AR-NEWS Digest 527

Topics covered in this issue include:

  1) (US) Pfiesteria - airborne potential
     by allen schubert 
  2) Admin Note--Urgent- Fax letters needed - lab investigation -
  ISRAEL
     by ar-admin 
  3) NJARA PR:  Black bear public meetings
     by veganman@IDT.NET (Stuart Chaifetz)
  4) Lewis Morris deer hunt PR
     by veganman@IDT.NET (Stuart Chaifetz)
  5) Corporate welfare for timber companies upheld in the Senate
     by Andrew Gach 
  6) The Diet Drug Story
     by Andrew Gach 
  7) National Sue Release (US)
     by civillib@cwnet.com
  8) [UK] Child sickness baffles doctors
     by David J Knowles 
  9) [UK]Farm leaders in protest at Irish beef exports
     by David J Knowles 
 10) [UK] Three horses killed in arson attack
     by David J Knowles 
 11) [UK] Butterflies blown in by the million
     by David J Knowles 
 12) [UK/US] New Jersey bear cull provokes outrage
     by David J Knowles 
 13) [US] El Nino effects noticed
     by David J Knowles 
 14) Re: Elephant rides at the Renaissance Festival
     by PAWS 
 15) PAWS Benefit for Elephants
     by PAWS 
 16) (UK) RSPCA helps round up escaped mink to return them to fur farm
     by Chris Wright 
 17) Hawthorn Elephants Released
     by PAWS 
 18) Re: Royal Palace Circus 
     by PAWS 
 19) Politically Incorrect's Bill Maher Urges Governor Pataki to be
  Politically Correct
     by Michael Markarian 
 20) Dallas - Worldwide demos to aide jailed activist
     by BanFurNow@aol.com
 21) Animal Place in the News
     by Porcilina@aol.com
 22) US government's silence on the baby monkey shipments
     by Shirley McGreal 
 23) Please Read
     by **** 
 24) Job Bulletin
     by Dave Roth 
 25) [CA] Concert and celebrity auction to benefit animal
  protection 9/26/97
     by Animal Alliance of Canada 
 26) Anti-Vivisection rally in Rome
     by "sa338@blues.uab.es" 
 27) (Sweden)CHOLERA, CONTAMINATED CRAYFISH
     by bunny 
 28) E. COLI O157; GROUND MEAT RECALL, ONGOING INVESTIGATION - USA
     by bunny 
 29) Fw: bad treatment of marine mammals! (Mexico)
     by "Karen Bevis" 
 30) Hard Copy E-mail 
     by Wyandotte Animal Group 
Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997 00:30:30 -0400
From: allen schubert 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (US) Pfiesteria - airborne potential
Message-ID: <3.0.32.19970919003027.006dc74c@clark.net>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

from private e-mail...concerns affects of Pfiesteria on humans:
---------------------------------------------------

NPR and the Balitimore Sun are reporting today that the Maryland State
Medical Team investigating phiesteria on Maryland's lower eastern shore have
announced that it is possible to contract the illnesses without having to
come in contact with the water - that localized airborne transmission is
possible when near contaminated waters.



Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997 00:48:07 -0400
From: ar-admin 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Cc: erez ganor 
Subject: Admin Note--Urgent- Fax letters needed - lab investigation -
  ISRAEL
Message-ID: <3.0.32.19970919004803.006d27bc@envirolink.org>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

***Please avoid attaching files to posts to AR-News.  ***

While many subscribers may have no problem handling attachments, some do.
For some people, an attached file is downloaded as gibberish, gibberish
that takes time to download.  For others, it may be a useless thing that is
"forgotten" after the message was deleted--however, the "attachment" may
still be on the hard drive.  

And...depending on the attachment, it *might* contain a virus if it uses a
"template" (this type of virus is known as a "macrovirus").  (For virus
information, there are a number of sources on the web.)

So...please offer to send the attachment via private e-mail (for those
subscribers who reply privately).

Allen Schubert
AR-News Listowner
ar-admin@envirolink.org


Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997 00:48:43 -0400 (EDT)
From: veganman@IDT.NET (Stuart Chaifetz)
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: NJARA PR:  Black bear public meetings
Message-ID: 
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"




New Jersey Animal Rights Alliance
PO Box 174
Englishtown, NJ 07726

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:  Stuart Chaifetz, 732.899.4202

BEAR "PLAN" CLASHES WITH ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS

Englishtown, NJ - Members of the New Jersey Animal Rights Alliance (NJARA),
the largest state-wide organization dedicated to animal liberation, opposes
Fish, Game and Wildlife’s (FGW) latest plan that will launch a major
assault against New Jersey’s black bears.

FGW announced their black bear "management plan" along with the dates of
public hearings on the issue. NJARA opposes any "plan" that will result in
the maiming and killing of black bears. Fish and Game is only interested in
the revenue hunting licenses produce and will continue to create
"recreational" opportunities for hunters to bring in money for FGW.

Facts:
  ž Fish and Game employees, including biologists who designed this
so-called plan, are dependent upon the sale of hunting licenses to pay
their salaries;
  ž With the number of hunters decreasing, revenue from license sales
decreases, so new species of animals must be hunted to help make up for
this monetary loss;
  ž To hunters, black bears represent the largest, most desired animal for
trophies. Hunters have paid thousands of dollars to hunt bears in other
states and countries;
  ž In 1971, Fish and Game closed the hunting season on bears because they
hunted them to the point of extinction. Only 10 animals survived Fish and
Game’s "management" plan;
  ž Black bears are still recovering from this massacre, and now with less
than 450 bears in New Jersey, Fish and Game wants the killing to start
again.

Irony: Black bears have never killed nor seriously harmed anyone in our
state. In contrast, each year, hunters "accidentally" shoot, wound and kill
people. One recent example of this was a 14 year old boy from West Milford,
NJ who was shot in the face while turkey hunting.

"Fish and Game exposes its hypocrisy when they use black bear scare tactics
against people. Black bears have never hurt anyone seriously, yet FGW
neglects the indisputable danger and harm posed by hunters to people,"
states Stuart Chaifetz, NJARA’s Anti-Hunting Expert. "If they cared about
protecting people then they would stop hunting, period."

FGW may hold public meetings, but they do not listen, nor comply with the
public’s wishes. When the public was overwhelmingly against the first
coyote hunt, held in February of this year, FGW disregarded the public
outcry against the hunt. Again the public is against a hunt, with more than
23,000 signatures collected throughout NJ calling for a ban on bear
hunting. Yet, activists fear a hunt is already planned for December of
1998, despite this well-documented opposition.

Two bills, S.2071 & A.2016, may be the black bears last hope. These bills
prohibit an open season on black bears. The assembly version was passed out
of committee unanimously on June 12, 1997 and awaits action by the full
assembly.

NJARA is a community based, non-profit, educational organization working
towards a more peaceful, nonviolent co-existence with our earthly
companions, both human and nonhuman.  Through our programs of promoting
responsible science, ethical consumerism and environmentalism, NJARA
advocates change that greatly enhances the quality of life for animals and
people and protects the earth.


Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997 00:51:16 -0400 (EDT)
From: veganman@IDT.NET (Stuart Chaifetz)
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: Lewis Morris deer hunt PR
Message-ID: 
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"



NEW JERSEY ANIMAL RIGHTS ALLIANCE
PO Box 174, Englishtown, NJ  07726
Phone: 732-446-6808  Fax: 732-446-0227

Press Release

SLAUGHTER OF ENTIRE LEWIS MORRIS DEER HERD
NOT ENOUGH FOR PARK COMMISSION

Contacts:
Stuart Chaifetz 732-899-4202
Marilyn Johnson 908-876-4336

Morris Township - On September 22, New Jersey Animal Rights Alliance united
with Concerned Citizens for Lewis Morris Park will confront the Lewis
Morris Park Commission at the Frelinghuysen Arboretum, Hanover Avenue,
Morristown starting at 6:45pm.  In just two short months, the Morris County
Park Commission will once again throw open the gates of Lewis Morris County
park to hunters, and the slaughter of tame deer will begin where it left
off last year.

The Park Commissionís "scientific data" was flawed. The Park Commission
predicted 260 deer would be killed in the park. Last year animal rights
activists evaluated the air scan and determined that only half that number
of deer were in the park. The Park Commission exterminated every deer:
fawns, does & bucks, leaving the park wide open for deer from surrounding
areas to replace them. The park commissionís so-called objectives failed
miserably. However, Fish and Gameís objectives were met, as there will be
more deer each year for hunters to kill.

"The six-day hunt and subsequent three month-long police killing was second
to none in animal cruelty," states Stuart Chaifetz, NJARAís Anti-Hunting
Expert. "I saw how vulnerable the tame deer were prior to the massacre and
I walked along their blood trails after it was over. The wounding and
suffering that took place in that park was a tragedy."

The anti-animal bigotry and hypocrisy of the Park Commission has been
exposed. The Park Commission claimed a hunt was necessary because of deer
damage to vegetation, however, just a few weeks before they began the
killing of deer, they authorized the bulldozing of a large section of the
park, destroying lush vegetation and wildlife habitat for a ball field.

The reality is that tens of thousands of tax dollars were wasted on what
was a private, canned hunt for a few select hunters and members of the
Morris County Park Police.

"The Park Commission must be held accountable for their cold-blooded
actions,"  states Marilyn Johnson of the Concerned Citizens for Lewis
Morris Park. "We are here to make sure the world sees the abuse that the
Park Commission wants hidden."

NJARA is a community based, non-profit, educational organization working
toward a more peaceful, nonviolent coexistence with our earthly companions,
both human and nonhuman. Through our programs of promoting responsible
science, ethical consumerism and environmentalism, NJARA advocates change
that greatly enhances the quality of life for animals and people and
protects the earth.

-END-




Check out NJARA's web site:



Date: Thu, 18 Sep 1997 21:52:58 -0700
From: Andrew Gach 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: Corporate welfare for timber companies upheld in the Senate
Message-ID: <3422052A.6D86@worldnet.att.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Environmentalists lose on logging roads

The Associated Press 

WASHINGTON (September 18, 1997 11:27 a.m. EDT) -- Republicans rallied in
the Senate to narrowly defeat a proposal to cut spending for national
forest logging roads that might have prevailed if Vice President Al Gore
had been present to cast a tie-breaking vote.

On a 51-49 vote Wednesday, the Senate turned back the amendment, offered
by Sen. Richard Bryan, D-Nev., and backed by environmentalists, which
would have reduced the Forest Service's
budget for new road construction by about 25 percent and cut off what
Bryan said are subsidies to the timber industry.

"The mighty interests of the timber industry prevailed over the
interests of American taxpayers and those who want to protect the
fragile environment of our national forests," Bryan said Wednesday
night after the vote. "This is food stamps for the timber industry."

The initial vote was a 50-50 tie. The Clinton administration supported
Bryan's proposal and as president of the Senate, Gore could have broken
that tie had he not been out of town.

But with Gore absent, Bryan switched his vote to "no," leaving a 51-49
tally, so he could be recorded on the prevailing side and move to
reconsider the vote.

On the reconsideration, Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., dropped his support
for the reduction in the road budget and the same tally resulted, 51-49.
Amendments also lose on 50-50 votes.

Bryan acknowledged he had not anticipated a situation that would have
allowed for Gore to break a tie.

"Going in we knew we were close. We had not counted 50 votes going in,"
he said. He said it also was likely that Republican leaders would have
been able to persuade other GOP senators to reverse their votes had Gore
entered the fray.

The White House had no immediate formal comment. But an administration
source speaking on condition of anonymity confirmed that Gore would have
supported the amendment had he been in town.

"We were given to understand there were sufficient votes to pass it.
Some senators evidently changed their minds at the last minute," the
source said.

On a 211-209 vote, the House earlier this summer defeated a similar
attempt to make dramatic cuts in spending on logging roads.

Bryan's amendment would have cut $10 million from the Forest Service's
$47 million budget for new road construction. It also would have
eliminated the purchaser road credits program, which cost the agency $40
million last year to reimburse timber companies for building the roads.
The companies can use the credits to bid on timber sales.

It marked the first time since 1992 the Senate had waded into the
controversial topic of federal spending on logging roads, a priority for
national conservation groups. Debate centered on whether
the credits amount to a taxpayer-financed subsidy.

Opponents said if timber companies have to pay to build their own roads,
they will have less money to bid on the federal timber sales. That would
be a wash in the federal treasury, but would reduce
the share of timber profits that goes to local governments in the West,
they said.
Date: Thu, 18 Sep 1997 22:13:51 -0700
From: Andrew Gach 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: The Diet Drug Story
Message-ID: <34220A0F.81C@worldnet.att.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Diet Drugs' Effects on Heart Continue to Baffle Scientists

By LAURA JOHANNES and ROBERT LANGRETH
Staff Reporters of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

In the wake of this week's world-wide recall of two hugely popular diet
pills, scientists are grappling with a perplexing medical mystery: How
could Redux and Pondimin, which work on the brain to control appetite,
produce potentially severe heart and lung problems?

Nobody knows the answer. Indeed, experts from several scientific   
disciplines say it isn't yet proved that the big-selling diet drugs
cause the lung-disease side effects or the troubling heart-valve
problems that led the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to ask for the
drugs' withdrawal.

One other perfectly plausible hypothesis: Because everyone taking Redux
and Pondimin was presumably overweight, their obesity could be the cause
of their heart problems.

On the other hand, researchers say that if the weight-loss drugs are to
blame, a likely link is their highly potent effect on serotonin, a brain
chemical that regulates moods and emotions.

Several psychiatric drugs, including the antidepressant Prozac, also
work by manipulating the brain chemical -- but in such complex and
different ways that there's no evidence the diet drugs' side effects
implicate other serotonin drugs. Indeed, scientists believe Redux's and
Pondimin's effects on serotonin are more potent and wide-ranging than
other serotonin-based drugs.

Even as scientists race to untangle the serotonin-heart valve link, new
evidence emerging this week suggests the research that led to last
week's recall may be flawed. That research showed that 32% of 291 people
who used the diet pills had heart-valve abnormalities identified by a
diagnostic test called an echocardiogram.

But Richard Bowen, a diet doctor from Naples, Fla., says that a number
-- he doesn't know exactly how many -- of the 200 patients he
contributed to the FDA report were tested specifically because he had
observed heart murmurs in them. "My group was a biased sample. I told
them [the FDA] that."

The FDA confirmed that Dr. Bowen contributed a large number of patients,
but declined to say how many. The agency's Web site
(http://www.fda.gov/cder/news/slides/index.htm) says he contributed 122
of the 291 patients in the diet-drug sample, making him the largest of 
the five contributors. Asked about the doctor's concern that the sample
was biased, Janet Woodcock, director of the agency's center for drug   
evaluation, said "that's not our understanding from him."

While many scientists feel there is strong evidence that the diet
drugs do cause some damage, it's unclear how extensive the damage is, or
whether it's reversible once the drugs are stopped. Many questions
remain unanswered about the original Mayo Clinic report in July that
linked the drugs to a troubling thickening of heart valves, as well as
about the echocardiogram results.

"The women who have come to the FDA's attention in the five centers
that were studied may be in some way different from the millions of
women who took these drugs. A controlled trial is needed," says Marcia
Angell, executive editor of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Researchers say that one way to solve the controversy is understanding 
precisely how serotonin is affected by Redux, the drug approved by the 
FDA last year and sold by American Home Products Corp. It is also   
affected by "fen-phen," the combination of the older American Home   
Products' drug, Pondimin, and another medicine called phentermine. The 
FDA recall affected Redux and Pondimin, also known as fenfluramine.

Serotonin is one of a large number of chemical substances, called   
neurotransmitters, that carry messages between nerve cells. It's   
implicated in the regulation of appetite, mood swings and depression,
and even migraine headaches. It is also found outside the brain in the
blood and gut. Many drugs besides Redux and Pondimin work through
serotonin, including certain anti-migraine medicines. So do Prozac, sold
by Eli Lilly & Co., and its chemical cousins, Zoloft, sold by Pfizer
Inc., and SmithKline Beecham PLC's Paxil.

Heidi M. Connolly, a clinical cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic and the   
lead author of the New England Journal of Medicine report published on 
Aug. 28 that helped spur the massive diet-drug recall, says the 24
cases of heart-valve damages reported in the article (another 75 have
since come to light) are unusual.

In each case, the valves have a "bizarre" thickened appearance that
look strikingly like damage to valves in patients with a type of rare   
cancerous tumors that release serotonin into the blood. The valve
damage is also similar to that caused by an old migraine drug,
ergotamine, which may mimic the actions of serotonin.

But how the damage happens is unclear. "It's a mystery," says   
Glaxo-Wellcome PLC serotonin expert Michael Tyers "It is difficult to
see how the drugs" [action on] serotonin in the brain can affect the
heart."

Some top brain researchers speculate the unusually broad and potent   
actions Pondimin and Redux have on serotonin -- which are much
different from other serotonin-based drugs -- may be responsible. Prozac
and similar antidepressant drugs merely enhance the normal function of 
serotonin, explains George Aghajanian, a serotonin expert at Yale   
University in New Haven, Conn. By contrast, the diet drugs "come in
like a sledgehammer and release serotonin in large quantities in all
parts of  the body," something that doesn't normally happen.

"The two drugs [Prozac and Redux] affect serotonin quite differently," 
says Steven Paul, the psychiatrist who runs research at Eli Lilly & Co.

Dr. Connolly of the Mayo Clinic also believes it's "unlikely" Prozac   
could cause heart-valve disorders but believes someone should study
the matter. Five of the patients in her New England Journal study were
on Prozac and other antidepressants as well as on the diet drugs.

But that isn't necessarily significant because so many Americans take   
Prozac. "In the past, we've said so many millions of people have taken 
[Prozac-like drugs], you'd think any problems would have come to
light," she says. "But millions of people were taking these [diet]
medications and it didn't come to light until now."

Scientists from Eli Lilly and Pfizer strongly defend the safety of
their serotonin drugs. "As far as we're concerned, the chance [of
heart-valve side effects] from Zoloft are nonexistent," says Joseph
Feczko, vice president for medical and regulatory operations at Pfizer,
referring to the company's Prozac-style antidepressant.

Officials from both Pfizer and Eli Lilly say they have not seen any   
reports of abnormal heart-valve problems in side-effects reports from   
tens of millions of patients who are taking the antidepressant drugs
over many years.

Serotonin's normal function is to transmit messages between nerve
cells.  Once the message is sent, the serotonin is pumped back into the
nerve cells so it can be used again. Prozac blocks some of these pumps,
keeping serotonin present in nerve junctions.

However, Prozac's effects are self-limiting: The drug cannot increase   
serotonin levels in nerve junctions, or synapses, where serotonin is
not already present.

By contrast, fenfluramine is believed to act indiscriminately on nerve 
cells, platelets and other places where serotonin is stored, squeezing 
out supplies of serotonin from their storage sites in cells.

Because serotonin is stored in many places in the body and performs a   
large variety of functions, this action could have an effect outside the
brain. Some researchers speculate that Redux or Pondimin may release   
serotonin stored in blood platelets, where it somehow interacts with   
heart-valve tissue and harms it.

"Drugs like fenfluramine overstimulate serotonin in a way that Prozac   
[and similar medicines] cannot, says Steven Hyman, director of the   
National Institute of Mental Health. In particular, he supports the   
much-disputed assertion that fenfluramine kills the nerve cells that   
produce serotonin. "In animals, it's fairly clear that it can kill   
serotonin neurons," he says.

American Home says that evidence that nerve cells can be harmed is   
controversial, and the company has never seen adverse brain effects in 
millions of humans who have taken the drug.

Meanwhile, questions remain about the data linking the diet pills to   
heart-valve problems. For instance, none of the people with abnormal   
echocardiogram results had a baseline test before they used the drugs.
So it's unclear whether they had previous valve troubles.

Moreover, most of the reported cases involved users of fen-phen-raising
the question of whether the combination, rather than fenfluramine alone,
could be responsible.

"We just don't know," says Dr. Woodcock of the FDA. "We're only saying 
this finding is alarming enough to pull the drugs off the market.  We're
going to learn much more in the next several months."

The FDA is now developing a standard procedure for physicians across
the country to report cases quickly and efficiently. Meanwhile, American
Home is setting up a rigorous clinical trial to try to get at the truth.

The company, in connection with ten research sites nationally, will
give echocardiograms to 400 patients who have taken Redux, 400 who took
fen-phen and 400 people of similar age, weight and other demographic   
factors who never took the drugs. "This should happen quickly," says
Marc Deitch, global medical director for the company's Wyeth-Ayerst
unit. "We're already up and running, and in two to three weeks all the
patients should be echoed." Analyzing the results will take longer but
"we're moving as rapidly as we can," he says.

A look at the patients who didn't take fen-phen, the so-called control 
group, will answer the question many people have been asking: What is
the incidence of abnormal echocardiograms in the general population?   
Cardiologists estimate it would be anywhere from 1% to 5% in people
who didn't take diet drugs -- but that's a pretty rough estimate.

Perhaps the most pressing question as yet unanswered is whether the   
damage -- if, indeed, caused by diet drugs -- is reversible. A Mayo   
patient who stopped taking fen-phen drug before surgery on defective   
heart valves, developed more disease in another valve two months later 
and her condition has continued to worsen. "We don't understand why
that happened," says the Mayo's Dr. Connolly. "It's so early in this new
disease, and we just don't know its natural history."

The FDA has two as-yet unconfirmed reports of patients who seemed to
get better after stopping the drugs. Dr. Bowen, the Naples, Fla.,
doctor, contributed one of those patients: a 61-year-old from Sarasota
who stopped taking the drug in December. "If her echo came across my
desk today," he said, "she would still have some abnormalities but
nothing like what we saw initially."
Date: Thu, 18 Sep 1997 23:57:00 -0700 (PDT)
From: civillib@cwnet.com
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: National Sue Release (US)
Message-ID: <199709190657.XAA22895@smtp.cwnet.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"



URGENT NEWS ADVISORY
Sept. 18, 1997 




Worldwide Demonstrations, Phone Blockade Underway to Aide
Jailed Activist; Major Protests Set for Atlanta 

     ATLANTA – Street demonstrations throughout the U.S. and the world are being
held this week and weekend as part of an international effort to free animal
rights activist Sue McCrosky, now on Day 16 of a hunger strike in DeKalb
County Jail.

     A series of a major protests in the Atlanta area, including the jail, are
also scheduled for this weekend. Carloads of activists from throughout the
East and Southeast are expected to join the demonstrations.

     The first national protest for Ms McCrosky is tonight at 6 p.m. at the
National Institutes of Health in Washington D.C. Others U.S. protests
between Friday and Sunday are scheduled in nearly 2 dozens cities, including
Dallas, New York City, Syracuse, Austin, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston,
Denver and Green Bay. International actions are scheduled at U.S. embassies
and consulates in New Zealand.

     Supporters also report they've begun an aggressive "phone blockade" with
thousands of calls flooding the DeKalb Jail and judge who sent Ms McCrosky
to jail for 45 days for violation of a local ordinance – a petty infraction.
Supporters vow to continue the "blockade" until Ms McCrosky is freed.

     In addition to Atlanta's Last Chance for Animals and Animal Abuse Watch,
national organizations representing an estimated 100,000 members in the U.S.
have pledged to aide in support actions for Ms McCrosky, including In
Defense of Animals, Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade (20 chapters),
National Activist Network and Animal Defense League (15 chapters).

     Ms McCrosky was jailed for 45 days Sept. 3 for protesting on a sidewalk in
front of the home of the chief of Yerkes Primate Research Center last May.
She was rushed to the hospital this week because of a worsening condition
caused by the jail not administering her blood pressure medication
appropriately.

-30-
For more information, call ACLC (916) 452-7179

Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997 01:15:59
From: David J Knowles 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: [UK] Child sickness baffles doctors
Message-ID: <3.0.3.16.19970919011559.37775724@dowco.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"


>From The Electronic Telgraph - Friday, September 19th, 1997

Child sickness baffles doctors
By Celia Hall, Medical Editor 

CASES of hay fever, eczema and diabetes have almost doubled in children
over 10-year periods, researchers say in two reports, but doctors have no
explanations for the dramatic increases.

In one report, a pair of studies of children born in 1958 and 1970 found
eczema rates rose from 3.1 per cent to 6.4 and hay fever from 12 per cent
to 23.3.

The survey of 20,580 children looked for differences between the sexes, in
birth weights, in social class, in mothers' ages and smoking habits but
still could not identify the cause.

The differences that did emerge did not change over time. Hay fever
continued to be more likely among children born into upper and middle class
homes and continued to be less
common if the mother smoked in pregnancy.

Hay fever was also more common when the mothers were older and when they
had their babies, up to their early 30s. But it was less common if mothers
had smoked during
pregnancy.

Hay fever and eczema were slightly more common if the babies were breast
fed for more than a month, say the researchers from St George's Hospital
Medical School, south London, in the British Medical Journal. Dr Barbara
Butland and her colleagues from the Department of Public Health Sciences
say there may be underlying reasons associated with lifestyle that are
still to be revealed.

The second study in the journal adds to concerns that unknown environmental
factors are causing an upsurge of insulin-dependent diabetes in young
children.

A study in the Oxford region showed that between 1985 and 1995 the
proportion of children under five with the condition doubled.

The number of cases of diabetes in children under 15 rose by four per cent
each year. Most of the overall increase was due to a rise of 11 per cent
per year among the under-fives.

The findings mirror a worrying trend of rising incidence of childhood
diabetes in Europe and many other parts of the world over the past 30 years.

A total of 572 diabetic boys and 465 girls were notified to researchers led
by Prof Edwin Gale from the Department of Medicine, University of Bristol.

They were from a total population in the region of 512,000 under the age of
15. Three children, two aged two and one aged four, died during the study.
The research showed that
diabetes was more prevalent in boys below 15 than in girls.The incidence
among boys increased from 18.3 to 21.5 cases per 100,000 per year, while
that for girls increased
from 15.6 to 18.7.

Early onset diabetes was associated with a much higher frequency of serious
diabetic effects, such as low blood sugar levels.

The reasons for the trend were still a mystery, but environmental factors
early in life combined with inherited susceptibility were thought to be
involved.

The researchers say: "Infection with rubella and Coxsackie virus during
gestation can affect subsequent development of insulin-dependent diabetes,
as may early exposure to cow's
milk. Changes in incidence might be linked to patterns of childhood
immunisation, but this has to be confirmed."

Prof Gale said: "The results are dramatic. We can't be sure that they are
reflected throughout the UK, but our review of the literature dating back
to 1945 does indicate a continuing upward trend.

"An increase on such a scale and at such a speed cannot be put down to
genetic factors alone. The cause must therefore be environmental. The truth
is that we don't know."

© Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1997.

Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997 01:22:31
From: David J Knowles 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: [UK]Farm leaders in protest at Irish beef exports
Message-ID: <3.0.3.16.19970919012231.37775bc6@dowco.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"


>From The Electronic Telgraph - Friday, September 19th, 1997

Farm leaders in protest at Irish beef exports
By David Brown, Agriculture Editor 

FARMERS' leaders were in Brussels last night in an effort to thwart
European Commission plans to allow exports of beef from Northern Ireland to
resume in advance of meat from
other parts of the United Kingdom.

Sir David Naish, president of the National Farmers' Union of England and
Wales, accompanied by Richard Macdonald, director general of the NFU, was
seeking a meeting with Franz Fischler, EU Agriculture Commissioner, to head
off what they dismissed as a "piecemeal" lifting of the ban at the expense
of farmers in the rest of the United Kingdom.

"We are anxious to avoid any measures which would result in the piecemeal
lifting of the ban when we really want to see the whole of the UK being
freed from this unjustified imposition," Sir David said.

Earlier Jacques Santer, president of the EU Commission on a visit to
Edinburgh, had to fend off an attack by Scottish farmers. They complained
that the plan, based on Ulster having a computerised cattle tracking
system, was a "cynical device" which could "blow away Scotland's beef
export markets for ever." 

Before the ban, imposed 18 months ago, Scotland exported £120 million worth
of beef a year. Sandy Mole, president of the NFU of Scotland who met the EU
leader for lunch, said:
 "My message to M Santer was to encourage reasonable people who want to
work out a solution in a spirit of co-operation and not pander to those who
want to pile one impossible set of conditions upon the next to keep
Scottish beef out of our export markets for as far ahead as anyone can see.

"Jacques Santer is also perfectly well aware of Scotland's farmers'
complete commitment to introduce a computer traceablity system.

"But we are not prepared to have this technical improvement used as a
barrier to trade and a cynical device to achieve a political solution to
register some sort of progress."

No similar computerised tracing system will be available elsewhere in
Britain for at least seven months. 

Farming leaders are pressing instead for an alternative system based on
permitting exports of animals born after August 1 last year.

This is the date when supplies of animal food, of the kind believed to have
caused BSE in the first place, were cleared from farms under emergency
measures to tackle the beef crisis and restore confidence. 

© Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1997.

Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997 01:26:25
From: David J Knowles 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: [UK] Three horses killed in arson attack
Message-ID: <3.0.3.16.19970919012625.377705d0@dowco.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"


>From The Electronic Telgraph - Friday, September 19th, 1997

Three horses killed in arson attack
By John Steele, Crime Correspondent 


THREE horses died in an arson attack when bales of hay were set alight in a
stables. The fire caused £4,000 damage to the building and a trailer.

One of the dead animals, a 13-year-old grey mare called Rhys, had been a
present to a girl at her birth. The horses, Rhys, Candy, a two-year-old
black mare, and Ruby, a two-year-old bay filly, had been tethered inside
the stables.The blaze was so fierce that firemen feared that it might
spread to a nearby electricity pylon.

RSPCA officers were called but could not save the animals. An initial
examination showed that the hay had been set on fire. There is no
electrical equipment and smoking is banned.

Police appealed for witnesses who may have seen something suspicious near
the wooden stables at Pitts Farm in Middleton, Greater Manchester.

The owner, Barbara Lidyard, 48, who bought Rhys for her daughter, Sally,
said: "These were defenceless animals locked away in stables and anyone
with half a heart would have realised this. The horses did not stand a
chance. I cannot understand why this should happen. We have no enemies and
we have had no trouble here at the stables. Rhys was bought for Sally soon
after she was born and they have been lifelong pals. Sally is devastated. I
bought Candy two years ago and she was a wonderful showjumper. She has won
all sorts of shows."

Stephen Nichols, 40, who owned Ruby, said: "I bought her for the whole
family. We are absolutely devastated at what has happened."

A fire brigade spokesman said: "It's looking very like suspicious
circumstances. The fire will have taken hold easily because of the straw."

© Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1997.

Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997 01:29:00
From: David J Knowles 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: [UK] Butterflies blown in by the million
Message-ID: <3.0.3.16.19970919012900.37777b56@dowco.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"


>From The Electronic Telgraph - Friday, September 19th, 1997

Butterflies blown in by the million

BRITAIN has been invaded by millions of migrating butterflies blown off
course by storms in the Bay of Biscay.

The butterflies, mainly Small Tortoiseshells, have arrived along the north
Norfolk coast, according to the Butterfly Conservation's Information Line.

Another common species, the Small White, was seen but there were few
Clouded Yellows and Painted Ladies recorded in huge numbers across Britain
last year. Other recent arrivals include Red Admirals in Fife. The rare
Camberwell Beauty has been spotted in Belfast and
Staffordshire. Large numbers of Lime Hawk Moths have been recorded in
Southampton.

© Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1997.

Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997 01:34:30
From: David J Knowles 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: [UK/US] New Jersey bear cull provokes outrage
Message-ID: <3.0.3.16.19970919013430.37771a1c@dowco.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"


>From The Electronic Telgraph - Friday, September 19th, 1997

New Jersey bear cull provokes outrage

ANIMAL-lovers expressed outrage yesterday at plans in New Jersey to shoot
half the black bear population in the state. Since 1971, when there were
only a few dozen of the bears left in New Jersey, the number has grown to
more than 500. State officials say they have become a "destructive pest"
and are proposing a one-day hunt to halve the population. 

David Sapsted, New York 

© Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1997.

Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997 01:48:46
From: David J Knowles 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: [US] El Nino effects noticed
Message-ID: <3.0.3.16.19970919014846.37772252@dowco.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

According to a report on CBC's 'Broadcast One' Thursday evening, the El
Nino effect is already being noticed all along the US Pacific Coast.

Malibu has stockpiled sandbags to prepare for worse-than-normal flooding
expected this winter, other Californians are preparing by having roofs
repaired - meaning that roof repairers at least are happy, and normally
tropical fish are being found in unusual places.

Marlins are being sighted - and caught - off Seattle, Macau sharks are
being sighted off Northern Californian and the Oregon coasts, and other
tropical species are being caught by fishermen in the area. 

A NASA scientist, interviewed on the piece, which orignated from CBS, noted
they were continuing to observe the developing band of warm water, which
now covers an area of the central Pacific one-and-a-half times the size of
the United States.

Water temperatures off the coast of Northern California are reported to be
10 degrees warmer than normal. 

The warm water has meant that staff at the Monteray Aquarium have had to
install water cooling systems for their exhibits, which use water taken
directly from the Pacific.

As was noted: "You can tell something's wrong when they have to install air
conditioning for jelly-fish."



Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997 09:48:50 -0400 (EDT)
From: PAWS 
To: Jeanie Stone 
Cc: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: Re: Elephant rides at the Renaissance Festival
Message-ID: 
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

To Jeanie Stone, 

Thank you for your posting about elephant rides at the Maryland 
Renaissance Festival.  PAWS has fliers that specifically address the 
dangers of elephant rides.  We also have bumper stickers that say:  "Get 
Off Their Backs:  Ban Elephant Rides."   If you would like a supply of 
any of these materials, let us know.  Also, do you know who owns the 
elephants that were/are being used for the rides?  
Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997 10:08:13 -0400 (EDT)
From: PAWS 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: PAWS Benefit for Elephants
Message-ID: 
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

PAWS annual Gala and Celebrity Auction will be held tomorrow, September 
20th.  For those of you in the Sacramento area, call (209) 745-2606 for 
ticket info.  Some of the items donated to this year's auction include a 
pair of Gene Roddenberry's (Star Trek originator's) suspenders; a 
basketball autographed by the Houston Rockets; St. Louis Cardinals' 
items; and costumes worn by Kim Basinger in several of her recent films. 
There are hundreds of other items, autographs, signed posters, tapes, CD's.  
Anyone interested can e.mail for a bid-by-internet form.  All proceeds 
will go to help the elephants and other animals at the sanctuary. 

also, Sacramento folks should tune in to radio station 100.5 (The Zone)
this morning.  They are broadcasting live from Sacramento's Hard Rock 
Cafe, auctioning selected items from the PAWS auction, and interviewing 
Pat Derby and Ed Stewart about "animals in entertainment."  If you are in 
the Sacto area, tune in.
Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997 13:59:02 GMT
From: Chris Wright 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (UK) RSPCA helps round up escaped mink to return them to fur farm
Message-ID: <342b835b.18936820@post.demon.co.uk>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

As reported yesterday, 500 mink have escaped from a fur farm in West
Yorkshire following a break-in. The RSPCA have been assisting with
attempts to recover the mink and return them to the farm. I queried them
on their seemingly paradoxical stance and received the following reply:

"We have been advised by our Regional office that the mink in question
were deliberately released from the fur farm at Elland by a third party
not connected with the farm.

The RSPCA requested that if people found any mink in their local area
that they either contact the Society's Regional office so that
collection could be arranged and the mink returned to the farm, or that
the public contact the farm directly.  

There were two reasons why the mink had to be returned to the farm: 
a) they are very destructive and are a real threat to the wildlife
already in the area, and b) they are owned animals and not to return
them (however reluctantly) would mean committing the criminal offence of
theft.

I trust this information clarifies the Society's position.

Enquiries Service
RSPCA"

The UK RSPCA's email address is enqserv@rspca.org.uk

Chris Wright
Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997 11:05:59 -0400 (EDT)
From: PAWS 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: Hawthorn Elephants Released
Message-ID: 
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

According to a circus industry newsletter (September 15, 1997), the 
Hawthorn elephants have been released from quarantine.  The article 
states that "the Hawthorn elephants have finally been released by the 
USDA for normal performaning duties after roughly 13 months."  It goes on 
to say that the 18 animals have been listed by the USDA as "considered to 
be non-infectious" and that all the Cuneo elephants "have now been shown 
to be negative to test cultures."
Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997 11:22:23 -0400 (EDT)
From: PAWS 
To: SMatthes@aol.com
Cc: ar-news@envirolink.org, alf@dcfreenet.seflin.lib.fl.us, nnetwork@cwnet.com,
        BHGazette@aol.com
Subject: Re: Royal Palace Circus 
Message-ID: 
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

Regarding your posting on the Royal Palace Circus:  PAWS has an article 
on the circus from "Circus Report" magazine, April 21, 1997.  According 
to that article, the circus has horses, ponies, snakes, and two baby 
leopards.  Please let me know if you would like me to fax you a copy of 
this "review" of one of the circus' recent performances.  
Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997 09:49:34 -0700 (PDT)
From: Michael Markarian 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org, seac+animalrights@earthsystems.org,
        en.alerts@conf.igc.apc.org
Subject: Politically Incorrect's Bill Maher Urges Governor Pataki to be
  Politically Correct
Message-ID: <2.2.16.19970919130852.543f065e@pop.igc.org>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 19, 1997

CONTACT: Marion Stark, 518-439-2631 

ATTN: Managing Editor


POLITICALLY INCORRECT'S BILL MAHER URGES
GOVERNOR PATAKI TO BE POLITICALLY CORRECT


ALBANY, N.Y. -- In a letter to Governor George Pataki, Bill Maher of ABC's
"Politically Incorrect" wrote today, "I am shocked to learn that traps are
legally placed in areas where families and pets hike, bike and swim.
Watching a family pet choke to death is definitely not a warm memory.
Valentine was a sweetheart of a dog. I urge Governor Pataki to create a trap
free zone of at least 500 feet from recreational paths because it's the
politically correct thing to do and will protect pets and children."

Valentine, an abused dog who was found starved and with broken bones, was
nursed back to health and promised by her new owner that no one would ever
hurt her again. However, she met a gruesome death. Valentine was caught in a
Conibear trap and died screaming before her beloved family's horrified eyes
as they were jogging in a recreational area. This area is open to the public
and used to jog, walk, bike and wade in the water. It is currently legal in
NYS to place traps virtually everywhere except on public highways and 100
feet from schools or churches.

# # #

Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997 13:47:37 -0400 (EDT)
From: BanFurNow@aol.com
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: Dallas - Worldwide demos to aide jailed activist
Message-ID: <970919134547_1763670667@emout09.mail.aol.com>

  URGENT NEWS ADVISORYContact:  Lydia Nichols - 214-342-8144
     September 19, 1997           Animal Liberation of Texas
 


Worldwide Demonstrations Underway to Aide Jailed Animal Rights Activist;
Major Protest Set for Saturday


     DALLAS -  Animal rights activists are a planning a series of national
protests this weekend, in support of a 53 year old woman, who is on hunger
strike in an Atlanta jail for protesting against primate research.  Local
activists announced plans to strike at the University of Texas Southwestern
Medical Center at Harry Hines and Butler on Saturday at 11:15 am.

     Sue McCrosky is now on day 17 of a hunger strike.  Ms. McCrosky has vowed
not to eat, to bring pressure on the Atlanta courts who jailed her for 45
days for violation of a mere ordinance which bans residential picketing.  Ms.
McCrosky was originally cited for protesting at the home of a chief animal
researcher at Yerkes Primate Research Center in Georgia.

     The first national protest for Ms. McCrosky was Thursday night at the
National Institutes of Health in Washington D.C. Other U.S. protests between
Friday and Sunday are scheduled in nearly 2 dozens cities, including Dallas,
New York City, Syracuse, Austin, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Denver
and Green Bay. International actions are scheduled at U.S. embassies and
consulates in New Zealand and Britain. 

     Supporters also report they've begun an aggressive "phone blockade" with
thousands of calls flooding the Atlanta based DeKalb Co. Jail and judge who
sent Ms. McCrosky to jail for 45 days for violation of a local ordinance - a
petty infraction.  Supporters vow to continue the "blockade" until Ms.
McCrosky is freed.

     In addition to Atlanta's Last Chance for Animals and Animal Abuse Watch,
national organizations representing an estimated 100,000 members in the U.S.
have pledged to aide in support actions for Ms. McCrosky, including In
Defense of Animals, Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade (20 chapters),
National Activist Network and Animal Defense League (15 chapters).

     Ms. McCrosky was rushed to the hospital this week because of a worsening
condition caused by the jail not administering her blood pressure medication
appropriately. Supporters are amazed that the judge is taking a hardline
stance against a nonviolent protester, while real criminals are eligible for
early release and community service hours.

# # #

Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997 13:54:38 -0400 (EDT)
From: Porcilina@aol.com
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: Animal Place in the News
Message-ID: <970919135228_1855338777@emout15.mail.aol.com>

>Where animals are friends, not food: 
>Couple rescues barnyard castoffs
>
>By Carlos Alcal
>Sacramento Bee Staff Writer 
>(Published Sept. 18, 1997) 
>
>When Joe was found, he was no more than a few days
>old.
>
>A male Jersey calf, he had no value as a milk cow and
>had been left to die, stacked with dead animals in an
>auction yard, where cattle are sold.
>
>Now, however, Joe has a 64-acre home near Vacaville.
>The young steer will live a full life at Animal Place, an
>unusual refuge for animals from the barnyard set.
>
>It's unusual because many Americans think of the pigs,
>chickens and cattle that Animal Place rescues as food
>sources, not as feeling animals like dogs and cats.
>
>They also don't draw the same kind of attention as wild
>cats or elephants, which have refuges of their own.
>
>"It's not as sexy as exotic animals. It's not as compelling
>or heart-rending as if we were rescuing dogs," Kim
>Sturla said.
>
>Sturla, a former humane society director, runs Animal
>Place with her husband, a UC Davis veterinary
>ophthalmologist, Dr. Ned Buyukmihci.
>
>To them, these animals are compelling.
>
>There's Diabla, a black goat that was one of hundreds of
>diseased goats living in mud and feces when they were
>rescued in the Bay Area last year.
>
>There's Emma Jean: "(She) was a backyard slaughter
>pig," Sturla said. "She was supposed to be Thanksgiving
>dinner. She escaped when she was no bigger than a
>peanut."
>
>There's Thelma, the chicken who outgrew a school
>egg-hatching project, and a number of other chickens
>who were freed from a laboratory research project after
>four years of living in cages.
>
>And there are about 70 more animals -- peacocks,
>sheep, goats, pigs, dogs, potbelly pigs, cows and more.
>Most have been referred from humane societies and
>animal shelters around California.
>
>While most live outside or in the barn at Animal Place,
>potbelly pigs and dogs also have the run of the house --
>which is nevertheless very clean.
>
>Actually, animals seem to occupy every niche of the
>house, in the form of chicken-shaped planters, pig trivets,
>cow wall art, and animal refrigerator magnets.
>
>Sturla and Buyukmihci are just animal-oriented people,
>to the extent that Sturla sometimes refers to the rescued
>animals as "the kids."
>
>The pair had informally rescued animals for years before
>outgrowing a one-acre plot in Yolo County.
>
>They moved to Animal Place in 1989 and formally
>incorporated the effort as a nonprofit agency. Their
>project runs on a budget of about $50,000 a year, none
>of it for salaries.
>
>In part, they do it cheaply because they get 400 to 600
>pounds of donated produce to feed the animals every
>day. Routine veterinary care can be provided by
>Buyukmihci.
>
>Even so, he sees his work at UC Davis as entirely
>separate from Animal Place.
>
>Though both deal with animals, the outlook is completely
>different, he said. "Most of veterinary medicine looks at
>animals as a means to human ends," Buyukmihci said.
>
>By contrast, Animal Place aids animals for the animals'
>own sake. With animals bred for production, it ends up
>having unintended consequences.
>
>A pig bred to be slaughtered in a matter of months may
>grow excessively big if allowed to live longer, leading to
>joint and foot problems. Chickens, intended to live only
>seven or eight weeks, have other problems.
>
>"We do the best we can to make their quality of life really
>good," Buyukmihci said. "It's a constant battle, because
>they just weren't intended to live that long."
>
>Animal Place is more than a refuge, Sturla said. "I don't
>want this just to be a sanctuary. Let's educate people
>about these animals."
>
>Sturla, a former teacher, likes to bring children to their
>spread to try to pass along the compassion she and her
>husband feel.
>
>"Animals we don't know personally, we take less
>responsibility for their health and well-being," she said.
>
>Education also takes the form of a children's book and a
>teen-oriented comic book Sturla wrote to teach children
>about the inhumane ways animals are treated in the
>production of human food.
>
> "I'm coming from a perspective of ethical vegetarianism,"
>Sturla said. Buyukmihci is also vegetarian.
>
>To raise funds for the sanctuary and education, Animal
>Place plans a vegetarian cook-off contest Saturday from
>noon to 3 p.m. at Scratch Bar and Pool Hall, 120 I St. in
>Old Sacramento.
>
>They will also hold an open house at Animal Place on
>Nov. 9. For directions and more information, call
>707-449-4814. 
>
Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997 15:13:54 -0400
From: Shirley McGreal 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: US government's silence on the baby monkey shipments
Message-ID: <1.5.4.32.19970919191354.0073deec@awod.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

In past posts IPPL has presented information about two shipments of monkeys
that reached the United States in April and May 1997. The April shipment
included 20 baby monkeys, some as young as 4 weeks old. The May shipment
included 19 baby monkeys, one three weeks old and several four weeks old.
Both shipments also included pregnant monkeys. 

At the other end of the age scale, the April shipment included monkeys up to
16 years of age and the May shipment included monkeys up to 17 years. Both
health certificates and Indonesian CITES export permits described the
animals as "captive-born." 

To the best of my information, Indonesia banned export of wild-caught
monkeys on 1 April 1994. It was prior to or around this time that most of
the monkey breeding colonies reportedly became active (apart from the Dili
and Tinjil Island free-ranging colonies established in the late 1980s).
Based on the rosters of the April and May shipments and other information
presented to us (such as information about tattoo numbers from unrelated
shipments), IPPL is concerned that wild-caught monkeys may be being
exported on captive-bred export documents. We suspect that at least some of
the parties to the transactions may have knowledge of the dubious captive
birth of many of the monkeys. Has David Copperfield visited Indonesia
recently to wave his wand? 

If primate breeding colonies are commingling wild-caught animals into their
colonies, the risk of disease spread is increased. Even if the wild-caught
and long-term captive animals are mot mixed together, facility staff could
transmit diseases between locations unless completely separate staff were
maintained or two separate locations operated.     

IPPL believes that the US Fish and Wildlife Service should undertake a
thorough investigation of these shipments, in cooperation with Indonesian
authorities and possibly French authorities since Air France carried the
monkeys and there were some reported escapes at Charles De Gaulle Airport
during the 2-day transit period for the May shipment. We are concerned that
neither the April nor May shipments was physically inspected by US Fish and
Wildlife Service inspectors in Chicago, nor was the paperwork apparently
inspected either. A shipment of 220 monkeys from the same exporter to the
same importer reached the United States in February 1997. It also was not
inspected.

IPPL understands that further shipments of monkeys by the same parties along
this same itinerary may be planned.

IPPL has asked the US Fish and Wildlife Service to investigate what is going
on. The letter that follows was sent to Law Enforcement Chief Thomas
Striegeler. IPPL has not had the courtesy of a reply, nor was a follow-up
letter resubmitting the 13 August letter acknowledged. We believe that,
without providing details of any investigation that MIGHT be under way, a
courteous acknowledgement should have been made. We are concerned that
USFWS, which is getting hundreds of letters from members of the public
concerned about these shipments, may have those responsible pay a trivial
sum of money to "settle" without even initiating a thorough investigation of
all the facts and circumstances.  

---------------IPPL LETTER TO THOMAS STRIEGELER---------------------

August 13, 1997

Thomas Striegeler
Chief, Division of Law Enforcement
POB 3247
Arlington VA 22203

SUBJECT: APPARENT VIOLATION OF 50 CFR Sec. 14.105 Title 50 Ch. 1, Subchapter
B, Part 14, Subpart J.

Dear Mr. Striegeler:

As you know, 50 CFR Sec. 14.105 Title 50 Ch. 1, Subchapter B, Part 14,
Subpart J states that:

     "A nursing mother with young, an unweaned mammal unaccompanied by its
mother...shall be transported only if the primary purpose is for needed
medical treatment and upon certification by the examining veterinarian that
the treatment is necessary and the animal is able to withstand the normal
rigors of transport. Such an unweaned mammal...shall not be transported to
the United States for medical treatment unless it is accompanied at all
times and completely accessible to a veterinary attendant."

IPPL wishes to request that your agency place a high priority on
investigation of two primate shipments in probable violation of this
regulation, and that firm action be taken against anyone culpably responsible. 

On 10 April 1997, a shipment of 253 monkeys reached Chicago from Indonesia.
This shipment contained 20 nursing mothers and 20 babies, some as young as
FOUR weeks old. A Chicago inspector named Merida reported a 100% inspection
rate. IPPL has learned that he did not in fact inspect the monkeys at all.

Nor, apparently, did he review the shipping documents as the 20 babies were
clearly listed, along with each baby's date of birth. 

On 31 May, a further shipment reached Chicago. This shipment started with
255 monkeys but only 253 arrived as a nursing mother died and her suckling
baby was killed in Paris. IPPL has learned that the shipping crates for 
these animals were in such bad condition that they had to be reinforced in
Paris. Apparently some monkeys got loose. This shipment included 19 babies
and 6 pregnant animals. One baby was just three weeks old.

The same inspector (Merida) cleared the shipment. This time he reported a 0%
inspection rate. Clearly, assuming he knew of the regulation, which I
hope all inspectors do, he didn't look at the documents either.

The shipping lists for both shipments listed monkeys as old as 16 years and
the Indonesian export permit claimed that all animals were "captive-born."
IPPL compared the tattoo numbers with those belonging to 15 known animals
who arrived as part of an all-dead shipment in Miami in August 1992, on
papers saying they were "wild-caught." Some of the numbers were quite close.
We believe this should be followed up on also.

I recall that, at your meeting with NGOs, you discussed your priorities. I
believe that this affair involved a lot of wild animals treated in a way
which shows total contempt for regulations and some degree of contempt among
participants for your agency's willingness or ability to do its job. 

We believe there should be an IMMEDIATE dual investigation, a) of the
shipments, and b) of why they were cleared.

Your comments and especially your prompt action would be appreciated. 


     Very truly yours,



     Shirley McGreal (Dr.)
     Chairwoman, IPPL

     
----------------------------------------------------------------  
   
The Centers for Disease Control has also inspected incoming primate
shipments since the 1989 Ebola scare. CDC inspectors reportedly wearing
space suit type outfits look at primates in their crates. No doubt the
primates think the humans are insane! CDC is part of the Department of
Health and Humane Services. CDC personnel that IPPL has encountered have no
interest in primate well-being. It is doubtful they have any interest in
species conservation either and, in any case, it's not their job to enforce
wildlife laws. BUT Customs does help USFWS by drawing the agency's attention
to problem shipments. Apparently CDC does not and certainly didn't do so in
the case of the baby monkey shipments. 

Therefore IPPL sent the letter that follows to CDC, also with a follow-up
letter when no reply was received. We believe this letter also merits the
courtesy of a reply. 

---------------------IPPL LETTER TO CDC--------------------------

August 8, 1997

Tom De Marcus
Division of Quarantine, CDC
Atlanta GA 30333

Dear Mr. De Marcus:

I am writing you regarding two shipments of monkeys that reached Chicago
recently. They raise an interesting question about the respective roles of
the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Centers for Disease Control and the
degree of cooperation between these agencies.

As you may know, international shipping of baby monkeys is in violation of
50 CFR Sec. 14.105 Title 50 Ch. 1, Subchapter B, Part 14, Subpart J. This
regulation, which implements the Lacey Act, a US wildlife law, states that:

        "A nursing mother with young, an unweaned mammal unaccompanied by
its mother...shall be transported only if the primary purpose is for needed
medical treatment and upon certification by the examining veterinarian that
the treatment is necessary and the animal is able to withstand the normal
rigors of transport. Such an unweaned mammal...shall not be transported to
the United States for medical treatment unless it is accompanied at all
times and completely accessible to a veterinary attendant."

I hope you agree that this law should be enforced.

On 10 April 1997, a shipment of monkeys reached the United States from
Indonesia. The shipment arrived at Chicago on Air France. The shipper was
the Indonesian firm Inquatex and the importer was LABS of South Carolina.
Under the Freedom of Information Act IPPL obtained relevant documents, which
included the roster of animals shipped. This list (enclosed) included 20
baby monkeys shipped with their mothers, some as young as four weeks old.
There were also 17 pregnant animals. The International Air Transport
Association recommends against shipment of both baby and pregnant animals.

On 30 May, a further shipment of monkeys arrived at Chicago, again on Air
France flight. The animals were again shipped by Inquatex, and were also
bound for LABS in South Carolina. IPPL just received FOIA documents
pertaining to this shipment. There were 19 babies, one just three weeks old.
Also six monkeys were pregnant. The flight was delayed for two days in
Paris. I understand the crates did not comply with IATA guidelines. On
arrival in Chicago, the monkeys were subjected to a 20-hour truck ride to
South Carolina.

Obviously this shipment did not comply with 50 CFR Sec. 14.105 Title 50 Ch.
1, Subchapter B, Part 14, Subpart J. An Indonesian health certificate stated
that all animals in each shipment were in good health. 

The US Fish and Wildlife Service inspector stationed in Chicago claimed that
100% of the monkeys shipped in April were inspected. He admitted later that
he had not even seen the shipment, nor had he examined the accompanying
documents. This inspector reported 0% inspection of the May shipment. 

However it is my understanding that a CDC inspector looked at both these
shipments. Baby monkeys 3 or 4 weeks old cannot be mistaken for weaned
animals: they are tiny and have very little hair.

Surely your inspector was familiar with the law and, in the spirit of
interagency cooperation, should have reported the possible illegality of the
shipments to the US Fish and Wildlife Service.  
 
This apparent lack of cooperation allows regulatons written for a good
purpose to be flouted with apparent impunity. 

Please take immediate remedial action and provide all CDC inspectors of
incoming primate shipments with copies of 50 CFR Sec. 14.105 Title 50 Ch. 1,
Subchapter B, Part 14, Subpart J, and instruct them to inform USFWS and
yourself of violations. 

Your comments would be appreciated.


     Very truly yours,




     Shirley McGreal (Dr.)
     Chairwoman, IPPL

-------------------------END CDC LETTER-----------------------

Please contact me for further information about these shipments and details
of addresses for protests, also if you have any suggestions about reporters
who might be interested or congresspeople who might have a better chance of
an answer from these arrogant bureaicrats. 

|---------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
| Dr. Shirley McGreal             |   PHONE: 803-871-2280                  | 
| Int. Primate Protection League  |   FAX: 803-871-7988                    |
| POB 766                         |   E-MAIL: ippl@awod.com                |
| Summerville SC 29484            |   Web: http://www.ippl.org             | 
|---------------------------------|----------------------------------------|


Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997 15:23:15 -0400 (EDT)
From: **** 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Cc: ar-views@envirolink.org
Subject: Please Read
Message-ID: 
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII


     HELP ANIMALS! JOIN WITH MFA IN PROTESTING THE RODEO!

The Western Pennsylvania Chapter of Mobilization for Animals will be 
protesting the Shriner's Rodeo at the Westmoreland County Fairgrounds 
(near Greensburg).  We need your bodies, energy, and voices to fight the 
cruel treatment of animals in rodeo - all for human "entertainment".

WHEN: Friday, September 26, 1997
      Meet between 6:15-6:30

WHERE: The Westmoreland County Fair-Grounds (Near Greensburg)

QUESTIONS? NEED DIRECTIONS? Call MaryEtta Johnson at: 838-1730

(Please also keep in mind that someone else may be coming from your area, 
so if you need a ride - it is possible you may be able to catch a ride 
with someone else).


        JOIN WITH MFA IN PROTESTING THE CRUELTY OF THE RODEO.



Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997 13:37:12 -0700
From: Dave Roth 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: Job Bulletin
Message-ID: <3422E278.18BB@goodnet.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Below is forwarded from another list.  Wouldn't it be nice if an
animal rights activist could gain a position of influence via this job.

Hello List,

Appended below is a job announcement originally posted to [yet] another
list.

...I'd encourage any interested, qualified person to apply. The IAFWA
would benefit from fresh 'management' perspectives.

Regards,
*****
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Job Announcement-National Coordinator at Missouri
    Date: Fri, 12 Sep 1997 16:14:45 -0500
    From: Dave Hamilton 
      To: TWS-L@LISTSERV.VT.EDU


Date:     9/12/97 3:58pm
Subject:  Job Announcement--National coordinator at Missouri

Announcing a unique opportunity for either a biologist with a M. S. in
wildlife
management with strong background in communication/human dimension
research or a
coordinator/ communications specialist with a M.S. in Communication/
Education/
Outreach with a very strong background in wildlife biology.  Employed by
the
International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Inc., but
stationed in
Columbia, Missouri.

Time is short! Deadline for application is October 6, 1997.

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT
Please Post  *******UNIQUE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY *******

Position: Trap Research and Trapping Outreach/ Public Education
Coordinator

Location: Columbia, Missouri (Fish and Wildlife Research Center).

Salary: Approximately $35,000 (depending on education and experience).

Duration of Appointment:  One to three year position, contingent upon
funding
availability.

Employer:  International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies,
Inc.,
(IAFWA) Hall of the States, 444 N. Capitol St. N.W., Suite 544,
Washington, D.C.
20001.

Minimum Qualifications:

M.S. in wildlife management/research-related major with communications
/marketing skills plus two years of experience in a wildlife research,
management, or coordinating position, or a similar combination of
education and
experience, OR  M.S. in Communications/ Marketing/ Education with very
strong
biological background and two years experience in a natural
resource-related
communications/ outreach position, or similar combination of education
and
experience.

Job Description:

        This position has been established to coordinate the
implementation of
an Action Plan developed by the Fur Resources Committee of the
International
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Inc. This Action Plan has two
major
elements: Element 1--Trap research in support of the development of Best
Management Practices (BMPs) to improve trapping in the United States,
Element
2--Outreach program to trappers and wildlife agency personnel nationwide
to
obtain their consent for the implementation of BMPs for trapping to
improve
animal welfare, and to gain support from the general public for hunting,
trapping, and similar animal uses.

        Specifically, the job will require the following:

        Element 1 (Trap Research)

        (A) Develop Requests for Proposals for trap testing, guide
testing
            efforts, and assure satisfactory completion of contracts
nationwide.

        (B) Coordinate and participate in cooperative interagency trap
testing
            projects, including logistical arrangements.

        (C) Become familiar with existing data and recent trap testing
research
            projects.

        (D) Participate with wildlife biologists, trappers, wildlife
            veterinarians, and other animal welfare supporters in the
            development of BMPs for traps.

        Element 2  (Outreach to Trappers, Agency Personnel, and the
Public on
        Best Management Practices)

        (A) Coordinate and participate in regional workshops for both
wildlife
            agency personnel and trappers in support of the development
of Best
            Management Practices for traps.

        (B) Coordinate the design of a national program for trapper
training
            based on BMPs.

        (C) Develop a proposal and coordinate various contracts to
survey public
            attitudes towards trapping, hunting, and animal use
nationwide.

        (D) Develop and coordinate contracts to develop key messages to
gain
            informed consent of the general public for trapping,
hunting, and
            similar animal uses.

        (E) Develop and coordinate contracts to implement
education/information
            programs in certain key states where there are challenges to
            wildlife management practices.

        (F) Prepare and disseminate printed communication materials from
the Fur
            Resources Technical Subcommittee of the IAFWA to wildlife
biologists
            and to trapper organizations.

The successful candidate should...

*Be able to effectively communicate to both technical and lay audiences
in both
   written and oral formats,
*Be able to work effectively with consensus-based decision making,
*Be familiar and experienced with trapping methods used to capture
mammals,
*Be able to coordinate and participate in multi-state field research
activities,
*Be familiar with various trapping activities in different regions of
the United
   States,
*Be familiar with human dimension research methodology,
*Be able to communicate effectively with sociologists and human
dimension
   researchers,
*Be capable of managing a budget, and accounting for all expenses,
*Be able to travel frequently to various locations away from the office,
   including overnights,
*Be familiar with experimental design and statistical methodologies
required to
   complete scientific research,
*Be able to produce sound scientific reports,
*Have a valid driver's license.

Application Procedures  Send a letter of application along with your
resume,
including three references, to:

        Mr. Dave Hamilton
        Fish and Wildlife Research Center       573-882-9880 ext.3283
        1110 S. College Avenue                  573-882-4517 FAX
        Columbia, Missouri 65201
        e-mail: hamild@mail.conservation.state.mo.us

        Additional contact people:

        Ed Boggess, Chairman, Fur Resources Technical Subcommittee, MN 
DNR,
          Telephone: 612-297-2072,
          e-mail: ed.boggess@dnr.state.mn.us;

        Greg Linscombe, Fur Resources Committee Chairman, LA Dept.
Wildl. and
        Fisheries, Telephone 318-373-0032, or

        Gordon Batcheller, NY Div. Fish and Wildl., 518-439-8083,
          e-mail: grbatche@gw.dec.state.ny.us

Eligibility Determination:  Eligibility will be determined based on the
information shown on the applicant's letter of application and resume,
as well
as input from listed references.

        Application Deadline--October 6, 1997

Interviews for top 3 candidates, Oct. 15-16, 1997, in Kansas City, MO
(to be
arranged)

Equal Opportunity Employer

#  #  #
Date: Thu, 19 Sep 1996 18:46:00 -0400
From: Animal Alliance of Canada 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: [CA] Concert and celebrity auction to benefit animal
  protection 9/26/97
Message-ID: <3.0.32.19970919182928.006b1244@inforamp.net>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

ANIMAL MAGNETISM 97 is Animal Alliance of Canada's fifth annual benefit
concert and celebrity auction.  It takes place on Friday, September 26 at
El Mocambo in Toronto.  Ten talented homegrown indie bands will perform on
the legendary nightclub's two floors (kindly donated for the fifth year in
a row), including Superhalo, Trans Love Airways, Clove, Mummers Sarah
Slean, Stem and more.  Proceeds benefit long term animal protection through
legislative advocacy, public education, and Project Jessie, Animal
Alliance's program rescuing cats and dogs from being sold from pounds to
research (over 1,200 rescued since 1991).

To celebrate the event's fifth anniversary, we have put together a
compilation CD featuring 10 songs from 10 bands who have played ANIMAL
MAGNETISM in the past, four of whom are also playing again this year.  The
HMV Superstore at 333 Yonge Street has an ANIMAL MAGNETISM display on their
main floor, and an instore performance by the Mummers on Thursday, Sept. 25
at 6 p.m.  You can buy a CD, a ticket to ANIMAL MAGNETISM 97 and get a free
taste of one of the bands, all in one convenient location!

Donations have been arriving from stars of music and TV, including some
well known for their animal activism:  PAUL McCARTNEY, CHRISSIE HYNDE,
K.D.LANG, MELISSA ETHERIDGE, MARY TYLER MOORE and ELLEN DEGENERES.
Also
Alanis Morissette, Bjork, Dan Piraro (Bizarro cartoon), Ani diFranco, Billy
Bragg, Donovan, Sloan, Foo Fighters, the cast of Mad About You, Tragically
Hip, Blue Rodeo, Live and more.  

Although the concert is a Toronto event, the rest of the online world can
get into the act through the ANIMAL MAGNETISM website:
www.inforamp.net/~aac/anmag  From there you will be able to link to our
auction page to see who's donated what and what the current bids are.
You'll be able to pick up some great memorabilia while helping animals!
Self-indulgence never felt so good!  Of course, our CD can be purchased by
anyone who can receive snail mail.  It's just $10 Cdn (about 30% less than
the US dollar).  Please visit our web page or email us privately if you'd
like to buy one or learn more.

ANIMAL MAGNETISM 97.  PRIMATES WELCOME!  For more information, please email
Anne Livingston, Director, Special Events, Animal Alliance of Canada,
aac@inforamp.net
Animal Alliance of Canada
221 Broadview Ave.  Suite 101
Toronto, Ontario  M4M 2G3

Phone: (416)462-9541
Fax:   (416)462-9647

E-mail: aac@inforamp.net
Website: www.inforamp.net/~aac
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 1997 00:42:45 +0200
From: "sa338@blues.uab.es" 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: Anti-Vivisection rally in Rome
Message-ID: <3422FFE5.772E@blues.uab.es>
MIME-version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Content-transfer-encoding: 8bit

-- This is Nuria from Barcelona.

Next 4th of October will take place in the beautiful city of Rome, a
Rally against Vivisection organized by the Lega AntiVivisezione. Please
spread the message so many people can come. Please, get some more
information at http://www.mclink.it/assoc/lav

Thanks for your concern,

Nuria

Nuria 's Homepage (of animal rights and scientific anti-vivisectionism)
http://www.geocities.com/heartland/hills/3787
******************************************************************************
*
"Llegara un dia en que los hombres,como yo , vean el asesinato de un
animal como ahora ven el de un hombre"
"A day will come in which men, as I do, will look upon animal murder the
same way they look today upon a man's murder"
Leonardo da Vinci
PO`!1 a
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 1997 09:24:42 +0800
From: bunny 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: (Sweden)CHOLERA, CONTAMINATED CRAYFISH
Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19970920091654.1b4f610e@wantree.com.au>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

CHOLERA, CONTAMINATED CRAYFISH - SWEDEN
***************************************

Date: Fri, 12 Sep 1997 03:57:20 -0400
Source: Excerpted from FSNET 


August 29, 1997
Guthenburg

Twenty tons of crayfish tails imported from China have been stopped by the
border control in Guthenburg due to contamination by the _Vibrio cholerae_.
 Inger Simon, manager of the local authority for food inspection notes that
the lot cannot be sold in Sweden or the rest of the EU.  She says that the
authority is discussing with the Chinese suppliers what to do with the lot.

--

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

Rabbit Information Service,
P.O.Box 30,
Riverton,
Western Australia 6148

Email>  rabbit@wantree.com.au

http://www.wantree.com.au/~rabbit/rabbit.htm
(Rabbit Information Service website updated frequently)

     /`\   /`\
    (/\ \-/ /\)
       )6 6(
     >{= Y =}<
      /'-^-'\
     (_)   (_)
      |  .  |
      |     |}
 jgs  \_/^\_/













Date: Sat, 20 Sep 1997 09:27:32 +0800
From: bunny 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: E. COLI O157; GROUND MEAT RECALL, ONGOING INVESTIGATION - USA
Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19970920091943.1b4f5c78@wantree.com.au>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

E. COLI O157; GROUND MEAT RECALL, ONGOING INVESTIGATION - USA
*************************************************************

Date: Fri, 12 Sep 1997 14:14:55 -0400

Source: Excerpted from FSNET 

AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT TO INVESTIGATE BEEF SLAUGHTER PROCESS
September 12, 1997
Media Sources

LINCOLN, Neb. -- USDA investigators will search slaughterhouses next week
for the source of contaminated beef that led to the Hudson Foods recall of
25 millions pounds of ground beef.

Nebraska state epidemiologist Thomas Safranek was quoted as saying, "I am
very doubtful that they will ever identify the supplier," adding that while
not participating in the investigation, he suspects Hudson didn't keep
records that would help identify the supplier of the tainted meat because
processing plants often mix beef trimmings from various suppliers and don't
keep track of which goes where, making it virtually impossible to find the
source of the contamination. 

[Actually, generally such records ARE kept. The problem is making a strict
identification in each and every blend, particularly when the ends of lots
are forced into a batch and the rework issue is taken into account.
Approximate identification of meats used in most blends is generally fairly
simple.--]

Agriculture Department spokeswoman Jacque Knight was cited as saying that
investigators will examine slaughter-plant production, shipping records and
records of testing for _E. coli_. Investigators have said the meat supplied
to Hudson was contaminated before it ever reached the plant. The suppliers'
names haven't been released.

The investigation will focus on companies that supplied Hudson with beef on
June 5, one of the days the contaminated beef was believed to have been
processed.

The story adds that to date, about six million pounds of Hudson meat have
been returned. The other 19 million pounds recalled were consumed by
customers or thrown away.

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

Rabbit Information Service,
P.O.Box 30,
Riverton,
Western Australia 6148

Email>  rabbit@wantree.com.au

http://www.wantree.com.au/~rabbit/rabbit.htm
(Rabbit Information Service website updated frequently)

     /`\   /`\
    (/\ \-/ /\)
       )6 6(
     >{= Y =}<
      /'-^-'\
     (_)   (_)
      |  .  |
      |     |}
 jgs  \_/^\_/













Date: Sat, 20 Sep 97 12:01:30 +1000 (EST)
From: "Karen Bevis" 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: Fw: bad treatment of marine mammals! (Mexico)
Message-ID: 
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"; X-MAPIextension=".TXT"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

The following report on an aquarium in Mexico was sent to Animal Liberation
(Victoria), Australia.  Is there anyone local on this list who may be able
to investigate this further? 

There is an address to send letters of complaint at the bottom of this
email. 

Karen Bevis
Animal Liberation (Victoria)
http://www.vicnet.net.au/~animals/alibvic/

----------
> Date: Thursday, September 18, 1997 12:52:35 
> From: Steven Wong
> To: alibvic@paradigm4.com.au
> Subject: bad treatment of marine mammals!
> 
> I was vacationing in Mazatlan Mexico a few days ago and went to the
> aquarium. I thought it was going to just be fish.  They had a shark in a
> tank that was only about 1 1/2 times its size, they had dirty murky
> water in the main shark tank, and the worst injust of all was the sea
> lion exhibit.  The sea lion tank consisted of a 12ft (or less) diameter
> tarp that was pulled up and cinched with ropes on a round metal frame. 
> There were five sea lions in the tank.  Each sea lion was about the same
> size..about 3-4 feet in lenght.  ( I am guessing)
> There was a fence around the cage but no barrier from the public.  In
> other words; I was less than a foot away from the head of a sea lion.  I
> think that for the safety of the animal ( from pranksters) they
> should've  had some sort of barrier.  Surrounding the tank were rocks,
> meant for the sea wolves (as they are called in Spanish) to sun
> themselves on.  The rock area wasa not large enough for one to sun
> himself on.  The sea lion was half on the rock and half in the tank. 
> The water in the tank was MURKY to say the least.  
> 
> The final stop of our trip to the Aquarium was the sea lion show.  The
> sea lions were brought out and they were to take their positions on
> podium with their name written on it.  The first two went up without any
> problems.  The third "toto" was slower.  When the trainer realized toto
> had not gotten up on the podium, the trainer kicked toto in the chest. 
> Not just once but several times until toto got to his spot.  The trainer
> had the animals do tricks and flips and jumps.  While one animal was
> doing a trick he would quiet the other two ( when thwy made noises) by
> slapping them in the face and grabbing them by the snout roughly.  The
> man handled them roughly through the entire performance.  He would grab
> the skin under the mouth (what would be a chin) and pull them down.  I
> left in the middle of the performance so I cannot give you more info.  
> 
> Please do something for these animals.  I am usually not moved to help
> anyone but myself....but this time I felt I had to speak up.  They need
> help. Please investigate or bringit to someones attention that can do
> something.  
> 
   > The name of the facility:
   > Acuario Mazatlan
   > Av. De los Deportes No. 11
   > Mazatlan, Sinaloa Mexico
   > Tel:81-78-15
   > Thank You,
   > Sonya Jacobo
> 


Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997 21:56:50 -0400
From: Wyandotte Animal Group 
To: ar-news@envirolink.org
Subject: Hard Copy E-mail 
Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19970920015650.2e9f6648@mail.heritage.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

To comment on the recent rodeo segments on Hard Copy, email them:

hard_copy@pde.paramount.com






Jason Alley
Wyandotte Animal Group
wag@heritage.com



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