Komputer for Alle 1998 #6/1998 CD 6 (Gul).iso/web/ffa/wwwenv~1.org/arrs/digest/news5~19.htm/text0001.txt

Internet Message Format | 1998-04-03 | 50.1 KB

To: [e-mail]
Subject: Cloning News:  First Sheep, Monkeys for Research Next...
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What Scots Did with Sheep He Plans with Rhesus
 Monkeys Loudest in Their Demands for
 Genetically Identical Lab Monkeys are
 Researchers Battling the Aids Virus.

 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 Mon, Sep 08 1997

 In Don Wolf's world, time is divided into Before Dolly and
 After Dolly.

 Such was the impact on Wolf's field, embryology, when
 Scottish researchers announced in February that they had
 cloned a sheep named Dolly from a cell taken from a
 6-year-old ewe's udder.

 In the years B.D., Wolf had labored at the Oregon Regional
 Primate Research Center to produce genetically identical rhesus
 monkeys that could be used as research animals. Tired of
 struggling for research funding, he opted last September for
 early retirement.

 But A.D. - After Dolly, not Anno Domini - Wolf, 58, is back at
 work. No longer begging for money, he finds that federal
 officials are begging him to apply for their money.

 Wolf's team will try to "do a Dolly" this fall, attempting to clone
 rhesus monkeys using techniques developed by Ian Wilmut and
 his colleagues at Scotland's Roslin Institute.

 "I think the interest level has just exploded," Wolf said in an
 interview last week at the University of Pittsburgh Medical
 Center, where he delivered the annual Peter and Eva Safar
 Lecture in Medical Sciences and Humanities.

 AIDS researchers have been the most vocal proponents of the
 need for genetically identical rhesus monkeys in their studies.
 But Wolf said the demand was likely to be so great among
 other scientists "we're going to have to form a triage committee"
 to figure out which research deserves first dibs on these
 animals.

 For scientists, genetic sameness eliminates a possible variable in
 their experiments. As a consequence, they can use fewer
 animals.

 Just a week after the Dolly announcement, some journalists
 reported that Wolf had cloned a pair of rhesus monkeys. He
 had not. He had used one of the techniques employed by
 Wilmut, called nuclear transfer, to produce the pair, born last
 August. The animals - Neti and Ditto - were not clones of a
 single individual, however, but a brother-sister pair with both a
 mother and father.

 Wolf's work was suddenly in headlines around the world,
 though he had been unsuccessful in achieving what he had really
 hoped to do: produce identical twins. Subsequent attempts to
 do the same thing resulted in no live births.

 "We should have quit while we were ahead," he said.

 But Neti and Ditto are proof that nuclear transfer can work in a
 species closely related to humans. And Wilmut's cloning
 techniques appear sufficiently robust that they should work in
 any number of mammals.

 In nuclear transfer, scientists take an egg cell and remove its
 nucleus - the part containing its genetic code. They then place
 another nucleus in its place. In the case of Neti and Ditto, the
 nuclei came from monkey embryos developed through in vitro
 fertilization. In Dolly's case, the nuclei came from a mammary
 cell.

 By removing several nuclei from a single embryo, it should be
 possible to create genetically identical twins. This is what Wolf
 and his colleagues attempted last year; it turned out that the
 only live births came from two separate embryos from the same
 parents.

 In addition to his work as senior scientist at the primate center,
 Wolf directs the in vitro fertilization laboratory at the Oregon
 Health Sciences Center. His interest in nuclear transfer is limited
 to research animals, he emphasized, but the technology could
 also be used to aid human reproduction.

 For instance, eggs from older women are generally thought to
 reduce the chance of a successful pregnancy. One treatment
 today is to obtain a donor egg from a younger woman and
 fertilize it with the husband's sperm. Nuclear transfer, however,
 would allow lab technicians to first replace the donor egg's
 nucleus with a nucleus from the wife's own eggs, thus allowing
 the offspring to include genetic contributions from both husband
 and wife.

 Though it is not supported by federal funding and not widely
 known outside the embryology community, Wolf said research
 was getting under way to test this approach at some hospitals.

 "I can assure you my embryology unit will not be the first," he
 added.

 Ultimately, Wolf and his sponsors at the National Institutes of
 Health would like to produce lots of genetically identical
 monkeys. The Neti and Ditto experiment was one step toward
 that goal. But reproducing from in vitro fertilized embryos is
 expensive and inefficient, Wolf said.

 Wilmut's technology, though, could provide the additional
 steps.

 "We were totally unaware of what he was doing," Wolf said. "It
 was a shock to the whole cloning community."

 Genetically identical strains of laboratory mice, notably those
 produced by the Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine,
 already are widely used by scientists.

 "Primates are a lot more relevant to human biology than are
 mice," said Dr. Reed Pyeritz, president of the American
 College of Medical Genetics. "You're working on a much more
 humanlike level."

 AIDS researchers might use rhesus monkeys to study how the
 body develops immunity against the human immunodeficiency
 virus that causes AIDS, an important step in developing AIDS
 vaccines, Wolf noted. Rhesus monkeys can be infected with
 simian immunodeficiency virus, which results in a similar
 condition to AIDS.

 Drug studies might also be possible, added Pyeritz, chairman of
 human genetics at Allegheny General Hospital.

 If the cloning technique proves itself in monkeys, it would be
 possible to manipulate the genes, creating new strains that
 eliminated a selected gene so its function can be better
 understood.

 It also might mean that endangered species might be saved or
 interesting strains might be more easily reproduced, Wolf said.

 At the Oregon center, which has about 1,900 rhesus monkeys
 among its 2,200 animals, one older female rhesus monkey has
 retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative condition that reduces night
 vision and eventually causes tunnel vision. Cloning would enable
 researchers to produce more animals with the same genetic
 makeup for further study.

 (Copyright 1997)

--

Lawrence Carter-Long
Science and Research Issues, Animal Protection Institute
email: [e-mail]
world wide web: http://www.api4animals.org/

"The person using the Internet has the choice. Whether the
Internet  becomes material for happiness or for suffering
depends on your mind. The mind goes before the external
object." -- The Buddhist monks of Namgyal Monastery
Date: Thu, 11 Sep 1997 09:34:42 -0700
From: [e-mail] (Lawrence Carter-Long)
To: [e-mail], [e-mail]
Cc: [e-mail], [e-mail]
Subject: Medicare To Test Ornish Prevention Program
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Medicare To Test Ornish Prevention Program In Demonstration Project

     WESTPORT, Sep 11 (Reuters) - Medicare officials said Tuesday that
they will test the heart disease prevention program developed by Dr.
Dean Ornish in up to 1,000 patients nationwide.

     According to Wednesday's edition of USA Today, if the program is
effective, Medicare may decide to reimburse hospitals for enrolling
heart patients in the "Ornish program." Dr. Ornish, author of the
best-selling book "Eat More, Weigh Less," said, "For the first time,
Medicare has agreed to study in a demonstration project a nonsurgical,
nonpharmacologic, alternative approach to medical care."

     The Ornish program is a strict, low-fat "lifestyle-modification
program" that eliminates red meats, chicken and nuts from the diet. The
program also includes regular exercise and stress-management therapies.

     According to the results of a 507-patient study conducted by Mutual
of Omaha and published in February, patients participating in the
program experienced a 65% drop in angina, their blood cholesterol
levels dropped 19 mg/dL, and exercise tolerance improved 22%. As
reported by Reuters Health Information February 14, heart patients
enrolled in the Ornish program cost Mutual of Omaha a maximum of
slightly more than $5,000 per person annually. However, "...for those
patients not on the Ornish plan, the insurers say, treatments for heart
problems cost double or nearly triple that amount."

Forty-five insurance companies currently pay for the Ornish program.

     -Westport Newsroom 203 319 2700
--

Lawrence Carter-Long
Science and Research Issues, Animal Protection Institute
email: [e-mail]
world wide web: http://www.api4animals.org/

"The person using the Internet has the choice. Whether the
Internet  becomes material for happiness or for suffering
depends on your mind. The mind goes before the external
object." -- The Buddhist monks of Namgyal Monastery





Date: Thu, 11 Sep 1997 09:38:47 -0700
From: [e-mail] (Lawrence Carter-Long)
To: [e-mail]
Subject: NIH Conference Ponders Thalidomide Risks
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NIH Conferees Continue Debate On Risk Of Thalidomide
Defects If Drug Approved

     BETHESDA, MD, Sep 11 (Reuters) - If thalidomide receives FDA
approval for sale in the US for treatment of erythema nodosum
leprosum, the question of how to minimize the potential risk of birth
defects gains even more immediacy. Health professionals, physicians, public
health and government officials debated that issue at a two-day National
Institutes of Health meeting, and concluded that there was no way to
completely eliminate the chance that babies would be born disfigured as a
result of maternal thalidomide intake.

     "We cannot reduce this risk to zero," said Dr. Christine Mauck, of
the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) division of reproductive and
urologic drug products. Mauck's sentiment was repeated often
throughout the meeting.

     But the only manufacturer currently seeking FDA approval of
thalidomide, Celgene Corp., was unwilling to concede the point. "We
are striving for zero risk," said Bruce Williams, a Celgene official.
"From my perspective, any baby [born with defects] is unacceptable," he
added.

     Celgene has developed what it calls the Thalidomide Fetal Exposure
Prevention Program. Under the program, physicians and patients would
have to sign informed consent waivers attesting that they had
received counseling on birth defects. Women taking the drug would be asked
to use two forms of birth control and to take regular pregnancy tests,
plus enroll in an outcomes registry. Males would be required to use
condoms.

     But psychologists and behaviorists at the conference noted that even
the best-laid plans can go awry, especially in the area of sexual
behavior. Many pointed to Hoffmann-La Roche's experience trying to minimize
fetal exposure to its acne drug Accutane. That drug causes birth
defects, as well.

     Roche hired Boston University's Slone Epidemiology Unit to
continuously survey Accutane users on their understanding of the
defect potential and on contraceptive use. The group also has tracked
pregnancies and defects among Accutane users. From 1989-1995, 623
pregnancies occurred among 210,000 women surveyed, despite
required use of two forms of birth control and pregnancy testing
before the drug was dispensed and regular testing during treatment.

     Allen Mitchell of Boston University told attendees that 9% of the
womenwere pregnant when starting therapy, 27% did not use contraceptives,and
64% cited contraceptive failure. Two-thirds of the women had abortions, 68%
induced and 16% spontaneous. Eleven percent of the 623 pregnancies, or 74
pregnancies, resulted in live births. In that cohort, there were five
children born with hallmark Accutane defects, said FDA's Mauck. "All I can
conclude from the Accutane experience is
that  pregnancies do occur despite everyone's best efforts," she said.

     Dr. Gail Povar of George Washington University noted that
thalidomide shows great promise in many diseases, but that it "...purchases
its promise at a price." She called on physicians to work closely with
patients to ensure that "...children don't suffer the consequences of
inappropriate use."

     - Westport Newsroom 203 319 2700

Lawrence Carter-Long
Science and Research Issues, Animal Protection Institute
email: [e-mail]
world wide web: http://www.api4animals.org/

"The person using the Internet has the choice. Whether the
Internet  becomes material for happiness or for suffering
depends on your mind. The mind goes before the external
object." -- The Buddhist monks of Namgyal Monastery





Date: Thu, 11 Sep 1997 09:43:43 -0700
From: Lawrence Carter-Long <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Attorneys Say Lawsuits Likely Once Thalidomide Is Available
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Attorneys Say Few Suits Likely Once Thalidomide Available

     BETHESDA, MD, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Speaking at a two-day National
Institutes of Health conference on the ethical, legal and clinical issues
surrounding possible thalidomide approval, a plaintiffs' attorney and a
lawyer from the defense bar agreed that, once the drug is made available,
there would be few lawsuits filed against the manufacturer. The two
lawyers also said that individuals with birth defects as a result of
maternal thalidomide use would be hardpressed to win compensation.

     Thalidomide is being considered by the Food and Drug Administration
FDA) for treatment of erythema nodosum leprosum. Celgene Corp.
applied for approval, and has proposed a detailed program to minimize
fetal exposure to the drug.

     Even so, Frank Woodside, of Dinsmore & Shohl in Cincinnati, said
that,if thalidomide is approved, "...there will be children born with
birth defects, it's a fact, and there will be lawsuits." Woodside, who
has defended drug manufacturers, said, however, that he expects there
will be few suits filed. And, he pointed out that, with Celgene's
extensive education and monitoring program, the firm is "...going to be
readily able to defend themselves."

     Thomas Bleakley, of Bleakley and McKeen, said that the current
national quest to reduce tort payouts has "eroded" the ability of
individuals who develop complications to recover damages from
negligent manufacturers. Bleakley, an attorney who has represented
plaintiffs in Bendectin cases, also said that it might be hard to prove
to a jury that thalidomide had definitively caused birth defects. He
cited a presentation by a Food and Drug Administration scientist who
noted that there are competing theories on how thalidomide is
teratogenic.

     Woodside agreed, saying there "...will be significant causation
issues..."involved in many new thalidomide cases. "Exposure does not
necessarily mean causation," added Woodside.

     Suits could be further limited by state regulations. Many states
have passed laws that an FDA-approved drug is inherently safe, which
restricts plaintiffs' ability to sue, added Bleakley.

     - Westport Newsroom 203 319 2700
--

Lawrence Carter-Long
Science and Research Issues, Animal Protection Institute
email: [e-mail]
world wide web: http://www.api4animals.org/

"The person using the Internet has the choice. Whether the
Internet  becomes material for happiness or for suffering
depends on your mind. The mind goes before the external
object." -- The Buddhist monks of Namgyal Monastery
Date: Thu, 11 Sep 1997 10:45:27 -0700 (PDT)
From: [e-mail] (pawsinfo)
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Church of the Earth - Walk with the Elephants [WA]
Message-ID: <[e-mail].>
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Seattle Center
Sunday Sept 14, 7 pm

Church of the Earth - Walk with the Elephants

The Church of the Earth - Seattle will be holding an event on Sunday night,
September 14. Church members and guests will be Walking with the Elephants
from Seattle Center to the train yards south of the Kingdome.

The walk is scheduled to begin at 7:30 pm, but times might vary so please
arrive by 7 pm at the rear exit of Seattle Center. Please be prepared for a
brisk walk as the Ringling circus moves through the streets rapidly.

We ask you please:

No signs.
No banners.
No message t-shirts.
No candles.
No talking.
This is NOT a media event.

Our mission is to visit with and comfort animals who are being cruelly
deprived of their freedom. Please maintain eye contact with the animals and
total silence during the walk. Please try to understand and feel what life
is like for them. If you can convey your understanding silently to the
animals, please do so.

This is not a demonstration. We are undertaking this walk solely for the
sake of the animals.

The Church of the Earth is a nonsectarian religious organization
incorporated in the state of Washington. We believe that there are no
hierarchies: men are not above women, people are not above other animals.
Each part of creation is perfectly suited to its role on the earth. You need
not be a member of the Church of the Earth to participate in this event.

For Info Re: Church of the Earth, PO Box 1674, Friday harbor, WA 98250
360-378-8755 [e-mail]

or Bob Chorush, c/o PAWS, P.O. Box 1037, Lynnwood, WA 98046  425-787-2500
ext 862 [e-mail]

Date: Thu, 11 Sep 97 14:20:22 -0400
From: Karin Zupko <ma.neavs.com![e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: (US - Boston)  System Administrator Needed
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

Part-Time position available for System Administrator at Boston
Animal Rights organization.

We need someone to be responsible for the efficient functioning of
our NeXT network and to provide support for the NeXT network in our
Washington, D.C. office.
Please let me know if you are interested or might know of anyone who
could help us. Contact me at [e-mail].
Date: Thu, 11 Sep 1997 13:10:22 -0700 (PDT)
From: [e-mail] (pawsinfo)
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Ringling/Sea Lion Video footage needed
Message-ID: <[e-mail].>
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If anyone has video footage or good still photographs of the sea lions
currently touring with Ringling Bros. circus, can you please contact Mark
Berman at Earth Island Institute <[e-mail]> Any photos of the sea
lions accomodations, travel trailer, etc. would be most appreciated.

This footage is needed to forward to the National Marine Fisheries Service
[NMFS] to document conditions of these sea lions and to try to prevent
future imports of these animals for entertainment.

Thanks,







Bob Chorush  Web Administrator, Progressive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS)
15305 44th Ave West (P.O. Box 1037)Lynnwood, WA 98046 [phone] ext
862, [phone] fax
email [e-mail]      http://www.paws.org

Date: Thu, 11 Sep 97 16:07:27 -0400
From: Karin Zupko <ma.neavs.com![e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: (US - Humane Educators Needed)
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

Job Announcement: Part-Time Instructor
(Deadline: 9.20.97)


The LivingEarth Learning Project is hiring part-time Instructors to
present classroom programs on animal rights and environmental issues
in the following locations:

     Western MA, near 91
     Southern VT, near 91
     Boston, MA
     Providence, RI


Position:  Part-time Instructor  (an average of 2 days a week during
the school year)


Background:   LivingEarth offers twelve interactive classroom
programs presented to more than 20,000 students each year in public
and private schools and colleges in New England and New York.
Programs are designed to promote compassion, understanding and
respect for animals and the environment for students in third grade
through college.  Topics include animal rights, product testing,
animal experimentation, vegan lifestyle, captive marine mammals, and
a range of environmental issues.

Salary:  Instructors are paid $20. an hour plus compensation for
travel time, mileage and expenses.  Instructors set their own
schedule, visit an average of two schools a week and present several
programs at each school.  LivingEarth provides instructors with the
names of interested teachers and the curricula and materials
necessary to present classroom programs.


Qualifications:  Applicants should have a strong conviction in and
knowledge of animal rights and environmental issues, good
communication skills and the ability to present information clearly
and effectively to students in 3rd grade through college.  Applicants
must be responsible and professional.  Special consideration will be
given to applicants who have prior experience in teaching and/or
public speaking.  Instructors will need a car to visit schools within
one hour of their home.


Training:  To assure a high level of competency and professionalism,
LivingEarth provides two full day trainings a year, as well as a
mentor program, a comprehensive system of assessment, and an
extensive instructor's manual which contains lessons, activities and
teaching strategies.

For more information, or to request an application, contact:
Melissa Feldman, Director

LivingEarth Learning Project

P.O. Box 2160
Boston, MA 02106
[e-mail].
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 1997 08:02:16 +1000
From: Lynette Shanley <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Pumas and dogs.
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

l am asking for help on behalf of the Australian office of The
International Society for Endangered cats. Last week there was info on this
forum about dogs being trained to attack pumas after the pumas had been
injured and were tied down. All my attempts to find out which government
dept in Argentina our members should write to about this practice have come
up against a brick wall. This is happening in Argentina. Who is responsible
for animal welfare in Argentina and who is repsonsible for the wildlife of
Argentina. Any help is appreciated.

We are also in need of photos of endangered South east Asian cats if any
one has any they don't mind us using. Most of the photos in magazines etc
have copyright on them. School children like photos of the fishing cat,
marbled cat, bornean bay cat etc for "Show and Tell" at school.
Lynette Shanley
IPPL Australia
PO Box 60
PORTLAND  NSW  2847
AUSTRALIA
Phone/Fax [phone] 554026
EMAIL [e-mail]
Date: Thu, 11 Sep 1997 23:09:07 +-100
From: Dave Shepherdson <[e-mail]>
To: "'Sarah Banks Green'" <[e-mail]>,
        "'John Hartshorne Green'"
      <[e-mail]>,
        "'Simeon Hope Green'"
      <[e-mail]>
Subject: Injunctions against Fur Farm Protesters
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
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PRESS RELEASE

COURT BANS FUR CAMPAIGN

A harrasment injunction was served last night by Cornyhaugh Mink Farm (Kirkley Mill,
Ponteland) on Newcastle Animal Rights Coalition (NARC) and 3 press representatives for the
group.  The injunction was applied for, following the first demonstration at the farm on Sunday
which police confirmed was peaceful.  The harrasment injunction bans NARC and anyone
connected with the group from "conducting any demonstrations or protesting activities" near the
farm, using the public highway that runs alongside the farm, writing letters to the fur farmer,
'phoning him, and encouraging others from engaging in similar protest activities.

A small number of environmental and animal welfare campaigners staged one last legal
demonstration at the farm last night after they were tipped off about the injunction.

The injunction against Newcastle Animal Rights Coalition was brought out under the Harrasment
Act 1997 which was supposed to be designed to protect women from stalkers but now appears to
be being used against protesters.  A spokes person for NARC said:

"This injunction is wide ranging.  It sets a dangerous precedent in curtailing the right to peacefully
protest and even to pass along a highway.

We are currently seeking legal advice but the exercise of these draconian laws has only made us
more determined.  We will continue to exercise our right to hold peaceful demonstrations."

For more information contact:

      Diane Sanderson, NARC(0191) 2120720
   Laura Nicol (between the hours of 1 and 3 pm):[phone]


Dave Shepherdson
Newcastle upon Tyne Green Party
Date: Mon, 15 Sep 1997 11:22:35 -0400
From: AR-Admin <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: AR-News subscription options--Admin Note
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
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Routine posting........

To unsubscribe, send e-mail to:  [e-mail]

In text of message:  unsubscribe ar-news
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Here are some items of general information (found in the "welcome letter"
sent when people subscribe--but often lose!)...included:  how to post and
how to change your subscription status (useful if you are going on
vacation--either by "unsubscribe" or "postpone").
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To post messages to the list, send mail to [e-mail]
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If you have problems, please contact:

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Date: Mon, 15 Sep 1997 09:49:21 -0700
From: "ida" <[e-mail]>
To: <[e-mail]>
Subject: They Are Not Our Property
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
MIME-Version: 1.0
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In Defense of Animals kicked off their national campaign "They Our Not Our
Property, We Are Not Their Owners" on Aug. 25 at the Oakland, CA SPCA. This
event coincided with the taping of a Dateline documentary featuring Jeffrey
Masson (tentatively to be aired Sept.15), author of "When Elephants Weep"
and newly released "Dogs Never Lie About Love", who is co-chair of this new
campaign and signed the pledge at this event. The campaign focuses on
changing attitudes in regard to considering animals as property. The
following is a statement by Dr. Elliot Katz, President of In Defense of
Animals:

"Ours is a society where the objects, property and things we grow tired of
are routinely discarded or thrown away. How gruesome a concept it is for
animals to suffer the same fate... to be treated as property and things...
to be bought and sold...to be discarded, exploited or killed at an
"owner's" whim. This campaign is an international effort to free animals
from the abuse and bondage imposed on them by their current status as
property. Our goal: to have one million caring people disavow the concept
of animal ownership by the end of 1998. I urge you to join in this most
important effort by signing the pledge... United in determination, we will
make a difference."

If you are interested in signing the pledge or would like more information
on becoming involved in the campaign, please contact IDA at: [e-mail]
or 131 Camino Alto, Suite E, Mill Valley, CA 94941 [phone]).



Date: Mon, 15 Sep 1997 10:10:58 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Christine M. Wolf" <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Elephant poaching reported up in Zimbabwe
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
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Forwarded from the CITES-L discussion list.........


>The following news story appeared on clari.tw.environment:
>
>HARARE, Sept 14 (AFP) - Zimbabwe, one of three southern African
>countries to have won a battle to resume ivory trade, has seen a
>rise in elephant poaching in recent weeks, a Sunday paper reported.
>   The Sunday Standard said Zimbabwe had recorded a 50 percent
>increase in cases of elephants poached since the international ban
>was relaxed two months ago.
>   The paper quoted Willis Makombe, acting head of the Department
>of National Parks and Wildlife, saying the average number of poached
>elephants had shot up from four per month for the first six months
>of the year to six in July following the lifting of the ban.
>   At a conference of the Convention on International Trade in
>Endangered Species (CITES) in Harare in June, Botswana, Namibia and
>Zimbabwe won a bid to relax an eight-year old ban ivory trade.
>   The trade, which can be resumed in about 18 months, is
>restricted to a single customer, Japan, and only after certain
>safeguards have been established.
>


******************************************************************
Christine Wolf, Director of Government Affairs
  The Fund for Animalsphone: 301-585-2591
   World Buildingfax:   301-585-2595
 8121 Georgia Ave., Suite 301e-mail: [e-mail]
  Silver Spring, MD 20910web page: www.fund.org

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change
the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."  (Margaret Mead)

Date: Mon, 15 Sep 1997 13:40:57 -0400
From: Shirley McGreal <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Doing the right thing for the wrong reasons!
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
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In a letter to IPPL dated 10 September 1997, Speight Jenkins, General
Director of the Seattle Opera, stated:

        "It is quite true that Seattle Opera used a monkey in the first act
of our production Der Rosenkavalier. This was not our intention but one
specified in the text: the Animal Trainer is described as having dogs and
monkeys for sale.
        Seattle Opera procured the trained monkey from an approved
organization, one at which the monkey was born and where, insofar as we
could determine, he had been treated well.
        I am sorry that our use of a monkey offends you. I can personally
promise that we will not use a monkey again because he was too difficult for
the singer to handle properly. He was only onstage for about four minutes
and caused more trouble than he was worth. You will not be upset by a monkey
on our stage in the future."

|---------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
| Dr. Shirley McGreal             |   PHONE: [phone]                  |
| Int. Primate Protection League  |   FAX: [phone]                    |
| POB 766                         |   E-MAIL: [e-mail]                |
| Summerville SC 29484            |   Web: http://www.ippl.org             |
|---------------------------------|----------------------------------------|


Date: Mon, 15 Sep 1997 01:45:26
From: David J Knowles <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: [US] Fat cats
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
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>From CNN Headline News

A survey done by researchers at Cornell University's Veterinary Medicine
Department has found that 25% of cats in the United States are either "fat"
or "obese".

Overweight cats are subject to problems such as diabetes, arthritis and
muscle strain although, unlike humans, they do not suffer from heart
attacks or strokes.

Cats are classified overweight if their rib cages are not able to be felt.

The advice for those who have a fat cat is to increase exercise and cut out
between meal snacks. The survey found that so-called low-calorie food does
not make any difference.

The authors caution not to cause too rapid a weight reduction, as this can
lead to liver failure and eventually death.

Date: Mon, 15 Sep 1997 01:45:36
From: David J Knowles <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: [UK] BAAS:Sanctuary for pregnant seahorses
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
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>From The Electronic Telegraph - Thursday September 11th, 1997

British Association for the Advancement of Science: Reports by Roger
Highfield, Robert Uhlig and Aisling Irwin

Sanctuary for pregnant seahorses

A SANCTUARY for pregnant male seahorses has been created off the coast of
the Philippines to protect the species following the huge demands from
world trade.

The fish are extraordinary creatures because males carry the burden of
childbirth. Protecting them while pregnant forms a key part of the
conservation project. The project is being carried out in the Handumon area
of the Philippines. Dr Heather Hall, curator of lower vertebrates at London
Zoo, told the British Association meeting that the effort had met with a
"fantastic response" among local women.

She said local women, like the male seahorses, spent a lot of their time
pregnant and thus identified a great deal with the project to protect the
village's livelihood. "Seahorses are very
heavily exploited for traditional Chinese medicine, the aquarium trade and
for curiosities," Dr Hall said.

"If locals catch a pregnant male, instead of drying him on a line to curl
and selling him, they put him in a cage until he gives birth so the young
can escape. People care about seahorses in a way that it is difficult to
get them to care about cod."

⌐ Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1997

Date: Mon, 15 Sep 1997 01:45:37
From: David J Knowles <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: [UK] Sale of wildlife park means penguins are going cheap
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>From The Electronic Telegraph - Friday September 12th, 1997

Sale of wildlife park means penguins are going cheap
By Sean O'Neill

A COLLECTION of 2,000 penguins, parrots, flamingoes and other exotic birds
is to be sold at auction next month when a wildlife park closes down.

Merley Bird Garden near Wimborne Minster, Dorset, is closing after 30 years
because visitor numbers have fallen from a peak of 150,000 per year in the
Eighties to just 50,000. Three days after the gates are shut to visitors on
Oct 19, they will open to bidders for a sale supervised by RSPCA officers.

Kevin Martin, 37, who has owned the business for 17 years, said yesterday
that he hoped collectors and wildlife parks would acquire the more exotic
birds. Merley's Humboldt
penguins might be expected to fetch ú900 each but could go for much less if
the flock of 50 is sold as a job lot. The blue and gold macaws and three
Chilean flamingoes are valued at
ú1,000 each.

African grey parrots are worth around ú500 and a snowy eagle owl could
fetch ú250. The garden's 500 budgies, which feed from visitors' hands, will
probably sell for as little as
50p each.

"All the birds have to be sold so there are no reserve prices and I have no
idea how much will be raised," said Mr Martin. "The collection is valued at
ú50,000 but if it goes for ú15,000 I will be pleased. There will certainly
be a few bargains. But if strangers turn up wanting a penguin we will be
asking a few questions. We do not want people trying to keep them in the
bath."

Mr Martin, who also runs a successful landscape gardening business and
lives in a 17th-century country home beside the bird garden, said his
sympathies were with the three
dedicated staff who will lose their jobs. He said: "They're terrific. It is
not unknown for them to be up at 1am tending a sick bird. But a combination
of factors has led to this decision, primarily increased costs and falling
visitor numbers.

"In the Sixties people would bring their children to play in the park, look
at the birds and have lunch. Now country pubs have playgrounds and many
even have bird collections. The last straw was a burglary in March when
birds worth ú20,000 were stolen. If it had not been for the cost of
replacement we could have gone on for another year."

When the birds are sold, the four-acre walled garden will be returned to
the private use of Mr Martin, his wife and their two children.

Julie Briggs, spokesman for the RSPCA, urged potential buyers to think
carefully before attending the auction.

"Anyone wanting to own an exotic or unusual pet must make sure they
understand their needs and have the right facilities," she said "We have
had some extraordinary cases, like people owning scorpions and alligators
without understanding the danger. Officers found an ostrich in a back
garden in the North-East. The owners did not realise how much space the
bird needed. Birds such as flamingoes and penguins need a very special
environment and if a would-be owner cannot provide it they should not get
involved in trying to care for them."


⌐ Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1997

Date: Mon, 15 Sep 1997 01:45:37
From: David J Knowles <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: [UK] Half of vegetarians are secret meat-eaters, survey reveals
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
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>From The Electronic Telegraph - Sunday, September 14th, 1997

Half of vegetarians are secret meat-eaters, survey reveals
By Victoria Macdonald and Linda Jackson

NEARLY half of all adults claiming to be vegetarians are secret
meat-eaters, according to a new survey.

Seven per cent of adults describe themselves as vegetarian, but research by
Taylor Nelson AGB, a marketing company, found that only a four per cent
hardcore does not cheat. The survey also found that vegetarianism is higher
among women, with five per cent claiming to have stopped eating meat and fish.

The findings come as a leaked government report shows that the public is to
be warned to eat less red meat to avoid cancer. The report from the
Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy (Coma), due out in the next few
weeks, is expected to target heavy meat-eaters, defined as those who rarely
eat meals without any form of meat, particularly red meat.

The Government's decision to release the report is certain to be
controversial with a meat industry already reeling from the effects of the
bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and E.coli scares.

Last night farmers' leaders urged the public not to panic and stressed how
previous research shows that red meat forms part of a balanced diet.

"We hope people will have the common sense not to panic. Studies have shown
that red meat, as with other foods, can form part of a balanced diet," said
Trevor Hayes, a
spokesman for the National Farmers Union.

Expert opinion remains divided on the subject of diet and cancer, and
previous research has shown that obesity is one of the most important
causes of ill health.

Despite the number of Coma reports that have been issued over the past five
years encouraging the public to eat less sugar and fats, the Taylor survey
also shows that there has been a 37 per cent decline in the number of
people dieting over the past three years.

Twenty-six per cent of adults also claimed to weigh more than last year. An
additional million adults say they always have a family meal together at
the weekend, while the interest in home cooking has grown to a three-year
high.

The increasing interest in ethnic food has, however, not decreased the
enthusiasm for traditional British cuisine. The survey found that five
times more meals feature boiled or
mashed potato each year than rice, bacon rashers are served seven times
more often in the home than all Chinese cuisine added together, and roast
beef joints are a larger market than curry in the home. However, more than
two-thirds of adults feel that their diet is already healthy.

⌐ Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1997.

Date: Mon, 15 Sep 1997 01:56:52
From: David J Knowles <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: [UK] Pigeon in 1,500-mile flight back to fancier
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
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>From The Electronic Telegraph - Friday September 12th, 1997

Pigeon in 1,500-mile flight back to fancier
By Paul Stokes

A PIGEON has made a 1,500-mile flight from its adoptive home in southern
Spain to be reunited with its owner in Britain.

The two-year-old hen arrived hungry and bedraggled after its journey to its
former home, a bird loft in Skipton, North Yorks. Her original owner, Dino
Reardon, immediately recognised her as the offspring of another of his
pigeons famed for its staying power.

Two years ago, her father, Bluey, made the news when he walked 60 miles
back home after he was kidnapped and had had his wings clipped.

Mr Reardon, 66, has named his re-arrival Diana because of her courage and
her return was on the weekend of the funeral of the Princess. He had given
her to a Spanish pigeon
fancier who contacted him after reading about Bluey while on holiday in
North Yorkshire six months ago. The Spaniard took the bird back with him to
Algeciras on the southern tip of Spain, near to Gibraltar.

Mr Reardon's belief that she may have returned under her own steam was
confirmed when he checked the identity ring on her leg. He said: "She was
thin, bedraggled and completely worn out. I just couldn't believe it was
her at first. She was all skin and bones with no weight on her at all. It
was an incredible journey. I have kept pigeons for many years and in my
experience this is one of the longest trips that a pigeon has ever taken.
But I might have expected it - after all she is the daughter of Bluey and
he is pretty incredible."

Mr Reardon has been building her up again on a diet of natural yoghurt and
oatmeal and she is now looking healthy. He does not know how to contact the
Spaniard to whom he gave her.

"She didn't have a name before so I have christened her Diana as a tribute
to the Princess," said Mr Reardon. "Diana was a gutsy woman who showed
enormous determination
and this pigeon has the same qualities to travel such a distance."

Major Edward Camilleri, of the Royal Pigeon Racing Association, believed
racing pigeons could probably cover such a distance in three to five days,
depending on the weather. He said: "Racing pigeons do make long journeys,
but this is unusual. We don't hear of something like this very often. It's
quite a feat."

Pigeons have a natural homing instinct and are guided by the sun, moon and
stars, and are also helped by the Earth's magnetic field.

⌐ Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1997

Date: Mon, 15 Sep 1997 13:03:29 -0500 (CDT)
From: [e-mail] (Tamara)
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Job Posting
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

------------------------------------------------------------------
Job Posting:

Animal protection organization in Gaithersburg seeks an individual to
assist in targeting animal research issues. Duties will include
correspondence, data entry & basic clerical tasks. Knowledge of animal
protection issues, good verbal & written communication skills & a
knowledge of WordPerfect is required. Salary: $20,806. Please send your

resume to:

Human Resources,
The Humane Society of the United States,
700 Professional Dr., Gaithersburg, MD 20879.
You may also fax it to 301-258-3078, or to email: [e-mail].




Date: Mon, 15 Sep 1997 11:34:21 -0700 (PDT)
From: Michael Markarian <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Redding, CA: anti-hunting video on TV 10/4
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
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On Saturday, October 4, at 2:00 PM, KIXE-TV Channel 9 in Redding will show
The Fund for Animals' half-hour video, "What's Wrong With Hunting." KIXE,
which is the local PBS affiliate, has agreed to show the video as a balance
to the hunting programs they regularly air.

If you live in the Redding area, please watch the show and let the station
know that you support anti-hunting programming. If you live outside the area
and your local PBS station shows hunting programs, please let your station
manager know that they can request "What's Wrong With Hunting" for free from
The Fund for Animals, to balance their programming and show both sides of a
controversial issue.

Date: Mon, 15 Sep 1997 14:14:06 -0700 (PDT)
From: [e-mail]
To: [e-mail]
Subject: US HUNGERSTRIKER HOSPITALIZED (US)
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
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URGENT NEWS ADVISORY
Sept. 15, 1997 (4:23 p.m. EDT)



Activist Rushed to Hospital
On Day 13 of Hunger Strike

     ATLANTA û Animal rights hunger striker Sue McCrosky has been rushed to
Grady Hospital in serious condition, DeKalb County Jail officials revealed
to her attorney Lawrence Weiss Monday.

     Ms McCrosky is reportedly in stable condition, and the jail is not
disclosing her exact whereabouts because of concerns about "security" and
because of the huge volume of phone inquiries the jail is receiving from
callers all over the U.S.

     Dr. Ray Greek, a Kansas City specialist, will fly to Atlanta Tuesday
morning to examine Ms McCrosky at the hospital in response to concerns by
family and Mr. Weiss, chief counsel with the Activist Civil Liberties
Committee in California

     "We are very concerned about Sue, and have been since the jail refused to
give her the life-saving medication she requires. Now we have conflicting
information from the jail about her current condition. We hope to have all
of this resolved soon," said Crescenzo Vellucci, ACLC exec. director.

     Mr. Vellucci noted that Ms McCrosky has only refused medication that û
contrary to jail comments û  "was not her exact, doctor-prescribed
medication...we are concerned the jail was, in fact, giving her sedatives
that would damage her health and cause her to be confused."

     A medical team quickly assembled to assist on the case has noted that Ms
McCrosky should not have worsened to this point after less than 2 weeks
without food, and suggested it may be "other factor," not the strike, that
have caused her current serious condition.

     Ms McCrosky is on Day 13 of her hunger strike, and 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.
-30-
NOTE: Dr. Greek will be available for comment at 10 a.m. Tuesday morning,
following his examination of Ms McCrosky, and consultation with hospital
staff. For more information, call ACLC [phone]


-----------------

Please call the jail (404-298 8515), the Medical Staff of the jail
(404-298-8531), and the judge (404-508-0368 - Judge Ralph Merck) to express
you concern about Sue.

Date: Mon, 15 Sep 1997 18:32:43 -0400 (EDT)
From: [e-mail]
To: [e-mail]
Subject: VEGGIE COOK-OFF
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
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Animal Place is holding the first Northern California VEGGIE COOK-OFF
Saturday, September 20 from noon to 3:00 p.m. in Old Town Sacramento.

Home chefs and professional chefs have entered their vegan delights.  Prizes
will be awarded to the best dishes in categories of appetizer, soup or salad,
entree, and dessert.

If you don't want to enter a dish, stop by just to eat.  The cost is $5,
which includes 5 taste tickets.  Guitar Mac and his Blues Express will
provide entertainment as you enjoy all the healthy and humane dishes.

The VEGGIE COOK-OFF is a benefit for Animal Place û a sanctuary for farm
animals in northern California.

For more information, call 707-440-4814 or e-mail us.
Date: Mon, 15 Sep 1997 19:23:09 -0400
From: allen schubert <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: European Ban May Hurt U.S. Exports
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
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