IDA eNews: 1/03/07

IDA ACTION ALERTS
1. Japanese Grocery Chain Drops Dolphin Meat
2. Governor Pushes to Outlaw Cockfighting in New Mexico
3. Hunters Target Wolves in Idaho and Montana

NEWS & CAMPAIGN UPDATES
1. IDA's Guardian of the Month for January - Bryan Kortis
2. IDA's Undercover TV Celebrates Two-Year Anniversary
3. Rescued Dog Needs Loving Home


IDA ACTION ALERTS

1. Japanese Grocery Chain Drops Dolphin Meat
Country's largest supermarket corporation says it may be unsafe to eat

Every year from October through March in small towns along the Japanese coast, fishermen perpetrate the largest massacre of marine mammals in the world, killing more than 20,000 dolphins, porpoises and small whales in the most brutal way imaginable. They use loud noises to disorient and herd whole pods into shallow bays, then slaughter the helpless cetaceans with sharp spears and hooks. Most of them are butchered for meat that is sold in restaurants and supermarkets in Japan and other Asian countries.

IDA has long been at the forefront of the international effort to end the Japanese drive fishery, teaming up with the Animal Protection Institute, One Voice, Earth Island Institute and the Elsa Nature Conservatory to conduct the Save the Taiji Dolphins campaign ( http://www.SaveJapanDolphins.org ). We have some great news to report about the campaign which will be a major blow to the dolphin meat industry.

On November 1st, 2006 the Japan Times ran a front-page story about the dangerous levels of mercury found in the dolphin meat sold in supermarkets. The article cited a three-year study by respected Japanese scientist Dr. Tetsuya Endo which found one sample contaminated with 26 micrograms of methyl mercury -- 87 times greater than the government's provisional permitted concentration of 0.3 micrograms per gram of flesh. Because overconsumption of methyl mercury is known to cause severe brain damage and birth defects, the researchers therefore concluded that dolphin meat is unsafe for anyone to eat.

Famed dolphin advocates Richard O'Barry ( http://www.dolphinproject.org/?pageid=21299 ) and his wife Helene presented these facts recently to representatives of the Okuwa Supermarket Corporation, the largest grocery chain in Japan. Last week, Okuwa announced that they would no longer sell dolphin meat in their stores as long as the health risks remain. As the leader in Japan's grocery industry, Okuwa sets the standard for other supermarkets, which will now have a hard time justifying the sale of dolphin meat when their major competitor says it is unsafe to eat.

While other countries may still import tainted dolphin meat, it is likely that the lucrative consumer market for this product in Japan will eventually dissolve if Okuwa's ban holds, delivering a major financial blow to the drive fishery. Just as important, Okuwa's action signals a wider recognition that dolphin meat is poisonous, and continuing to serve it to the Japanese public is unacceptable (and maybe even illegal). If Japanese dolphin hunters continue the slaughter, it will show that profit matters more to them than either people's health or dolphins' lives.

What You Can Do:

Write to the Japanese Ambassador to the U.S. to demand a permanent end to the drive fisheries and the preservation of dolphins and whales. Please always be polite and respectful in your correspondence.

Ryozo Kato
Japanese Ambassador to the U.S.
2520 Massachusetts Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20008
Tel: (202) 238-6700
Fax: (202) 328-2187


2. Governor Pushes to Outlaw Cockfighting in New Mexico
High-level support could rally state legislators behind a statewide ban

Governor Bill Richardson recently announced his commitment to banning the blood sport of cockfighting in New Mexico, one of only two states in the U.S. where it remains legal. "The people of New Mexico want it to happen," he stated at a press conference last week. "Not only will I support a ban, but I will actively try to make it law." Senator Mary Jane Garcia plans to introduce a bill to outlaw cockfighting in an upcoming session.

While it is common for roosters to face off to determine their respective places in the pecking order, they do not normally fight each other to the death. Trainers of "gamecocks" exploit this trait by breeding birds to be aggressive and pumping them full of stimulants like strychnine and testosterone as well as blood-clotting drugs to make them fight longer. Their natural spurs are sawed off and replaced by razor sharp steel blades called gaffs to make fights more "exciting" for spectators. This results in gruesome injuries -- including broken wings and legs, punctured lungs, severed spinal cords and split eyes -- and, in most fights, the death of one or both opponents. Cockfights are also a breeding ground for other criminal activities such as illegal gambling, and weapon and drug dealing.

Several past proposals to ban cockfighting in New Mexico have failed, defeated by the intense lobbying efforts of those who profit from the betting that goes on at these events. However, recent polls ( http://www.apvnm.org/2007_legislation/cockfighting/how_votes_feel.php ) show that as many as 81% of New Mexicans support a cockfighting ban, and the Governor's active endorsement has already drawn greater public attention to the issue. Legislators who have voted not to outlaw these cruel competitions in the past may therefore find it harder to justify their opposition to a ban this time around.

What You Can Do:

- Governor Richardson announced his support of a ban on cockfighting as one of several new proposals to improve the treatment of animals in New Mexico, including upgrading animal shelters throughout the state, expanding spay/neuter services and launching a pilot program to teach schoolchildren about caring for and respecting animals. Please Take Action ( http://ga0.org/campaign/thankgovrichardson ) to thank Governor Richardson for making animals a priority of his administration.

- New Mexico residents: Please Take Action ( http://ga0.org/campaign/nmcfb ) to ask your state legislators to support the cockfighting ban when it is introduced for a vote. Also contact your elected officials by phone and postal mail. Get their mailing addresses and phone numbers ( http://legis.state.nm.us/lcs/legislatorsearch.asp ).


3. Hunters Target Wolves in Idaho and Montana
Urge U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service keep wolves on endangered species list

After decades of careful recovery fostered by their endangered species status, wolves are increasingly being targeted by hunters in states throughout the U.S. Even as IDA and other wildlife advocates fight the aerial gunning of wolves in Alaska ( http://www.idausa.org/campaigns/wildlife/alaskan_wolf.html ), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is considering taking the gray wolf off of the endangered species list in two more states, Idaho and Montana, where hunters are eager to get a shot at killing them for sport.

Even before wolves were reintroduced in the West, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had stipulated that gray wolves living in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming were to be treated as one population to ensure their long-term survival, even after they had biologically recovered according to the criteria of the Endangered Species Act. Therefore, the plan was to only delist the species after all three states had submitted acceptable wolf management plans. Though Wyoming has not yet proposed how they would manage the wolves in their territory, the Fish and Wildlife Service is now considering delisting the species in Idaho and Montana anyway.

High-level political pressures, not conservation concerns, seem to be driving the change of plans. A recent statement by Idaho Governor-elect Butch Otter stoked the fires of controversy by calling for wolf management to be handed over to the state. "The uninvited and unwelcome population of wolves in Idaho clearly has gotten out of hand," he said. "The federal government once again has proven itself incapable or unwilling to deal with a problem it created."

Yet wildlife advocates charge that delisting the endangered gray wolf in Idaho and Montana without a workable wolf management plan from Wyoming is ecologically irresponsible and probably illegal. Even so, hunters hope they will be licensed to kill wolves in a matter of weeks. Meanwhile, Wyoming is putting together a wolf management plan to be submitted later this month. Whatever happens, it seems likely that the native species conservationists worked so hard to reintroduce and protect will likely be stalked and killed soon by an even more aggressive predator -- man.

What You Can Do:

- Please politely urge the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service not to remove wolves from the endangered species list in Idaho and Montana, at least until Wyoming submits an acceptable wolf management plan, as was the original stipulation. You can write an email to them at their website ( http://www.fws.gov/duspit/contactus.htm ) or by postal mail:

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
1849 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20240

- Watch a KBCI-TV news story about this issue ( http://www.kbcitv.com/features/outdoor/4974271.html ).

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


NEWS & CAMPAIGN UPDATES

1. IDA's Guardian of the Month for January - Bryan Kortis
Neighborhood Cats Director is a true friend to New York City's feral felines

IDA is proud to name Bryan Kortis, feral cat advocate extraordinaire, as our Guardian of the Month for January 2007. Bryan is the co-founder and Executive Director of Neighborhood Cats ( http://www.neighborhoodcats.org ), a New York City-based non-profit that specializes in the management of feral cats using Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR). He started the organization in 1999, when there were no resources in the area for feral cats and most people thought of them only as vermin.

"There was a colony of about 30 cats and kittens living in a vacant lot on my block, fending for themselves on the street as best they could," said Bryan. "I found out that there was no place these cats could go: the city shelters were already filled to capacity, all the rescue groups were overwhelmed, and most feral cats are considered too wild for adoption anyway. Two neighbors and myself therefore started taking care of this colony, first by helping to find homes for about two-thirds of the cats and having the rest spayed and neutered. This allowed me to learn about TNR firsthand, and get Neighborhood Cats off the ground and running."

Based on his long experience in the field, Bryan maintains that TNR is not only the most humane way of dealing with feral cats, but also the only effective method of managing their numbers and environmental impact. The basic TNR approach is to trap all the ferals in an area, spay/neuter them and then return them to their territory. Caretakers then provide daily food for the cats and basic shelter from the elements (often made from everyday materials such as wood, plastic or even Styrofoam).

TNR has many advantages over simply euthanizing feral cats, which has been the standard population management method used by most animal control agencies (though that is starting to change as the effectiveness of TNR becomes more apparent). For one thing, spaying and neutering ferals prevents new litters of unwanted kittens from being born, significantly reducing the number of cats that must be euthanized in shelters. It also reduces disruptive mating behaviors that most communities would consider a nuisance, such as noisily fighting in the middle of the night and scent-marking territory with urine.

Another key reason why TNR is a better solution than euthanizing ferals is that when established cats are removed and destroyed, other cats inevitably move into the unoccupied territory. Often these animals have not been neutered or spayed, so they quickly repopulate the area and the problem starts all over again. In contrast, cats who are returned to the colony guard their terrain and keep other cats out.

Neighborhood Cats has grown immensely in the last seven years, and is now able to offer guidance and a range of helpful resources for feral cat colony caretakers in the New York metropolitan area and around the country. The group formally consists of three full-time staffers and three part-time staffers who manage a network of hundreds of caretakers and coaches (i.e., more experienced people who train others to take care of colonies). Neighborhood Cats is also now part of one of the most comprehensive TNR programs in the U.S., which is coordinated under the umbrella of the New York City Feral Cat Council ( http://www.nycferalcat.org ), a coalition of animal organizations that has only developed in recent years.

IDA is a strong supporter of Neighborhood Cats. IDA staffer Valerie Sicignano has worked with the group to assist other TNR groups and create new TNR programs and resources in New York City. "Bryan is a pioneer in bringing together feral cat TNR groups with bird and wildlife organizations to discuss ways to work toward the common goal of having fewer cats born outside," she notes. "His cooperative approach has advanced the TNR movement around the globe." In addition, IDA founder and President Dr. Elliot Katz is a member of Neighborhood Cats' Board of Advisors.

IDA has also co-sponsored the National Feral Cat Summit for the past three years. The 2004 Summit was the first national event to focus on the issue of TNR, and has drawn attendees from almost every U.S. state, as well as other countries such as Taiwan, Italy, Belgium and Canada. While Neighborhood Cats administers the NYC Feral Cat Initiative, a very active local program in New York City sponsored by the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's animals ( http://www.animalalliancenyc.org ), the Summit is one of the group's most important national programs. Bryan also travels around the country to give presentations at conferences and workshops, and authored the first nationally-distributed TNR handbook ( http://www.aspca.org/tnrkit ) as well as an online TNR course ( https://gateway.hsus.org/hsuonline/coursedigest.cfm?user=&course=HUO-SP_TNR ).

Neighborhood Cats also runs a feral cat food bank for feral cat caretakers and a colony registration database for gathering information with the goal of providing solid statistical evidence of TNR's effectiveness. According to estimates, there are anywhere from tens to hundreds of thousands of feral cats in New York City alone. In order to solve this problem, it is essential for advocacy groups like Neighborhood Cats to convince animal control agencies around the country to replace lethal management methods with TNR. The information compiled in the database will hopefully enable them to conclusively prove that TNR works.

Bryan is driven to help feral cats by his belief that the lives of all animals are inherently valuable, much like each human life is sacred. "I don't value cats more than any other species, but I saw that feral cats needed my help, so I wound up starting Neighborhood Cats for that reason," he says. "The whole thing just developed organically, without me having an intention to make this my career." Amazingly, he is still the caretaker of the original colony he took responsibility for back in 1999, though today there are only two cats left, a state of affairs that dramatically illustrates how effective TNR can be in reducing feral cat populations.

A lifelong animal lover, Bryan has been vegan for about 14 years and shares his Upper West Side Manhattan apartment with four rescued cats and four fish. In both his work and home life, Bryan is a strong proponent of IDA's Guardian Campaign. "Those who care for feral cats exemplify the ideals behind the 'guardian' concept," he has said. "These cats are homeless…and rely on the compassion of caring people to feed and look after them. For guardians of feral cats, the reward for their service is the health and well-being of their wards and knowing they've prevented more suffering in this world. Their selflessness is a model for all human relations to animals."

IDA is honored to name Bryan our Guardian of the Month for January 2007, and to support the work of Neighborhood Cats.

What You Can Do:

If you live in or will be visiting New York City this weekend, attend a workshop being presented by Neighborhood Cats entitled "Trap-Neuter-Return: How to Manage a Feral Cat Colony." This workshop will cover everything a feral colony caretaker needs to know, and all attendees will be TNR certified. The workshop will be presented on Saturday, January 6th and Monday, January 15th at the ASPCA on East 92nd Street. Learn more about this event and how you can register ( http://www.neighborhoodcats.org/events/index.htm ).


2. IDA's Undercover TV Celebrates Two-Year Anniversary
Program continues to grow in 2006 with more episodes, more stations and online videos

January 2007 marks the two-year anniversary of Undercover TV (UTV), IDA's groundbreaking animal rights television program. We are proud to report that UTV has continued to grow and expand over the past year, allowing us to expose even more viewers across the nation to the hidden animal abuse taking place on factory farms, fur ranches, research laboratories and other industries that exploit other species for profit.

While UTV took off at the start of 2005, the show has achieved some major milestones in the last year. For instance, we have produced a total of 52 episodes, and the number of cities where UTV airs has increased. The program is now shown on over 110 community access channels from coast to coast, and is broadcast weekly in 65 cities, including New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Atlanta. The show is transmitted to millions of homes throughout the U.S., making it the most viewer-accessible animal rights television program in history.

In 2006, IDA also launched a redesigned Undercover TV website ( http://www.undercovertv.org ), and uploaded a number of videos to YouTube ( http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=InDefenseofAnimals ) where anyone with a computer and Internet connection can watch them. In addition, IDA produced an exclusive UTV compilation DVD ( http://www.idausa.org/marketplace/dvd_video.html ) which includes four exciting episodes exposing the mistreatment of animals used for food, clothing, experimentation and entertainment.

UTV continues to profoundly impact people's lives, as the many viewer emails we receive indicate. "(Undercover TV) completely changed my view on what I eat and where it comes from," wrote one fan last month. "I never thought twice about what it meant when I ate dairy products or meat. Undercover TV has changed me from a careless eater to someone who is trying to spread the word about the abuse and death that animals endure." Read more UTV viewer responses ( http://www.undercovertv.org/ViewerResponse.php ).

With all that UTV has done to bring animal abuse into the public eye in 2006, IDA looks forward to achieving even greater success with the show in the coming year. In 2007, we hope to get UTV on additional distribution outlets, including satellite and cable channels, and to increase the show's presence on the Internet. Be sure to stay tuned to IDA for more UTV news in 2007!

What You Can Do:

- Watch UTV on your local public access station. Find channels, air dates and times in your community ( http://www.idausa.org/undercover_tv.html ).

- If UTV does not yet air on the public access station in your community, volunteer for UTV's distribution network. As a resident of any city, you can submit episodes of UTV to your local public access station simply by dropping off a box of tapes every few weeks. Contact undercover [at] idausa.org for more information.

- UTV is seeking undercover and investigative video footage to show on the air. If you have video footage that exposes violence against animals, please e-mail undercover [at] idausa.org or send a copy to In Defense of Animals, 3010 Kerner Blvd, San Rafael, CA 94901. Please specify if you would like to remain anonymous.


3. Rescued Dog Needs Loving Home
Neglected "Henry" no longer suffers at the end of a chain

Henry is a dog who spent 10 years of her life suffering at the end of a chain in North Carolina. The neglected and malnourished dog was "owned" by an elderly woman suffering from dementia who never seemed to understand that Henry was actually a female and sometimes even forgot to give her food. That is why her neighbor, IDA's Suzanne Roy, had been offering to walk and care for Henry, and ultimately simply feeding her for several months after being repeatedly denied. Suzanne arranged to place the dog in a new home when her "owner" went to live in an assisted living facility recently.

Suzanne didn't know what to expect from a dog who had spent her entire life chained in one place, but Henry was absolutely overjoyed when she was put on a leash. She also had a great time scampering around Suzanne's backyard, running free for perhaps the first time ever. Suzanne's effort to give Henry a better life is an example of what compassionate people in communities everywhere can do to help animal companions.

Dogs are pack animals who want and need socialization and companionship. Being chained is a cruel and callous punishment for man’s best friend. Keeping dogs on chains deprives them of essential socialization and exercise and increases the chances that they will become aggressive and present a public safety threat. As was the case with Henry, chained dogs typically lack adequate veterinary care, food, water or shelter, and are often deprived of exercise and interaction with their families. Continually chained dogs can also suffer injuries when their collars become embedded in their necks or even strangle to death when their chains become entangled with trees or other nearby objects.

What You Can Do:

- Henry is currently safe and warm, being boarded at a nearby veterinarian's office where she has gotten shots, a much-needed bath, an exam and some TLC. This has been a wonderful Christmas present for Suzanne and others who care about Henry's happiness. But Henry still needs a permanent home with patient guardians who will give her the love she deserves. She is loving to people, but needs a home with no other dogs, or guardians willing to work to introduce her to other dogs and help with her socialization.

If you can provide a quiet home for a great dog, please contact Suzanne at (919) 732-8983 or sroy [at] idausa.org.

- Several municipalities and the state of California have laws restricting or banning chaining of dogs to protect the animals and public safety ( http://www.unchainyourdog.org/Laws.htm ). If you live in an area that does not have a restriction on dog chaining, contact IDA ( ida [at] idausa.org ) today for information on how you can unchain dogs.


IDA's Vehicle Donation Program

Did you know that your car, truck, boat, RV or motorcycle could save a life?

If you have an old vehicle that's taking up space in your driveway or garage, you could donate it to IDA through our Car Program to help us save the lives of animals!

It's simple to do. Just visit the "Support IDA" page ( http://www.idausa.org/supportf.html ) and read more about how to donate your used vehicle. There you will find the form that you can fill out and submit to us electronically. Or give us a call at (415) 388-9641, ext. 218, and Sage, our Member Services Assistant, will help you.

Help us stop animal cruelty by donating your unwanted vehicle to IDA today, and make a difference in the lives of animals.