September 2009 Volume 11
Taiji Dolphin Slaughter Suspension Still in Effect; Egg Industry Hatchery; GNC and shark products
I got this news a couple of days ago:
The Japanese dolphin killers did not go out while we were in Taiji on Sept. 1, 2, 3 and 4.
They finally went out on the 9th, caught 100 bottlenose dolphins and 50 pilot whales. They reportedly killed the pilot whales, kept around 30 bottlenose dolphins for training for captivity (after killing at least 2 of those), and released 70 dolphins over the weekend. Not sure what they will do next. We're going back to Tokyo to screen "The Cove" for media on Sept.25th.
Mark
Earth Island Institute
Taiji Dolphin Slaughter Suspension Still in Effect 70 Captured Dolphins Released
The town of Taiji, Japan, focus of the largest dolphin slaughter in the world as documented in the movie The Cove, has released about 70 captured dolphins without slaughtering any.
Reports indicate initiation of a new "non-slaughter" policy in response to intense international pressure to end the practice of killing dolphins and selling contaminated dolphin meat to Japanese consumers.
Normally, the hunting season begins on Sept. 1st, lasting through March. This year no captures or slaughter took place while a team led by Richard O'Barry for Save Japan Dolphins Coalition and media from around the world converged on Taiji.
Once the team left Taiji for Tokyo, reports surfaced that boats proceeded to capture "about 100" bottlenose dolphins (the same kind of dolphin featured in the 1960's television show Flipper) and 50 pilot whales on Sept. 9th. A representative of the Taiji Town Council indicated that some of the bottlenose dolphins would be retained to sell on the world market to aquariums.
However, in a new twist, instead of butchering the remaining dolphins for sale of meat, the town released 70 dolphins not selected for captivity over the weekend. Save Japan Dolphin Coalition representatives were on hand to confirm and film the release.
Richard O'Barry, Campaign Director of the Save Japan Dolphins Coalition, stated: "The world is watching. We call on the Japanese Fisheries Minister and the Taiji Town Council to make the non-slaughter policy permanent, and revoke all permits allowing capture and slaughter." He continued: "Stopping the slaughter and sale of dolphins would be a major victory for the people of Japan who risk eating mercury-laced dolphin meat, and of course the millions of people who have seen The Cove."
David Phillips, Director of Earth Island Institute stated: "Our Coalition staff has been in Japan since day one of this year's planned dolphin kill, and we're staying. We will expand vigilance in Taiji, and bring greater world attention to ensure that the dolphins are released and that the slaughter does not resume. Ric O'Barry and his team will be back in Japan next week, joining our people who witnessed the release this weekend in Taiji."
Added Dr. Elliot Katz, President of In Defense of Animals (IDA): "On behalf of the members of IDA, I congratulate Ric O'Barry, the members of the Save Japan Dolphins Coalition, and Cove Director Louie Psihoyos for taking us one step closer to ending the slaughter of these sensitive and intelligent animals."
Stated Andy Ottaway, Director of Campaign Whale of the UK: "We are delighted that the fishermen of Taiji have suspended the dolphin slaughters for now. However, the slaughter of other whales is equally cruel and unacceptable and also carries the same toxic health threat to the people that eat them. We urge the fishermen of Taiji to show compassion and respect for international concern by releasing pilot whales and other cetaceans unharmed in the future."
Please read below link HOT NEWS RECEIVED RIGHT NOW!!!!: http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/peterwedderburn/100010449/china-unveils-first-ever-animal-cruelty-legislation/ This is fantastic news! It is a first step!
Egg Industry Hatchery
The following is from Nathan and Derek of Mercy for Animals. their recent hatchery expose is making headlines around the world: http://www.mercyforanimals.org/hatchery/ they are a good organization and well worth supporting. they also did the maine eggs investigation: http://www.mercyforanimals.org/maine-eggs/ i've copied the text below, but if you want the various links go here: http://arawconnection.ning.com/forum/topics/mfa-hatchery-investigation
In friendship,
Prad
Few days ago, Mercy For Animals broke its most recent undercover investigation - exposing chicks being thrown, dropped, hung, mutilated without painkillers, and ground-up alive at the world's largest egg industry hatchery.
Following the release of the undercover footage to the Associated Press, and three news conferences in Iowa, the shocking video depicting male chicks being torn apart in a massive grinder has made headlines around the world. From Cleveland to China, Austin to Australia, consumers around the globe have been given an eye-opening look into the cruel and violent truth behind the modern egg industry.
Over a million people have logged onto YouTube to view the heart-wrenching hidden camera footage - making it Wednesday's #2 most "viral" video on the entire Internet.
Television stories covering the investigation, such as the Associated Press, CBS, Fox, and local ABC stations are bringing the issue of factory farm cruelty into the living rooms of families across the country. With over 500 news stories on MFA's investigation, one of the egg industry's best-kept secrets - that over 200 million "useless" male chicks are killed each year - is finally being brought into the public consciousness.
Comment boards, Twitter accounts, and blogs around the world have been filled with words of outrage from consumers about the abuse. And in the last few days, we've received hundreds of Vegetarian Starter Kit requests from compassionate consumers who wish to no longer support the cruelty perpetuated by the egg industry.
If you have a website or Facebook profile, please considering linking to our investigation or embedding the YouTube investigation video on your page or profile. Also, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to help us expand our investigative work.
With your support we can expose and confront the cruelty farmed animals are subjected to in our nation's factory farms, slaughterhouses, and hatcheries.
Thank you for helping us give abused and neglected farmed animals the powerful voice they so rightly deserve. The tide is changing. http://www.mercyforanimals.org/hatchery/
Animal Activism talk with Jon Camp from Vegan Outreach and Thanksliving feast!
When: Sunday, October 4, 2009 @ 3:00 pm Where: UBC Student Union Building
Want to help spread the word about compassion towards animals? Jon Camp, Director of Vegan Outreach has saved thousands of animals by distributing millions of pamphlets about factory farming on campuses all across North America. Come hear Jon talk about his experience advocating for animals and learn how you can help! If you love animals and want to be an effective activist on their behalf, come hear this free talk.
Immediately following Jon Camp's talk, you will have a chance to eat a delicious cruelty-free Thanksliving feast (sponsored by Tofurky & Vegan Mania) and mingle with likeminded people.Reps from Liberation BC and UBC Veggie Club will be present if you wish to join their efforts in spreading the message of compassion in Vancouver.
$5 meal tickets will be sold prior to Jon's talk. All money collected will go to Vegan Outreach and UBC Veggie Club.
For more info, contact Joanne@liberationbc.org
GNC and shark products
As some of you might know, our last campaign against the national health food chain by the name of Nutrition House turned out to be a bigger success than any of us could imagine. They agreed to remove all shark products and convinced one of Canada's largest manufacturers of shark products to cease production. We are now ready to start campaign against GNC: - General Nutrition Centers.- a huge shark cartilage and shark products' seller for useless cures. Please, please, copy/paste the whole page letter (at the bottom is a copy of the original response from nutrition House, important!!) OR if you feel like, modify the letter, just SEND it and cross-post, share, forward to all your contacts who possibly would help stop the extinction of sharks from our oceans!!! GNC is a worldwide, international nutrition franchise responsible for millions of sharks' cruel death for their products.
This letter's been a bit modified by a SSCS member and me in order to avoid the exact copy of our original letter to Nutrition House. Email of GNC: customer-service@gnc-hq.com
Address and number in downtown Vancouver:1126 Robson St. (near Robson and Bute) PH: 604 682 2506 This Sunday the 20th we'll be having a demo & leafleting at this address between 2:30PM - 3PM or as it goes - please join if you're interested or those of you took part in the Chinese New Year demo earlier this year!
Thanks so much!!! Dora
Horses from Cloud's Herd will be Slaughtered
Update Sept. 10: Curiously, when a concerned citizen called the BLM to ask the fate of the horses to be permanently removed from Cloud's Herd, she was told all would be adopted to good homes.
Not true. The BLM confirms on its own website that "sale-eligible horses (over 10 years old) will go through the sale authority process (oral competitive bid for one round then first come-first serve)."
That means kill buyers will be there to purchase the horses for slaughter. Jerry Finch of Habitat for Horses states, "Previous statements by the BLM were that they would remove only 70 of 190 horses. Today they are exceeding that number by going beyond their specific Herd Management Area (HMA) and rounding up bands outside of their legal perimeter in Custer National Forest, branding and tagging them and shipping them to holding pens ready to be sent away. All this is being done by a contractor previously convicted of ..capturing and killing unbranded horses, mares and colts running at large on public land."
The auction for these horses from Cloud's Herd is planned for September 26. Go here for the reaction of some members of Congress to BLM's continued harassment and elimination of America's wild horses.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Keep writing and calling! Don't wait. Do it now. Of course, be very polite. BLM Director Bob Abbey Call: 202-208-3801 or 866-468-7826, Fax: 202-208-5242 Robert_Abbey@blm.gov President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden Phone: 202-456-1111 or 202-456-9000 Fax: 202-456-2461, House Committee on Natural Resources 202-225-6065 Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 202-224-4971 Find and contact your U.S. senators here and urge them to tell the BLM to stop this atrocity to Cloud's information about this lawsuit as it becomes available. In the meantime: Read about BLM's final solution for America's wild horses and burros. Listen to Angels for Cloud on WFL Endangered Stream Live radio
Go here for information about and how you can help pass a bill pending in Congress, Restoring Our American Mustangs or ROAM, S.B. 1579, that would restore protections under the Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act 0f 1971 that were lost in 2004. For more on this historic herd, go to http://www.cloudfoundation.org/ http://www.animallawcoalition.com/horse-slaughter/article/1025
Please sign the following petitions:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/18/stop-the-slaughter-of-dolphins-in-taiji-japan
Vota por la PROHIBICIÃfâN DE LAS CORRIDAS DE
TOROS EN MÃfâ°XICO / Vote AGAINST BULLFIGHTS
IN MEXICO:
http://www.petitiononline.com/55400000/petition.html
This week, Montreal Canadiens forward Georges Laraque announced his commitment to a vegan lifestyle. As one of only a handful of professional athletes who have spoken out on behalf of animal welfare, NHL Player Georges Laraque deserves kudos for his choice to go vegan. Please join me in sending a note of appreciation to Georges Laraque for being a positive role model in professional sports. Sign the thank you letter at: http://www.care2.com/go/z/19791498 Thanks!
Please donate today to Campaigns Against the Cruelty to Animals (CATCA) Go to our website to donate by PayPal www.catcahelpanimals.org or send a cheque to: P.O. Box 16021, 617 Belmont Street, New Westminster BC V3M-6W6 Canada
Your money will be used towards our educative and awareness campaigns against animal cruelty.
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