Deep Roots: Animal Rights Blog » News

Thank you!

eChris — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 15:20:13 +0000

It is always so great to be able share good news. Our good news is that we were able to raise $4,000 in about a week to be able to build a new barn and rescue more chickens (and eventually other small farm animals). The construction of this barn will truly mark the next step in our evolution as an organization working to rescue at-risk animals and end animal exploitation.

We couldn’t have done it without help from dozens of people. It was truly awe-inspiring to see folks from Chicago, NYC, Portland, and as far away as Holland come together to help out a grassroots sanctuary in rural Indiana. We couldn’t have done it without all of the people who donated and helped spread the word. It really was a grassroots effort.

We heard today that the money is being transferred to our account, so we plan to get started really soon. We will keep you up-to-date on work days and progress through this blog, Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, and our newsletter. (Have you signed up for our free email newsletter?)

We are really excited about this next step. Are you?

As if that wasn’t enough good news, here is some more from the past couple of weeks:

Charges were dropped against the AETA 4! As animal liberationists, we are really excited about this. Now we can go back to chalking sidewalks without being charged with terrorism (we hope).
BP and the Coast Guard reached an agreement to stop burning sea turtles trapped in the oil spill. BP still needs to do much, much more, so don’t think this is letting them off the hook.
Zimbabwe stopped the sale of elephants and other wildlife to North Korea.
Obama administration argued against commercial whaling at IWC. This one truly is a victory of the masses. LOTS of people fought to make this happen. Keep taking action… it works.

I’m sure there is more good news. Feel free to share in the comments.

HB 1258 passes through committee 11-0

eChris — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 14:34:43 +0000

2/8/10 Update: HB 1258 passed through the Indiana House of Representatives and is now heading to the Senate

This past week, the animal bill, HB 1258, passed out of committee with a strong bi-partisan vote of 11-0.

There were some minor changes to the bill while it was in committee, but it still addresses pet store posting/disclosure, dog fighting, and shelter for horses that is free of standing water. The latter was added as an amendment. You can read the full language of the bill here.

Next, the bill will have to pass through the full Indiana House of Representatives before going to the Senate. We will post on our blog to let you know when we will need to start making phone calls to legislators again.

For now, take a quick minute to call the members of the House Courts and Criminal Code Committee and thank them for voting in favor of HB 1258. Your call doesn’t need to be long to make a big impact. Here is a template for what to say:

“Hello, my name is_______________. I am calling to thank Rep___________ for voting in favor of HB 1258, a bill to protect Indiana’s animals. I hope that Rep___________ will continue to support this bill as it moves through the process. Thank you again.”

Names and phone numbers of committee members to call:
Chair – Rep Pierce – 317-232-9647
Rep Dvorak – 317-234-9290
Rep Dembowski – 317-232-9676
Rep Porter – 317-232-9634
Rep Smith – 317-234-9016
Rep Tincher – 317-232-9999
Rep Koch – 317-232-9793
Rep Clements – 317-234-3827
Rep Foley – 317-232-9815
Rep Steuerwald – 317-232-9677
Rep Truitt – 317-234-3827

How to Help Flood Victims

eChris — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 18:34:13 +0000

The floods in southern Indiana have been devastating. Our field was under six feet of water. All of us at Deep Roots were well above the flood waters, but not all others were as lucky. Animals throughout the region are in need of your help. In some cases, companion animals were stranded. In others, emergency shelters set up for humans refused access to families who refused to leave their non-human companions. One shelter in Morgan County was completely engulfed with water and over 200 animals had to be evacuated by boat. Things are getting back to normal, but many still need your help.

Here is a message from the Monroe County Humane Association:

The MCHA has received many phone calls and e-mails regarding what is being done and can be done to help our neighboring communities, their shelters and animals that may be stranded by flood waters.

Over the past 48 hours the animal welfare community in southern Indiana has been working quickly to combine resources and work as efficiently as possible alongside The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) to asses the situation at hand and develop an action plan.

HSUS has stepped in to help create a temporary animal shelter in Morgan County that has seen some of the worst damage due to flooding. HSUS will also assist with rescue operations as needed.

With rains overnight the situation may worsen and force more individuals and their pets from their homes.

You, as MCHA supporters have reliably risen to the challenge when called upon and today I ask two very important things of each and every one of you.

First, please donate dry cat food, non-clumping cat litter and bottled water for the temporary animal shelter in Morgan County. The MCHA will be collecting the donations and taking them to the shelter.

Donations can be dropped off at the MCHA/City of Bloomington Animal Shelter at 3410 S. Walnut Street during business hours: M/W/Th/Sa 12 – 5p.m. and T/Fr 12 – 7 p.m.

Secondly, as the last few days have shown us all, we are not immune to disasters in our area. Take the time to educate yourself and prepare your pets in the event of an emergency. Proper planning ahead could make all the difference for the safety of your pet.

Visit the MCHA Flood Disaster Page to find out what to do if you are affected by the floods, know of animals that need to be rescued and other pertinent information.

We will update this page on a regular basis over the course of the flood disaster as needs arise.

I personally thank you in advance for joining all of us in helping protect and come to the rescue of the animals that need us. Our compassion knows no geographical boundaries.

Sincerely,

Sarah Hayes, CEO
Monroe County Humane Association

~~If you are interested in volunteering at the temporary animal shelter in Morgan County, please contact me at chris (at) deeprootssanctuary.org or 812-929-9647.~~

UPDATE: Conditions have stabilized, so the temporary shelter is not being set up. However, Morgan County Humane Society can still use your financial and volunteer help. You can reach them at 765-349-9177.

EPA, NIH to Reduce Animal Testing

eChris — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 18:09:13 +0000

For years, animal rights activists have argued that testing on animals provides skewed data at the cost of millions of lives. Well it seems that the National Institute of Health and the Environmental Protection Agency have finally came to the same conclusion.

“There are differences between species. We are not rats and we are not even other primates, and so that [the] desire here is to see if we could do better,” said Francis Collins, director of the NIH National Human Genome Research Institute. “Ultimately what you are looking for is [whether] this compound does damage to cells.”

Federal scientists have decided to collaborate on a new toxicology testing program that uses stem cell research and computer modeling rather than animal testing. The collaboration is the result of an agreement among the National Toxicology Program at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Chemical Genomics Center under the National Human Genome Research Institute, and EPA National Center for Computational Toxicology.

The agencies teamed up in a five-year agreement to implement the recommendations of the 2007 report from the National Research Council, “Toxicity Testing in the 21st Century: A Vision and a Strategy.” The agencies are confident that the new testing methods will provide more accurate results at a greater speed and with lower costs.

“What is being proposed here is to move the 20th century paradigm of testing of one compound at a time in many animals to going to the 21st Century paradigm [that] tests 5,000 to 10,000 compounds against 20,000 conditions in cells that are very specific to human toxicology,” said NIH Director Elias Zerhouni.

In 30 years of animal testing, NIH has tested 2,500 chemicals. With the use of the new technology, it is estimated that same amount could be done in a single afternoon.

While the shift away from animal testing could take several years, say NIH officials, it is a huge victory for animal rights and public health activists.

Deep Roots on WFHB

eChris — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 13:30:30 +0000

I never got a chance to mention that we were interviewed on WFHB a couple weeks ago. I’ve included our interview below. For the full show, visit the WFHB News site. Its always weird to hear yourself speak, especially when your words have been cut down from an hour to 17 minutes, but its a decent interview. Gets to the basics of what we are about and where we are coming from.

[audio:ecoreport.mp3]

Deep Roots Animal Sanctuary Newsletter Launched!

eChris — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 18:36:05 +0000

After several hours of writing, editing, layout and coding, our newsletter is now officially launched. Our print version is only available at our tabling events (and to prisoners), but you can easily subscribe for free and receive our newsletter directly in your email each month! You can subscribe by visiting our newsletter page. There you will also find the full web version of the March 2008 newsletter.

Yay! If you are interested in writing an article for the newsletter (or a letter to the editor), go ahead and send it to me at chris(at)deeprootssanctuary.org.

In other news, I apologize for the lack of posting here on the blog. There was a lot going on (within the sanctuary and personally), but things are getting back to a nice equilibrium so I should be back to regular posting.

Hayden Panettiere takes action to protect dolphins

eChris — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 14:36:25 +0000

Its not often that I am compelled to write about celebrities speaking out against certain atrocities, but Hayden Panettiere, star of the NBC series Heroes, has proven that she is willing to do more than just speak out.

Along with five friends, the 18-year-old actress from Australia paddled out on a surfboard to stop a pod of dolphins from being trapped and killed in a cull in Japan. Panettiere and friends were confronted by anglers who used their boat’s propeller and a boathook to force the surfers back to the shore.

From Sky News:

Panettiere, who is a keen surfer and a committed marine conservationist and supporter of the campaign to save the Japan dolphins, said: “It was really frightening.

“Some of us were hit by the boathook. But in the end all we really worried about was the dolphins.

“It was so incredibly sad. We were so close to them and they were sky hopping, jumping out of the water to see us.”

The six friends immediately drove to the airport and returned to Australia to avoid arrest by Japanese authorities. It is believe that the dolphins were taken into the cove and killed.

Click here to see a video of this story along with some background info on the dolphin slaughter.

More than 22,000 dolphins are killed in Japan each year. While this number pales in comparison to the number of other animals that are killed throughout the year for food, there is a nearly global consensus that dolphins should be protected. So now is the time to act on that consensus.

How You Can Help
Stop eating fish: Many of the dolphins are rounded up and killed as a form of pest control. They are seen as competition for the sea’s depleting fish population.

Boycott the captive dolphin industry: This includes zoos, aquariums, and the military. You can also send a letter. From Save Taiji Dolphins:

The tragic secret behind the slaughter is that the US and International dolphin captivity industry is fueling the massacre. They are organizing and funding the hunts in order to buy “show-quality” dolphins from the Japanese fishermen to use in dolphin shows, “Swim-with-the-Dolphins” programs and aquariums.

Donate to Save Taiji Dolphins: Help keep there team on the ground in Japan.

Animal Rights News 8/13/07

eChris — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 22:20:38 +0000

Bringing Moos and Oinks Into the Food Debate [NY Times]
As Farm Sanctuary has grown, so too has its influence. Soon, due in part to the organization’s work, veal calves and pregnant pigs in Arizona won’t be kept in cages so tight they can’t turn around. Eggs from cage-free hens have become so popular that there is a national shortage. A law in Chicago bans the sale of foie gras. (video)

The Feds’ War on the Animal Rights Movement [counterpunch]
The imprisonment of the group, known as SHAC 7, is nothing more than history repeating itself. Those who first called for an end to slavery were imprisoned. Those who believed women should vote went to jail. Civil rights activists, supporters of gay and lesbian rights, and now animal rights activists have all been jailed. The only thing sadder than the imprisonment of animal rights activists is that they are fighting for a losing cause; for we now live in a society that slaps the wrist of a person who harms the neighbor’s dog yet subsidizes the systematic annual killing of billions of other animals for food, clothing, research and sport.

Urgent Action Needed for Kangaroos in California [Animal Protection Institute]
SB 880, a bill that would allow the sale of kangaroo skins and body parts in the state of California, is sailing through the legislative process. Sadly, it has now passed the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee and moves to the Assembly for a floor vote.

Beyond Vick: Animal Cruelty for Sport [NPR]
And Vick’s infamy has at least put the spotlight on the loathsome business of dog-fighting. Who knew that the Humane Society estimates that there are as many as 40,000 Americans who fight dogs? And there are, too, other animal torture amusements in this country that, lacking a celebrity to spotlight them, actually remain legal in many states.(audio)

Cities Across North America Walk to Save Farm Animals [PR Newswire]
Throughout September and October, compassionate citizens join Farm Sanctuary, the nation’s leading farm animal protection organization, in the annual Walk for Farm Animals.

Tiger, Tiger: Why it’s time to reconsider the whole notion of putting wild animals in zoos [Newsweek]
The tigers I saw spent all day pacing in their cages, and it was clear that they were not happy cats. The attack on Jeff Tierney ought to remind us that these are wild animals that we foolishly expect to behave like house pets so that we can ogle them.

Lawmaker-Veterinarian Wants Pets Protected [WLWT-NBC]
A veterinarian who also serves as a legislator is pushing for changes in the state’s animal protection laws to keep pets out of the hands of neglectful owners.

Decision on managing the bear population due[NorthJersey.com]
After Wednesday’s deadline for comment, state Environmental Commissioner Lisa P. Jackson will then have to a render a decision on the best way deal with the state’s estimated 3,000 bears.

Animal Rights News 8/3/07

eChris — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 19:53:23 +0000

Go vegetarian to save money [MSN]
Staples such as rice, corn and beans can make trips to a grocery store less expensive. But the biggest savings may come in health-care costs years later.

One city’s fight over biomed plans [Christian Science Monitor]
When Covance, a multinational drug-testing company, elected to build a $44 million laboratory here – where it will test chemical and medical compounds on animals – residents, as well as national and international animal rights groups, mounted a vigorous campaign to block it.
To learn more about Covance, go to http://www.protectchandler.org/

Vick Loses Another Sponsor _ Rawlings [ABC News]
Michael Vick lost another sponsor Rawlings. The sports goods company said Tuesday it was ending its relationship with the Atlanta Flacons quarterback because of dogfighting conspiracy charges.

Nike suspends Vick’s endorsement deal [The Oregonian]
A week after seemingly standing by accused dogfighter Michael Vick, Nike said Friday it is suspending without pay its multimillion-dollar endorsement contract with the embattled NFL quarterback.

Is a Vegetarian Diet Healthier? [MSN]
Evidence has been building for two decades that people who eat a mostly vegetarian diet have the upper hand. But even scientific studies may not be enough to convince meat eaters to give up their lust for flesh in exchange for a longer, more disease-free life.

Your Veggie Burger Deconstructed [MSN]
We explain the purpose of some mysterious ingredients commonly spotted on the labels of meat-free burgers.

Poaching, Encroachment Threaten India’s Leopards [ENN]
India’s leopards are under threat, with increasing numbers of the wild cats being poached for their body parts and villagers killing them for straying into human settlements, experts said.

Canada Fights Belgian Ban on Seal Trade at WTO [ENN]
Canada will request consultations at the World Trade Organization to challenge Belgium’s ban of Canadian seal products.

Paul Sentenced to 4 Years… and a Book Report [Green Is The New Red.com]
A federal judge sentenced Jonathan Paul to four years and three months in prison for his role in a 1997 fire that destroyed the Cavel West horsemeat packing plant in Redmond, Ore.

‘Vegansexuals’ Do It With Each Other [ABC]
A recent study conducted in New Zealand found that vegans — notoriously finicky eaters who don’t eat meat or animal byproducts, like eggs and dairy — don’t like the idea of swapping spit (or anything else) with those who have been dining on flesh.

I-Team Report: Poultry Farm Abuse [Fox 8 News, Cleveland]
The Fox 8 News I-Team has obtained hidden camera video shot inside one of the nation’s largest poultry slaughterhouses. (link contains graphic video footage)

Dumping pets a burden on national forests [The Huntsville Item]
Each year, unwanted cats and dogs dumped on national forest lands kill and harass native birds, small mammals, amphibians and reptiles.

Activists ask feds to confiscate Maggie [KTUU]
In a letter sent to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, In Defense of Animals claims the Alaska Zoo is in violation of the Animal Welfare Act.

Costa Rica monkeys lose ground to developers [MSN]
Costa Rica has lost up to half of its monkeys over the last 12 years as developers expanding into their jungle habitat isolate them in small communities, according to local scientists.

Victory for animal rights group against testing [The Independent]
An anti-vivisection campaign group won a partial victory yesterday in its High Court claim that the Government was failing in its legal duty to ensure animal suffering was kept to a minimum in UK laboratories.

Animal Rights News 7/23/07

eChris — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 18:29:43 +0000

Calf roping: Animal abuse or all-American sport? [Santa Cruz Sentinel]
“While the humans in rodeos have a choice as to whether they are willing to place themselves in danger, the animals don’t have a choice”

Animal rights group at odds with circus, village [Chicago Heights Star]
A national animal rights group is calling on Steger lawmakers to ban devices they say are used to inflict pain on elephants in time for this week’s performance by Carson & Barnes Circus.

Cockfighting on Web Enters Legal Arena [Washington Post]
One evening last week, two roosters in a ring surrounded by cheering spectators pecked and clawed one another in a fight to the death. With each lunge, feathers flew, then floated to the ground. Finally, one bloodied bird, its eyes plucked out, lurched and faltered.

New Texas Animal Cruelty Laws Take Effect In September [KFOX-TV]
Beginning this September, you can expect some new laws when it comes to your four-legged friends.

Zoos kill healthy tigers for the skin trade [The Sunday Times, UK]
Zoos are killing healthy tigers and other endangered species and selling their skins to be stuffed and mounted as trophies for private collectors, an investigation has found.

Gene-spliced mice fuel rise in animal testing [Reuters, UK]
The number of scientific experiments on animals in Britain rose 4 percent in 2006, driven by increased use of genetically-altered mice, the government said on Monday.

Texas Turtles Ending up in China Soup Pots [ENN]
Growing up in East Texas, Dian Avriett loved to watch the turtles sunning on the banks of local rivers and lakes. But now she says it’s rare to see them on those same waterways, and the reason is clear — China’s taste for Texas turtle meat.

Stray Pets: A Complex Problem [NPR]
Several million dogs and cats are put to death in U.S. animal shelters each year. Spay and neuter programs are having some impact in some areas, but solving the overpopulation problem tests the resources of activists and animal-control officials. Audio

Calling Cruelty a ‘Cultural Trait’ Doesn’t Excuse It [NPR]
Allegations that NFL star Michael Vick took an active role in an illegal dogfighting ring, coupled with video of severe treatment of ducks and geese in the foie gras industry, lead to a conclusion: It’s hard to excuse cruelty by calling it a cultural trait. Audio

The steer who escaped into our conscience [Newsday]
“Moo,” as he came to be nicknamed, represented the fiery spirit of independence even domesticated animals still harbor. He broke free in a bid for liberation, impressed the public and was rewarded with sanctuary in the end.