I just received the May '09 issue of Animal People. Two headlines immediately caught my eye - "Hurt crabs feel pain" and "India balks at EU mention of animal welfare in trade pact." The second one does not bode well for the animals in India. I also received a legislative guide from Humane Farming. Perhaps by reading through this, you will contact your legislators on behalf of animals. It's just as important to let them know which bills you support, as well as which ones you oppose.
Per Animal People, India resistance to animal welfare is due to the concerted effort of the Indian pharmaceutical industry. They began this effort to undo the favorable January 2002 rulings which former Indian federal animal minister Maneka Gandhi was able to win for the animals in the Supreme Court of India. These allowed her to close five manufacturing firms for violating animal care standards. Sadly, in mid-2002 an alliance of pharmaceutical manufacturers as well as a group of animal sacrifice practitioners were able to push Mrs. Gandhi from office as well as other animal advocates.
Not surprisingly, the proposed regulatory changes are based on the recommendations of "50 top executives of drug makers such as Ranbaxy, Biocon, Wockhardt, Pfizer, Wyeth, and F. Hoffmann La Roche."Â How fragile are the dedicated efforts of compassionate people like Maneka Gandhi?
This announcement was followed by something I have waited a long time to hear from a TV reporter: "Ripping the legs off live crabs and crowding lobsters into seafood market tanks are just two of the many practices that may warrant reassessment" warned Jennifer Viegas of the Discovery Channel. I agree. Just this past week when grocery shopping I caught the manager's eye and looking at the lobster tank said, "I don't like this." Of course, he could only shrug his shoulders, and I didn't even wait for a response. What could he say? As long as people have to have lobster- he has to provide these long suffering creatures who are soon to face an even bleaker fate - being dunked into scalding hot water. At least one Cleveland chef said that he pierces the lobster's brain before the dunking to prevent further suffering.
I was once invited to a lobster dinner "treat." Somehow I missed it, and I have always been grateful that I did. And I've never eaten crab either. How can people think that pulling the legs of a live crab is not hurtful? I also read that many of the fish, frogs, crabs, etc. sold in live Chinese markets are horribly manhandled as well.Â
Let's hear it for compassionate handling of live animals. Let your legislators hear from you, too.Â
Humane Farming just mailed its legislative guide. It lists some of the Federal and State governments' bills on animal issues. You may groan when you see it. You may decide that you should skip reading it but -PLEASE DON'T. It took me quite a while to type this and reading each bill -you will come to see just how wonderful some of our legislators are and how terribly unconcern others are.Â
Tomorrow I will tackle the Federal issues since Ohio does not have any bills listed. I am rather tired with all the typing I did to spread the word. I hope that those of you who say you care about animals will take the time and print whatever you can address re these bills. My sister once asked if she should forward a certain post re animals I wrote to those she claims "love" animals. I responded - if people do nothing for the animals --then they really don't love them. By all means Anna - send this post to all the animal lovers you know.
If we want to make compassionate changes for our long-suffering animals, then a step in that direction is addressing the 4 Federal Bills and those bills which apply to the state in which you live.Â
It is incredibly simple to find information re our legislators on the internet so I hope this will not be an excuse for not addressing these issues. This site may be of help- www.votesmart.org.
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FEDERAL LEGISLATION:
1. PRESERVATION OF ANTIBIOTICS FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT ACT (S.619). SUPPORT.
This Act would help curb the misuse of antibiotics on factory farms and the development of resistant strains of bacteria. Factory farms are able to confine large numbers of animals in squalid indoor facilities only through the continuous use of antibiotics and other drugs. S.619 would help preserve the effectiveness of medically important antibiotics used in the treatment of human and animal diseases.
ACTION: Please contact your senators to ask them to co-sponsor the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act (S.619) by Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA). Thank you Sen. Kennedy.
2. PREVENTION OF EQUINE CRUELTY ACT (H.R.503/S.727). SUPPORT.
This Act would ban the inhumane transport of our nation's horses to Mexico and Canada for slaughter. This bill is a follow up to last year's legislation that banned the commercial slaughter of American horses for overseas markets. It is now vital that we follow up by passing legislation to protect horses from agonizing journeys across our borders where they are still brutally slaughtered for the horsemeat trade.
ACTION: Please contact your congressperson and senators to ask them to co-sponsor the Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act (H.R. 503 by Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) and S.727 by Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA). Thank you Rep. Conyers and Sen. Landrieu.
hat tip to tbknews.blogspot
3. FACTORY FARM POLLUTION EXEMPTION (S.527) OPPOSE.
This ill-intended legislation is designed to shield factory farms from paying potential fees to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Recent studies conclusively show that animal agriculture is responsible for vast amounts of methane and other greenhouse gasses. S.527 is a cynical industry attempt to allow factory farms to further evade environmental accountability.
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