IDA eNews: 7/25/07

IDA ACTION ALERTS
1. Atlanta Falcons Quarterback Faces Felony Dog Fighting Charges
2. Urge PetSmart Not to Sell Rabbits
3. Stop Oil Drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

NEWS & CAMPAIGN UPDATES
1. IDA Fights Illegal Wild Horse Round-Up at Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge
2. Summer Fun with Vegan Tabling and Outreach
3. Listen to Go Vegan Radio


IDA ACTION ALERTS

1. Atlanta Falcons Quarterback Faces Felony Dog Fighting Charges
Urge the NFL to suspend Michael Vick from play under strong suspicion of criminal activity

You may have heard the news that Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick faces felony charges and possible prison time for animal abuse stemming from alleged dog fighting ( http://www.idausa.org/facts/fighting.html#afb-c ) activities. He is accused of running an interstate dog fighting ring, and of killing numerous dogs himself -- by shooting, hanging, drowning, and electrocution -- simply because they were not good fighters.

While Vick continues to maintain his innocence, the evidence against him is substantial and still mounting. Authorities found more than 50 pit bulls, along with a full supply of standard dog fighting equipment (including a "rape stand" used for forced breeding, treadmills, drugs to increase aggression, and a bloodstained fighting pit) at Vick's Virginia home.

The charges against Vick are very serious, and if they are true, he must be severely punished. Lawmakers increased the penalty for dog fighting in May 2007 with passage of the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act, which doubles the potential prison sentence for those who engage in the interstate transport of animals used for fighting. Vick could face several years in prison and several hundred thousand dollars in fines if he is found guilty of conspiring to conduct dog fighting activities across state lines.

Vicks, the highest-paid player in NFL history, is a role model for many sports fans, including impressionable young people, and abusing dogs for "sport" sets a terrible example. In light of the indictment, IDA has written a letter to prosecutor Gerald Poindexter asking that he seek the maximum sentence allowable under the law in the case against Vick. In addition, we have written a letter asking NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to immediately suspend Vick from the league under strong suspicion of criminal activity, and to allow him to play again only if he is pronounced innocent by the courts. You can help hold Vick accountable by contacting these individuals, as well.

What You Can Do:

1) Call (212) 450-2000 to urge the NFL to immediately suspend Vick from the league under strong suspicion of criminal activity, and to allow him to play again only if he is pronounced innocent by the courts.

Follow up with a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Write to:
Mr. Roger Goodell
NFL Commissioner
280 Park Ave.
New York, NY 10017

2) Attend a protest. Demonstrations are being organized in Richmond, Va. ( http://ga0.org/indefenseofanimals/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=10155741 ), where Michael Vick is being arraigned, and at Nike in San Francisco ( http://ga0.org/indefenseofanimals/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=10156219 ) and Los Angeles ( http://ga0.org/indefenseofanimals/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=10157229 ).


2. Urge PetSmart Not to Sell Rabbits
Company's new policy will condemn more bunnies to death in overcrowded shelters

PetSmart, the largest retailer of pet supplies in the U.S., recently announced plans to start selling dwarf rabbits in their stores, a substantial break from their previous policy of working with rescue organizations to place rescued bunnies. Rabbits are the third most-frequently relinquished companion animals at shelters across the country, right behind dogs and cats, and PetSmart's decision to sell rabbits when thousands languish in shelters will cause millions more to die.

Contrary to popular belief, rabbits generally require more time and attention than cats and dogs, so many people who make impulse purchases in pet stores soon surrender them to shelters. Even worse, some are released into the outdoors, where they are typically eaten by predators or run over by cars. PetSmart has honored its commitment not to sell puppies and kittens in any of its stores, and they ought to extend the same protection to rabbits.

What You Can Do:

Please call or write PetSmart to politely tell them that you are unhappy with their decision to sell rabbits in their stores. Also encourage them to expand their rabbit adoption programs by reaching out to more rabbit rescue groups, and let them know that you will shop elsewhere as long as they continue to sell rabbits.

PetSmart, Inc.
19601 North 27th Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85027

Web email: http://www.petsmart.com/global/customerservice/contactUsForm.jsp
Tel: (800) 738-1385
Fax: (623) 580-6502

If you want to adopt a rabbit, contact local animal shelters, humane societies, or rabbit rescue groups for information. A list adoption resources, as well as comprehensive information on rabbit care, can be found at http://www.rabbit.org .


3. Stop Oil Drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Urge Congress to protect important habitat from destructive development

Nearly half a century ago, the Eisenhower administration set aside the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) ( http://arctic.fws.gov/ ) for protection from oil drilling and other activities that would despoil this pristine habitat. Yet the oil industry, caring more about profits than conservation, has repeatedly tried to gain access to this area, using their powerful Washington connections to push their destructive agenda. Tragically, it seems that they may finally succeed in their aims, as the Bush administration, against enormous popular and scientific opposition, recently approved a plan to allow the sale of new drilling rights to corporations off the coast of the ANWR.

The ANWR is home to numerous animals, from polar and grizzly bears, wolves, and caribou to more than 130 species of birds. The introduction of oil drilling would bring with it coastal development that could drastically disrupt life on the plain with hundreds of miles of roads and pipelines, refineries, power plants, and other polluting machinery. A single oil spill would be a disaster of epic proportions for the animals living in the area, including migratory whales and other marine mammals who thrive in the waters around the preserve.

In approving the plan to allow drilling in the ANWR, President Bush ignored a letter signed by more than 1,000 scientists and resource managers warning of the dire consequences that could result. The administration has tried to sell the plan as the solution to America's energy woes, but the fact is that it will take 10 years for oil from the ANWR to reach the market, and it will only be a few months' supply for the country at that, according to estimates by the U.S. Geological Survey. Fortunately, some members of Congress are trying to stop Bush's environmentally disastrous plan with the Udall-Eisenhower Arctic Wilderness Act (H.R. 39), which would permanently protect the ANWR from oil drilling.

What You Can Do:

Please "Take Action" to urge your congressional Representative to protect the ANWR from oil drilling by supporting the Udall-Eisenhower Arctic Wilderness Act ( %takeaction-hr39% ). Feel free to edit the sample letter and print it out for mailing. Also follow up with a polite phone call or letter to your congressperson ( http://ga0.org/indefenseofanimals/leg-lookup/search.html ).


NEWS & CAMPAIGN UPDATES

1. IDA Fights Illegal Wild Horse Round-Up at Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge
Thousands of horses' lives are in peril

IDA recently sent an urgent letter to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) detailing how the Sheldon-Hart Mountain Wildlife Refuge's plan to start rounding up wild horses violates the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The letter urges that the FWS immediately halt its plan to remove more than 1,400 horses from the Refuge in Northwestern Nevada and parts of Eastern Oregon beginning in August of this year.

In the letter, attorneys at Meyer Glitzenstein & Crystal, a Washington D.C. based public interest firm specializing in environmental litigation, outline numerous NEPA violations, including the reliance on thirty-one year-old data to justify the round-up, failing to consider any reasonable alternatives, and rounding up the horses ahead of, not following, the new data that will soon be collected in a planned Comprehensive Conservation Plan which will analyze current environmental conditions on the Refuge.

"The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is thumbing its nose at the law and in doing so cheating the public, whom have a great interest in keeping wild horses wild on our public lands," said Matt Rossell, Northwest Outreach Coordinator for IDA. "Instead of going out onto the refuge and actually looking to see if the wild horses are impacting the environment as the law mandates, the agency simply re-wrote outdated and inadequate information in their push to eliminate a viable wild horse population from its native home."

In the wake of a round up at Sheldon Refuge in 2006, during officials pursued horses by helicopter, investigators found foals trampled and injured. Others were separated from their mothers and left behind. Some died on the range, too young to survive on their own.

The Sheldon Wildlife Refuge encompasses more than half a million acres of high desert habitat and was established more than seventy years ago principally for the protection of the area's wildlife, including pronghorn antelope and bighorn sheep. Since the time the Refuge was established, the antelope, sheep, and other wildlife have shared this area with herds of wild horses and burros.

The plan to round-up the Sheldon Refuge's horses has been highly controversial with hundreds of comments being submitted by concerned members of the public who feel that wild horses are in inseparable part of the western scene. The round-up has even drawn the attention of members of Congress, including Nick J. Rahall, II, Chairman of the Committee of Natural Resources who submitted a letter calling for the round-up to be halted.

View a copy of the letter to the FWS ( http://www.idausa.org/news/currentnews/pdfs/070718b.pdf ).

View a copy of Chairman Rahall's letter ( http://www.idausa.org/news/currentnews/pdfs/070718.pdf ).

What You Can Do:

Funds are urgently needed to pay for legal fees to stop the round-up. Please donate to IDA to ensure this poorly planned and unnecessary round-up doesn’t move forward.
Please donate to this effort by contributing to:

"Sheldon Horses"
c/o In Defense of Animals
3010 Kerner Blvd.
San Rafael, CA 94901

To use your Visa or MasterCard right now visit our donation page and type "Sheldon Horses" in the "in honor of" first name field of the donations area ( https://secure.ga0.org/02/idadonations_in_honor )


2. Summer Fun with Vegan Tabling and Outreach
Warm weather, longer days, and big outdoor festivals make it easy

With its long, balmy days, summertime brings people outside. Many outdoor gatherings -- such as concerts in the park, neighborhood street fairs, farmers markets, and other summer festivals -- make awesome opportunities to spread the word about the health, environmental, and humane benefits of a compassionate vegan diet.

IDA volunteers have been having a blast tabling at such events, most recently in Portland, Ore. at the Alberta Street Art Walk, where costumed advocates handed out hundreds of our Vegan Starter Kits ( http://www.idausa.org/vegandays/vegan_kit_order.htm ). The cow- and chicken- costumed volunteers were a huge hit with kids, and many stopped to meet these "animals" and give them a hug or have their pictures taken with them. People grinned and graciously accepted offerings of vegan literature when a "cow" danced her way through a crowd listening to live reggae music as she "mooved" by.

Those passing the IDA table couldn't help but catch at least a glimpse of undercover footage ( http://undercovertv.org/vp_egg-farm.php ) showing the cruelty taking place inside modern factory farms that played on a huge TV behind the table. And the public responded positively, taking literature, trying samples of vegan treats, with dozens of people talking about changing their diet and pledging to "Go Vegan on Mondays" as a place to start. One woman, with her eyes riveted to the screen and mouth open in disbelief, later said that she had no idea that things were "that bad" for the animals. She left with a handful of good information and a determination to make some personal changes so that she can stop contributing to animal abuse.

What You Can Do:

Vegan outreach is easy, fun, and rewarding, so get active this summer. You don't need to be an "expert" to successfully get the word out and make a huge difference for the animals. Here are some tips on being effective:

- Bone up on the facts about veganism ( http://www.idausa.org/vegandays/faq.html ), so whether people care about their health, the environment, or animals, you'll have a compelling case for them to try a vegan diet.

- Find listings of outdoor events in your local paper, community calendars, and public postings, and then plan to attend some of them to get the word out. Invite your friends to help keep it fun.

- Your set-up can be as simple as you standing in a high foot-traffic area wearing your best smile with an armful of Vegan Starter Kits ( http://www.idausa.org/shop-ida/lit6.html ). Make sure to tell people there are free yummy recipes inside and you'll be surprised how quickly they go! It's easier than you might think to rig up a car battery to run a television outdoors, and videos and DVDs documenting factory farming abuses ( http://www.idausa.org/shop-ida/video.html ) are readily available. Even cheap Halloween animal costumes draw attention and interest to your efforts.

- Or you can be as creative and involved as you want, with samples of vegan barbeque, costumes, or whatever you come up with. Check with event organizers ahead of time to get permission if you want to set up a table or booth.

- Many vegan food companies will give you free samples of their latest flavor of dairy-free deserts or mock meats to hand out if you just ask. It's good to give them as much notice as possible, and take pictures to share with them later so they can see how successful you were.

- Order copies of IDA's Vegan Starter Kit ( http://www.idausa.org/shop-ida/lit6.html ) to hand out. This colorful booklet reveals the harsh reality that cows, pigs, chickens, and fish endure just to become people's dinner, and is also filled with recipes and resources that explain how to adopt a cruelty-free lifestyle. Having copies on hand will really help your summer vegan outreach.


3. Listen to Go Vegan Radio
Program now airs on 27 "Air America" affiliated stations

Go Vegan Radio ( http://www.goveganradio.com ) with host Bob Linden is a unique program that highlights the benefits of veganism and explores animal rights and its links to other important social justice issues, from health to the environment. You can now hear Go Vegan Radio on 27 "Air America" affiliated stations throughout the U.S., including the top four ranked radio markets of San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago. It also airs on XM satellite radio, and you can listen to podcasts of past shows online ( http://www.goveganradio.com/veg/1003/Listen_to_Past_Shows.htm ).

Go Vegan Radio is the first program devoted to animal rights on a major network. Guests on the show include many of the most compelling voices in the animal rights movement speaking about the full range of subjects, from the impact of a meat-based diet on the planet to the ethical problems associated with killing animals for food. To tune in, visit http://www.goveganradio.com and check the station and time listings for your area.


Use GoodSearch Web Browser and Earn Money for IDA

What if you could help IDA earn money every time you searched the Internet without spending a cent? Well, now you can!

GoodSearch ( http://www.goodsearch.com ) is a new search engine that donates half its revenue, about a penny per search, to nonprofit charities selected by its users. You use it just as you would any search engine, and it's powered by Yahoo!, so you get great results. To start, go to http://www.goodsearch.com and enter In Defense of Animals as the charity you want to support. Just 500 people doing four searches a day will raise about $7,300 a year for IDA, all without costing you -- our supporters -- any money at all!

Also please help IDA spread the word about this amazing fundraising opportunity! For example:

- Send an email out to all of your friends and family and supporters asking them to use GoodSearch and choose IDA as their favorite charity ( http://ga0.org/campaign/GoodsearchIDA/forward )

- Put a logo and link to GoodSearch on your website ( http://www.goodsearch.com/Logo.aspx )

- Download the GoodSearch toolbar and encourage other to do so as well ( http://www.goodsearch.com/toolbar )

- Make GoodSearch the homepage on all of the computers in your company or school ( http://www.goodsearch.com/MakeHomepage.aspx )

Thank you for supporting IDA's important work for animals!