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The number of news found: 89.

07/31/2003 THE THIRD NATIONAL FERAL CAT DAY !

Alley Cat Allies established National Feral Cat Day to provide one special day each year on which thousands of compassionate, motivated people across the U.S. can rally support for nonlethal Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), the only effective way to reduce the numbers of feral cats. Each year, the number of NFCD participants and events grows, along with the number of communities and jurisdictions that endorse TNR.The Third National Feral Cat Day will be celebrated on Thursday, October 16, 2003. The goal of NFCD can be summed up in one word: education. The only way to make TNR the preferred method of feral cat population control everywhere is to educate the people who develop and administer policies that affect the lives (and deaths) of feral cats. These people are animal control officers, environmental managers, veterinary professionals, health department officials, police, government officials, and the ordinary residents of every community. To reach this end, Alley Cat Allies distributes NFCD Action Packs free to all groups and individuals who want to stage NFCD events. Action Packs are filled with information to help you conduct events of many types, from food drives to spay days. NFCD Action Packs also offer important tips on how to get vital publicity for your efforts. Alley Cat Allies has also developed an array of National Feral Cat Day space ads promoting the mission of NFCD. We will make these ads available to you without charge and encourage you to use them on your web site and in your publications all the way through October 2003. To view the ads, go to www.alleycat.org. To request an ad file, send a message to alleycat@alleycat.org. Ads are available in PDF format. In addition, you can link your web site directly to NFCD information available at www.alleycat.org. Please join with ACA this year to spread the message of nonlethal population control. Get the word out about National Feral Cat Day! Every mind we change, every community we help to implement TNR, is a victory for feral cats and animals everywhere.

07/30/2003 GRIEF POSSIBLY KILLED DOLPHIN !

EDMONTON - Lingering grief over the loss of her calf may have contributed to Mavis the dolphin's death, says the animal's veterinarian. "We did the post-mortem and we didn't find any medical reasons for her death," said Dr. Carol Shwetz, who has treated West Edmonton Mall's former pod of four Atlantic bottlenose dolphins for eight years. Mavis, a 23-year-old Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, died at the mall Wednesday morning. Only a male dolphin named Howard remains of the four who were brought to the mall's popular Dolphin Lagoon attraction in 1985 from Sarasota, Fla. Shwetz said Mavis had refused to eat for some time before her death for unexplained reasons. "It may have been just time to die." She said no one knows how long dolphins live in the wild. The alpha female, known by trainers for a bubbly, eager-to-please personality and love of showing off, also refused to eat after her newborn calf died last July. Hundreds of shoppers watched as the calf floated in the pool, Mavis gently nudging it every so often. "She did begin to eat but I never did see that joy return back to her that we had seen in the earlier years." General manager Gary Hanson said Wednesday the mall hasn't decided what to do with Howard, the remaining dolphin. The mall's dolphin show has been one of its premier attractions, drawing thousands of people including 4,000 children in 200 school groups a year, the mall said.

07/30/2003 MEXICAN AQUATIC PARK ALLOWS INSPECTION !

CANCUN, Mexico - A Cancun aquatic park opened its doors to environmentalists on Thursday, allowing them to examine 28 dolphins brought from the Solomon Islands amid an international uproar over animal rights.Sara Rincon, one of the environmentalists allowed into Parque Nizuc, told reporters the three sea corrals holding the mammals were too small. The activists also complained several dolphins appeared to be in shock because they were hardly moving. Officials for Mexico's federal environmental agency said they met the plane that brought the dolphins Tuesday and all 28 had survived.Environmental groups, including Greenpeace, have repeatedly insisted more than 30 dolphins were actually loaded onto the plane and that two were seen being pulled dead from the sea shortly after arriving in Cancun. However, Rincon and others said photos of the allegedly dead dolphins were not clear enough to offer as proof. Activists and the Australian government had asked Mexico to block the dolphins' arrival. But officials from the Mexican environmental protection agency (news - web sites) said Parque Nizuc had met all legal requirements. At a news conference in Mexico City on Thursday, Greenpeace continued to maintain the dolphins were imported illegally, saying officials failed to get proper authorization from the Solomon Islands. Irene Blanco, of Mexico's federal comptroller's office, said she was investigating environmentalists' complaints the government violated its own laws and regulations. She said her report was expected in 15 days. Over the past five years, ethnic conflicts have devastated the Solomon Islands, an impoverished South Pacific state of nearly 500,000, and a multinational intervention force arrived Thursday to try to restore order. On Thursday, Greenpeace demanded the Mexican government seize the dolphins and send them back to the Solomon Islands, even though activists had earlier derided the long plane trip as a danger to the animals.Activists argue the dolphins could spread disease to other marine life off the coast of Cancun and should be in their natural habitat. "It is appalling that Mexican authorities are involved in the looting of nature and the trafficking of species," said Greenpeace's director in Mexico, Alejandro Calbillo. Parque Nizuc is one of several Cancun attractions that charge tourists $100 or more to swim with dolphins. The park said it plans to train the new dolphins over the next four months to interact safely with humans. Most large water parks, including those in the United States, use only dolphins they breed in captivity. But the growing popularity of parks that allow tourists to swim with dolphins has encouraged some parks to seek captured animals. While some visitors to Parque Nizuc said they didn't mind the new additions, Julie Pritchett of Mobile Ala., said she refused to go to the park because they held dolphins in captivity. "All animals should be free," she said.

07/29/2003 ROMANIAN POLICE FIND 40 DEAD BLACK SEA DOLPHINS !

BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Dozens of dead Black Sea dolphins have been found on a beach south of Romania's Danube Delta port of Sulina, the border police said on Saturday. "We found 40 dead mammals stretching for 20 miles," a senior officer told Reuters from Sulina - 260 km east of Bucharest. "There's no immediate explanation for the incident." He said a joint commission made up of policemen and environment authorities is investigating the find. Last year, the police found 12 dead dolphins entangled in fishing nets in the Romanian Black Sea waters. Hunting dolphins is prohibited in Romania, which aims to join the European Union as early as 2007.

07/29/2003 TEN THINGS YOU SHOULD NEVER GIVE YOUR PET !

Ten Things You Should Never Give Your Pet by Dr. Karen Halligan 1. Make no bones about it - bones are bad for animals! 2. Chocolate can be lethal to pets because it contains theobromine, which causes increased heart rate, central nervous system stimulation and constriction of arteries. 3. Alcohol is also very bad for cats and dogs. It doesn't take much alcohol to intoxicate a pet. 4. Milk is also not good for animals because many of them are lactose intolerant and will develop diarrhea. 5. Ham and other salty meats and foods are very dangerous to pets. 6. Onions are toxic to pets. They contain allyl propyl disulfide, which damages their red blood cells and can cause fatal consequences in animals. 7. Caffeine is also bad for pets. It contains methylated xanthine that, like chocolate, stimulates the central nervous and cardiac systems and within several hours can cause vomiting, restlessness, heart palpitations and even death. 8. Avocados are also bad for pets. First, they are really high in fat and can cause stomach upset, vomiting and even pancreatitis. Second, the pit is also toxic and can get lodged in the intestinal tract leading to a severe blockage, which may require surgery. 9. It may come as a surprise to many that tuna fish is bad for cats. The feline heart muscle requires an amino acid called taurine to maintain normal strength and function. 10. The latest study has found that raisins and grapes can lead to kidney failure in pets. Small dogs can also choke on grapes so it is best to just make sure that your pets eat a well-balanced diet that is formulated for their life stage.

07/28/2003 SAVE OUR TURTLES !

Malaysians want turtle nesting beaches in the country to be turned into sanctuaries to protect these beaches against any development that would deprive the marine reptiles of a place to deposit their eggs. They will also support a ban on egg consumption, one of the main factors leading to the endangered status of the four marine turtles that nest on our shores.

07/28/2003 GENETIC STUDY SHOWS EXTENT OF WHALING !

A genetic study of whales suggests many more have been slaughtered than believed in the whaling frenzy that began in the 18th century, and shows populations have not recovered enough to allow hunting to resume, U.S. researchers said. The International Whaling Commission may be underestimating by tenfold the number of the giant mammals that lived in the seas before whaling began, the researchers said. (Reuters)

07/28/2003 GRIZZLIES AT RISK !

Despite local concerns about grizzly bear recovery and water quality, the U.S. Forest Service has approved a copper and silver mine in the Cabinet/Yaak region of northwestern Montana. Sterling Mining Company proposes to dig a mine underneath designated wilderness in the Cabinet Mountains, removing 10,000 tons of earth a day over a 35-year time period. This area is one of six grizzly bear recovery areas in the lower 48 states, but has so few bears that some wonder if the population is viable. Between 30 and 40 grizzly bears live in the area and conservation groups are concerned that the increased road building and traffic from the mine may negatively impact their population. (Defenders of Wildlife)

07/28/2003 DOLPHINS SWIM AT THE NIZUC AQUATIC PARK IN CANCUN !

The park bought 28 South Pacific bottlenose dolphins from the anarchy-torn Solomon Islands and flew them to Mexico on a DC-10 jet. Environmentalists fear the dolphins could have suffered trauma from being uprooted from their natural habitat and also could potentially infect local Mexican dolphins with new diseases.

07/28/2003 PAUL MCCARTNEY WRITES TO CEO OF YUM! BRANDS DEMANDING CHANGES FOR KFC'S CHICKENS !

Sir Paul McCartney is calling on fast-food giant KFC to end cruelty on farms supplying 750 million chickens for its restaurants worldwide. The strict vegetarian and animal welfare supporter has written an open letter to the chain's U.S bosses appealing for improved rearing standards. Sir Paul asks chief executive David Novak to better the conditions for birds reared for the company's outlets. He has joined a campaign organized by PETA - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. The group wants a shift away from fast-growing birds and changes in methods for collecting poultry on farms prior to slaughter, and changes to the killing process. It also demands a ban on the use of growth-boosting antibiotics, which KFC insists it has already done. Sir Paul writes: "If KFC suppliers treated dogs or cats the way they treat chickens, they could be charged with the crime of cruelty to animals. These remarkable animals are deserving of at least a little kindness." Currently, the gathering of birds on farms is done by a team of catchers - a process which is stressful to the animals and can lead to bruising and broken bones. It is possible to use automated systems, which shepherd the birds into crates. Most slaughter involves an electric shock, followed by slitting of the throat before the bird is dragged along a conveyor belt by its back legs through scalding water to loosen feathers. Gas killing is considered more humane.

07/27/2003 ANIMAL SPECIES HALVED !

Singapore has lost about half its animal species in the last 200 years, and the rest of the region is likely to follow suit, according to a landmark study. Based on detailed documentation of the state of mammals, birds, fish and butterflies on the island, it found that at least 881 of 3,196 recorded species, or 28%, had vanished forever. However, taking into account the probable number of animals here before detailed records were made in the late 1800s, it predicted that this figure was actually higher - about half of Singapore's animals.

07/27/2003 PIRATES PUT ANTARCTIC SEA LIFE IN PERIL !

Pirate fishing ships in Antarctic waters are devastating fish and seabird populations, a conference on the Southern Ocean was told last week. And an expected increase in krill fishing could have an even greater effect on the region's wildlife.Since the 1980s, fisheries in the Southern Ocean, which surrounds Antarctica, have been managed in a novel way. Scientists can limit catches to levels that leave the ocean's unique ecosystem in a sustainable state of health, and all fishing boats must be licensed by national governments. However, the vast size and harsh conditions of the Southern Ocean make it hard to police, and conservation efforts are being thwarted by illegal fishing. The Patagonian toothfish has been hardest hit by the pirates, putting the survival of this fishery in doubt.

07/27/2003 RABBIT THROWN FROM CAR ON HIGHWAY ONE !

RICHMOND, Calif. - House Rabbit Society (HRS), a national nonprofit organization headquartered in Richmond, is seeking information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for a terrible act of animal cruelty that occurred this past week. While driving on Highway One south of San Francisco, two anonymous witnesses saw what appeared to be an animal thrown out of the window of the car ahead of them. After stopping to investigate, the people discovered that a very small, badly hurt and terrified black rabbit had in fact been thrown into traffic.The witnesses picked the rabbit up and took her to a local shelter, where she was given morphine for her pain. Fully expecting the rabbit to perish, the shelter staff was shocked to see the tiny creature fighting for her life. The shelter contacted a local rabbit rescue group called Rabbit Haven, which cared for the rabbit over the weekend and arranged for her to be placed into foster care with HRS.The rabbit, now named Samosa, is a very small lop-eared female, and she is suffering from serious skin abrasions. In addition to her injuries gained from the abuse on the freeway, she suffers from severe foot injuries likely caused from being constricted in wire cage. She is also nearly bald, with only patches of black fur remaining on her tiny pink body. Rabbit rescuer and HRS Executive Director Margo DeMello explains, "In cases of severe neglect, rabbits often pull out their own hair due to acute psychological distress."

07/27/2003 DOLPHINS FALL VICTIM TO ILLEGAL TRADE !

In the tiny, war-torn Solomon Islands, a wealthy Canadian businessman is paying poor fishermen to capture wild dolphins for sale on the international market. As many as 200 dolphins have been captured already, and bidders are arriving from around the world. The first 28 of these dolphins have been shipped to Mexico to be used in a "swim-with-dolphins" attraction at a Cancun water park. Act now to help us stop this illegal and harmful trade and return these dolphins to the wild where they belong. (Defenders of Wildlife)

07/26/2003 HOUSE VOTES AGAINST ENVIRONMENT !

The anti-environmentalist majority in the U.S. House of Representatives defeated the many wildlife issues voted on during consideration of the bill funding the Interior Department and the U.S. Forest Service. The House rejected proposals to prevent bison slaughter outside the boundaries of Yellowstone National Park, preserve water for endangered species in Oregon's Klamath basin, and halt the use of snowmobiles in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. It also voted to uphold the Bush administration's plans to allow development on some of the 58 million acres of federal forests where road building had been banned since the Clinton administration. Nearly 200 members voted in opposition to the Bush administration's proposed rewrite of National Forest Management regulations. The amendment, sponsored by Rep. Tom Udall (D-NM), would have blocked the Bush administration's proposed rewrite of forest management regulations. (Defenders of Wildlife)

07/26/2003 GLOBAL WARMING AFFECTING SQUIRREL REPRODUCTION !

University of Alberta researchers recently concluded a 10-year study showing that red squirrels in the Yukon are reproducing earlier in the year in response to global warming. "You've got the positive aspect showing that animals are adapting to changes in climate," said University of Victoria climate researcher Andrew Weaver. "On the other hand, you have questions as to how much can (animals) adapt."

07/26/2003 STUDY SHOWS DECREASE IN A MEDICAL USE OF ANIMALS !

A recent study has shown that demand for at least some animal body parts traditionally used to treat impotence has decreased dramatically since Viagra first became available in 1998. Worldwide sales of reindeer antler velvet, which is used in China to make an anti-impotence drug, declined by approximately 72 percent between 1997 and 1998. In addition, demand for seal penises, which are thought to increase virility, decreased by about one-half between 1996 and 1998, and became almost nonexistent by 2000. "Because market forces are driving the overcollection of and subsequent threat to some species, the elimination of these market forces may prove to be the most effective conservation solution," stated University of New South Wales psychology professor Dr. Bill von Hippel, who conducted the study along with his brother, University of Alaska biologist Frank von Hippel. Along with seals and reindeer, pipefish, seahorses, sea cucumbers and elk are among the animals from which body parts are taken in order to prepare impotence remedies.

07/26/2003 DOG AND CAT FUR IMPORTS FACE BAN !

Australia could soon ban the importation of cat and dog fur products after clothes made from the animals were found in Sydney shops. The Humane Society international this month found coats made from dog hair in Sydney shops. Dog and cat fur is used in hats, clobes, accessories on coats and toy stuffed animals.The United States and Italy ban imports of the cat and dog pelts and the EU is considering a ban.Customs Minister Chris Ellison's Office said yesterday he and three other ministers were preparing an options paper on the issue for the Government.The society recently alerted the Government to the sale of the fur, saying there was evidence of massive, systematic cruelty to the animals in China, Thailand, Korea and the Philippines. It held an 18 month investigation into the industry and found dogs and cats were slaughtered for the manufacture of fur clothing.

07/26/2003 DOLPHINS LAND IN CANCUN, RAISING ISSUES !

(AP) - More than two dozen dolphins captured off the Solomon Islands were flown Tuesday to an aquatic park halfway around the world in Cancun, sparking an international debate about the growing entertainment industry surrounding the animals. Animal activists had warned the dolphins wouldn't survive the long trip to Cancun, but park officials and Mexico's environmental protection agency said all 28 mammals were healthy. Journalists were given a tour of the park, and the dolphins were seen jumping and devouring fish in three sea corrals located a short distance off the white-sand beaches of Cancun.

07/25/2003 AFGHANS FLOUT FUR BAN !

There is a growing and lucrative trade in the furs of wild animals in Afghanistan, despite an international ban. And the people who are buying the furs are foreigners who are in Afghanistan to help rebuild the country. A number of shops have sprung up in the capital, Kabul, selling the skins of wild animals, such as wolves and lynxes. There are concerns that this trade may eventually lead to the extinction of Afghanistan's snow leopards, which are already an endangered species.

07/25/2003 PLANE ARRIVES TO CARRY CAPTURED SOLOMONS DOLPHINS !

Honiara, Solomon Islands - A cargo plane arrived in the lawless Solomon Islands Monday to pick up wild dolphins captured to order for a Mexican syndicate in what activists have blasted as an environmental crime, regional media reported. The Australian Associated Press news agency said police in the anarchic South Pacific nation locked down the capital's airport as the Brasil Air Cargo DC-10 jet arrived, warning media their cameras would be seized if they filmed the plane.It said the chartered aircraft arrived with a hold full of "coffin-like" containers to collect 33 of around 200 bottlenose South Pacific dolphins being held in shallow one-meter-deep pens and sold by impoverished local fishermen for A$400 ($260) a head. They were destined for an amusement park in the Mexican resort town of Cancun, environmentalists said. "I think it's inevitable that we're going to see a number of the dolphins dying," Nicola Beynon of the Australian branch of Humane Society International told Reuters Monday. Australia, which this week leads 2,000 multinational troops and police to restore order and end ethnic violence in the near-bankrupt Solomons, has urged Mexico to block the import. But Mexico, which is a signatory to an international convention banning the trade in dolphins if it harms the species, has already issued permits to the Parque Nizuc marine reserve. "Regrettably we've got a political crisis in the Solomons and we just think that the entrepreneurs in this case, the traders, are taking advantage of that and we hope that the Mexican government will realize that," Beynon said. The New Zealand government, which is taking part in the Australian-led peacekeeping force, also expressed deep concern Monday at the mass capture of the dolphins. Humane Society International says it is the worst exploitation of wildlife in decades and an environmental crime. It said the dolphins could be sold abroad for up to $30,000 each. In addition to the Mexican buyers, Australian media said potential customers from Thailand and Taiwan had also traveled to the Solomons recently to inspect the dolphins. The trade in live dolphins is governed by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, which prohibits it if it is detrimental to them and not subject to proper regulation. The Solomons, a chain of 1,000 islands 1,800 km (1,200 miles) northeast of Australia, has not signed up to the convention. Nor does it have a properly functioning public sector to efficiently oversee such things as export permits.

07/25/2003 FILM CAUSING CHILDREN TO FLUSH FISH !

A large number of children have recently been unintentionally killing pet fish by flushing them down toilets after seeing or hearing about a scene in the currently playing animated movie Finding Nemo in which a clown fish returns to the sea via a spit basin in a dentist's office.

07/25/2003 GOOD NEWS JACK DANIEL'S !

Jack Daniel's was a sponsor of rodeos in Germany. Due to recent protests, Jack Daniel's has now confirmed that it does not intend to sponsor rodeos in Germany anymore. This is very bad news for the rodeo people, because last year another sponsor, one of Germany's largest breweries, Hasseröder, dropped out after being "educated" about the truth in rodeos.

07/24/2003 CAPTURE OF TRANSPORT OF DOLPHINS IN THE SOLOMON ISLANDS !

Making big news in Australia but largely ignored by the US press is the capture and shipment of dolphins from the Solomon Islands. The story, by Craig Skehan, appears in both the Sydney Morning Herald and the Melbourne Age, on Tuesday, July 22. The Age article, on page 9, is headed, "Islanders Angry Over Air Shipment Of Live Dolphins." Skehan writes, "A controversial shipment of live dolphins bound for Mexico flew out of Honiara on a specially chartered Brazilian aircraft yesterday, leaving the local community angry at the treatment of the animals." We learn that the media was barred from filming the transport: "A New Zealand cameraman was kicked by police and his Solomons assistant was punched by police and unidentified men in plain clothes. Several members of the media had videotapes and photographic disks seized before a senior officer intervened to have them returned. He said the police action at the airport should not have happened." Skehan tells us, "More than 30 dolphins have been kept in pens on Honiara's main beach over the past few days and dozens more are being held on the small island of Gela awaiting export. Locals involved in the operation have told The Age that international buyers - including Taiwanese, Thais and Japanese - have visited the Solomons to inspect the mammals." Skehan quotes locals who are upset by the operation, one telling him "at least four dolphins had died after injuring themselves by banging against the fences of their pens." We also learn that the Australian Government has called on the Solomon Islands to stop the international trade in dolphins, which foreign animal welfare campaigners maintain is illegal under international law. But the current unrest in the Solomon Islands makes the situation difficult to control.

07/24/2003 DEMO IN KOREA FOR KOREAN DOGS AND CATS !

On July 17 this year (a day after the World demo day for Korean dogs and cats), Korea Animal Protection Society also held a demonstration in the University Road in Seoul where many young people gather for meeting. The demo was called "Rally for strengthening Korean animal protection law and banning the use of dogs and cats for human consumption and medicine." The protest included 8 different Korean animal organizations including KAPS.

07/24/2003 PANDA KILLER GIVEN 14 YEARS IMPRISONMENT !

Yang Shicheng, a farmer from Baoxing County in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, has been sentenced to 14 years of imprisonment for killing a giant panda. According to the local court, Yang Shicheng shot and skinned a giant panda cub in the mountains in Baoxing County of Sichuan Province in October 1999, and later sold the fur at the price of 200 yuan (about 24 US dollars) to Gao Hongyou from Lushan County of Sichuan. Gou Chengxue, also from Lushan County, bought the fur from Gao for 2,000 yuan, and was caught by police when trying to sell it atan even higher price in Chongqing in November 2002. Yang will also be deprived of his political rights for one year and fined 10,000 yuan. Another five people, including Gou, involved in the illegal transaction of the giant panda fur were also given prison sentences of 12 years.

07/24/2003 ITALY STARTS TO CRACK DOWN ON ANIMAL CRUELTY !

Italy is finally getting tough on animal cruelty with a new law that promises hefty fines and imprisonment for anyone caught abandoning pets, organizing dog fights or making illegal furs. Parliament is expected to approve the ground-breaking legislation before the start of the August summer holidays when thousands of dogs are traditionally dumped on the roadside as their owners head off to the beach. While many other European Union countries provide legal protection for animals, Italy has until now ignored the problem.

07/23/2003 POLICE DOG DIES IN HOT PATROL CAR !

Missouri - A police dog died of heat exposure after the air conditioning in his patrol car failed, authorities said. The dog, Hondo, had been alone in the car for about an hour when he was found unconscious by his handler, Independence Police Sgt. John Bullard, about 4:30 P.M. Wednesday. Outside temperatures had reached 97 degrees. "It's like losing a family member," Capt. Gregg Wilkinson said. "Dogs become attuned to their handler and their family members."Bullard was driving the dog to an animal hospital when his patrol car collided with a vehicle driven by an 82-year-old motorist, who was treated for minor injuries. Another officer took Bullard and Hondo to the hospital, where the dog was pronounced dead on arrival. Police are investigating why the police vehicle's "hot dog" system failed. The system is designed to roll down windows, turn on a fan and blare a siren to alert the dog handler when temperatures in the vehicle approach an unsafe level.

07/23/2003 COMMISSION ACTS AGAINST BELGIUM, THE NETHERLANDS AND FRANCE FOR NON-COMPLIANCE WITH EU LAW ON ANIMAL EXPERIMENTS !

The European Commission has requested that the Netherlands and France comply with judgements of the European Court of Justice relating to an EU law on animal experiments. The law in question aims to ensure that, where animals are used for experimental or other scientific purposes, certain common animal protection provisions are applied across the European Union. The Court had found that the Netherlands and France had failed to adopt appropriate national legislation to implement the specific provisions of the EU law. The Commission's requests take the form of a letter of formal notice (the first stage of an infringement procedure under Article 228 of the Treaty). The Commission is also sending an additional final written warning or "Reasoned Opinion" to Belgium because it has failed to comply with the same law. In particular, the Commission is concerned that, despite recent modifications, Belgian legislation still allows too wide a scope for the experimental use of cats and dogs that have not been bred for the purpose.

07/23/2003 HOME OFFICE FIGURES REVEAL RISE IN ANIMAL EXPERIMENTS - THE LARGEST NUMBER OF EXPERIMENTS SINCE 1994 !

On July 18 the Home Office published its annual statistics for UK animal experiments in 2002 revealing a 4% rise in the number of procedures (to 2.73 million experiments) and a 3.3% rise in the number of animals used. Shockingly, this is the largest number of animal experiments in the UK since1994. The government was immediately criticized by leading anti-vivisection campaigners the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV) for its "cynical attempts to cheat a concerned public out of the truth." The BUAV sent a letter to Home Office Minister Caroline Flint challenging her to publish the full statistics including the "missing millions" of animals who are bred for the vivisection industry but killed as "surplus to requirements."

07/23/2003 AUSTRALIA ASKS MEXICO TO SAVE "ABDUCTED" DOPLHINS !

Sydney - Australia asked Mexico last Friday to block the import of 200 dolphins captured in the lawless Solomon Islands and held in crowded, shallow pens after being bought by a Mexican consortium. Environment Minister David Kemp, whose country is on the verge of leading 2,000 troops and police to help restore order in the strife-torn South Pacific nation, said the trade in dolphins was banned if it resulted in harm to the species. Animal rights groups say around 200 dolphins had been rounded up by Solomon Islands fishermen, dumped in open boats and then imprisoned in three-feet deep pens on Gela island. Pressure group Australians for Animals said the dolphins were being sold to a Mexican consortium. Australian newspapers have reported they are being sold for $263 cash a head. The first batch of 33 "traumatized and terrified" dolphins was expected to be loaded on to a charter flight to Mexico in a few weeks, Australians for Animals said.

07/23/2003 PETA AND ANIMAL FRIENDS CROATIA SUCCESSFULLY ENDED THEIR TOUR !

Due to the enormous interest of Croatian media and passers-by for PETA's and AFC's Lettuce Ladies campaign in Zagreb, Karlovac, Krk, Rijeka and Opatija, the tour ended a day later than originally planned in the town of Varazdin. In four days, from July 19-22, seven demos were held, and hundreds of vegan sandwiches and thousands of leaflets Think Before You Eat were handed out to lunchtime and dinnertime crowd in Croatian towns.

07/19/2003 MIRACLES OF WAR CONDEMNED TO LIFE IN CAPTIVITY !

Sadly the lion cubs destined for freedom in South Africa have now been condemned to spend the rest of their lives in captivity. The 6 young cubs that carried with them a ticket to freedom for their mother Zena along with two other lions, have unfortunately now it seems, become political pawns in a people's world. The lions that could have been the ideal ambassadors to take a message of goodwill on behalf of all the other animals in the Baghdad zoo to the international world to raise the necessary funding for the long-term upkeep and improvement of the zoo have been grounded. As is the case many times, once again one has to ask oneself for how long must the animals always be the last to pay? Have they no right to rejoice the aftermaths of war by gaining their own freedom? Where is the joy in remaining captive after the terrible ordeal suffered as a result of the war? The Wildlife Action Group regrets the decision by the new Iraqi Government, Provisional Authority and the Office of Coalition to not allow Zena and her cubs to return to freedom. No zoo no matter how well managed or constructed can be a substitute for freedom and we strongly condemn this decision and pose the question, what does the Baghdad zoo intend doing with all their lions and who is going to pay for their upkeep and long-term welfare? Are they relying on people's love for wild animals and their suffering to raise the funds to improve the conditions at their zoo to ensure that Zena and her cubs are kept behind bars forever? Surely the opportunity to return at least some of the animals to the wild would have been the wise decision to make - Especially seeing that the zoo already has to care for 20 lions.

07/19/2003 VIVA!USA NATIONAL ICE CREAM DAY EVENTS !

Viva!USA has coordinated groups in 13 cities to serve vegan ice cream in front of places like Baskin Robbins and Ben & Jerry's as part of our Meet the Real Dairy Producers campaign. Their goal: Expose how cows are treated on dairy farms - they aren't happy cows - and get Baskin Robbins and Ben & Jerry's to serve vegan ice cream.Cities include: Atlanta, GA; Dallas, TX; Chicago, IL; Fort Collins, CO; Kansas City; Long Island, NY; Minneapolis, MN; Princeton, NJ; San Diego, San Francisco, CA; Seattle, WA; St. Petersburg & Tampa, FL.

07/19/2003 PETA TOURS CROATIA: ZAGREB, KARLOVAC, KRK, RIJEKA, OPATIJA !

Animal Friends Croatia started their Lettuce Ladies demo tour! More information about it under CAMPAIGNS.

07/18/2003 COMMISSION PROPOSES RADICAL OVERHAUL OF ANIMAL TRANSPORT RULES !

The European Commission today adopted a proposed Regulation on animal transport, which will radically overhaul the animal transport rules in Europe. To improve enforcement, the Regulation identifies the chain of all those involved in animal transport and who is responsible for what as well as introducing efficient enforcement tools, such as checks via the tachograph. It also introduces much stricter rules for journeys of more than 9 hours, including domestic transport which mirror other EU legislation governing the time that drivers can spend on the road. The proposed Regulation recognises that most of the stress on the animals occurs around loading and unloading and therefore introduces rules to deal with situations before and after transport, for example at slaughterhouses or at harbours. It encourages Member States to develop guides of good practice. Currently only about 10% (17,5 Mio) of animal transport in Europe consists of long distance transport.

07/18/2003 GOODYEAR REMOVE BILLBOARD FROM BULLRING FEATURED ON TG4 TRAVEL SHOW !

The Mexico branch of the Goodyear Tyre Company have responded positively to an appeal by the Irish Council Against Blood Sports and removed a billboard from a local bullfighting arena. ICABS spotted the Goodyear advertisement billboard during the TG4 travel program, Amu Amigos, which included a shocking segment on Mexican bullfighting. A bull was filmed being speared in the back and stabbed with spiked banderillas. Finally, with the animal severely injured, the matador moves in for the kill, plunging a spear between its shoulder blades and into its heart. The bleeding animal collapses onto the ground where it is finished off with a dagger to the head.

07/17/2003 LAST CALL FOR COMMENTS OPPOSING MUTE SWAN MASSACRE !

After a Maryland plan to kill up to 1,500 mute swans was blocked by a Fund for Animals lawsuit in May, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has now proposed a multi-state plan to massacre mute swans across the Atlantic Flyway, beginning as early as August. Under the plan, stateagents will be given permits to shoot approximately 10,000 mute swans living in Maryland, New Jersey, Virginia, New York and other states in the east.

07/17/2003 BEARS ARE IN DANGER IN NEW JERSEY !

The New Jersey Fish and Game Council has, not surprisingly, voted to allow the sport hunting of bears in the state for the first time in 33 years. The bear hunt is scheduled for this December unless Governor McGreevey intervenes. In 2000, when he was the Mayor of Woodbridge, Jim McGreevey wrote a letter to then-Governor Whitman urging her to oppose the proposed bear hunt. Now Governor McGreevey needs to hear from you that you want him to keep his word and oppose a bear hunting season.

07/17/2003 THREE RUNNERS GORED IIN LAST SPANISH BULL RUN !

Pamplona - Three Spaniards were gored on Thursday as they were pursued by bulls down Pamplona's narrow streets in the latest of the city's traditional bull runs. The event involves running through the streets of the northern Spanish town chased by six bulls on their way to the bullring for the afternoon's bullfight. On Tuesday two Americans and an Australian were seriously injured. On Thursday, the fourth day of the festival, 12 people were injured, an official Web page said. Three Pamplona natives were gored and nine others - including an 18-year-old Italian and a 14-year-old American - were injured from falls or knocks. One person caught the horns of a bull in the thigh, another's abdomen was pierced and another was left with a 15 cm gash in his shoulder. Between 30 and 40 people have been treated for minor injuries at the festival so far. The bulls had a rough run. The last animal, reluctant to enter the enclosure, stretched out the time of the run to 4 minutes and 28 seconds. Campaign group PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) plans to present the mayor of Pamplona with thousands of postcards calling for an end to the event. Over 22,000 signed postcards have been collected throughout Europe in two weeks.PETA would substitute the event with a "human run." Around 150 people took part in such an event before this year's festival, running through the streets wearing nothing but false bull's horns and red scarves. They say this festival would attract more tourists and would put an end to the cruelty endured by the bulls. Thirteen people have been killed since 1900, the last an American, Matthew Tassio, on July 13, 1995. Hundreds have been injured.

07/16/2003 SOFTWARE REPLACING ANIMALS IN DRUG RESEARCH !

The Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) has begun using a computer program that will allow the organization to reduce the number of experiments it conducts on animals by 90 percent. "Now only two or three of the trials (for each drug) will be conducted on animals, compared to between 20 and 30 in the past," CDRI Director C. M. Gupta told a British Broadcasting Corporation reporter.

07/16/2003 CELEBRATE NATIONAL FERAL CAT DAY (NFCD) OCTOBER 16, 2003 !

If you want, you can order this year's NFCD Action Pack of materials and ideas for events and other ways to celebrate the day by emailing alleycat@alleycat.org. Start planning now to make this year's events bigger and better to promote Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) as the only effective, nonlethal feline population control method.NFCD is one special day: * To educate animal control officers, shelter professionals, and public officials who have not yet learned about TNR. * To explain nonlethal control to members of your community who do not know the severity of feline overpopulation or the solution to it, but they know they don't want the cats killed. * To proclaim to all communities that TNR works. Orders must be placed by July 20. Your 2003 NFCD Action Pack will be sent to you in mid-August.

07/15/2003 MAN IMPRISONED FOR ANIMAL AND PLANT SMUGGLING !

California resident Robert John Cusack recently was sentenced to 57 days in jail after pleading guilty to attempting to smuggle members of endangered animal and plant species into the United States. Cusack had falsely claimed to be an environmentalist who had purchased the animals and plants in Jakarta, Indonesia and was taking them to a wildlife sanctuary in Costa Rica.

07/15/2003 AIR CONDITIONER FAILURE LEADS TO DEATHS OF ANIMALS !

Twenty-seven parakeets, three guinea pigs, two rats and a hamster recently died after the air conditioner in the pet store in which the animals had been available for purchase stopped functioning. According to employees of the store, a PETCO Animal Supplies outlet located in Glen Cove, NY, the 33 animals were killed by "stress and heat" while being driven to other PETCO stores in which air conditioners were working.

07/15/2003 HOME OFFICE UNDER RENEWED FIRE IN ANIMAL RIGHTS ROW !

MPs are demanding to know how the Home Office allowed experiments involving the transplant of genetically modified piglets' hearts into the necks of wild baboons to be classed as "moderate." The transplants by the company Imutran at the Huntingdon Life Sciences laboratories in Cambridge all occurred before 2000. But the facts of the experiments only became public after a legal battle between the company and campaigning group Uncaged Animals, to whom the documents had been leaked. The documents were published in April and first reported in the Observer. They revealed how a quarter of the dozens of baboons involved died from "technical failures," others were left with transplant wounds weeping fluid for hours on end and several died on the journey to Britain. The Imutran documents, quoted in the Observer, said: "The Home Office will attempt to get the kidney transplants classified as "moderate," ensuring that it is easier for Imutran to receive a licence and ignoring the "severe" nature of these programs."

07/14/2003 PETA IN CROATIA: SEXY AMERCIAN STRIPS TO HER "LETTUCE" BIKINI TO EXPOSE CRUELTY OF MEAT INDUSTRY !

From painting her nude body like a tiger to spotlight animal suffering in the circus to baring her "leopard" spots to protest fur, Lisa Franzetta of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has been the center of media attention wherever she's traveled. The leggy, 29-year-old blonde once told USA Today that she would go anywhere and do almost anything to defend animals. Now, Lisa, as PETA's leading Lettuce Lady©, is coming to Croatia. Wearing nothing but strategically placed "lettuce" leaves and holding a sign reading, "Go Vegetarian!," Lisa will hand out free vegan treats to Zagreb's, Karlovac's, Krk's, Rijeka's and Opatija's hungry lunchtime and dinnertime crowd on Saturday, Sunday and Monday from July 19 to 21, promoting vegetarianism as the most compassionate, environmentally sustainable and healthy diet.

07/13/2003 STRIPPING SHARKS !

Worldwide, commercial fishermen are scouring the oceans for sharks, stripping them of their fins, and throwing the carcasses overboard. "This type of gruesome amputation is fueled by demand for nothing more than a pricey shark fin soup," reports Science News. In August 2002, the U.S. Coast Guard seized a Hawaiian vessel off the coast of Mexico after discovering it was stuffed with 32 tons of shark fins. No other shark parts were on board. "The grotesque load represents the slaughter of at least 30,000 sharks and the discard of some 580,000 kilograms of fish," says the magazine. "Around the globe, fishing fleets now take an estimated 100 million sharks annually." With shark fins fetching upwards of $200 per 450 grams on the open market, there is an unsustainable growing demand.

07/13/2003 HELP SAVE THE LIVES OF ALASKA'S WOLVES !

Your help is urgently needed to help save Alaska's wolves. Governor Frank Murkowski has reinstated public "land-and-shoot" as part of a renewed effort to conduct more widespread wolf control over huge areas of central Alaska. It's a barbaric practice where airplanes are used to chase down and kill wolves. Already, DEN readers have generously responded by contributing more than $26,000 and generating more than 30,000 petitions to help restore the ban. Defenders of Wildlife urge you to send your petition to Murkowski and help with an online tax-deductible donation today.

07/13/2003 PORTUGESE BULLFIGHTER CONVICTED TO PAY A FINE OF 100,000 EUROS FOR KILLING A BULL !

The Portuguese bullfighter that in 2001 killed a bull in a bullring near the city of Lisbon, was convicted yesterday by the court to pay a fine of 100,000 Euros. This trial begun in May 29 of this year and he had refused to pay the fine of 100,000 euros saying that the law was unconstitutional. Justice has been made for a change.

07/12/2003 GREYHOUND REMEMBRANCE DAY, SUNDAY JULY 27 !

Greyhound Action supporters will be staging Greyhound Remembrance Day events outside dog racing tracks throughout the country on Sunday, July 27 in memory of the hundreds of thousands of dogs that have been abused and killed by the greyhound racing industry since greyhound racing started in Britain 77 years ago this month. The events will involve the laying of flowers outside the stadiums and many people will be taking their rescued greyhounds along, to provide a good photo opportunity to the local media and help to spread awareness to the general public of the need to boycott greyhound racing (as well as encouraging the adoption of ex-racing greyhounds).

07/12/2003 "LEGALLY BLONDE" & CRUELTY-FREE !

In the recently-opened movie "Legally Blonde 2," the main character Elle Woods, played by Reese Witherspoon, goes to Washington DC to introduce a bill to ban cosmetic testing on animals.While Elle succeeds in the movie, no such ban exists in the U.S. in real life. Millions of animals endure slow, painful, and lethal irritancy and toxicity (poisoning) testing for cosmetic and household products. These gruesome tests continue despite the fact that non-animal tests exist; safe and effective cruelty-free products are readily available; and animal testing for cosmetics has already been banned in Great Britain and other countries.

07/12/2003 MASSIVE, VIOLENT DOLPHIN HUNT - CLOCK TICKS AGAINST CAPTURED MARINE MAMMALS !

BOSTON - The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) expressed deep concern for the welfare of dozens of dolphins captured and confined in small pens by local fisherman in the Solomon Islands, north of Australia. Countless dolphins have been taken in the last few weeks, as the result of a $400 bounty placed on their heads by a foreign business group. Local fishermen have been rounding up animals by the dozen, which the syndicate is rumored to be collecting and training for shipment overseas. At least 60 animals are currently being held on the island of Gela and locals say that dozens more are confined in other locations. Adding to WSPA's alarm are reports of the conditions that the animals are forced to endure. Media accounts tell of inexperienced fisherman literally ripping animals from the water. And many of the captured must travel for hours by open boat to their holding pens. For a water-borne creature, the long ride is excruciating, as its internal organs are slowly crushed by its immense weight. Questions surround the legality of this hunt. One captured dolphin has already been killed by a crocodile and WSPA experts expect that the death toll will rise from stress-induced illness, improper care and malnutrition as dolphins battle for the scarce food supply. According to Richard O'Barry, WSPA Marine Mammal Specialist and former trainer of TV's Flipper, "The large number of animals is extremely difficult to manage, especially if you don't have the right medicines, equipment and staff. It appears that the animals are in very crowded conditions, which is also of concern because this can lead to stress and aggression. Another thing to consider is that it takes thousands of pounds of fish - per day - to feed so many dolphins. Either the dolphins are going hungry, which I suspect is happening anyway in this chaotic environment, or the Solomons are strip mining their seas of fish."

07/11/2003 THE FUND FOR ANIMALS SUCCESSFULLY RESCUES WILD HORSES IN NEVADA !

This past March 59 horses arrived at their new home at The Fund for Animals' Black Beauty Ranch in Texas. The Fund received word in January that hundreds of wild horses in Crescent Valley, Nevada, were in danger of going to slaughter. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) claimed that the horses were trespassing on federal lands, but in reality, these animals were the unfortunate victims in a decades-long grazing and land dispute. The BLM and the Nevada Department of Agriculture gave animal rescue groups only days to take as many of the horses as possible, and planned to send any remaining horses to livestock auction, where they would be sold for slaughter. The Fund immediately arranged to take the least adoptable horses to its Black Beauty Ranch sanctuary in Texas, and networked with other organizations around the country to find homes for the remaining animals. The Fund's threat of legal action delayed the round-up, giving animal rescue groups more time to arrange for sanctuary for the horses, and eventually led to a cooperative agreement guaranteeing that all of the horses would go to sanctuaries - and none would go to slaughter! The Fund staff members picked up 59 of the horses in Nevada - two mares and 57 stallions - where they appeared to be in poor condition and in need of food. Many had scrapes and other signs of injuries after being chased by the BLM's helicopters.

07/11/2003 CANADA LYNX: NO INCREASED PROTECTION !

In response to a successful lawsuit by Defenders, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) reconsidered its decision to list the lynx as threatened rather than endangered, a status that would offer the species more protection. Unfortunately, FWS recently announced it will not recognize the lynx as an endangered species in any portion of its range. "So few lynx have been located in huge tracts of former habitat - the Great Lakes and Northeast - that they seem to clearly warrant endangered status, or at least a closer reexamination than the Fish and Wildlife Service gave them," said Defenders' Mike Leahy.

07/10/2003 ANGLERS USE LIVE KITTENS AS BAIT !

Police in Italy say anglers are using live kittens as bait, while fishing for the gigantic sheat-fish. The freshwater catfish can grow to a length of two meters and can weigh up to 660lb. The largest specimens think nothing of charging anglers' boats, and are also known to eat each other, reports The Independent.Giuseppe Lagana, a police officer in Mantua in the Po valley, says the first case of kittens being used in the Po river was detected in May. But Mr. Lagana, who doubles as a commander with Ampana, Italy's voluntary nature protection force, said the incident was not isolated. He said: "We've received a lot of indications that there are other such cases. Using live kittens to catch sheat-fish is an unheard-of cruelty." Mr. Lagana said another cruel method of catching the fish was to spear an eel with a harpoon and dangle it in the water, in the hope its agonized thrashings prove tempting for the fish.

07/10/2003 PETA CRIES FOUL KFC LAWSUIT !

CHICAGO - An animal rights group filed a lawsuit against fast-food chain KFC, accusing the company of making misleading statements on its Web site regarding how the chickens it sells are treated. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) filed the suit in California Superior Court in Los Angeles against KFC and KFC's parent, Yum Brands Inc. YUM.N, seeking an injunction to stop what it says are deceptive statements on the KFC Web site. PETA contends that the chickens KFC buys from suppliers are abused through drugging, feeding and slaughter practices. PETA's director of vegan outreach, Bruce Friedrich, said the treatment is legal, but "they can't legally lie about it, and they have been." Friedrich said KFC's Web site and other public communications contain untruths about how chickens are treated. "The claims (on the Web site) are transparently absurd," he said. "We have tried writing letters to explain to them what on their Web site is laughably, obviously wrong, and they've ignored us." PETA, in the lawsuit, takes issue with a KFC statement on its Web site that its guidelines for the treatment of chickens are designed "to ensure that all birds are handled humanely and suffer no pain." That statement "is deceptive at best," PETA said in the draft.

07/10/2003 NAKED PROTEST AT SPAIN BULL RUN !

Animal rights activists have stripped naked to protest against the running of bulls through the northern Spanish city of Pamplona. Activists from all over Western Europe had planned to run nude along the route for the annual event, which begun on Sunday, but police said the protest was unauthorized and blocked their way. But about 20 men and women managed to breach the police cordon near the city center and stripped off completely. Some of the demonstrators put on plastic horns or fake bull's heads. They were joined by scores of other protesters who kept on all or part of their clothing.

07/09/2003 DUGONGS, TURTLES UNDER THREAT ON GREAT BARRIER REEF !

CAIRNS, Australia - Populations of turtle and dugong, or seacow, are dropping drastically around Australia's Great Barrier Reef because of chemical runoff from farmland and overhunting by Aborigines, officials said. "Dugongs and turtles have to be protected or they will be gone in my children's time," said Peter Guivarra, chairman of the Mapoon Aboriginal Council on the western side of Cape York Peninsula. Environment Minister David Kemp told a conference on the state of the world's largest living structure that the flow of contaminants off the coast of Queensland state into the reef had increased fourfold since European colonization of the continent. "Dugong populations adjacent to Queensland's urban coasts are estimated to be only three per cent of what they were in the 1960s," Kemp said in the northeastern city of Townsville. "The number of nesting loggerhead turtles has declined between 50 and 80 per cent," he said. Wildlife experts regard Australia as the "dugong capital" of the world.

07/09/2003 COULD YOU BE WEARING BLUEY'S PELT ?!

The Humane Society fears that when it comes to fashion, dogs may be more than just an accessory. Australians are unwittingly buying products made from dog and cat fur. The Humane Society International's Australian branch will release a report this week that points to a global trade in farmed cat and dog pelts, primarily from China. The society is also about to investigate the extent of trading in dog and cat fur products in Australia. RSCPA national president Dr Hugh Wirth said he did not doubt the Australian public was unwittingly buying dog and cat products. "It's quite legal for people to import cat and dog fur products into this country, and with no obligation for these to be labelled as such in retail outlets, I have no doubt that this would be happening," Dr Wirth said.

07/09/2003 BULLFIGHT WARNING FOR BECKHAM !

Bullfighting bosses may try to exploit Beckham's superstar status. David Beckham has been warned to avoid becoming a "pawn" in the Spanish bullfighting industry following his transfer to Real Madrid. An animal rights group said bullfighting authorities often invited players to attend bullfights, meet top matadors or visit bull-breeding ranches. Tony Moore, of the Fight Against Animal Cruelly in Europe, has written to Beckham saying he should guard against the bullfighting industry exploiting his fame. He said, "David Beckham is the most famous football star of the moment and I have no doubt they will try to get him on board. He doesn't even have to go to a bullfight. All he has to do is shake a matador's hand or visit a breeding ranch and, as far as they are concerned, they will have his seal of approval. Shortly after Zinedine Zidane signed for Madrid, he was taken to a breeding ranch for the same reason. I am warning David Beckham to be on his guard. He has a reputation as a great, honest, hardworking athlete and it would be terrible if he was used as a pawn by the bullfighting industry."

07/08/2003 ALERT - GOVERNMENT ADVISORY BOARD RECOMMENDS ALTERNATIVES TO PRIMATE EXPERIMENTS !

A governmental advisory body decided that instead of subjecting nonhuman primates to drug testing, an alternative method of micro-dosing in humans or human tissue to determine drug toxicity levels should be used. This article, printed in The Guardian, spells wonderful news for animals! Please thank the paper for this article and let readers know that this long overdue decision is a great step towards ending the cruel treatment of hundreds of intelligent, sensitive primates who currently languish in Britain's laboratories. If you haven't already, please also write to your MP and ask them to sign Early Day Motion (EDM) 1307 which calls for an end to experiments on all primates. Read the exact wording of this EDM, and see if your MP has already signed. Science has advanced so much that some drugs can be tested in tiny doses on humans rather than continuing to use monkeys for experiments, the government's official advisory body has decided. The recommendation is one of many in two long-awaited reports by the animal procedures committee firstly into whether experiments on primates could be justified on ethical grounds and secondly into whether there are better and cheaper alternatives. The committee fears that the current number of primates, normally macaques, marmosets and tamarin monkeys, being used in experiments will grow as drug companies search for new drugs to combat diseases of old age. Last year 3,342 were used and killed for postmortems afterwards, 391 more than in 2000. Currently most research is for "lifestyle" illnesses such as heart disease and cancer which also have genetic origins, but it is switching to Alzheimer's and brain disorders common in older people. Drug companies believe this will require more primates in research because only they have brains sufficiently similar to humans for effective tests on the toxicity and side-effects of drugs. Because of advances in science, micro-doses of drugs administered to human subjects can be detected in various organs to see where they accumulate and what damage they might do. The committee suggests drug companies using this method could go straight to human testing of new drugs and avoid intermediate stages of testing drugs on monkeys. Another way of reducing animal experiments suggested by the committee is for human tissue to be used for experiments rather than live animals. Taking of human tissue for experiments has suffered a severe setback because of recent hospital scandals about removing children's organs without parental permission. The committee believes that proper procedures for this, and explanations to relatives that human tissue removed after death could provide material to save lives in the future, would help to remove the need for 10% to 15% of animal experiments. The committee says its ultimate aim is to eliminate animal testing. But the chairman, the Rev Professor Michael Banner, said this would not be in his lifetime. "I think we can do a lot to reduce animal testing, and we must have stringent rules and audits to make sure it is essential. But to do without it altogether is currently not possible if we are to develop effective drugs without undesirable side effects," he said. The committee was concerned about the issuing of blocks of licences for testing drugs for toxic effects. The committee, in a second report, considered whether the suffering and death of animals in experiments could be justified against benefit to human health. They concluded that it was a "regrettable necessity" but every effort should be made to reduce testing. David Whittaker, animal testing licence holder for the controversial Huntingdon Life Sciences testing station, said: "None of us like experimenting on animals. We only do it when absolutely necessary. We fear the report gives a biased view of a mercenary pharmaceutical industry overusing animals. This is simply not true."

07/08/2003 EU BANS SLAUGHTER OF SHARKS FOR FINS !

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union has outlawed the practice of slaughtering sharks for their fins, which are then sold to lucrative Asian markets where shark fin soup is a delicacy, according to an official regulation posted on Friday. European fishing fleets have become major exporters of fins to Hong Kong, the most significant market in Asia. Shark meat is of little value as it is considered tough to eat, and the practice of "finning," hacking the fins off living sharks and dumping them back in the sea, has been blamed for pushing some species close to extinction. "The practice of 'shark finning' may contribute to the excessive mortality of sharks to such an extent that many stocks of sharks are depleted, and their future sustainability may be endangered," the EU said in its Official Journal. Shark fin soup is widely served at Chinese wedding banquets as a symbol of generosity and wealth, and as many as 40 sharks can be killed to supply each wedding. In some restaurants in the region, a bowl of the soup can cost $100. The EU rules will come into force in 60 days and aim to stop fishermen hacking off sharks' fins and dumping the fish in the sea, where they sink to the bottom of the ocean and die.

07/07/2003 PUPPIES TOSSED FROM CAR ON I-81 !

Five puppies and their mother were thrown out of a moving car on Interstate 81, sending two other motorists scrambling onto the busy highway in an effort to save their lives. Two of the puppies died, and their mother was severely injured. Someone in an older model blue Chevrolet or Buick sedan threw a garbage bag containing five American Eskimo puppies out of their passenger window near the Seventh North Street exit in Salina about 7 P.M. Thursday, troopers said. Someone on the driver's side threw out the mother of the puppies quickly after that. The bag containing the puppies broke open on the windshield of a nearby car. Three white puppies spilled out onto that vehicle and into the roadway as the two vehicles traveled north on I-81, troopers said. "At first I thought it was a baby," said the woman driving the nearby car, who would not give her name for fear of reprisal from the people who discarded the dogs. "All I could see was a pink and white body. I pulled over and saw they were pups... One puppy was yelping and crying." A pickup truck the woman described as a blue Dodge Ram, which was traveling behind her, ran over the adult female dog. The man in the pickup stopped his vehicle near the woman's stopped car. He ran out into the heavy traffic on the roadway and picked up the mother dog, which was badly injured, as well as two puppies that were killed and two of the surviving puppies, the woman told troopers. The man told her that he was going to get medical attention for the dogs and left, she said. Police do not know who the man is. One puppy landed on the side of the interstate, the woman said. She took the dog home and called police. "I can't believe someone could do something like that," the woman said. She also said that if the suspects are caught, both she and the puppy she rescued will be in the courtroom.

07/07/2003 WORLD'S MOST PUBLISHED ANIMAL-RELATED ESSAY NOW IN 36 FOREIGN LANGUAGES !

Author and animal advocate Jim Willis had no idea that he would be reducing the world to tears with his tale of an unwanted dog. "How Could You?" has stopped traffic with radio broadcasts and caused listeners and readers to rush to shelters to save unwanted animals. His book has raised a substantial amount of money for animal rescue efforts. Please download "How Could You?" directly from the below site and ask that your local radio stations broadcast it and your local newspapers publish it illustrated by photos taken at local shelters with additional contact information provided for local animal-rescue resources. A worldwide campaign to do so will begin Monday and your help will be greatly appreciated.

07/07/2003 SEA SHEPHERD CONSERVATION SOCIETY CALLS FOR A BOYCOTT OF THE 2010 CANADIAN WINTER OLYMPICS TO PROTEST THE EAST AND WEST COAST SEAL HUNTS !

The games are scheduled for February 12 -28 and March 12 - 21, 2010. These dates fall at the exact time that the notoriously cruel largest marine mammal slaughter in the world takes place on the East coast of Canada - the annual slaughter of harp and hood seals. The quota for this year and next (2004) is 350,000 seals. Between the times of the announcement of the Olympics being awarded to Canada and the end of the 2010 games more than two million four hundred and fifty thousand seals will be clubbed and shot on the ice floes off the Canadian Atlantic coast. The Olympics will be hosted by a the Province of British Columbia where the government is calling for a west coast slaughter of seals and sea lions and where hundreds of sea-lions are ruthlessly shot each year by ecologically destructive salmon farmers. For this reason, Sea Shepherd USA, Sea Shepherd Europe, Sea Shepherd Australia and New Zealand, Sea Shepherd South Africa, Sea Shepherd Brazil, and Sea Shepherd Asia are calling for an international boycott of the 2010 Canadian Winter Olympics.

07/06/2003 STOP MICHIGAN'S OPPOSITION TO THE "DON'T FEED THE BEARS" BILL !

The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance and other extremist anti-animal groups are pressuring the Michigan House of Representatives to pass a measure that would put the state legislature on the record as opposing HR 1472, the federal "Don't Feed the Bears" anti-bear baiting bill.Michigan House Resolution 82, sponsored by Rep. Dale Sheltrown would petition the U.S. House of Representatives to oppose HR 1472. Allied with the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance in this effort are extremist groups such as the Michigan Bear Hunters Association, Michigan Bow Hunters Association, Michigan Hunting Dog Federation and Michigan State United Coonhunters Association - all groups that promote the violent slaughter of wildlife.

07/06/2003 TASK FORCE TO PROBE COLORADO CAT MUTILATIONS !

AURORA, Colorado - A task force of animal experts and police investigators has been set up to find out who mutilated and killed nearly 45 cats in the Denver area in the past year, officials said.About half the killings have taken place in Aurora, a city of 293,000 next to Denver, making it the center of the investigation. "When you look at the emotion of the owners you understand. It's like losing a member of the family," Aurora Police Chief Ricky Bennett told reporters. Bennett said the 19-member task force will include prosecutors from the region, animal experts, veterinarians, the Denver Dumb Friends League and a psychologist. But he stopped short of echoing the concerns of local experts who have said animal torture is often a first step toward attacks on humans. He also said he was not assuming the offenders were youths or members of a cult. The killings of the cats started in Aurora last summer and lasted until April of this year. Bennett said police need the help of local residents. "Somebody knows something," he said. Colorado authorities have also conferred with police in Salt Lake City in neighboring Utah where 11 cats and one dog have been murdered since May 2002.

07/06/2003 VICTORY - RAINBOW WARRIOR IS FREE !

The Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior was being held in the Spanish port of Valencia until the authorities have been paid a total of 300,00 Euros!! They were taking part in a peaceful protest against the destruction of the worlds forest and had successfully prevented the Spanish ship the Honour from docking there (for over 20 hours) with her cargo of African wood. On July 4, the Rainbow Warrior was finally released by Spanish Government after 20 days confined to port. An amazing 33,000 letters were sent to the Spanish Government in one week asking for the ship's release. Even rock stars and politicians offered their help. The result: a resounding victory! While Greenpeace is happy that the ship is released, here are some sobering facts: In the 20 days the Warrior has been under arrest in Valencia estimated tons of wood imported into the Valencia region: 40,600; estimated value of wood from illegal sources imported into Spain: 14,410,960 Euros.

07/05/2003 INDIA LOOKS AT MUSK DEER FARMING !

NEW DELHI: The Union environment and forest ministry is exploring the possibility of allowing private persons to breed wild animals and extract medicinal products from them. Disclosing this, the ministry's special secretary, M K Sharma, said an attempt is being made to revive a deer farm in Uttaranchal where musk was extracted from the animals. "In about a year we will formulate the policy for running captive breeding farms. Then we may allow private parties to breed wild animals as socio-economic projects that would be commercially viable for them," said Sharma. He claimed the country lacked the infrastructure to protect its animals and birds from being killed for their various body parts. "There's a demand for these things which is being met, illegally and brutally. For example, deer are killed for musk; tigers for their skins and bones and rhinos for their horns," he said. This demand can be met legally and without harming animals in any way through this project. For example, deer are being killed for their musk and antlers. But if reared commercially, they can complete their entire lifespan and continue yielding musk and antlers for many years. "The idea is to conserve wildlife by interlinking their survival with the economic well-being of people, specially by involving those who live on the fringes of forests and pose a grave threat to wildlife and forests," Sharma said. Among the animals whose private breeding may be allowed are tigers, rhinos, peacocks, deer and birds.

07/05/2003 SEATTLE PARKS GOOSE KILLE ENDS !

Barbara DeCaro, the Seattle Parks Department staff member in charge of scheduling the Canada goose kill, confirmed today that the United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services agency "is finished with goose roundups in Seattle Parks." The agency may still be slaughtering geese on private property in Seattle with the permission of the owner. This year's Canada goose kill went badly for the Parks Department, the United States Department of Agriculture and Seattle's geese. A recent Parks Board meeting was forced to adjourn just minutes after being called to order as goose supporters honked the committee to a close. According to court documents, two USDA agents who claimed that they had been harassed during last year's Seattle goose kill refused to return to the city this year. One allegedly quit the USDA while the other would not work again in the Seattle area. Despite the efforts of Give Geese a Chance volunteers who have been keeping geese out of city parks for the past two weeks, goose kills were known to have occurred at Seward Park. As well, the entire South Lake Union goose population was annihilated by USDA workers when that park was closed by police. Mayor Nickels was repeatedly "goosed" by a 7 foot tall Canada goose, while his office received more emails and telephone calls than they had received regarding any other issue in the past ten years. Nonetheless, the Mayor took the low road and refused to act to call an early end to the kill. "This was the third year of the annual slaughter and geese were in short supply," said goose supporter Bob Chorush. "It was ridiculous that the Parks Department insisted on the killing and went through with this cruel and pointless program. We were always willing to work with the Parks Department to resolve conflicts with Canada geese in a humane manner, but the city has rejected any citizen cooperation and blatantly ignored the sentiment of the people on this issue."

07/05/2003 BRITISH MP'S VOTE FOR FOX HUNTING BAN !

British Prime Minister Tony Blair suffered a large defeat in parliament as MPs voted overwhelmingly to ban fox hunting with dogs inEngland and Wales. Blair's Labour government had intended for lawmakers to vote on proposals to ban stag hunting and hare coursing while allowing foxhunting under licence. However following a stormy five-hour debate in the lower House of Commons, the government withdrew its proposals at the eleventh hour, allowing MPs the opportunity to vote on an outright ban to fox hunting - an issue that has pitted animal rights activists against countryside dwellers who see their way of life under threat. The lawmakers backed the ban by 362 to 154 votes, a majority of 208.

07/05/2003 U.S. CO. RECALLS 739,000 POUNDS OF BEEF !

DETROIT (Reuters) - A Chicago meat processor is recalling 739,000 pounds (360,000 kg) of frozen beef that may be contaminated with bacteria after five illnesses were linked to the meat, federal officials said on Sunday. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service said Stampede Meat Inc. sold the beef, mostly in the form of vacuum packaged steaks, throughout the United States and in Canada. The agency said five cases of E. coli infection in Minnesota, Kansas and Michigan had been linked to the meat, and investigators were still searching to see if any other illnesses might be tied to the beef. E. coli is a bacteria that causes diarrhea and dehydration, and can be fatal in some extreme cases. Steaks are not usually considered a high-risk source of E. coli, but the government said the Stampede products had been injected with tenderizers and other solutions, and the injections increased the risk of contamination. The meat was produced between March 17 and March 22 under various brand names, and bear the code "EST. 19113" inside the government inspection stamp.

07/04/2003 STUDY SHOWS POLAR BEAR POACHING TO BE INCREASING !

Russian hunters are taking an increasing number of polar bears, according to United States biologists who are worried the trend eventually could decimate the species. Citing estimates that Russian hunters are taking an estimated 100 to 250 bears a year in the Chukchi Sea, a new United States Fish and Wildlife Service study concludes the increased hunting could imperil the bear population in much the same way hunters did in Alaska during the 1960s and 1970s. Natives around the sea, which separates Alaska and Russia, have killed bears for food for generations. But the need for money may be driving the recent increase, said Scott Schliebe, polar bear project leader for the Fish and Wildlife Service in Anchorage.

07/04/2003 JOURNEY TO DEATH - THE LIVE EXPORT OF HORSES FOR MEAT FROM POLAND !

Each year, around 100,000 horses are exported from Central and Eastern Europe for slaughter in Italy, France and Belgium in what can fairly be described as one of the cruelest and least regulated aspects of Europe's live animal trade. Poland is the biggest exporter of live horses for slaughter in Europe. Ten years ago there were one million horses in Poland but that number has now been reduced to 500,000. Nevertheless, each year, 87,000 leave Poland to be slaughtered for meat. 90 per cent go to Italy and 10 per cent to France and Belgium. Horses endure horrendously long journeys. One of the furthest destinations is Sardinia, a journey of 2500km (1500 miles) which may take as long as 95 hours. Roads are often extremely pot-holed and drivers usually travel too fast.

07/04/2003 EXTREMELY URGENT SITUATION IN MACEDONIA !

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has just learned about an extremely urgent situation in Macedonia involving a pig farm called "Gold Farm" in the town of Kumanovo. According to representatives of Macedonia's Society for Animal Protection (SRNA), more than 20,000 pigs are currently starving on this farm and approximately 2,000 pigs are dying slowly every day. Macedonia signed onto the European Convention for the Protection of Animals Kept for Farming Purposes, which specifically requires farmers to provide their animals with "freedom from hunger and thirst, access to fresh water and a diet for full health and vigour." The Gold Farm's conduct in this case is a blatant violation of the Council Directive 98/58/EC on the protection of animals kept for farming. According to the SRNA, the Macedonian government has refused to provide any assistance to these animals or to the agencies that have attempted to help these animals. PETA has written a letter to Macedonian government officials, urging them to offer relieve to these animals immediately. The SRNA cannot act to help this large number of suffering animals without the Macedonian government's support.

07/03/2003 WORLD DEMONSTRATION DAY JULY 16, 2003 !

Bok Days are the hottest days of the year in Korea. They are also the days in which the greatest number of dogs are consumed. Some Koreans believe that eating dog-meat stew will alleviate the summer heat, in addition to increasing a man's sexual prowess. While this season spans 30 days, only three days are designated Bok Days; this year they fall on July 16, (the beginning of the season) July 26, and August 15. Each year over 2.6 million dogs and hundreds of thousands of cats are tortured and killed for human consumption. Korean dog eaters believe that the more a dog suffers, the more tender and sexually potent the meat. Korea's 1991 Animal Protection Law makes it illegal to harm or abuse dogs, cats and all other animals, and yet the Korean government does nothing to stop these atrocities.

07/03/2003 ANIMALS SEEKING HAPPINESS !

Can a white leghorn hen be truly happy? That's one question researchers are asking in the emerging academic field called "animal well-being." These researchers videotape chickens at play or rig doors so pigs can use their snouts to choose between eating their food alone or hanging out with other swine. The scientists attend conferences to hear papers with titles like "Hyperaggressiveness in Male Broiler Breeder Fowl." Through behavioral research and animal biology, the experts try to find out: Are cows ever happy? Do pigs feel pain? What do chickens really want? They know they're asking touchy-feely questions of a system that profits from mass slaughter. But they consider themselves pioneers. "Asking scientific questions about an animal's feelings is brand new," says Edmond A. Pajor, an associate professor of animal behavior at Purdue University. These Dr. Doolittles are financed in part by restaurant chains like McDonald's and KFC, which have been accused of helping to create harsh conditions on animal farms, where chickens, pigs and cattle are bred en masse. Of more than eight billion farm animals processed in the United States, most are crammed into cages, stalls and indoor barns before being killed. Their food is carefully rationed to promote optimal growth.

07/03/2003 SIX KITTENS DEAD, ABUSE SUSPECTED !

Six kittens barely two months old have been found dead in Ayer Rajah Industrial Estate. Cat lover Baxter Thong, 36, said he discovered their bloodied, decomposing bodies on Friday while making his usual round at lunchtime to feed a family of stray cats near his workplace. Mr Thong alerted the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). "I was furious," said Mr. Thong, a technical service coordinator, who believes the animals were tortured and deliberately killed. "The kittens were so young, they couldn't even run fast." SPCA executive officer Deirdre Moss said the society found puncture marks on four of the dead kittens. But it did not do a post-mortem. Some of the bodies had already decomposed to the point where they had maggots crawling on them. The maximum penalty for animal abuse is a fine of $10,000 and a year's jail. The SPCA asked Mr. Thong to make a police report, but he fears that if he does, the authorities might put down the surviving cats in this family. There are about 80,000 stray cats here and culling had been stepped up recently.

07/03/2003 TEAMING UP WITH SAFEWAY TO EDUCATE PUBLIC !

Defenders of Wildlife is teaming up with the Safeway grocery store chain to help save bears around Lake Tahoe. Safeway has agreed to distribute special "bear aware" shopping bags that feature tips on how to live and play in bear country. California's black bear population has nearly doubled over the past decade, and the animals are increasingly running into trouble with humans at campgrounds and elsewhere. Last month, Defenders helped install 125 bear-proof garbage containers around Tahoe. "We want to keep the bears alive and wild," said Cynthia Wilkerson of Defenders of Wildlife's California office.

07/03/2003 GOOD NEWS FOR THE GREEK STRAYS: HAPPY OLYMPIC GAMES !

The Olympic games are going to be happy ones for Greece, for the animal lovers, but most of all for our four legged stray friends! According to the latest decisions taken at the press conference, in which took part the President of Athens 2004 Mrs. Gianna Angelopoulou Daskalaki, the vice minister of Agriculture Mr. Fotis Hatzimihalis, the General Prefect of Athens Mrs. Fofi Genimata, the representatives of the animal welfare organizations, the municipalities and the representatives of the Panhellenic Veterinary Association, the strays are going to remain in the streets. The message was, that we do want our strays in the streets for Athens 2004 and we do not want them to be euthanized! So from September, the sterilization process will start along with the veterinary care of the stray animals. The budget is for about 20,000 animals and the collection will be done by animal welfare societies. After their being examined the animals will be released again where they were picked up. The animals, will be collected by specialized trained members of the animal welfare societies in each area and subsequently set free. After their collection the animals will be taken to the vet who will check their state of health, then they will sterilize them and will be identified with tattoo. After that they will be released in their original neighborhood. The municipalities are going to provide trucks for the collection and public spaces for the creation of places of recovery for the animals. The budget is 1,000,000 Euros. Unfortunately all animals which will be tested positive for Leishmania will have to be euthanized. The same will apply in the new bill which will be applied for in July. In the new bill among others there will be penalties of 10,000 Euros and 6 months prison terms for those who maltreat, abandon, illegally trade or use animals for dog fights etc.

07/02/2003 CIWF APPLAUDS CAP REFORMS AS GOOD FOR FARM ANIMAL WELFARE !

Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) has welcomed the reform of the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), as published today by the EU Farm Ministers. Peter Stevenson, CIWF Political and Legal Director, said: "We have been campaigning for years for farmers to be given subsidies that are linked to welfare rather than volume of production. We are delighted that the EU has agreed these measures which should have a significant impact on farm animal welfare, whilst helping farmers combat the threat of cheaper imports encouraged by the World Trade Organization rules." The reforms that affect animal welfare are: The new single farm payments will be subject to cross-compliance, i.e. to get the payment the farmer will have to comply with certain statutory requirements on animal welfare (as well as environment, food safety and animal health). Farmers will be helped with the cost of meeting demanding new legislative standards. This reduces the vulnerability of farmers to cheap, low welfare, imports. EU farmers will receive financial help be subsidized to reach higher welfare standards. Member States will be able to help farmers reach particularly high welfare standards, i.e. those which go beyond minimum legal requirements and beyond usual good animal husbandry practice.

07/02/2003 "LAND-AND-SHOOT" HUNTING COMING BACK TO ALASKA !

Alaska Gov. Frank Murkowski has signed legislation to allow hunters to kill wolves from airplanes and helicopters as a part of a renewed to reduce the population of the animals over huge areas of central Alaska. Hunters in planes search for wolves, "buzz" the pack, and chase them until the wolves are exhausted. Then a person shoots from the air or lands and shoots the wolves as they flounder in the snow. Led by Defenders of Wildlife, the people of Alaska have twice voted to revoke land-and-shoot in the last seven years. But certain state officials want wolves killed to boost moose and caribou herds for hunters. To sign an online petition to Murkowski expressing your outrage over this action, go to www.savealaskawolves.org. (Defenders of Wildlife)

07/02/2003 DON'T LET YOUR DREAM HOLIDAY BE AN ANIMALS' NIGHTMARE !

ECOTERRA, ECOP, Cetacea Defence and the Captive Animals' Protection Society are asking local ar groups to hold information days at airports during July 1-8 World Week For Captive Dolphins. If there is not an airport close by, we are asking groups to do an information stall in their town center: On Holiday? - don't support animal Cruelty! We are asking that people, who are bound for foreign countries, are made aware that they should not patronize dolphin shows, circuses, zoos or have their picture taken with animals such as dolphins, chimps or snakes. We are asking you to adopt an airport on at least one day during July 1-8. We all acknowledge that it is important to tackle this issue, where as an example a significant market to Sea World is the UK one (estimated some years ago at 15-20%). A special flyer and poster will be available from Cetacea Defence. CAPS will supply their leaflets and posters on request at cost price.

07/02/2003 GEESE KILLED AT SOUTH LAKE UNION !

Hired killers from the USDA Wildlife Service closed South Lake Union Park on June 25, removing homeless people, then rounded up and killed all of the geese there. The killing proceeded under direct orders from Mayor Nickels, who has instructed Parks Superintendent Ken Bounds to kill the geese quickly and quietly.Mayor Nickels has reportedly been extremely upset at the number of telephone calls and emails being sent to his office in opposition to the goose roundup and slaughter. Public disclosure requests revealed that more than 1000 emails and telephone calls have so far reached the mayor, with more than 95% opposed to the goose kill.

07/01/2003 TURNING TRASH INTO CASH TO SAVE DOLPHINS AND WHALES !

The Marine Connection, are urging individuals and companies to save office materials that normally end up in the bin in order to help raise funds for their vital work in the UK and worldwide to help save the lives of dolphins, whales and the world´s oceans. The charity has teamed up with a leading recycling company, in an innovative fundraising scheme. Every time someone donates a redundant printer cartridge or old mobile phone, the charity will receive a cash donation.

07/01/2003 CANADA WARNS THAT MAD COW MEASURES COULD BACKFIRE !

OTTAWA - Canadian Agriculture Minister Lyle Vanclief warned export markets yesterday that unnecessary restrictions on Canadian beef arising from fears of mad cow disease could backfire on those countries in terms of general trade. "I stressed very clearly to Japan that if they insist that people go beyond the OIE (Office International des Epizooties guidelines), as they have in their own domestic situation, countries (had) better be very, very careful because there's trade in other things than beef," he told reporters. "And it will put other countries, including Canada, into the situation of having to consider doing those types of things in other areas," he told reporters from Sacramento, California. More than 20 countries, including the United States and Japan, placed stiff import restrictions on Canadian beef after a single case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease, was reported on May 20. The beef industry has said it is losing up to C$27.5 million ($20.2 million) a day since major export markets closed their borders.

07/01/2003 CAN WE TRUST RESEARCH DONE WITH LAB MICE?

New studies show that animals used in critical experiments may be out of their minds. In the early 1990s, a soft-spoken doctoral candidate at Switzerland's leading university asked a deceptively simple question: What do all those laboratory mice do after the researchers and technicians go home for the night? It wasn't a frivolous query. In a typical animal research lab, most rodents' lives are spent in shoebox-size enclosures containing food, water, bedding, and nothing else, all stacked from the floor to the ceiling on uniform steel racks. Hanno Würbel, the young animal behaviorist who asked the question, knew that mice living in such barren housing often develop bizarre behaviors, such as turning endless backward somersaults. But because mice are nocturnal animals, most scientists are asleep when the critters are active.

07/01/2003 BLOODY RITUAL IS FIRST LINK IN ASIA ANTLER TRADE !

CHENDEK - With its eyes bandaged and legs bound, the stag groaned in pain as its huge curved antlers were severed with a hand-saw. The powerful beast surged forward to break away as blood spurted from the stumps, but Siberian herdsmen pinned it down until their work was finished. The gory de-horning of the Maral deer is an annual ritual in this isolated part of Siberia and dates from the 17th century. It is essential for the export of antler horn a prized commodity on Asian markets and money-spinner for the under-developed region. Tourists, who have traveled thousands of miles across Russia to witness the spectacle in the misty mountains of Gorny Altai bordering Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan, look on in bewilderment, some aghast. Some deer die from shock during the de-horning but in this case the stag's stumps were treated with salt and the animal was released back into the lush mountains to grow new antlers - which one day will be culled again.

07/01/2003 NEW ZEALAND TAX TO COMBAT GLOBAL WARMING !

Farmers in New Zealand are enraged to learn that they are to be charged a "flatulence tax" as part of the country's efforts to combat global warming. Greenhouse gases expelled by livestock are responsible for about half of New Zealands emissions. Now farmers will have to pay 24pence per cow and 3pence per sheep to reflect the damage they cause to the environment. Deer and goat farmers will also be charged.

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