IDA eNews: 6/14/06

IDA ACTION ALERTS
1. Beloved Elephant Gita Dies at L.A. Zoo
2. Japan Imperils 20-Year Ban on Commercial Whaling
3. IDA and FARM Co-Sponsor Ads about Global Warming Crisis
CAMPAIGN NEWS & UPDATES
1. Landmark "Hunter Harassment" Case Won in Pennsylvania
2. IDA-PH Gives Desperate Dog New Hope
3. World Vegetarian Day in San Francisco


IDA ACTION ALERTS

1. Beloved Elephant Gita Dies at L.A. Zoo
Call on L.A. Mayor to send surviving elephants to a sanctuary

IDA is saddened to report that Gita, an elephant at the L.A. Zoo, died on Saturday, June 10th. IDA and other animal advocates campaigned for her transfer to a sanctuary for years, warning zoo and city officials that Gita would die prematurely from her captivity-related foot disease and painful arthritis. Now it is too late for this gentle giant.

The 48-year-old female Asian elephant was born in India before being abducted from her family and put on display at the L.A. Zoo as a baby. She was then forced to spend nearly five decades in a cramped cell far from her home and the life she deserved but would never know. Gita began suffering from foot infections as early as her teens, a condition which is unheard of in wild elephants. Last year her condition had worsened to the point where veterinary surgeons had to remove two-thirds of one toe. Gita also suffered from advanced arthritis, which she developed in her twenties. Inadequate conditions at L.A. Zoo, such as lack of exercise and standing on hard surfaces like concrete, are responsible for these problems and for Gita's premature death.

Dozens of animal advocates held a demonstration the day after Gita died to mark her passing and demand that the L.A. Zoo send their two remaining elephants -- Ruby and Billy -- to a sanctuary. Standing in a line near the zoo entrance, some held tombstone-shaped signs commemorating the thirteen known elephants who have died before their time at the L.A. Zoo.

IDA representatives took part in the demonstration and decried Gita's early passing in the media. Catherine Doyle told ABC-TV, "We hold L.A. Zoo, the mayor, and the city accountable for Gita's death. They all failed her. It was criminal not to have moved Gita to a sanctuary a couple of years ago, before her condition worsened." Bill Dyer told The Los Angeles Daily News, "Gita was in her middle-age at 48, not in her old age as the zoo wants you to believe. Elephants can live into their 70s or more in a natural habitat. It is the unnatural conditions of zoos that shortens their lives."

Gita's death came just weeks after the L.A. City Council voted to construct a $39 million elephant exhibit that would still be far too small to meet elephants' needs. In the meantime, Ruby and Billy would have to spend the projected four years it will take to complete the construction in their current inadequate quarters waiting for the new "habitat" to be built.

Less than two years ago, 40-year-old Tara, who had suffered for years from severe arthritis, died at the L.A. Zoo. Both she and Gita spent decades as exhibits at L.A. Zoo. Yet Zoo and City officials still would not let these elephants live out their remaining years in the peace of a sanctuary, even though both animals suffered painful chronic health problems caused by the very environment where they continued to be held. Gita's companions Ruby and Billy are also suffering from the effects of intensive, long-term captivity, displaying unnatural repetitive behaviors such as swaying and head bobbing. It is crucial that animal advocates from around the world take a stand for their lives now in Gita's memory before Ruby and Billy meet a similar sad fate.

What You Can Do:

During his campaign and after his election to office, L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa repeatedly stated that he believed zoos are not large enough to hold elephants and that these animals belong in larger, more natural environments. We must make Gita's death a wake up call that lets this key decision-maker know that enough is enough: no more elephants must suffer and die at L.A. Zoo. Please urge Mayor Villaraigosa to send Ruby and Billy to a sanctuary. Click http://ga0.org/campaign/LAZooGita to send the Mayor an automatic email, and use the information below to contact him by phone, fax, email or postal mail.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa
200 N. Spring St., Room 303
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Tel: (213) 978-0600
Fax: (213) 978-0750
Email: mayor [at] lacity.org

- The L.A. Times was one of several major newspapers to run stories about Gita's passing. Please write a letter to the editor of Times (or your local newspaper if it runs a story) about the suffering elephants endure in zoos. These include a host of problems like arthritis and foot and joint problems directly attributable to the surfaces on which they must stand for extended lengths of time. Urge readers to support sending the remaining elephants at L.A. Zoo to a sanctuary. Send letters to the editor at letters [at] latimes.com.

Letters should be 150 words or less. Please do not send attachments and include your full name, address, and phone number (for verification purposes only: street names and phone numbers will not be published). Click http://www.helpelephants.com/youcando.html for a sample letter and pointers that can help you write effective letters to the editor.

Please visit http://www.HelpElephants.com to learn more about elephants in zoos.


2. Japan Imperils 20-Year Ban on Commercial Whaling
Pro-whaling voting bloc could set world conservation policy back for decades to come

With whales facing increased threats from global warming, ocean noise (from military experiments) and commercial fishing nets and lines, they could have to deal with an even more imminent threat later this month when the International Whaling Commission (IWC) meets from June 16th to 20th on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts. Since the late 1990s, Japan has been gradually buying up a voting majority at the IWC -- the global organization that regulates whaling and whale conservation -- by offering major financial aid incentives to poor nations for voting in favor of commercial whaling. Using this strategy, Japan has finally achieved a simple majority (more than 51%), and is about to exercise the power of this voting bloc in a matter of days.

Even though an official moratorium on whale hunting has been firmly in place since 1986, Japan and other countries -- notably Iceland and Norway -- have used a loophole in the law to continue killing these endangered and beloved marine mammals. Over 25,000 whales have been slaughtered since the ban took effect, most for the supposed purpose of "scientific whaling," which the IWC considers legal. Considering the fact that meat from most of the whales killed for "science" is sold in Japanese supermarkets and restaurants, it is hard to see this claim as anything more than pure hypocrisy. In fact, only weeks ago an international panel of legal experts deemed Japan's "scientific whaling" to be "unlawful" in light the international ban.

Fortunately, Japan does not yet have the 75% majority vote they need to fully overturn the whaling ban. However, they are already planning several measures that will consolidate their support in the IWC and may soon have enough power to fully reinstate commercial whaling. For instance, voting now takes place openly, but Japan intends to introduce secret ballots so that their future vote buying efforts will be untraceable. This will allow more countries to join the pro-whaling forces without having to worry about criticism from conservationists and consumer boycotts. Japan also wants to abolish the recently created Conservation Committee, which promotes programs to save whales instead of killing them.

Even though surveys show that less than 1% of Japanese people eat whale meat at least once a month, Japan is intent on threatening the survival of endangered species in defiance of international law and world opinion. It is time for everyone who opposes the killing of whales to stand up and speak out -- before it's too late.

What You Can Do:

Please contact President Bush today and urge him to prevent Japan from reversing the international ban on commercial whaling. Also click http://ga0.org/campaign/SaveWhales to send him an automatic follow-up email.

President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Tel: (202) 456-1111
Fax: (202) 456-2461

Visit http://www.stopwhalingnow.org to learn more about how you can help protect whales.


3. IDA and FARM Co-Sponsor Ads about Global Warming Crisis
Full-page ads explain connection between eating meat and environmental destruction

IDA and the Farm Animal Reform Movement (FARM) ( http://www.farmusa.org ) are co-sponsoring a full-page back cover color ad about global warming in the July/August issue of E / The Environmental Magazine. Global warming has become a very "hot" topic recently with the national theatrical release of An Inconvenient Truth, a documentary about former Vice President Al Gore's crusade to warn the world about the environmental catastrophe already appearing on the horizon. The film gives animal advocates an opportunity to let everyone know about the link between intensive animal agriculture and global warming, and that they can make a big difference by going veg.

In the interest of educating the public, FARM has added environmental information to their website detailing how eating meat contributes to global warming and other planetary ills. This "Veggies for Ecology" page ( http://www.veggiesforecology.org ) supplements FARM's Global Warming Outreach Campaign, through which activists are encouraged to distribute cards that make the connection between eating meat and global warming at screenings of An Inconvenient Truth and other appropriate venues.

What You Can Do:

Visit http://www.veggiesforecology.org to learn more about how a meat-based diet impacts the environment. You can also order FARM's global warming cards to distribute at ecology events in your area and a free vegetarian starter kit.


CAMPAIGN NEWS & UPDATES

1. Landmark "Hunter Harassment" Case Won in Pennsylvania
Charges dropped against anti-hunting landowner, but law remains unchallenged

Under the "Hunter Harassment Statute" of Pennsylvania state law, anyone who warns hunters not to shoot animals on his or her private property can be charged with a criminal offense. In December 2001, Janice Haagensen found this out the hard way when she was charged with five counts of hunter harassment. Haagensen faced these charges for simply telling two men who were hunting on a road adjacent to her property that they had no right to shoot from the side of a public road and not to trespass or hunt on her property.

As a result of her convictions, Haagensen had been ordered to pay more than $2,600 in fines and threatened with jail time. Haagensen and her elderly mother were also deeply concerned for their safety during this time, and had been subjected to five years of fearing that they and their beloved horses might be shot and killed by trespassing hunters. Live bullet rounds went through three walls of her neighbor's house, and also passed through Ms. Haagensen's front yard.

Fortunately, IDA gave Haagensen financial assistance to help pay for her legal fees, and on June 1st a three-judge Commonwealth Court overturned the charges against the defendant, citing insufficient evidence that she was guilty of intentional interference with any lawful hunt. In his client's defense, attorney Paul D. Boas insisted that the law violated Haagensen's fundamental right to free speech. "It's so patently violative of free speech (rights)," he said. "All she did was speak." He also noted after the decision that the court's decision to reverse her convictions for lack of evidence did not address the statute's constitutionality. He does expect, however, the harassment statute to be overturned in the future.


2. IDA-PH Gives Desperate Dog New Hope
After abandonment and amputated leg, loving Leo finds new home

When IDA-Project Hope (IDA-PH) director Doll Stanley and volunteer Gay Evaldi found Leo, he was still a nameless dog who had been hit by a car. The poor fellow dangled his left front leg, smashed under the car's tires, before him as he limped along in excruciating pain. Making matters even worse, Leo had been abandoned by his guardians after the accident when they were evicted from their home.

At first, Leo was fearful of everyone and would come to no one. Neighbors called IDA-PH, and Doll asked volunteer Billy Halfacre to begin feeding him. Late one night, Doll and Gay finally caught Leo, and Doll crawled into the oversized humane trap to comfort the frightened dog. For a moment, the situation was testy: the trap shut on Doll and Leo wasn't happy about being in closed quarters with a person. Yet in the end, his trust in Doll won out, and he calmed down.

The next morning, Jan Bailey, DVM of Winona, Miss. examined Leo, finding that the broken bones were grinding together and causing him excruciating pain. Doll noted that the stoic canine had carefully protected his leg from touching anything in the trap the night before. Dr. Bailey confirmed that Leo's condition belied months of intense physical agony and performed amputation surgery on his mangled leg.

Once free from his shackle of suffering, Leo blossomed, first wagging his tail, then smiling, then actually allowing people to pet him. Leo was so charming that he came close to being a PH mascot. His yellowed coat now glowing red, his joyful smile and handsome self so pleasing to everyone, the staff and volunteers had to force themselves to take him in for adoption day. But there are no regrets, for Leo is now happily ensconced in a loving home with a new guardian.


3. World Vegetarian Day in San Francisco
SFVS & IDA co-present 2-day event in Golden Gate Park

San Francisco, California – named for Saint Francis, patron saint of animals – is one of the most vegetarian-friendly cities on the planet, making it a fitting location for a World Vegetarian Day celebration co-presented by the San Francisco Vegetarian Society (SFVS) ( http://www.sfvs.org ) and IDA. If you've been thinking about taking a vacation in the City by the Bay -- America's top tourist destination -- then be sure to time your visit to coincide with this special two-day event.

SFVS and IDA's World Vegetarian Day celebration will take place at the San Francisco County Fair Building in beautiful Golden Gate Park (click http://tinyurl.com/pbrzd for a map) on Saturday, September 30th and Sunday, October 1st from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The festival will feature:

- World-renowned speakers John Robbins ( http://www.foodrevolution.org ), Howard Lyman ( http://www.madcowboy.com ), Dr. John McDougall ( http://www.drmcdougall.com ), Dr. Joel Fuhrman ( http://www.drfuhrman.com ), Dr. Doug Graham ( http://www.doctorgraham.cc ), IDA Spokesperson Kenneth Williams ( http://www.idausa.org/kgw_frame.html ) and more

- The OrganicAthlete ( http://www.organicathlete.org ) Conference on Saturday, September 30th with speakers and presentations from top vegan athletes

- International vegan cuisine and healthy food demos

- Vegan vendors and non-profit booths

- A fabulous eco-fashion show

- Live entertainment

- A catered vegan dinner (Saturday at 6:00 p.m.) for $12

World Vegetarian Day is free to kids, students and seniors. It is also free to everyone who comes before 10:30 a.m., after which a $5 donation is suggested.

Veg Visitor Resources:

- San Francisco boasts over 20 vegetarian and vegan restaurants (and about 90 in the greater Bay Area) that run the gamut of cuisines, from the culinary stylings of Millennium ( http://www.millenniumrestaurant.com ) to Café Gratitude's exquisite raw foods ( http://www.withthecurrent.com/cafe.html ) and Golden Era's vegan Vietnamese ( http://www.goldeneravegetarian.com ). Consult Bay Area Vegetarians' "Ultimate Guide to Veg Living in the Bay Area" ( http://www.bayareaveg.org/ug/index.htm?city=-1&cat=1&veg=1&sort=4 ) to read reviews of the Bay Area's array of vegan restaurants.

- There are two farmed animal sanctuaries within driving distance of San Francisco: Animal Place ( http://www.animalplace.org ) and Farm Sanctuary ( http://www.farmsanctuary.org ). Please go to their websites for more information on planning visits to these wonderful places where rescued cows, pigs, turkeys, chickens, ducks, goats, sheep and rabbits live naturally in peace and harmony without fear of abuse or slaughter.

- Visit the San Francisco Convention & Visitor's Bureau ( http://onlysf.sfvisitor.org ) for more information about planning a trip to the Bay Area, from finding an affordable hotel to exciting sights and activities that you and your family can enjoy during your stay.


Discounted Registration for Animal Rights 2006 National Conference Ends June 15th

Thursday, June 15th is your last chance to get discounted registration for the Animal Rights 2006 National Conference, so purchase your tickets now and take advantage of the savings ($120 for all five days). Visit http://www.arconference.org to register, see the full program schedule and learn more about the conference.

AR2006 will be held from August 10th to 14th at the Hilton Mark Center in Alexandria, a suburb of Washington D.C. The program will include 100 workshops, rap sessions and campaign reports, 80 video screenings, 90 literature and vegan product exhibits, a newcomer orientation, an employment clearinghouse, networking receptions, musical interludes and the awards banquet.

The AR National Conference sponsored by the Farm Animal Reform Movement (FARM) is the world's largest and oldest animal rights conference. As in previous years, IDA is a proud co-sponsor of this five-day event.


Changing "Normal"
by Jan Allegretti

Savannah invented a new game this morning. That might not sound impressive, but for a 12-and-a-half-year-old Great Dane dealing with some age-related disability, I think it's worth writing home about. She's always been more of a morning person than I am, but lately it's become difficult for her to get out of bed without assistance, and she's become more creative about rousing me to start the day. Today, when her sweet silent stare didn't do the trick, she tried coaxing me her softest "Wff…." That got my attention, but not enough to get me moving. So she resorted to the one move she knows I can't resist -- she kissed me. Not a big deal for most dogs, but Savannah's never been much of a kisser. My guess is that someone long ago taught her those licks were not acceptable, because it's taken lots of convincing over the seven years we've known each other to let her know I think kisses are pretty great. She now bestows them like flowers -- only for very special people, and usually only one at a time. They're always delivered after a moment's consideration, with thoughtful intent, and with the gentlest touch.

So today, when she decided to kiss me awake, she got results. Not only did I wake up, but I laughed and showered her with appreciative hugs. Her ears went down and her eyes got all silly, and she put on that puppy face of hers. She tossed her head in that flirty way she has, and kissed me again. More laughter, more hugs. I couldn't resist egging her on, and laid down and closed my eyes again. One more "Wff…," then another kiss. The game was on, and we carried on sleeping, kissing, laughing, and hugging. Savannah couldn't have been more pleased with herself, and I reveled in the pleasure of waking up to her sweet happiness.

That sweet smile of hers has become a fixture of my mornings. No matter how late I've burned the midnight oil, no matter how rainy and muddy it is outside, no matter how much difficulty her aging body -- or mine -- has getting out of bed, Savannah's smile is the first thing I see every morning. It's not that I take it for granted, but I love the familiarity of it, the way something so beautiful has become just a normal part of waking up.

The funny thing about "normal" is that it never stays the same. That can be heartbreaking, or it can be a thread of hope when there seems to be none. Sometimes it's both. Sometimes normal changes when we aren't looking; sometimes we need to make a conscious choice to change it.

The first time I noticed that normal had changed was when I realized Savannah would probably never again have the spring in her step that she'd had as a five-year-old. She was past ten, I think, and had significant arthritic changes in her back. For a few months she'd suffered through a pinched nerve, but thanks to homeopathy, massage, and acupuncture the yelping spasms had stopped. But her gait was a little stiff, and I kept wondering what I was missing in her care. Why didn't she move with the grace she used to have? When would her body return to normal? The answer was that her body had returned to normal -- but normal had changed. She was actually moving quite well for a giant-sized geriatric dog. I realized that while I'd always strive to do what I could to keep her feeling and moving her best, it made sense to recognize that as an elder, vibrant good health for Savannah looked a little different than it used to. In fairness to her (and to me) I needed to modify my expectations of her, and be mindful that our exercise and therapy remain appropriate for her age and capabilities.

More recently I realized that sometimes we accept something as normal without making a conscious choice to do so -- and that may not be a good thing. A few weeks ago, in addition to the declining strength in her hind legs, Savannah strained her shoulder, so getting around was more difficult than ever. For a couple of weeks her strength and balance were precarious enough that I needed to support her every move; she was virtually unable to get around on her own. The first few days it was shocking to realize she couldn't move from one favorite spot to another without my help. It was painful for me, frustrating for her. We readjusted our lives and our routine so I could try to anticipate her needs and desires, to lift her and guide her around the house, out to lie in the sun, inside again when she got too warm. As time went on, we worked it out -- until one day I realized I'd begun to accept her lack of mobility as normal. Somewhere in the effort to stay positive and encourage both of us, my mind had attained a level of acceptance. If I let my guard down I'd be devastated to see her struggle, to lose her independence so profoundly. So I focused on the good, told her what a great job she'd done when together we moved her from her bed out on the deck to the one in the dining room where she eats her meals. But in my need to close my mind to how hard it was, in that moment of acceptance a sense of normalcy had begun to creep in around her disability. I'd crossed a line we didn't yet need to cross: Her immobility was not normal for her, but if I accepted it as such she'd be dependent on me for the rest of her life. If I remembered that something better was possible and stayed committed to that vision and the therapies that can help her recover, then a better life could once again become a reality.

All of this shares a dynamic quality with what's considered "normal" in the lives of animals throughout our society, and the ways we relate to them. On the one hand we need to look honestly at what normal looks like for them so that we can understand the best ways to target our efforts to make things better. At the same time, we need to keep a watchful eye out for the ways institutionalized versions of normal have seeped into our culture, become so ingrained in our routines, our choices, even our language, to the extent we no longer see them for what they are.

When I modify my expectations and therapies for Savannah in accordance with her limitations -- that is, with the reality of what is normal for her -- I make the most of what she's capable of without asking too much, and avoid doing more damage than good. In the same way, I can be most effective in healing what's wrong with the way animals in general are treated when I'm realistic about the norms by which the rest of the world operates. When I spend my days interacting with animals as beings who have intelligence and awareness beyond my own comprehension, it's easy to forget that not all humans have had the privilege of knowing them in that way. If I speak to those people about animals in language that makes sense to me, they might not hear a word I'm saying. As a case in point, when I have dinner with someone who believes a normal healthy diet must include meat, I can explain my reasons for being vegan in terms that express my passion for who animals really are, and the psychic and spiritual harm we do to them and ourselves when we exploit them individually and as species. If I'm lucky my companion will shrug me off as a romantic idealist. If I'm not as lucky he'll become defensive or derisive. Either way we're likely to end up exchanging views that are so disparate we can never gain understanding of one another. But if I tell him about my gradual transition from the meat-centered diet I was raised on -- perhaps the story of the orphaned foal who needed my best healing energy, and who made me question why I'd work so hard to save his life and then go home and eat the flesh of a cow -- the conversation can start from a place of common ground. When I remember what normal is for my omnivorous friend, and meet him in that place, I'm more likely to make the most of what is possible in shared understanding, growth, and healing.

There are also times when I need to stay attuned to the aberrations that masquerade as normal, and stand up against them. Like Savannah's insipient disability, there are anomalies in our society that have become so ubiquitous that they've been accepted virtually without anyone's conscious assent. Most people who say they love the animals they "own" would consider it ludicrous to compare that ownership with ownership of a car, or a piece of furniture. But the behavior that society accepts as normal suggests the differences are incidental. The abuse of animals in labs, the exploitation of animals used for food, the disposability of the countless animals killed in shelters every year, all point to the acceptance of "ownership" as normal in our relationship to animals. If I don't notice the horror of that paradigm, if I don't recognize that it's become accepted as normal, then I help perpetuate the dysfunction. When I see "normal" as it really is, identify it as unacceptable, and defy it -- I can change it.

Keeping my eyes open to what parades through my life as normal requires a certain vigilance and a willingness to see through the many layers of perception. Then when I see normal for what it is, I can make wiser choices about when it needs to change, and when it's perfect just the way it is.

In the meantime, I'm grateful to live in a world where normal means the animals are smarter than I am, more conscious than I am, and where they model the kind of awareness and purity of spirit I strive for. And Savannah's smile teaches me what the normal way is to deal with life's challenges…and what the normal way is to start a summer day.
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Do you have a comment or a question? Is there a topic you'd like to see addressed in this column? If so, send a message to Jan at AskJan [at] idausa.org . It won't be possible to respond to all emails personally, but she will welcome and read every one.