Feature Archives

The San Francisco Bay Area is a Mecca for vegetarians with nearly 100 vegetarian restaurants in the region. Bay Area Vegetarians (BAVeg) sponsors the annual "Best of Veg" survey to recognize the top vegetarian restaurants in the area and to raise awareness of how easy it is to dine with compassion and good health, vegetarian-style. The public is encouraged to dine at vegetarian restaurants of their choice and vote for their favorites in several categories through November 15th.

On October 3rd, Andrew Stepanian started a three-year prison term, becoming the first person to do time under the Animal Enterprise Protection Act. Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC) activists were not accused of causing physical damage to property or people. They were convicted of targeting Huntingdon Life Sciences by maintaining a website which contained information that could potentially be used to commit a crime. Congress has been working to pass more laws offering special protection for businesses that profit from the use of animals and restricting the free speech of peaceful activists.

In a concerted and multi-faceted 7-month campaign, East Bay Animal Advocates (EBAA) and other activist groups successfully convinced Andronico's Markets to forgo the use of any and all egg suppliers that rely on intensive battery cages. While Andronico's previously had claimed it was "committed to the highest standards of animal husbandry," an EBAA undercover investigation found that Andronico's primary egg supplier, NuCal Foods, kept egg-laying hens in squalid and cramped conditions. Now, Andronico's Market, a 10-store grocery chain based in the San Francisco Bay Area, will no longer sell eggs from chickens confined to battery cages as of October 1, 2006.

"Dark Water Rising: The Truth About Hurricane Katrina Animal Rescues" is a new documentary about animal rescues in New Orleans. The film spotlights the plight of more than 50,000 dogs and cats that were left behind in New Orleans, along with the efforts of a small group of rescuers from around the world. Filmmaker Mike Shiley introduces the film and answers questions after each screening. The film was shown on Monday, August 28th, 2006 at the Roxie Film Center in San Francisco. It was also screened at the San Rafael Film Center on Thursday, September 7th at 7:00pm.

On August 17th, Nadia Winstead reported, "Today I appeared before the federal grand jury. Before going in the grand jury room I was granted immunity. I respectfully declined to answer all questions asked of me. After 30 minutes of questioning I was excused and able to go home. My lawyer and I aren't sure what will happen next, but I will send out updates as the situation unfolds. I thank you all for your continued support and dedication to resisting grand juries."

Animal Liberation activists from the central valley joined forces in five days of protests, covering nine shows Wednesday through Sunday, against Ringling Bros. (Feld Entertainment Inc.) Circus, calling it the "cruelest show on earth." A coalition of Fresno activists, Fresno Voices for Animals, was joined by the Modesto-based Direct Action Anti-Authoritarian collective to call attention to Ringling's continuing use and abuse of wild animals in its "family based" extravaganza.

Andronico's Market claims it is "committed to the highest standards of animal husbandry." Yet the Bay Area grocery chain still sells eggs from chickens confined to battery cages. East Bay Animal Advocates has called for a week of action at Andronico's locations in Palo Alto and Berkeley, Sunday, July 16 through Thursday, July 20. The campaign will encourage Andronico's to adopt an exclusively cage-free egg policy as other socially responsible grocery chains already have.