bees cows chickens clueless