The European Union is expected to ban commercial seal products. As our readers know, we’re talking about the largest systematic attack on free-living animals anywhere in the world in the name of commerce.

Friends of Animals president Priscilla Feral said, “The Canadian government is still fused to that relic of a bygone era known as the fur industry. So much so, that non-profits in Canada are shy about agitating against fur. But the outcry in Europe is having its effect and is poised to set an important example.”

The Canadian government is challenging the EU legislation, delaying the enactment that was expected on 20 August. The European Commission has heard the arguments from the Canadian officials’ side. Prime Minister Harper, Fisheries Minister Shea and other Canadian representatives cannot possibly have anything new to say, and we hope they aren’t going to delay the progress much longer.

Said Feral, “We’re gratified that seal killers will now have less incentive to plunder seal pups and horrify their mothers.”

To solidify this into an animal-rights advance, advocates within Canada must exert pressure on the Canadian government. We would love to hear from people in Canada regarding efforts while the iron is hot.

When I first heard about Black Dog Syndrome, I thought it was an Internet hoax. A trainer who rescued a black Labrador retriever told me that the shelter workers where she adopted her black Lab from were thrilled that she chose a black Lab over a yellow one.

If you are unaware, Black Dog Syndrome is when people don’t adopt dogs with black or dark fur. I grew up with a German Shepherd/Collie/Beagle mix who was mostly black and dark brown. He was extremely handsome, and quite intelligent, which made me think that Black Dog Syndrome just couldn’t exist.

Yet, I kept on hearing about it on chat rooms, on the Internet, from friends who do rescue work, and from people who work at animal shelters. One person told me that when she was looking to adopt a Labrador retriever, she was astounded at the disparity between available yellow dogs versus black dogs. The wait for a yellow lab from a rescue group could be months or years, while there were plenty of black labs available.

Black dogs are often overlooked. When you place a bunch of black dogs in a shelter amongst tan, red, yellow, mixed and other colored fur, people’s gaze goes towards the lighter or brighter animals.

“As a brand marketing professional, I can tell you color is a powerful perception tool,” says Steven Vena, owner of The Nimble Group, Inc., a brand marketing and advertising agency. “If I am walking down the street, I would bet more people would pet the tan dog versus the black dog.”

I was able to see his point—even though I didn’t like it. I grew up in New York, and have a lot of black clothes in my closet. I remember attending an expo at the Javits Center; the majority of men dressed in black suits and the women wore black dresses. I came along in a bright orange blazer, and got lots of comments. Many people thanked me for wearing a sunny color.

Still when it comes to fur or skin color, I think black is more interesting because it’s not just black. Look at a cat, dog, or person with black coloring and you will see reds, browns, and a nice mix of other tones thrown in. Maybe because I’m extremely fair skinned, I appreciate other colors. I was thankful for my freckles; otherwise I would have a ghostlike complexion!

Photos of Black Dogs

Take a look at photos of adoptable dogs and cats on line. Often shelter workers, not professional photographers, snap quick photos and post them. Unfortunately they are not very good, and all too often the black ones are blurry. Thankfully, many shelters are using professional photographers to show off these dogs and cats. Some shelters are adding color to these adoptable animals. You might see a black dog or cat with a colorful bandanna or attractive colored collar. It makes the pet stand out.

Black Cats

Black cats also have a hard time getting adopted. A lot of that has to do with superstitions. Personally, I had a black cat, and everyone loved him. He was the sweetest, and had a playful personality. His green eyes stood out against his expressive face.

I have trouble understanding this, but there are some people who regard black cats as witches’ familiars. It has gotten so bad that shelters won’t adopt out a black cat around Halloween time. It seems that people want to use black cats for rituals around that time. So a good number of shelters refuse to adopt out their black cats from the end of September to the beginning of November.

And I know this is going to sound screwy, but some people believe that vampires transform themselves into black dogs as a way of traveling unnoticed at night. (I just don’t get some people.) So unfortunately, black cats and dogs are the last, if at all, to be adopted.

Black Dog and Black Cat Syndrome are real. The next time you are looking to adopt a dog or cat, take personality into account. Talk to the shelter workers or the workers at the rescue group, and make an informed decision.

Michele C. Hollow writes Pet News and Views, a blog devoted to the positive side of animal welfare. Stories cover news about people who work with and for animals and animal nonprofits.

U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy said the entire Rocky Mountain wolf population either must be listed as an endangered species or removed from the listing, but the protections for the same population can’t vary depending on the state in which various individuals from an estimated population of 1,700 wolves happen to be found roaming.

The federal government in April 2009 turned over wolf management to Montana and Idaho officials but continued federal protection of wolves in Wyoming, where state law is considered hostile to the animals’ survival.

Wolf hunts will now be illegal in Montana and Idaho — sparing 186 wolves from Montana’s autumn wolf-hunt quota.

We welcome and applaud the judge’s decision.

New York City—City officials have devised a slaughter contract with the USDA’s Wildlife Service Division to target thousands of Canada geese inhabiting New York City parks and waterways. Friends of Animals and bird-respecting New Yorkers put the responsibility at Mayor Bloomberg’s door, where they will demand the plan itself be killed.

Edita Birnkrant, NY Director of Friends of Animals, said, “New Yorkers resist the claim on our tax dollars for a wildlife massacre. New York should not put a quota on geese.”

Priscilla Feral, President of Friends of Animals, called this part of an overall pattern that must stop.

“Birds nest, and birds move on. Are guns to be pointed skyward when Tundra swans return to Pennsylvania in November, or when Mute swans fly along the Atlantic Coast?” Feral asked. “Stop this killing, and let birds be birds.”

The USDA plan to kill 170,000 geese throughout New York State was revealed recently in a report prepared by several city, state and federal agencies. The quota for New York City should be 4,000, the official report states.

Officials point to the US Airways plane that landed in the Hudson in January 2009, after two migratory Canada geese flew into its engine. But the airport situation demands habitat modification policies (in addition to radar technology to spot the birds and the use of noise equipment to warn them off) — not clearing planet’s atmosphere of every feathered being.

Last summer, when at least 2,000 geese were gassed in areas surrounding the airports, Friends of Animals objected. The group publishes the Canada Goose Habitat Modification Manual, written by ornithologist Donald S. Heintzelman, containing practical examples of long-term landscaping policies to deter geese from urban and suburban settings where they are perceived as problematic. The guide was presented to Mayor Bloomberg’s staff and other city agencies.

Short of making the birds completely extinct, killing would only mean birds repopulate — leading to an endless cycle of urban violence. Mayor Bloomberg refused to listen last year, and the slaughter continues this year.

Christina Kobland, president of Native Return, LLC and a consultant for the Philadelphia Division of Aviation, said, “Native Return’s approach to managing wildlife for airports is to plant habitat that species like geese or deer do not like, so they chose to locate elsewhere. I favor our proactive, compassionate methods, which also happen to be environmentally beneficial, much less costly and educational to the public.”

As for parks, geese flock to them because manicured landscapes provide clear sight lines, and ponds are naturally attractive. Tall, native grasses, meadowlands, wildflowers, shrubs and trees can — if necessary — deter geese from parks, commercial tracts, airports and waterfronts, and can increase biodiversity, which benefits all species, including humans.

The staff and supporters of Friends of Animals strongly oppose all policies advocating birth control of geese or addling of goose eggs — destroying eggs by shaking, piercing or coating the eggs with oil, often scaring them away from their nests by using hazing dogs — considering these approaches traumatic and invasive.

“Geese and other urban wildlife don’t need to be managed,” said Birnkrant. “The impulse to obliterate every species that crosses our path surely does, and decision-makers approving such wrong-headed polices must be held accountable, starting with Mayor Bloomberg.”

What You Can Do

Contact Mayor Bloomberg and make clear your opposition to the slaughter of geese in New York City.

· If you live in New York City, you can call the Mayor’s office at 311.
· Outside of New York City, call 212-NEW-YORK.
· Fax a message: 212-788-8123.
· Send an email to the Mayor.

Lee Hall, J.D, VP- Legal Affairs, Friends of Animals (Darien, CT). Email

Nicole Rosmarino, Ph.D., Wildlife Program Director, WildEarth Guardians (Denver, CO). T: 303-573-4898 ×1163 M: 505-699-7404. Email

Prof. Mike Harris, Director of the Environmental Law Clinic, University of Denver Sturm College of Law (Denver, CO). T: 303.871.6140 M: 720.841.0400. Email

WASHINGTON, DC — Friends of Animals and WildEarth Guardians, represented by the Environmental Law Clinic at the University of Denver, obtained a court order last week that requires Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to determine whether 12 parrots warrant federal protection by November 2011 (FRIENDS OF ANIMALS et al. v. KEN SALAZAR (U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Civil Action 10-357)). The 12 parrots are: Blue-headed macaws, Crimson shining parrots, Great green macaws, Grey-cheeked parakeets, Hyacinth macaws, Military macaws, Philippine cockatoos, Red-crowned parrots, Scarlet macaws, White cockatoos, Yellow-billed parrots, and Yellow-crested cockatoos. The birds have been awaiting a decision for two and one half years.

“Secretary Salazar has continued the Bush administration’s policies on endangered species, by foot-dragging and obstructing protection for critically imperiled animals and plants. The court order is good news for these parrots, but we will continue to press until they are actually afforded full federal safeguards under the Endangered Species Act,” said Nicole Rosmarino of WildEarth Guardians.

Moreover, these birds usually mate for life and their low reproduction rates makes nest-robbing a major setback to their population in a given area. Another threat stems from growing human populations in the various countries to which these birds are native. Increases in human numbers lead to escalating destruction of these parrots’ habitat, as well as more exploitation of the birds for food or captivity.

Friends of Animals legal vice-president Lee Hall expressed appreciation for the skill and diligence of Denver University’s Environmental Law Clinic in confronting this tragedy and working to shift the tide. “It’s urgent that the United States take these birds’ lives and habitats seriously. We’re pleased to see this court order in 2010, which the United Nations named the International Year of Biodiversity,” said Hall.

Approximately a year ago, on 14 July 2009, Secretary Ken Salazar initiated a status review of the 12 parrot species to see if they warrant listing under the Endangered Species Act. Acting on a 2008 petition from Friends of Animals, he issued a preliminary decision in which he found that the petition contained sufficient data to warrant the full review. However, in response to Secretary Salazar’s subsequent failure to make a final decision on the birds’ fate, the groups filed a civil action on March 2, 2010 challenging the delayed finding. The birds have no federal protection under the Endangered Species Act until they are formally added to the endangered species list.

The Environmental Law Clinic at Denver University reports that the Fish and Wildlife Service of the U.S. Department of Interior has agreed to issue, and deliver for publication in the Federal Register, a 12-month findings on the four of the species no later than July 29, 2011, and on all 12 of the species by November.

Lee Hall of Friends of Animals stated, “The international community is on notice: We insist that these birds’ interest in their habitat be respected, and that they live free on Nature’s terms. We’re pulling for the day bird cages will be found only in antique stores.”

by KENS 5 Staff
kens5.com

Posted on July 17, 2010

Once used for medical experimentation, 55-monkeys now have a new home.

The four to six- year-old Java macaque monkeys were packed up into crates on Thursday destined for the likes of New Castle, Oklahoma and South Texas.

Saturday 25 of those long tailed monkeys arrived at the Primarily Primates reserve near Leon Springs.

The monkeys had been housed in the Aniclin Preclinical Services lab owned by Azopharma until the lab went into receivership and a court ordered the monkeys released to sanctuaries.

“It’s an extraordinary rescue situation with many young primates, multiple destinations, unprecedented collaborations, and new enclosures being built and fitted quickly at four sites,” said Priscilla Feral, president of Primarily Primates. “We call it Operation Monkey Trek.”

Next, 15 of the monkeys will be delivered to Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary in Dilley, Texas.

A team of volunteers and vets checked out each monkey before releasing them into their new homes.

55 Macaque Monkeys Find Refuge as Advocates Rush to Collaborate and Construct Living Spaces

San Antonio, Texas — Early Thursday morning, 15 July, a transport vehicle, packed with 55 crates of four- to six-year-old male Java macaque monkeys, heads for New Castle, Oklahoma.

At an Oklahoma primate sanctuary called Mindy’s Memory, eight monkeys will be welcomed. All weigh from four to seven pounds. All come from an Oxford, New Jersey animal testing lab that recently closed its doors. Today, they’re identified by their numbers: 28739, 28740 … But they will soon have names, friends, love, and caregivers who will never again let them be used for others’ benefit.

“It’s an extraordinary rescue situation with many young primates, multiple destinations, unprecedented collaborations, and new enclosures being built and fitted quickly at four sites,” said Priscilla Feral, president of Primarily Primates. “We call it Operation Monkey Trek.”

Seven monkeys will finish the road trip at Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation of Kendalia, Texas.

Next stop will be Primarily Primates sanctuary in San Antonio, which is prepared to welcome 25 of the macaques.

Finally, Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary in Dilley, Texas will welcome 15 monkeys — not born free, but free in the end from lives spent in drug toxicology studies.

Transport is not the only extraordinary challenge facing the advocates who arranged to accept the monkeys.

“If monkeys and other primates can be released from such situations, there must be support for private sanctuaries that offer refuge for these animals,” said Priscilla Feral.

“Otherwise, the animals will be stuck until death in the institutions that used them.”

Bob Ingersoll, representing the board of Mindy’s Memory, said enclosures are being quickly built for eight monkeys. Those able to financially assist the macaques should send support to Mindy’s Memory.

Stephen Tello, executive director at Primarily Primates, is preparing to socialize 25 male macaques who have spent years in a lab, and overseeing new construction to accommodate them.

The National Anti-Vivisection Society of Chicago, Illinois stepped in with a $5000 grant to cover materials for these monkeys’ living and sleeping areas.

Java macaques (also known as crab-eating macaques) have been exploited through captive breeding programs, and extensively used in biomedical research.

“These naturally tree-dwelling monkeys would normally be found in coastal forests and rainforests in Southeast Asia, feasting on fruits and seeds,” Tello said. “We’ll be helping these youngsters make the transition to a life and diet as similar as possible to what they’d seek in habitat.”

Dr. Val Kirk, Primarily Primates’ on-site veterinarian, reviewed the medical records of the monkeys and decided who is best suited for each of the four sanctuaries.

Contact:

Stephen Rene Tello, Exec. Dir., Primarily Primates
(830) 755-4616 (San Antonio, TX)

Priscilla Feral, President, Primarily Primates
and Friends of Animals
(203) 656-1522 (Darien, CT)

Bob Ingersoll, Board Member, Mindy’s Memory
(415) 609-4856 (San Francisco/Oklahoma)

# # #

Bobby, the NYC Carriage horse Friends of Animals helped rescue from a Pennsylvania slaughter auction on June 25th in a collaborative effort with the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages and Equine Advocates is now doing well and getting adjusted to his new home at the beautiful Equine Advocates Sanctuary in Chatham, New York. As a recent press release explained, Bobby was destined for the slaughterhouse after he could no longer make a profit for his owners — NYC carriage horse operators — and our efforts ensured that he would be spared this fate and would live the rest of his life in freedom.

Bobby, a bay gelding who is estimated to be 18 years old was examined by a veterinarian after his rescue and was found to be in very bad shape with lameness in his front right leg, stomach worms and teeth that were badly neglected. Bobby also had several scars on his face and around his neck that were caused by the equipment that he was forced to wear while pulling a carriage.

I had the opportunity to visit Bobby at his new home on July 11th, at the sanctuary where over 80 rescued horses live in freedom on 140 peaceful acres.

Bobby was frisky, curious and affectionate, and was thrilled at the carrots I’d brought as a treat. In spite of the neglect and exploitation he’d endured for his entire life, Bobby’s joyous spirit was in evidence during my visit.

A July 5th New York Times article detailing Bobby’s rescue and relocation to the sanctuary included a description of the first thing Bobby did when he got there: roll around on the grass.

MARINE ANIMAL RESCUE
ANNOUNCES STATE-OF-THE-ART
MARINE MAMMAL CARE CENTER
TO BE BUILT IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY

Marine Animal Rescue (MAR) has transformed marine animal response and rescue in Los Angeles County to be one of the best on the continent.

MAR has rescued 329 (and counting) marine mammals in 2010.

Now, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA/NMFS) agrees with MAR: There is a need for additional resources to assist sick, injured or orphaned marine mammals. The administration has authorized MAR to design, construct and operate a second marine mammal care site in Los Angeles County, to rehabilitate hundreds of marine mammals each year.

Wallerstein added, “MAR will work closely with PMMC, and will be able to consult with them on every rescue case.”

In years past, due to overcrowded conditions in California rehabilitation centers, some animals were unable to be rescued.

This is changing.

The planned new site, at Dockweiler Beach in Playa del Rey, has the California State Parks representative commending MAR’s vision. MAR is excited to have the award-winning green architect David Hertz and staff collaborating on this very important project. The finished project will have heated floors, an indoor intensive care unit, and the latest in diagnostic and surgical equipment. It will further our knowledge of marine mammal health and serve as a marine mammal teaching hospital.

Priscilla Feral, president of Friends of Animals, stated: “I cannot be happier with our merger with Marine Animal Rescue. With the go-ahead from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Peter Wallerstein’s work is finally being given its due and appreciated for its ecological importance.”

“Now, as Wallerstein has the ability not only to save animals but to follow through with their medical care, MAR’s toughest work begins,” said Feral. “The Pacific Marine Mammal Care Center and Wallerstein merit our highest approval, and our constant support.”

###

Your June 28 article (“Terrorist watchdog ties Shahzad to other militants, groups”) unveiled the work of the Institute for the Study of Violent Groups at the University of New Haven, in which Friends of Animals was wrongly accused by the institute of associating with acts of terror as follows: “The Institute has documented 172 incidents involving terrorists, radicals and the Mafia in Connecticut. They’ve documented actions by the Ku Klux Klan, the White Wolves, Minutemen, Friends of Animals and the Diablos motorcycle gang.” Upon complaint, Daniel Mabrey, the institute’s executive director, promised a clarification would be forthcoming.

He failed to follow through, yet admitted he was relying on a 22-year-old news report, which claimed that a New York resident, who was arrested for attempting to deliver a pipe bomb to U.S. Surgical Corporation, was a member of Friends of Animals.

In truth, the person was not a member of Friends of Animals, but regardless, the group cannot be indicted for someone else’s act of coercion, or terror. That’s not evidence, nor is it proper analysis.

Clearly, a public apology is due Friends of Animals. Activists are routinely labeled as domestic terrorists in the U.S. to suppress protest demonstrations and other activism, yet nonviolence is Friends of Animals’ guiding principle.

Friends of Animals advocates animal rights and repudiates violence toward humans and nonhumans.

I joined Friends of Animals because of its view that no exploitation is acceptable, that challenging domination is at the core of animal advocacy, and that humans should be committed to social and environmental justice.

Careless news-gathering and reporting by the institute defamed the practices and policies of Friends of Animals. The institute’s allegations are preposterous.

They damage the reputation of an international animal advocacy group that deserves respect.

Priscilla Feral
President
Friends of Animals
Darien, Connecticut

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 30th, 2010

MEDIA CONTACTS: Elizabeth Forel, President, Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages; Mobile: 917.628.9121; E-mail

Edita Birnkrant, NY Director, Friends of Animals; Mobile: 917.940.2725; E-mail

Susan Wagner, President, Equine Advocates; Mobile: 917.757.6838; E-mail

Rescued Carriage-Horse

New York City—A former NYC carriage horse was rescued from a slaughter auction in Pennsylvania on June 25th by advocates who have been pushing for a ban on the exploitative horse-drawn carriage industry for several years.

Friends of Animals, The Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages, and Equine Advocates collaborated on rescuing the horse, who was discovered to be for sale at the notorious kill auctions which are the last stop before the slaughterhouse for horses who can no longer turn a profit for their owners. Tens of thousands of horses are trucked to Canada and Mexico and slaughtered every year.

According to records from the Department of Health, this horse, with the ID number of 2873 on his left front hoof, was listed as being owned by someone from the West Side Livery Stable, a privately owned carriage horse stable located at West 37th St, since at least 2005. The horse is now safe in his new home at the Equine Advocates horse sanctuary, in Chatham, NY, where he will live the rest of his life in freedom.

license number on hoof

“Having researched carriage horse records for many years, I have learned that about 1/3 of the NYC carriage horses are eliminated from the Department of Health horse registry yearly, totaling approximately 70 horses,” stated Elizabeth Forel, president of the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages. “The current law does not protect any of the horses from going to the kill auctions.”

Edita Birnkrant, NY Director of Friends of Animals said, “The rescue of this carriage horse from slaughter saves one; but other horses are doubtless sent to slaughter by the carriage horse industry—and it has to end. New York City’s proposed Intro 86 will put a legal end to the cycle of auctions, abuse, and death, and I urge Mayor Bloomberg and the City Council to pass it into law as soon as possible.”

The lucky former carriage horse, who will be known as Bobby II, will be arriving today to a welcoming reception at Equine Advocates, located in Chatham, NY.

Local school children will join the festivities with posters welcoming Bobby to his new home. The press is invited to visit at any time and should contact Susan Wagner at 917.757.6838 for further inquiries about visiting.

Intro 86, a bill sponsored by Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito, and strongly supported by Friends of Animals and the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages, would replace horse-drawn carriages with electric-powered antique cars, and crucially, would amend the current loophole in the law allowing horses to end up at slaughter auctions, and would assure that all former carriage horses were placed in an appropriate sanctuary or refuge.

***Pictures and video of the horse, including the carriage-horse ID number on his left hoof, will be furnished to the media upon request. ***

Friends of Animals, an international animal advocacy organization founded in 1957, advocates for the rights of animals to live free according to their own terms.

###

Lee Hall, Legal VP for Friends of Animals, will explore new work at the North American Vegetarian Society (NAVS) annual Summerfest as follows:

SATURDAY, JULY 10TH:
11:15 - 12:15 PM in the Scholars Room

“Successful Vegetarian Campaigns: Reaching Out In Your Local Community”
Panel discussion with Jim Corcoran of VegFund and Lee Hall of Friends of Animals. Moderated by Jennie Kerwood of NAVS.

SUNDAY, JULY 11TH:8:30 – 9:30 AM in the Campus Room

“On Their Own Terms: How Vegetarianism Supports Wild Places and Animals” A discussion of an exciting new animal rights book and what it means to about 600 conference-goers and the greater vegetarian community.

Lee and our Pennsylvania chapter director Matt McLaughlin look forward to getting together with members and friends soon, in Johnstown (yes, there is Amtrak service—a campus van transports riders to the conference)!

Summerfest has a full package (7-11 July) and a weekend package (9-11 July); all meals are vegan:

http://www.vegetariansummerfest.org/menu.htm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 23 JUNE 2010

Press contacts:

Mary Ann Baron, founder of Philadelphia Advocates for the Deer EMAIL

Christina Kobland, president of NATIVE RETURN, LLC, Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania EMAIL

Matt McLaughlin, director of Friends of Animals - Pennsylvania EMAIL

At 7 pm on Wednesday, 7 July at the Chestnut Hill Library, 8711 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia PA, Advocates for the Deer, with support from the Pennsylvania chapter of Friends of Animals, will host guest speaker Christina Kobland, a native-landscaping biodiversity and wildlife expert who founded Native Return, LLC (www.NativeReturn.com). Her lectures endear her to audiences who advocate for wildlife and its protection.

Attendees will learn to select deer-resistant and native plants, and how to use fencing to allow woody plants to survive yet permit the movement of indigenous animals.

Christina Kobland will also address the importance of unifying a community to respect habitat — its loss is the main cause of the global biodiversity crisis — explaining the role of wildlife (“green”) corridors.

When people learn why, Kobland explains, they can prepare to challenge development or intrusive, expensive animal-control “solutions” while basing their views on the sound principles and practical know-how. Thus, a community can preserve its precious ecology and share the wisdom needed to co-exist with all life forms in our midst.

Mary Ann Baron of Philadelphia Advocates for the Deer said, “I’m content to live in Chestnut Hill with beautiful native landscaping that functions well in an area of a healthy deer population, and I want to help others discover the benefits of landscaping that works with, not against, the precious planet under our feet.”

Noting that many wildlife advocacy groups advocate hunting and fishing, Christina Kobland expressed the highest enthusiasm about working with Philadelphia Advocates for the Deer and Friends of Animals who advocate for wildlife living free, according to their own terms.

The meeting will be free and open to the public.

Philadelphia Advocates for the Deer (PAD) was recently formed to cultivate respect for deer in Fairmount Park and throughout greater Philadelphia. A cooperative venture, PAD is committed to the long-term ecological health of Philadelphia parks, and respect for indigenous animals.

Native Return, LLC, whose clients include the City of Philadelphia, PECO/Exelon, Urban Engineers, Whitemarsh Township and Colonial School District, works to convince people to share the land with wildlife, and educates the public about the benefits of native landscaping. More information at Native Return

Friends of Animals, founded in 1957, advocates for the right of animals to live free on their own terms.

In contrast, officials in New Jersey’s Mercer County are “about to go to war against Canada — Canada Geese that is.” They told reporter Grantland D’Avino the population of geese is stationary but that’s not the case.

The reporter does note this: “For Edita Birnkrant, New York director of Friends of Animals, the group that led a protest of Canada Goose killings in New York City last June, the ‘endless cycle of killing and killing’ geese is itself a problem, rather than a solution.” Full story in today’s TRENTONIAN

San Francisco, CA – “The World Cup comes around and everyone wants their team to reach the trophy. In the meantime, kangaroos are being killed for cleat shoes,” says Parker Lewis for Friends of Animals.

In response to the latest blow struck to the movement to eliminate Australia’s annual cull of kangaroos – California’s recent passage of SB 1345, which legalizes the importation of kangaroo skins for commercial purposes – Lewis, the U.S. Friends of Animals west-coast correspondent, called for people everywhere to avoid soccer goods made from these skins.

“Alternatives exist. Synthetic cleats and balls have come a long way in the past decade, and several notable names in the game - including David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo - made the switch after learning what their shoes involved,” stated Lewis. “So we know there are non-leather shoes of outstanding quality at a fair price.”

To those of you who love the sport and play in cleats made from materials that do not support the annual slaughter of millions of kangaroos, bravo. To those of you who have not yet made the switch, alternatives to conventional leather cleats can be found at almost all sporting goods websites, including thefind.com and zappos.com – just search “synthetic soccer cleats.”

FoA’s Parker Lewis added: “The World Cup, its fans, and its sponsors can enjoy this monumental event and take care to respect an indigenous population of Australia.”

*Reference: “Kangaroos - Wild Harvest of Native Species” - Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (14 June 2010); available: http://bit.ly/kangaroototals

Friends of Animals, founded in 1957, advocates for the right of animals to live free according to their own terms.