IDA - Bay Area Events

IDA EVENTS
1. Gopher Gardening at Ocean Beach
2. International Day of Action for Korean Dogs and Cats
3. 3rd Annual National Feral Cat Summit Coming to Bay Area
4. SFVS & IDA Co-Present World Vegetarian Day in San Francisco
OTHER BAY AREA EVENTS TO HELP ANIMALS
1. EBAA's Animals & Society Film Series
2. Fundraising Party for SF Animal Care & Control
3. Compassionate Cooks' July Cooking Class: "Burgers & Backyard
Bites"
4. More Problems at Oakland Animal Services
5. Oppose Kangaroo Slaughter Bill
6. Hundreds of Rescued Rats Need Homes Now!

IDA EVENTS

1. Gopher Gardening at Ocean Beach

Join the San Francisco Wildlife Protection Project, an effort by
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 ongoing monthly
effort, and usually takes place on the first Saturday of each
month.

What: Gopher Gardening
When: Saturday, July 1st, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon
Where: Corner of the Great Highway and Wawona Street, San
Francisco, at the small brick Recreation and Park maintenance
building. Click http://tinyurl.com/4hnh2 for directions to this
event.

For more information, please contact Melissa Gonzalez at
melissa [at] idausa.org or (415) 388-9641, ext. 228.


2. International Day of Action for Korean Dogs and Cats

In an effort to shine a spotlight on the illegal trade in dog
and cat meat in South Korea, IDA has again teamed up with Animal
Freedom Korea (AFK) ( http://www.animalkorea.org ) to hold our 2nd annual
International Day for Korean Dogs and Cats. This year's global
day of action, co-sponsored by Korean animal protection groups
CARE and KAAP, will be held on July 20th, 2006, to coincide with
the first of Korea's "Bok days" (literally, the hot, dog days of
summer). South Korea's dog meat consumption increases during
this time of year because some superstitiously believe they can
keep cool by eating animals who do not sweat.

Last year, IDA and AFK successfully organized activists from a
dozen countries - including Argentina, Belgium, Canada,
Columbia, Ireland, Mexico, Peru, Russia, South Korea, Spain and
Tanzania - for this international day of protest. In the U.S.,
demonstrators converged on Korean consulates and embassies in
New York City; Washington, D.C.; Atlanta, Ga.; San Francisco and
Los Angeles, Calif.; and Portland, Ore. to oppose the illegal
eating of cats and dogs in South Korea.

The international press covered the protests favorably in
several newspapers and online news websites. In Seoul, South
Korea, dozens of protestors rallied the public against dog and
cat consumption with colorful signs, costumes and inventive
tactics like locking themselves in small cages dressed as dogs.
In San Francisco, 20 people came to IDA's protest at the Korean
Consulate and a good number brought their companion dogs to be
ambassadors for their exploited canine cousins in Korea. In the
few short weeks leading up to the demonstration, activists
collected over 5,000 petition signatures, which were presented
to the Korean Consulate at the protest.

IDA extends our heartfelt thanks to all of the dedicated animal
advocates around the world (people and dogs) who made last
year's International Day for Korea's Dogs and Cats so
successful. Visit
http://www.idausa.org/campaigns/korea/int_day_7_05.html to see pictures
of last year's events. Please join us again this year on July
20th as we urge the South Korean Government to enforce a ban on
the consumption of dogs and cats and introduce meaningful
legislation to protect the animals in Korea.

What You Can Do:

- Attend IDA's San Francisco protest on Thursday, July 20th.

What: International Day of Action for Korean Dogs and Cats
When: Thursday, July 20th from 12:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Where: Republic of Korea Consulate General in San Francisco,
3500 Clay Street (near Laurel Street - click
http://tinyurl.com/qmhje for a map)

- Organize an event of your own if you can't make it to IDA's
protest in San Francisco. Write to koreandogs [at] idausa.org and
we'll add your event to our protest page and send you posters
and leaflets. To learn more about this issue, click
http://www.idausa.org/campaigns/korea/korean.html .


3. 3rd Annual National Feral Cat Summit Coming to Bay Area

IDA is proud to co-sponsor the 3rd Annual National Feral Cat
Summit this September in San Francisco. This one-day conference
will feature presentations and workshops by feral cat experts
and Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) leaders from around the country as
well as a special welcome address by IDA founder and President
Elliot Katz, DVM. Presentations will emphasize practical
information and instruction to help participants more
effectively advocate for feral cats and implement TNR programs
in their communities.

What: 3rd Annual National Feral Cat Summit
When: Saturday, September 9th, 2006 from 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Where: South San Francisco Conference Center, 255 South Airport
Blvd., South San Francisco (click
http://www.ssfconf.com/accomodations/accom_directions.asp for
directions)

Registration is $40 before August 1st and $50 thereafter (the
registration fee includes a vegan lunch). For the complete
program and to register, please click
http://www.neighborhoodcats.org/special/nfc_summit_2006.htm .


4. SFVS & IDA Co-Present World Vegetarian Day in San Francisco

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. This two-day
event 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), vegan bodybuilder and 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

Make plans now to attend. 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. This
is sure to be an event you won't want to miss!


OTHER BAY AREA EVENTS TO HELP ANIMALS

1. EBAA's Animals & Society Film Series

Join East Bay Animal Advocates (EBAA)
( http://www.eastbayanimaladvocates.org ) every Wednesday in June (plus
the first Wednesday in July) at 7:30 p.m. for the Animals &
Society Film Series at Oakland's Humanist Hall. The series will
feature:

- June 28th: McLibel
- July 5th: Super Size Me

Admission to the films is free. Click
http://www.humanisthall.net/DIRECTIONS.htm for directions.


2. Fundraising Party for SF Animal Care & Control

San Francisco Animal Care & Control (ACC) is having a 17th
anniversary bash to raise funds for shelter improvements and
everyone is invited! ACC's Green for the Green (G4G) party - or
Dollars for the Dog Park - will help the municipal animal
shelter improve their facilities by resurfacing their nearby dog
park (where the party will be held) with new artificial turf.

Chosen after months of research, the refurbished dog park will
have many advantages over the current grass ground cover. This
becomes a miserable, muddy bog during rainy months and requires
periodic resodding, which can keep the park closed. The
artificial turf will include a built-in drainage system and be
much easier to maintain and clean. Overall, it will be safer and
more pleasant for the dogs and their guardians, improving the
quality of animal socialization and play time.

ACC's G4G Party will include delicious vegetarian and vegan
food, desserts, wines, a silent auction, live jazz and a few
surprises. Dogs are also very welcome to attend!

What: SF Animal Care & Control G4G Party
When: Sunday, July 16th from 6:00 - 9:30 p.m.
Where: 1200 15th Street (at Harrison) (click
http://tinyurl.com/neo4t for directions)

Tickets to the G4G Party are $25 per person. To reserve your
spot, send a check to FSFACC, P.O. Box 2443, San Francisco, CA
94126-2443. You can also pay by credit card by logging on to
http://www.Paypal.com and sending payment to the e-mail address
HelpAnimals [at] FSFACC.org . To reserve by phone, call (415) 822-5566
(you will be put on a will-call list and can pay at the door on
July 16th). To donate a prize for the silent auction, please
call (415) 822-5566 (prize donors will be admitted free). ACC
volunteers and staff, the volunteers of ACC's rescue partners
and FSFACC donors (since July 2005) may attend the party on a
"pay-what-you-can" basis.


3. Compassionate Cooks' July Cooking Class: "Burgers & Backyard
Bites"

Join IDA-sponsored Compassionate Cooks for their next vegan
cooking class, "Burgers & Backyard Bites," and learn to make
five delicious, nutritious dishes including mushroom pecan
burgers, spicy black bean burgers, tantalizing Thai slaw,
perfect potato salad, classic chocolate chip cookies. This class
will also feature a special taste test of non-dairy ice creams.
Using local, in-season, mostly organic ingredients,
Compassionate Cooks features easy-to-prepare recipes and debunks
myths about plant-based diets. Join the class in July for yummy
food samples and a lot of fun!

What: Compassionate Cooks' July Cooking Class: "Burgers &
Backyard Bites"
When: Saturday, July 22nd, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Where: The First Unitarian Church of Oakland, 685 14th Street
(at Castro), Oakland (click http://uuoakland.org/directions.htm
for directions)

Be sure to register in advance either online at
http://www.compassionatecooks.com/reg.htm or by calling (510) 531-COOK.
You can also mail a check to Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, P.O. Box
18512, Oakland, CA 94619. The $45 cost of the class includes
instruction, food samples, copies of recipes and much more.


4. More Problems at Oakland Animal Services

Oakland animal activists are outraged that City Manager Deborah
Edgerly has reinstated Rashon McClarty, the Oakland Animal
Control Officer who was suspended pending investigation of
animal cruelty charges and mismanagement during the time he was
acting director at Oakland Animal Services (not to be confused
with the SPCA).

According to former staff members, McClarty ordered 26 dogs
euthanized in a single day even though the shelter had run out
of sedation chemicals. Euthanizing animals without sedation can
cause them extreme stress. In addition, under his watch, two
dogs that were supposedly euthanized were discovered in the
freezer the next day still alive.

McClarty was also accused of destroying adoptable animals, even
those who were about to be reclaimed by guardians, and of
illegally altering records and computer memos. Meanwhile, the
findings of a Police Internal Affairs investigation of
McClarty's actions have still not been released to the public.

What You Can Do:

Please click http://ga0.org/campaign/FireMcClarty to politely
urge Oakland City Manager Deborah Edgerly to replace Animal
Control Officer Supervisor Rashon McClarty with someone who is
qualified for this important position and committed to the
humane care of all animals at the shelter. You can also contact
her by postal mail, phone, fax or personal email.

Oakland City Manager Deborah Edgerly
One City Hall Plaza, 3rd Floor
Oakland, CA 94612
Tel: (510) 238-3301
Fax: (510) 238-2223
E-mail: dedgerly [at] oaklandnet.com


5. Oppose Kangaroo Slaughter Bill

The importation of products made from kangaroo skin has been
illegal in California for more than a quarter of a century, but
that could all change if A.B. 734 passes. This bill introduced
by Assemblymember Mervyn Dymally would overturn the ban and
needlessly put endangered Australian wildlife at risk of being
hunted to extinction.

Lawmakers passed legislation prohibiting the sale of products
made from kangaroo skin in 1970 to protect endangered kangaroos.
There are numerous species of kangaroos in Australia, some of
which are at risk of extinction and therefore protected by law.
But hunters shoot kangaroos at night, and in the dark usually
cannot tell which species they are killing. If A.B. 734 passes
and the ban is overturned, Californians will almost certainly be
contributing to the extinction of endangered kangaroos.

The methods used to kill kangaroos are also exceptionally cruel
and inhumane. For example, if a mother kangaroo is shot with a
baby in her pouch, hunters kill the child by smashing his or her
head with a club or gun handle. Millions of kangaroos are
already slaughtered in Australia for fashions and sporting goods
sold in countries around the world, causing untold suffering to
these wild animals.

What You Can Do:

The Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee will be voting
on A.B. 734 on Tuesday, June 27th. If your state Senator is on
this committee, click http://ga0.org/campaign/NoOnAB734 to urge
him or her to vote NO on A.B. 734 (note that the alert will only
work if your Senator is a member of the committee). The members
of this committee are:

- Senator Sheila Kuehl (Chair)
- Senator Bob Margett (Vice-Chair)
- Senator Samuel Aanestad
- Senator Christine Kehoe
- Senator Alan Lowenthal
- Senator Michael Machado
- Senator Carole Migden

You can find out who your Senator is and get his or her mailing
address and phone number by clicking
http://ga0.org/indefenseofanimals/leg-lookup/search.tcl and
entering your zip code.


6. Hundreds of Rescued Rats Need Homes Now!

A few hundred rats rescued by a Sonoma County shelter from an
animal hoarder need to find new homes by this weekend. While the
adults are shy, there are reportedly many friendly babies and
young rats in various colors, including gray, blue, brown, beige
and white. Rats make excellent companions: they are portable,
easy to care for, affectionate and very inquisitive once they
get used to new surroundings.

If you or anyone you know would like to adopt a rat (or two or
three), please call Nancee at the Petaluma shelter at (707)
778-4396 before 5:00 p.m. on Saturday. The rats need to be
picked up by Monday, June 26th but first need to be put on hold
by 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 24th. Delivery is available as
far south as San Francisco and as far east as Berkeley on
Saturday and Sunday. For more information about transportation,
call Debra at (415) 516-6928.