The Good, the Really Bad, and the Heartwarming

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In This Issue Calculated Brutality Southwest Airlines, Have a Heart! The World Needs More Hailey Andersons Animal Activists Beware Confronting Cruelty Conference Quick Links E-Newsletter Archive TheCruelTruth.com RodeoCruelty.com Support SHARK! SHARK's My Space Page Join Our e-List The Good, The Really Bad And The Heartwarming Dear Friends, Just when you thought the rodeo couldn't be any crueler, SHARK has found even more cruelty and it affects the injured and dying victims of rodeo. While it seems that the animal abuse never ends and the victories are few and far between, it is great that there are still many of you out there working very diligently for the animals. Even more shocking is being harrassed by the authorities (as so often is the case), while working on behalf of the animals as one activist Doris Muller was. Then there is very special 11 year old, Hailey Anderson, showing us that one is never

to young to make a difference for the animals. Stunning New Evidence of PRCA Lies and Calculated Brutality One of the most prominent lies of the rodeo industry, and especially of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) is that when rodeo animals are injured, they receive immediate veterinary care. If needed, it is claimed, the animal is humanely euthanized. Years of SHARK investigations and video documentation prove over and over that this claim is false. Injured rodeo animal victims may be left unattended to suffer for hours and even days, with little or no humane care. SHARK has video of animals left suffering at PRCA rodeos in Oklahoma, Oregon, and New Mexico, just to name a few. Recently uncovered evidence now indicates that the prolonged suffering of injured rodeo animals is no accident, and that these victims are intentionally left to suffer just so the rodeo thugs can pocket a few extra dollars. This exposes yet again that the

claims of humane care by the PRCA and the rodeo industry in general, is a fraud. An insurance brokerage company called Specialty Program Insurors (SPI) insures rodeos and the animals forced to "perform." SPI claims to supply insurance to all of the big rodeo associations, as well as many of the biggest rodeos (see below for a partial list). This includes the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, the National High School Rodeo Association, and the PRCA National Finals Rodeo among many, many others. Amazingly, their website spells out rodeo's cold heartedness in stark black and white terms. SPI's "Frequently Asked Questions" page includes the question: "What do I do if my animal is sick or has died?" The incredibly cold answer proves what SHARK has said all along: "If you [sic] animal has been seriously injured and may need to be humanely euphonized [sic], your vet will need to contact the insurance company prior [emphasis is theirs] to putting the animal down. If your horse has been found dead, you must also contact the insurance company immediately. Failure to contact the company can result in a claim being denied." Most stunningly, the insurance company is ONLY available Monday - Friday from 8:15 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. CST. They are also closed on holidays and have NO after-hours telephone service. As most rodeo performances are in the evenings and on a Friday or Saturday, animals severely injured on these days have to painfully endure, at minimum, until the next morning or the following Monday morning, if they survive. An animal injured at a Friday night rodeo on the Fourth of July weekend (prime time in the rodeo season) could be left to suffer for over THREE days. This means that animals can be left injured

and suffering for not just hours, but days upon days, while greedy and uncaring rodeo operators callously await approval to put the animals down from the insurance company. This is unspeakable cruelty. As SHARK has proven for years, the PRCA's supposed 'humane rules' are as worthless as the rodeo veterinarians who sell their titles as fraudulent propaganda tools of rodeo animal abusers. The vets turn a blind eye while injured animals endure prolonged agony, all so the industry can extract every last penny from its suffering victims. Brutality and deception is standard operating procedure for the rodeo industry. Uncovering of the animal insurance scandal is merely the latest example of rodeo cruelty. It would be hard to imagine a system with more cruelty built into it than what the PRCA and the rodeo industry has devised. Specialty Program Insurors operates as an affiliated

entity of Haas & Wilkerson Insurance Agency based in Shawnee Mission, Kansas. Please contact Haas & Wilkerson and ask them to quit insuring brutal and deadly rodeos. Haas & Wilkerson Telephone: 800-821-7703 Ryan Wilkerson, President/CEO

Ext. 249; ryan.wilkerson A partial list of SPI's clients

include: Rodeo Associations Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Professional Bull Riders, Inc.

Women's Professional Rodeo Association National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association International Professional Rodeo Association NationalHigh School Rodeo Association National Little Britches Rodeo Association National Cutting Horse Association American Paint Horse Association Livestock Show/Rodeo Events PRCA National Finals Rodeo PBR Finals and all Built Ford Tough Events Southwestern Expo & Livestock ShowNational Western Stock Show & Rodeo Cheyenne Frontier Days Reno Rodeo San Antonio Livestock Show & Rodeo Rodeo AustinPikes Peak or Bust Rodeo Greeley Stampede Pendleton Round Up Miss Rodeo AmericaMajor Stock Contractors Equine Events Rocky Mountain Horse Expo Western State Horse Expo Equine Extravaganza United States Pony Clubs, Inc. Southwest Airlines, Have a Heart! What is a supposedly "progressive" company like Southwest thinking? Southwest Airlines tries to appear animal-friendly by sponsoring the Humane Society of the United States's Genesis Awards, but then turns around and gives money to an industry that abuses hundreds of thousands of animals in rodeos every year. It is up to consumers to set the airline straight. On the heels of SHARK's bust last week of the Tucson Rodeo, sponsored by Southwest, comes a new video aimed at this Corporate Thug's heart. Click here to watch our new Southwest Airlines video. Southwest Airlines likes to promote the rodeo as 'family entertaiment'. Click here to read SWA's opinion that rodeo is "fun" sport. Then go to RodeoCruelty.com to learn the truth. You will see there is nothing to LUV about rodeos. WHAT CAN YOU

DO? Please contact SWA and tell them that as long as they support animal abuse, you will not fly with them. Urge them to join the ranks of ethical businesses that have stopped their sponsorships of rodoes, like Starbucks Coffee, Campbell Foods, Choice Hotels and others. Phone: 1-800-I-FLY-SWA (1-800-435-9792)Public

Relations/Media Relations: 214-792-4847 Mail:Southwest Airlines, Customer RelationsP.O. Box 36647 - 1CRDallas, Texas 75235-1647 And Don't Forget... As you will recall we found that the PRCA website has an article (read it and see ridiculous photos here) bragging that two of their rodeo announcers - Boyd Polhamus and Bob Tallman -

have been given joy rides by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds! This is your hard-earned tax dollars being wasted by the millions! See SHARK's video calling out the AF Thunderbirds here on our website HERE:

Last month big news media reported on the Air Forces' desperate requests for money with titles like: 'Aging Air Force Wants Big Bucks Fix'. You can read these articles on our site as well.

Are the extra billions needed for the Air Force to waste supporting more rodeos and giving more joyrides to rodeo annoucers? U.S.A.F. Thunderbirds at Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo WHAT CAN YOU DO? Since your calls from the last

update, the two numbers have been disconnected. This is a good sign that we got their attention! Below are two new numbers to call. Please contact the Thunderbirds to let them know what you think of their support of animal abuse at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo, giving joy rides to rodeo thugs with your tax dollars and their ludicious budget request for $20 billion more a year: U.S.A.F. Aerial Events 1690 Air Force Pentagon Washington, D.C. 20330-1690 Phone: 703-697-3462 /

703-571-7926 Fax: (703) 693-9601 Email: http://www.af.mil/main/contactus.asp Terrified horse at the rodeo supported by the AF Thunderbirds. The World Needs More Hailey Andersons Recently SHARK was contacted by one of our yougest supporters, whose compassionate ambitions rival those ahead of her in years. Eleven-year-old Hailey Anderson found SHARK on the internet when researching the horse slaughter issue. After watching the videos on HorseKillers.com, Hailey was

moved to gather up her own donation to SHARK for the horses. Here is what Hailey's mother, Amber Davidson has to say about her extraordinary daughter: I have always been an animal lover and my passion spread to Hailey. She would take in any animal we would allow her to have--as a matter of fact she has 6 horses, 4 pot-bellied pigs, 3 dogs, 2 cats, mice, a snake and has probably had just about every other domestic pet (some not so domestic) that you can think of but she loves her horses. Hailey with her horse companions, Robert, Jacob, and Jaguar. I have a few pictures attached also of her with her miniatures when we got them a couple years ago (Robert and Jacob), and our Quarterhorse Jaquar. Hailey also has a pony named Buttercup. Most of our horses have been rescues from an auction or ex-racehorses which I think has really taught Hailey the value and importance of caring for animals--especially since we have had a couple that were knocking on death's door when we got them and fortunately they have all been rehabilitated and have turned out to be wonderful animals. It has been a tough road for a couple of them but is very gratifying to us because of the end results. Hailey has seen first hand what a sick, dying abused animal looks like and she has helped give them a second chance. Obviously these experiences she has been through in her 11 years of life have taught her a lot---more than I thought she knew. Hailey mailed SHARK a letter with the donation she scraped together with some help from her dad. Please take a moment to read Hailey's heartwarming letter. Hailey's family has been so inspired by her that they are generously raffling a weekend at their lovely cabin in the woods of West Virginia, conveniently located between Baltimore, MD and Washington D.C. All the proceeds from the raffle are being donated to SHARK. Please click here to learn more or join the raffle! Hailey is quite an enterprising young lady with a bright future ahead of her. The

animals are lucky to have someone so wonderful looking out for them. Activists Beware and Protect Yourselves On August 31, 2007, animal activist, Doris Muller was at The Shoppes at Grand Prairie in Peoria, IL to see the traveling Great Cat Adventures exhibit where she took some pictures of the exhibit setup. While Doris was on her way to her car after viewing the exhibit, she was attempting

to take a photo of the animal transport trailer from a distance of over seventy feet when she was confronted and harassed by a Mr. Riggins, who claimed to be an owner of The Great Cat Adventures. Mr Riggins called her a "terrorist," and he proceeded to call the police to whom he made false accusations about Doris. In accordance with Doris' belief that she had an obligation to wait for police once they were summoned, she remained standing in the exact spot at which Mr. Riggins confronted and harassed her, because the accusers alleged that she was interfering with their work, she wanted the officers to see exactly where she was standing in proximity to the exhibitors and their animal transport trailer. Shortly after the arrival of the Police, Doris was falsely arrested for disorderly

conduct. Even though a mall security camera showed Doris had not done anything wrong and was indeed over 70 feet away from the exhibit. Unfortunately, this is not a rare occurence, as many animal activists (and environmental activists too) can attest too. This is why it is really important to try to approach these situations with at least one other person with you. It is also vital to bring a video camera with you to document the entire incident to protect yourself. Of course, SHARK has found that even videotaping an incident may not change what is happening at the time, but can be used later to prove one's innocence - if you can protect the tape before the arrest. By the way, after the false arrest and a tremendous amount of stress and aggravation, many months later, Doris' case was

dropped. Confronting Cruelty Conference in Utah Confronting Cruelty is a free public conference for anyone who cares about animals. This conference is for sharing knowledge, public education, networking, discussing strategies and tactics, and energizing the community to fight against animal cruelty. Videos, discussions, workshops, and nationally recognized speakers, including SHARK's Steve Hindi, will cover a wide range of animal protection issues. http://www.confrontingcruelty.com/index.php Please Help Us to Keep Working for the Animals Your support is vital in helping SHARK keep the pressure on rodeos, their corporate sponsors, the media, and law enforcement officials. Donate Today! Kindest Regards, Steve Hindi and Your SHARK Team "Kindness and compassion towards all living beings is

a mark of a civilized society. Racism, economic deprival, dog fighting and cock fighting, bullfighting and rodeos are all cut from the same defective fabric: violence. Only when we have become nonviolent towards all life will we have learned to live well ourselves." - Cesar Chavez Forward email SHARK | Showing Animals Respect and Kindness | PO Box 28 | Geneva | IL | 60134

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