IDA's e-news: 8/03/05

Table of Contents:
1. Animal Activist Ben White Passes Away
2. Elephants to Stay at El Paso Zoo Despite Captivity-Induced Medical Problems
3. Visit your Elected Officials to Help Horses
4. Dog "Owner" Charged with Extreme Animal Cruelty
5. IDA's Natural Pet Fair Coming This Month
6. More Restaurants Forgo Foie Gras


1. Animal Activist Ben White Passes Away

In our July 13 e-newsletter, we announced that IDA gave its prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award to Ben White, a longtime defender of animals and the environment who worked for IDA in the 1990's. IDA founder and President Elliot M. Katz, DVM proudly presented the award at the Animal Rights 2005 conference in Los Angeles, but Ben was unable to receive the honor in person because he had been diagnosed with an aggressive and terminal form of abdominal cancer. Today, we are sad to report that Ben passed away from his illness on Saturday, July 30 at the age of 53.

A fearless crusader for all living beings, Ben had an indomitable spirit that burned bright in the face of adversity. He was even willing to put his own life on the line to save the lives of animals. While working for IDA, Ben documented the horrors of the Japanese drive fishery, in which hundreds of dolphins are herded ashore and brutally slaughtered while the youngest and most attractive dolphins are spared and sold to marine parks. While Ben's testimony helped prevent Marine World Africa USA, a Northern California amusement park, from importing marine mammals captured in the drive fishery, Ben decided that bearing witness to the atrocity of the drive fishery was not enough. The night before his departure from Japan, Ben plunged into the harbor without diving gear and cut open the drive fishermen's nets, freeing dozens of dolphins from lifelong enslavement.

Ben's legacy and the example of his many brave deeds will live on in the hearts and memories of family, friends, and fellow activists long into the future. You can help others continue Ben's important work for animals by donating to the Ben White Fund at Islanders Bank, P.O. Box 909, Friday Harbor, WA 98250, or to the Animal Welfare Institute, P.O. Box 3650, Washington, D.C. 20027. You can also read about Ben's life in an article published in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer at http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/234771_whiteobit01.html .


2. Elephants to Stay at El Paso Zoo Despite Captivity-Induced Medical Problems

IDA has long decried the life-threatening health problems suffered by elephants at the El Paso Zoo, such as severe arthritis and foot problems that are directly attributable to lack of space and the hard surfaces the pachyderms are forced to stand on. The combined efforts of IDA and animal advocates in El Paso helped compel the El Paso City Council to hold a special meeting on July 27 to decide whether Savannah and Juno should be sent to The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, where they could begin to recover from decades of confinement and deprivation. Unfortunately, instead of joining cities like Detroit and San Francisco that have made the compassionate and progressive choice to send their elephants to sanctuaries, the City Council opted to endanger the lives of Juno and Savannah by keeping them at the El Paso Zoo.

Yet all hope for their freedom is not lost. An amendment presented by Representative Steve Ortega gives the City six months to devise a plan for improving and expanding the elephant enclosure. IDA joins local activists in calling for Juno and Savannah to be sent to The Elephant Sanctuary during the planning and construction of the revamped elephant exhibit, especially since it is unlikely that Savannah will live long enough to enjoy the benefits of any expansion. In addition, we will continue to work with local activists to ensure that the El Paso Zoo makes significant improvements to the elephant enclosure in compliance with the City Council amendment.

El Paso Times editorial page editor Charlie Edgren is to be applauded for his recent piece that pointedly explains why the El Paso City Council opted to remain "stagnated in the past instead of setting an example and leading the way." Read his scathing critique of the City Council's decision at http://www.borderlandnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050730/COLUMNISTS02/507300301/1044/OPINION .

What You Can Do

Send a letter to the editor of the El Paso Times thanking Mr. Edgren for speaking out on behalf of the elephants' welfare. Visit http://www.HelpElephants.com for talking points. Send letters to the El Paso Times via an online feedback form at http://www.elpasotimes.com/Service/form_editor.shtmlv .


3. Visit your Elected Officials to Help Horses

A pair of bills known as the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (AHSPA) has been introduced in the Senate and House of Representatives that would ban horse slaughter and the international transport of live horses or horseflesh for human consumption. This landmark legislation could save thousands of wild and domestic horses from dying horribly in slaughterhouses.

With Congress going on break and legislators returning to their districts this month, it is likely that most elected officials will be in their home state district offices throughout August. That makes now the perfect time for meeting face-to-face with your Representatives and Senators to seek their support for horses. Organizations that favor horse slaughter (such as the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Association of Equine Practitioners) are actively and deliberately misinforming elected officials about this issue, so it is crucial that caring constituents present the facts about the cruelty of horse slaughter to their legislators directly.

What You Can Do

- Click http://ga0.org/indefenseofanimals/home.html to find out who your legislators are and where the closest district office is located. Then check http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:HR00503:@@@P to see if your Representative is already one of the 113 co-sponsors of H.R. 503. If they are not, please contact your closest district office to request a meeting.

- Please also ask your two Senators to support (and co-sponsor) the AHSPA when Senator John Ensign (R-NV), one of the two veterinarians in the U.S. Congress, and Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) reintroduce it following recess on September 6.

For talking points to use during meetings with legislators, please visit http://www.horse-protection.org/info.php?id=9 .


4. Dog "Owner" Charged with Extreme Animal Cruelty

When Abel Hernandez moved out of his Las Cruces, N.M. home, he left his dog in the backyard to languish for a week with no food and only an algae-filled water bowl to drink from. Hernandez left the helpless dog chained so tightly by his neck that he suffered an open wound where the collar cut into his flesh. Animal Control officers found the dog infested with thousands of ticks, many of which clogged his ears so that he couldn't even hear. This two-to-three-year-old dog was so anemic and weak that he was unable to get into the Animal Control truck without help, and later testing confirmed that he suffered from heartworm. With his life beyond saving, Animal Control officers euthanized the dog to end his unbearable suffering.

The 35-year old Hernandez, a self-described "bad pet owner," was recently released from the Dona Ana Detention Center on a $10,000 bond, and faces a possible 18-month prison term for Extreme Animal Cruelty. Please help us see that he receives just punishment for his unconscionable neglect, which caused this dog tremendous suffering and ultimately cost him his life.

What You Can Do

Please write or call prosecutor Lisa M. Roybal at the Third Judicial Court District Attorney's Office and urge her to seek the maximum penalty in this case, which will send a message to others that animal abuse is a serious crime. (Be sure to specify the case number, which is CR2005-0972.)

Third Judicial Court District Attorney's Office
Attn: Lisa M. Roybal
201 West Picacho Avenue
Las Cruces, NM 88005
Tel: (505) 524-6370, ext. 138


5. IDA's Natural Pet Fair Coming This Month

IDA, in association with Bodhi Tree Festivals, is proud to present the 3rd Annual Natural Pet Fair in celebration of Cat Awareness Day. Join other animal lovers in Brooklyn, N.Y. on Sunday, August 14 for a fun-filled afternoon in appreciation of our wonderful non-human friends. Meet top companion animal experts such as Anitra Frazier, author of "The New Natural Cat," and Carole Wilbourn, the cat therapist, and browse the many exhibit booths for natural companion animal care products and free samples. IDA will also be presenting our Companion Animal Guardian Awards to honor special individuals who are dedicated to improving the lives of companion animals in our society. Many adorable cats, kittens, dogs and puppies will be up for adoption, so who knows: you might even meet your new best friend!

Please join IDA, Bodhi Tree Festivals, Animal Wellness Magazine, the Brooklyn Animal Resource Coalition (BARC) animal shelter and many others at this unique (and free) event.

What: 3rd Annual Natural Pet Fair
When: Sunday, August 14 from 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m.
Where: The BARC Shelter, 253 Wythe Avenue (at North 1st Street), Brooklyn, N.Y. (visit http://www.barcshelter.org/about/index.html for directions)


6. More Restaurants Forgo Foie Gras

As activists across the nation continue to expose the suffering of force-fed ducks and geese on foie gras farms, more and more restaurants are dropping the deadly dish from their menus. Since the start of IDA and the Animal Protection and Rescue League's (APRL's) campaign, 45 restaurants and markets have stopped selling the cruel "delicacy." Kudos to Walter's Bistro in Colorado Springs, Colo., the latest establishment to go foie gras free.

Many restaurant patrons have already been educated about the horrors of foie gras, and refuse to eat in places where the diseased livers of force-fed ducks and geese are served as food. The everyday activism of average consumers is crucial to the success of our campaign, as it shows restaurant owners that customers won't use their purchasing power to support the egregious abuse of animals. However, the dedicated animal activists who consistently bring a message of compassion for animals directly to the restaurant-going public are the real heroes to tortured fowl. Without their efforts, 45 more restaurants around the country would almost certainly still be peddling pureed duck and goose livers.

What You Can Do

Start a campaign urging restaurants in your area to remove foie gras from their menus. Visit http://stopforcefeeding.com/page.php?module=serving&article_id=30 to see which restaurants in your state still serve foie gras, and go to http://www.StopForceFeeding.com to see if a campaign is already underway in your city. E-mail banfoiegras [at] idausa.org for free campaign materials and IDA restaurant cards that you can leave at establishments serving foie gras.


Auctions to Help IDA and the Animals

IDA's May 2005 Auction for the Animals was a great success, raising vitally needed funds to help IDA with our efforts on behalf of animals.

We thank all who participated and donated auction items, and congratulate those of you whose bids were successful. There were three items that the winning bidder did not send payment for, so we have reposted them. Please visit http://www.ebay.com/ida and place your bids for any or all three of these fantastic remaining items:

- Four tickets to any production at the Odyssey Theatre in Los Angeles, Calif.

- Two tickets to the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra at Ford Amphitheatre

- Two roundtrip tickets on AIRTRAN, departure from Los Angeles or San Francisco

We will likely be running another IDA Auction for the Animals on eBay later this year. If you have something that you would like to contribute, IDA is accepting donated items to sell during our next online auction. Please contact Nicole Otoupalik at (800) 338-4451 for more information. All donations are tax deductible. If you already sell on eBay, now is a great time to designate 10-100% of your own auction proceeds to IDA by registering at http://www.missionfish.org , the partner of eBay Giving Works.

In the coming weeks, we will share with you the details of another exciting on-line auction that will start on September 15 and feature a variety of unique celebrity-donated items. IDA is partnering with Charity Folks who will be hosting their "bid to give" auction to raise funds and awareness for IDA's campaigns on their website at http://www.charityfolks.org . We are very excited that actor Wendie Malick is helping IDA conduct outreach to celebrities and asking them to donate items for our supporters to bid on. Here is an excerpt from Wendie's letter to her celebrity friends:

"IDA is a terrific organization doing critically important work to help animals across the country and around the world. IDA is a non-profit animal advocacy organization dedicated to helping our animal friends and I am equally dedicated to lending my support to help them with their vital efforts. As you may know I have a deep and abiding love for animals and the horses, dogs and cat that I share my home with, they are a part of my family and would do anything for them.

I am sure that you are often asked to support various causes, as much if not more, than I am and I know what a challenge it is to determine who is deserving of your support. As a presenter and past host of the annual Genesis Awards and through my participation as a presenter for IDA's Guardian Awards the past two years, I have learned of the many issues confronting animals today and have researched the effectiveness of the many groups working on behalf of animals. I can say unequivocally that IDA is an effective advocate for animals and is more than worthy of support. As IDA is a recognized leader in the animal advocacy arena, I was especially honored and humbled to have received IDA's Distinguished Guardian Award earlier this month.

This September, through a partnership with Charity Folks, IDA will hold a high-profile online auction to raise awareness and funds to help them help animals. The auction will feature many spectacular lots, including enticing travel and accommodation packages, celebrity collectibles and other unique items. IDA's special online event will enable people around the world to help IDA protect and help animals as they bid on a selection of amazing auction items."

Wendie's support means a lot to IDA, and so does yours. Donating and bidding on auction items is a great way to show your support for the work IDA does on behalf of animals. Auctions help us raise the funds we need to continue and expand our work, so please help us make them a success.