Cheers
Cheers to Melissa Neesham , the founder and editor of Vegetarian Women Online Magazine, which offers support and resources for people who have long embraced a plant-based diet, and those wondering how and why to switch to an animal-free diet. It’s not everywhere you can find tips on gluten-free dining, leather-free ballet shoes, and biographies of vegetarian business owners all in one spot. Visit the website: http://www.vegetarianwomen.com
Cheers to Defensor Moura , Mayor of Viana do Castelo, for banning bullfighting — the first city in the country of Portugal to ban this form of entertainment. As reported in March by several international media outlets, Mayor Moura received more than 1,000 congratulatory e-mails from around the world after ending the practice and explaining that “animal rights is not compatible with spectacles that torture and impose unjustifiable suffering.” Viana do Castelo, a city in the north of the country which has a socialist majority, had previously permitted one bullfight per year during its festival days in August. The arena will now be demolished and transformed into a cultural site.
If you wish to send a thank-you postcard, use 94 cents in postage and send to:
Defensor Oliveira Moura
Presidente da Câmara Municipal de Viana do CasteloPasseio das Mordomas da Romaria
Viana do Castelo, Portugal 4904-877
Cheers to U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly and the Brady Campaign. Judge Kollar-Kotelly addressed a last-minute Bush ruling that would allow concealed, loaded guns in national parks and wildlife refuges. The Brady Campaign and National Parks and Conservation Association sued to overturn the rule, and on March 19th the judge issued an injunction against it. The NRA immediately appealed. How the Obama administration addresses the matter of keeping national parks and refuges gun-free is critically important; keeping guns out offers safe havens for all living beings.
In April, Idaho’s senior senator, Mike Crapo (R), introduced a bill ( S.816) to codify the Bush administration rule. Crapo’s bill is identical to H.R. 1684 introduced on March 24 in the House of Representatives by Congressman Doc Hastings (R-WA). The NRA has decided to make the national park rule a priority, and the Brady Campaign has decided to make stopping it a priority. Friends of Animals supports the Brady Campaign’s initiative and our Pennsylvania chapter, along with CARE of the Delaware Valley, plans to sue the National Park Service to keep sharpshooters out of Valley Forge National Historical Park as well.
What to do? You are already supporting the effort of Friends of Animals in Pennsylvania and CARE by subscribing to this magazine and inviting others to become members and support our work. And please ask your senators and representatives to oppose the bill and keep national parks gun-free. To look up the contact information for your Congress members, you can use http://www.votesmart.org/ and click “Officials.”
Cheers to Canadian Senator Mac Harb , who introduced a private members bill to end the commercial seal slaughter in Canada — the first time any such legislation has been introduced. Although there is world-wide pressure directed at Canada to end the seal kill, Harb’s bill got no support from the senate and was thus dropped.
Thank Mac Harb by e-mail at harbsealbill@sen.parl.gc.ca or by telephone: 1-613-996-2379; or f acsimile: 613-996-2318.
Canada ’s annual seal kill should not exist; it is violent and unjust. Please direct opposition to killing seals to the Canadian government by contacting:
Canadian Consulate General Daniel Sullivan
1251 Avenue of the Americas
New York , NY 10020-1175
United States
Telephone: 1-212-596-1628
Facsimile: 1-212-596-1790
Prime Minister Stephen Harper
Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington St.
Ottawa , ON K1A 0A2 Canada
Facsimile: 1-613-941-6900 or 1-613-995-7858
E-mail address: pm@pm.gc.ca
Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans
House of Commons
441-S Centre Block
Ottawa , ON K1A 0A6 Canada
Facsimile: 1-613-992-1974
E -mail address: Shea.G@parl.gc.ca
Jeers
Jeers to the City of Stamford, Connecticut for allowing a city employee to initiate a plan to kill deer at Cove Island Wildlife Sanctuary — an area that’s open to the public. The deer are being blamed for eating too many plants that were intended to attract birds for the pleasure of bird-watchers. When the city granted permission to a deputy fire marshal to kill four deer, Friends of Animals was able to intervene and spare the lives of two of them. Through a Freedom of Information Act request, city officials relinquished documents answering some of the questions about the killings. To prevent future deer killing in this area, please contact the officials listed below and remind them that a public wildlife sanctuary should welcome the public and free-living animals -- not just people who prefer birds over deer.
Mayor Dannel Malloy
City of Stamford
888 Washington Blvd.
Stamford , CT 06901 United States
Tel: 203-977-4150
Benjamin Barnes
Director of Operations
City of Stamford
888 Washington Blvd.
Stamford , CT 06901 United States
Tel: 203-977-4141
William Callion
Director of Public Safety, Health and Welfare
City of Stamford
888 Washington Blvd.
Stamford , CT 06901 United States
Tel: 203-977-4153
Jeers to Tropicana Orange Juice for including fish oil in their “Healthy Heart” orange juice products. Omega -3 fatty acids are available from leafy green vegetables, flax seeds or flax oil (or flax waffles), walnuts, pumpkin seeds, soybeans and olive oil, to name a few. DHA, a long chain fatty acid, is also available in supplemental, vegan form — consisting of micro-algae (some soymilks now contain vegan DHA). Using vegan omega-3 and DHA prevents further damage to our already fragile oceans — sparing the lives of fish and other marine animals who are either directly or unintentionally killed.
Let Tropicana know that a more responsible way to add nutrients to their products is to use entirely plant-based formulations.
Tropicana Products, Inc.
P.O. Box 049003
Chicago , IL 60604-9003 United States
Telephone (toll free): 1-800-237-7799
An e-mail contact page is available on their website at: www.tropicana.com
