IDA's e-news: 6/15/05

1. IDA Seeks Guardian Angels
2. Help Send Elephants at El Paso Zoo to a Sanctuary
3. Urgent: Hawthorn Elephants in Danger of Ending Up With Circus
4. Man Accused of Kicking Elderly Dog to Death
5. Join IDA's Volunteer Writing Group
6. AR2005 Final Program Announced


1. IDA Seeks Guardian Angels

IDA would like to thank all those who answered our call for Guardian Angels - those purposeful individuals who represent our Guardian Campaign in their communities. The overwhelming response has inspired us to set a goal of having at least one "Guardian City" (a city that has incorporated the word "guardian" into its animal-related ordinances) in every state by the end of 2005. To achieve this ambition, we'll need all the help we can get from determined animal advocates across the nation.

There are already over 40 official Guardian Cities across the U.S. and Canada, and the entire state of Rhode Island has included guardian language in their animal-related ordinances. Yet dozens of states remain without a single Guardian City, including Texas, Oregon, Virginia, Florida and Ohio. See http://guardiancampaign.com/guardiancity.htm for a listing of Guardian Cities and check whether your city is there. If not, you can make a huge difference for the animals in your community by becoming an IDA Guardian Angel.

What You Can Do

If you are interested in becoming a Guardian Angel, contact IDA Campaign Coordinator Max Green at max [at] idausa.org or (415) 388-9641 ext. 222. He will send you a Guardian Pack that includes instructions for working with city officials to pass guardian language in your community. Max is also available to personally guide you through every stage of the process. To learn more about the campaign and how you can help, please visit http://guardiancampaign.com


2. Help Send Elephants at El Paso Zoo to a Sanctuary

El Paso Zoo has a dark history when it comes to elephants - one filled with abuse and pain. The vicious beating of Sissy, caught on videotape in 1999 for the entire world to see, exposed the Zoo's blatant disregard for "their" elephants' welfare. Disturbingly, key players in that abuse continue to work in management positions at the Zoo today.

El Paso Zoo records indicate that the Zoo's two remaining elephants - Savannah, age 52, and Juno, age 37 - suffer from captivity-induced health problems such as arthritis and foot problems, which are the leading cause of euthanasia in captive elephants in the U.S. Juno nearly died in 2004 while under anesthesia for simple foot maintenance and treatment of an abscess.

Mona, another elephant at the El Paso Zoo, died there in 2001. Her necropsy (autopsy) revealed severe arthritis, loss of joint cartilage, bone on bone contact, thick brittle tendons, loss of musculature in the hind limbs, spinal cord necrosis (tissue death) and kidney necrosis. According to medical records and statements from Zoo personnel, Mona received absolutely no medical care for two months before her death, in spite of multiple medical problems. A former zoo employee stated that Mona had endured the same horrible training/beating sessions that Sissy received.

The El Paso Zoo must end its terrible legacy of elephant abuse by transferring Savannah and Juno to The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. Here, they can move freely on hundreds of acres in a naturalistic environment, socialize with other Asian elephants, and enjoy relative freedom for the first time in their lives.

What You Can Do

Click http://ga0.org/campaign/EPZelephants to email the Mayor and City Council Members of El Paso requesting that they pass a resolution for the prompt release of Savannah and Juno to The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee.

For more information on our campaign to get elephants out of zoos and into humane and spacious elephant sanctuaries, please contact zoos [at] idausa.org or visit http://www.savesfzooelephants.com/index.html


3. Urgent: Hawthorn Elephants in Danger of Ending Up With Circus

The Hawthorn Corporation, one of the country's largest suppliers of elephants and tigers to the entertainment industry, treated elephants so badly that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) ordered them to surrender the animals to a USDA-approved facility. Tragically, as many as four of the twelve elephants with the Hawthorn Corporation will be sent to the Carson & Barnes Circus "Endangered Ark Foundation" on June 21. This is a classic "out of the frying pan, into the fire" situation.

Carson & Barnes has a lengthy history of animal abuse and neglect and has been cited numerous times for failure to provide veterinary care and failing to maintain its animal-transport trailers. A People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) undercover video shows Carson & Barnes' animal-care director, Tim Frisco, viciously attacking and shocking terrified elephants. Frisco, who still works for the circus, instructs other trainers to hurt the elephants until they scream and to sink a sharp, metal bullhook into their flesh and twist it. You can watch the video at
http://www.petatv.com/tvpopup/Prefs.asp?video=carson_barnes_long and read more about Carson & Barnes' history of animal abuse at http://www.circuses.com/pdfs/CarsonBarnes_fact.pdf

Placing the Hawthorn Elephants anywhere but a sanctuary could endanger their lives. The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee is prepared to take all of the female elephants in September 2005, following completion of a new barn.

What You Can Do

Click http://ga0.org/campaign/HawthornElephants to urge your Senators and Representatives in Congress to prevent the USDA from transferring the Hawthorn elephants to the Carson & Barnes Circus "Endangered Ark Foundation."


4. Man Accused of Kicking Elderly Dog to Death

Guests at 40-year-old Frank Aquino's Memorial Day party in Putnam Valley, N.Y. say that he kicked a 15-year old blind and deaf dog in the abdomen "like a football," leading to the animal's death. Roxi was a neighborhood dog who had wandered into Aquino's yard during the barbeque, attracted by the smell of food. Witnesses say that after Aquino kicked Roxi so hard in the stomach, she rolled several times and then staggered to a neighboring yard where she died under a tree. This is where her guardians found their beloved friend, who they had raised since she was a puppy. "To viciously kick a dog is beyond words," said one of them. "She was such a sweet animal. We'd come in the door and her tail would be wagging. Now she is gone, and in such a horrible way."

What You Can Do

Aquino faces a charge of aggravated animal cruelty, a felony, and if convicted could be sentenced to up to two years in jail and have to pay a $5,000 fine: a small price to pay for taking the life of a defenseless dog. Please call the office of Putnam Valley Town Justice Louis DiCarlo at (845) 526-3050 and urge him to give Aquino the maximum punishment.


5. Join IDA's Volunteer Writing Group

19th century novelist and poet Edward George Bulwer Lytton once wrote, "The pen is mightier than the sword." Taking these words to heart, IDA activists have been wielding their mighty pens (and keyboards) in the fight for animals as members of IDA's volunteer writing group.

If you have a talent for writing and a passion for animals, please join IDA's writing group. We'll let you know about news articles that need letters to the editor or when decision makers need to hear from the public on important legislation. Members of IDA's writing group have had letters to the editor published in major newspapers and magazines - including most recently Newsweek (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7775117/site/newsweek), the Chicago Tribune (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-0506060132jun06,0,7612304.story?coll=chi-newsopinionvoice-hed), and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer - reaching tens of thousands of readers around the country. IDA writing group members have also been effective in urging elected representatives to pass important pro-animal legislation.

If you are interested in joining, please e-mail kristie [at] idausa.org Please include the e-mail address where you would like to receive alerts, your city, state, and nearest large city so we can alert you to local interest stories.


6. AR2005 Final Program Announced

The final program schedule for the Animal Rights 2005 National Conference is now posted at http://www.AR2005.org/schedulespeakers5.html Program highlights include:

- Famed Radio/TV Host Casey Kasem will receive the "Celebrity Animal Advocate of the Year" Award.
- Jill Robinson of the Animals Asia Foundation will recount how she saved the Chinese Moon bears.
- Best Friends Society Founder Michael Mountain will talk about the rapidly growing "No-Kill" movement.
- Greenpeace co-founder and Sea Shepherd Captain Paul Watson will show dramatic footage of Canadian seal slaughter.
- Former slaughterhouse worker Virgil Butler will explain why he joined the animal rights movement.
- Key movement leaders will discuss the pros and cons of more aggressive liberation tactics.
- Several video documentaries will be premiered, including McLibel and Mad Cowboy.

AR2005 will be held from July 7-11 at the superb Westin LAX Hotel in Los Angeles. The conference will include plenaries and workshops with movement leaders, documentary videos, exhibits and musical interludes, as well as ample time for socializing, networking, and scheduling special meetings. Nearly a thousand people representing 80 groups are expected to attend.

Be sure to register by June 17th to take advantage of the current discounted rate! Reserve your spot online at http://www.ar2005.org/register.htm or by calling 888-FARM-USA.


IDA's Vehicle Donation Program

Did you know that your car can save a life?

Do you have an old car, truck, boat, RV or motorcycle that's taking up space in your driveway or garage?

It could be used to help us save the lives of animals!

How?

By donating your old vehicle to IDA through our Car Program.

It's simple to do. Just visit our web site at http://www.idausa.org/supportf.html and follow the link under the heading "Donate Your Used Vehicle" which will direct you to a form that you can fill out and submit to us electronically.

Or just give us a call at (415) 388-9641, ext. 218 and our helpful Member Services Assistant, Sage, will assist you.

Help us stop animal cruelty by donating your unwanted vehicle to IDA today, and make a difference in the lives of animals.


Help Someone Kick the Meat Habit with FARM's Meatout Monday Newsletter

If you know someone who says they'd like to cut meat out of their diet but thinks it's too hard, then tell them about Meatout Mondays, a free weekly e-newsletter designed to help those who don't want to quit "cold turkey" kick the meat habit one day at a time - starting with Mondays! Easy and fun to read, Meatout Mondays encourages individuals to make changes at a pace that is comfortable for them, and is an excellent tool for introducing vegetarianism to anyone.

Every week, Meatout Mondays includes tasty vegan recipes, new product and book reviews, important health information, and inspirational stories of people who have changed their lives for the better by cutting animal products from their diets. This week's Meatout Mondays includes a promo for the new documentary McLibel. This David and Goliath story of two average people who defeat the largest fast food corporation in the world is now in theaters. Click http://www.meatoutmondays.org/05-06-13.htm to read the latest issue.

Please visit http://www.meatoutmondays.org to review past issues and to subscribe your friends and family members. Meatout Mondays is a free e-newsletter, and individuals can easily unsubscribe at any time.