A n i m a l   W r i t e s © sm
                                       
The official ANIMAL RIGHTS ONLINE newsletter
  

   
Publisher   ~ EnglandGal@aol.com                                        Issue # 01/17/01
        Editor    ~ JJswans@aol.com
    Journalists ~ Park StRanger@aol.com
                     ~ MicheleARivera@aol.com
                     ~
SavingLife@aol.com

    THE EIGHT ARTICLES IN THIS ISSUE ARE:
  
    1  ~ The View - On Fur
    2  ~
Keeping Trappers Off State Land
    3  ~
Senator's Addresses
    4  ~
Rescue At Rainbow Bridge
    5  ~
Run Ad Promoting Shelter Adoptions
    6
  ~ Dog & Cat Mannequins
    7  ~ The Furst Time
    8  ~ Quote To Remember
  

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The View - On Fur
by SandieGaertner@gateway.net

ABC features a weekday talk-show called "The View" starring Barbara Walters and several cohosts.  One of the cohosts featured daily is named, "Star."  At least once/week, there is a fashion show, and practically EVERY time, fur and other animal skins are featured.  For example, last week, Star sashayed down the aisle wearing a sable fur.  During that same show, a model wore a skirt made of alligator skin. Other shows have featured purses made from pony hair, brassieres made from squirrel fur (I kid you not) and dresses made from snake skin.

Every time this occurs, I write the cohosts protesting the use of fur, etc.  The following is one of those letters:

Dear Star, I am not afraid to write my name and e-mail address, because I REALLY hope you will get back to me.  You are obviously an intelligent, deeply feeling person, so I wonder why you continue to wear sable furs (September 19th), etc. and thus foster the abhorrent, inhumane slaughter of these fur-bearing animals (not to mention the slaughter of cows for their hide and alligators for their skin).  Truly, Star, the least you could do is present the animals' side of the story.  I do not mean to be facetious here.  If YOU would take the time to actually learn about how these animals are often skinned ALIVE, and subjected to horrible living conditions while waiting to be killed simply in order to make you feel beautiful, I do not think you would ever go near a fur coat again.  Please, Star.  All I ask is that you be fair.  If you are going to be involved in actively marketing these furs, at least let the public know the REAL story -- what REALLY goes on behind closed doors.

I often wonder how someone who professes to believe in a God could possibly be a willing participant in the inhumane treatment of his creatures.

Sandie Gaertner 

<> <> <> <> <>
Today, [9/23/00] I received a response from Star that I thought might be of interest to your readers:     

From:    ABC.The.View.-.SJones@abc.com (ABC The View - SJones)
To:    SandieGaertner@gateway.net ('SandieGaertner@gateway.net')

I am an adult woman who is happy with who I am and what I wear. I don't apologize for it, nor am I hypocritical about it. I wear fur and I eat meat.  If you don't like that...that's your issue not mine. But while you are critical of me...please make sure you don't: eat any meat (chicken and fish included), wear leather shoes, belts, coats, vests, hats, etc., get your hair dyed, straightened or curled, have any disease that requires drugs, all of these things come from or are tested on animals. Oh, and when you say, but wearing fur is only for glamour...the other things aren't...you are making an excuse.  My mother always says "Excuses are tools of the incompetent, they build monuments to nothingness and those who excel in them seldom excel in anything else." I am not unfeeling about animals, I just am more feeling about humans.  I respect your decisions regarding the wearing of fur...please respect mine.

Star Jones

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I bring this to the attention of your readers to remind them of what we, as animal rights activists, are up against.  We must be prepared to, in a sense, "put our money where our mouth is."  I, myself, do NOT eat meat, dairy, poultry or fish.  Nor do I use leather products, cosmetics tested on animals, medications first tested on animals, etc.  If we are going to protest on behalf of animals, we do have to "walk our talk."

I might add, Star continues to miss the point.  I couldn't possibly expect her to change her attitudes toward eating meat and wearing fur overnight.  However, she continues to refuse to deal with the most salient issue at hand: the inhumane treatment of these animals while they ARE alive, and the egregious conditions of their slaughter, including the fact that many of these animals are skinned alive!

I hope the readers of Animal Rights Online will continue to write to celebrities and try to make them aware of the plight of animals.
  

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Keeping Trappers Off State Land
by Paul Choiniere
from Banfur@aol.com

Friends of Animals bid on trapping rights for state land and won 94% of the land.  Animal rights groups say they submitted winning bids on 90% of land open to trapping

Animal rights activists said [in October] they had submitted winning bids on about 90 percent of all state lands open to animal trapping, a move they say will keep the parcels trapping free this winter.

Supporters of two animal rights groups -- Friends of Animals and the Animal Rights Front -- had obtained trapping licenses and taken the state's trapping program, entitling them to bid on the 122 parcels that are annually opened for trapping.

Bob Orabona, operations director for Friends of Animals, said the group submitted the winning bid on 109 of 122 parcels, totaling about 148,000 acres.  With the winning bid comes exclusive rights on a parcel to use leg traps and box traps to catch and kill animals. The organizations, of course, plan to do no trapping.

Attorney Derek V. Oatis of Manchester, who represents the animal rights organizations, said they submitted bids ranging from $1 to $1,200, depending on the expected value of a parcel to trappers and past bidding. The bids totaled about $30,000. The average bid was about $275, according to the groups. The program is managed by the state Department of Environmental Protection, which could not immediately verify the results.

Trapping season begins in November and continues through mid-March.  The DEP and the animal rights groups have clashed in court over the trapping program in the past. The DEP last year [1999] tried to block access to the bidding to traditional trappers, but failed in court. The legal fight led to a
cancellation of any trapping on state lands last year. This year the activists tried to stop the trapping program, but they failed in court and turned to their bidding strategy instead.

There is potential for the controversy to continue. Paul Rego, the wildlife biologist at the DEP in charge of the program, said individuals with the rights to a parcel are obligated to conduct trapping if an animal is judged a nuisance. If the winning bidder refuses to do so then someone else can be given permission to trap on the parcel, he said.

Oatis said the animal rights activists are prepared to fulfill that obligation, using traps to capture animals alive and relocate them. The most common problem in the state is beaver dams that cause flooding of private property or roads or deluge wetlands that are important habitats for other animals, Rego said.

The controversy could come over what is considered a nuisance. Oatis, for example, said the groups would not be willing to capture otters that are reducing fish stock for recreational fishing, a practice that has been done in the past.

The animals that can be trapped in Connecticut are river otter, beaver, mink, muskrat, weasel, coyote, gray fox, red fox, raccoon, opossum and skunk. A license, but no state approval, is needed to trap these animals on private land.

“More than anything, it's the cruelty of this activity that motivates these groups to try and stop it,” Oatis said. “They (the DEP) claim this is a way to manage wildlife. If so, it's the most bizarre and brutal way of doing it.”

Trappers, however, defend the activity, saying most animals are killed quickly by the traps and that, by doing daily checking, they ensure no animal lingers in a trap for long.

Attempts to contact several trappers for their reaction to the latest developments were not successful.

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Senator's Addresses

The following list was supplied by a subscriber who hoped that there would be time for everyone to write their senators and request that they refuse to confirm President Elect's nomination of GALE NORTON as the Secretary of the Interior and JOHN ASHCROFT as Attorney General.  Unfortunately there just isn't enough time to prevent this potential environmental disaster, and our hopes are that the Senate will realize the dangers that these two nominees pose to the environment.

Along with this plea came the following list of senator's addresses which we recommend that you save for future action:

The following is list of most of the Federal Senators Email addresses.  When using please copy the entire list and paste into "BCC" field, then put your own address in the "TO" field.  Then type a letter, then click the "Send."  Please make sure it must have a comma between the addresses which we already provided for you.  This way, your message will reach to most of the Federal Senators instead of reaching just two senators from your State ! 

Please address to :  Dear Honorable Senator,

senator@shelby.senate.gov,
senator.hutchinson@hutchinson.senate.gov,
blanche_lincoln@lincoln.senate.gov,
info@kyl.senate.gov,
senator_mccain@mccain.senate.gov,
senator@boxer.senate.gov,
senator_allard@exchange.senate.gov,
administrator@campbell.senate.gov,
senator@dodd.senate.gov,
senator_lieberman@lieberman.senate.gov,
senator@biden.senate.gov,
comments@roth.senate.gov,
bob_graham@graham.senate.gov,
connie@mack.senate.gov,
senator_max_cleland@cleland.senate.gov,
senator_coverdell@coverdell.senate.gov,
senator@akaka.senate.gov,
senator@inouye.senate.gov,
chuck_grassley@grassley.senate.gov,
tom_harkin@harkin.senate.gov,
larry_craig@craig.senate.gov,
dick@durbin.senate.gov,
senator_fitzgerald@fitzgerald.senate.gov,
senator_lugar@lugar.senate.gov,
sam_brownback@brownback.senate.gov,
pat_roberts@roberts.senate.gov,
jim_bunning@bunning.senate.gov,
senator@mcconnell.senate.gov,
senator@breaux.senate.gov,
senator@landrieu.senate.gov,
senator@kennedy.senate.gov,
john_kerry@kerry.senate.gov,
senator@kennedy.senate.gov,
john_kerry@kerry.senate.gov,
senator@mikulski.senate.gov,
senator@sarbanes.senate.gov,
michigan@abraham.senate.gov,
senator@levin.senate.gov,
michigan@abraham.senate.gov,
mail_grams@grams.senate.gov,
senator@wellstone.senate.gov,
john_ashcroft@ashcroft.senate.gov,
kit_bond@bond.senate.gov,
senator@cochran.senate.gov,
senatorlott@lott.senate.gov,
max@baucus.senate.gov,
conrad_burns@burns.senate.gov,
senator@edwards.senate.gov,
jesse_helms@helms.senate.gov,
senator@conrad.senate.gov,
senator@dorgan.senate.gov,
chuck_hagel@hagel.senate.gov,
mailbox@gregg.senate.gov,
opinion@smith.senate.gov,
frank_lautenberg@lautenberg.senate.gov,
senator_torricelli@torricelli.senate.gov,
senator_bingaman@bingaman.senate.gov,
senator_domenici@domenici.senate.gov,
senator@bryan.senate.gov,
senator_reid@reid.senate.gov,
senator@dpm.senate.gov,
senator_dewine@dewine.senate.gov,
senator_voinovich@voinovich.senate.gov,
jim_inhofe@inhofe.senate.gov,
senator@nickles.senate.gov,
Oregon@gsmith.senate.gov,
senator@wyden.senate.gov,
senator@santorum.senate.gov,
senator_specter@specter.senate.gov,
senator_chafee@chafee.senate.gov,
jack@reed.senate.gov,
senator@hollings.senate.gov,
senator@thurmond.senate.gov,
tim_johnson@johnson.senate.gov,
senator_frist@frist.senate.gov,
senator_thompson@thompson.senate.gov,
administrator@gramm.senate.gov,
senator@hutchison.senate.gov,
senator@bennett.senate.gov,
senator_hatch@hatch.senate.gov,
senator_robb@robb.senate.gov,
senator@warner.senate.gov,
vermont@jeffords.senate.gov,
senator_leahy@leahy.senate.gov,
senator_gorton@gorton.senate.gov,
senator_murray@murray.senate.gov,
Russell_Feingold@feingold.senate.gov,
senator_kohl@kohl.senate.gov,
senator_byrd@byrd.senate.gov,
senator@rockefeller.senate.gov,
senator@enzi.senate.gov,
craig@thomas.senate.gov,
senator@collins.senate.gov,
senator2@levin.senate.gov,
comments@roth.senate.gov,
senator@feinstein.senate.gov,
tom_daschle@daschle.senate.gov,
senator_carnahan@carnahan.senate.gov,

The following are newly elected U.S. Senators:

  Carper, Thomas,
    Campaign Web Address: http://www.carperforsenate2000.com
    Washington DC Address
    United States Senate
    Washington, DC   20510
     Phone: 202-224-2441

  Nelson, Bill :
    Washington DC Address
    United States Senate
    Washington, DC   20510
    Phone: 202-224-5274

  Stabenow, Debbie :
   Washington DC Address
    United States Senate
    Washington, DC   20510
    Phone: 202-224-4822
    District Address - Lansing
      3401 East Saginaw, Suite 214
      Lansing, MI   48912
      Phone: 517-336-7777
      Fax: 517-336-7236

  Dayton, Mark :
      Washington DC Address
       United States Senate
       Washington, DC   20510
       Phone: 202-224-3244

  Carnahan, Jean :
    Email:   senator_carnahan@carnahan.senate.gov
    Washington DC Address
    United States Senate
    Washington, DC   20510
    Phone: 314-993-0100

  Nelson, Ben :
   Washington DC Web Address: http://www.bennelsonforsenate.com
   Washington DC Address
   United States Senate
   Washington, DC   20510
   Phone: 202-224-6551

  Corzine, Jon :
    Washington DC Address
     United States Senate
    Washington, DC   20510
     Phone: 202-224-4744

  Ensign, John :
   Washington DC Address
    United States Senate
    Washington, DC   20510
    Phone: 202-224-6244

  Clinton, Hillary :
    Washington DC Web Address: http://clinton.senate.gov/
    Washington DC Address
        United States Senate
        Washington, DC   20510
        Phone: 202-224-4451

  Allen, George :
    Washington DC Address
       United States Senate
       Washington, DC   20510
       Phone: 202-224-4024

  Cantwell, Maria :
   Washington DC Address
       United States Senate
       Washington, DC   20510
       Phone: 202-224-3441

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Rescue at Rainbow Bridge
~~ author unknown

Unlike most of the sun filled days at the Rainbow Bridge, this particular day dawned cold and gray, damp as a swamp and as dismal as any day could be imagined. All of the recent arrivals had no idea what to think, as they had never ever experienced a day like this before. But..... the animals who had been waiting for their beloved people, knew exactly what was going on and started to gather at the pathway leading to The Bridge..........to watch.

It wasn't long before an elderly animal came into view, his head hung low, so very low, and his tail dragging. The other animals, the ones who had been there for a while, knew what his story was right away, for they had seen this happen far, far, too often. He approached slowly, very slowly, and was obviously in great emotional pain, but with no sign of injury or illness.

Unlike all of the other animals waiting at The Bridge, this animal had not been restored to youth and made healthy and vigorous again. As he walked toward The Bridge, he watched all of the other animals watching him. He knew he was out of place here and the sooner he could cross over, the happier he would be. But, alas, it was not to be. As he approached The Bridge, his way was barred by the appearance of an Angel who sadly apologized to him, and then told him that he would not be able to pass.  Only those animals who were with their people could pass over to the Rainbow Bridge.

With no place else to turn to, the elderly animal turned towards the fields before The Bridge and saw a group of other animals like himself, also elderly and infirm. They weren't playing, but rather simply lying on the green grass, forlornly staring out at the pathway leading to The Bridge.  And so, he took his place among them, watching the pathway and waited.

One of the newest arrivals at The Bridge didn't understand what he had just witnessed and asked one of the animals that had been there for a while to explain it to him.

"You see, that poor animal over there, with the others, they are rescues. He was turned in to rescue just as you see him now, an older animal with his fur graying and his eyes clouding. Sadly, he never made it out of rescue and passed on with only the love of his rescuer to comfort him as he left his earthly existence. Because he had no family to give his love to, he has no one to escort him across The Bridge."

The first animal thought about this for a minute and then asked, "So what will happen now?" As he was about to receive his answer, suddenly, the clouds parted swiftly, and the gloom lifted with a mighty wind.  Approaching The Bridge could be seen a single person and among the older animals, a whole group was suddenly bathed in a golden light and they were all once again, young and healthy, just as they were in the prime of their life.

"Watch, and see," said the second animal. A second group of animals from those also waiting came to the pathway and bowed their heads ever so low as the person neared closer. As each bowed head, the person offered a pat on their head or a scratch behind the ears.

One by one, the newly restored animals fell into line and followed him towards The Bridge. And then, one by one, they all crossed The Bridge together.

"What just happened?" asked the first animal.

"That was a rescuer. The animals you saw bowing to the rescuer in respect were those who found new homes because of all their work. They will all cross over to The Bridge, when their new families arrive. Those you saw restored were those who never found homes. When a rescuer arrives, they are allowed to perform one, final act of rescue. They are allowed to escort all those poor animals that they couldn't place on earth across The Rainbow Bridge."

"I think I like rescuer's," said the first animal. "So does GOD," was the reply from the second animal, "so does GOD."

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Run An Ad Promoting Shelter Adoptions
from Susan Gordon - veganvirago@home.com

IDA is making available an ad in the form of a poem which can be run in the Classified section of your local newspaper, under the "Pets" or "Animals" section. Many people come here looking for animals to purchase. If they see this ad, perhaps it will change a few minds.

The ad, shown below, is 26 lines long, including spaces. Feel free to add your own group's contact information in addition to IDA's.

If you would like to run this ad, IDA will reimburse half the cost of the ad up to a maximum of $100. If you would like the financial assistance, please contact Marshall Smith at the email address/phone below to make arrangements.  Please note that we can only honor reimbursements for those who make arrangements in advance.

If you are running it without our assistance, feel free to substitute your own contact information.

Please let us know if you are running the ad!

  Contact: Marshall Smith
  In Defense of Animals
  msmith@idausa.org
  (573) 636-9291

  == === == === === === === === ===  === ===
PLEASE DON'T BUY WHILE MILLIONS DIE

Millions of forgotten animals are sure to die,
Because too many people would rather buy.
Despondent and lonely they patiently wait;
Each day that passes may be too late.
Our pounds and shelters are filled to the brim
If not adopted soon the outcome is grim.

Our pet stores are filled with puppies and kittens
One look in their eyes and consumers are smitten.
Treated as crops they are shipped to and fro
From breeders to brokers to pet stores they go.
Their parents suffer untold misery and despair
Could it be because the public doesn't care?

Breeding animals suffer in small cages forever
Our "best friends" reduced to a business endeavor.
Living conditions never meet basic needs,
Prisoners of an industry driven by greed.
Avoid the pet store and "impulse buy"
Adopt instead, so homeless animals won't die.

Be a guardian, not an "owner"!
To learn more - contact
In Defense of Animals  www.idausa.org  (415) 388-9641

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Dog & Cat Mannequins

Rescue Critters sells full-size dog and cat mannequins for veterinary programs.  Their newest one is called "Critical Care Fluffy" and is a realistic full size cat with working lungs, artificial training blood, and even a grooming brush.

website:  http://www.rescuecritters.com

Source: sdurbin@tulsa.cc.ok.us

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The Furst Time
by KMBWolf@aol.com

The first time I ever saw a fox
I shall never forget
He was not in the forest
Or in a zoo
But on a rack

The first time I ever felt a fox
Was when I touched that coat
And wept sorrowed tears
It felt so soft and smooth
But oh so cold

Since a girl I wished
To see a red fox
But not this way
Not this way

The first time I saw a fox
The life had been lost
Had I not checked the label
I'd have never known
It had once been a fox

The first time I saw a fox
Rage rushed through me
Tears flowed from me
Sorrow overcame me

The first time I saw a fox
Was in that store
On that day
In that way

This was not
How I thought
The first time
I would ever see
A fox
Would be

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   Quotes To Remember

"When will we reach the point that hunting, the pleasure of killing animals for sport, will be regarded as a mental aberration?  We must reach the point that killing for sport will be felt as a disgrace to our civilization."
                                                                                 -Albert Schweitzer

 
   «¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»
  
Susan Roghair - EnglandGal@aol.com
   Animal Rights Online
P O Box 7053
    Tampa, Fl 33673-7053
   http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/1395/

   
-=Animal Rights Online=- 
  
&
Advisory Board Member, Animal Rights Network Inc.,
not-for-profit publisher of The Animals' Agenda Magazine
http://www.animalsagenda.org/
The Animals' Agenda Magazine: WebEdition
   «¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»
   (Permission Granted To Quote/Forward/Reprint/Repost This Newsletter In
Whole Or In Part with credit given to EnglandGal@aol.com)

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