[Pbiocoll] FYI (Forwarded with apologies)

[Lynn Raw]

NOTE: The following was received from another list. I have 'cleaned' it up to make it more legible and leave you to draw your own conclusions. Apologies to all who who find it irrelevant.

Lynn

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TEXT OF HSUS/PETA PRIVATE ACTION ALERT NEWSLETTER ISSUE 22 SUMMER 2003

THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES

PeTA PEOPLE FOR THE ETHICAL TREATMENT OF ANIMALS

Private Action Alert Newsletter Issue 22 Summer 2003

Should Wild Animals Be Kept as Pets?

As a principle, The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) strongly opposes the keeping of exotic and nondomestic animals (wild animals) as pets. This includes the many parrots and other exotic birds, ferrets, reptiles, rabbits, mice, rats, squirrels, raccoons, and wildcats.

Appropriate care for wild animals requires considerable expertise, specialized facilities, and total dedication to the animals'' needs. 
When wild animals are kept as pets, their lives are likely to be filled with misery. Often they languish in a cramped backyard cage or circle endlessly in a cat carrier or aquarium. Their suffering may begin with capture - every year millions of birds and reptiles suffer and die on the journey from their habitat to the pet store. The wild-pet trade threatens the very existence of some species.

With few exceptions, wild animals are difficult or impossible to care for. They often grow to be larger, stronger, and more dangerous than owners expect or can manage. Their nutritional and social needs are generally unknown, and recognizing medical problems is difficult for the untrained individual. They can even pose a danger to human health and safety through disease and parasites.

Wild animals are not domesticated simply by being captive-born or hand-raised by a human mother. It's a different story with dogs and cats, who were domesticated thousands of years ago. These special animal companions depend on humans for food, shelter, veterinary care, and affection. Wild animals, by nature self-sufficient, fare best without our interference. As any animal matures, the need for a mother ends and the instinctual behavior of the adult animal replaces the dependent behavior of the baby or juvenile. Inevitably, the cuddly baby wild animal becomes an aggressive biter or isplays destructive and seemingly temperamental behavior without provocation or warning. Such an animal has become a problem and is either neglected, passed from owner to owner, or disposed of in other ways.

Wild animals range from the parakeets found in numerous petshops to performing elephants in circuses. The most popular forms of wild animals enslaved into the pet industry are various parrots, cockatoos, ferrets, raccoons and big cats.

Should individuals keep wild or exotic animals as pets?

No. Wild and exotic (non-native) animals are unsuitable for home rearing and handling. They have complex needs that are difficult to meet. Most individuals have neither the finances nor the experience to care for them properly. It has been estimated that 90% are dead within the first two years of captivity. Many wild animals forced into a domestic situation cause injury to humans, especially children. Others, if released into the environment, can cause irreversible and costly damage to our ecosystem.

Why are public health and safety a concern?

Every year, privately owned wild animals seriously injure or kill humans. Pet snakes have suffocated babies; parrots have bitten off fingers and ears, especially children; raccoons have killed children; and lions have mauled their owners. Individuals legitimately concerned about wild animals being kept in their neighborhoods regularly seek assistance in dealing with this problem.

Animals in traveling acts also present considerable danger to the public. One particularly notorious act involved a wrestling bear that, though muzzled and declawed, managed to bite off fingers and break bones.

Furthermore, wild and exotic animals carry a number of diseases that are transmissible to humans, including polio, rabies, tuberculosis, hepatitis, rickets, tularemia, leptospirosis, salmonella, ringworm, and other parasites.

When is captivity justified?

Wild animals should only be kept in captivity by professional zoological facilities. The only individuals who should be allowed to have wild animals are licensed wildlife rehabilitators and certain breeders. In both cases, they should demonstrate a thorough knowledge of their field and an ability to care for the animal humanely.

Are there any bans being presented to the government to prohibit the possession of all wild animals?

Yes, a large number of animal rights groups have joined with us to appeal to the legislation to eliminate the possession of all exotic animals currently in the US and Canada. You can help us pass this law into effect by writing your state legislators and congressmen and urge them to pass laws 294, and 1009 respectively; to make illegal the possession; private ownership; husbandry; transporting; sales; confinement; and capture of all exotic wild animals that are in the exotic wild animal pet trade. This will also enforce the laws already existing appertaining to our local wildlife as well.

Relatively few state laws already on the books apply to all wild/exotic animals; many prohibit or restrict the private ownership of wild animals native to that state through their hunting and trapping regulations, or they involve just one or two species such as skunks, raccoons, or venomous snakes. A few, unfortunately, have the same shortcoming as some local laws; i.e. they either totally ignore or at best address only adequately the humane considerations of such ownership. Some of the newer ones, however, seem more conscious of this aspect of the problem. Few states make any provision for performing animals and 
other traveling exhibits or roadside menageries.

Who would be adversely affected by a ban on possession of wild animals?

Most legislation would only affect those persons, businesses, or groups who want to sell or keep wild animals and those who wish to exploit animals for "entertainment" purposes; The legislation would not attempt to regulate laboratory activities or government-sponsored field studies. Legitimate possession of wild animals would continue with the welfare of the animals safeguarded. Such bills are not intended to criminalize purely unintentional or momentary captures of wild animals (e.g., a child picking up a toad in the woods). The specific intent required for possessory crimes, precautions written into legislative history, and prosecutorial discretion are all safeguards against absurd applications of the statute.

Doesn't the federal Animal Welfare Act protect wild animals owned as pets?

This law, even if fully enforced, only provides protection to those animals in the custody of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) permit holders, i.e., research facilities, dealers, exhibitors, and operator's of auctions. Thus, this law provides no protection for wild animals kept strictly as pets. Some states have laws that either forbid or regulate the ownership of wild animals, but they are in the distinct minority.

How much can it cost a government to have such a law?

A better question might be, "How much can it cost not to have one?" A government, state or local, does not have to incur much, if any, cost to enact and enforce this type of law. It can, however, incur great expense if it fails to control the private ownership of wild and exotic animals in some way. Local communities with such ordinances report that costs involved are negligible.

How did we fare in the END [Exotic Newcastle''s Disease] elimination process?

Thanks to the help of the USDA and our many animal rights groups and subscribing supporters like you, we were successful in seeing the termination of over 105,000 exotic pet birds to date. Unfortunately, too many breeders are using currently existing laws to evade the quarantine and elimination of these birds, and possibly continue to spread END. This is why we need supporters like you to write your state legislators and urge them to pass bills 294 and 1009. Express to them that you support the bans and want them in effect immediately. We would not have been able to come as far as we have without your support.



POSTING NOTE: [several parts of the text of the following sections of the newsletter were deleted  to keep the post shorter]


Keep Your Pet Safe on July 4th

<SNIP>

There is more you can do online at hsus.org. Animal lovers, start your computers!

The race to help pets has gone cyber, and with just one click of the mouse you can support The Humane Society of the United State''s Rural Area Veterinary Services (RAVS) program, which delivers desperately needed veterinary care and spay/neuter services to underserved areas across the country. The HSUS and Care2 have teamed up to launch the ""Race for Pets in Need"" on the Care2.com web site, described as ""the Yahoo for people who care about the environment."" The race is an online program in which every click of the mouse generates a donation to the RAVS program.

Donations are generated via sponsors who agree to be featured on the Race for Pets in Need pages, which are located under the "Pets in Need" logo in the "Take Action" section of the Care2 web site. If no sponsors are secured for the period of the race, Care2 will donate $1 for every 1,000 clicks to The HSUS. The program was officially launched on April 18, and in just 13 days, it had already attracted more than 105,000 clicks.

Through Care2.com, The HSUS will potentially reach nearly a million people each month with life-saving information about our Pets for Life program, designed to keep pets and their people together by addressing the reasons why pets lose their homes. The Care2 website will also feature a different pet tip each week, taken from The HSUS Pets for Life behavior tip sheets.

"This is a really quick-and-easy way for people to make a difference for the animals, while getting great pet tips at the same time" says Stephanie Shain, director of Companion Animal Outreach at The HSUS. "It's something people can do everyday, right from their computer. Activism doesn't get any easier than this."

Write Your Own "Declaration of Independence" for Animals and Win a Free T-Shirt!

This Independence Day, as we celebrate our personal freedom, let's remember that animals still desperately need their liberation.

In 100 words or less, tell PETA what changes you''ll make in your life starting on the 4th of July (or now!) to bring the right to "life, 
liberty, and the persuit of happiness" one step closer for animals. Will you adopt a vegan diet? Help get MasterCard to drop its support for animal circuses? Start buying cruelty-free shampoo? Protest Iams? Push for a law in your town prohibiting the chaining of dogs?

We''ll post the most compelling essays on PETA's Web site or in PETA's Animal Times. Ten winners will receive PETA's free "Animal Liberation/Human Liberation" T-shirts.

Enjoy Independence Day Meals Without Meat This 4th of July With Our Tasty Recipes!

<SNIP>

Cure BBQ Cravings With Hearty Mock Meats: These days, almost any well-stocked supermarket sells a variety of veggie burgers and "Not Dogs" that you can pop into the microwave for a two-minute meal or toss on the grill at your next backyard barbecue. PETA's picks: Boca Original (Vegan) veggie burgers and Lightlife Smart Dogs.

Do the food editors of your local newspapers run page after page of recipes for ribs and BBQ beef burgers every single summer? This year, ask them to try something new by spotlighting vegan barbecue dishes! You can find contact information on the Web site. If they get stuck, food editors are welcome to reprint any of PETA''s recipes in their publications.

If your church is planning a pig-roast fundraiser, ask the pastor to pass on the pork and serve animal-friendly vegetarian fare such as veggie burgers and dogs instead. Remind other churchgoers that God's message of mercy and compassion doesn't mesh with modern-day factory farms, where animals suffer every single day.

Hungry for some all-American vegan apple pie? Try PETA's recipe:

<SNIP>

Get PETA''s ""Proud to Be a Vegetarian American"" bumper stickers. Visit www.peta.org

Bird Overpopulation and Control Methods

The current overpopulation of captive birds in this country is quickly approaching that of cats and dogs; most bird sanctuaries are full to overflowing, and homeless birds are shunted from pillar to post. According to PIJAC (the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council), in 1990 there were 11 million pet birds living in 5.1 million households in the U.S. By 1996, the number of birds had grown to 40 million, while the number of homes remained fairly consistent at 5.9 million. With the added consideration of a bird''s lifespan-many parrots live 50 to 100 years, often outliving their human companions - the resulting overpopulation crisis means that euthanasia is a problem with regard to birds just as it is with cats and dogs. Refuse to support the bird trade, as birds are wild animals and even if some bond with their human companions, they are never tame and should never be kept in captivity. Birds are meant to fly and be with others of their own kind in a natural environment. Confinement causes birds to have temper tantrums and mood swings. Birds can also be mischievous and highly destructive. They sometimes chew carpet, electrical and phone wires, and practically any other material in your home. It is not their fault that they do not make good house companions. Many birds are abandoned and euthanized due to their natural behavior being perceived as intolerable by their human companions. It is the belief of many here at PETA that birds should be euthanized - which will end their suffering - as the alternative to being confined to cages and forced to be companions to humans that just aren't satisfied with having a cat or dog. They should be left in the wild of their native habitats and exist peacefully within their own flocks. We as human beings should be contented with merely watching them interact among their own kind in the wild. The sooner we put an end to the pet trade, the better for all animals.
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Want to stay on top of all the issues available to the public? Visit our websites at www.hsus.org, www.peta.org. Visit www.cwapc.org - our new joint website banding together with other smaller animal rights organizations -


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