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IDA ACTION ALERTS 1. Oregon Zoo Euthanizes Elephant due to Foot Disorders 2. World Go Vegan Days Coming October 27th to 29th 3. IDA Co-Sponsored Compassion for Animals Road Expedition #4 is Underway CAMPAIGN NEWS & UPDATES 1. Victory: Congress Passes Historic PETS Act 2. U.S. Travel Agents Boycott International Tourism Expo in South Korea 3. Attend 7th Annual IDA-Africa Art Auction & Fundraiser IDA ACTION ALERTS 1. Oregon Zoo Euthanizes Elephant due to Foot Disorders IDA charges against Zoo highlight plight of captive pachyderms IDA blasted the Oregon Zoo last week for holding elephants in inadequate conditions that have caused foot disease in six of the Zoo's seven elephants. In a letter rushed to Zoo director Tony Vecchio, IDA called on the Zoo to radically change conditions or close the exhibit and send the elephants to a naturalistic sanctuary. The indictment came after the Zoo

announced plans to euthanize 51-year-old elephant Pet, who has suffered for years from severe foot and joint disease. Pet, the oldest Asian elephant at the Oregon Zoo and matriarch of the captive herd, was put down late last week after spending half a century in zoos. Pet is not alone in her suffering. Even the youngest Oregon Zoo elephants suffer from foot problems. At only 13 years old, Chendra developed foot problems within two months of coming to the Zoo from Malaysia in 1999. "The chronic abscesses, lesions, ulcers, fissures and fractured toes that plague the Oregon Zoo elephants are entirely preventable conditions that are unseen in wild elephants," said Elliot M. Katz, DVM, IDA president and founder. "These foot problems are a direct result of the conditions in which the elephants are held at the Oregon Zoo." Foot problems are caused by too-small enclosures that force elephants to stand for years on hard surfaces like concrete and compacted earth and

do not allow them the exercise necessary to their health and well-being. Elephants are Earth's largest land mammals and are genetically designed to walk tens of miles each day. Foot disease and arthritis are the leading cause of euthanasia in captive elephants, prematurely claiming the lives of these magnificent animals decades short of their natural 60-70 year lifespan. Sadly, Pet is just one of a host of other elephants who have suffered and died prematurely in the past three years due to foot and/or joint disease at zoos accredited by Association of Zoos and Aquarium (AZA). These elephants include: Gita (48) and Tara (39) at the Los Angeles Zoo; Calle (37), Maybelle (44) and Tinkerbelle (39) at the San Francisco Zoo; Toni (39) at the National Zoo; Ginny at San Antonio Zoo (49); Kali at Hogle Zoo (59); Mamie at Knoxville Zoo (43) and Patsy (40) at Toronto Zoo. Another elephant, Clara (52) at the St. Louis Zoo, will soon meet a similar fate if drastic and

immediate action is not taken. Oregon Zoo medical records on Pet indicate that she suffered significant pain for years. She was often observed using her trunk to take weight off her right front foot and lifting the foot every 30 seconds or so, an indication that she was in pain. Pet also developed pressure sores from lying on her left side for prolonged periods on the hard indoor floor. In addition, she suffered from numerous puncture wounds as a result of aggressive "hooking" with an ankus (bull hook) by keepers trying to make the debilitated elephant move. Pet was also given high doses of many kinds of pain medications, including Ibuprofen and Legend. She had been administered butorphenol so frequently that she at times appeared "drugged." Elephant expert Michael Schmidt, a former chief veterinarian at Oregon Zoo who specialized in the care of elephants for over 25 years, states in his book Jumbo Ghosts: The Dangerous Life of Elephants in the Zoo,

"Despite all of our exhaustive efforts to keep the elephants alive in the zoo in Portland, we lost four adult elephants to preventable zoo-genic foot disease while I was there." Schmidt adds, "Zoo-genic foot disease remains the number one source of pain, suffering and premature death for zoo elephants." What You Can Do: - Send an email to Oregon Zoo officials ( http://www.oregonzoo.org/Cards/Elephants/Remembering_Pet.htm ) urging them to give elephants the space they need or close their elephant exhibit and send their remaining elephants to a sanctuary where they can roam hundreds of acres of naturalistic habitat. - Sign up for IDA's Elephant Task Force ( http://www.helpelephants.com/form_signup.html ) to help us improve conditions for elephants in zoos. As a member, you will also receive regular updates on the

plight of elephants in zoos as well as our monthly eNewsletter. 2. World Go Vegan Days Coming October 27th to 29th Ask restaurants in your area to offer discounted vegan meals and specials! IDA's 2nd annual World Go Vegan Days will take place this year from October 27th to 29th, providing vegans an excellent opportunity to help family, friends and co-workers learn more about how a plant-based diet can improve their health, alleviate animal suffering and preserve the environment. World Go Vegan Days allows vegans to share their most deeply held values with others - whether family, friends, co-workers or the general public - by making personal connections and taking action. During World Go Vegan Days, IDA will partner with restaurants across the country to offer diners discounted meatless meals and specials. Last year, more than 30 restaurants offered meat eaters half-price vegan meals when dining with a vegan paying full-price. Restaurants

also offered World Go Vegan Days Specials - delicious dishes made without meat, dairy, eggs or other animal products. Many IDA members therefore used World Go Vegan Days as an opportunity to give family, friends and co-workers a chance to enjoy some healthy, great-tasting food. This year, we hope that even more restaurants will participate in World Go Vegan Days so that omnivores everywhere can experience how good vegan food can be. With discounted meals and World Go Vegan Day Specials highlighting the versatility of plant-based foods - from vegetables and grains to mock meats and cheeses - World Go Vegan Days offers people an opportunity to discover a whole new way of enjoying food. What You Can Do: You can help make World Go Vegan Days a success by convincing restaurants in your area to offer discounted vegan meals and specials between October 27th and 29th. For more information and assistance, please write to Kenneth [at] idausa.org or call (415) 388-9641, ext. 224. 3. IDA Co-Sponsored Compassion for Animals Road Expedition #4 is Underway Funeral Motorcade for seals galvanizes support for Canadian seafood boycott IDA is proud to co-sponsor the 4th annual Compassion for Animals Road Expedition (CARE). World renowned animal rights activist Anthony Marr, founder of Help Our Planet Earth (HOPE) ( http://www.hope-care.org ), started the cross-country tour in July, which will include over 100 cities in North America before it is through. Marr makes stops along the way to coordinate animal rights protests, demonstrations and outreach events with local activists in each city. Marr started out this year's CARE tour with a series of funeral motorcades to protest the annual springtime slaughter of over 300,000 harp seals on the Newfoundland ice floes. At least 97% of these seals

are helpless babies less than three months old. Eyewitness reports from individuals with animal protection groups documenting the slaughter allege that some are skinned alive while still clearly conscious. Fishermen make money in the off season by taking part in the killing and selling the pelts to European countries where there is a high demand for seal skin clothing. IDA has long protested the massacre, organizing letter writing campaigns and hosting demonstrations at Canadian consulates here in the U.S. With supporters driving in a long line displaying anti-sealing posters affixed to their vehicles, Marr literally takes his compassionate message on the road for thousands of passing motorists to see on his way to speaking engagements. Marr has already held five motorcades during his travels so far: - July 15th: Alberta/Banff to Calgary - July 19th: Manitoba to Winnipeg - July 22nd: Minneapolis to St. Paul - July 23rd: Milwaukee to Chicago

- July 30th: Detroit Along the way, TV news stations have done stories on the motorcade, educating even more people about the cruelty of the Canadian seal massacre. What You Can Do: - Host a local event when the CARE tour comes to your area. Check out the CARE tour's itinerary ( http://www.hope-care.org/CARE-4%20flyer%2001.htm ) to see their route. People are especially needed to help book speaking engagements for Marr at lecture halls and other venues, and to make contact with the local media. You can also host Anthony Marr in your home when he brings the CARE tour to your area if you can provide a warm bed and vegan meals for a hard-working animal advocate. Contact Marr at Anthony-Marr [at] HOPE-CARE.org or (866) 822-1169 to find out how you can help. CAMPAIGN NEWS & UPDATES 1. Victory: Congress Passes Historic

PETS Act Legislation will protect animal companions in large-scale disasters Late last week, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed its version of the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act. The landmark bill, introduced by Senators Ted Stevens (R-AK) and Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), will require state and local disaster plans to include provisions for evacuating and sheltering companion animals during large-scale disasters. Thank you to everyone who contacted their elected officials both in the House of Representatives and Congress urging them to pass both versions of the PETS Act. Your voices showed these lawmakers that there is strong support for protecting animals among U.S. voters. More good news is that the Senate bill is even stronger than the version the House passed last month by an overwhelming margin of 349 to 24. Now, the House can either approve the Senate version of the PETS Act, or have a conference committee work out a

compromise bill that incorporates different aspects of each. Congress will finalize these matters next month after returning from summer recess. Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast last year and resulted in a massive loss of life, both human and animal. Many of these deaths could have been prevented if rescue efforts run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had allowed storm victims to take their animal companions with them when evacuating their homes and seeking shelter. According to one poll conducted by the Louisiana SPCA, 44% of those who chose to stay behind when rescue workers arrived in New Orleans did so because they bravely refused to abandon their animal friends when their lives were in such severe danger. Passage and implementation of the PETS Act will prevent such tragedies from occurring again, and save thousands of animals' and guardians' lives in future large-scale disasters. The bills are expected to go before President Bush to

be signed into law this fall. What You Can Do: See the new documentary Dark Water Rising: The Truth About Hurricane Katrina Rescues, sponsored nationally by IDA. This film tells the story of the tens of thousands of animals who were left behind in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, the worst natural disaster in U.S. history, and the courageous people who set out to rescue survivors against all odds. It is a timely reminder that we must never let such a tragedy happen again. - Watch the trailer ( http://www.darkwaterrising.com/trailer.html ). - Check the tour schedule ( http://www.darkwaterrising.com/tours.html ) and see the film when it screens in your area. - Order a DVD of Dark Water Rising ( http://www.filmbaby.com/product_info.php?products_id=1081 ). 2. U.S. Travel Agents Boycott International Tourism Expo in South Korea Expo to be held in city of Jeju, where many dogs and cats are illegally killed for food When U.S. travel agents found out that the 2007 International Tourism Expo would be held in Jeju, South Korea - a city where thousands of dogs and cats are illegally killed and eaten every year - they announced a boycott of the event. Their unified stance against animal cruelty sends a strong message to the South Korean government that until they enforce their own laws and end the inexcusable torture and killing of dogs and cats for food, U.S. travel agents will discourage tourism to their country, potentially diverting millions of dollars away from their country's economy. Many of the canines used for food are raised on farms in the rural countryside that

make puppy mills look like doggy day spas by comparison. About a third are stolen from families that love them, and wind up packed into cages with others and butchered in the markets and alleyways of South Korean cities. Cats are often boiled alive to make soup, and dogs are beaten and tortured to death because it is believed that prolonged suffering makes their flesh taste better. Over the past several years, IDA has taken a leading role in opposing South Korea's brutal black market trade in dog and cat meat. As part of IDA's International Day for Korean Dogs and Cats ( http://www.idausa.org/campaigns/korea/alert_060809.html ) held every year in July to coincide with "Bok days" (the hottest days of the year when Koreans eat the most dogs), activists demonstrate against dog and cat meat at Korean consulates in countries around the world. IDA also provides financial support to animal protection

groups in South Korea so that they can have the resources they need to educate the public and dispel superstitions about the supposed benefits of dog and cat meat consumption. What You Can Do: Visit IDA's campaign website ( http://www.idausa.org/campaigns/korea/korean.html ) to learn more about Korea's dog and cat meat industry. Also view a slide show of pictures from International Day 2006 events that IDA supporters held around the world ( http://www.idausa.org/slideshow/bok_06/slide-show.html ). 3. Attend 7th Annual IDA-Africa Art Auction & Fundraiser Proceeds benefit the orphans at Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center Please attend the 7th Annual IDA-Africa Art Auction & Fundraiser on August 17th, 2006 at 7:00 p.m. This exciting event will take place in Seattle, Wash. at the Town Hall at

Eighth and Seneca. FEATURING A rare opportunity to meet internationally known Dr. Sheri Speede, founder and director of IDA-Africa. Hear inspirational stories of the chimpanzees, news about the education and sensitization campaign to stop the killing of chimpanzees and gorillas, and visions for the future of IDA-Africa's work for the protection of Cameroon's great apes. Sheri will show beautiful video footage of the chimpanzees at IDA-Africa's Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center, all of whom are orphans of the illegal bushmeat trade. Auction includes: original paintings by chimpanzees at Sanaga-Yong Center as well artwork by locally and internationally celebrated artists featuring: Thomas D. Mangelsen http://www.imagesofnaturewebstore.com/ Berkeley Breathed http://www.berkeleybreathed.com/pages/index.asp Mary

Anne Nagy http://www.pauseforanimals.com Matt Calcavecchia http://www.mattcalcavecchia.com/ Jim Robertson http://www.all-creatures.org/aw/index.html Roger Wheeler http://www.maskmadness.com/index.html Julie Cascioppo http://www.juliesings.com/ Joan Delehanty http://www.joandart.com/ Lynn Post http://www.aguavino.com/ Guest artist: Naby Camara, master musician from Guinea, West Africa with originally composed, dynamic rhythms and songs springing from an artistic tradition over a thousand years old. Food with a French Flair by YPC Catering ( http://www.ypc-catering.com ) - Doug

Nishimura, Owner and Chef Tickets $75 in advance, $85 at the door $500 reserves a table for eight Secure On-Line Registration Form: http://www.applyweb.com/public/register?idaaseat Printable Registration Form: http://www.ida-africa.orgdocuments/Register_for_IDA_-_Printable_Form.pdf If you are unable to attend, please make a donation ( http://www.applyweb.com/public/contribute?s=IDAADONA ) to help the chimpanzees. (include "Seattle benefit" in the notes section of the donation form please) For more information, call Heather at (206) 898-0413 or send an e-mail to IDA-Africa at andrea [at] ida-africa.org . IDA's Vehicle Donation Program Did you know

that your car, truck, boat, RV or motorcycle could save a life? If you have an old vehicle that's taking up space in your driveway or garage, you could donate it to IDA through our Car Program to help us save the lives of animals! It's simple to do. Just visit our web site ( http://www.idausa.org/supportf.html ) and follow the link under the heading "Donate Your Used Vehicle" which will direct you to a form that you can fill out and submit to us electronically. Or give us a call at (415) 388-9641, ext. 218, and Sage, our Member Services Assistant, will help you. Help us stop animal cruelty by donating your unwanted vehicle to IDA today, and make a difference in the lives of animals. Beyond Body, Mind, and Spirit: Where Do We Draw the Line? Jan Allegretti is a teacher, consultant and writer in the field of holistic health care for animals. Her books include "Listen to the Silence:

Lessons from Trees and Other Masters," and "The Complete Holistic Dog Book: Home Health Care for Our Canine Companions." In every other IDA eNewsletter, Jan explores how we live with, love and care for the animals who share our homes and how we relate to our nonhuman friends as individual guardians and as a society. Click http://www.idausa.org/askjan/askjan_060809.html to read Jan’s latest column, Supporting the Immune System for Good Health Today -- and for Many Years to Come. Subscribe to IDA’s Weekly eNews Subscribe to IDA’s eNewsletter to get the latest information on campaign developments and animal protection news from around the world. Visit http://ga0.org/indefenseofanimals/join.tcl to sign up. http://www.idausa.orgPeter H

 

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