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MONTH: November 2006

Letters to the Editor

As ANIMAL PEOPLE reported in your September edition, many people and animals were killed in Ethiopia in severe summer floods. A man who lives in the city of Diredawa gave witness to the Ethiopian news agency that when flood waters swept over his house and took him away, he shouted for his family, telling them that he was already gone, but his dog immediately took action, tightly holding and pulling him away from the flood. After 30 minutes of all this struggle he managed to save the man's life.
The person said sadly, "I am finally rescued and taken to the refugee camp because I am a human being, but my dog whom I took from the street and raised, who saved my life, is left alone."

--Efrem Legese
President
Homeless Animals
Protection Society
P.O. Box 2495
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Phone: 251-011-654-47-56
<haps-eth@ethionet.et>
<www.an-group.org/x_haps.htm>

Editor's note:
Had there been a humane organization in Diredawa to help the dog, he would have been eligible for the Lewyt Award for Heroic & Compassionate Animals, presented four times annually by the North Shore Animal League America, announced inside the back cover of ANIMAL PEOPLE. More than 50 dogs and cats who have rescued humans or other animals and have been rescued themselves have been honored with Lewyt Awards since the program started in 1999. Unfortunately, the Homeless Animals Protection Society, founded in 2001, is still the only dog-and-cat rescue organization in Ethiopia, and was more than 200 miles away. We can only hope the dog found the help of a compassionate individual, amid disasters that tested the relief capacity of the entire nation.

Still gassing in Johnston County, N.C.

I would like to make a correction to your October 2006 article, "Could Carbon Monoxide Gas Chambers Make a Comeback?" The Johnston County Animal Shelter, in Smithfield, North Carolina, still uses a gas chamber. The county told news media that they would change to lethal injection for many animals as of January 2006. They later said that they were "waiting for guidance from the state" to make that change. The shelter is still gassing.

The state Department of Agriculture sent a letter to municipal animal shelters in November 2005, which says, "Please attempt to refrain from making decisions regarding the types of euthanasia your facility will employ until such time that we have completed the rule-making process." A year later, these regulations still have not been written.

However, the current law, NC GS 130a-192, says that if an animal who is not reclaimed during the required impoundment period is killed, the animal must be "put to death by a procedure approved by the American Veterinary Medical Associ-ation, the Humane Society of the U.S., or the American Humane Association." All three organizations say that animals under 16 weeks, or sick animals, should not be killed by carbon monoxide.

Still many shelters in North Carolina gas all animals, regardless of age or health. Young or infirm animals may not breathe in enough gas to die quickly. Some are merely unconscious, assumed to be dead, and awaken later to go through the process again. Even healthy adult animals have been known to survive gas chambers. Is this acceptable to any compassionate human being?

--Michele King, Secretary
North Carolina Coalition
for Humane Euthanasia
P.O. Box 881
Garner, NC 27529
<ncanimaladvocates@yahoo.com>
<www.NCCHE.com>

Editor's note:
That Johnston County continues gassing animals underscores the concern of veteran shelter director Warren Cox, quoted in the ANIMAL PEOPLE coverage, that handling increasing numbers of dangerous animals might result in more animal control shelters continuing to use carbon monoxide, or even reintroducing it, to try to minimize staff contact with the animals. Built to hold 52 dogs, the Johnston County shelter in February 2006 reportedly held 66 dogs plus 60 gamecocks, after 47 pit bull terriers were seized from the home of Tristan Hinson, 35. Hinson was charged with felony dogfighting after the county sheriff's department found the dogs while investigating the fatal shooting of Danny Ray Edwards, 31. Keon Kentell Rowe, 25, was charged with murder. The gamecocks had arrived earlier from a separate and unrelated raid in Wilson.

Trying to stop gassing in Texas

Carbon monoxide chambers are, sadly, still approved for use in Texas. However, last year, after much pushing, the Texas Federation of Humane Societies was able to get San Antonio Animal Care Services to suspend their use. This was done by my putting data together proving that if shelters use chambers as the state statute requires, it is cheaper to use injection. TFHS board member Sallie Scott took the information to San Antonio mayor Phil Hardberger and all the council members and forced their hand. Hardberger decreed that the use of chambers would be discontinued in October 2005.

Unfortunately, doing this city by city in a state the size of Texas is not feasible and there is no way we can get a ban on carbon monoxide chambers through the legislature.

Texas Department of State Health Services, veterinarian Catherine Tull, of Uvalde, praises people who use carbon monoxide chambers, and introduced me to a guy from Gonzales who had built his own chamber for $500, that she thought was wonderful. I have seen shelters that have passed her inspection where the chamber was a plywood box with no openings for viewing and inexperienced people doing the gassing. During training sessions on euthanasia at Palo Alto College in San Antonio, Tull stood in front of the class and advocated for chambers and against injection, according to attendees from the Bexar County Humane Society, who wrote letters telling what happened and said the class was a waste of their time and the agency's money.

--Patt Nordyke
Executive Director
Texas Federation
of Humane Societies
P.O. Box 1346
Manchaca, TX 78652
Phone: 512-282-1277
<TXfederation@austin.rr.com>
<www.txfederation.org>

Editor's note:
Tull verified to ANIMAL PEOPLE that she does endorse the use of carbon monoxide chambers.

Ban gassing

The Best Friends Animal Society has recently begun a Government Affairs team headed up by lawyers Laura Allen and Russ Mead, Best Friends Network News director Michelle Buckalew of Memphis, and David Phelps, our director of community programs and services, to help get legislation passed and promote public awareness. One effort will include our new "Ban the Gas Chamber" community, at <http://network.bestfriends.org/bangaschambers/news/>.

--Denise LeBeau
Community Programs
& Services Coordinator
Best Friends Animal Society
5001 Angel Canyon Road
Kanab, Utah 84741
Phone: 435-644-3965, x4122
<denisel@bestfriends.org>
< www.bestfriends.org>

About Tammy Grimes' arrest for saving dog

Thank you for a well thought out story about Tammy Grimes' moral crisis and actions in the September 2006 edition of ANIMAL PEOPLE. My thought: ethical rescue does not entail stealing animals but does not walk away from animals in need of help. It acknowledges that laws regarding trespassing do not apply if someone is drowning on the other side of "no trespassing" signs.

I agree with Tammy's taking Doogie, but I would return the dog to lawful authority when asked. If the dog was again tethered outside, I would arrange protests ranging from "honk as you go by" to candlelight vigils, and seek other creative but legal ways to embarrass the dog's guardians, along with pressing humane investigators to take action. Focusing attention on the animal might help the animal and help the guardian see the light, or at least reform to avoid further exposure.

--Joanna Harkin
Washington, D.C.

I would like to convey to Tammy Grimes my admiration, appreciation, and love--which is what thousands of us must be feeling. If there is any way we can help, please let us know.

--Elisabeth Arvin
Jasper, Indiana

My heart goes out to Dogs Deserve Better founder Tammy Grimes and the dog Doogie. May God watch over them and bring justice to both! I support Tammy and the action she took to help Doogie. I feel it was the right thing to do. I believe the wrong person was arrested. Just because something is the law in this society doesn't mean that the law is right in a certain situation.

--Helen R. Kett
Clifton, Colorado

Calarasi shelter rescue

I am extremely grateful for the long space dedicated to our activity in Romania and especially to Calarasi in the October 2006 edition of ANIMAL PEOPLE.

On October 9 we delivered to Calarasi 20 new kennels and started vaccinating all the dogs of the shelter. Our Italian voluntaries from Unisvet, together with our Romanian mobile clinic team, spayed some females, treated dozens of sick dogs, and provided surgery to a stray hit by a car. So far, we have distributed 300 kilograms of dry food at the Calarasi shelter. Many of the dogs getting assistance are visibly improving.

Next week we are going to take to Calarasi 50 pallets to allow dogs to sleep on wood instead of a cold concrete floor.

Even with these improvements, the shelter has many unsolved problems, especially because of the uncontrolled introduction of healthy dogs among the sick. I am meeting with members of the board and I hope also the mayor of Calarasi, to discuss taking over the shelter management and starting a neuter/return project.

--Sara Turetta
Save The Dogs
Via Nenni 5
Vizzolo P. (MI), Italy
20070
<saraturetta@hotmail.com>

The Thai coup

Re "Thai coup may hit wildlife traffic," in your September 2006 edition, I've been in Thailand working for animals for 19 years. I believe that under the new reform of the government we will get better conditions for animals. I have a farm animal sanctuary, but I also work at a law office helping to initiate new animal welfare legislation in Thailand. We plan to launch a compassion campaign on King Bhumibol Adulyadej's birthday, December 5. I hope we can get as much international support as possible.

-- Marianne Willemse
Love Animal House Club & Sanctuary
PO Box 48 Mae Rim
Chiangmai, Thailand 50180
Phone: 053-301192
<loveanimalhouse@yahoo.com>
<www.animal-sanctuary.chiangmai-chiangrai.com>

Pakistan honors animals

Animal Save Movement Pakistan celebrated International Animal Welfare Day on October, 2006 with a fruitful gathering at which many healthy, beautiful children, prominent lawyers, political and social workers, and animal friends participated. Participants took an oath to protect the welfare of animals and birds, to not eat meat, and to continue peaceful compaigns against cruelty to animals and birds.

--Khalid Mahmood Qurashi, President
Animal Save Movement
H.#1094/2, Hussain Agahi
Multan, Pakistan 60000
Phone: 92-61-549623
<thetension@hotmail.com>

Japan Dolphin Day

Re "Marine mammal exhibitors join protest against Japanese coastal dolphin killing," in your October 2006 edition [which described a media release sent by New York Aquarium marine mammal research director Diana Reiss one day after "Japan Dolphin Day" protests were held in 32 cities worldwide] we invited the New York Aquarium, Alliance of Marine Parks and Aquariums, American Zoo and Aquarium Society, the four New York zoos and other marine mammal exhibitors mentioned in the above article to join us in protesting the dolphin slaughter.
None did. Not one even mentioned Japan Dolphin Day to their huge memberships.

So far, the involvement of the captivity industry in this urgent issue seems to be nothing more than a token effort to look politically correct. As of this writing, the only tangible thing that they have done is start up yet another petition and sign it.

--Richard O'Barry
Marine Mammal Specialist
One Voice-France
<ricobarry@bellsouth.net>

Beaten by butchers on Friday the 13th

On Friday the13th of October 2006, representatives of the Karuna Society for Animals & Nature and the Manju Nath International Animal & Birds Welfare Society, of Guttur, went to the cattle market in Gorantla to start a medical camp for cattle.

Our veterinarian and assistants started preparations when our truck arrived at 7:00 a.m. When I arrived at 7:15 by car, within five minutes a huge organized mob approached us. First they damaged the car. Then they attacked with iron bars. The men tore my clothing and I escaped to our truck, which was also attacked. All the windows were broken and they tried to hit my face with the bars. A Muslim man helped me out the other side and I ran for my life with two of our assistants.

They hurled stones on my head and back. Our other attendants and veterinarian were also beaten up. My elbow is injured and I am black and blue. Outside the cattle market I ran into a house to hide in a bathroom until the police took me out. The police registered a case for attempt to murder and many more things. Arrests were made.

Since 2002 we have been active at this market without much success. A month ago we went again, after a newspaper complained about the cruelty of the market. We found that the market is without governance, as the village council and the market management are having a dispute in court. For six months it has been a free transit point for animals going to slaughter, including many cows with calves and pregnant cows who are transported to Bangalore, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.

During our first visit, we spoke to the local authorities and stressed that it is an unlawful situation.

On our next visit we came upon a large group of animals all tied up, painted with big letters for identification. With the help of the police, we took 41 animals to the Karuna and IABWS sanctuaries.

After the rescue of the 41 cattle, I was visited by a Mr. K. M. Asadullah an assistant to Member of Parliament G. Nizamuddin, who asked me to return the 41 animals. We gave him a clear picture of the real situation and he told me we could expect difficulties.

Our activities at the grass root level have no meaning if they are not supported by the people who are responsible and in power.

--Clementien Pauws
President
Karuna Society
for Animals & Nature
Karuna Nilayam
Enumalapalli
Prasanthi Nilayam, AP
515 134, India
<karuna_arp@yahoo.co.in>

Because of a calf

I came into the animal rights movement because of a calf. I was only two at the time, but she impacted my life greatly and influenced much of my future. My mother, a nurse, was diagnosed with tuberculosis. My twin brother and I were sent to my grandparents' farm while she went to a sanatorium. My twin brother and I shared a play pen with Adah, a so called runty Ayershire calf. We had lost our mother and she had lost hers. We bonded. We loved each other. But this was a farm after all. One day she was taken away from us and slaughtered.
Over many, many years I have never forgotten Adah and the love we shared.

--Caryl McIntire Edwards
Executive director
Voice for Animals
460 Buckfield Road
South Paris, Maine 04281
<Carylsmonkyboy@aol.com>

Children hunting

I have just read your September 2006 editorial "Culture, coonhunting & child hunters," and just wanted to echo your dismay at this practice. Only last week my wife, a second grade teacher, came home disgusted with an interaction she had with a girl in her class. The girl told my wife that it was her birthday. My wife asked her whether she had received a present and she replied "a BB gun." My wife asked her if she had wanted one and the girl replied "No. My dad wants to teach me how to hunt." What a sad world.

--Stephen Heaven
President/CEO
Capital Area Humane Society
7095 W. Grand River Ave.
Lansing, MI 48906
Phone: 517-626-6821, x17
Fax: 517-626-2560
<sheaven@cahs-lansing.org>
<www.cahs-lansing.org>

Cesar Chavez

Mexican-American social justice icon Cesar Chavez, who peacefully fought on behalf of overworked and underpaid farm-workers, was also a humane vegetarian who denounced bullfights, dogfighting, rodeos and cockfighting because they were all rooted in violence and irreverence for life. Chavez was America's Catholic "Gandhi Of The Fields." California rightly commemorates his March 31 birthday as a state holiday. The rest of the U.S. should do the same. If we have national holidays for men who had slaves and killed Native Americans, it is high time to have a national holiday for a paragon of compassion who would not even kill a mouse.

--Brien Comerford
Glenview, Illinois