This Week's Bay Area Events

CELEBRATE THE CLOSURE OF SONOMA SAVEURS

We are pleased to report the closure of Sonoma Saveurs, the Sonoma restaurant co-owned and operated by the owners of the infamous Sonoma Foie Gras. The restaurant's demise will spare the lives of thousands of ducks each year. Please click here
(http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/02/09/FDGDJB6VUT1.DTL)
to read the article that appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle on the closure. Animal protection advocates will be holding a "celebration" outside of the former location of Sonoma Saveurs this Saturday complete with non-alcoholic champagne and vegan faux gras. Come and join the party!

WHAT: Sonoma Saveurs celebration
WHEN: Saturday, February 19 at 12 noon
WHERE: Outside of the former location of Sonoma Saveurs (487 W.
First St.) in Sonoma

Participants will be driving up from the San Francisco area Saturday morning to celebrate this joyous occasion. To carpool or RSVP, please contact Paris Harvey at (925) 788-8296 or bitebackvegan [at] yahoo.com.

MEET PETA'S INGRID NEWKIRK

PETA President and co-founder Ingrid Newkirk will be doing a free book-signing and speaking engagement for her new book, "Making Kind Choices: Everyday Ways to Enhance Your Life Through
Earth- And Animal-Friendly Living."

WHAT: Ingrid Newkirk talk
WHEN: Thursday, February 17th at 7:00 p.m.
WHERE: A Clean, Well-Lighted Place for Books (601 Van Ness Avenue near Golden Gate) in San Francisco

Check out the bookstore's website for more information on this
event:
http://www.booksite.com/texis/scripts/oop/click_ord/showdetail.html?sid=3471&isbn=0312329938&music=&buyable=1&assoc_id=

SEE A CIRCUS THAT DOESN'T USE ANIMALS

We understand that circuses with animal acts are full of horrible animal cruelty and abuse, but there are animal-free circuses you can enjoy. Check out Circo Zero - a nouveau circus that is free of cruel animal acts. Most "new" circuses choose not to use animals in part as a protest against the exploitation of performing animals, making it a fantastic form of entertainment that all animal advocates can enjoy & support.
Visit http://www.circozero.org to learn more about this unique performance that combines diverse media genres and art forms while exploring political and spiritual themes.

WHAT: Circo Zero
WHEN: February 17 through March 6
WHERE: The Dance Mission Theater (3316 24th Street @ Mission) in San Francisco

Tickets range from $10 to $15, and (aside from opening night) Thursday is pay-what-you-want day. For tickets call (415) 273-4633.

Note: Circo Zero deals with some pretty serious issues (like war & atrocity). According to their Website, the show may be "inappropriate for most children and some adults" (though most other nouveau circuses are great for kids).

HELP CHOOSE A NEW DIRECTOR FOR THE OAKLAND ANIMAL SHELTER

Documented instances of animal cruelty, questionable euthanasia practices, disrespect of guardians' rights and unaccountability have plagued the Oakland Animal Shelter in recent years, especially during the tenure of erstwhile Director Glen Howell.
With Howell's recent departure, Oakland City Council President Ignacio de la Fuente has called a town hall meeting to discuss the hiring of a new Director. Please attend this forum, which offers animal advocates a great opportunity to let the Oakland City Council know what kind of person is needed for this job, and how the shelter can be run efficiently and humanely.

WHAT: Oakland City Council Town Hall Meeting
WHEN: Thursday, February 17 at 7:00 p.m.
WHERE: City Council Chambers at Oakland City Hall (1 Frank Ogawa
Plaza)

If you have questions about the forum, contact Susan Click at
(510) 238-7011.

VEG OUTREACH AT ANI DIFRANCO CONCERT

Please help distribute pro-veg literature and show the video "Meet Your Meat" at the upcoming Ani DiFranco concerts in San Francisco. Activists have been leafleting outside her concerts all across the country with great success, as her progressive audience is very receptive to the veg message.

WHAT: Veg outreach
WHEN: Friday, February 18 and/or Saturday, February 19
WHERE: Outside of the Warfield (982 Market St. near Taylor) on 2/18, and outside the Fillmore (1805 Geary Blvd at Fillmore) on
2/19

Email nora [at] empathyproject.org if you're interested in leafleting. Materials will be provided.

BAY AREA VEGETARIANS' LETTER WRITING PARTY

Come to the Bay Area Vegetarians' next letter writing party at the Red Victorian Bed & Breakfast Peace Cafe, where you'll find hot tea served by the pot, freshly squeezed juices, and yummy vegan snacks. The Peace Cafe very generously allows BAVEG to use their seating area for a couple of hours once a month, so please put your pen to paper in good company to help animals.
Information on current alerts - from pending legislation to consumer boycotts - will be provided, as will paper, envelopes, pens and stamps. However, whatever you can bring yourself (including topics to write about) would be appreciated. The most important thing is to show up!

WHAT: BAVEG letter writing party
WHEN: Saturday, February 19 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.
WHERE: Red Vic Peace Cafe (1665 Haight Street near Cole) in San Francisco

For more information on this event, write to thea_langsam [at] yahoo.com.

KFC PROTEST AND FEED-IN

Join East Bay Animal Advocates (EBAA) outside the notorious fast food restaurant to distribute information on KFC's inhumane treatment of chickens while serving soy "chicken" to customers.

WHAT: EBAA's KFC Feed-In
WHEN: Saturday, February 26 at noon
WHERE: KFC at 470 Lake Park Avenue, Oakland

To volunteer, email info [at] eastbayanimaladvocates.org or call
(925) 487-4419.

ROCKET DOG RESCUE'S ANNUAL COCKTAIL PARTY BASH

In only four years, Rocket Dog Rescue has saved over 600 dogs in the overcrowded Bay Area shelter system from euthanasia, all without a facility and relying completely on volunteer foster help. Now founder Pali Boucher wants to save even more animals by purchasing and converting a San Francisco warehouse into a fully functioning urban dog sanctuary. You can help by attending Rocket Dog's Annual Cocktail Party Bash. This special evening will include a live auction (for baseballs and uniforms autographed by Barry Bonds and Willie Mays, as well as other items), live music and delicious "dog-tinis."

WHAT: Rocket Dog Rescue's Annual Cocktail Party Bash
WHEN: Friday, February 26 from 6:00 to 9:30 p.m.
WHERE: Terra Mia Studios (1314 Castro St. @ 24th) in San Francisco

Tickets are $35 in advance and can be purchased by e-mailing rocketdogrescuerocks [at] hotmail.com or visiting http://www.rocketdogrescue.org .

AUTHOR ERIK MARCUS TALKS ABOUT HIS NEW BOOK

Local advocacy group Bay Area Vegetarians is sponsoring a talk by Erik Marcus, one of America's leading critics of the animal agriculture industry and publisher of Vegan.com, a popular website devoted to animal protection and the vegan lifestyle. In talking about his new book, "Meat Market: Animals, Ethics, and Money," Erik will present a brief history of animal agriculture and chart the decline of its ethical standards. He will also offer ideas and strategies to combat cruelty that can be embraced by meat-lovers and activists alike.

WHAT: Erik Marcus talk
WHEN: Sunday, March 6 at 2:00 p.m.
WHERE: Red Victorian Bed & Breakfast Peace Cafe - 1665 Haight Street (near Cole) in San Francisco

REQUIRE TRAPPING LICENSURE FOR "PEST" CONTROL OPERATORS

A bill has been introduced into the California Assembly that would allow "pest" control operators to trap animals for profit without training, passing a proficiency exam, or acquiring a Fish & Game license. Exempting "pest" control operators from such basic requirements will result in gross incompetence, leading to even greater suffering than is now caused by this animal-killing industry.

Other professional animal trappers - such as wildlife control trappers - must be licensed, so "pest" control operators should be held to the same standards, especially since they commonly use deadly pesticides. Of the 22 states that officially regulate and license the "pest" control industry, none exempt operators from such basic quality measures.

What You Can Do:

1. Please help retain current standards for the "pest" control industry by urging your Assemblyperson to oppose AB 87. You can find out how to contact your Assemblyperson by clicking here
(http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html) and entering your zip code, or by calling the Government Information Hotline at (916) 322-9900 and giving the operator your address. To achieve the maximum effect, please also forward a copy of your letter to:

Assembly Water, Parks, and Wildlife Committee
Attn: Diane Colborn, Committee Analyst
1020 N Street, Room 160
Sacramento, CA 95814
Fax: (916) 319-2196

In addition, please e-mail or send a copy of your letter to the Animal Protection Institute (API), the organization that is spearheading the campaign against AB 87:

API
P.O. Box 22505
Sacramento, CA 95822
E-mail: info [at] api4animals.org

2. Please attend the Assembly Water, Parks, and Wildlife Committee meeting in Sacramento on March 8, when AB 87 is likely to be discussed.

For more information on AB 87, please contact the Animal Protection Institute at (916) 447-3085 ext. 214, or email npaquette [at] api4animals.org.

VEGETARIAN OUTREACH

Every Monday in February, join East Bay Animal Advocates (EBAA) for proactive vegetarian outreach in the East Bay. Help EBAA educate the public about the plight of farmed animals by handing out educational literature.

Times and locations will depend on activists' availability. To volunteer, email info [at] eastbayanimaladvocates.org or call (925) 487-4419.

STOP EXTERMINATION OF EXOTIC DEER IN POINT REYES

The National Park Service is planning to kill much of the non-native deer population in Point Reyes National Seashore because they compete with native species for food. A Pt. Reyes resident purchased some exotic deer from the San Francisco Zoo in 1948 and released them into the wild to hunt. When Pt. Reyes became a national park in 1962, hunting was banned in the area and the remaining deer proliferated. At present, about 1,150 exotic deer live in the park.

The plan devised by the National Park Service proposes a combination of lethal and non-lethal control methods (such as
sterilization) to manage the deer. You can read the park's Environmental Impact Statement online at http://www.nps.gov/pore/home_mngmntdocs_exoticdeer_deis.htm .

What You Can Do:

1. The National Park Service is accepting public comments on their proposal between now and April 8, 2005. Please contact the Superintendent of Pt. Reyes and urge the use of non-lethal methods to control the deer. Let her know that humans caused the overpopulation problem, and any solution must take the interests of the deer into consideration.

Write to:
Superintendent, Pt. Reyes National Seashore Point Reyes, CA 94956
Attn: Non-native deer management plan
Email: ann_nelson [at] nps.gov

2. Attend a public information meeting being presented by the park to learn more about their plans, discuss alternatives, and convey your opinion in person.

WHAT: Meeting on exotic deer control in Pt. Reyes
WHEN: Thursday, March 3 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
WHERE: Pt. Reyes National Seashore Park Headquarters in the Red Barn classroom.

HELP FARM SANCTUARY FIGHT FOIE GRAS

As part of its national campaign against Wolfgang Puck, Farm Sanctuary is looking for a few good volunteers in the Bay Area to help organize and attend regular demonstrations outside Puck's "Postrio" restaurant in downtown San Francisco.

The demonstrations will be part of an ongoing, nationwide campaign to convince Puck to remove two items of egregious cruelty - foie gras and crated veal - from his restaurants'
menus. As one of the most high-profile celebrity chefs in the U.S., with an extensive network of restaurants and eateries across the country, Puck holds a great deal of influence in the world of "fine" dining. Perhaps more than anyone else, Puck's menu decisions have a significant impact on the state of the veal and foie gras industries.

Currently, Los Angeles activists have garnered positive media attention for their weekly vigils outside Puck's "Spago"
restaurant in Beverly Hills. If you can help San Francisco do its part for this important campaign, please contact Ariana Huemer at ahuemer [at] farmsanctuary.org.

For more information on the campaign, see http://www.WolfgangPuckCruelty.org .

GOPHER GARDENING AT OCEAN BEACH

Join the San Francisco Wildlife Protection Project, a joint effort by IDA and the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department, to create a wildlife "sanctuary" along the Great Highway. By landscaping the area according to the Parks Department's specifications, volunteers create a habitat for native gophers and prevent them from being trapped and killed.
This is an on-going monthly effort, and happens on the first Saturday of each month. Please give us a hand so we can help the gophers.

WHAT: Gopher Gardening
WHEN: March 5 from 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon
WHERE: Along the Great Highway, near Ocean Beach in San Francisco

For more information, please contact Kevin Connelly at (415)
388-9641 ext. 226 or kevin [at] idausa.org.
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