Action Line Spring 2019

SPRING 2019

FOA MAKES NOISE ABOUT THE SILENT EXTINCTION OF GIRAFFES PUTTING YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD—VEGAN SHOES ABOUND MOVING BEYOND PESTICIDES

8 COVER STORY FoA makes noise about the silent extinction of giraffes

4 VICTORY LAP Latest news about FoA's advocacy and achievements 6 NEWS Taxpayers can contribute to

wildlife conservation through checkoff programs 14 FOA ON THE ROAD FoA calls on NY to ban importation of Africa's Big 5 Trophies 16 LEGAL MATTERS FoA steps up to save beloved songbird 18 EARTH MATTERS

Moving beyond pesticides 21 GUEST COLUMN When it comes to a wildlife-friendly yard, it's time to lose control 22 VEG NEWS Putting your best foot forward—vegan shoes abound 24 IN YOUR BACKYARD Stop the bat shaming

WHO WE ARE Friends of Animals is an international non-profit animal-advocacy organization, incorporated in the state of New York in 1957. FoA works to cultivate a respectful view of nonhuman animals, free-living and domestic. Our goal is to free animals from cruelty and institutionalized exploitation around the world.

Friends of Animals is proud to be a woman-founded and -led organization for more than 60 years.

CONTACT US NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS 777 Post Road Darien, Connecticut 06820 (203) 656-1522 contact@friendsofanimals.org WESTERN OFFICE 7500 E. Arapahoe Rd., Ste 385 Centennial, CO 80112 (720) 949-7791 PRIMARILY PRIMATES SANCTUARY P.O. Box 207 San Antonio, TX 7891-02907 (830) 755-4616 office@primarilyprimates.org

32 PET CORNER

The best way to solve pet homelessness is spaying/neutering and TNR 36 LETTERS 37 CHEERS & JEERS

COVER PHOTOGRAPH BY PAWEL CZERWINSKI

PRESIDENT Priscilla Feral [CT] www.twitter.com/pferal www.twitter.com/primate_refuge feral@friendsofanimals.org DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Robert Orabona [CT] admin@friendsofanimals.org DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Dustin Rhodes [NC] dustin@friendsofanimals.org COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR Fran Silverman [CT] fsilverman@friendsofanimals.org CORRESPONDENT/EDITOR Nicole Rivard [CT] nrivard@friendsofanimals.org SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Meghan McIntire [NC] www.twitter.com/FoAorg mmcintire@friendsofanimals.org DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION Donna Berlanda [CT] dberlanda@friendsofanimals.org ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT Donna Thigpen [CT] SECRETARY TO THE PRESIDENT Shelly Scott [CT]

VISIT US www.friendsofanimals.org www.primarilyprimates.org

SPAY/NEUTER PROJECT Paula Jensen [CT] spayprogram@friendsofanimals.org

FOLLOW US facebook.com /friendsofanimals.org /primarilyprimates.org

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Twitter @FoAorg Instagram/foaorg

28 PEOPLE WHO INSPIRE

Nutrition professor helps plant-curious go vegan

OUR TEAM

MEMBERSHIP Annual membership includes a year’s subscription to Action Line. Students/Senior membership, $15; Annual membership, $25; International member, $35; Sustaining membership, $50; Sponsor, $100; Patron, $1,000. All contributions, bequests and gifts are fully tax-deductible in accordance with current laws.

REPRODUCTION No prior permission for the reproduction of materials from Action Line is required provided the content is not altered and due credit is given as follows: “Reprinted from Action Line, the Friends of Animals’ magazine, 777 Post Road, Darien, CT 06820.”

Action Line is a quarterly publication. Issue CLXXIX Spring 2019 ISSN 1072-2068

DIRECTOR, WILDLIFE LAW PROGRAM Michael Harris [CO] michaelharris@friendsofanimals.org ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Jennifer Best [CO] jennifer@friendsofanimals.org ATTORNEYS Rachel Nussbaum[CO] rachel@friendsofanimals.org Andreia Marcuccio [CO] andreia@friendsofanimals.org Courtney McVean [CO] courtney.mcvean@friendsofanimals.org ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Megan Maxheimer [CO] wlp_admin@friendsofanimals.org PRIMARILY PRIMATES, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Brooke Chavez [TX] brooke@primarilyprimates.org CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jane Seymour [NY] jane@friendsofanimals.org Printed on Recycled Paper

BY PRISCILLA FERAL, PRESIDENT

IN MY VIEW PROTECT WILD, PLUNDER NOT

T

he issue of commercially assaulting the wildest place left in America is anathema to anyone with an ounce of respect for unspoiled wilderness.

During an aerial survey almost two decades ago, Friends of Animals viewed the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge—observing its uniqueness—a roadless world-class refuge undisturbed by human exploitation.

We also stayed around Prudhoe Bay, a huge industrial complex and nearby drilling site that averages 500 spills a year. Along with other environmentalists, we joined the fight to protect the refuge. We viewed it as the beginning of an important struggle to prevent the magnificent public lands of the Arctic ecosystem from becoming another industrial park and to protect wildlife from oil exploration and development.

Although arguments about opening the Arctic Refuge to oil exploration have popped up for 40 years, the destruction of the refuge is being fast-tracked by the Trump administration, which denies that the combustion of fossil fuels causes climate change, all the while moving recklessly to drill in all fragile pristine regions.

We believe that the Arctic Refuge should remain a symbol of America’s purity. Moreover, informed people recognize that the 19.6 million-acre Arctic Refuge is a national treasure. Its abundant wildlife is worth protecting from oil and gas companies for oil we don’t need.

The fate of its 1.5-million-acre coastal plain, often called the refuge’s biological heart, has been up to Congress.

Alaska’s politicians have fought against preserving the Arctic Refuge because its oil puts money in their pockets.

Alaskans pay no state taxes on income, and with an economy largely based on oil, each resident receives an annual permanent fund payout from oil revenues.

The 2017 permanent fund dividend was $1,100, as opposed to $2,072 per person in 2015 with oil prices high. In 2017, in a move to garner support for the Republican tax measure from Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, a deal was crafted to open the coastal plain to oil and gas exploration, designating the Bureau of Land Management as lead agency on the project despite the Fish & Wildlife Service’s management of the refuge.

With the ongoing cognizant dissonance on the impact of fossil fuels on global warming while glaciers melt, you can’t trust Alaska’s members of Congress to do what’s right for the refuge. Alaska is already the top recipient of federal aid per capita and drilling only benefits Alaska’s oil interest. Proponents of drilling say opening the coastal plain to oil and gas leasing could raise $1.8 billion, but the Center for American Progress puts that figure at far less, under $40 million.

While BLM announced it would not allow any new seismic testing to be conducted this winter, it can proceed to sell oil and gas leases in the region. Three companies, including SAExploration, have filed applications to conduct seismic surveys across the coastal plain region this winter and next. Seismic exploration produces convoys of 30-ton industrial trucks and equipment to crisscross every square inch of the area, harming the tundra and posting a threat to the remaining 900 denning polar bears.

RAYS OF HOPE IN 2019 An early 2019 fight is on in the newly assembled U.S. House of Representatives, with Democratic Rep. Raul Grijalva of Arizona chairing the House Natural Resources Committee to avert a disaster by slowing down seismic exploration. Grijalva said that a bill to close the Arctic Refuge to oil drilling will top his list. “This is something that you have to turn back,” Grijalva said. “You can’t negotiate a way out of this. You have to defeat it.”

Also, Democratic Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts is leading an Arctic Refuge repeal bill effort in the Senate.

The Senate legislation would be a companion to Rep. Jared Huffman of California’s measure, the Arctic Cultural Coastal Plain Protection Act—a bill to restore protections for the Arctic Refuge and safeguard its home for polar bears, caribou, grizzlies, moose, wolves, wolverines, muskoxen, tundra swans, loons, snow geese and at least 130 species of migratory birds.

It’s a top priority for Friends of Animals, and we’ll keep you posted on this challenge.

Spring 2019 | 3

VICTORY LAP

BY NICOLE RIVARD AND FRAN SILVERMAN

FOA FIGHTS TRUMP ADMIN'S ASSAULT ON GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY In its efforts to protect wildlife, Friends of Animals (FoA) relies on the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to pursue records on government actions relating to animals. It is a key component of both our legal efforts and our investigative journalism in Action Line. But the federal government is finding every which way to slam the door on transparency.

A leaked memo advising the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to withhold or delay the release of records requested under FOIA that wildlife advocates say was from the Trump administration’s Justice Department is evidence of the federal government’s efforts to keep valuable information from the public and advocacy groups pursuing wildlife protections. The memo directed staff to withhold or delay releasing public records regarding how the government is overseeing the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

The Trump administration has launched a full-blown assault on the ESA with proposed policy changes that would require species-specific rules for every animal population, thus delaying timely protections and draining resources. Republicans in Congress have also introduced legislation that would gut the act.

An Associated Press (AP) analysis also found that the Trump government censored, withheld or said it couldn’t

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find records more often in 2017 than port lion trophies from Africa who at any point in the past decade. FOIA had donated to Republicans, Trump requesters received censored files or or who had ties to Safari Club Internothing at all in more than 75 percent national.

In addition, FoA filed comments of the 823,000 requests, AP found.

In addition, the Washington Post opposing a change on issues ranging discovered a Bureau of Land Manage- from BLM’s treatment of wild horses ment report that suggested the agen- to the number of African wildlife trocy limit the number of FOIA requests phies being imported into U.S. ports.

FoA is also fighting a proposed Defrom any one group and require more stringent justification for fee waivers. partment of Interior FOIA rule change In June, aides to Environmental that would drastically undermine Protection Agency former head Scott agency transparency. The rule changPruitt told congressional investiga- es stretch beyond what any other tors the agency delayed disclosure of federal agency has ever adopted or documents requested under FOIA by proposed and is a direct effort to circhoosing instead to respond to old- cumvent the act.

The proposed changes would er requests that came in under the end the practice of forwarding FOI Obama administration.

But FoA has continued to fight requests to the appropriate departhard to pursue FOIA efforts to obtain ments or agencies, require requesters data on a plethora of wildlife issues to identify exact documents and reranging from who obtained permits cords, allow the DOI to deny requests from FWS to import African lion and it found “unreasonably burdensome” elephant trophies to data regarding and more easily deny fee waivers.

FOIA was signed into law in 1966 the import of pangolins to the U.S. FoA’s Wildlife Law Program filed by President Lyndon B. Johnson and a lawsuit after FWS failed to release is essential to journalism, democracy information on how many permits it and transparency. As the Washington issued in the past year and whether it Post noted, democracy dies in darkmade necessary findings to authorize ness, and FoA knows wildlife does too. the import of elephant body parts as We will continue to pursue litigation trophies. The population of African when the government fails to turn elephants, who are listed as threat- over public information. ened under ESA, has plummeted by 30 percent in seven years, with just 350,000 left in the world where once there were millions.

Another lawsuit by FoA regarding an FOIA request yielded data on U.S. hunters who received permits to im-

THE LATEST NEWS ABOUT FOA’S ADVOCACY AND ACHIEVEMENTS

“With the popularity of fur-wearing and designing in steep decline, it’s time to outlaw sadistic, archaic leghold and body-gripping traps in Connecticut that steal the skins of animals whose lives shouldn’t be reduced to a trashy fashion whim.”

-PRISCILLA FERAL

FOA CALLS ON CT, NJ TO BAN LEGHOLD AND BODY-GRIPPING TRAPS New Canaan, Connecticut, is just one example of a town in Friend's of Animals' home state that has blood on its hands because of the use of merciless, blind leghold traps that kill targeted and non-targeted animals—from foxes, skunks and coyotes to raccoons, cats and dogs—in the cruelest way .

In 2017, the animal control officer there reported that in less than two years of full-time duty in New Canaan, she encountered more unnecessary trapping abuse than she had in 12 years working in Greenwich.

It is that type of scenario that prompted FoA to draft legislation that would make it unlawful in the state of Connecticut for any person to trap— for the purposes of recreation or commerce—any fur-bearing mammal with any trap, including, but not limited to, steel-jawed leghold traps, padded-jaw leghold traps, conibear traps, body-gripping traps, snares, cage and box traps, nets, suitcase-type live beaver traps, and common rat and mouse

traps. The bill was introduced by state Rep. Brenda Kupchick, state Rep. Fred Camillo, state Rep. David Michel and Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff.

The same measure has been submitted to legislators in New Jersey by Susan Russell, wildlife policy specialist for the N.J. League of Humane Voters.

“With the popularity of fur-wearing and designing in steep decline, it’s time to outlaw sadistic, archaic leghold and body-gripping traps in Connecticut that steal the skins of animals whose lives shouldn’t be reduced to a trashy fashion whim,” said Priscilla Feral, president of Friends of Animals.

“These traps are still in unfettered use today in Connecticut because no one has the guts to take on a measly 500 trappers and the fur trade. We do.”

Peter Reid, associate director of Wildlife in Crisis, a Weston, Connecticut-based wildlife rehabilitation organization, has witnessed firsthand a lot of protected birds of prey being trapped because the devices are baited with meat.

It will still be lawful for any person, including an employee of the federal, state, county or municipal government, to use or authorize the

use of any cage and box traps, nets, suitcase-type live beaver traps and common rat and mouse traps for the purposes of catching and relocating any mammal.

“CT and New Jersey will be the first states with a complete ban on steel-jawed, leghold and body-gripping traps without weak exemptions that appear in a string of other states.

These will be the best laws in the country,” Feral said.

Above: From the FoA photo archive, a demonstration of the death grip of a leghold trap.

Spring 2019 | 5

NEWS

TAXING ISSUE:

CHECK OFF FOR WILDLIFE

BY FRAN SILVERMAN

I

t’s tax time and while that isn’t the most pleasant deadline to have to meet, there is a way to take a stand for wildlife that can ease the pain of April 15 and protect endangered species.

Dozens of states have a checkoff program that allow taxpayers to donate a portion of either their tax return or their state tax bill to funds that promote wildlife and conservation. And when we say conservation, we mean real conservation efforts, not hunting activities that promote the false notion of conservation.

Colorado was the first state to establish a tax program that became known as the “chickadee checkoff,” introducing it on state tax returns in 1977. Now more than 30 states offer wildlife checkoffs raising more than $7 million: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North

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Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, and Wisconsin. (California also has a checkoff fund for sea otters as well.)

But now, wildlife checkoff boxes are competing with a plethora of other causes on state tax returns. At least 40 states have a wide variety of programs that residents can donate to ranging from breast cancer to veteran’s programs. The National Conference of State Legislatures reported that the tax checkoff programs have doubled from 220 in 2003 to 413 in 2016.

In Colorado, the fund is still widely popular, with residents choosing it as the number one fund to donate to over 20 other options on their returns. Last year, Coloradans contributed more than $180,000 to the wildlife preservation efforts through the fund.

Donations support conservation efforts for black-tailed, white-tailed and Gunnison prairie dogs, bats, boreal toads, Gunnison sage-grouse, black-footed ferrets and Arkansas darters.

The fund also supports ongoing work that includes conservation and assessment of the white-tailed ptarmi-

gan as well as surveillance monitoring of Colorado’s bat and Canada lynx populations.

Minnesota and Nebraska only offer a checkoff program for wildlife.

In 2016, more than 52,000 Minnesota residents, representing 1.4 percent of all filers, contributed to the checkoff program, raising more than $900,000. Since 1998, taxpayers in Minnesota averaged about $1 million a year in donations.

The fund in Minnesota has been credited with helping to restore its trumpeter swan population, which had been declared extirpated in the 1980s. Donations helped wildlife officials acquire trumpeter swan eggs from wildlife refuges in other states, rear them and release them back into the wild. The trumpeter swan population in Minnesota is now near 17,000.

In Nebraska, donations have been used to protect river otters, monarch butterflies, swift fox, peregrine falcons and bald eagles.

In Maine revenues from the wildlife income tax checkoff program have been used to protect piping plovers

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MOST POPULAR CHECKOFF PROGRAMS (# OF STATES AND D.C.) 22

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NONGAME WILDLIFE PRESERVATION

8 CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION

and bald eagles, whose population grew from 29 pairs to more than 600.

But donations have dropped from $115,794 in 1984 to $33,751 in 2009, a 71 percent decrease.

In Friends of Animals' home state of Connecticut residents have donated more than $1.3 million to the wildlife income tax checkoff fund since it was first established in 1993. More than 11,000 residents donated to the fund that first year, raising $69,751 and by 1997, the fund reached a high of $89,402 with 13,431 residents contributing. But donations have steadily decreased as other checkoff programs were established in the state. In 2017, residents contributed $45,484, while program expenses reached $64,382.

The tax checkoff revenue in Connecticut has been used to fund the monitoring of ospreys, installation of monofilament fishing line recycling receptacles to mitigate the dangerous effects of fishing debris on

CANCER RESEARCH

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VETERAN’S PROGRAMS MILITARY RELIEF

POLITICAL PARTY/CLEAN ELECTION CONTRIBUTIONS

wildlife, birds and aquatic life as well as the monitoring and protection of bald eagles and rattlesnake dens to prevent disturbance and illegal collection of the species. Additionally, the funds have been used to study heavy metal contamination of snapping turtles and preservation of chimney swift roosts.

While state environment and natural resources agencies continue to cater to the decreasing number of hunters from which they earn dwindling revenue from licenses and permits, wildlife advocates can send a message by donating to true wildlife preservation programs through their state income tax checkoff programs.

SPECIAL OLYMPIC PROGRAMS

STATE PARK PRESERVATION

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR STATE TAX CHECKOFF PROGRAMS, CONTACT YOUR STATE WILDLIFE AGENCY AND THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE TO ASK FOR A REPORT ON REVENUES, EXPENSES AND THE PROGRAMS FUNDED BY THE CHECKOFF.

Spring 2019 | 7

COVER STORY

FOA MAKES NOISE ABOUT THE

SILENT EXTINCTION OF GIRAFFES

“Why would anyone want to kill a giraffe?”

BY NICOLE RIVARD PHOTOGRAPH BY PAWEL CZERWINSKI

That was the question we at Friends of Animals (FoA) heard again and again last fall as the photo of Blake Fischer, one of Idaho’s Fish and Game commissioners at the time, grinning over a dead giraffe went viral along with photos of other African wildlife he slaughtered on his trophy hunting trip to Namibia.

We were shocked to learn that sickos like Fischer, who was forced to resign, are numerous in the U.S. According to data from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the U.S. is a major importer of giraffe parts and derivatives, and American trophy hunters are the ones supplying the market with giraffe trophies and parts, including skins and bones.

Between 2006 and 2016, the U.S. imported 21,402 bone carvings, 3,008 skin pieces and 3,744 hunting trophies. South Africa and Zimbabwe were the biggest exporters.

The data shows there’s been an increase in commercial imports of giraffe bone carvings, skin pieces and shoes in recent years as well as hunting trophies. Unbelievably, Americans are buying giraffe products such as Western boots, knives, pillows, rugs and furniture.

Giraffes currently have no protection under U.S. law and are not listed on the Appendices of the Conventions on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora

Spring 2019 | 9

(CITES). That’s why FoA has added giraffes to the species protected by Big Five African Trophies Act, which is legislation we drafted that has been introduced in New York by co-sponsors Senator Luis Sepulveda and Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal. It has been introduced in Connecticut by State Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff.

FoA's Big Five African Trophies Act would ban the importation, possession, sale or transportation of the trophies of African giraffes, leopards, lions, elephants, and black and white rhinos and their body parts throughout New York and CT. They are all vulnerable, threatened and endangered species.

“Having passed many animalfriendly laws in the New York State Assembly, I’m thrilled to now also be sponsoring the Big 5 African Trophies Act,” said Rosenthal. “While many African species are seeing drastic declines in population, the Trump administration is simultaneously lifting bans on importing these trophies into the country. It’s now up to the individual states to step in and protect these species from being hunted for human greed before it becomes too late. New York State remains a major hub for the importation of African wildlife trophies and we have an obligation to ensure we’re not contributing to the problem.”

Of the 18 designated ports that wildlife parts and products can come through in the U.S., New York is the busiest. From 2005-2014, 159,144 animals were imported into New York, according to FWS. Connecticut also supplies customers to this grave industry.

From 2005-2015, 59 trophy hunting permits were issued to Connecticut

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Big Five African Trophies Act would ban the importation, possession, sale or transportation of the trophies of African giraffes, leopards, lions, elephants, and black and white rhinos and their body parts throughout New York and Connecticut—all vulnerable, threatened and endangered species. residents by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service so people could hunt and kill leopards. Six additional permits were provided to CT residents to kill African elephants in Botswana, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. Connecticut residents killed 39 lions and one giraffe and imported their trophies between 2005-2016.

THE SILENT EXTINCTION While FoA supports the federal ProTECT Act, which was introduced in May 2018 and would prohibit the killing of any threatened or endangered species in the U.S. or the importation of any such trophy, we know all too well that the current administration caters to trophy hunters and federal legislation may stall.

Our state legislation is more important than ever because the latest research shows giraffes can’t wait for a new administration to come in and pass a federal ban or for FWS to provide Endangered Species Act protections.

Although animal advocacy groups filed a petition urging FWS to list giraffes as endangered in 2017, the agency failed to respond.

In 2016, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which recognizes one species of giraffe

and nine subspecies, elevated the threat level of giraffes two categories to “vulnerable to extinction,” estimating that giraffes have undergone a 36 to 40 percent population decline over the past 30 years. In 2018 IUCN, reiterated that only about 97,500 giraffes remain in Africa compared to more than 150,000 in 1985.

The IUCN lists habitat destruction and fragmentation, livestock farming, hunting , trapping, war and civil unrest as threats to giraffes.

Giraffes are already gone from seven countries—Burkina Faso, Eritrea, Guinea, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria and Senegal. And for the first time ever, two giraffe subspecies have been listed as critically endangered, according to the latest report of the IUCN released in November. There are only just over 4,000 Kordofan and Nubian giraffes left in the wild—meaning they are just a stage away from becoming extinct. And the reticulated giraffe was listed as "endangered."

MIXED MESSAGES It’s troubling to FoA that Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF), which is known for its research and working with partners across Africa to save giraffes, including the relocation

of 20 Nubian giraffes across the Nile to a safe location, has not taken a stance against trophy hunting.

Despite how clear it is that the U.S. is contributing to giraffe population decline, GCF, which calls what’s happening to giraffe a silent extinction, is only concerned about poaching and illegal trade of giraffe parts, claiming there is no evidence that trophy hunting is contributing to the rapid decline of giraffes in Africa.

But that isn't true.

“As soon as you put a price tag on vulnerable, threatened and endangered animals, you send a mixed message about whether or not they need to be protected at all, and that’s detrimental to actual conservation,” said Priscilla Feral, president of FoA. “Shooting animals full of bullets does not increase their population or expand their habitat.

“Compounding the problem is you have places like the Copenhagen zoo who shot Marius, the reticulated giraffe, because staff decided his genes were well represented among the captive giraffe population in European zoos. You don’t get a mixed message with the Big Five African Trophies Act, it clearly demonstrates killing is not conservation.”

The truth is, the only difference between poachers and trophy hunters is wealth and public perception.

While poachers are willing to slaughter magnificent animals to make a buck, well-heeled vainglorious trophy hunters like Fischer spend lots of money to hunt for bragging rights and prizes. In either instance, money doesn’t make killing ok.

The Safari Club International has a well-oiled PR machine perpetuating the myth that trophy hunters are

conservationists. But you only have to visit SCI’s website to see proof that trophy hunters are competitors hoping to get the biggest trophy so they can show it off and receive awards. SCI offers awards in dozens of categories.

A study released this year by researchers at Queen Mary University of London revealed that trophy hunters and poachers could drive extinctions.

Killing the most impressive animals, the big males—antelopes and deer with the largest horns and antlers, elephants with the longest tusks, or lions with the most impressive manes—weakens the species ability to survive climate change. Trophy animals tend to be the most evolutionarily fit and possess the high-quality genes a population of animals need to adapt quickly to a changing environment, the authors say.

There is also growing scientific evidence that the legal trade of trophy hunted species enables poaching by providing poachers a legal market to

launder their contraband. One example is South Africa—the country has seen a marked rise in illegal rhino poaching since it began selling permits for trophy hunted rhinos in 2004. Poaching has increased 5,000 percent since 2007.

TROPHY HUNTERS ARE POACHERS WITH PERMITS In addition to killing a giraffe, Fischer killed an entire baboon family, a leopard, impala and waterbuck while in Africa. Then he bragged about it in an email to more than 100 people, according to the Idaho State Journal.

“Fellas,” Fischer wrote in the Sept. 17 email, “My wife and I went to Namibia for a week . . . first, she wanted to watch me and ‘get a feel’ of Africa . . . so, I shot a whole family of baboons. I think she got the idea quick.

“She also let me shoot a giraffe.

These things are HUGE. The photo doesn’t do it justice. When we walked up on it, it was shocking how big it was.”

TAKE ACTION We are urging our NY members to call their state senators and assemblymembers and tell them to support Big 5 African Trophies Act. (Research shows that calling and speaking directly with legislators is most effective.)

For contact info, visit: nyassembly.gov/mem/search and nysenate.gov/find-my-senator.

CT members should contact their state senators and representatives. Find your legislators here: cga.ct.gov/asp/ menu/cgafindleg.asp.

Spring 2019 | 11

His comments, which never mention conservation, underscore that trophy hunters are just as bad as poachers. They are just poachers with permits. It’s infuriating that American trophy hunters dupe the public into thinking that without their money, conservation efforts in Africa would not exist.

Last fall, FoA attended a presentation about new strategies to combat wildlife trafficking at Grace Farms Foundation, which is located near our Connecticut headquarters. It was uplifting to hear about a unique collaboration between the foundation and the National Anti-Poaching Task Force in Tanzania and its successes.

They include the 2016 arrest of Yang Fenglan, the “ivory queen”

accused of smuggling more than 700 tusks worth $1.7 million out of the country. Another operation nabbed 12 members of the “triple six gang” – so-called because of the 666 pieces of ivory they were caught with.

All of the speakers talked about the rampant corruption in African countries that can be an unwieldy obstacle to convicting poachers. What we realized during the presentation is that any money from trophy hunting supposedly going towards so-called conservation could just as easily be funding organized crime and poaching because of the corruption.

But you won’t hear that from trophy hunters.

They also don’t want the public to know about a study that revealed

that only a measly 3 percent of trophy hunting expenditures actually goes back to the local communities for conservation or development. The vast majority of their expenditures accrues to local firms, government agencies and individuals located internationally or in national capitals.

With legislation like the Big Five African Trophies Act, U.S. hunters won’t be able to bring their trophies into U.S.’s busiest port to brag about, so the lives of these animals will be saved because the incentive to hunt will be taken away. FoA is looking forward to the legislation being passed so all those egotistical grins are wiped from the faces of trophy hunters.

PHOTOGRAPH BY CARA FULLER

SOCIAL LIVES OF GIRAFFES »» Giraffes are not voiceless. They utter low moans and snorts. »» Giraffe herds are based on lengthy social associations, often kin or closely related giraffes. »» Female giraffes give birth throughout the year—pregnancy lasts about 15 months and generally there are two-year intervals. »» Infants can stand in half an hour and run with their mothers an incredible 10 hours after birth. Giraffes can run as fast as 35 miles an hour over short distances. »» Researchers have discovered “mourning” like behavior, demonstrating that female giraffes have a more complex bond with their young than previously thought. »» A giraffe eats hundreds of pounds of leaves each week and must travel miles to find enough food. »» Male giraffes ever in search of the next mating opportunity have been found to be astute appraisers of the local competition and will adjust their sexual strategy accordingly. »» Bulls sometimes battle one another by butting their long necks and heads.

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“As soon as you put a price tag on vulnerable, threatened and endangered animals, you send a mixed message about whether or not they need to be protected at all, and that’s detrimental to actual conservation.”

- PRISCILLA FERAL

Spring 2019 | 13

FOA ON THE ROAD

FOA, LINDA ROSENTHAL CALL ON NY TO BAN IMPORTATION OF AFRICA’S BIG 5 Below: N.Y. State Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal poses with attendees at the Worldwide Rally Against Trophy Hunting in NYC on Jan. 12. Supporters hold up their signs across the street from Trump World Tower.

14 | Friends of Animals

“I’VE GOT NEWS FOR THE TRUMP MEN: IN 2019, WE WILL BUILD A WALL. NOT A BORDER WALL TO IMMIGRANTS, BUT A LEGAL WALL BANNING THE IMPORTATION OF TROPHY ANIMALS,” said N.Y. State Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal at the Worldwide Rally against Trophy Hunting hosted by Friends of Animals (FoA) and Compassionworks International on Jan. 12 at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza in NYC. Supporters stood across the street from Trump World Tower and United Nations Plaza to send the Trump Administration and the world a clear message: Trophy hunters are really just wealthy poachers so New York needs to ban the importation of the trophies of Africa’s Big 5—giraffes, lions, leopards, elephants and rhinos, by passing the Big 5 African Trophies Act, co-sponsored by Rosenthal and Senator Luis Sepulveda.

New York is the busiest port of entry for imported animal trophies of all the 18 designated U.S. ports. From 2005

STORY AND PHOTOS COMPILED BY FOA STAFF

to 2014, 159,144 animals were imported as trophies—including 1,541 lions; 1,130 elephants and 83 pairs of tusks; 1,169 leopards as well as 110 white rhinos and 3 pairs of rhino horns.

“New York has allowed itself to become a trophy warehouse for the world’s highest stakes blood sport,” Rosenthal said.

Looking up at Trump World Tower, she added: “We are standing here not just because the building’s namesake is one of the world’s leading advocates for open borders on importation of slaughtered trophy animals, but because his boys, Don Jr. and Eric, have stumbled their way into becoming the poster children for this horrific, soulless blood sport.

“I want you all to just think for a minute about the type of person who might sit comfortably up in the penthouse of a building like this and decide that, above all else, their time would be best spent travelling to the opposite side of the globe, traversing through plains, woodlands and underbrush of another nation’s land, all for a

chance to kill. And not just to kill, but thinking that without their money, to push creatures with millennia of conservation efforts in Africa would history on this great planet, closer and not exist. If they are helping these anicloser to the brink of extinction." mals as they claim, then why are AfriRosenthal continued: "There are few ca’s Big 5 moving closer to extinction,” things that make me sicker than this said Nicole Rivard, correspondent for thought. We can and must put an end FoA. to this barbarism. New York State will Friends of Animals was sickened to not have clean hands until we prohibit learn last year that the U.S. is a major any New Yorker from having even lion’s importer of giraffe parts and Ameriwhisker in their home." can trophy hunters are the ones supFoA is adamant the only difference plying the market. between “illegal” poachers and trophy Only about 97,500 giraffes remain hunters like the Trump sons with per- in Africa compared to more than mits from Fish and Wildlife Service is 150,000 in 1985. wealth and public perception. PoachMore than 30 cities across 16 states ers slaughter to make a buck, while and seven countries hosted WRATH well-heeled American trophy hunters rallies to raise awareness about the spend thousands just for bragging ego-driven and senseless murder of rights and prizes from the Safari Club countless wild animals by trophy huntInternational. In either instance, mon- ers. ey doesn’t make killing ok.

“Experts are calling what’s happening The rally coincided with the Safa- to giraffes the silent extinction. Today ri Club’s annual convention in Reno, we break the silence,” Rivard said. where hunters were booking their killing sprees and shopping for the latest guns and hunting equipment.

“They like to dupe the public into

Spring 2019 | 15

LEGAL MATERS

FOA STEPS UP TO SAVE A

BELOVED SONGBIRD

BY FRAN SILVERMAN

16 | Friends of Animals

O

n hot summer days, the yellow-billed cuckoo will call out loudly, often signaling a storm ahead. Also known as the “rain crow” the songbird, which likes to spend warmer months in the U.S. and Mexico, is indeed threatened by a storm —this one human made.

Habitat degradation and loss has challenged the survival of this beloved slim, long-tailed bird that weighs just about two ounces. But instead of stepping up to protect the species after it was declared threatened, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has failed to take final action to designate its critical habitat that is vital to its survival.

The western population of yellowbilled cuckoos were listed as threatened in 2014 and FWS’s failure to ensure its survival by protecting its ecosystem—delicate woodlands abutting waterways—is a violation of the Endangered Species Act, Friends of Animals said in a lawsuit filed with the Audubon Society of Greater Denver seeking injunctive relief.

“The government must be held accountable for its obligations under the Endangered Species Act,’’ said Wildlife Law Program Assistant Director Jennifer Best. “It must protect this songbird from rampant habitat destruction and extinction.”

Once common from Seattle to Arizona, the western cuckoos have disappeared completely from the Pacific Northwest, according to the National Park Service. Dams, livestock grazing and conversion of flood plains for agricultural use have encroached on their riparian environs. Development along rivers has destroyed as much

as 90 percent of the birds’ habitat and loss of insect prey from pesticides; draught and climate change have also threatened their survival.

And though in 2014 FWS proposed to designate more than 546,000 acres in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Wyoming and Utah as critical habitat for the western cuckoos, which it identified as a distinct population segment from eastern cuckoos for conservation purposes, it never took final action.

Now FWS is being pressured by developers, ranchers and mineral extraction industries, viewed favorably by the Trump administration, to withdraw the western cuckoos ESA threatened status, further imperiling its survival.

“State and private interests are trying to manage wildlife and public lands for private gain,’’ said Best. “If political wishes win out over the needs of the western yellow-billed cuckoo, then the states, ranchers and developers will continue to exploit riparian habitat desperately needed by the last remaining 500 breeding pairs. Such a decision would not only violate the ESA but may potentially cause the extinction of the beloved cuckoo.”

FoA was able to secure a victory in the case filed against FWS in that the agency must issue a new proposed critical habitat designation on Aug. 5, 2019, and final designation by Aug. 5, 2020. If the agency makes a decision delisting the cuckoo before then FoA will continue to pursue protections.

The ESA requires that in determining critical habitat, FWS must consider space for population growth

and normal behavior of a species; food, water, light, minerals and nutritional needs; cover and shelter; sites for breeding, reproduction, rearing of offspring; as well as protection from disturbance.

FWS originally stated its main goals in listing critical habitat for the western yellow-billed cuckoo was to increase their population to a level where the species is not as vulnerable to threats and could withstand environmental fluctuations and crises, allow for the birds to maintain their current distribution and allow them to move between areas.

Yellow-billed cuckoos feast on caterpillars and katydids in their woodsy neighborhood before flying south to Argentina, Columbia and Venezuela for the winter.

Yellow-billed cuckoos play an invaluable role in the ecosystem, FoA noted in its complaint. A thriving cuckoo species will provide healthier riparian lands, which in turn helps with flood control and water quality. Healthy wetlands provide vegetation, migration and breeding areas for a variety of migratory birds and wildlife.

WHAT YOU CAN DO There are several steps you can take to help yellow-billed cuckoos: • Plant native trees like cottonwoods and willows that support the birds’ insect prey on your property.

• Avoid using pesticides as many brands kill caterpillars that the cuckoos depend on for food.

• Keep cats inside.

Spring 2019 | 17

EARTH MATTERS

MOVIN BEYON PESTIC

BY FRAN SILVERMAN

B

eyond Pesticides is not only the name of a D.C.based nonprofit environmental group, it is its exact and specific vision all wrapped up into one neatly tied mission: a world free of toxic pesticides.

Founded in 1981, the nonprofit has been a leader in the movement to restore flora and fauna ravaged by toxic pesticides—one park, town, city and state at a time. Since its inception, Beyond Pesticides has worked with more than 100 communities to establish policies that ditch toxic pesticides and herbicides in favor of organic and sustainable methods.

Included in its successes are two dozen communities that have passed restrictions on pesticide use, 16 municipalities that now have pesticide-free parks polices and 45 others that have passed policies that protect pollinators.

The strongest legislation was put in place in Portland, Maine and Montgomery County, Maryland, which prohibit the use of pesticides on public as well as private property in favor of alternative, organic practices.

And now, Beyond Pesticides, supported by Friends of Animals and New York City Councilman Ben Kallos are promoting legislation that would ban the use of any toxic pesticides on any property owned or leased by the city.

18 | Friends of Animals

With the environment under assault by the Trump Administration, which is rolling back regulations on toxic chemicals, Beyond Pesticide’s Executive Director Jay Feldman and Community Resource and Policy Director Drew Toher say that grass roots activism is key.

“It is in times when we feel discouraged by the lack of adequate attention by the federal government that the importance of local action increases exponentially,’’ Feldman said.

Action Line talked with Feldman and Toher about the impact of pesticides on wildlife and the environment and what community members can do to promote sustainable and toxic-free greenery. (Answers have been edited for clarity and space).

HOW DO PESTICIDES IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE USE DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY AFFECT WILDLIFE? Toher: The primary direct impact from pesticides are going to be through drifts and runoff. Even with a little wind, pesticides are going to move off site and are going to affect sensitive species such as bees, butterflies, pollinators and even mammals who are in the area. Likewise, if you use a pesticide before rain, these chemicals are going to move

NG ND CIDES

WHAT ARE THE COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS PROMOTED BY THE PESTICIDE INDUSTRY TO CONVINCE PEOPLE THAT THEY ARE THE MOST EFFECTIVE PRODUCTS? Toher: The pesticide industry doesn’t really promote a positive message because there are very few positive aspects of chemical use. Pesticide manufactures simply try to convince people that their products are safe. They attack alternative systems that don’t rely on pesticide use and the industry hides behind the Environmental Protection Agency's approval process for registering pesticides. However,

"IF YOU WANT THAT PURE GREEN LAWN WE WOULD ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO READ THEIR WEEDS."

- DREW TOHER

through groundwater and eventually make their way into local lakes, rivers and streams where either the chemical or its equally toxic breakdown product is going to directly harm aquatic life.

There is a lot of evidence out there that pesticides kill off predators that otherwise manage the pests these chemicals are targeting. Anticoagulant rodenticides have caused significant harm to wildlife. These rodenticides are blood thinners and they target rats and mice, but they don’t kill the rodents outright. It actually takes some time for them to die and in meantime they become easy prey for predators who become poisoned and become weakened to the point where they develop disease. We know this has happened in so many wildlife populations out there, owls, hawks, eagles, and fishercats, who have become threatened because of pesticide use. There are many reports of mountain lions in western California being poisoned and contracting the mange as a result of rodenticide use. It’s also a risk to people’s pets. You never know if a cat or dog could take a rodenticide-poisoned animal and eat it and then become poisoned themselves.

there are many, many issues with the pesticide approval process to the point where we believe it fails to achieve any level of safety. The pesticides industry insists they are necessary to ‘feed the world’ despite the fact that there is now considerable evidence that we could indeed feed the global population through sustainable and organic practices.

WHAT ALTERNATIVES EXIST TO TOXIC PESTICIDES? Feldman: Part of what we need to do when we ask about an alternative to attack a target pest is reframe the question.

The question really is not how to kill the pests, but how to prevent the pests. What we are asking people to do is to think about their turf, their playing field, their park differently. Think about managing with a different approach that nurtures the soil biology.

Toher: For weed control we’d suggest two things. First reconsider the value of a weed. A clover is actually great for your lawn and up until the 1950s it was a staple product of American turf grass. It takes nitrogen from the air. It helps promote earthworms in abundance and of course it’s fantastic for pollinators. But after World War II we had chemical weapons and we found new uses for them and a

Spring 2019 | 19

"THE QUESTION REALLY IS NOT HOW TO KILL THE PESTS, BUT HOW TO PREVENT THE PESTS." slick marketing campaign relegated clover to weed status.

If you want that pure green lawn we would encourage folks to read their weeds. If you have clover, keep it but it’s a sign of low nitrogen so add nitrogen to your lawn.

What we find is if you fix the soil and promote healthy microorganisms through practices like composting you will address your weed problems as well.

and then explain where things are breaking down and why.

Toher: First, find a group of like-minded allies. Start with your friends, your family, your neighbors, and consider reaching out to other environmental organizations, faith-based groups, community groups and garden clubs. Once you have that group, give yourself a name and that will help you establish your political presence in the community. Number two, make connections with local leaders and get a meeting to discuss this issue with them.

Try to develop a champion for this cause who is willing to hold hearings on pesticide use and maybe eventually introduce the legislation that you are going for. Number three, build public support for a policy change. When you find that legislation champion and when they hold a hearing on pesticide reform, tell all of those folks that you’ve worked with to attend the hearing and provide their own public statements on this issue. The more people you are going to have who are attending this meeting the stronger your chances of success is going to be.

Feldman: Persistence is key.

WHAT THREE STEPS CAN READERS TAKE TO BECOME FREE OF PESTICIDES? Toher: The first step you want is to get a soil test. Get a baseline understanding of nutrients and pH balance in soil and then adjust your soil nutrient levels to the proper levels. We’d encourage some biodiverse plantings of native species and certainly if you do that you are going to help build resiliency in your landscape. The next thing I’d say is that you want to make sure you are aware of horticultural practices for maintaining whatever landscape you put in place, and part of that focus on soil health is adding organic matter. Look at pest problems as part of systems rather than problems in and of themselves. Focus on working with natural systems and correcting imbalances.

Feldman: I’m going to simplify this: Soil, appropriate plant species and understanding cultural practices.

WHAT THREE STEPS CAN READERS TAKE TO GET THEIR COMMUNITY TO GO PESTICIDE FREE? Feldman: The first step is to get as much information as you can about current practices. Getting that information together at the front end is important to advancing a good program because then you can do a little analysis of that information, particularly the chemical use. Often the decision makers are not really tuned into what we may be aware of in terms of the potential adverse effects. Inevitably, some good stuff is being done and you have to be able to go into that community with that information, so you can pat people on the back on what they are doing right

20 | Friends of Animals

FIND RESOURCES FOR ACTIVISTS AND MORE INFORMATION ON BEYOND PESTICIDES’ CAMPAIGNS AT WWW.BEYONDPESTICIDES.ORG.

IT’S TIME TO LOSE CONTROL

BY MEGAN METZELAAR

F

ew things are as rewarding as watching wildlife start to take up residence in a tree that you planted, or seeing pollinators feeding on native plants that you have carefully tended. In a world that seems all too often at odds with the natural world, we can each choose to be one less person creating problems for wildlife. We can be a friend to nature and to animals just by refusing to control them so much in our own backyards.

That’s right; it’s time to lose control.

And when spring arrives, a good first step will be getting over our obsession with having the “perfect lawn.”

For decades in suburbs across the U.S., a well-manicured lawn is a status symbol, representing pride in home ownership. These days it is even a normal state of affairs to see people riding around relatively small yards in lawn tractors once reserved for large farms. The ongoing Herculean effort to stay one step ahead of Mother Nature and her seemingly annoying penchant for growing “weeds” and other plants deemed undesirable in the quest for uniform green grass has become completely normalized.

Very often, our fanatical preoccupation with grass-cutting is coupled with the use of toxic chemicals intended to kill everything from grubs to dandelions. And for the most part people don’t seem to question it. One visit to the local home-and-garden store will reveal that toxic weed killers, herbicides and pesticides continue to be popular among property owners. We need to be OK with insects living in our yard not just for their own sake, but because they are food for other animals.

Compounding the problem is the ongoing destruction of dwindling wildlife habitat in more rural areas. With clear-cutting and human development further encroaching upon the homes of wild animals every single day, so-called human and wildlife “conflicts” are now being reported ad nauseam and being used as fodder for arguments in favor of hunting harmless animals such as black bears.

Luckily we can fight against the larger-scale war on wildlife in our own backyards. Many towns do have ordinances laying out the minimum requirements for yard and lawn maintenance, citing public health and safety concerns. However, within these laws there is much wiggle room and many opportunities to create safe spaces and habitat for wildlife on your own property, no matter how large or small it may be.

It’s not only better for both the environment and animals when we take a more laid-back approach to our yards, it’s also easier and a lot more fun. The refrain, “If you build it he will come,” permeated the storyline of the famous baseball film “Field of Dreams.” But when we are talking about wildlife the fact is, “If you grow it, they will come.”

After all, we don’t need to treat our yards like baseball fields.

Another way to attract wildlife is to patronize local native plant nurseries.

We can also talk to our local wildlife rehabilitators. They know exactly what kind of wildlife habitat is needed in a particular area. And we can even arrange with these rehabilitators to become a location for them to release rehabilitated wild animals, if we meet

their requirements.

Creating your own wildlife sanctuary in your backyard can be an enchanting experience. All you really need to do to start out is let nature be. When you do this you soon see that the insects, birds and mammals in your area are all looking for a place where they can eat, drink, find safety and cover, and reproduce. They will start showing up.

In addition to letting go of the perfect lawn, it is best to not freak out when there are leaves scattered on the grass, or some underbrush growing. Think like an animal might: “Can this thing I’m wanting to get rid of so badly actually be useful to an animal right now?”

Consider the season. Consider the weather. Think of what they might be looking for and needing at a particular time. After all, nature is their home, not ours.

Megan Metzelaar is an attorney living in the beautiful Skylands area of New Jersey with her husband and their various rescued critters. She has been a vegan for 24 years. Her passion for local wildlife protection intensified after volunteering for two years at a wildlife refuge where she cared for injured and orphaned squirrels, opossums, chipmunks, rabbits and mice.

Spring 2019 | 21

GUEST COLUMN

WHEN IT COMES TO A WILDLIFE-FRIENDLY BACKYARD,

VEG NEWS

PUTTING YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD

BY DUSTIN RHODES

T

he first pair of “eco vegan” shoes I purchased were made of recycled rubber and plastic and made a loud thumping sound when I walked—alerting humans and animals many miles away that I was approaching. The edges of the shoe, especially around the top of my foot, were so sharp that they felt like knives, while the biodegradable cork insole was as hard as cement. Did I mention they were ugly? Saving the earth used to be ugly. And very painful.

You might be surprised to know that times have changed—dramatically. Now you can purchase shoes, coats, purses, belts (and so much more) from big brands like Reebok, Adidas, Tom’s and many others that are not only animal- and earth- friendly, but also fashion-forward, comfortable and sustainable. Plant-based materials are now leading the way when it comes to sustainable fashion— especially when it comes to footwear.

PLENTY OF LEATHER ALTERNATIVES The reason animal leather is ubiquitous is because of its suppleness, breathability and durableness but those attributes come with a high cost—the most obvious being that it comes from an animal. Animal leather is unnecessary and cruel. And, making leather is also harmful to the planet, as the resins, dyes and other chemicals used in the manufacturing process are horrible for the environment.

“Fake” leather, or pleather, as it’s often called, has existed for a long time—at least since the dawn of the modern animal rights movement. Even die-hard vegans like

22 | Friends of Animals

myself have bad associations with it, as it notoriously created a greenhouse effect on feet because of its extreme lack of breathability and suppleness.

Pleather also tended not to be durable over time, and the animal-exploiting fashion industry liked to say that it was worse for the earth than animal skins (NOT TRUE, as this tactic—like the animal-fur-versus-fake-fur argument— is used to divert the conversation from the ethics of killing animals).

Twenty years ago, pleather looked and felt more like plastic than what it attempted to replicate—because it was made from petroleum byproducts. But now, vegan leathers are being made from a variety of natural plant fibers indiscernible, in many cases, from their animal counterparts.

They’re also lightweight, affordable and long-lasting and sometimes completely biodegradable, which means your footprint (pun intended!) is a lot less. Even better, the new generation of plant-based leathers are truly kind to animals.

New York-based animal advocate Joshua Katcher, who owns the men’s fashion label Brave Gentleman, uses “future leather” to create his line of shoes, belts, wallets and brief cases. Future Leather is made in Italy of plants and recycled fibers that are more breathable and waterproof than animal skins. I own two pairs of these shoes and a belt and can attest that future leather truly is revolutionary. A 10-year-old pair of boots I own still looks practically new and the belt is still going strong after several years.

Another new and revolutionary leather is made from,

of all things, pineapple. Called Pinatex, this patented leather product achieves something remarkable: It has almost zero environmental impact. That’s because it’s made completely from a waste product—leaves that are discarded from pineapples grown for food. No pesticides, land, water or fertilizers are used to manufacture it. You can now purchase baby shoes, bags, wallets, credit card holders, fashionable boots and more products made from this plant-based leather, the creation of which took nearly a decade. Hugo Boss now makes an entire classically-styled vegan shoe line from pineapple leather. Even the box they come in is biodegradable.

The upscale vegan fashion brand, Borgeoise Boheme, also makes an entire shoe line out of pineapple leather that’s available on its website.

The iconic brand Birkenstock has even created a vegan leather version of its popular Arizona, Boston clog, Mayori and Madrid designs using a microfiber upper and lining and cork footbed. Its version of vegan leather is made from soft acrylic and polyamide felt fibres with a durable, smooth, leather-like finish.

POPULAR SNEAKER COMPANIES JOIN THE TREND Reebok, one of the largest and most popular athletic manufacturers in the world, has gotten in on the plant-based shoe game too. The company has taken things even further with an eye on developing footwear that biodegrades more quickly. Reebok recently released a line of sneakers for men and women made of cotton, castor bean oil and corn that’s going to be a game-changer for the 20 billion pairs of shoes that are manufactured each year and end up in landfills at the end of their life cycles. Reebok’s shoe line—aptly named Corn + Cotton—was born from an initiative to revolutionize the sneaker industry so that shoe manufacturing practices become an earth- and animal-friendly endeavor. And Adidas, the parent company of Reebok, teamed up with an ocean advocacy non-profit Parley and began making a sneaker from recycled plastic cleaned up from the oceans— simultaneously raising awareness about our deteriorating oceans and doing something to help them.

For many years, I thought I’d have to suffer through ugly footwear options forevermore—a small price to pay, I thought, for being vegan and caring about animals. But I am grateful things have changed. People used to look at my shoes and make a snarky remark. Now, more often than not, it’s, “Where can I get those shoes?”

HERE’S WHERE YOU CAN FIND VEGAN SHOES: MOOSHOES Stores in Los Angeles and New York mooshoes.myshopify.com BORGEOISE BOHEME bboheme.com CORN + COTTON reebok.com/us/cottonandcorn ADDIDAS/ PARLEY adidas.com/us/parley BIRKENSTOCK Birkenstock.com/us PINATEX products can be found at Etsy by typing in “pineapple leather” or “Pinatex” in the search bar.

Above: A selection of Rhodes' favorite vegan footwear.

Opposite page: Rhodes' 10-year-old Brave Gentleman vegan boots made from Italian Future Leather.

Dustin Rhodes is development director of Friends of Animals. He lives with two perfect rescue dogs in Asheville, N.C. and has been referred to as the vegan Imelda Marcos.

Spring 2019 | 23

LET’S STOP THE BAT SHAMING

I

n the fall I went for a hike in the nature preserve near my Connecticut apartment. I thought I had more time before sunset, however, dusk was quickly upon me, and I still had a ways to go before I returned to my car.

Mostly I was concerned about tripping over roots and rocks along the hiking path, until I saw a bat swooping. Immediately I became fearful, worrying that it might attack me or inadvertently get caught in my hair, a myth perpetuated by my parents when I was a child and bats flew overhead while we were night swimming.

I was convinced it was following me, so I called my best friend, who happens to live in North Carolina, knowing full well she couldn’t “save” me. But it felt comforting to be on the phone with someone as I made my way out of the preserve.

Several days later, I was at a birthday party in the next town over well after dusk. As the guests mingled outside by candlelight, I noticed four or five bats circling above. I thought to myself how beautiful they looked and how delightful it is to see wildlife, a completely different reaction than when I was alone in the woods with a

bat seemingly following me.

I took both of these experiences as a sign I need to learn more about bats. So, I visited the U.S.-based Bat Conservation International’s (BCI) extensive website, and I’m so glad I did.

After pouring through facts and myths about bats, I realize our society is guilty of bat shaming—making these spectacular creatures out to be worthless, useless and disgusting just because they are bats, much like fat shaming humans just because they are perceived as “overweight.”

DISPELLING THE MYTHS

BLIND AS A BAT Bats not only see as well as just about any other mammal, but most bats also use a unique biological sonar system called echolocation, which lets them navigate and hunt fast-flying insects in total darkness. Basically, the bat emits beep-like sounds into its path, then collects and analyzes the echoes that come bouncing back. Using sound alone, bats can see everything but color and detect obstacles as fine as a human hair.

BATS GET TANGLED IN YOUR HAIR This was a common myth a few decades ago, but bats are much too smart and agile for that. Plus, bats do not attack people. Bats are quite timid; however, they will defend themselves.

The biggest health risk that people face from bats is their own fearful reaction to them. More people injure themselves in their frenzied escapes from bats swooping for insects than are ever harmed by them.

The BCI website (www.batcon.org) dispels the biggest myths about bats: BATS ARE FLYING MICE Nope. Bats are mammals, but they are not rodents. In fact, they are more closely related to humans than to rats and mice.

ALL BATS ARE RABID Bats, like other mammals, can be infected with the rabies virus and some of them are. But the vast majority of bats are not infected. However, a bat that can be easily approached by humans is likely to be sick and may bite if handled.

Simply do not touch or handle a bat or any other wild animal and there is little chance of being bitten.

BATS ARE BLOOD SUCKERS Well, there really are three vampire bat species (out of more than 1,300 bat species) that feed on blood; only one targets mammals. All vampire bats are limited to Latin America. Oh, and they don’t suck blood, they lap it like kittens with milk.

Spring 2019 | 25

IN YOUR BACKYARD

BY NICOLE RIVARD PHOTOGRAPH BY ROB POTTER

JUST THE BAT FACTS I pride myself on being a wildlife advocate and lover, so needless to say I was upset that I was more familiar with the myths about bats than the cool facts about how special they are, such as they are important pollinators and seed dispersers. Many of our everyday products, such as tequila, wild bananas, balsa wood, and allspice to name a few, come from bat pollinator-dependent plants. And then there are these tidbits provided by National Geographic:

LESS BUG BITES The little brown bat from North America can gulp more than 1,200 mosquitoes in one hour. So, without bats around, you might have a lot more bug bites.

STRONG HEARING Bats have special cells in their ears that make them extremely sensitive to noise.

The hearing ability of some bats is so strong they can detect the sound of a beetle walking on a leaf.

THREATS TO SURVIVAL Sadly, my research revealed that in North America, more than 5.7 million of bats have been killed by Whitenose Syndrome (WNS), a wildlife disease that continues its spread across the continent. Caused by a cold-loving fungus called Pseudogymnoascus destructans, WNS attacks hibernating bats, causing mortality rates that approach 100 percent at some sites.

According to BCI, the disease was first spotted in a cave in upstate New York in February 2006 and has since expanded across the eastern half of the United States and Canada.

Until the arrival of WNS, two Endangered U.S. species, the Indiana myotis and gray myotis were showing promising signs of recovery. And scientists predict that the once common little brown bat, will be reduced to just 1% of its pre-WNS population numbers by 2030.

The dramatic growth of wind energy throughout much of the world is also taking a huge toll on bats.

26 | Friends of Animals

THUMBS UP Bats have thumbs. Shaped like hooks, the thumbs stick out from the top edge of a bat’s wings. The animals use their thumbs for clinging to trees and eating.

BOLSTERING BATS Now that I understand how worthy bats are, I’d be remiss not to pass on information on how to protect them.

Since bats need a warm, safe place to sleep during the day, building or buying a bat box and mounting it on a building or a pole in your yard is one simple way to do something nice for bats. BCI’s website is a great place to start: batcon.org/resources/getting-involved/bat-houses.

You can also visit a bat viewing site.

Texas is home to the greatest number of bat species in the United States.

BCI has partnered with Texas Parks and Wildlife to create a useful guide (www.batcon.org) for viewing some of the amazing bats who call Texas home.

Bracken Cave in Texas is a BCI-owned site and is home to the world’s largest colony of bats. Visitation to Bracken Cave for BCI members can be arranged. Your membership dues will ensure BCI can continue all of its bat conservation initiatives around the world.

LARGE COLONIES Bats hang out in groups called colonies. In the summer, Bracken Cave in New Braunfels, Texas, is home to a colony of more than 20 million free-tailed bats. And during warmer months one bridge in Austin, Texas, is a hangout spot for 1.5 million free-tailed bats.

It’s not easy to be a bat in our society, so I’m happy to do my part to make their lives easier.

Nicole Rivard is editor of Action Line.

She brings 18 years of journalism experience to the front lines, protesting and documenting atrocities against animals.

As a youth, she didn't understand bats, but was not fearful of bluejays after helping raise an orphaned one with her parents and sister.

RIGHT PHOTOGRAPH BY ROMAN LASCHOV

PEOPLE WHO INSPIRE

BY NICOLE RIVARD

Nutrition professor helps the plant-curious become plant-based eaters

S

ix years ago nutrition professor Timaree Hagenburger adopted a plant-based diet and decided immediately that she couldn’t teach her Cosumnes River Community College students anything else.

Ethically, she felt there was no way she could provide recommendations that she didn’t feel, with all of her heart, were best for them or the planet. Then it would be up to them whether or not to take her advice.

When poor air quality from the catastrophic Camp Fire closed the Sacramento-based campus back in November, Hagenburger went in to catch up on some grading. As she sat reading her students’ diet studies that reflected the changes they were making—such as eliminating dairy or animal products altogether—she got goosebumps.

She felt hopeful, knowing students are shunning the animal farming industry that contributes to climate change, which is making California’s wildfires worse.

“It is easy to feel like ‘Oh my gosh.’

That’s how I feel when I watch the news sometimes,” Hagenburger said.

“But when I am with my students or when I am grading their work, I am so encouraged.”

She said that she feels lucky to be in a position where she can open their minds to change.

“Even the students who started out

28 | Friends of Animals

with their arms crossed; it’s amazing how over time it starts to creep in once they are exposed to the truth long enough,” she said. “Whether the reason is climate change, animal welfare or their own or family’s personal health, there is no downside to a plant-based lifestyle.”

Her dream is for her students to eventually be able to take a plot of dirt and turn it into a productive garden and then be able to cook meals with what they’ve grown. That dream is becoming a reality. What began six years ago has evolved into a PlantBased Nutrition and Sustainable Agriculture certificate program, which the college launched during the fall of 2017. The program, which several students have already completed, is the result of a collaboration between the Nutrition and Foods Department and the Horticulture Department.

The program teaches the science that supports the benefits of whole plant-based foods to people’s health as well as the environment. The program also addresses the environment and social concerns with strategies and principles of sustainable agriculture.

Hagenburger felt the time was ripe to bring farm-to-fork into the classroom as Sacramento promotes itself as the farm-to-fork capital. She explained that top chefs featuring plant-based menus sourced from local farms are becoming the norm

because people are demanding more sustainable food sourcing.

AN EMERGING FIELD Notably, several other plant-based nutrition certificate programs were highlighted in an article in One Green Planet earlier this year, underscoring that careers in plant-based nutrition is an emerging field.

“The truth is getting out about our dangerous trajectory, that we don't have time to waste, that our global economy cannot sustain the healthcare burden growing exponentially, that no one else can bear our sickness for us and that living with compassion for all sentient beings is one of the highest expressions of our humanity,” Hagenburger said. “Some of the most successful business leaders are taking action, putting money into plantbased food companies and restaurants. We are seeing unprecedented growth in alternatives to meat and dairy at mainstream supermarkets across the nation and in restaurants customers requesting and purchasing animal-product-free fare.”

Hagenburger pointed out individuals educated in all things plant-

based—including nutrition, food preparation and sustainable growing practices—will be well positioned to meet the employment needs in the restaurant industry, farming, product development and production, school and community gardens, corporate wellness, healthcare and more.

Cosumnes River Community College’s certificate program consists of three courses: a lecture and project style class; a hands-on cooking class and a hands-on class in the campus garden. All of the courses are currently full with wait lists.

Hagenburger is all about empowering her students and showing them their power is in the decisions they make every single day. She makes them understand they can make a huge impact in the aggregate as far as our planet and the animals who live here. That’s why she has this Viktor Frankl quote on the wall of her classroom: Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.

“My goal is to have students go from ‘I can’t have it’ to ‘I don’t want it,’ for animals to not even be considered food. For most of my students they are the only ones in their families who are even getting this information, so they are the trailblazers,” Hagenburger said.

One of her students told Hagenburger that her family had always given her a hard time for being vegan until she started the certificate program. “Because she could show this is actually a college program, this legitimized a plant-based lifestyle,” Hagenburger explained. “She said after that her family was like, ‘Oh ok.’

That’s why it’s so important to have this program.”

KICKSTARTING HER STUDENTS In all of her nutrition classes, Hagenburger challenges her students to experiment on their own with the Physician Committee for Responsible Medicine’s 21-Day Vegan Kickstart (kickstart.pcrm.org).The free, evidence-based program has everything students need to get started on a plant-based diet: meal plans, recipes, grocery lists, daily videos, nutrition tips, cooking demonstrations and

“Whether the reason is climate change, animal welfare or their own or family’s personal health, there is no downside to a plantbased lifestyle.”

Clockwise from top left: Hagenburger’s nutrition students involved in an interactive Brave the Cage presentation by Grace Amico from Animal Place Sanctuary. Dessert nachos with chocolate sauce from Hagenburger’s The Foodie Bar™ Way cookbook. Last fall, fires raged in California not far from Cosumnes River Community College.

Spring 2019 | 29

“Living with compassion for all sentient beings is one of the highest expressions of our humanity.” more. The first year she expected 15 or 20 students to participate, but 130 took the challenge.

The response became the catalyst to start the Thrive on Plants (TOP) club on campus so the “kickstarter” students could stay connected and share new information. Members meet for a weekly potluck, which may

also include recipe demos, a lecture, movie, or just to talk about what’s on their minds. TOP members can also be seen tabling throughout the campus during events like Earth Day, sharing information about saving money at the grocery store, growing produce, etc. Hagenburger is thrilled to see that the TOP Club has expanded to Sacramento State Universtity and Montana State University with other schools inquiring.

“We are creating a new normal. It’s not everybody yet. But it is changing,” she said.

Friends ask her if the next step for her is to work at a university. But she explains that this is her dream job.

BY NICOLE RIVARD

DISCOVER THE FOODIE BAR WAY

T

imaree Hagenburger’s nutrition students would often tell her they wished she could come home with them because then they would eat the way she did. Of course that was unrealistic, so she decided to do the next best thing—she authored a plantbased cookbook.

Called The Foodie Bar™ Way, Hagenburger invites people into her world as a mom with way too many jobs and responsibilities, where she creates one meal with lots of options

30 | Friends of Animals

so everyone is happy. Instead of pre-set entrees, think a variety of ingredients to combine in ways that best suit your taste preferences.

She suggests starting out by finding a familiar favorite, such as pizza or fried rice, and setting up a Foodie Bar™ and making a version that loves you back.

I decided to try the Loaded Potato Bar because I love baked potatoes.

Hagenburger said her students tried it once and it became a go-to meal for busy nights. I shopped for the ingredi-

Left: Hagenburger’s plant-based cookbook The Foodie Bar™ Way.

“This is the job where when I am in the parking lot going to my car I hear students yell, 'Hey Mrs. Hagenburger, I’m eating beans,' and I do a little dance. That is what it’s about. I have students send me emails years later saying I just wanted to let you know your class impacted my whole family.”

ents the day before—sweet potatoes, chili beans, Swiss chard, cabbage, salsa, avocado, cilantro and scallions— and roasted the potatoes the night before.

The next evening I was pressed for time and was amazed how quickly I set up my foodie bar and then filled my potato (which I heated up in the microwave) and ate. Preparation and eating time took 20 minutes. Talk about satisfying, it was filling enough that I had leftovers for lunch the next day. And I was blown away by the flavor and freshness.

I’m looking forward to trying the Oatmeal Bar, Crazy Salad Bar and Asian Un-fried Rice Bar next. The book provides 32 Foodie Bars and 94 recipes.

“A lot of students who cook out of my cookbook say I didn’t realize it was so easy. People have this idea that because something is different it’s hard. But the Foodie Bar™ Way is very approachable,” Hagenburger said.

I couldn’t agree more.

Planned Gifts Including Animal Advocacy

You fuel Friends of Animals’ animal advocacy work – now and in the future.

Leaving a legacy for animals by making a planned gift to Friends of Animals helps ensure the most effective agenda for positive change.

Friends of Animals is a non-profit organization with a solid record of fiscal responsibility and animal advocacy achievements for more than 60 years. Gifts to a 501c(3) charity typically have tax-deductible benefits.

You do not need to have a large estate to make a bequest or other planned gift to Friends of Animals.

Anyone who owns property should prepare a will and keep it in a known location.

Friends of Animals has a brochure to assist with estate decisions. Just send a note to Donna M. Berlanda, Director of Administration, email dberlanda@friendsofanimals.org, or

call our office at (203) 656-1522, and we will send the brochure out to you the same day.

Animals put in peril by our own burgeoning growth will need our help for some time to come. This is Friends of Animals’ commitment: We’re here as long as the other animals of the world need us. You can be sure that your good wishes for animals will make a difference beyond your own lifetime by including Friends of Animals, Inc. in your estate plans. You or your attorney will need the following details: Friends of Animals, Inc. 777 Post Road, Suite 205 Darien, CT 06820 Tax ID# 13-6018549 Friends of Animals has non-profit status under IRS code section 501c(3)

Spring 2019 | 31

PET CORNER

DON’T LITTER

BY MEG MCINTIRE PHOTOGRAPH BY PAWELDOTIO

32 | Friends of Animals

THE BEST WAY TO SOLVE PET HOMELESSNESS IS SPAYING/NEUTERING AND TNR

hen it’s a frigid night and you’re bundled up in your living room watching a weather report warn about freezing rain, it’s hard not to have your heart go out to the feral cats who live in your neighborhood.

Though you might assume they want nothing more than to curl up with you on your couch, the truth is that the majority of them are quite different from our pet felines.

Feral cats have lived their entire lives outdoors without direct human contact other than possible feeding and monitoring by a caregiver. These felines form strong bonds with one another and with their home territory, which define their daily existence. Their survival instincts actually include wariness of humans in general, an intense fear of confinement and a contentment with living outdoors.

SO HOW CAN A WELL-MEANING PERSON TRULY MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THESE CATS' LIVES? Through trap-neuter-return, or TNR for short.

With TNR, feral cats are humanely trapped and spayed or neutered so they stop reproducing. They are returned to their home area to live out their lives with the help of human caregivers, who provide food and shelter. Over time, the number of cats in the area decreases.

Friends of Animals has been donating spay/neuter certificates to TNR efforts in the U.S. for years. One of the success stories is the Euclid Beach Feral Cat Project in Ohio, which has assisted thousands of cats. It provides TNR services, medical care, socialization, adoption services and community awareness.

In FoA's home state, David Brensilver, a longtime Connecticut member of Friends of Animals, recently became involved with TNR efforts after being inspired by the efforts of Stacy Attenberg and Brigid Cleary, two dedicated TNR experts in the New Haven area.

“Since Spring of 2018, I've helped care for several colonies and have served as a transport service for cats who've been trapped by Stacy and then neutered, vaccinated and ear-tipped by a veterinarian,” Brensilver said.

“I bring them from the vet to Brigid's house (who is a vet-tech), where they recover in her able care.”

Spring 2019 | 33

Brensilver is adamant TNR is the best method to reduce the number of cats euthanized in shelters each year. “Feral cats are often demonized by people, who then call local animal control agencies that typically trap the cats and hand them over to shelters. Then they're euthanized because they aren't socialized and because the shelters have to make room for more unwanted cats,” Brensilver explained.

In addition to reducing the amount of feral cats in shelters, Brensilver has found that the practice of TNR alleviates reproductive stressors and makes for more peaceful colonies.

“Instead of killing healthy, community cats, we can easily help care for these animals while preventing their numbers from growing,” he said.

Attenberg couldn’t agree more. She has been involved with TNR for the last nine years.

It all began when a friend alerted her to an emaciated

PHOTOGRAPH BY MARIA-TENEVA

The best way you can help homeless cats and dogs is by spaying and neutering your own pets. Visit our website or call 1-800-321-PETS to learn how to order one of our low-cost spay and neuter certificates.

34 | Friends of Animals

and seemingly pregnant feral cat walking around their neighborhood. Attenberg started reaching out to local shelters to see if anyone could help. The Greater New Haven Cat Project offered to teach her how to safely trap feral cats to bring them to clinics to be spayed or neutered.

After a brief tutorial, Attenberg took to the streets and succeeded in catching not only the female feline, but another one as well. She took both to a veterinarian after transferring them from the traps into pet carriers. She later learned transferring them in carriers is not recommended by vets and rescues.

“Looking back on it, I definitely didn’t know exactly what I was doing,” she said. “I wasn’t even sure how to answer when the vet asked me if the cat was feral or not and didn’t understand the difference between a feral and a stray. So it was a huge learning process and a roller coaster, but also really rewarding. After the first experience, I knew right then and there that this is what I’m

supposed to be doing.”

Feral cats are those born in the wild or have had very little contact with humans at all. Strays were formerly pets who are lost or abandoned.

With those first two cats, Attenberg decided to work on socialization, a time-consuming process which requires devotion, patience and attention. The decision to socialize feral cats should not be taken lightly. Her efforts were fruitful so she kept the cats, and they still live with her today.

Attenberg has since expanded her TNR efforts and takes care of eight different colonies in New Haven, driving a half hour from her home every day to put out food and water for the cats who depend on her for their survival. She’s witnessed changes in each of the colonies after using TNR methods with them.

“They’re much healthier and they coexist with each other much better. You can definitely tell that numbers

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decrease exponentially over the years,” she said.

Attenberg emphasized how crucial the “return” part of TNR is. When people just remove feral cats from their territory a vacuum will be created and other cats will just move in. Only returning spayed and neutered cats back to a colony will prevent the population of cats in an area from increasing.

In addition to TNR, humans must act responsible with their own pets to prevent the millions of animals from suffering a life and eventual death on the streets, Attenberg says.

“If you let your pet cat outside and they’re not spayed or neutered, it just perpetuates the cycle with these feral cat colonies. It’s not going to end until everyone spays and neuters. It’s really the only humane solution,” Attenberg said.

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Spring 2019 | 35

LETTERS WHEN RELIGION CONFLICTS WITH ANIMAL RIGHTS

I blame religion for the cruelty that is done to animals and birds. In religion only “humans” matter. Anyone can be a sport hunter, trapper, vivisector, puppy mill generator, hell on wheels driver and the mainline religions don’t find any fault with any of the above. There may be a very “few” small religions that don’t’ fit the above, but most do. Animals didn’t have any input in the writing of the Bible.

They could be sacrificed for the sins of the people. The Bible is not supportive of women’s rights either.

I’m not anti-God, I just don’t believe the true God is in any religion that is silent on or supports the above.

I thank Action Line editors for having the gumption and bravery to print that article several issues ago about runaway human population growth and how it damages the environment and the need

for birth control. These two things make the radical religionists blow a fuse. Most environmentalists are too afraid of the religious community to touch these things. There are areas in the world where people are overpopulated, in poverty, starvation, disease and crime but their religion says that every woman must be pregnant all of the time. Here in the U.S. the Republicans and religionists will not allow us to send any birth control to such places.

HERMAN LENZ, IOWA

LET’S HEAR FROM YOU! MAIL US: Editor, Action Line Friends of Animals 777 Post Road, Ste. 205 Darien, CT 06820 E-MAIL US: contact@friendsofanimals.org

IN MEMORIAM Friends of Animals has received kind donations in memory of the following individuals:

KEVIN CUNNINGHAM

MARY ONJACK

EXECUTIVE THE HORSE

KATE SIMPSON

G&G ROBERTSON

CASPER

DAVE DAVIN

UNCLE SY BROCKWAY

SILVER, MY KITTY ANGEL

SOLVEJG ZAFERES

MARJORIE SAMS

HARRY

JANET BEASLEY

BIKO

SUSAN LANGE

LOOPY LOO

DAWN FERRIGNO

SALEM MCKENNA

CHERRY KOSHIKO KATO

MURPHY

CHEERS

JEERS

NOSEY’S LAW ENACTED IN NEW JERSEY

GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN BETRAYS WHALES

A cheer for New Jersey and Governor Phil Murphy who signed into law legislation that bans the use of wild or exotic animals in traveling acts, including circuses, carnivals, fairs, parades and petting zoos.

Known as Nosey’s Law, after a 36-year-old African elephant with crippling arthritis who was forced to travel around the country to perform at roadside circuses and was chained and mistreated by her owner, it is the first of its kind in the nation. The law is effective immediately.

Nosey was removed from her owners whose circus had been cited by the USDA more than 200 times. She is now living in a sanctuary in Tennessee.

Thanks to all Friends of Animals' members who called Murphy’s office to tell him to sign it into law.

`

Photo Credit: NBA Media Ventures

WORLD’S FIRST BIRD-FRIENDLY ARENA

We think the Milwaukee Bucks have achieved a slam dunk with their new arena, the Fiserv Forum—it will be the world’s first bird-friendly sports and entertainment arena.

This is a major assist for bird conservation because up to 1 billion birds die annually after colliding with glass in the U.S., according to American Bird Conservancy (ABC). Scientists estimate that this staggering total likely accounts for five to 10 percent of the birds in the U.S. and contributes to ongoing declines in bird populations across North America.

The arena addresses the primary reasons that birds collide with buildings by using glass visible to birds and minimizing lighting that disorients birds during their nocturnal spring and fall migrations.

Collisions at homes and low-rise buildings combined account for the majority of U.S. bird-glass collisions — and they can be prevented. To learn how you can apply attractive, inexpensive treatments to your windows to reduce the threat that they pose to birds, visit www. birdsmartglass.org.

Jeers to the government of Japan for withdrawing from the International Whaling Commission, which put a moratorium on commercial whale slaughtering in the 1980s. It will resume commercial hunts for the first time in 30 years in July.

The government’s decision comes on the heels of IWC’s annual symposium held in September of 2018, which approved a non-binding resolution stating that commercial whale killing was no longer a valid economic activity or needed for scientific research.

Japan’s government already slaughters dolphins each year for consumption no one needs. It said it will cease killing whales in the Antarctic Ocean — where its fleet of whaling ships have slaughtered 333 whales in each of the past two years, under the guise of whale research.

Japan’s whale killing will undoubtedly be met with a massive tourism boycott since that’s the language the government understands.

FoA advocates for the protection of whales and whale watching. The IWC recently launched an online handbook (wwhandbook.iwc.int/en/) to equip anyone who wants to go whale watching.

JEERS TO CENTRAL PARK PLAN FOR CARRIAGE HORSES

The Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages and Friends of Animals are opposed to the relocation of the New York City carriage horse hack line to three locations just inside Central Park because it is a disingenuous ploy to let people think that this will make a big difference to the horses. It will not.

The horses will still be traveling to and from their stables on the busy streets of New York City where most of the accidents have occurred. The drivers will still be making illegal U-turns to access the hack lines and will still be ignoring existing regulations such as leaving their horses unattended because humane law enforcement is nonexistent.

This is not a victory—it is an illusion—like the emperor’s new clothes, designed to deceive. It was one of the few changes to the administrative code that the mayor could make that did not require a vote by the City Council. The only equitable, sensible and humane solution is to shut down the industry and send the horses to sanctuaries.

Spring 2019 | 37

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FOR THE LOVE OF DOG BISCUITS COOKBOOK This 7x7, 64 full-color page book features 12 beautifully illustrated recipes—one for each month, which contain seasonal, plant-based ingredients. $14 including shipping.

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