FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, October 3, 1997
CONTACT:
Heidi Prescott, 301-585-2591, hprescott@fund.org
Schuylkill County Prison, 717-628-1450
POTTSVILLE, Pa. -- Dawn Ratcliffe, a 24-year-old animal rights activist from Charlotte, N.C. who was arrested for protesting the Hegins pigeon shoot in 1996, will begin a 45-day jail sentence in Schuylkill County Prison on Friday, October 3, at 1:00 p.m. Ms. Ratcliffe will hold a press conference on the steps of the prison, 230 Sanderson Street in Pottsville, at 12:45 p.m.
Ms. Ratcliffe will announce that she will begin a hunger strike upon entering the jail, and will continue her hunger strike in prison until the Republican leaders of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives put legislation to ban live pigeon shoots on the House floor for a fair vote.
State Rep. Sara Steelman (D-Indiana County) will introduce a bill to ban pigeon shoots early next week. The House leaders have thus far stalled every attempt to vote on similar legislation.
"I will hunger strike to get the bill to ban live pigeon shoots on the floor of the House of Representatives," declares Ms. Ratcliffe. "In addition, I believe that an individual should not be punished for having enough respect for life to take action to stop violence and suffering."
A Schuylkill County jury found Ms. Ratcliffe guilty of disorderly conduct for her participation in protesting the 1996 Hegins pigeon shoot. A charge of resisting arrest was dismissed, and the jury was deadlocked on the charges of defiant trespassing and criminal conspiracy.
Adds Ms. Ratcliffe, "If I am to be incarcerated for my inability to stand by and do nothing while innocent beings are tortured and killed in front of impressionable children, then the people of Schuylkill County need to reassess their values."
The media has access to prisoners, and can also interview Ms. Ratcliffe after her sentence begins.
