News About Animals - August 19, 2011

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August 19, 2011   Help New York City Carriage Horses Horse-drawn carriages in New York City pose many safety issues for both people and horses. Carriages often get in the way of emergency vehicles. Horses exposed to vehicular traffic are bombarded with toxic exhaust fumes. There have been many accidents, some resulting in human injury or death of the horses. NYC law allows horses to work 9 hours a day, 7 days a week, and allows their stalls to be as small as 60 sq. ft. This is less than half what experts recommend. It is impossible for the horses to lie down comfortably in such small stalls. Adequate water is also a serious problem. In winter only one water trough operates in Central Park and there are no water troughs in Times Square where they work at night until 3:00 a.m. For their entire life in this industry, NYC carriage horses are prevented from moving naturally or interacting with others of their species. They lead lives of utter desolation and misery. But now there is a New York State bill that will help these horses. If you live in New York, please click here to send a message to your State Senator and Assembly Member. If you do not live in New York, you can send a letter to New York officials by clicking here. Breaking News! USDA Files Charges Against Cole Brothers Circus, For Elephants Tina And Jewel The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has filed formal charges against the Cole Brothers Circus for multiple violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA), including those involving the elephants Tina and Jewel. As a result of IDA’s work on behalf of these elephants, the circus should now be held responsible for the horrendous conditions under which Tina and Jewel were held. Thanks to you, the USDA received thousands of emails, letters, faxes and phone calls urging them to take action against this circus. Your calls led to this USDA action. Remember this next time you wonder if your calls and letters do any good. Click here to read more details about these elephants and the USDA charges. Philadelphia Fundraiser For IDA's Elephant Protection Fund In July an art store owner in Philadelphia was charged with smuggling a staggering one ton of banned African elephant ivory into the U.S. The ivory came from west and central Africa, where poaching is a major threat to the elephant population, and was carved and stained to look antique to bypass international law. There’s no way to know how many elephants were killed for these tusks, but U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service officials estimated the number to be in the dozens. Karen Riggs, owner of a nearby antique store called Tribal Home, was shocked to hear of the bust, and decided to do something positive for the elephants and for her community. She contacted IDA and the result is a special August sale starting this weekend, with a portion of the profits dedicated to our Elephant Protection Fund and anti-poaching efforts in Africa. If you live near Philadelphia, stop by the store Saturday August 20 for the sale’s official kick-off and shop for a good cause. At 2 p.m. you can hear a special presentation by noted elephant advocate Marianne Bessey. Tribal Home is located at 56 N. 3rd Street in Philadelphia; 215-592-4215. If you can’t make this event you can still contribute to IDA’s Elephant Protection Fund and help elephants worldwide by clicking here. IDA Statement On 9th Circuit Court Of Appeals Dismissal Of Twin Peaks Wild Horse Appeal IDA is disappointed in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals' majority ruling on the Twin Peaks wild horse lawsuit appeal, but we strongly agree with Judge Johnnie Rawlinson's sensible and stirring dissent. This case is far from over. The Appeals Court did find that our case raised serious legal questions regarding claims made under the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act as well as the National Environmental Policy Act, and we and the other Twin Peaks plaintiffs look forward to having those claims adjudicated – on the merits – before Judge Morrison England, who last April refused to dismiss our lawsuit on legal technicalities, including the mootness argument upon which the Appeals Court majority relied. Read more from the Sacramento Bee. Go Vegan With Ellen! IDA thanks Ellen DeGeneres for launching a new educational website called Going Vegan with Ellen. The comedian and talk show host has turned her love for animals and a healthy lifestyle into a website that shares recipes, tips on getting started, and glimpses of other vegan celebrities including her wife, actress Portia de Rossi, Joaquin Phoenix, Toby Maguire, Lea Michele, and Emily Deschanel, IDA’s spokesperson for World Go Vegan Week last year. Click here to read more on our blog and post your own thoughts.   IDA women's fitted t-shirt, ultra-fine organic cotton, more colors available!   Back in stock, our popular "Eat/Love/Save" shirt, says "Go Vegan" on back. Mens and Ladies sizes.     Click here to view lots of IDA merchandise including this stylish travel mug.       Support IDA with custom greeting cards from CardsDirect!      This message was sent to sweetygirl2002@uol.com.br In Defense of Animals, located in San Rafael, Calif., is an international animal protection organization with more than 100,000 members and supporters dedicated to ending the abuse and exploitation of animals by protecting their rights and welfare. IDA's efforts include educational events, cruelty investigations, boycotts, grassroots activism, and hands-on rescue through our sanctuaries in Mississippi, Mumbai, India, and Cameroon, Africa. In Defense of Animals is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization. We welcome your feedback and appreciate your donations. Please join today! All donations to IDA are tax-deductible. In Defense of Animals 3010 Kerner, San Rafael, CA 94901 Tel. (415) 448-0048 Fax (415) 454-1031 idainfo@idausa.org To unsubscribe, please click here.

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