[Onthebarricades] Animal rights, welfare and conservation, part 2 of 2
Andy
ldxar1 at tesco.net
Thu Aug 28 21:08:00 PDT 2008
ON THE BARRICADES: Global Resistance Roundup, April-August 2008
https://lists.resist.ca/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/onthebarricades
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/globalresistance/
* TURKEY/GERMANY: Killing of street dogs protested
* US, Iowa: PETA plan naked protest
* US, New York: Protests to save airport cats
* CANADA: Victory for PETA campaign as KFC reforms
* CANADA: Europeans deported after seal hunt protest
* INDIA: PETA target KFC
* US: PETA promote vegetarianism with naked protest in Dayton
* US, Long Island: Shark fishing tournament protested
* US, California: Lab workers get home visits
* US: PETA protest over snakeskin harvesting
* US: PETA protest targets American Kennel Club
* US, Oregon: Protesters target last fur store in town
* UK: Rolf Harris racecourse appearance protested
* US, Texas, Delaware: Dog chaining protested
* SWITZERLAND/NEPAL: Protest at UN over monkey trade
* UK: Harrods hit by anti-fur protest
* SPAIN: Protesters target Pamplona bull run
* FRANCE: Mulesing protest at fashion event
* US, Hawaii: Army training on pigs protested
* UK: Vivisection firm's allies targeted
* EU: Protesters demand ban on seal imports
* AUSTRALIA: Protest against chicken farming
* LATVIA: Protest targets British embassy over bearskin helmets
* UK: Protests at HLS continue
* AUSTRALIA: Naked PETA protesters arrested
* US, Indiana: Puppy mills protested
* US, California: PETA targets circus
* AUSTRALIA: Celebrity in KFC protest
* BULGARIA: UK embassy targeted over bearskins
* UK: Protests continue at Novartis
* UK: Foie gras protest in Winchester
* CZECH REPUBLIC: Protest against chicken factory farming
* BELGIUM/MAURITIUS: Protest over export of monkeys
* US, Topeka: PETA targets KFC
* IRELAND: Protest against conference by animal abusers
* US: Man injured in sabotage action over death of whale
* US, Colorado: Protesters seek to save "pit bull" from execution
* US, Iowa: Protest over puppy mills targets pet store
* AUSTRALIA: Whale killed despite protests
* CANADA: "Chicken massacre" party cancelled after protests
* UK: HLS, Barclays, Novartis, AstraZeneca protested
* CHINA: US swimmer stages animal rights protest despite ban
* IRELAND: Dublin protest targets Novartis
http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=105378
Animal rights group protests in front of Turkish embassy
Saturday, May 24, 2008
ISTANBUL – TDN with wire dispatches
Turkey's mistreatment of street dogs was the subject of a protest in
Germany Thursday.
Members of animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of
Animals, or PETA, held a protest in front of the Turkish Embassy in Berlin.
The activists were protesting the killing by Turkish authorities of hundreds
of stray dogs in Turkey. The protestors, four women, had their bodies
painted in red and bore crescent and star stickers on their faces and
chests. Carrying photographs of dead stray dogs, the women opened a banner
that read, “Europe is watching you! Turkey, stop killing dogs!” and shouted
slogans. PETA Germany Spokeswoman Magdalena Schrek said Turkey was
violating the Animal Protection Law that was passed in 2004. She added they
had received information that stray dogs were left to starve and even
poisoned. Schrek said dogs' corpses were disposed of in junkyards in
Istanbul, which will become European Cultural Capital in 2010. She suggested
sterilization if reproduction of stray dogs wanted to be prevented. Most
recently, 15 stray dogs were found poisoned in the forested area of
Istanbul's Sarıyer district in February. The dogs were found and then cared
for by volunteers. All of the dogs were shot with poison using the same Blow
Pipe syringe device used mainly by municipalities as a way to “clean” the
city of unwanted dogs. Based in the United States, PETA has 1.8 million
members and supporters worldwide. PETA is best known for its highly visible,
often controversial campaigns. The “Lettuce Ladies,” young women dressed in
bikinis which appear to be made of lettuce, gather in city centers to hand
out leaflets about veganism. Every year the "Running of the Nudes" campaign
sees PETA activists run naked through Pamplona, Spain, parodying the annual
Running of the Bulls tradition. Supermodels such as Christy Turlington and
Naomi Campbell have posed naked on billboards with the slogan "I'd Rather Go
Naked than Wear Fur" emblazoned across their chests.
http://www.kcci.com/news/16490978/detail.html
PETA Plans Naked Downtown Protest
POSTED: 9:25 am CDT June 4, 2008
UPDATED: 2:20 pm CDT June 5, 2008
DES MOINES, Iowa -- PETA officials announced Wednesday they're planning a
"nearly naked" protest in downtown Des Moines on Thursday.
The "Meat is Murder" protest is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Nollen Plaza.
PETA officials said the protest will include nearly naked people lying on
large trays. The people will be covered in clear plastic wrap and signs
reading "Meat is Murder."
PETA officials said the protest is a response to the 20th annual World Pork
Expo happening this week at the State Fairgrounds.
"We are challenging people to really think about what 'meat' is," said PETA
Manager of Vegan Campaigns Lindsay Rajt, in a press release. "Eating flesh
means eating the corpse of a tortured animal who did not want to die. We're
encouraging kind consumers to give vegetarianism a try."
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/03/airport-cat-roundups-resume-as-do-protests/index.html?partner=BREITBART&ei=5123
June 3, 2008, 2:36 pm
Airport Cat Roundups Resume, as Do Protests
By Jennifer 8. Lee
Members of animal rescue groups demonstrated today outside the Port
Authority headquarters to prevent the trapping of feral cats at J.F.K.
Airport. (Photo: Hiroko Masuike for The New York Times)
After a hiatus of several months, the Port Authority of New York and New
Jersey has started to round up feral cats at Kennedy International Airport
again, drawing protests from animal advocacy groups.
The Humane Society, which had been in discussions with the agency since an
outcry stalled the practice last fall, said it was notified on Memorial Day
with a 9:30 a.m. phone call.
“We know they have trapped three cats already,” said Patrick Kwan, the New
York State director of the Humane Society of the United States.
In response, the society held a demonstration today in front of the Port
Authority’s offices near Union Square that drew more than 50 people. The
protesters chanted: “Don’t kill the cats at J.F.K.! Neuter the cats at
J.F.K.!”
“We resumed trapping,” Pasquale DiFulco, a spokesman for the Port Authority,
confirmed. The agency refused to comment further, instead releasing a
November 2007 letter [pdf] from the Federal Aviation Administration, which
regulates airports.
The letter was sent to the manager of Kennedy Airport by A. Harvey DeGraw,
manager of safety standards for the F.A.A., and states, “A feral cats colony
in the airport environment is not acceptable and needs to be removed prior
to an incident happening and not after the fact.”
It said that the airport’s certification manual and other policies go into
great detail on how wildlife is handled and treated on the airport:
Domestic animals are treated with care, returned to their owners or sent to
the local animal shelters whenever possible. Other procedures used to
control wildlife include harassment, capture or lethal control.
The letter also attaches a section of the code of federal airport
regulations dealing with wildlife hazard management [pdf], which states
plans must “provide measures to alleviate or eliminate wildlife hazards to
air carrier operations.”
Mr. Kwan, who was aware of the letter, said that if the goal is to eliminate
the feral cat colonies, rounding them up is not the most effective policy.
“There is no way they can capture and round up hundreds of cats,” he said.
“The animals are still going to breed.”
The feral cats are descendants from domesticated pets that may have escaped
or were intentionally released on the airport grounds. (Dozens of pets
escape every year coming in and out of the airport, including the still
missing purebred Vivi.)
“I think it’s incredibly short-sighted,” Jane Hoffman, the president and
chairwoman of the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals, said of the situation
at J.F.K. Airport. “We have a pretty innovative, accepted, and more
important, effective way to control and reduce feral cat population.”
Ms. Hoffman, who is a lawyer, has looked at the F.A.A. regulations on
wildlife and said: “I don’t think it really applies. Cats are not wildlife.”
Estimates put the current population of feral cats on the 5,000 acres of
J.F.K. Airport in the hundreds. Some cats sleep in makeshift cubicles made
of plastic packing containers nestled in cargo carts that once carried
transcontinental luggage but have been retired from the runways.
The Port Authority will probably end up juggling cat roundups — no, not that
kind of juggling — while focusing on limiting any increases through births
and new strays.
Many animal groups advocate a “Trap-Neuter-Return” program as the most
effective way of dealing with a feral cat colony, one that has apparently
reduced the population of feral cats at Rikers Island by half over five
years. The strategy involves trapping the cats in a colony, having them
neutered and vaccinated for rabies, then returning the ones that cannot be
adopted to their original territory. Caretakers monitor the colony to remove
any new cats.
“It would leave some of the cats there,” Mr. Kwan said, “and as part of the
program it would remove kittens and new animals as they join the colony.”
In contrast, trying to capture feral cats is a Sisyphean venture. “They’ve
only trapped three cats so far in a week,” Mr. Kwan said. “We’re talking
about hundreds of cats. These cats are going to continue breeding until
someone spays and neuters the animals.”
Animal advocates point out that spaying and releasing is also more humane in
another way. Capturing cats and putting the feral cats into the overwhelmed
animal shelter system is tantamount to death.
“Feral cats cannot be adopted out,” Mr. Kwan said.
So, the animals end up being killed.
http://www.wtkr.com/global/story.asp?s=8417171
PETA Ends Protest Of KFC
Posted: June 3, 2008 04:10 PM
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has ended
its protest campaign against KFC in Canada, which pledged to improve
treatment of chickens purchased for its restaurants. Norfolk-based PETA
said it stopped its five-year campaign this week because KFC Canada plans to
buy from suppliers that slaughter chickens by removing oxygen from their
atmosphere so they die painlessly, rather than slitting their throats. KFC
Canada also will add a vegan option to its menu. KFC Canada President Steve
Langford said in a statement that ethical treatment of chickens is important
to the company. PETA will continue its campaign against KFC outside Canada.
It is calling on KFC's parent company in the United States, Yum Brands, to
make the same changes.
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=657f1d2a-6583-4662-a6a8-41dcbff906a0
Nova Scotia. European seal hunt protesters to be deported
Canwest News Service
Published: Thursday, April 17, 2008
Two European seal hunt protesters will be deported to their home countries
tomorrow after being arrested earlier this week and jailed for allegedly
getting too close to the seal hunt in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, one of the
protesters said yesterday. "I'm still a bit shocked by the whole sort of
ordeal," said Peter Hammarstedt, 23, the first officer of the anti-sealing
vessel, the Farley Mowat. "Once again, the thing we're being accused of
doing is allegedly being within a half a nautical mile of someone skinning a
seal alive and for that Canada deports us." Mr. Hammarstedt is a Swedish
national and Alexander Cornelissen, of Amsterdam, is the captain of the
Farley Mowat. Last week, the ship was carrying 17 members of the Sea
Shepherd Conservation Society. The group, whose head office is in
Washington, D.C., maintains it was in international waters legally observing
Canada's seal hunt. The Dutch-registered ship remains docked in Sydney, in
the possession of the Canadian government.
http://story.indiagazette.com/index.php/ct/9/cid/701ee96610c884a6/id/370186/cs/1/
Animal welfare body protests at fast food outlet
India Gazette
Thursday 12th June, 2008
(IANS)
The People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Thursday protested
against slaughtering and serving of chicken at the Kentucky Fried Chicken
outlet in Chennai City Center at Mylapore.
Demanding strict observance of animal welfare norms at KFC outlets across
India, PETA activists wore skeleton costumes and held signs that read: 'I'd
rather be dead than eat KFC.'
PETA members distributed leaflets highlighting KFC's cruelty against
chickens in India.
The Chennai protest is one of over 12,000 PETA protests that have taken
place at KFC restaurants around the world since January 2003. PETA mounted a
similar protest in Chennai in March 2007.
Chennai has two KFC outlets while it has about 30 restaurants in eight
cities across India.
http://story.indiagazette.com/index.php/ct/9/cid/701ee96610c884a6/id/383365/cs/1/
Two PETA activists protest but express ignorance about cause
India Gazette
Thursday 17th July, 2008
(IANS)
Two activists of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) held
a protest outside a Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) restaurant here but
expressed ignorance about the cause and said they 'do not know much about
the campaign'.
The 15-minute protest was carried out by two Chandigarh-based girls, who
were clad in heart shaped banners that read 'KFC breaks chicks' hearts'.
The girls, who appeared nervous, said they were the cousins of one of the
coordinator and do not know much about the campaign.
They slipped away from the venue when reporters tried to ask some questions,
leaving their banners behind in the parking area in front of the KFC
restaurant.
'We have enough proof in the form of video footage against KFC, showing
their workers kicking, throwing and giving terrifying deaths to chickens.
They inject steroids in chicken's body to grow it large that cripples the
chicken due to its heavy weight,' Tajinder Singh, campaign coordinator of
PETA, told IANS.
'We have demonstrated all over the country protesting against the KFC's
chain and are also preaching the message among the masses to go vegetarian,'
he said.
However, he kept quite when asked about the whereabouts of the girls whom he
earlier introduced as PETA activists from the region.
http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/oh/story/news/local/2008/06/12/ddn061208petaweb.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=16
Nearly naked PETA protest scheduled for today
Thursday, June 12, 2008
DAYTON — PETA protestors plan to lie nearly naked on large trays and covered
with clear plastic in downtown Dayton today, June 12 to protest the meat
industry and encourage people to become vegetarians.
The protestors plan to show up at Third and Main streets at noon to
"demonstrate that all animals—not just humans—are made of flesh, blood, and
bone; that humans and other animals have the same senses and range of
emotions; and that eating meat is eating a corpse."
Extras
"We are challenging people to really think about what meat is," says PETA
Manager of Vegan Campaigns Lindsay Rajt. "Eating flesh means eating the
corpse of a tortured animal who did not want to die. We're encouraging kind
consumers to give vegetarianism a try."
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/06/12/america/NA-GEN-US-Shark-Fishing.php
Despite animal rights protests, shark fishing tournaments thrive on eastern
Long Island
The Associated Press
Published: June 12, 2008
GARDEN CITY, New York: More than 100 miles (160 kilometers) east of
Manhattan, out past the Hamptons, sits a tiny village where thousands
converge at the docks on summer evenings to ogle at and revere the massive
creatures brought back from the sea.
Montauk remains an epicenter for shark fishing tournaments, a half-century
after legendary shark hunter Frank Mundus practically invented the sport and
became the inspiration for the Captain Quint character in the movie "Jaws."
Despite protests from animal advocacy groups that decry the events as
inhumane, the tournaments are thriving. For the first time, this weekend's
Star Island Yacht Club tournament boasts US$1 million in prizes. And Mundus,
who retired to Hawaii nearly two decades ago, promises to attend the event,
signing his books and selling souvenirs.
But protesters will also be there, along with airplanes flying overhead with
anti-shark fishing banners trailing behind. Similar complaints echo at shark
tournaments around the country.
William Crain of the East Hampton Group for the Wildlife denounces what he
calls "glorifying the killing of sharks. ... I don't like to see any animal
abused or suffer needlessly. There is no reason to kill sharks."
John Grandy, senior vice president of wildlife programs for Humane Society
of the United States, said: "It is time for a change in the way we view
sharks and their protection."
Rich Janis, general manager of the Star Island Yacht Club, contends the
protests are unwarranted. Federal fishing regulations limit the daily catch
to one shark per boat, and minimum weight requirements call for many of the
sharks to be thrown back because they are too small.
Last year's Star Island tournament had 244 boats contending for US$715,000
in prize money over two days, Janis said. In the end, only 44 sharks were
brought into the docks, while 325 were caught and released.
Janis said 1,200 pounds (545 kilograms) of shark meat was donated to the
Long Island Council of Churches to supply its local food pantry programs.
The Rev. Thomas W. Goodhue, executive director of the council of churches,
said he has been urged by animal rights groups to reject the donations but
said no. Another Long Island food bank agreed not to accept shark meat after
being contacted by the Humane Society.
"Telling us 'don't accept free food' is a tough issue," Goodhue said.
Locals also brush aside the protests by pointing out that shark fishing is a
rich part of Montauk's history.
"I don't think there's much to (the protests)," said Stret Whitting,
president of the Montauk Boatmen & Captain's Association. "I've never seen
more than a handful of people out there protesting."
Whitting first came to Montauk with friends in the 1960s and encountered
Mundus, the legendary shark hunter. He hired Mundus to take him shark
fishing several times and was hooked.
"Mundus was the guy that started it, and this was before 'Jaws,'" Whitting
recalled. "He was the guy that got it going and made it popular."
When he retired in 2002, Whitting and his wife moved to Long Island's
eastern tip, where he now captains his own charter boat.
"God put these creatures on the Earth for man to eat; not to be abused, but
to eat," he said. "I think fishermen and hunters are probably the most
conservation-minded people you will meet."
Star Island may be the biggest shark tournament in Montauk, but it's hardly
the only one. Many weekends throughout the summer feature tournaments run by
various organizations.
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/06/400893.html
Protests at animal-lab workers' homes, Berkeley
Animal Liberation Press Office | 12.06.2008 01:04 | Animal Liberation |
World
Officials have been trying to keep it quiet, but 24 UC Berkeley researchers
and seven staffers have been harassed by animal rights activists in recent
months, in some cases having their homes or cars vandalized.
"What they all have in common is that they all work in animal research," UC
Berkeley spokesman Robert Sanders said of the targeted employees. In several
instances, the activists have shown up outside researchers' homes in the
middle of the night with bullhorns and chanting, "Animal killers." Sometimes
they have scrawled slogans on the sidewalk in chalk.
On more than one occasion, rocks have been thrown through the researchers'
windows and their cars have been scratched up. "Sometimes (the activists) go
up to the door," Sanders said...
According to UC, there have been 20 reports of damage to researchers' homes
in Berkeley, Oakland and El Cerrito since August, including seven broken
house windows and three vandalized cars.Thirteen researchers have been
harassed on more than one occasion, authorities said. One researcher, who
studies how cat brains work for epilepsy research, has reported seven
incidents at his home.
No specific group has been identified as being behind the harassment. The
actions appear to be coordinated through an animal rights Web site that
includes photos of researchers, descriptions and photos of their
experiments, plus their home addresses and phone numbers - along with the
disclaimer, "Please keep communications with the individuals legal and
nonthreatening."
However, it doesn't appear that activists are always following those
instructions.
"As you can imagine," he added, "some of these faculty members are pretty
freaked out."
By the time the cops show up, the protesters are usually gone. As a result,
there have been no arrests - only an occasional citation issued for
disturbing the peace.
Officials have been trying to keep the protests quiet, in part out of
concern that publicity will only cause more incidents and an escalation in
violence. At UCLA, animal rights protests have included attempted
firebombings and one instance in which a researcher's home was flooded with
a garden hose.
Looking at the numbers, it's pretty clear that keeping things quiet in the
press hasn't toned down the protesters much.
Animal Liberation Press Office
Homepage: http://animalliberationpressoffice.org
The article above sounds as if it was written by a vivisector
At UC Berkeley primates have been held without water in restraining chairs.
At UC Davis, public outrage ended the breeding of primates at the San Diego
Zoo
for lives of hell upstate.
At UCLA vivisection continues as well
Under the guise of helping tsunami victims, UC Davis vets were in India
scouting for primates
Hanuman Shakti
Homepage: http://www.worldanimalnet.org
http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/257201/Protesters_for_Animal_Rights_Bite_Back_at_Researchers
Protesters for Animal Rights Bite Back at Researchers
Posted Jul 9, 2008 by Kathryn Reynolds in Politics
In the hills behind California’s Berkeley campus, nine protesters, with
their head covered, gathered in front of the home of a toxicology professor.
One placed a bullhorn to his lips and announced; “Your neighbour kills
animals,” while another one printed “Killer” on the front steps. Someone
else threw an object shattering a window, along with other insults.
Animal Rights Activists are taking their rage right to the front doors of
the scientists.
Over the past two years more and more researchers, who experiment on
animals, have been terrorized in their homes with weapons, including
fire-bombs, flooding and acid. The scientists say the intimidation not only
affects them, but their families as well. They have also stated that the
future of medical research, especially in the fields of addiction, eye-sight
and the aging brain could be in jeopardy. “It used to be everyone was
worried about their laboratories being broken into, their data being
destroyed and their animals taken away,” said Jeffery Kordower, head of the
Neuroscience Animal Research Committee. “What they’ve decided to do now is
make things more personal.”
In an interview with The Associated Press, Dr. Jerry Viasak representing the
Animal Liberation Front said he is not encouraging anyone to commit murder,
but “if you had to hurt someone, intimidate or kill them, it would be
morally justifiable.”
Biomedical Research (Washington based) claims researchers were harassed or
victimized more than seventy times in 2003, up ten times from the year
before. The number of attacks continues to rise, as stated in the Desert
Dispatch (AP) July 8, 2008. Activists say the rise in attacks are due to
their frustration and desperation that the non-violent attempts have failed
to stop the needless torture and killing of defenceless animals. During one
two-year long onslaught, a UCLA scientist informed protesters that he had
stopped doing research involving animals. In an e-mail to the protesters
group responsible, Dario Ringach wrote; “Effective immediately, I am no
longer doing animal research, please don’t bother me anymore.”
Jacob Black, an organizer of the home attacks of UC Berkeley Researchers
sums it up; “Animals have as much right to live as we do. To name and to
shame these people as morally bankrupt individuals in our society is key.”
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/jun/10/peta-mounts-slithering-protest-st-pete-pier/?news-breaking
PETA Mounts Slithering Protest At St. Pete Pier
Tribune photo by CHRIS URSO
PETA Campaigner Cassandra Curbelo wipes Christine Perry's face as she lies
on the Pier in St. Petersburg in snake-like body paint. PETA staged a
protest along the pier to bring attention to the way snake skins are
harvested.
http://www.peta.org/mc/NewsItem.asp?id=11510
PETA Protest Likens American Kennel Club to KKK
Breeding 'Pure' Bloodlines and Master Pedigrees While Pound Pups Die Makes
the AKC a Ku Klux Klan for Dogs
For Immediate Release:
June 6, 2008
Contact:
Melissa Karpel 757-622-7382
Quincy, Mass. - Holding signs that read, "The AKC is the KKK for Animals,"
PETA members will protest in Quincy on Sunday outside a meeting of delegates
and directors of the American Kennel Club (AKC). PETA's point? It's cruel
and irresponsible to promote bloodline dog breeding and spur interest in
"purebreds" while animal shelters overflow with unwanted mutts who are dying
for lack of good homes. Protestors will show video from a PETA TV spot that
shows a KKK member making himself right at home at an AKC meeting. (Click
here to view.) The ad has aired in various cities, coinciding with
AKC-sponsored dog shows:
Date: Sunday, June 8
Time: 12 noon-1 p.m.
Place: Boston Marriott Quincy, 1200 Marriott Dr., Quincy
For every dog or cat purchased from a breeder or a pet store, an animal
awaiting adoption in an animal shelter loses his or her chance of finding a
loving home. And because breeders and pet stores almost never require that
the animals that they sell be sterilized, many of those animals will have
litters of their own--creating even more unwanted animals. Nearly 8 million
animals--many of them purebreds--are abandoned at animal shelters every year
in the U.S., and about 4 million of them must be euthanized for lack of good
homes. The AKC not only promotes breeding but also vigorously opposes
lifesaving spay-and-neuter legislation designed to combat the animal
overpopulation crisis and reduce euthanasia rates.
"When it comes to contempt for 'mixed breeds' and an obsession with 'pure
bloodlines,' the KKK and the AKC have a lot in common," says PETA Vice
President Daphna Nachminovitch. "All dogs should be created equal, yet
millions of wonderful dogs in animal shelters across the country are paying
with their lives because of purebred supremacy."
http://blog.oregonlive.com/breakingnews/2008/06/schumachers_gone_activists_tar.html
Protesters target the last downtown Portland fur shop
Posted by Joseph Rose, The Oregonian June 06, 2008 08:43AM
Categories: Breaking News, Portland
Joel Davis/The OregonianA scene from one of the intense Saturday protests
that ended with Schumacher Furs and Outwear shuttering its downtown Portland
business.
With Schumacher Furs and Outwear gone, animal-rights activists now say they
are working to drive downtown Portland's last remaining fur salon out of
business.
Saturday protests led by a fledgling group called the Portland Animal
Defense League outside Nicholas Ungar Furs at 1137 S.W. Yamhill St. have
intensified in recent weeks. The next one is scheduled for 10:30 a.m.
tomorrow.
And unlike the rancorous 15-month campaign against Schumacher's, which
activists insisted was about education and outreach, the group says the
prime objective this time is ridding downtown of "an outdated industry."
"Basically 20 years ago, there were about 20 full-service fur salons," said
Tim Fox, an Animal Defense League spokesman. "Now downtown Portland only has
one left. As the public learns the truth about the cruelty of the fur
industry, I think most people will want them out too."
Unlike Greg and Linda Schumacher, who were eager to confront the protestors
and talk to the press about what they saw as an unfair attack on their
business on Southwest Morrison Street, Ungar Furs owner Horst Grimm declined
to comment. Someone calling himself only "the manager" said, "Our general
policy is not to make comments."
Sgt. Brian Schmautz, a Portland police spokesman, said the protests have yet
to generate a single disturbance complaint that he knew of. "No one has come
up to me and said this a problem," Schmautz said, noting that the
Schumachers' aggressive reaction to demonstrators outside their store led to
much of the tension there.
Among other things, demonstrators say they're protesting what they claim is
Ungar's practice of selling fur from animals that have been gassed, anally
electrocuted, had their necks snapped and have been skinned in inhumane
ways.
Fox also contends that the store has in the past sold illicit animal pelts.
As proof, he cites the $40,000 fine that Nicholas Ungar Furs paid to the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2005 for allegedly selling coats and other
items made from endangered or banned species, such as Alaska seals, jaguars
and leopards.
Animal-rights activists have aggressively targeted the fur industry in
recent years, arguing that animals suffer solely for nothing more than
vanity of the rich. Although they have concerns with the meat industry's
practices, many say those animals are raised and killed for food rather than
just for their pelts.
Since last winter, the protests outside Nicholas Ungar Furs with signs,
chants and at least one heated exchange with Grimm has grown from a handful
of demonstrators to up to a few dozen every weekend.
The store was closed for the Memorial Day weekend last weekend. But a group
still showed up to write "educational messages" on the sidewalk in chalk. A
message on Portland's Indymedia site read: "The animals used for Ungar's
unethical products do not get holidays off, and Ungar Furs will not get any
Saturdays off."
At the same time, In Defense of Animals, one of the driving forces in the
epic Schumacher's face-off, has decided to sit out this one.
Matt Rossell, spokesman for In Defense of Animals, said he doesn't agree
with the new protest's ultimate drive-'em-out-of-business mission. "Our goal
was never to shut down Schumacher's," Rossell said. "We're watching what's
happening, but we felt a lot of education has already been accomplished
because of the Schumacher protests. A lot of people in Portland have formed
their opinions one way or another."
He also said Ungar Fur's location, away from most of downtown's shopping and
heavy foot traffic, "isn't as advantageous" as Schumacher's. After the
Schumacher's protests, Rossell said he intended to "create a dialogue" with
Nicholas Ungar Furs. The store wasn't interested.
Rossell said the people gathering outside of Ungar Furs are an off-shot of
the always-loud, sometimes-massive rallies at Schumacher's.
Fox agrees that his group was born from that experience. When those
demonstrations ended with the shuttering of Schumacher's, Fox said the
natural question for many activists was, "What next?"
"We felt there was a momentum coming out of Schumacher's," he said. "We
wanted to take advantage of that."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/7439844.stm
Friday, 6 June 2008 12:48 UK
Rolf faces animal rights protest
Rolf Harris has fronted several animal-themed television shows
Animal rights activists plan to protest against the appearance of
entertainer Rolf Harris at a Bath racecourse event.
The artist and TV presenter is to sing some of his hits at an Aussie beach
party after Friday's racing.
Animal Aid claims the host of the BBC's Animal Hospital show should not be
endorsing horse racing, which they described as "ruthless and exploitive".
Racecourse manager John Williams said: "The Rolf Harris element is going to
be entertainment as opposed to the sport."
Harris, who has fronted several animal-themed TV shows, will be performing
for an hour after the racing.
Safety record
A Bath Animal Aid spokeswoman said: "Rolf Harris has spoken out in favour of
animal welfare on numerous occasions.
"Animal Aid realises that it is difficult for Rolf to cancel engagements,
but hopes that the peaceful protest at the racecourse will highlight for
Rolf - and the considerable crowd he will draw by his appearance - that
racing is a ruthless and exploitative industry."
Mr Williams defended the course's safety record and said the entertainer
would not be involved in the racing at all.
"We've had evenings like this before," he said.
"The Wurzels have entertained after the racing and the same will be with
Rolf Harris on Friday night.
"So we were quite surprised the link was made in the first place, it
certainly wasn't one we thought of when we decided to put the event on."
A spokeswoman for Harris said she expected the show would go on, regardless
of the protest.
http://www.news8austin.com/content/top_stories/default.asp?ArID=213010
Nonprofit group protests chaining of dogs
6/29/2008 5:57 PM
By: News 8 Austin Staff
Protesters chain themselves to a fence Sunday.
A national nonprofit group put itself in the doghouse Sunday.
Members chained themselves up at the State Capitol.
The organization, Dogs Deserve Better, organized a nationwide protest to
raise awareness about the cruelty of chaining dogs 24 hours a day.
Volunteers said they now know what it feels like to be a dog chained up for
long periods of time.
"People just walk by you and they ignore you. It's like you don't even exist
and I can only imagine how a chained dog in a back yard feels," protester
Cheryl Kaminski said.
The group is in its sixth year of protesting the chaining of animals. Texas
is one of two states that set time limits on chaining.
The group said the City of Austin does well by banning the practice
altogether.
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080629/NEWS/806290358/1006/NEWS
Pair chain selves to doghouses in protest
Campaign seeks to halt all-day restraint of pets
By AMOS MORALE • The News Journal • June 29, 2008
The 27-year-old New Castle resident and her friend Chris Cattie, 30, of
Smyrna, are linked to the business on Delaware Avenue in Wilmington that
specializes in healthy dog treats.
In fact, they're chained to doghouses in front of it.
Callahan and Cattie are spending 24 hours chained to the houses as part of
Chain Off 2008, a national effort to draw attention to what organizers
consider the cruelty of chaining dogs outside.
"People who chain dogs outside for an hour or so, because they don't have a
fenced in yard, that's fine. They come back in, they are part of the
family," Callahan said. "We are targeting people who chain their dogs
outside 24/7."
She said Mason was rescued from a chain and has lived with her for a little
more than a week. The dog is still startled by normal household activity,
she said.
To draw additional attention to their cause, Callahan is wearing the collar
of a dog named Echo, who was rescued after two years of being chained.
Cattie is wearing the collar of Max, one of his three dogs.
Though none of his dogs was rescued from a chain, Cattie said he has
witnessed the effects through A Buddy For Life Inc., the organization
sponsoring the event.
"It just breaks your heart when you see it," Cattie said.
Chained dogs often are not fed enough and lack the social skills that normal
dogs gain from interaction with people, he said.
Callahan said that even though other animals live outside in nature, dogs
should live inside.
"We have domesticated dogs. We have made them a member of the family," she
said. "There is no reason a dog needs to live outside, void of any
companionship, any socialization, because we have domesticated them. It is
our responsibility, since we domesticated them, to take care of them
properly."
Crystal Litteral, 32, of New Castle, and president of A Buddy For Life, said
she hopes the event will make people consider bringing their dogs inside.
"Even if one person does it, that is worth it to me," she said.
Litteral did not chain herself but is instead caring for Callahan's dogs.
Callahan said she decided to chain herself for 24 hours because it was the
most time allowed under the event guidelines.
During that time, food and water is being provided for them. They are
allowed off the chains only for restroom visits.
"Tomorrow there will be an end for me," Callahan said. "There won't be an
end for them."
http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2008/jun/jun26/news03.php
Protests at UN against monkey business
A group of international campaigners against the breeding of Nepali monkeys
for primate research reached the United Nations this week for protests.
A protestor at the UN headquarters in Geneva to protest the export of
Nepalese rhesus monkeys to US research labs. Photo courtesy: SMB Coalition.
A group of protesters visited the UN headquarters in Geneva, as well as the
Nepali embassy in Switzerland to express their protest.
In Switzerland the campaigners against the export of Nepali monkeys to US
research centres were joined by over twenty protesters. The group included a
'monkey' holding a placard reading "Stop all this Monkey Business Right
Now!"
According to campaigners, the Nepali envoy said he could hardly believe his
country would export sacred monkeys and promised to send a letter to Nepal
government on the issue.
The campaign against the trade of Nepali rhesus monkeys for research is
growing, with protests across Europe. The demonstrators have vowed to
continue their protests until Nepal cancels the monkey breeding licenses.
The licenses were issued after the government passed a controversial
wildlife breeding act in 2003. In Europe, demonstrations have been held in
Holland, Belgium, France, Switzerland and the UK.
Some groups have call for a tourism ban until the Nepal government changes
its policies on sale of monkeys. nepalnews.com ia June 26 08
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/06/401703.html
Anti-fur protest for Harrods Summer Sale opening
CAFT | 22.06.2008 17:46 | Animal Liberation | Ecology | London
Monday 30th June, from 8am to 9am
Morning protest at the Harrods Summer Sale Opening
Knightsbridge, London SW1
Last year's Summer Sale opening with Sarah Michelle Gellar
Next Monday 30th June, 9am, sees the opening of the Harrods Summer Sale, one
of the three big events of the year for the only department store in the
country which continues to sell real fur. With just a week to go, Harrods is
yet to announce which celebrity has been given the dubious honour of cutting
the ribbon and being personally greeted by the store's owner, we'll put a
contact alert out when we know. We have been informed that at least one
famous celebrity has refused to open the sale because of the fur campaign,
and another for unknown reasons.
Some of you will remember the very successful protest from last year's
Summer Sale Opening on July 2nd, where the guest was American actress Sarah
Michelle Gellar (from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series) see picture
above, which appeared on the BBC website. We managed to get across a very
strong anti-fur message to the media who are always there in large numbers.
We repeated the success at the Winter Sale opening in December when Lily
Allen was the guest, and recently when Victoria Beckham launched one of her
products at the store.
Indeed so sensitive are Harrods about this event, that they recently went
back to the High Court for a variation of the injunction which they were
granted over two years ago to regulate fur protests at the store. The High
Court hearing lasted a whole day, and almost all of it was taken up with
arguments by Harrods' lawyers about the conduct of the protest at the Summer
Sale opening on 30th June. Although there were some restrictions imposed,
for this event only, the court accepted our right to be present at the event
and to be visible to the public and the media. If you are planning to
attend, it may be worth contacting us at london at caft.org.uk for an
explanation and how this will affect the protest.
This is a great opportunity to get the anti-fur message to a huge audience
and to remind Harrods that the campaign will continue as long as they
continue to sell fur. We'll be gathering from before 8am, but please turn up
any time between then and 9am, when the opening ceremony takes place.
Harrods is the only UK department store still selling fur, among the fur
seen on sale at the store are garments made from beavers, chinchillas, red
and arctic foxes, mink, muskrats, rabbits, wolves, coyotes and squirrels.
Whether or not you can make the protest, please take time to contact Harrods
by phone, email and/or fax to request they stop selling fur.
Address and contact details for Harrods.
Harrods Ltd 87-135 Brompton Road
Knightsbridge London SW1X 7XL
Telephone 020 7730 1234
Fax 020 7581 0470
customer.services at harrods.com
To get to Harrods, take the tube to Knightsbridge (Picadilly Line), look for
exit marked Brompton Rd/Harrods. The protest is planned for door number 5.
CAFT
e-mail: london at caft.org.uk
Homepage: http://caft.org.uk/harrods/harrods.htm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jul/06/spain?gusrc=rss&feed=worldnews
Spanish animal protesters target bull run in Pamplona
Graham Keeley in Madrid
The Observer,
Sunday July 6 2008
Article history
Campaigners against bullfighting are planning to step up activities in an
effort to mobilise the majority of Spaniards who claim to have no interest
in the sport.
The annual running of the bulls begins in Pamplona today and is certain to
attract thousands of tourists from around the world, though a recent poll
for Gallup in 2006 found that 72 per cent of Spaniards have no interest in
bullfights. In the past the festival of San Fermín has attracted nude
protests from activists. But within Spain a radical wing of the
anti-bullfighting movement has begun to stage more confrontational
demonstrations in the hope of gaining a higher profile.
Two groups, Equanimal and Igualidad Animal, have invaded Spanish bullrings
for the first time, in a new tactic that they intend to repeat throughout
the bull-fighting season. Previous protests have been limited to
placard-waving outside the bullrings.
Demonstrators invaded the ring at Madrid's prestigious Las Ventas during the
Festival of San Isidro, the biggest date on the bullfighting calendar. At
the El Monumental ring in Barcelona last month four protesters carrying
signs saying 'Abolition' jumped over the perimeter wall to get into the ring
after the bull was killed. Igualidad Animal supporters claimed they were
attacked by workers at the ring before police and security could intervene.
San Fermín in Pamplona, which runs until 14 July, attracts hundreds of
willing 'runners' from across the world, many inspired by Hemingway's book
The Sun Also Rises, which is largely responsible for its fame. After the
bulls run through the narrow streets of Pamplona, they face the matador in
the ring.
Anti-bullfighting campaigners claim invading bullrings will not lead to
violent clashes and damage their cause. Jordi Casamitjana, of the
Anti-Bullfighting Committee, said: 'I don't think this is heading towards
extremism. It is still non-violent. If you said to Gandhi that he could not
stage his protests, where would we be today? This helps keep people aware of
this cruelty.'
But Luis Corrales, director of the pro-bullfighting Platform for the Defence
of the National Festival, said: 'If they want to make a point to society
about bullfighting that is up to them, and we have no problem with that. But
invading the bullring is pure provocation.'
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/07/05/2295363.htm
Mulesing protesters target Paris fashion bash
Posted Sat Jul 5, 2008 12:11pm AEST
PETA has launched another protest against mulesing (ABC: File photo)
Outside a major wool awards ceremony in one of the most fashionable cities
in the world, angry animal rights protesters waved posters of lambs with
bloodied backsides to get a point across to the wool and fashion industries.
Animal rights group PETA (the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals)
attempted to upstage the major wool industry promotion night in Paris as the
peak industry group, Australian Wool Innovation (AWI), launched a new
fashion industry award to promote its Woolmark brand.
However the fashionistas that were at the event seemed uninterested in the
small but vocal protest.
"This is Australia's shame," one protester said. "We want people in the
fashion industry to understand the cruelty involved with the Australian wool
industry."
International designers were in the French capital to help celebrate the new
$400,000 Woolmark prize, which recognises an emerging designer using merino
wool.
But where wool travels, so does the radical animals rights group PETA.
It is continuing to campaign against the practice of mulesing sheep, where
skin is stripped from the backside of a lamb to reduce any chance of death
by blowfly strike.
Fashion editor of Vogue China Gabriele Hackworthy says mulesing is not on
their radar.
"I understand it's very controversial at the moment, but I don't' know that
much about it," she said.
"I think fur is more of a focus for protesters and the fashion industry.
Mulesing - I haven't noticed any protesters at shows or any fashion events."
Pascal Senkoff from the wool industry group AWI says the issue of mulesing
has not infiltrated the European fashion world.
"To be honest I don't want to disregard that but in Paris, in the fashion
world it doesn't have a big impact," he said.
"I've been in that business for the past 10 years now, and of course most
people in Paris do not know what PETA is or what mulesing is."
But vice-president of PETA Bruce Friedrich says that will not stop its
protests.
He says the wool industry should be doing much more before its 2010 deadline
to stop mulesing.
"They could eliminate mulesing now, if they simply were cleaner - if they
had better animal husbandry," he said.
"I know taking the equivalent of garden shears and slicing the rear ends off
of living animals, they feel that pain in exactly the same way you would
feel that pain or I would feel that pain and it's not acceptable."
Mulesing alternatives
PETA says it is also fighting the wool industry's golden alternative to
mulesing - a biodegradable clip that mimics the mulesing process but does
not create an open wound.
It is part of AWI's $10 million investment of wool growers' money to find an
alterative to mulesing.
But Mr Friedrich says it has not passed the welfare test.
"Right now the AWI is putting most of its money into the clips, which is
still mulesing," he said.
"It is still animal mutilation and according to veterinarians and animal
scientists, it's extremely cruel and extremely painful to the animals.
"The clips are just another form of mulesing."
Back home in Australia, AWI's chairman Brian van Rooyen says that is just
not true.
"That is absolute rubbish," he said. "They haven't seen or done any
scientific research in this area.
"We have got the science here and we will be releasing this data in the next
couple of weeks.
"I've actually seen someone put a clip on the skin on their arm, and there's
none of that sort of pain that PETA are talking about.
"Quite frankly it's really disappointing when there is a innovative new
technique with minimal pain associated with it, to try and improve the
animal welfare of sheep and resist the blowfly strike situation."
http://www.kentucky.com/216/story/465633.html
Army shoots, treats pigs despite protest by PETA
By Jaymes Song
Associated Press
HONOLULU — The Army says it's critical to saving the lives of wounded
soldiers. Animal-rights activists call the training cruel and outdated.
Despite opposition by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, the Army
shot live pigs and treated their gunshot wounds in a medical trauma exercise
Friday at Schofield Barracks for soldiers headed to Iraq.
Maj. Derrick Cheng, spokesman for the 25th Infantry Division, said the
training was conducted under a U.S. Department of Agriculture license and
the careful supervision of veterinarians and a military Animal Care and Use
Committee.
”It's to teach Army personnel how to manage critically injured patients
within the first few hours of their injury,“ Cheng said.
The soldiers are learning emergency lifesaving skills needed on the
battlefield when there are no medics, doctors or facilities nearby, he said.
PETA, however, said more advanced and humane options are available,
including high-tech human simulators. In a letter, PETA urged the Army to
end all use of animals, ”as the overwhelming majority of North American
medical schools have already done.“
”Shooting and maiming pigs is outdated as Civil War rifles,“ said Kathy
Guillermo, director of PETA's Laboratory Investigations Department.
The Norfolk, Va.-based group demanded the exercise be halted after it was
notified by a ”distraught“ soldier from the unit, who disclosed a plan to
shoot the animals with M4 carbines and M16 rifles.
”There's absolutely no reason why they have to shoot live pigs,“ PETA
spokeswoman Holly Beal said.
The bloody exercise, she said, is difficult for soldiers because they
sometimes associate the animals with their own pets.
Cheng said the exercise is conducted in a controlled environment with the
pigs anesthetized the entire time. He had ”no doubt whatsoever“ in the
effectiveness of the instruction, which he called the best option available
at the base.
”Those alternative methods just can't replicate what the troops are going to
face when we use live-tissue training,“ he said. ”What we're doing is unique
to what the soldiers are going to actually experience.“
Cheng didn't have details about the number of pigs, how they were acquired
or the weapons involved in the training.
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/07/404214.html
HLS Financial Allies & AstraZeneca Protests in London
SHAC London | 20.07.2008 00:18 | Animal Liberation | Health | London
On the back of the brilliant news that Raymond James (Eagle Asset
Management) had sold their 500,000 odd shares in HLS, the day started with a
letter from them confirming this. This was a fantastic result after only
approximately 2 weeks and 5 demonstrations. HLS's shareholders predominantly
exist solely in the United States, so shareholder targets in the UK are few
and far between. However, just 5 minute walk from Raymond James is Old
Mutual, of 2 Lambeth Hill. Old Mutual own a company called Acadian Asset
Management who have about 15,000 shares in HLS.
With about 18 of us, we arrived at Old Mutual. We hadn't demonstrated for
more than about 5 minutes before a couple of members of SHAC were invited
into the building to talk about why we were there. A most welcome change
from almost all the other companies who generally order more security to
prevent a dialogue taking place. Obviously Old Mutual are a bit wiser and
haven't been coerced by the mass media into thinking we're unreasonable
people. After a constructive talk with a couple of senior members of staff,
we explained what we wanted (them to sell HLS shares) and explained that the
demonstrations would continue until they do. The tone of the whole
conversation was very positive though and it would not be a surprise if
these shares were sold in the near future. We still proceeded to demonstrate
at Old Mutual, explaining the horrors of Huntingdon Life Sciences. We stayed
about an hour and a half.
Then we moved on to a couple of more familiar locations, Goldman Sachs and
AstraZeneca. Goldman Sachs were first and we shamed them for their
involvement in HLS through their ally NYSE/Euronext. We demonstrated at this
location for about 1 hour or so before moving off to AstraZeneca.
At AstraZeneca we demonstrated for about an hour again, telling staff,
nearby workers, passers-by and a couple of police officers exactly what a
disgusting company AstraZeneca are in continuing to use HLS to test their
dodgy drugs.
SHACtivists continue knocking out shareholders one by one!
SHAC London
http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2008-07/2008-07-01-voa58.cfm?CFID=27414047&CFTOKEN=32976955
Protesters Outside EU Headquarters Demand a Ban on Import of Seal Products
By VOA News
01 July 2008
People dressed as seals stand during an anti-seal hunt demonstration in
front of EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, 01 Jul 2008
Hundreds of protesters have demonstrated outside European Union headquarters
in Brussels, demanding a total ban on imports of seal products.
Animal rights groups are pressuring EU Environment Commissioner Stavros
Dimas to quickly issue rules banning the sale of products made from seals
that have been inhumanely killed.
However, many of the activists insist that it is impossible to guarantee
that killing of seals is carried out in a humane manner. Instead they are
calling for a total ban on use of seal products.
The demonstrators are also seeking a total ban on seal hunting in Canada,
Russia, Finland and Greenland.
Canada has the world's largest commercial seal hunt, an occasion often
marked by confrontations between animal rights protesters and hunters.
http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/local/4750936
Activists stage protest against chicken farming
ABC - July 2, 2008, 3:07 pm
ABC © [Enlarge photo]
Animal rights supporters gathered in Brisbane's CBD to protest against the
factory farming of chickens in Australia.
The protest was staged across the river from the World Poultry Congress,
which is being held in Brisbane this week.
The protesters were dressed in black and lying next to each other in
Brisbane Square to signify the death of more than 400 million broiler, or
meat chickens, in Australia every year.
Annette Guice from Animal Liberation Queensland says factory farming is
cruel to chickens and the industry should rethink how they produce the meat.
"They die from heart attack, they can't walk on their own legs," she said.
"Many thousands die in the sheds and that's just considered part of the
business."
Experts speaking at the poultry conference yesterday said Australian chicken
is some of the best in the world.
More than 2,000 delegates are at the conference, which ends on Friday.
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/7/15/worldupdates/2008-07-15T184135Z_01_NOOTR_RTRMDNC_0_-345258-1&sec=Worldupdates
Tuesday July 15, 2008
Protesters bare skin against British bear skins
RIGA (Reuters Life!) - A small group of animal rights activists in Latvia
demonstrated in front of the British embassy on Tuesday to protest against
the use of bear fur in the ceremonial headgear of some British army
regiments.
Three young women and a man held a banner that said "Bare skin, not bear
skin".
Animal rights activists protest outside the British embassy in Riga July 15,
2008, against the use of bear skin used to make hats worn by the British
army's household regiment. (REUTERS/Ints Kalnins)
The quartet were wearing copies of bearskin helmets, their underwear and had
union jacks, the British flag, painted on their exposed backsides.
Real bearskin hats, which are about half a metre high, are worn by soldiers
on specific occasions, such as when guarding Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham
Palace.
"We are not against the hats, just against the material they are using and
as far as I know a majority of Brits are against this too," Solvita Viba of
Latvian animal rights organization Animal Friends told Reuters in the
capital Riga.
The protesters from Latvia's Animal Friends, known internationally as People
for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), stood silently for half an hour
before leaving the embassy area without incident.
"We decided not to go out and comment on this. The British government is
considering alternatives and different possibilities, but so far none of the
suggestions received by the Defence Ministry have proven adequate," British
embassy spokeswoman Lelde Pfafrode said.
This is not the first time animal rights groups have protested against the
use of Canadian Black Bear skin in military headgear across the world. A
number of armies use the furs for military hats.
In Britain wearing bearskins is thought to have been a tradition of some
regiments since 1815 when the monarch granted the right to don the headgear
in recognition of the defeat of Napoleon's bearskin-wearing Imperial Guard
at the Battle of Waterloo.
http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/uk/animal+rights+activists+protest/2333567?intcmp=rss_news_itnnews
Animal rights activists protest
Print this page
Last Modified: 12 Jul 2008
Source: PA News
Around 200 animal rights supporters staged a demonstration outside the
headquarters of a firm which uses animals for drug tests.
The protest was part of a lengthy campaign aimed at closing Huntingdon Life
Sciences, which is based near Huntingdon, Cambs.
Police said the demonstration, which began in Peterborough, Cambs, and ended
near Huntingdon passed peacefully.
http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuId=28&ContentID=84752
Topless arrests in KFC protest
14th July 2008, 15:45 WST
It's not known whether World Youth Day pilgrims found the sight of
semi-naked women protesting in a cage annoying, but three women have been
arrested for doing just that outside a KFC restaurant in Sydney.
The topless women from animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment
of Animals (PETA) were arrested this afternoon while protesting outside the
CBD restaurant over KFC's alleged treatment of chickens in factories and
slaughterhouses.
The women - naked apart from lacy, yellow bikini bottoms - were inside a
large cage, holding signs that read “Chicks Agree: Boycott KFC”.
One of the protesters claimed they were “roughly-handled” by police, and
said this was due to increased police powers, which came into force on July
1 and will remain in place until the 31st.
But police have denied special powers brought in for this week's Catholic
World Youth Day (WYD) were the catalyst for the arrests.
“We didn't expect such harsh treatment from the police,” PETA protester
Ashley Fruno, 22, said.
“In our experience police here in Australia have been very lenient towards
protesters, so we certainly didn't expect this. “It looks like it was due
to the World Youth Day events going on and the new regulations,” she said.
Under the laws, emergency and rural fire service volunteers have the right
to move on people deemed to be causing “inconvenience or annoyance” to
pilgrims during WYD celebrations and face fines of up to $5,500.
But NSW police, who said the protesters were “causing a stir among
passers-by“, denied using any new powers on the KFC protesters.
The three women - Ms Fruno, 22, Fawn Porter, 20, and Carla Lobos, 32 -
protested for about 40 minutes before being arrested about 1pm (AEST).
“People were shocked, but we think we went a long way in educating people
about the way KFC treats its chickens,” Ms Fruno said.
“And of course, the discomfort of the protest, being arrested and the chaos
is certainly nothing compared to what the animals go through.”
The three women were held for about 90 minutes for questioning but were
later released without being charged.
KFC later released a pun-laden statement, making light of the protesters'
action.
The fast food giant's operations general manager Angus Armstrong said “it
was clear that recent protests were not abreast of chicken farming practices
in Australia.”
“This issue was overexposed before today's protest,” he said in the
statement.
“We do not own or operate chicken farms, but work closely with reputable
suppliers, government and industry bodies regarding humane farming methods
in accordance with Australia's high standards.”
The protest follows former Baywatch babe and PETA supporter Pamela
Anderson's (non-topless) protest at a Gold Coast KFC last week and is part
of a four-year global campaign against the fast food chain over the way
chickens are raised, slaughtered and transported.
Activists have labelled the new special powers granted to NSW police and
volunteers for WYD a “one-way street” designed to silence dissent.
The Federal Court in Sydney is due to decide tomorrow - when WYD officially
begins - on whether powers in the regulations are legally valid, after a
legal challenge from protesters last week.
SYDNEY
AAP
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080709/NEWS/80709043
Group protests on Circle against dog abuse
By Christine Won
Posted: July 9, 2008
More than 100 people gathered on the steps of the Soldiers and Sailors
Monument today to protest against “puppy mills” in Indiana.
Demonstrators contend that many dogs are bred in facilities in which the
animals live in crowded, wire cages, receive almost no medical care or human
contact and are forced to reproduce for their entire lives.
Anne Sterling, Indiana State Director with The Humane Society of the United
States, said there are about 150,000 pairs of breeding dogs in puppy mills
throughout the United States, including Indiana.
“These dogs are not pets,” Sterling said. “They’re literally cash crops.”
Diane Richards, with petshoppuppies.org at the protest, said their goals are
to raise public awareness about the puppy mill dogs sold in pet stores and
on the Internet and to have puppy mills abolished in Indiana.
http://www.peta.org/mc/NewsItem.asp?id=11643
Wearing Nothing but Tiger Stripes, PETA Beauty Bares the Truth About
Circus's Abuse of Animals
For Immediate Release:
July 9, 2008
Contact:
Melissa Karpel 757-622-7382
Los Angeles - Confined to a cage with her nude body painted like a tiger and
a banner above her reading, "Wild Animals Don't Belong Behind Bars," PETA
member Erin Armstrong will protest the impending arrival of the Ringling
Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in Los Angeles.
Date: Thursday, July 10
Time: 12 noon
Place: Intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and N. Highlands Avenue, Los
Angeles
What's wrong with Ringling? If you're the caged tiger who was shot to death
by a Ringling trainer, the young lion who died unattended in a stiflingly
hot railway boxcar, or one of the circus's elephants who is constantly
chained and disciplined with steel-tipped bullhooks, everything.
"I'll gladly bare my skin if it will help expose Ringling's abusive
treatment of animals," says Armstrong. "The best way to stop this abuse is
for people to boycott Ringling and other circuses that use animals."
http://www.worldpress.org/feed.cfm?http://www.breakingnews.ie/Entertainment/mhgbsncwgbql/rss2/
Anderson stages KFC protest
Print
11/07/2008 - 08:27:16
Pamela Anderson staged an animal rights protest outside a KFC eaterie in
Australia on Thursday - after discovering her guest spot on a reality show
was part-sponsored by the fast food chain.
The former 'Baywatch' star has been criticised for her decision to take part
in the Australian version of 'Big Brother' because of the show's links to
KFC, a company Anderson has previously accused of animal cruelty.
However, the strict vegetarian insists she had no idea the programme was
sponsored by the fried chicken restaurant, calling it a "coincidence".
Now the blonde bombshell has staged a protest outside a Sydney-based KFC
outlet - and even compared her time on the show to the battery chickens who
are allegedly farmed by the company for their meat.
She told Australian reporters: "I've been in Australia filming Big Brother
House, in which my housemates and I are confined and sealed off from the
outside world, much like the chickens who are crammed inside barns for KFC.
"Fortunately, I won't be stomped to death, have my legs broken or be scalded
to death in a tank of hot water, yet as PETA's (People for the Ethical
Treatment of Animals) undercover videos have revealed, the chickens raised
for KFC's restaurants in Australia often suffer these abuses."
http://www.newkerala.com/topstory-fullnews-3144.html
PETA protests 'animal sacrifice' by Samajwadi Party leader
New Delhi, July 29 : Protesting a reported case of animal sacrifice carried
out by a Samajwadi Party leader, the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals
(PETA) has written to the party's leaders that the act 'tarnishes their
triumph' in the recent floor test in parliament.
PETA-India chief functionary Anuradha Sawhney in her letter to Samajwadi
Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and its general secretary Amar Singh said:
“We hope that you will consider the enormous influence you have over masses
and, in the future, refrain from cruel acts that your followers might be
inspired to imitate."
She said: ”Our office has been flooded with phone calls and emails from
people who are horrified by reports that Samajwadi Party Madhya Pradesh unit
secretary Kishore Samrite sacrificed animals on your behalf at the Kamakhya
temple at Guwahati."
“Killing an animal to celebrate your victory in parliament hardly seems to
adhere to the spirit of this law,” Sawhney's letter said.
The Samajwadi Party supported the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance
(UPA) government in the floor test July 21-22. The Manmohan Singh government
won the crucial trust vote.
“I hope that, upon reflection, you have come to regret your party member's
decision to sacrifice animals, which will only tarnish your triumph in the
past parliament trust vote with this blatant show of cruelty to animals,”
she said.
Noting that animal sacrifice has no place in Indian culture, she said that
even "sacrifices" that claim to be ancient practices like sati, child
marriage and caste differentiation have been strictly banned because they
are seen as “cruel and exploitative”.
She said animal sacrifices have been specifically banned in Andhra Pradesh,
Karnataka, Gujarat, Kerala, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
Sawhney said: “Individuals should show kindness and compassion towards all
living beings.”
She added that PETA would be “more than happy to partner” with the party “to
spread the message of compassion to the masses”.
http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=95563
Animal Rights Activists Stage Naked Protest over UK Royal Guards' Caps
28 July 2008, Monday
British eco-activists from the PETA organization protested naked in front of
the UK Embassy in Sofia. Photo by Nadya Kotseva(Sofia Photo Agency)
Eco-activists from the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)
organization have staged a naked protest in front of the UK Embassy in Sofia
on Monday over the use of bearskin caps by the British Royal Guards.
The PETA members protest against the killing of black bears in Canada in
order to use their fur for the making of the guards' busbies. One black bear
has to be killed for every cap produced, the environmentalists say.
PETA Europe say also that 80% of the British oppose using the money from
their taxes for the hunting of black bears in Canada, and for the production
of the fur hats of the Royal Guard.
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/07/404800.html
Protests Continue At Novartis HQ In Horsham, Sussex
PC Bacon | 28.07.2008 11:04 | Animal Liberation | Health | South Coast
On Friday 25/07/08 a small but very noisy protest was held outside the
Horsham facility of Novartis who are not only content with paying HLS to
Kill, Torture and Maim 500 animals every single day of the year but who also
have their own torture centre on the premises that they use to carry out
their so called essential tests on Primates and Guinea Pigs while all the
time the people of Horsham think that the premises is used as a packaging
and production facility.
Well not any longer NOVARTIS we have done and will continue to inform
everyone what a sick and vile company HLS is and by dealing with them that
you are complicit in the death of every single animal that dies at HLS. We
had only been protesting for a short time when the local police turned up
and walked up to us to ask how long we intended to stay.
After not getting the straight reply they wanted they left with their tails
between their legs looking so bored with being called to every protest when
their presence is not needed.
During the protest quite a few unmarked vehicles (vans and trucks) came out
of the main gate which could indicate that Novartis and their contractors
are starting to run scarred of the fact that we know what they are doing and
want to hide their faces and identities from the protestors.
At the end of the protest a van belonging to Strand Transport came out of
the gate. We all know what a disgusting company Strand are and this shows
that they still deal with Novartis and could still be dealing with HLS. We
will be back Novartis with more people making more noise and informing them
what a sick and vile company HLS is.
PC Bacon
Homepage: http://shac.net
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/07/404832.html
Foie Gras protest in Winchester
Anon | 28.07.2008 16:08 | Animal Liberation | South Coast
Wacky the Duck assists protesters to gently persuade James Martin to ditch
pate de foie gras.
On Saturday 26 July local people joined “Wacky the Duck” to protest against
celebrity chef James Martin’s delicatessen ‘Cadogan and James’ in
Winchester.
Cadogan and James are one of the few remaining businesses in the South who
still sell foie gras, made from the livers of ducks and geese force fed so
their livers accumulate fat and swell to up to ten times their natural size.
Even the people of Winchester were unable to turn a blind eye as Wacky was
brutally force fed by the protesters. Highly visual placards showing scenes
of foie gras cruelty, and a large banner depicting a human being force fed,
with the words, “Foie Gras: how would you like to be force fed” helped to
drive home the message.
Wacky represented the millions of his kind who are held in foie gras farms,
confined in cages and forced to stand and sleep on wire mesh floors. During
force feeding a metal tube is pushed down the throat and an air pump pushes
up to 2 pounds of corn into the bird. Under cover investigations have
revealed de-beaking, sick and dying birds, birds eaten alive by rats, birds
with bleeding and infested wounds in their necks caused by force feeding,
tumour-like lumps in birds’ throats, and birds with lacerated livers.
Saturday’s event was part of an ongoing campaign aimed at Cadogan and James
in the hope that, knowing the cruelty involved, James Martin will no longer
allow his businesses to stock the product.
Encouraging compassion towards other species is an essential step towards
saving the planet: humankind's obsession with eating animals is a major
cause of climate change, deforestation, desertification, water pollution,
and starvation.
http://www.ceskenoviny.cz/news/index_view.php?id=324911
Czech activists protest against large chicken farms outside KFC
Prague- Activists fighting for animal protection protested against cruelty
to chicken at large farms outside the Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC)
restaurant in Prague centre today.
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/08/406777.html
Protest against monkey export in Belgium
Gateway To Hell | 15.08.2008 13:34 | Animal Liberation | Bio-technology |
Health | World
Once again on the doorstep of the Belgian embassy of the island of
Mauritius, in solidarity with Shac prisoner Dan Amos
http://myspace.com/supportdan
It is not because this Gateway to Hell campaign is now focusing rightfully
so on Nepal, that we forget the horror of the monkey trade from Mauritius.
Last week the embassador, Mr. Gunessee, stated in a Belgian newspaper how
frustrated he was with the continuation of our protest.
Mr. Gunessee, you can complain as much as you want, this protest only stops
when your sick government stops the monkey trade to Western vivisection
labs. For more than 1 hour we stood outside the embassy, Rue Bollandistes
68, Brussels. Mauritius, we will never forget the pain you inflict on
monkeys.
Gateway To Hell
Homepage: http://www.gatewaytohell.net
http://www.wibw.com/13newsat6/headlines/26851249.html
PETA Protests at KFC
Posted: 8:53 PM Aug 11, 2008
Last Updated: 8:53 PM Aug 11, 2008
Protesters from the animal rights orgnization PETA, gathered in front of the
KFC on north Topeka Boulevard Monday.
The protesters were asking customers to think twice before buying their
meals.
PETA says that kfc treat their chicken inhumanly and that their low cost
meals may seem like a bargain, but come with high ethical costs.
13 news tried to contact someone with KFC's corporate office, but were
unable to reach them for an official statement.
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/08/406549.html
Animal Rights groups protest against seminar by cruelty lobby
vegan agenda | 12.08.2008 18:32 | Animal Liberation | Ecology | Repression
Animal Rights groups were tipped off that the Hunting Association of Ireland
was going to be hosting a breakfast seminar this morning to unite groups and
companies which have been the subject of protest for their treatment of
animals.
The main speaker at the event was Lt. Col. Dennis Foster (US Army, ret'd)
who was described as an ''expert on animal rights terrorists" .
See video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tz9b9rmhavI
A number of groups and individuals decided to have a protest outside the
hotel, and see who showed up.
Representatives of restaurants which sell torture foods like foie gras, fur
farms, animal circuses, hunts, greyhound and horse racing groups, animal
experimenters and others who are involved in cruelty of various sorts were
invited.
The organisers had also tried to convince Padraig Walshe, the President of
the Irish Farmers' Association to attend, but he had the good sense to stay
well away from these extremists.
In the event, the protest outside seemed better attended than the seminar
itself, with very few people wanting to get involved with the animal cruelty
lobby. (An attempt was made to get a few pictures of the inside for
indymedia.ie, but the organisers came all over shy...)
In the autumn the Dáil will debate a new animal welfare bill, and many
people are speculating on which way the Green Party will go, given their
record in government so far.
In a radio interview on rté this morning, the organiser of the event, Gavin
Duffy, claimed that the protesters were actually being paid by shadowy
groups from outside Ireland. From the experience of the protesters this
morning, it's clear that the only remuneration received was half a bar of
vegan chocolate and an apple. At that rate, for a protest which started at
7.30AM and ended at 11, there are definitely better ways of making a
living...
vegan agenda
Homepage: http://ireland.indymedia.org/article/88615
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008108338_weborca12m.html?syndication=rss
August 12, 2008 - Page updated at 02:56 PM
E-mail article Print view Share: Digg Newsvine
Man injured in whale protest expected to plead guilty
By The Associated Press
A man who was injured when he cut a power line on Orcas Island to avenge a
killer whale's death is expected to plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Miyake says the government won't seek any
prison time for 26-year-old Gabriel Mondragon, who lost an arm and a couple
toes when he was cut the high-voltage line March 15. Miyake says the
defendant has "suffered quite a bit already."
Mondragon told authorities he cut the high-voltage line to protest the death
of an orca named Luna, who was killed in 2006 by a boat propeller. He said
he blamed "rich white people" for the whale's death and the depletion of
rain forests.
About 4,000 Orcas Power and Light customers lost service for about 90
minutes.
Mondragon is expected to plead guilty by next week to the misdemeanor
charge, which was filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Seattle.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/aug/24/protesters-trying-to-protect-canine-from/
Protesters trying to protect canine from euthanasia
By Marc Shulgold, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Silvia Razgova / Special To The Rocky
Azelea Bullock of Denver, left, and Chris McGahey, of Commerce City, hold
signs at Alameda Avenue and Jason Street on Sunday. Protesters are trying to
keep Forrest - a dog that McGahey refers to as his son - from being put to
death under Denver's pit bull ordinance. McGahey and his allies say the dog
is not a pit bull.
What the law says
City animal ordinance, section 8-55, bans the ownership of pit bulls within
the city borders, defining the animal as "any dog that is an American Pit
Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, or
any dog displaying the majority of physical traits of any one or more of the
above breeds, or any dog exhibiting those distinguishing characteristics
which substantially conform to the standards established by the American
Kennel Club or United Kennel Club for any of the above breeds."
Far from downtown's madding crowds, another group of passionate protesters
lines Alameda Avenue near Jason Street. Just up the block sits a condemned
prisoner they hope to set free.
Forrest the dog.
Holding signs imploring the city of Denver to save Forrest from euthanasia,
a dozen or so animal lovers wave to motorists, many of whom honk in support
of a cause that has generated a nationwide reaction.
"The furthest out we've heard from people has been Canada," said Chris
McGahey, 25, a construction worker who refers to Forrest as his son.
The city, however, has labeled the dog as a violator of the 2005 ban on pit
bulls, and has ordered his execution.
Despite the city's claims, McGahey and his allies insist that Forrest is not
a pit bull. In fact, the dog's owner isn't sure what mix of breeds the
animal is.
"I got him when he was 4 weeks old," McGahey said of Forrest, now 19 months
old and residing at the Denver Municipal Animal Shelter. "He's never hurt
anyone." The dog is named for mild- mannered Forrest Gump.
Though not a purebred, the animal bears enough of a resemblance to a pit
bull to send it to death row, according to the city's interpretation of the
ordinance.
That fine line is only one of several reasons that dog lovers have rallied
to Forrest's defense. Some have come from out of state, including Idaho
resident Jeramie Dreyfuss. The former wife of actor Richard Dreyfuss flew in
to join the protest.
Aside from his bloodline, a point of contention is that the dog and his
owner are not even residents of Denver. "Chris lives in Adams County," said
Paula Terifaj, a California-based supporter who stood at the entrance to the
shelter. She was waving a placard for ROVERlution.org, which is fighting
breed-specific legislation.
According to Terifaj, Forrest left his Commerce City home twice - the second
infraction resulting in a death sentence. She and others have offered to
take the dog with them to safety beyond Colorado's borders. McGahey said he
has plans to move to Fort Collins.
Determined to save the dog, "even if it has to go to the Supreme Court,"
McGahey hired two lawyers. His side was stung by a ruling on Friday by
hearing officer Ann Cisneros, confirming Forrest's genetic roots.
Euthanizing the dog could be carried out any time.
Terifaj remains optimistic. "They haven't killed the dog yet. They don't
want to back down, but they're feeling the heat."
McGahey plans to file an appeal this week. Attorney Karen Breslin said on
Sunday that she aims to confirm her reading of the City Charter that
Cisneros' decision is appealable. "This is a pretty extreme use of
government power - to be able to knock on someone's door, take their dog
away and kill it, just because of its breed," Breslin said.
"The chances (of success) are 99 to 1," McGahey admitted. "But in my mind,
it's 50-50. Whatever I have to do to save my son."
Should the city's ruling be reversed, he suggested he might consider leaving
Colorado. "I'm too scared to have Forrest anywhere in this state," he said.
http://aspcacommunity.ning.com/group/animalcrueltypetitions/forum/topic/show?id=658300%3ATopic%3A614882&page=1&commentId=658300%3AComment%3A614946&x=1#658300Comment614946
Forrest the Denver Pit Bull is Saved from Euthanasia
Posted by Renee` on August 28, 2008
Forrest, the dog who has been on death row for violating Denver's pit bull
ban, is getting a reprieve and will go out of state to an animal sanctuary
in Utah.
Doug Kelley, the director of the Denver Municipal Animal Shelter, said the
Best Friends Animal Shelter in Kanab, Utah, has agreed to take in Forrest.
Kelley said Forrest, named after Forrest Gump, likely will leave the state
on Friday. In the future, the city likely will continue to ship non-violent
pit bulls out of state rather than euthanize them as it has in the past,
Kelley said.
Kelley said the shelter is the same one that agreed to care for some of the
dogs seized in the investigation of Michael Vick, a former NFL quarterback,
who is serving a 23-month federal sentence after admitting to bankrolling a
dogfighting operation and helping kill six to eight dogs.
Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper's office helped come up with the solution,
Kelley said.
Forrest has been at the city's animal shelter after he was found wandering
the city streets for the second time in about four months. Kelley said the
dog has exhibited no violent tendencies, and that dog lovers throughout the
world have pleaded for his release.
Forrest's owner, Chris McGahey, said Forrest escaped from a dog kennel at
his home in Adams County after exiting through a hole another dog had dug.
"I hope to take him to the airport and take pictures of him getting on the
plane," said McGahey, who said he plans to move to wherever Denver sends his
dog.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080824/NEWS/808240344/1001/
Activists protest puppy mills at West Des Moines pet store
By CYNTHIA REYNAUD • creynaud at dmreg.com • August 24, 2008
Mary LaHay sought the perfect puppy six months ago.
She found a calling as an animal rights activist.
LaHay read online about puppy mills. The stories described dogs who were
overbred and underloved by breeders who made money selling the puppies to
unknowing customers through pet shops and newspaper ads, LaHay said.
A few weeks later, LaHay adopted a miniature poodle, which she named Eddie,
from an animal shelter. She also became an advocate against puppy mills in
Iowa.
On Saturday, LaHay staged her first protest of the mills and organizations
affiliated with them outside Petland in West Des Moines. She was joined by a
dozen others who represented animal rescue organizations and shelters in the
area.
"Franchises are making a fortune off the misery of these dogs," said Joe
Pundzak, a volunteer for the Raccoon Valley Animal Sanctuary and Rescue.
"You go in and fall in love with a puppy. What they don't tell you is the
conditions the (puppy's) parents are living in."
The Humane Society of the United States has long identified Iowa, Missouri,
Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Ohio and Pennsylvania as major puppy
mill states, outreach director Stephanie Shain told the Associated Press
last year.
The West Des Moines Petland location opened at 6305 Mills Civic Parkway in
January and is owned by Tim Mohrfeld. The shop is a national franchise that
sells a variety of pets including mixed breed and registered puppies and
kittens.
General Manager Scott Berger started as a salesperson and took over with his
wife, Karrie, in May.
"Our heart is behind these animals. I would stand down on the corner with
them when it comes to real puppy mills," Karrie Berger said. "But we don't
feel we're doing anything wrong here. We're taking these puppies and giving
them a home."
The Bergers said they have changed some practices regarding where they
obtain puppies since taking over the store. They have committed to visit all
the breeders they buy from and say they will refuse business with anyone
they find mistreating the dogs.
"I'm not all about the dollar," Scott Berger said. "The welfare and health
of our animals comes first."
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/nationworld/story/456465.html
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: Humpback whale calf euthanized despite protests
THE NEWS TRIBUNE
Published: August 23rd, 2008 01:00 AM
The baby humpback whale was starving, injured and near death.
So despite anguished cries of “Murder!” and “Shame!” from protesters who
thought it could still be saved, wildlife officials on Friday euthanized the
animal, which had strayed into waters off north Sydney nearly a week ago.
The decision to end the calf’s life, first sighted in the inlet Sunday,
closed a story that exposed divided opinions over what should have been done
for the whale, nicknamed Colin.
Attempts to tow the 1- to 2-month-old calf out to sea failed, as it tried to
suckle from boats it apparently mistook for its mother. Officials deemed
artificial nursing impossible.
The Associated Press
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2008/08/20/mtl-thetfordchicken0820.html?ref=rss
Quebec cottage poultry slaughter cancelled after PETA protests
Last Updated: Wednesday, August 20, 2008 | 3:18 PM ET Comments52Recommend19
CBC News
Participants cut the head off a turkey at the annual chicken massacre in
Thetford, Que. The event was cancelled this year after animal welfare
activists condemned the tradition. (Canadian Press)
A controversial chicken slaughter betting game in Quebec has been cancelled,
after an animal rights group contacted police.
The "Thetford Chicken Massacre" organizer, Dr. Gaston Dorval, announced he
won't hold the event this year, after PETA publicy criticized the annual
tradition.
The Labour Day weekend event involves a game in which people bet on squares
in a white grid drawn on the lawn.
Chickens and turkeys are beheaded and set free on the grid. The square they
die on wins the bet.
The chickens are then barbecued. Between two and three chickens are killed
over the course of the weekend.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals called the game barbaric, and
contacted provincial police to request an investigation.
Dorval is defending the game, and says the chickens and turkeys suffer less
than they would at a slaughterhouse.
The eight-year-old event is part of an annual weekend at Dorval's cottage
outside Thetford Mines, south of Quebec City.
PETA caught wind of the event on Facebook, a web-based social networking
site.
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/08/407100.html
HLS, Gates of Hell Weekly Protest
SHAC | 19.08.2008 17:14 | Animal Liberation | Health | Cambridge
A car load of fantastic protestors who travelled for 7 - 8 hours today to
protest at the site joined local protestors at the weekly demonstration.
>From noon to 5.30pm it was non stop chanting to the workers who scurried
across the paths in front of us to avoid hearing the truth!
The steady flow of traffic in and out of this animal torture chamber were
continually reminded of what they are part of and many hung their heads in
shame as they drove past. We stood at this root of evil and saw the dregs of
society with no compassion or conscience trying to shut our protest out but
they will never be able to hide from what they are involved in. Why not join
us on the weekly demo (normally on Fridays at noon) - contact info at shac for
more details. Thank you again you wonderful Liverpool people for the support
today.
SHAC
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/08/406936.html
SHAC Protest Outside of Barclays Bank
SHAC Brum | 17.08.2008 07:20 | Animal Liberation | Birmingham
Friday 15th August
Around 6 activists lead a protest outside of Barclays Bank.Informing the
public and confronting another HLS collaborator..
We arrived at Barclays with plenty of the passing public unaware of what
they fund.That was until the demo began! People passing we're genuinely
shocked,and in disbelief,that a "respected" bank could fund such atrocities.
Many vowed to cancel their Barclays account and never open an account with
them.One lady went into the bank to give them a peice of her mind.
The police arrived with their usual anti democratic dictates.Tellin' us we
needed a permit to do a demo,the placards were "offensive" & that we were
making noise near a residential area(we were in the center of town where
there is no residents!). Laughably,as the police were postering,they had to
suddenly run off to fight real crime,whilst the public(around us) laughed at
them.
Eventually,Barclays decided to shut their front door! Customers wanted to
get in but Barclarys weren't allowing it.No customer respect,really.They
directed the people who wanted to get in,to the side door,but we soon spread
over there too.Informing every customer who went in there.
Smash HLS!
SHAC Brum
e-mail: info at shac.net
Homepage: http://www.shac.net/
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/08/406916.html
Weekly protests continue at Novartis HQ, Horsham
SHAC Horsham | 17.08.2008 02:28 | Animal Liberation | Health | South Coast
Friday 8th August
Novartis Horsham saw a good turnout out of activists who created quite a
presence with their sea of banners. Public support of the the campaign
appears to be increasing, with many cars hooting as they pass by the noisy
and visual demo.
Novartis draconia injunction will not deter us, we will carry on naming and
shaming you Novartis, for your involvement in animal abuse and torture.
Since the national march in April, the people of Horsham are learning more
about you and are becoming to realise your PR lies and secrets are not
stoping people finding out what sort of 'experiments' you do.
We will carry on with this campaign, until all are free.
SHAC Horsham
e-mail: info at shac.net
Homepage: http://www.shac.net
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/08/406906.html
Barclays and AstraZeneca Protests in London
SHAC London | 17.08.2008 02:12 | Animal Liberation | Health | London | World
Friday 15th August
A group of about 15 activists met at 11am to start the day of demonstrations
against the allies of HLS. Barclays was first, second and third on the list.
First up was the Barclays at 128 Moorgate. This is an excellent location
right on the crossroad, with the demonstration visible from several
directions. Megaphones were used to convey exactly Barclays' involvement in
animal torture in HLS, and to put pressure on with loud chanting of "blood
on your hands" and "Barclays Bank, sell your shares!". We stayed at this
location until 1 o'clock, before moving onto another branch.
Next was the Barclays Branch at 1-7 King Street. This is another good
location for a demonstration. The Barclays branches seem to be situated in
places that are easy for customers to find, but this often means that
they're good places for demonstrations as well. This Barclays last week put
up a notice in the window apologising to their customers about the
"disruption", and they did the same here this time, again failing to mention
why we were there: because they support the torture of sentient animals for
profit! We also mention on Barclays demonstrations all the other murky
investments they have, such as in the arms trade, and the fact that they
make billions of pounds out of the wars in the Middle East. They have no
ethical policy. They only policy they have is to make as much money as
possible.
After about an hour, we moved onto Barclays at 81 Fleet Street. Another
excellent location for a demo (nearly opposite regular target Goldman Sachs)
where there are always many people walking passed. This, again, was a loud
and forceful demonstration. This was the second demo in two days at this
branch and a couple of the staff were visibly irritated by our repeated
presence. We stayed here for about an hour, before paying a visit to our old
friends, AstraZeneca.
We arrived at AstraZeneca at about quarter past 5 and stayed until after
6pm, to see the workers off home. We used megaphones and our voices to tell
AZ exactly what we think of them, continuing to contract experiments in HLS,
paying good money to see animals get tortured just so they can make money
from their dodgy drugs. If it the pharmaceutical companies really wanted to
help humans, they why do they not share data? The pharmaceutical industry is
a complete fraud. Companies like AZ are not interested in saving any lives,
they just want to make billions of dollars. That's why we see drugs
constantly taken off the market, and recently very popular pharmaceutical
anti-depressants have been proven to be no better than placebos. What does
this tell you about the real motives of pharmaceutical companies?
Have you paid your $millions fine to the Alabama courts yet AZ, for over
charging doctors for your drugs?
The fight continues.
SHAC London
http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSPEK10464420080806?feedType=RSS&feedName=domesticNews
U.S. nude swimmer defies ban on animal rights protest
Wed Aug 6, 2008 7:22am EDT
BEIJING (Reuters) - U.S. swimmer Amanda Beard unveiled a demure nude
photograph of herself urging women "Don't wear fur" on Wednesday, hours
after Chinese authorities had prevented her from her staging a news
conference for "safety" reasons.
The Athens 2004 Olympic gold medalist said she was determined to carry on
even after plainclothes police banned her scheduled news conference at a
Beijing hotel "for our safety".
Beard, 26, declined to say if she believed that was the real motive for the
ban.
She went ahead with her campaign, only at a different location. Instead of
the hotel, she appeared in front of reporters and TV cameras outside the
heavily fenced Olympic athletes' village.
"What happens with animals when their skin is ripped from their bodies when
they are still alive, it's heartbreaking for me," she said. The Olympics
provided a great platform for making those views known, she added.
Chinese Olympic security guards watched the media scrum from the South Gate
of the village but did not intervene. The German Olympic cycling team,
heading out for training in hot, muggy weather, stopped for a look.
PETA spokesman Jason Baker said eight Chinese security officials in plain
clothes showed up at the group's hotel late on Tuesday to announce the
planned press conference would not be permitted. They cited safety concerns,
he said.
"I think they just didn't understand what we had planned," he told Reuters.
"We are not protesting against China. We just want to promote compassion for
animals.
"We know they don't like talking about animal rights. I guess they didn't
want to take any chances right ahead of the opening of the Olympics," Baker
added.
But there would be no protest, he said. "Five years ago we wouldn't even
have considered doing this here."
(Editing by Jeremy Laurence)
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/08/405619.html
Protests at Novartis in Dublin Continue
NARA | 06.08.2008 22:52 | Animal Liberation | Health
For the past few weeks we've been having regular demonstrations outside
Novartis in Dublin (Regus House, Harcourt Road, Dublin 2).
Upon our arrival at Novartis, the doors of the building are locked
immediately, and staff stand staring at us, for the duration of the
protests.
We've had a lot of support from passers-by, with a few people even
interested in joining the campaign to close HLS.
On one occassion, Novartis employees threw water at us from their windows -
as if that would deter us! An incident which only further proves the mindset
of these people!
The Gardai have always only arrived as we are finishing, which means
Novartis has felt the full blast of our megaphones time and time again -
without interuption.
We'll be making weekly visits to Novartis for at least the next month, so if
you are in Dublin, do come and join us!
Keep up the fight,
NARA
Homepage: http://www.naracampaigns.org
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