| Newsletter: May - June 1997 |  |
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ARFF Newsletter: May - June 1997
Approximately 200 guests attended ARFF's Dinner and Auction, held Saturday,
March 15 at the Deerfield Beach/Boca Raton Hilton. The event raised money
for ARFF's Free Spay & Neuter Mobile Unit, and was in celebration of
ARFF's 8th Anniversary and the Great American Meatout. Guests heard inspiring speeches from Alex Pacheco, chairperson of People
for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA); Chris DeRose, president of
Last Chance for Animals; and from Ben White, an activist from Washington
state who has long fought on behalf of marine mammals. Gregory Scott Frances,
a young boy who made a valiant effort to save Lucky, a 50-year-old lobster
trapped in a local supermarket, also spoke. Chef Patrick prepared an exquisite vegan meal. The menu included vegetable
spring rolls, mushroom caps with spinach, vegetable dim sum, and eggplant
in puff pastry as hors d'oeuvres; and portabello vol-au-vent, and penne
pasta primavera as dinner entrees. Surprise guests were Clyde Drexler, Charles Barkley and Chucky Jones
from the Houston Rockets. Bob Weaver, of NBC-6 Weather, was the auctioneer
for the evening. Attend ARFF's Horses used in the carriage trade are forced to work long hours bearing
heavy loads in extreme temperatures. The horses hooves and legs suffer from
the constant pounding on hard pavement. In St. Augustine there have been
many accidents which have injured horses and humans. Vehicle exhaust fumes,
leg deformities, heat exhaustion, inadequate food, water, shelter, and veterinary
care are harsh realities of the horse carriage industry. The horses are
at the mercy of the carriage owners profit margins. Help stop this cruelty,
join ARFF's demonstration in St. Augustine at the City Commission meeting
on Monday June 9th at 3:30 P.M. in front of the St. Augustine City
Hall, 75 King Street. (I95, exit U.S.1-St. Augustine, go north on U.S.1,
turn east at King street. City Hall is opposite Flagler college). Write
to: Mayor Len Weeks and Commission Let them know that animal abuse discourages tourism; ask for a ban on
horse carriages. Walt Disney World plans to open a zoo with 1000 wild animals in 1998.
The main purpose of the new zoo will be to make money for the Walt Disney
Company. Zoos are places for exhibition where animals are exploited for
profit, not conservation, and not for education. Zoos do not contribute
to conserving wild animals, and instead give the public distorted views
of animals in unnatural settings and unnatural groups, and cannot reveal
the diversity and complexity of animals and their habitats. With so many
animals living in horrendous conditions who desperately need new homes,
like the gorilla, King, at Monkey Jungle in Miami, it is disgraceful that
Disney is purchasing animals from breeding programs. By encouraging the
breeding of more animals, Disney is only adding to the problem of surplus
animals in American zoos. Disney's history with captive wildlife is not good. In 1985, Disney hired
infamous dolphin-hunter Jay Sweeney to kidnap six dolphins from their home
and family. Four of these dolphins are now dead. The remaining dolphins
are being held at Disney's Epcot Center Living Seas pavilion. Help ARFF convince Disney to alter plans for their wild animal zoo.
Saturday, June 21, 1997 at 1 PM. (535 & Hotel Plaza Road. Florida
Turnpike exit at Kissimmee, west on 192, north on 535 to Hotel Plaza Road).
Please call (954) 917-ARFF for more information. Write to Disney and express
your concerns. Explain that regardless of whether the animals to stock Disney's
new zoo are taken from other zoos or are taken from the wild, Florida does
not need another captive-animal park. People want to see wild animals remain
wild. Write to: Michael Eisner, CEO World Week for Animals in Laboratories is a nationwide week of demonstrations
and other activities remember the millions of animals killed each year in
this country in laboratories. ARFF toured the campus of the University of
Miami and Coconut Grove with a 24' flat-bed truck with a life-size diorama
depicting the inside of a laboratory. The laboratory scene dramatized actual
research projects occurring at the University of Miami. A monkey in a restraining
chair and a rabbit in a stereotaxic frame were part of the scene featured
on the float. ARFF members leafleted onlookers along the float's route. The University of Miami is one of over 20 facilities, public universities
and private corporations, in Florida that conduct research on animals. The
vast majority of the experiments, research, surgery or tests conducted at
the University of Miami involve accompanying pain or distress to the animal. One of these projects, funded in part by the National Kidney Foundation,
was a 9-year study of kidney disease by Dr. Jacques J. Bourgoignie (Division
of Nephrology, U of M School of Medicine). Dr. Bourgoignie sought to study
how a diet low in protein might slow the progression of kidney disease.
Unfortunately, Dr. Bourgoignie's curiosity meant a short, miserable life
for 14 male baboons. The project included partial removal of the baboon's
kidneys, and periods of up to five days restrained while fully conscious
in a "primate restraint chair." Write to the National Kidney Foundation, one of the project's main sponsors,
and urge them to stop funding animal research. Explain that clinical research
with human patients has led to enormous advances in preventing and treating
kidney disease. Kidney research using animals is plagued by a poor correlation
between an unpredictable "animal model" and the disease in humans. Dr. Wendy W. Brown, Chairperson ARFF's School Campaign has reached thousands of young people in South
Florida high schools and elementary schools. The program has now expanded to include an interactive play complete
with music and costumes for elementary school children. Children learn respect
for animals and the simple lesson that animals do not want to be separated
from their families, caged or forced to do silly tricks. Children have the
opportunity to actively participate in the play in monkey and lion costumes. Thanks to PETA for donating Share The World teacher's kits. Thanks also
to Neil Kaplan for providing Share The World with live music, and to Ann
Wiley of Vegan Express who plays the mother monkey superbly. ARFF is looking
for a stand-in guitar player and singer, as well as volunteers to participate
in school visits. Please call Susan at ARFF if you can help. If you wish to sponsor a Humane & Environmental Resource Kit for
a high school library, send a check for $25 to ARFF's School Fund. You may
specify that the kits go to a school of your choice.The kits contain books,
a video and poster which give hundreds of facts on the impact of a meat-based
diet on the environment, health, and animals When ARFF learned that the Avon Park city council had received a proposal
to reopen the long-abandoned rodeo arena in town, we sent an Action Alert
to our members in Highlands County. According to Dave Greenslade, Executive
Director of the Avon Park Chamber of Commerce, the city of Avon Park has
decided against re-opening the rodeo arena, due to concerns of "liability"
and other issues. Thank you to all those who wrote letters to stop the violent
sport of rodeo from returning to Avon Joe Bruner, a hunting-buddy of Governor Chiles and appointee to the Florida
Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, has withdrawn from consideration as
a commissioner. While this is good news, it does not ensure a final decision
against his nomination. Bruner made the decision after contentious testimony
against his nomination. In 1989, Bruner pled guilty and was fined $1500
after breaking hunting laws while shooting ducks in Louisiana. ARFF sent
out an Action Alert in February alerting our members to the Bruner nomination.
Thanks to everyone who wrote letters! Last newsletter we told you of plans by Publix Super Markets and Bread
of Life grocery stores to sell "exotic" meats, such as ostrich
and buffalo. Recently, Winn Dixie announced that they have begun selling
ostrich meat in 20 Tampa Bay area stores. The ostrich, the largest (and strongest) living species of bird, are
native to the grasslands and deserts of Africa. Ostrich are particularly
unsuitable for confinement. They suffer from leg problems, from an unnatural
diet, during transportation, and upon arrival at the slaughterhouse. Please write to Winn Dixie and let them know that you will market elsewhere
unless they discontinue the sale of ostrich meat. James Kufeldt,President M.A. Sellers, President Publix Super Markets wrote in response to our concerns that they are
considering whether or not exotic meats should be "considered for inclusion
as a regular item." If you have not already written Publix and Bread
of Life, urge them to stop selling ostrich, emu, buffalo or any exotic meats. Ed Crenshaw Richie and Julie Gerber, Owners Exotic meat is served as a novelty dish at Wilt Chamberlain's in Boca
Raton. Write to the restaurant and explain the horror behind the hype of
exotic meats. Urge them to remove ostrich from their menu, or you will not
patronize their restaurant. Mark DeAtley, Director of Operations Federal: The Pet Safety and Protection Act (HR 594), introduced
in the U.S. House of Representatives by Florida's Rep. Charles Canady, would
end the heartbreaking crime of stolen family pets being sold into research.
HR 594 would amend the Animal Welfare Act to eliminate class B dealers (Class
B dealers are licensed by the USDA to buy and sell "random source"
animals), thus ensuring that all dogs and cats used in research have, at
the very least, been obtained legally. The bill is making progress, but
it is critical that it gain further support in the U.S. House Agricultural
Committee. Florida's Congressman Mark Foley (16th) sits on this committee. It is
essential that Rep. Foley hears from all Florida residents in support of
HR 594, especially if you live in the 16th District (Counties: Glades, Hendry,
Highlands, Martin, Okechobee, Palm Beach, and St. Lucie). Congressman Mark Foley (561) 878-3181 Email:mfoley@hr.house.gov Dade County: Mobile Animal Care (MAC) offers spay & neuter services to residents
of Dade County. The cost of the surgery is on a sliding scale, depending
on ability to pay. Call (305) 884-SPAY for more information. Palm Beach County The Spay-Shuttle, operated by Animal Care & Control in West Palm
Beach is a mobile spay and neuter veterinary clinic for low-income residents
of Palm Beach County. The clinic will begin offering services in early May.
Call (561) 233-SPAY. Vegetarian Events will be conducting workshops on veganism in small towns
in Florida with cooking demonstrations, nutrition tips, videos and free
literature. For the tour to be a success, help is needed in each location
to help with set-up, promotion, etc. For more info. contact: Vegetarian
Events, P.O. Box 1057, Alachua, FL 32616; (904) 454-4341. Wish List: filing cabinet, step stool, white bed sheets, acrylic
paint and brushes for banners, animal masks and costumes, clear garment
bag with zippers, encyclopedia set, medical dictionary, Windows 95, computer
memory upgrade. ARFF is growing! We need a larger office. If you can help ARFF
find office space larger than the 500 sq. ft. we now have at a free or reduced
rate, please contact the office. ARFF-On-The-Air can be heard every Sunday at 6:00 PM on WAXY 790 AM (unless
preempted for sports broadcasts). 
Animal Rights Foundation of Florida |
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