Animal Issues Bulletin
May 31, 2010
**Animal Supplier Brutality Caught On Tape
**Puppy Buyers Respond to Animal Planet Petland Investigation
**Is Discovery Programming Education or Sensationalism
**Maryland Votes for Animals June 18 Fundraiser
**Some Good News for Polar Bear Protection
**More Humane Death for Unwanted Georgia Pets
**Fur*thermore Spotlights Local WVA Shelters
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-- Cruelty Must Have Consequences –
A PETA investigator went undercover at Sun Pet Ltd., an Atlanta-based wholesale
animal dealer that supplies animals to numerous PETCO and PetSmart locations,
among other retailers across the country. Video footage and photos taken by PETA's
investigator show the widespread suffering of hundreds of birds, rabbits, guinea pigs,
gerbils, mice, and rats in Sun Pet's enormous warehouses.
On April 22, 2010, Georgia Department of Agriculture representatives descended on
Sun Pet, which was, unfortunately, tipped off well in advance and apparently took the
opportunity to clean up its act. PETA has requested an investigation into the leak that
prepped Sun Pet for the Department of Agriculture's visit, but so far, no one has been
held accountable for it.
In addition to the misery of confinement to extremely crowded containers, forcing
animals to eat, sleep, urinate, and defecate all in the same space, PETA's investigator
recorded the violent killing and abusive handling of hundreds of animals. In more than 3
months of employment, not once did PETA's investigator see anyone from PETCO's or
PetSmart's corporate offices inspecting Sun Pet's facility.
Sun Pet also purchased animals from U.S. Global Exotics, the filthy Texas warehouse
from which more than 26,000 animals were seized last December following another
PETA undercover investigation. Sun Pet also purchased thousands of animals from
unlicensed vendors, in apparent violation of the federal Animal Welfare Act, despite
previous warnings by the U.S. Department of Agriculture regarding such practices.
PETA's investigator documented that PETCO and PetSmart stores returned animals
suffering from illnesses and injuries, sometimes without food or water, to Sun Pet
instead of providing them with veterinary care or basic necessities or even putting them
out of their misery. The animals were hauled around in cardboard boxes in the backs of
trucks traveling hundreds of miles and many hours from store to store until they finally
got back to Sun Pet, and many died as a result.
You can help secure justice for the hamsters and thousands of sensitive individual
animals peddled for profit by Sun Pet. PETA has received information indicating that
Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard Jr. has instructed his office to halt its
investigation of animal suffering at Sun Pet. Please complete the on-line message at the
link below to urge Mr. Howard to investigate and file suitable cruelty-to-animals charges
against the worker caught bashing hamsters against a table and also to file charges
against other appropriate parties.
Respectfully ask Mr. Howard what he thinks constitutes cruelty to animals if it's not
bagging them up and bashing them against a table and then leaving them to suffer and
slowly die of their injuries.
You can link to recently released undercover video and take action at:
https://secure.peta.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=3013
Here is the text of the on-line message to Mr. Howard. Please personalize before
sending your message.
Dear Mr. Howard:
I just watched deeply disturbing footage of a woman bashing a plastic bag filled with hamsters against a
table at Sun Pet Ltd.--a pet supplier in your jurisdiction. I am disheartened and shocked by your office's
refusal to pursue a proper investigation and criminal charges in this case. In addition to the violent
hamster killing, video footage filmed at Sun Pet shows chronically filthy living and dying conditions for
animals. I urge and implore you not to allow the powerful pet industry to dissuade you from doing what's
right. The animals at Sun Pet may be small, but they suffer pain and misery just as dogs and cats do, and
they are entitled to protection and justice under Georgia law. I respectfully ask you to consider this
question: If bagging and bashing hamsters against a table and leaving them to die of suffocation, trauma,
and injuries does not constitute cruelty to animals in your jurisdiction, then what does?
Thank you for your time and consideration. Please let me hear from you.
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-- Petland Investigation Fall-Out –
Since “Animal Plant Investigates: Petland” aired, many people who were hurt financially
and emotionally because they purchased sick puppies from Petland have spoken out
about their heartbreaking experiences. You can read about what these unfortunate
puppy buyers say, and tell your own story if you purchased a sick puppy from a Petland
or another store.
Go to:
http://www.humanesociety.org/news/press_releases/2010/05/new_petland_complaints_
051910.html
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Don't Give Bats a Bad Rap –
Some people are complaining about a recent program that aired on the Discovery
Channel. The show was Man vs. Wild and featured Bear Gryllis killing bats. Why is
Discovery showing viewers bats being killed and totally ignoring the benefits of bats to
the environment.
Bat conservations hope the public will join them in complaining about this program. If
you send this in a complaint via the web site link below, you can also underscore your
dislike for Sarah Palin hosting a program on Alaska's wildlife. Here's the link and below
is a sample message to the Discovery Channel which should be personalized for
maximum impact: http://extweb.discovery.com/viewerrelations
Dear Sir,
Again I am writing to you, that l am dismayed, very angry and very disappointed by the attitude of
Discovery lately: intentions to co-operate with an unscrupulous cavewoman named Sarah Palin and now
the support and guidelines of killing wildlife!
A recent episode of Discovery Channel's Man vs. Wild featured Bear Grylls gleefully killing bats with a
homemade club. The clip, which shows Grylls throwing a flame in a cave to "smoke out" the bats,
swatting them to the ground and then stomping on them, has aired internationally and been posted on
YouTube, allowing for continued access. Thankfully this video I believe has been pulled and is no longer
available.
Intentionally or not, this clip would just perpetuate negative attitudes toward bats and I am sure generate
senseless copycat activity and/or the type of vandalism that is driving many bat species to the brink of
extinction.
Please note: Only four months ago, a Kentucky man was sentenced to eight months in jail after pleading
guilty to beating to death 105 endangered Indiana bats.
For your information:
-This episode undermines decades of bat conservation efforts.
-Bats are an important part of a healthy ecosystem. They eat agricultural pests, disperse seeds to
replenish the rainforest and pollinate a variety of plants.
-Many bats are endangered and the loss of a single species can have ramifications throughout the
ecosystem. Viewers should be informed that killing bats-or even disturbing them-may be illegal depending
on the species and country.
-I urge Discovery Channel to ensure this edition of Born Survivor and related footage is not aired again.
This footage should be kept off Youtube, the Discovery Channel website and all other communications.
Our planet earth, our only home for humans and animals are already threatened by the greed and the
ignorance of the human race and it is high time these "nature education" shows demonstrate
environmental responsibility instead of sensationalism posing as education.
Sincerely,
###
You can read more about this controversy and take a poll by visiting Care2:
http://www.care2.com/causes/environment/blog/discovery-channel-teaches-peoplehow-to-kill-bats/
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-- Maryland Votes for Animals Event -If you are in the Annapolis area, mark your calendar on June 18 for Canines and
Cocktails to benefit Maryland Votes for Animals.
MVFA is having a fundraising cocktail party on June 18 in Annapolis at the Loews Hotel
Weather Rail covered patio at 126 West Street from 5:30-7:30. The event is called
Canines and Cocktails for a Cause and it is hosted by Paws Pet Boutique, located at 64
State Circle in Annapolis. Please RSVP on the Maryland Votes For Animals Meetup
site, www.meetup.com/Maryland-Votes-For-Animals. (If you're too busy to RSVP then
come anyway! All animal lovers are welcome so invite your friends!)
Entertainment includes a Dad and Dog Look-Alike contest and a raffle with the
proceeds going to MVFA. You can bring your dog, it will be lots of fun and a great way
to meet your fellow animal lovers. You will also learn more about MVFA's work to get
humane laws passed in Maryland! Note: Although cats would not enjoy this event, rest
assured that MVFA and Paws Pet Boutique support cat welfare. Big thanks to both
Paws Pet Boutique and Loews, who love pets!
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– Some Good News for Polar Bears -In the wake of the largest oil spill in U.S. history, President Obama and Interior
Secretary Ken Salazar announced a moratorium on deep-water offshore drilling in the
Chukchi Sea, which means a much-needed reprieve from Shell Oil's dangerous drilling
scheme in key polar bear habitat.
Defenders of Wildlife reports that over the last few weeks, advocates sent more than
118,000 messages to these officials and the public outcry was also key in the
administration's decision.
Defenders’ senior marine policy advisor Richard Charter put it best in a statement to the
press:
“President Obama and Interior Secretary Salazar should be commended for suspending
Shell's plans to drill in the Arctic Ocean this summer. The Arctic environment absolutely
could not stand an oil spill like the one we're now seeing in the Gulf of Mexico -- any
spill, in fact, would have devastating effects on Arctic wildlife, and it’s clear that we
couldn’t clean it up.”
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-- Humane Euthanasia Becomes GA Law -Last week Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue signed a law prohibiting any county or city
in Georgia from using carbon monoxide gas chambers to kill shelter animals. The new
law goes into effect January 1, 2011. For more information and background information,
read the Animal Law Coalition's report at:
http://www.animallawcoalition.com/gas-chambers/article/695
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-- Series on Shelters in Fur*thermore -In her Fur*thermore column, Ginnie Maurer is starting a four-part series on local
shelters. The first column highlights Morgan County, West Virginia. Check it out at
http://www.journalnews.net/page/content.detail/id/537592.html?nav=5016&showlayout=0
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NOTE: No Animal Issues Bulletin next week! Next Bulletin will be week of June 12. Thank you!