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ESSENTIAL DESTINATIONS

MONTH: March 2007

Letters

 

Animals harmed in making "The Aftermath"?

I have just watched the HBO/BBC joint production of The Aftermath, a fictitious account the Indian Ocean tsunami, filmed in Phuket and Kao Lak.

There is at the end amongst the credits a statement saying that "No animals were harmed in the filming of this production."

Not so. The scenes depicting the temple north of Kao Lak were actually filmed over several days at the Ban Don temple near Talang on Phuket. Approximately 45 dogs and numerous cats live at this temple, monitored by volunteers who feed and treat them.

The film company built an enclosure for the dogs into which they were all herded. Normally these dogs have distinct territories in different parts of the temple. The result was repeated fighting. Some of the dogs suffered open wounds. These required veterinary treatment provided by the Soi Dog Foundation after the filming was finished. We were not allowed near the enclosure during the filming.
Nobody knows what happened to the cats, but many disappeared.

--John Dalley
Soi Dog Foundation,
C/O 57/61 Laguna Golf Villas
Moo 4, Srisoonthorn Road,
Choengthale,
Phuket 83110, Thailand
<dalleyj@loxinfo.co.th>
<www.soidogfoundation.org>

 

American Humane screen division chief Karen Rosa responds:

This information is very disturbing. American Humane was never notified of this production. Since it was primarily produced by the BBC and filmed in Thailand, it would not be considered a Screen Actors Guild production (and therefore not subject to American Humane supervision). We are working to make humane treatment of animals in film an international mandate, but it has been slow going and in need of funding.

John Dalley described the kind of poor housing we criticize and prevent from occurring when we monitor a production. We also would never have allowed any aggression to continue, even if it was unforeseen. Veterinary treatment for the injured animals should have been immediate, not "after filming was finished."

This is the kind of case that we will use in our continuing argument for funding and jurisdiction on international locations. The unsuspecting viewer has no idea that this is the backstory.

I am following up on the claim that The Aftermath is using an end credit that may state "No animals were harmed." If that is so, we will follow up through our attorney.

["No animals were harmed" as a screen production note is a phrase trademarked by American Humane.]

 

 

Fur-Bearer Defenders note decreasing trapping

Recent Animal People references to increasing use of fur seem to overlook the ever decreasing amount of cruel trapping.

Five and a half million animals were trapped in Canada in 1979/80. In recent years fewer than one million animals have been trapped. Here in British Columbia the 1979/80 total was over 300,000. This has decreased 90%, to 30,000. In Alberta, 1.8 million animals were trapped in 1979/80. Recent totals have been about 111,000. Similar figures are available across Canada, as trappers hang up their traps because of low pelt prices.

In the U.S., the 1979-80 estimate of animals trapped was 26 to 28 million. We estimate that the toll is now between three and four million animals per year.

After 35 years of working to end cruel trapping, we are excited to know of the huge number of fur-bearing animals who will now likely never meet a leg-hold trap.

--George V. Clements, Director
Fur-Bearer Defenders
225 E. 17th Ave., Suite 101
Vancouver, B.C.,
Canada V5V 1A6
Phone: 604-435-1850
Fax: 604-435-1840
<fbd@BanLegholdTraps.com>
<www.BanLegholdTraps.com>
<www.DogCatFur.com>

 

 

Fallacy of pushing fake fur

Now that HSUS and PETA are acknowledging that fake fur is often real fur, why do they continue to promote fake fur?

I understand that HSUS wants to have a law for truth in labeling, but such a law could never be adequately enforced. In addition, inherent in such a law, is the idea that some animals should not be used for fur, i.e. dogs and cats, and for other animals to be so used is not such a bad thing.

-Irene Muschel
New York, N.Y.
<benirv@hotmail.com>

 

Rating salaries against the norms

Just to say well done for the interesting compilation of who gets what and where it goes in the December 2006 edition of ANIMAL PEOPLE--a marathon job.

It might be interesting to go a step further & rate individual compensation against the salary norms you provide, showing just how the individual's pay rates

For example, IFAW chief executive Fred O'Regan's salary is around 1.8 x the salary norm for charities of that size.

--Stella & David Marsden
Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Trust
P.O. Box 2208
Serrekunda, Gambia
<chimpgambia@googlemail.com>

 

Editor's note:
Key factors in executive compensation besides the size of the organization include professional credentials, special achievements, and tenure on the job. Even considering these elements, however, Fred O'Regan appears to be quite generously paid.

 

Tom Regan vs. Peter Singer

Tom Regan, quoted in "Animal Liberation author Peter Singer ires activists by calling some animal testing 'justifiable'," in your December 2006 edition, was absolutely correct to condemn the claim that 'consequences determine moral right or wrong,' and I am surprised that Peter Singer reportedly accepted inducing Parkinsonism in primates, after the experimenter claimed that "40,000 people have been made better."

Apparently modern treatments for hypothermia are based on knowledge gained by Nazi doctors plunging Jewish concentration camp inmates into freezing cold water, and then trying various treatments to revive them. Would anyone try to justify those experiments because countless people may have since benefited from the knowledge gained? No one has the right to take another sentient being, human or animal, by force, and subject that being to imprisonment, distress, pain and death in the interests of others, no matter how many.

--John Bryant
6 Royal Avenue
Tonbridge, Kent
U.K. TN9 2DA
JBwildanimals@aol.com>
<www.jbryant.co.uk>

 

Gorilla Organization

We have changed our name to The Gorilla Organization and are registered as a company limited by guarantee under number 05988371. Our new charity registered number is 1117131.

Dian Fossey's example of courage and dedication to her beloved mountain gorillas will always be an inspiration to us. However, as we expand our work to help other kinds of gorillas, namely the eastern lowland gorillas in the Congo, being named after someone who is strongly associated with the Virunga mountain gorillas is not necessarily an advantage.

It is our hope that with sufficient support from supporters concerned with the possible extinction of a species, the Gorilla Organization will expand to apply the lessons learned around the Virungas to gorilla populations in all 10 countries where they are found.

--Anne Collins
Senior Administrator
The Gorilla Organization
110 Gloucester Ave.
London NW1 8HX, U.K.
Phone: 44-20-7483-2681
Fax: 44-20-7722-0928
<info@gorillas.org>
<www.gorillas.org>

 

VIVA! U.S.

Your December 2006 edition noted that "VIVA! U.S. office director Lauren Ornelas left Viva! in April 2006 to take a position with Compassion Over Killing. The VIVA! web site no longer lists a U.S. branch."

I quit COK after about 4 months. Viva!USA still exists, but no longer has an office and is no longer taking donations. I am helping out as a volunteer to ensure that literature orders are filled.

We are still pursuing our lawsuit against Adidas over the import of kangaroo leather. It is currently before the California Supreme Court. I remain the contact person on the lawsuit, in addition to our lawyer.

--Lauren Ornelas
San Francisco, Calif.
<ltornelas@gmail.com>

 

Eid ul Azha

I have been much vexed because millions of cows, oxen, camels, sheep and goats were slaughtered on the day of Eid ul Azha, after the Haj in Saudia Arabia, and on January 1 in Pakistan. This is a cruel and atrocious massacre of innocent and faithful animals. Animal Save Movement Pakistan not only strongly protests this debacle, but wants to abolish it.

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

 

Slovenian bears

The Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning of Slovenia, Janez Podobnik, plans to issue a huntng quota of 106 bears in 2007.

Although our brown bears are an endangered species, protected by the laws of Slovenia as well as the European Union, many bears will be killed, even mothers and their young. The country has no mercy.

--Damjan Likar
Society for the Rights &
Liberation of Animals Slovenia
<info@osvoboditev-zivali.org>

 

Livestock gifts

Thank you for your January/February 2007 article "Livestock gift charities do not help poor nations, say global critics." I have been fighting this battle for many years, particularly at our Unitarian congregation's religious education classes. They cannot be convinced that these cute little animals are destined for slaughter. And did you see Heifer nternational's Christmas catalog with all the celebrities cuddling the little baby animals?

At age 83 and a physical wreck, I can't do much any more, but at the least, I will make copies of your article and distribute it to the Unitarians and others who give to animal charities.

--Roz Hendrickson
Bridgewater, New Jersey

 

Goats

We really enjoyed your article "Livestock gift charities do not help poor nations, say global critics." We have always felt that these programs are not in the best interests of the animals. The added dimension that the programs are not good for the actual recipients, and that they are window dressing for high overhead "beneficent" organizations, really seals the letter on these organizations in our book.

At Goat Rescue, our focus is on pet goats. Through our website, e-mail, and phone conversations we try to help people from all over the country (and sometimes worldwide) to find safe and loving homes for pet goats they are no longer able to take care of.

We recognize that goats are eaten in many places around the world, goats are eaten. Because we love goats, we would like to discourage that. Your article helps to discourage the use of goats for food.

--Jim & Jane Hyde
Goat Rescue
2693 Xanadu Lane
Langley, WA 98260
Phone: 360-321-4747
<osiris@whidbey.com>
<www.goatrescue.org>

 

One Last Fight

By way of update, I wanted to let you know that a Spanish version of One Last Fight: Exposing the Shame, produced by The Anti-Cruelty Society, of Chicago, has just been completed. The title is Una Ultima Pelea: Exponiendo la Vergüenza. Ironically, you had already published Merritt Clifton's review in the Spanish section of the ANIMAL PEOPLE web site. As director of the original film, I'm pleased that a Spanish version is now actually available.

For details on obtaining DVD copies, please contact Tammie Bouschor at The Anti-Cruelty Society, 312-644-8338, x344, or <tbouschor@anticruelty.org>.

--Erik Friedl
Los Angeles, Calif.

 

Pigs

I enjoyed reading about the feral pig situation in your January/February edition. Nebraska reported three areas with feral pigs supposedly due to ferals coming from Kansas last year. In February 2007 they said several hundred domestic pigs had been exposed to pseudo-rabies by feral pigs in almost mid-state.

--Jim Weverka
Animal Control Chief
3140 N Street
Lincoln, NE 68510
Phone 402-441-7900
Fax 402-441-8626
<JWeverka@ci.lincoln.ne.us>

 

Ellen G. White

Ellen G. White (1827-1915), the matriarch of the Seventh Day Adventists, literally inspired millions of Christians and others to become vegetarians. She advocated vegetarianism for Biblical, spiritual, health and animal welfare reasons.

White wrote, "The moral evils of a flesh-food diet are not less marked than the physical ills. Think of the cruelty to animals that meat eating involves, and its effect on those who inflict and those who behold it. How it destroys the tenderness with which we should regard these creatures of God!" Her words were written over 100 years ago. They verify that White was a humane Christian visionary.

--Brien Comerford
Glenview, Illinois

 

Correction

The January/February 2007 article "Thailand re-examines tiger sale" stated that Chiang Mai Night Safari Zoo chief executive Plodprasop Saraswadi "had previously been fisheries minister" before becoming minister of forestry, where his work is under investigation by the Thai National Counter Corruption Commission.

Plodprasop Saraswadi was actually director general of fisheries, 1992-1998.