Action Line Autumn 2016 by foaorg

FALL 2016

ACTION LINE

WHAT THE ELECTION COULD MEAN FOR ANIMALS REALITIES AND REWARDS OF WILD HORSE ADOPTION N.C. SHELTER EXPANDS WITH VEGAN OUTREACH, SANCTUARY

THE STOLEN

U.S. ZOOS ROBBED SWAZILAND ELEPHANTS OF THEIR FREEDOM & DAY IN COURT. FOA BATTLES TO MAKE SURE IT DOESNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T HAPPEN AGAIN.

FEATURE - FoA marches on in the battle to keep elephants out of U.S. zoos - Zoo safety called into question - Zoos vs. sanctuaries

5 NEWS Victory Lap: The latest news about FOA’s advocacy 6 CAPITAL CAMPAIGN Help us complete our chimpanzee house renovations 8 NEWS Brother Wolf animal shelter expands with vegan outreach and a sanctuary 10 PROFILE Susie's Senior Dogs spreads happiness and hope across social media 22 NEWS What the upcoming presidential election could mean for animals and the environment 26 PROFILE Chefs revamp Texas culinary scene one vegan BBQ sandwich at a time 28 NEWS Be sure you are not contributing to animal exploitation when you travel 30 BOOK REVIEWS Aquafaba; Santa's First Vegan Christmas; Water Babies 33 FEATURE The realities and rewards of wild horse adoption 36

LETTERS

37 CHEERS & JEERS 38 FOA MERCHANDISE

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. CONTACT US NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS 777 Post Road Darien, Connecticut 06820 (203) 656-1522 contact@friendsofanimals.org NEW YORK OFFICE 1841 Broadway, Suite 350 New York, NY 10023 (212) 247-8120 WESTERN OFFICE 7500 E. Arapahoe Rd., Ste 385 Cetennial, CO 80112 (720) 949-7791 PRIMARILY PRIMATES SANCTUARY P.O. Box 207 San Antonio, TX 7891-02907 (830) 755-4616 office@primarilyprimates.org VISIT US www.friendsofanimals.org www.primarilyprimates.org

OUR TEAM PRESIDENT Priscilla Feral [CT] www.twitter.com/pferal www.twitter.com/primate_refuge feral@friendsofanimals.org VICE PRESIDENT Dianne Forthman [CT] dianne@friendsofanimals.org DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Robert Orabona [CT] admin@friendsofanimals.org DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Dustin Rhodes [NC] dustin@friendsofanimals.org ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT Donna Thigpen [CT] SECRETARY TO THE PRESIDENT Shelly Scott [CT] SPAY/NEUTER PROJECT Paula Santo [CT] CAMPAIGNS DIRECTOR Edita Birnkrant [NY] www.twitter.com/EditaFoANYC edita@friendsofanimals.org CORRESPONDENT Nicole Rivard [CT] nrivard@friendsofanimals.org SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Meghan McIntire [MA] www.twitter.com/FoAorg mmcintire@friendsofanimals.org

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.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Jenni Best [CO] jennifer@friendsofanimals.org

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 CLXXI Fall 2016 ISSN 1072-2068

DIRECTOR, WILDLIFE LAW PROGRAM Michael Harris [CO] michaelharris@friendsofanimals.org

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PRIMARILY PRIMATES 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 PIGEONS ARE MISUNDERSTOOD In May, the Brooklyn Navy Yard ushered in a new public artwork, “Fly by Night.” Artist Duke Riley had attached LED lights to a flock of trained pigeons’ ankles and then made them fly in front of bleachers filled with onlookers. The Chicago Tribune reported that the artist “turned one of New York’s loathed creatures into a work of art.” That rock pigeons, actually closely related to doves, might be considered loathsome unless they are being exploited for the public’s entertainment compelled me to write my column about these resilient, fascinating birds. When I walk around New York City alone, I always notice what the pigeons are doing, bobbing their purple heads everywhere I look. These birds, once described as “rats with wings” by Woody Allen, have a harder life than people realize and should be appreciated more. Like rats, they’re sometimes associated with grime, overwhelming numbers and spattering parked cars and window sills with droppings. But, often grouped together in flocks, pigeons are docile, monogamous birds, spending their days eating all the seed, fruit and discarded food they can locate in urban landscapes, minding their own business. Fortunately, some city residents and tourists really like them, and some are even devoted to feeding them. Interestingly, pigeons are highly respected by tourists in Venice. Feeding them in St. Mark’s Square used to be a “must do” on a trip to Italy. But when I visited Italy in May 2008, the mayor of Venice had just banned grain vendors from selling bird seed in the Square—ending a century-old tradition and ultimately robbing 20 million tourists each year of the experience. Venice had long been concerned with the damage caused to historic buildings in the square by pigeon droppings. In 2015, a tourist posted on a TripAdvisor site that feeding pigeons in St. Mark’s Square was “a wonderful photo opportunity.” In contrast to the affection tourists appear to have for these birds, Venice officials admit to capturing and killing an estimated 12,000 pigeons each year.

THRIVING AGAINST THE ODDS Did you know that the lifespan of New York City-dwelling pigeons is only three to five years, as they and their offspring are killed and eaten by a battalion of urban predators? Peregrine falcons, who are listed as an endangered species in New York State due to pesticide use in the 1960s, are making a comeback, and they identify pigeons as prey. New York City has the largest urban population of peregrine falcons—small beautiful birds, the size of a crow—who nest on bridges and tall buildings, and live as long as 20 years. Although peregrine falcons and red-tailed hawks prey upon all kinds of birds and rodents, their diets consist mostly of pigeons. Approximately 24 percent of New York City’s area is park land, so red-tailed hawks can be seen gliding over the trees in parks and throughout the city all year long. Each spring, in each of New York City’s boroughs, a dozen or more pairs will nest—sometimes raising their young on buildings.

Speaking of the city’s avian treasures, birders have also spotted Cooper’s hawks, barn owls, great horned owls and eastern screech owls. A photographer who takes photos of urban hawks—you can view them at urbanhawks.blogs.com—keeps track of where they’re seen and shows hawks and other wildlife in Central Park and throughout New York City. One nice series of photos features a great horned owl roosting in a Hemlock tree in Central Park just this year. Sadly, poisoning rats and pigeons isn’t just horrific for them. Poison also victimizes raptors when they ingest poisoned birds and mammals. Even in highly developed areas like Washington, D.C., or Chicago, there are plenty of trees that attract hawks and owls who feed on pigeons. And scavengers abound—rats, cats, raccoons, foxes and opossums quickly clean up dead or dying pigeons so that city streets never show their remains. Despite an array of predators, and the bird-control industry’s contraceptive bait, or the use of spikes, nets and shock tracks to keep pigeons from roosting in undesirable places, they have managed to thrive in urban environments, and that’s admirable. Elsewhere, as cities like Los Angeles have continued to sprawl, coyotes have adapted and become citydwellers who mate and raise their families in neighborhoods—crossing freeways, and avoiding conflicts with humans. These wild dogs eat a wide variety of insects, reptiles, fruits, birds, rodents, rabbits, small dogs and cats, as well as garbage.

4 | Friends of Animals

If pigeons and coyotes couldn’t adapt and were driven only to the periphery of our cities, we would become more estranged from wildlife than ever. The absence of animals from our lives only produces an intolerance —a sense of entitlement that humans come first and no other species should inconvenience us, and that is unacceptable. In part because of climate change, which expands the range of birds and animals, and the lure of food available to urban wildlife in cities, we simply must come to grips with how to live with wildlife neighbors. Whether it’s dealing with resilient coyotes, pigeons, or others, there’s lots of them. We should appreciate this life more, and clean up after birds, if needed, rather than expect them to vanish. It’s actually heartening that cities jammed with so many people can feature an array of fascinating birds and animals who, like us, are just trying to cope and thrive in this mystery called life.

VICTORY LAP FRIENDS OF ANIMALS WINS VICTORY FOR MONTANA’S BELOVED PRYOR MOUNTAIN HERD! BY NICOLE RIVARD

he beloved Pryor Mountain wild horses of Montana, the last wild horse herd in Montana, will no longer be assaulted by Bureau of Land Management roundups following Friends of Animals’ (FoA) victory in court in July. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters ruled in favor of Friends of Animals’ in a lawsuit the group brought against the agency last year when it announced the round-up and permanent removal of 20 young wild horses between the ages of 1 and 3 in the Pryor Mountain Herd Management Area (HMA) and the continual removal of six to 12 wild horses on an annual basis. “We are thrilled the court didn’t let the BLM get away with violating the law. Judge Watters’ decision in Friends of Animals’ lawsuit recognizes that BLM was removing wild horses from the Pryor Mountains before considering a reasonable alternative—determining what the appropriate population for the area is and whether the range could potentially support more wild horses,” said Jennifer Best, associate director of FoA’s Wildlife Law Program. “Judge Waters also ruled in Friends of Animals’

favor that the BLM could not ignore its promise to the public to do a more thorough analysis of the Appropriate Management Level (AML) before removing wild horses. I hope this decision sends a signal to BLM that it cannot get away with ignoring its commitments and duties to protect these amazing wild animals, who are actually underpopulated.” The lawsuit stated that the BLM had based the Pryor Mountain Removal Decision on an outdated 2009 Herd Management Area Plan that established an AML of 90-120 wild horses. The AML was based on a 2007 range evaluation, which the BLM was supposed to recalculate within five years (by 2014). BLM admitted that it has not re-calculated the AML since its 2009 decision. “The Bureau of Land Management has continually cut corners and failed to keep its commitments when it comes to protecting America’s wild horses in its rush to remove horses from public lands to placate cattle and sheep ranchers,” added Michael Harris, director of FoA’s Wildlife Law Program. “BLM violated the law at the expense of the wild horses and Friends of Animals is satisfied that it

can be an effective voice for the wild horses and can hold BLM accountable for its commitments.” Last year, when the Billings, Montana, Field Office asked for comments about its proposed roundup and removal—nearly all of the youth of the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Herd—FoA delivered comments in person and presented the “Worst Government Agency” award to the Billings’ staff for treating wild horses as pests that need to be controlled. We also spent six hours driving in the Pryor Mountain Range in search of wild horses, and were mortified to see only five mustangs among 24,641 acres. It’s more evidence that BLM inflates their numbers and undermines the value and rightful place of wild horses on federal public lands to appease the ranchers it treats as clients. This government agency has already ruined the lives of hundreds of thousands of wild horses—it has zeroed out six of seven wild horse Herd Areas in Montana—and it won't be happy until the most famous herd in North America is dead and gone. FoA refuses to go along with the agency’s extinction plan.

Fall 2016 | 5

SUPPORT OUR

extreme makeover AT

PRIMARILY PRIMATES tion! chimpanzee house edi

ou might hear more pan hoots than usual from chimps Cheetah, Siri, Little Boy and Violet, who reside up on the hill overlooking the pond at Primarily Primates. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s because their habitat is the first to get a makeover that not only includes structural enhancements, but also improves the comfort and coziness of their bedrooms. These renovations, made possible by The Aid to Helpless Animals Trust and Winnie Converse Tappan Charitable Trust of the San Antonio Area Foundation, will extend the life of their habitat 20-25 years. Now we are launching a $75,000 capital campaign to enable us to enhance the housing of some of the other chimps who call PPI homeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;including Walter, Jessie, Nicole, Laura, Effie and Vanessa, who all lived dismal lives prior to their arrival due to exploitation. Clockwise from top: Nicole, Effie and Walter are three of the chimps who will enjoy the new renovations.

Above: A photo illustration of one of the new bedding structures, which will enhance their comfort while resting.

6 | Friends of Animals

WHAT YOUR DONATION PROVIDES

n captivity a chimp’s life expectancy is 50 years, so sanctuaries like PPI must keep up with maintenance of their housing, ensuring it will last for many years to come. Simply put, chimpanzees are very hard on their living areas. Their current living space is 17 years old and has become susceptible to damage as chimpanzees exert excessive force, even during play. Rusted doors become less reliable and the margin of safety is reduced over time, subjecting chimps and care takers alike to potential injury. The use of galvanized steel around the exterior of the bedrooms and on access doors eliminates rust and bare metal, which will not only improve the structures appearance but also provide a safer environment for chimps. But what Siri and Violet (who were exploited by the bio-medical industry) and Cheetah and Little Boy (exploited by the entertainment industry), seem to care about the most is how the renovations have refined their sleeping area! The six-bedroom enclosure has been reconfigured to create two large bedrooms. Staff at PPI have discovered that when sleeping, chimpanzees tend to crowd together to stay warm, so smaller bedrooms can become cramped. Creating two large bedrooms alleviates this issue. Increasing warmth will be even more appreciated in the winter months. The larger bedroom configuration also allows the creation of new bedding structures, such as hanging hammocks. Since most of the chimps who call PPI home are over 35, including this group, railings have been installed to make it easier for them to move around their bedrooms and to climb into their beds. Less individual bedrooms make cleaning and sanitizing easier too, which creates an overall healthier environment. In all, the renovations are a win-win for the chimps and their care staff, and everyone at PPI is extremely grateful for any support that enhances the lives of our animals.

HELP US REACH OUR CAPITAL CAMPAIGN GOAL OF

$75,000

THE $75,000 PROJECT WILL INCLUDE: ● Resurfacing walls, as well as sealing and coating them with a durable and easily cleaned epoxy, for thorough cleaning and sanitation. ● Replacing worn and damaged metal cage front panels and doors with stronger four-gauge galvanized metal and sliding doors, reducing maintenance costs and extending their useable life. ● Expanding sleeping quarters by transforming six small bedrooms into two large rooms which will allow room for hanging hammock beds and durable perching that will enhance their comfort while resting. In addition, the additional bedroom space will better function as play/exercise areas for our chimpanzees during inclement weather. ● Creating two storage areas for enrichment and cleaning supplies, to allow ready access for caretakers at the point of delivery, reducing time needed to obtain necessary supplies.

DONATE NOW Make a donation to our “Extreme Makeover” capital campaign. Visit our website www.primarilyprimates.org and click on the "Donate to our Campaign" box. Or please send a tax deductible check, made payable to Primarily Primates, to: Primarily Primates, 26099 Dull Knife Trail, San Antonio, Texas, 78255.

BY DUSTIN RHODES. PHOTOGRAPH BY LAURIE JOHNSON

BROTHER WOLF IS

WALKING THE WALK IN ASHEVILLE, N.C.

The no-kill animal shelter expands with vegan outreach and animal sanctuary

enise Bitz is a registered nurse by trade and a dog and cat lover by default—a care-taker deep in her bones. When she landed in Asheville, N.C.—a picturesque mountain town in Western North Carolina—Bitz started volunteering at the local humane society, first by working in the shelter itself and later by fostering animals at her home through a now-defunct local foster network. Even though a nurse bears witness to tragedy and pain more than most of us, Bitz was deeply disturbed by what she started to see on a frequent basis at the local humane society: She’d work with a dog at the pound one day, and a few days later, when she’d inquire about the animal, it would be dead—another victim of systemic killing in the shelter system. “I really became aware of the dog issue during Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath in 2005,” said Bitz. “I saw dogs on TV swimming for their lives, and people dying because they refused to leave their pets behind. Something about that experience caused me to say to myself, ‘I am going to help animals in the future.’”. Instead of walking away from the problem, Bitz did something radical: In 2007, she founded Brother Wolf Animal Rescue in Asheville—an organization committed to a no-kill philosophy. Brother Wolf, in its first year, did 60 dog adoptions, which, at the time, “seemed like a massive number,” recalls Bitz.

8 | Friends of Animals

That first year, there were just a handful of volunteers, who were fostering the dogs in their homes. “We were trying to take in as many as we could and trying to get them adopted out as quickly as possible.” Fast forward to 2015 and 2016—6,000 dogs and cats (guinea pigs, rabbits and pot-bellied pigs, too) passed through the doors of Brother Wolf, who may have been killed otherwise. In addition to an increase in the number of animals Brother Wolf can accommodate, there’s now a pet food pantry (for low-income residents), a behavioral and training program designed to help those with problem pets to address them and thus prevent owner surrender; and a loan program to assist people with dire veterinary needs, which also prevents animals from re-entering into the shelter system. Since its inception, more than 20,000 animals have found a safe haven at Brother Wolf and untold others have been spared the trauma of abandonment through its preventative programs. This year, Brother Wolf took animal rescue to another level, launching a new program—Asheville Vegan Outreach, whose sole purpose is to bring vegan programming and a plant-based community to the Asheville area. Already staff members have hosted guest speakers, activist events, a film and other gatherings aimed at bringing animal lovers together. Like many who work in animal rescue, Bitz didn’t connect all of the dots at first and wasn’t living a vegan lifestyle when she founded Brother Wolf. While Bitz became a lacto-ovo vegetarian early in life, she describes her former

“WE STARTED OUT JUST HELPING DOGS. THEN I LEARNED ABOUT CATS. NEXT CAME GUINEA PIGS, RABBITS, SNAKES, RATS, ETC. THEN I BECAME AWARE OF THE PLIGHT OF FARM ANIMALS.” self as a “junk-food vegetarian,” Bitz laughs: “I really just ate a lot of junk food; and I really believed at that time that cows were here to provide us with milk and chickens to provide eggs. I didn’t even question that.” But Bitz crossed paths with a mentor from the animal rescue world—Paul Berry, who moved to Asheville with the dream of opening a juice bar. Bitz describes Berry as a patient adviser “who answered a lot of questions I hadn’t considered.” Bitz describes her vegan revelation as sudden, and that she made the commitment to change overnight: “It was a really powerful experience. Even my personal health changed dramatically. I lost 75 pounds as a result of becoming vegan.” Bitz hasn’t looked back. Bitz decided to make Brother Wolf vegan, too. “I immediately enacted policies that just made sense—the first being that any event could only serve vegan food. It’s insanity how many dog and cat organizations host events that serve animals to eat at a benefit for animals.” When asked whether there has been push-back, Bitz concedes that there has been some, but that it’s mostly been a positive response—even in the larger community: “We’ve received a lot of support; yes, some left our organization, but overall it’s strengthened us.” Bitz also convinced Berry to take the job of executive director at Brother Wolf. They’ve become a formidable team, one that is on the brink of another project that also embraces animal rescue and veganism. A SANCTUARY IS BORN Due to a generous gift from a donor, Brother Wolf inherited 80 acres of property just outside of Asheville, and this fall, they hope to break ground on a brand new sanctuary that will provide refuge to cats, dogs, pigs, chickens, cows, goats, sheep and more.

Plans also include a learning center focused on humane education, which will host youth programs as well as conferences and seminars for folks who work or volunteer in the animal welfare industry. It will also provide education about farm animals (and why they should not be eaten or exploited; an on-site veterinary clinic; a vegan restaurant, and a cat café—a place to get coffee, have a snack and relax and get to know adoptable cats. There will also be a dog park, with a pool for swimming. And even more exciting? There will be guest cabins where visitors can come and stay, get to know the animals and volunteer if they want.

Above: Denise Bitz and Paul Berry plan to break ground on the sanctuary this fall. Photograph provided by Asheville Citizen Times.

The new property is stunning—filled with rolling hills and gorgeous mountain views people come to Asheville for. There are already a few lucky pigs, cows and dogs living at the new sanctuary, along with Bitz. They will be the first ambassadors of the new expanded Brother Wolf. “The new sanctuary is a reflection of my own transformation as an animal advocate over the past 10 years,” Bitz says. “We started out just helping dogs. Then I learned about cats. Next came guinea pigs, rabbits, snakes, rats, etc. Then I became aware of the plight of farm animals. We want this new sanctuary to help people think about other animals—all animals—just like we do our dogs and cats— the ones we live with and love.”

The sun sets over the 80-acre property that will become a sanctuary.

Fall 2016 | 9

SPREADS HAPPINESS AND HOPE ACROSS SOCIAL MEDIA BY MEG MCINTIRE

10 | Friends of Animals

There have been a number of days recently when I’ve pulled up Facebook on my phone, and it has put me in a foul mood.

It feels like I’m endlessly scrolling through a collection of opinionated political articles, angry blog posts and status updates from people sharing their unsolicited, unhappy thoughts on a current event. As a result I find myself actively trying to avoid the hell that can be the Facebook comment section. When it becomes too tedious and downright depressing, I know that there’s always one page I can turn to brighten my mood—Susie’s Senior Dogs. Created in 2014, Susie’s Senior Dogs is a work of love inspired by the then 13-year-old straggly haired pooch Susie, owned by photographer Brandon Stanton, creator of Humans of New York. In case you didn’t know, Humans of New York is a blog and bestselling book featuring street portraits and interviews collected on the streets of New York City. Started in November 2010, it has become a phenomenon and has attracted more than 3.7 million followers. Stanton’s girlfriend, Erin O’Sullivan, wanted to create an online community where she could make a difference in the lives of other senior dogs like Susie, age 7 or older, by helping them find forever homes. The first story O’Sullivan posted on Humans of New York was about an 8-year-old dog named Tyra living at Animal Haven in SoHo.

after the post, Tyra quickly had a home. Recognizing she was on to something, O’Sullivan soon began new Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts devoted to such matchmaking. The campaign has been wildly successful. Susie’s Senior Dogs went from a few hundred followers to 10,000 within 24 hours of Stanton’s promotion on Humans of New York. In a Facebook message, Stanton, who had never owned a dog before, wrote that adopting Susie ended up being one of the best decisions he’s ever made in his life. The idea behind starting Susie’s Senior Dogs came from the fact that “senior dogs have a tough time getting adopted even though they are extremely laid back roommates. They enjoy a good walk as much as the next dog, but they are also down with chillaxing all day and watching ‘Breaking Bad’.” Sadly, Susie passed away earlier this year, but her legacy lives on in her owners’ determination to be a voice for unwanted senior dogs—O’Sullivan estimates that they have been able to place more than 500 senior dogs with permanent families. What makes Susie’s Senior Dogs unique in terms of social media is that it has created an extremely helpful and loving community of individuals who are willing to do just about anything to help an older pooch. On any given day, you can find hundreds of comments underneath pictures posted of adoptable dogs from people who are willing to open their homes to a dog either as a foster parent or permanently. Those who can’t currently care for a senior dog still reach out and there is always someone willing to help pay for travel expenses or pick up and drop off a dog so that it can reach its new owner. If you want to shed a few happy tears, visit Facebook.com/SusiesSeniorDogs.

“She was like a grumpy old woman and she was not so beautiful,” O’Sullivan said. “She was definitely the low man on the totem pole for getting adopted.” But

Fall 2016 | 11

FOA MARCHES ON IN THE BATTLE TO KEEP ELEPHANTS OUT OF U.S. ZOOS

In March, Friends of Animalsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; fight to prevent a lifetime of captivity inside commercial attractions in the U.S. for 18 Swaziland elephants, most of whom are currently under 12 years of age, came to an abrupt and devious end as three zoos secretly shipped them to their facilities, robbing them of their freedom, families and day in court.

12 | Friends of Animals

BY NICOLE RIVARD. PHOTOGRAPH BY BENJAMIN PLEY

Above: In their natural range, African elephants like this one are used to travelling 19 to 37 miles a day and can be active 20 hours per day.

Fall 2016 | 13

Left: The U.S. zoos moved swiftly to anesthetize, crate and move the Swaziland elephants onto a plane before they could get their day in court.

he underhandedness of this move cannot be overstated. This is the first time since 2003 that elephants have been taken from their natural range in Africa for purposes of populating U.S. zoos. Since then, our scientific understanding of the impacts that removing elephants from their habitat and families and confining them in zoo exhibits have on them has grown tremendously,” said Michael Harris, director of Friends of Animals’ Wildlife Law Program. The three zoos—the Dallas Zoo, the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas, and Omaha, Nebraska’s Henry Doorly Zoo—had applied for and obtained from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) a permit to import these elephants from a national park in Swaziland managed by Big Game Parks (BGP), a non-profit trust. Instead of allowing its elephants to roam freely, BGP confines them behind fences to only approximately six and 19 percent of the Hlane Royal National Park and Mkhaya Game Reserve. Only 39 elephants lived in Swaziland when the zoos applied for a permit. Friends of Animals (FoA) filed a lawsuit soon after the permit was issued claiming that that USFWS had a mandatory duty under the National Environmental Policy Act to fully evaluate and disclose whether the elephants, as a result of captivity, would suffer social, psychologi-

14 | Friends of Animals

cal, behavioral and physical impacts for the rest of their lives. The lawsuit was supported by the world’s foremost experts on elephants, including Dr. Marc Bekoff, Dr. Joyce Poole, Dr. Phyllis Lee, Dr. G.A. Bradshaw and the entire board of the Elephant Specialist Advisory Group. Faced with the real possibility of a court finding that the law compels such disclosure (which certainly would have negatively impacted public and scientific opinion about the proposed transfer), the zoos decided to take no chances. Without informing the court or media, a plane was secretly sent from Kansas City on March 5 to retrieve the elephants (one of the elephants was pregnant) ahead of a scheduled hearing on March 17, at which time the court was to hear FoA's legal arguments. Thanks to the brave actions of a local Swaziland person, within mere hours of the plane landing, FoA had enough information to support a request for an emergency restraining order, which was temporarily granted by the court. Sadly, the zoos had already moved to anesthetize, crate and move the elephants onto the plane. Faced with sparse medical testimony from the zoos’ own veterinarians, the court dissolved the restraining order shortly after midnight in Swaziland. The elephants were flown to the U.S. before another day dawned.

FULL STEAM AHEAD While we decided to drop our lawsuit, rest assured FoA is still attacking the issue of stopping future exports of elephants from their natural African range through the legal and regulatory process. Our approach is three-pronged—first we want to increase protections for elephants in Zimbabwe and Swaziland, which means up listing them from threatened to endangered. Second, our goal is to eliminate the assertion that U.S. zoos displaying elephants are non-commercial activities. Third, we are devoted to educating the public about the lives elephants and other animals are subjected to when they are imprisoned in commercial attractions in the United States. Regarding the latter, scientists now know that elephants nearly always endure severe physical and physiological hardship when they have been taken from their natural range and families and exploited for commercial purposes as these elephants were—they were first brought to Swaziland from Kruger National Park in South Africa. G.A. Bradshaw, Ph.D., and Lorin Lindner Ph.D., write in the article “Post-Traumatic Stress and Elephants in Captivity,” that “events or stressors that underlie the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) include threat of death; physical abuse; deprivation; torture; isolation; forced captivity; and witnessing the loss, death or threat of death to a loved one. All elephants in captivity have experienced most, if not all, of these events. Splitting up of familiar bonds is known to be highly cruel and traumatic to elephants—in those that are sent as well as in those that remain behind. Once they reach the zoos elephants become depressed, lose their appetites, and can become fidgety, dissociative and/or even aggressive. Moreover, it is well documented that captive elephants have a much greater chance of developing health problems and dying at a much earlier age when they are transported overseas and endure such stress factors. This is not something that the three zoos involved wanted to see a court order USFWS to take into consideration. Another thing the three zoos involved don’t want to put a spotlight on, since they claim to be primarily non-commercial entities devoted to education and conservation, is the miniscule amount of money they actually dedicate to in situ conservation, which is conservation in the natural range of elephants.

Conservation efforts within the field is crucial and involves things like protecting rich and varied ecosystems (in this case in Africa); researching and highlighting the ethical implications of dealing with sentient, long-lived, intelligent and socially complex animals; anti-poaching efforts; outreach to the human communities that share the ecosystems with elephants; and veterinary care. Most importantly it involves reintroduction of orphaned or injured animals into the wild, the gold standard of conservation, according to Kenya’s Amboseli Trust for Elephants. Amboseli Trust for Elephants is responsible for a trailblazing research program that protects the lives of approximately 1,652 elephants in 56 families, including close to 380 independent adult males in their natural habitat. One of the ways they achieve this is tolerance of elephants and wildlife from the local Masai community. In a statement on released last fall about the Swaziland elephants, Amboseli Trust said: “This importation serves no credible conservation purpose. None of the elephants or their offspring will be returned to the wild, the gold standard of conservation. Instead, it is intended to replenish the zoo industry’s dwindling African elephant population in the U.S….The Kingdom of Swaziland and the Dallas Zoo and its partners have offered no evidence that they have seriously explored options for relocation of the elephants to other parks or sanctuaries within Africa, nor on what basis other options were rejected – even though in situ relocation offers real conservation value, the promise of minimal harm and distress to the elephants, and the prospect of a natural life. Claims that poaching, habitat loss and other threats justify relegating these elephants to a lifetime in captivity in a foreign environment are self-serving; used to justify the capture and exports of these animals.” We couldn’t agree more.

Fall 2016 | 15

FOR MORE THAN A DECADE, FOA DELIVERED IMPORTANT ANTI-POACHING SUPPLIES TO GOVERNMENT WILDLIFE AGENCIES IN 10 AFRICAN COUNTRIES SUCH AS AIRCRAFT, PATROL VEHICLES, VHF RADIOS, NIGHT VISION GOGGLES, GENERATORS, UNIFORMS, TENTS, FIELD EQUIPMENT AND OTHER ITEMS.

Above: Elephants, like the ones depicted here in Kenya who are protected by the Amboseli Elephant Trust, make lifelong friendships.

EVIDENCE OF COMMERCE, NOT CONSERVATION EXHIBIT A: THE DALLAS ZOO The Dallas Zoo’s 2015 annual report, which ironically has an elephant on the cover with the title “Meaningful Impact” reveals that its total revenue was $29,852,000. Total expenses were $26,999,000. A measly $470,000, just 2 percent of expenses, actually went to “conservation funding and other.” The zoo, a so-called non-commercial entity, spent more than that on marketing—a whopping $1,187,000. A closer look at the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) most recent Annual Report on Conservation and Science reveals that the Dallas Zoo then divides that paltry two percent of expenses among 23 field conservation projects and only two of them have anything to do with elephant conservation in Africa. Neither involved reintroducing elephants in the wild. “With the little conservation funding zoos provide,

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it is not going to the research being done by people like Dr. Poole and others who are interested in learning about who elephants are and their lives in their natural habitat or providing information about what we will lose if we lose elephants with respect to science and our overall understanding of animals. Nor is it going to reintroducing orphaned or injured animals into the wild in Africa,” said Harris. The Dallas Zoo even admits to supporting Swaziland Rhino Conservation by helping the Kingdom of Swaziland’s Big Game Parks relocate elephants to allow park managers to protect critically endangered rhinos. Dallas Zoo’s definition of conservation may mean relocating Swaziland elephants to the confines of its facility, but FoA’s isn’t.

EXHIBIT B: THE SEDGWICK COUNTY ZOO The Sedgwick County Zoo’s 2014 Annual Report reveals that its total revenue was $11,604,194. Total expenses were $10,755,348. A skimpy $108,215, actually went to conservation through the zoo’s Quarters for Conservation Program. The program works by giving .25 cents of each admission fee and $2.50 of every membership purchase to worldwide conservation programs. But similar to Dallas, the zoo spent four times that on promotions and advertising—$399, 198. The Sedgwick Zoo divides that meager $108,215 among 27 field conservation projects and like Dallas only two have anything to do with elephants in Africa but nothing to do with reintroducing elephants in the wild. We uncovered that one of the projects that the zoo actually contributes to is the Ngwenya Rhino and Elephant Fund, which in the late 90s was handed over to the Swaziland’s Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, which is also managed by Big Games Park. But as noted earlier, Swaziland’s Big Game Parks is the entity that allowed the 17 Swaziland elephants to be shipped off to U.S. zoos! The three zoos involved in this recent scheme with Swaziland are certainly not alone in their fraudulent claims to the public that visiting the elephants at their facilities contributes to any substantial conservation of elephants in Africa, and a press release on the AZA website adds insult to injury. One of the ways the organization claims elephants in all AZA-accredited zoos are benefiting elephants around the world is through “contraceptive drugs and techniques available as an alternative to culling.” We are baffled by why the AZA, and the Humane Society International for that matter, participates in research that would result in the use of the fertility control drug PZP on a species that is currently endangered in Asia and threatened in Africa. If zoos were truly driven by conservation rather than their misguided attitude that captivity promotes it, they would eliminate their elephant exhibits and protect elephants where they live, which is a more cost effective way to ensure elephants never go extinct in Africa. It has been documented that the cost of keeping elephants in zoos is 50 times more expensive than protecting equivalent numbers in their natural range. No matter what they spend, the zoos can never provide the space needed for elephants to thrive. In their natural range, African elephants are used to travelling 19 to 37 miles a day. The Dallas Zoo’s $30 million enclosure provides only 11 acres for nine elephants. The Sedgwick

County Zoo’s enclosure only provides five acres for its six elephants. And the Omaha Doorly Zoo only provides four acres for its six elephants. According to an AZA survey, AZA-accredited zoos annually spend an average of $58,000 per elephant. In 2011, there were 308 elephants in AZA zoos, so that adds up to zoos spending an estimated $17, 864,000 annually to maintain these animals. In contrast true conservation organizations protecting elephants where they live have much more modest budgets. For example, in 2014 annual revenue for the aforementioned Amboseli Elephant Trust was just $455,272. And in 2013, The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, world-renown for its Orphan Project, which rehabilitates and releases elephants back into Tsavo and Nairobi National Parks in Kenya, regions once devastated by poaching, launched the “Sky Vets” program with $186,229 from the U.S. Friends of the Trust. The program deploys Kenya Wildlife Service veterinarians by air throughout Kenya to emergency wildlife cases that cannot be attended to through one of the mobile units due to distance or time constraints. In 2015, the DSWT’s mobile veterinary units and the Sky Vet program attended to 446 wild animals, including 219 elephants, who had to be treated because of poaching, human-wildlife conflict and loss of habitat due to human expansion. Also three

It has been documented that the cost of keeping elephants in zoos is 50 times more expensive than protecting equivalent numbers in their natural range. Fall 2016 | 17

new babies were wild born to the Trusts’ hand-reared ex-orphans in 2015, with a fourth born in early 2016. Ex orphans have now added a total of 19 wild born babies to the Tsavo elephant population. Now that’s meaningful elephant conservation work in Africa. Likewise, for more than a decade, FoA delivered important anti-poaching supplies to government wildlife agencies in 10 African countries such as aircraft, patrol vehicles, VHF radios, night vision goggles, generators, uniforms, tents, field equipment and other items. FoA also drafted the 1989 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species’ ban on the international trade in ivory. Looking ahead, we are investing our time and resources on preventing any future proposals to import African elephants to U.S. zoos because no matter how much zoos contribute to conservation, it can never be enough to justify keeping elephants in the confines of their commercial attractions. We are sick and tired of their twisted logic.

Above: One of the Swaziland elephants at the Sedgwick Zoo, already exhibiting manic, captive behaviors, such as swaying back and forth.

TAKE ACTION Please consider supporting the work of Friends of Animals’ Wildlife Law Program to help us continue our work to prevent more African elephants from being ripped from their homes and families to be put on display at commercial attractions in the U.S. The Wildlife Law Program is also working to establish recognition of a right to ethical consideration for all wild animals all over the world and end the importation of U.S. trophy hunted animals by 2020. Visit www.friendsofanimals.org.

ZOO SAFETY CALLED INTO QUESTION

enry Doorly Zoo’s new elephant exhibit is part of African Grasslands, a $73 million project that spans 28 acres inside, the largest in the zoo’s history. Zoo CEO and Executive Director Dennis Pate has said in the media that in terms of visitors the zoo could eclipse the 2 million mark this year, thanks to the opening of new exhibits, the African Grasslands and Alaskan Adventure. The zoo boasts that African Grasslands features breathtaking panoramic views and long vistas of grasslands teeming with African wildlife. There is extensive use of grasses, acacialike trees, kopjes and “minimal visual barriers.” The trend of zoos moving toward “minimal visual barriers” and barless outdoor exhibits is all about enhancing the visitor’s experience and attracting more visitors and members just like any other commercial entity, not animal safety and conservation. As society progresses and more and more people question the physical and mental well-being of animals in zoos, zoos have gotten busy revamping their image to create an experience for visitors that distracts them from thinking about the stress of animals in captivity. But as exhibits become more “beautiful” and natural looking and

less like “cages,” especially for animals who are money makers, who will ultimately pay the price, human or non-human animals, or both? A witch hunt unfolded on social media for the woman whose 4-yearold son plummeted 20 feet into the Cincinnati Zoo gorilla exhibit back in May—the public seemed adamant her alleged poor parenting caused the shooting death of a beloved, endangered ape named Harambe. They even called on child protective services to investigate her. Just as outspoken were the people slamming the overall existence of zoos and their endless exploitation of animals who are subjected to a life of imprisonment versus a life in the wild in their native habitats. But the unfortunate reality is that zoos do still exist. And this woman went to the zoo armed with a false sense of security that it was a safe place to be with her children. The director of the Cincinnati Zoo addressed suggestions that the zoo was to blame for the fall since the barriers didn’t successfully keep the child out of the gorilla exhibit. He told reporters the facility is inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and that the enclosure barriers exceed recommendations.

“You can lock your car, you can lock your house, but if someone really wants to, they can get in,” he said at the news conference. “Do you know any 4-year-olds? They can climb over anything.” What a disturbing sentiment. A zoo’s priority is to attract and please tourists, and one would think keeping them safe goes hand in hand with that. What the tragedy has exposed is that not only did the Cincinnati Zoo manage to endanger and kill an already critically endangered species, the western lowland gorilla, but that the recommendations regarding what is safe and what is not in terms of zoo exhibits should be better scrutinized. Friends of Animals knows all too well the murderous process you have to go through to get a USDA exhibiting license as we are trying to secure one to allow limited educational visits at Primarily Primates, our sanctuary in San Antonio, Texas. How then is it possible that a person of any size or age is able to climb a three-foot barrier and through the bushes and reach the 15-foot drop into the water surrounding a gorilla enclosure, which USDA deemed safe?

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ANIMALS COME FIRST AT SANCTUARIES Eon, the black handed spider monkey

The killing of Harambe the gorilla in the Cincinnati zoo left many people outraged at the idea of wild animals being kept in captivity to entertain tourists. This is a sentiment we at Friends of Animals share, but at a sanctuary like Primarily Primates in Texas, which we manage and is not open to tourists, the main goal is the safety and well-being of the 350 animals in our care. They too are in captivity, but the staff is devoted to making sure this portion of an animal’s life is as dignified and enriched as possible following being exploited by research, entertainment or the pet trade. On the contrary, commercial zoos' main goal is to attract paying visitors. It is impossible for zoos to meet the needs of wild animals in captivity. Captive animals are denied the ability to express their natural behaviors such as having extended social groups and living in large territories. Elephants, for example, require constant movement to maintain muscle tone, burn fat and ensure good blood flow. In the wild, there are constant shifts in exposure to varying landscapes and consequent inevitable richness in experiences.

A sanctuary does not breed, buy, sell or trade animals. And a sanctuary will not dispose of an animal because it is not “perfect” enough for an exhibit. For example, Eon, a 25-year-old black handed spider monkey who passed away in the spring after a battle with pancreatic disease that did not respond to treatment, came to Primarily Primates in 1993 from the Greater Baton Rouge Zoo. He was born via C-section and then rejected by his mother. After an adult male bit off part of his tail, the zoo decided Eon was no longer suitable for its exhibit.

At Primarily Primates, the habitats are not designed to make the public feel better about captivity so they will keep coming back to spend money. Our goal is to provide a safe home for the residents that they can’t escape from and that misguided humans can’t get into. Primarily Primates treats these animals with the respect they deserve, keeping them free from gawking crowds and dangers not of their own making.

And you may not know about one of our several projects in Africa. In a November 2008 landmark agreement with the Gambian government, FoA agreed to help fund and support the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project, an island sanctuary located in River Gambia National Park. It is home to more than 100 chimpanzees who live in relative freedom—without bars or cages—on three of the national park’s islands. Many of the chimpanzees were confiscated as orphans of parents killed by hunters for bushmeat or for zoos. The Project also established an environmental education program to promote the survival of the chimpanzees and their habitat among local residents.

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ON THE CAMPAIGN T R A

WHAT THE UPCOMING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION COULD MEAN FOR ANIMALS AND THE ENVIRONMENT 22 | Friends of Animals

W BY MEG MCINTIRE

ith the presidential election fast approaching, Americans are facing a significant fork in the road—two very different paths, two very distinct potential realities. The contrasts between the candidates of the two major parties could not be greater, especially when considering the future of our public lands and the wildlife who calls them home. Obviously views on climate change, environmental regulations and land usage are all important factors when it comes to the survival of the country’s wildlife, but gun control, political-party ties to the National Rifle Association (NRA) and hunting regulations are also significant elements of wildlife wellbeing too. By combining stances on gun and environmental policy, we’ve been able to predict what’s in store for America’s people, wildlife and the environment depending on the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. REPUBLICANS The Republican Party, which is wholly owned by special interest groups like the NRA, the Cattlemen’s Association, and the fossil fuel industry, has also taken every opportunity in recent years to attach legislative riders for the sole purpose of crippling and defunding major programs within the Endangered Species Act, a law designed to protect imperiled animals.

According to findings in a 2015 report called Politics of Extinction by the Center for Biological Diversity, attacks to undermine the ESA have increased by 600 percent over all other attempts in 15 years, due to Republican efforts. The Center’s report also identified five Republicans, who have received millions of campaign dollars to do the bidding of special interest groups that work against the goals of protecting wildlife and endangered species. They are Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Calif.), Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah). Republican leadership would also mean more threats to federal and public lands if we’ve learned anything from the recent takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon by Ammon Bundy and a group of anti-government extremists. At press time, Republicans have denied hearing requests by the Democrats about the takeover and the Majority has so far largely refused to condemn the actions of Bundy and the rest of the armed extremists. The unwillingness to condemn anti-government extremists armed with lethal weapons also springs from Republican ties to the NRA, which goes to great lengths (including spending huge sums of money) to defend the right to bear arms. It is opposed to virtually every form of gun regulation and actively promotes hunting. The NRA also endorsed Donald Trump, who has been

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REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP WOULD ALSO MEAN MORE THREATS TO FEDERAL AND PUBLIC LANDS IF WE’VE LEARNED ANYTHING FROM THE RECENT TAKEOVER OF THE MALHEUR NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE IN OREGON BY AMMON BUNDY AND A GROUP OF ANTI-GOVERNMENT EXTREMISTS.

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adamant about his policy promise to eliminate gun-free zones, which exist at some schools and at military bases. In a world where a Republican candidate is elected president and the party is able to retain control of the House and Senate, expect to see huge cutbacks when it comes to government’s role in environmental protections. With a Republican president, it’s practically guaranteed that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would have its funding dramatically slashed. In fact, Trump has suggested in interviews that he would completely do away with the EPA (but we shouldn’t worry because the “environment will be just fine.”) Any actions to prevent or reverse climate change would also come to a complete halt since the nominee considers it to be a non-issue. Trump does not just deny that climate change is occurring; he calls it a hoax, and says those who warn of global warming only want to raise taxes. Some Republicans in Congress believe that carbon dioxide (CO2) “is good for plant life,” that the planet “is greener right now” than in the past, and that “for significant periods in history, prior to the industrial revolution, there has been markedly more

CO2 in our atmosphere that could not have come from the burning of fossil fuels.” One representative also believes that “for the past 18 years … there has been no significant warming whatsoever” and that the current computer models used to understand global climate trends “are profoundly wrong … and inconsistent with the evidence and the data.” DEMOCRATS If our country ends up in the hands of the Democratic Party, you can be assured we will have leadership that embraces science and agrees that action on climate issues and diminishing wildlife populations is sorely needed. Democrats in Congress have upheld the Endangered Species Act as a way to conserve threatened species and create progress for wildlife. The Democratic members on the House Committee on Natural Resources say that successes like the recovery and delisting of the bald eagle, American alligator, and gray whale, along with the unprecedented state-federal partnership to conserve the greater sagegrouse, show that the law can be both flexible and effective. House Democrats have also been raising new concerns about wealthy Americans hunting imper-

iled species in Africa—a hobby of Donald Trump’s eldest son—and have released a report detailing how trophy-hunting fees do not aid conservation, an argument long-held by hunters. Democratic leadership would also mean expanded protections for wildlife. One example is how Democratic senators from Delaware recently helped pass a bill that “strengthens protections for Delaware’s natural resources by helping the state identify and appropriately punish those who commit egregious crimes against wildlife.” Many other Democratic Congressional members have helped draft or pass legislation in their own states that designate land as wildlife preserves or state parks as well. If elected president, one way Democrat Hillary Clinton will be committed to protecting wildlife in the United States is by keeping public lands public, not auctioning them off to the highest bidder. She has also promised to continue to combat international wildlife trafficking by shutting down the U.S. market for illegal wildlife products. Clinton has long opposed and worked against the international ivory trade, announcing a new global effort in 2013 to protect Africa’s wild

elephants from poaching, part of a long-running personal crusade for the former secretary of state. Clinton joined the presidents of several African nations and wildlife preservation advocates to unveil an $80 million, three-year program aimed at ending ivory trafficking, including new park guards at major elephant ranges and sniffer-dog teams at global transit points. Her Congressional record also shows that she supports protections of domestic animals, like co-sponsoring Senate Bill 311, a ban on the transport, possession, purchase and sale of horses to be slaughtered for human consumption and Senate Bill 261, which would establish felony-level penalties for violations of federal law regarding dog fighting, cockfighting and other animal fighting. Ties to the NRA and other pro-hunting groups are mostly absent when it comes to the Democratic Party. Clinton has laid out a seven-step plan to increase gun control and challenge the gun lobby through comprehensive background checks, repealing the law that grants immunity to gun makers facing lawsuits, a ban on assault weapons, tightening gun show and Internet sales, and keeping guns from domes-

tic abusers and people with serious mental health problems. Democrats in Congress have also worked to block an omnibus package of special favors for trophy hunters, pack hunters, ivory dealers and users of lead ammunition that has been backed by groups like the NRA and Safari Club International called the SHARE Act and the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act. Ultimately, the person America chooses as president of the United States in November could have huge repercussions for our environment and wildlife. And whether new leaders of Congress will embrace their historic role as stewards of our air, land, water and wildlife remains to be seen. Perhaps some will view this as their chance to gut federal environmental protections as right wing groups and polluting industries have long desired. Whatever the outcome, one thing is certain—Friends of Animals will be in the thick of the fight to protect domestic and free-roaming animals and their habitats no matter which way it goes.

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BY DUSTIN RHODES

Chefs revamp Texas culinary scene one vegan BBQ sandwich at a time

hen one thinks of Texas, a few things immediately come to mind: The Alamo, cowboys, barbecue, those ubiquitous “Don’t mess with Texas” bumper-stickers that are simultaneously threatening and hilarious. It’s doubtful that “scrumptious vegetarian cuisine” is the first thing that pops into anyone’s head. But that is quickly changing, especially in San Antonio, where brothers Mike and Chris Behrend, along with business partner Paul Evans, are changing the Texas culinary landscape—one vegan barbecue sandwich at a time. Green Vegetarian Cuisine was originally conceived by Mike Behrend, who owned and operated Lulu’s Bakery and Café, along with his mother Luanne Singleton, for 15 years. Mike became a vegetarian in 2005, then sold the café the following year and began construction on what was to become the original location of Green Vegetarian Cuisine—even though friends thought he was crazy to open a vegetarian restaurant in San Antonio, a city that routinely has the dubious distinction of being named one of America’s most unhealthy cities. Green was an instant success because of the brilliant decision to keep the menu recognizable and, at its heart, Texan. There are vegan breakfast bowls, vegan migas and mouth-watering sweet potato pancakes with fresh blueberries; for lunch, you can eat a deliciously healthy protein salad with mouth-watering chicken-fried tofu and marinated greens or a taco plate; and dinners offer something for everyone: the ever popular orange tofu bowl, fish-less “fish” tacos, and much more. There are vegan cupcakes in every flavor you can imagine (seriously!), along with fat slices of moist Southern-style cake, sticky buns and chewy cookies. Mike, the executive chef says, “Our mission fails if the food isn’t good; and it can’t just be good, it’s got to be better. This is food that tastes like Texas.”

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Above: Chris Behrend, Lu Singleton, Mike Behrend & Paul Evans

Green was not formed with the singular mission to create superb plant-based cuisine. The restaurant is Kosher, and “green” has a double meaning; the restaurant tries to keep its environmental footprint as low as possible by reducing and reusing as much as possible, using compostable take-out containers and recycling everything they can. The simple fact of not serving flesh is a boon to the environment, as is emphasizing fresh vegetables and fruits. The original Green location even had its own garden, where the produce ended up on customers’ plates. Even though they outgrew the original space, and moved into San Antonio’s resurrected Pearl neighborhood, the commitment to being a low-impact, environmentally aware restaurant remains intact. The restaurant is also committed to paying a living wage to its super friendly and competent staff—some of whom have been with Chef Mike since before Green even existed. This is a staff known to greet you by name and have a cup of coffee on the table before you’ve barely had a chance to sit down.

In the last decade, Green has expanded, too. There are two Green locations in San Antonio, in addition to one in Houston—which serves a hybrid menu of vegetarian fast food and Green’s emphasis on Texas-style cuisine. There’s also the wildly popular Earth Burger in San Antonio— which is what all fast food should be: completely meat-free, healthy, filling, affordable and delicious. And their coconut soft serve might be one of the most delicious, luscious and velvety frozen desserts you will ever taste, period. Most recently, in May 2016, Green opened Bok Choy Pan-Asian—“plant powered Asian cuisine.” It’s about a mile up the street from Green’s Pearl location, and it is fabulous. There are Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean and Japanese-inspired dishes—including hard-to-find dishes in the vegetarian world like BBQ beef bun (yes! the “fish” sauce is vegan), Kung Pao Eggplant and Pho, among others. It should also be noted that all of Green’s restaurants share a commitment to being affordable. There are breakfast items—large portions, I might add—for only $5.

Taking the whole family to any of these restaurants won’t break the bank. We’d be remiss not to mention that Green graciously hosts our annual fundraiser for Primarily Primates at its Pearl location. Fiesta in the Jungle utilizes Green’s vibrantly colored, spacious restaurant and covered patio— treating 150 supporters to a memorable and delicious evening of music, celebration and outrageously good food. The proceeds benefit the 350 animals who reside at our sanctuary, and it’s a not-to-be-missed event that the staff at Green never fail to enhance with their gracious hospitality. If you’re wondering what’s next, Evans offers a not-so-subtle hint: He “looks forward to the day when there is a Green Vegetarian Cuisine in every major city in Texas.” And we hope—hint, hint!—that someday this plant-based empire expands beyond the Lone Star State and comes to a city near you.

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

PAULINE DEVLIN

DONALD EDWARD SCHICK

JAZ

BILL MCVICKER

MICHAEL DARLING

NIL

ADOLF ADAM JESIEN

AUNT LO

TIGER

JAMIE LUIS ORTIZ

VERA G. KOCH

BABY GIRL CHU

SUZY FRATER

CHLOE DOBLER

DRAKO & LYLA

JOSEPH CUCINOTTA

CLAIRE LIZETTE HOWARD

ANGEL & RAVEN

JOANE KRANZ

JEAN B. QUINNETTE

MISA & RIVKE

EAMON CALLANAN

MAX KLEGER

JESSE H. CARTER, JR.

LUCY HURLBERT

SALEM, SID, TYLER, RASCAL & ALL BELOVED RADAKOVICH PETS HAZEL

CHERYL GERHARDT DAINA CHEREPES

DAISY MAY

GERALD

MARK HAAS

WOLFIE

PEPPER

BERNIE SEEGER

LOLA

BANDIT

CAROL FLEISCHMANN

CUJI

CAESAR

Fall 2016 | 27

BE SURE YOU ARE NOT CONTRIBUTING TO ANIMAL EXPLOITATION WHEN YOU TRAVEL

Guilt-free getaways BY MEG MCINTIRE. PHOTOGRAPH BY DAN GOLD

“I'm not sure what I was expecting. Maybe more educational details about alligators and crocodiles. What I walked away with was a serious sadness for the way many of these animals are exploited for our human entertainment.” So begins a review of Gatorland in Orlando, Fla., essentially a zoo that boasts it has “3,000 gators and 89 crocodiles, as well as a number of bird and snake exhibits.” This review, however, is buried along with more than 100 similar comments complaining about animal abuse, under glowing five star reviews from other patrons willing to look past the small, inhumane enclosures the animals are kept in. This is a perfect example of how vacation attractions

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that feature animals might seem appealing on the surface, but many times there is hidden cruelty underneath. The reality is hundreds of thousands of wild animals across the world are snatched from natural habitats, forced into captivity and subjected to abuse, both mentally and physically, in the name of entertainment and profit. Sadly, many tourists who love animals may actually contribute to animal suffering because they are unaware of this hidden truth. Whether it’s visiting a zoo, riding an elephant, walking with lions, or swimming with dolphins – these might all seem like fun ways to interact with wild animals when on vacation. In reality, they cause intense suffering and pain for the animals involved.

RIDING AN ELEPHANT Elephant owners, camps and tour operators have been offering tourists the chance to live out their Jungle Book fantasies for many years. But a once-ina-lifetime experience for tourists means a lifetime of suffering for elephants. Many vacation-goers are not aware that the majestic animals they ride are wild animals who have not actually evolved to carry weight on their backs and that brutal training has broken their spirits. Cruelly taken from the wild or bred in captivity, these elephants are separated from their mothers and family groups at just a few months old. Elephants destined for the tourism industry experience great physical and mental trauma. Isolation, starving, hitting and beating are just some of the methods used to initially break their spirits and get them to behave and perform. The fear and suffering calves endure is intense and just like humans who are abused, elephants can develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. WALKING WITH LIONS Walking with lions across a beautiful African landscape is a holiday dream come true for many wild animal lovers. But the reality behind this and other lion-handling close encounters is a sad one. Lion cub handling, walking with lions and photo opportunities with lions are most common in southern Africa, particularly South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia.

These facilities depend on the supply of a continual stream of young lions—usually captive bred and taken from their mothers shortly after birth. Lion cubs handled in this way can never be effectively released to the wild as their chances of survival cannot be guaranteed. It is also highly irresponsible to release a dangerous, large predator familiar with people back into wild lands where local people live. SWIMMING WITH DOLPHINS Swimming with dolphins is a common “bucket list” item, but how much pain and suffering does it take for a tourist’s dream to become reality? Most “dolphin encounters” take place not in their vast ocean home, but in the cruel confines of an aquarium. And most tourists don’t realize that such small and barren environments can never replicate dolphins’ natural habitats or allow them to behave naturally. The smooth-sided pools are also very different from the rocks and corals of natural ocean landmarks and interfere with the dolphin’s navigation through echolocation. The other harsh reality is that the life expectancy of a captive dolphin is much less than that of a wild one, who could live up to around 50 years.

Animal-friendly destinations So when you plan your next getaway, focus your attention on animal-friendly activities, such as hiking in the woods and enjoying the wildlife in their natural habitats. Or go to the beach and try snorkeling in order to see all those wonderful sea creatures up close in their native homes. How about spending some time at an animal sanctuary or animal shelter and volunteering to help animals who are in need of kindness and love? We guarantee you will look back on your trip guilt-free, knowing that you did not contribute to any animal suffering.

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Aquafaba: Sweet and savory egg-free vegan recipes using the magic of bean water REVIEWED BY NICOLE RIVARD

Lemon Meringue Pie

f you consider yourself an experienced food activist/vegan chef and haven’t heard of the ingredient aquafaba, don’t feel bad. The bean liquid produced while cooking chickpeas that is now being celebrated by vegans as a miraculous egg substitute for its ability to be turned into meringues and other foods vegans have avoided for years didn’t even have a name until a little over a year ago. But Zsu Dever’s Aquafaba: Sweet and savory egg-free vegan recipes using the magic of bean water, the first aquafaba cookbook available Oct. 4, brings it to the forefront and provides everything one might need to get started working with the mysterious ingredient. Dever publishes the blog Zsu’s

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Vegan Pantry and is also the author of Vegan Bowls and everyday Vegan Eats. The foreword is written by Goose Wohlt, a U.S. software engineer, who was asked to make meringues for his mother’s vegan seder and stumbled upon an online video posted by two French chefs who used the foam made from a can of chickpeas and chocolate to make a chilled mousse. He boasted about his nearly perfect meringue substitute on the Facebook group, “What Fat Vegans Eat,” a vegan food-centered group that now has 76,313 members, and it became a sensation. The beauty of Dever’s book is the aquafaba recipes range from easy to more complex. It begins with an aqua-

faba primer and then is broken up into chapters including condiments, breakfast, lunch and dinner, sweets from the pantry, sweets from the oven, and ingredients and equipment.

Above: Homemade aquafaba, the author says, is stronger and more stable than aquafaba from canned beans.

The book also includes a chapter filled with recipes that use the chickpeas and beans that remain after making aquafaba. I have never baked a pie in my life, but I was eager to see what all the aquafaba fuss was about so I attempted the lemon meringue pie recipe with the graham cracker crust. I have to admit it was quite thrilling to see the meringue come to life and hold firm peaks just by whipping together the aquafaba (I used aquafaba from canned beans, I did not make my own), cream of tartar, sugar, water and agar powder. In about 15 minutes, I had a pretty impressive meringue to spread on my pie, as well as the confidence and desire to put this magical ingredient to the test in other recipes in this cookbook. Who knew the bean liquid that we used to throw away could be one of the Classic Waffles

most astonishing culinary discoveries of the decade and at the same time keep animals off of people’s plates?

Available on Amazon and Barnesandnoble.com. $21.95 / 123 pages

Santa's First Vegan Christmas

ritten by Robin Raven and illustrated by Kara Maria Schunk, Santa's First Vegan Christmas challenges the traditional Christmas narrative. It presents a new meaning to Santa's kindness, which extends to all animals, not just people. The story follows Dana, a forthright and fun-loving reindeer who lives in the Arctic. On Christmas Eve, she meets Santa Claus, who has come looking for reindeer to pull his sleigh. Dana gently opens Santa's eyes to how we can be more kind to animals. Together they take off on a journey around the world, spreading far more than holiday cheer and giving far more than presents. By the time the sun rises on Christmas Day, things will never be the same. As the very first vegan children's book that is Christmas-themed, reading it just may become a welcome holiday tradition. Santa's First Vegan Christmas is for sale on Amazon and the Vegan Publishers website, and autographed copies are available on RobinRaven.com.

Available on Amazon and Barnesandnoble.com. $13.62 / 34 pages

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Water Babies: The Hidden Lives of Baby Wetland Birds

ou’d be hard pressed to find a person who doesn’t enjoy watching videos or seeing photographs of kittens on social media, a perfect distraction from a hectic work day or bad news overload. They are cute, mysterious and get themselves into all kinds of amusing predicaments providing material just begging to be shared. But for photographer, naturalist and Connecticut resident William Burt, it’s wild places and baby birds that put a smile on his face, and he hopes his book Water Babies: The Hidden Lives of Baby Wetland Birds, will have the same effect on audiences. It does! And you don’t have to be a bird watcher to appreciate the 43 species of baby wetland birds that bring the pages of the book to life— Burt captured their darling personalities as they swim, eat, play and follow their parents. The book also brings attention to the variety of wetlands

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these creatures inhabit, and how essential it is that these areas remain undeveloped. Among the 150 irresistible full color photos found throughout the 208 pages are an American wigeon duckling who had just glided out into the open, standing straight up on the water buzzing his stubby wings; a newly hatched wimbrel chick bottomside up in no hurry to correct itself; Western grebe chicks atop their parents’ backs, a position they climb into after hatching and how they are transported around for four weeks; as well as a black-necked stilt baby being protected by adults. Burt’s photographs and stories have appeared in Smithsonian,

Audubon, National Wildlife and other magazines, and the text in this book reveals once again his warm, engaging prose. Available at Barnesandnoble.com and Amazon. $29.95 / 208 pages

THE REALITIES AND REWARDS OF WILD HORSE ADOPTION Be prepared to invest emotion, time and money STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY NICOLE RIVARD Above: After a training session, Comanche has a snack with Bindi.

Editor’s note: Last year 101 of the 2,331 wild horses adopted through the Bureau of Land Management’s Wild Horse and Burro Adoption Program were relinquished back to the agency. In previous years, when adoption numbers were higher, it was typical for 300 to 500 wild horses to be returned by adopters who were in over their heads. The purpose of this article is to ensure that mustangs who are already imprisoned by the BLM—there are more than 45,000 wild horses and burros in holding facilities—and who might be adopted, find safe, loving forever homes and don’t end up, neglected, abused or sent to slaughter. However, Friends of Animals remains steadfast that wild horses are not overpopulated and humans should not be managing them on public lands by keeping them in small “herd areas,” rounding them up or limiting their population by forcibly drugging them with fertility control or sterilization to appease cattle and sheep ranchers. We continue to fight for true ecological zones on public lands where the landscape and animals are free from exploitation and management.

will never forget the feeling of leading wild horse Comanche, his ears pricked, moving forward energetically at my side, changing directions and halting after he reads the subtle changes in my body language or hears me make a “kissing” sound. He was a different horse than when he arrived several months earlier at Primarily Primates, the sanctuary FoA manages in San Antonio, Texas. His fight or flight instinct was so great from being rounded up at that point that he refused to be touched. We arrived at this dance together on June 5, after I observed several sessions of round pen training with certified horse trainer Keith Hosman. The round pen training, often misunderstood, did not entail running Comanche into the ground to show him who was boss. Instead it was a safe place to ask him to move, mostly at a walk, sometimes a slow trot. As Hosman explained, nature teaches wild horses there has be a boss, and that in every herd, large or small, one animal leads, and the others follow. And the test they use to decide who is in charge is, “If I can get you to move, I’m the boss.” While Comanche and the two other wild horses FoA adopted last

year, Bindi and Moxie, will never be ridden, the purpose of exposing them to some basic ground training was to earn their respect and get them to trust new leaders, such as care staff, a vet and a farrier. Even horses who are out to pasture and not being ridden need to have their feet trimmed in a timely manner, something that potential adopters of wild horses might not realize and might not be financially prepared for. The next day on June 6, just 24 hours after experiencing our rewarding partnership, I walked up to put a halter on Comanche, but he trotted away— over and over again. We were no longer in synch. After about 45 minutes of using pre-cues, cues and motivators, and getting Comanche to think about what I was asking him instead of reacting, he accepted the halter and the training session continued. I finally understood what Hosman had been telling me throughout the two weeks, that just when you are about to brag about what your wild horse has learned, you may have to reintroduce a concept all over again to get him to understand what you are asking. Horses, especially wild ones, are so sensitive to change. That partic-

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EVEN HORSES WHO ARE OUT TO PASTURE AND NOT BEING RIDDEN NEED TO HAVE THEIR FEET TRIMMED IN A TIMELY MANNER, SOMETHING THAT POTENTIAL ADOPTERS OF WILD HORSES MIGHT NOT REALIZE AND MIGHT NOT BE FINANCIALLY PREPARED FOR.

Above: Taking breaks during training is key to success. Comanche's yawn is a good sign he's relaxed.

ular morning we were using a different halter on Comanche, plus I was distracted because I needed to be at the airport soon to catch a plane back home to Connecticut. It was my job to help Comanche find the right answer to what I was asking, but how could I do that if I was preoccupied? As Hosman also points out, one way to mess up training is for the human to get lazy or distracted. “If you are not committed to losing some fat yourself on Monday, then put off your work ‘til Tuesday,” he said. “Because every moment you are in your horse’s company he is learning from you, whether for good or for bad.” Unfortunately for wild horses, lots of people lose patience if training becomes challenging and no longer fun, which can lead to abuse, as was the case with Samson, whose story is told by horse trainer Mitch Bornstein in his novel Last Chance Mustang. Samson was a free-roaming wild horse before he was ripped from his Nevada home by the BLM and thrown into a domestic world where he was brutalized before crossing paths with Bornstein. Bornstein says training a wild horse is different from training a domestic horse because there is more potential for injury to the horse and the human. “The only thing he knows is if you get in my space, I kick you or bite you because that’s what I did to the other bachelors and the rest of my herd,” Bornstein said. “Their language of communication is so different than a domestic animal who was basically bottle fed when it was dropped out of its dam by the person who bred it. “So there is more potential that the human is going to become more frustrated. And rather than take a step back they are going to resort to some degree of harm, or violence or something in their mind that tells them they can control the animal

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or purposely punish it, which, either way, never works with any horse, especially a wild horse.” Owning a wild horse is a big investment in emotion, time and money. It’s easy to underestimate the lifelong commitment, cost of training, feeding and hoof care, because of their inexpensive price tag—$125. Plus the BLM and its partner the Mustang Heritage Foundation, go out of their way to glamorize adopting wild horses since adoption is at an all-time low, by showing off ones who are trained, such as those in "Extreme Mustang Makeover" events, and by launching an eye-popping website americasmustang.com. But most wild horses the BLM is trying to adopt out have no training. While the website touts "owning a piece of our American spirit and heritage," it doesn’t emphasize that training a wild horse can be a slow, in-depth process. “You can’t have your own agenda. You have to work on their time,” Bornstein said. “You have to be constantly tuned in to the signals they are giving you—it might be I’m scared or I’m threatened. If they don’t trust you, they will make life difficult for you, and you can’t put a timeline on when that trust will ultimately develop.” “Wild horses are relinquished because people realize it’s much harder to train the horse than they thought,” Hosman added. Hosman, author of What I’d Teach your Horse and Round Penning: First Steps to Starting a Horse, is adamant that people hire a professional trainer. If people insist on doing it themselves, he suggests reading as many books and watching as many videos as they can. Since horses can live for at least 20 years—here is a checklist of costs to consider before making the lifelong commitment based on our experience the first year with Comanche, Bindi and Moxie:

BEFORE YOU ADOPT FACILITIES: BLM requires a minimum of 400 square feet for each animal (but we feel that is inadequate since wild horses are used to roaming 30 miles a day). Corrals must be 6 feet high. You must also provide shelter from inclement weather and temperature extremes. The shelter must have, at a minimum, two sides with a roof, good drainage, adequate ventilation and access for the animals. COST: $2,053 installed. (Our priority was to provide a 4 ½-acre pasture as well so the horses can roam. Cost for fencing: $18,968) TRAINING: Wild horses who are involved in the Extreme Mustang Makeover have had extensive training over a 100day period by professional trainers with years of experience. The reality is most wild horses in the BLM's Adoption Program are not even halter trained. So you need to find a professional horse trainer. Expect that basic ground training work will take at least a month. The basics include simply getting the horse to move consistently in either direction, to come to you when asked, to stay in place if spooked by something, to not flinch regardless of where or how you touch the animal and to pick up the animal’s feet. (While the horses at our sanctuary will never be ridden, training for riding will consist of at least two to four months of training.) COST: Three months of training for Bindi and Comanche, $5,080

FOOD AND SUPPLIES: The American Association of Equine Practitioners estimates that the minimum yearly cost for a horse is $1,825. Add in veterinary and farrier care, as well as boarding if you don’t have the acreage on your own property for a horse, and the minimum yearly cost for keeping one horse can reach $5,000 or more. COST: $1,500 for each horse per year VACCINES/MEDICATION: Vaccines should be discussed with a licensed veterinarian. Core vaccines protect against diseases endemic to a region and risk-based vaccines are selected for use bas on risk assessment performed by the veterinarian. COST: $134 over a nine-month period

Below: Trainer Keith Hosman lifts up Comanche's hoof, the culmination of weeks of training.

HOOF CARE: Hoof care is so crucial to a horses overall health that Hosman dedicated a whole chapter to it in his book, Round Penning, The First Steps to Starting a Horse. As we mentioned earlier, the average wild horse lives in an arid environment where they are likely to travel 30 miles on any given day to find adequate food and water. Because of that, evolution required their feet to withstand lots of wear and tear, the hooves never stop growing. But once the Bureau of Land Management rips them from the wild and forces them into the domesticated horse world through its adoption program, it becomes humans’ responsibility to provide hoof care. Hoof trimming should take place every four to six weeks. Going to o long between trims to save money can cause a flaring out at the bottom of the hoof that can cause pain with each step, and eventually a lame horse who may take a year to be 100 percent again. In addition when the hoove’s wall grows to long, it can compromise the health of the frog, the part of the hoof that acts as a shock absorber. COST: $600 minimum annually as trimming is done every 4 to 6 weeks

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LETTERS WONDERS OF WILDLIFE WATCHING

The wildlife watching described by Priscilla Feral in the summer issue of Action Line—bearing witness to the activities of herons, horseshoe and fiddler crabs—sounds amazing. Living in Brooklyn, N.Y., does not allow for much wildlife watching, but there have been some moments. I take care of a colony of feral cats who have been trapped, neutered and returned and I am often outside by 5 a.m. (in all seasons). One of the most endearing things I have seen was a baby opossum riding on its mom’s back as they headed “home” for their daytime sleeping after a night of out-and-about. I had never seen that before. Too often people are quick to say that opossums “resemble rats and don’t belong around here.” However, I think they deserve their props…if I am not mistaken, they are the only marsupial to have crossed the land bridge from the southern hemisphere so many thousands of years ago. It seems as though they are quite nearsighted, but have a fabulous sense of smell and love cat food. The magnificent sense of smell also belongs to the raccoons who are also seen around the neighborhood after dark. They and the opossums have made their homes in the overgrown backyards of abandoned houses and the like. I am a Brooklyn native; living here all my life and there were never raccoons and opossums around when I was growing up. But humans have so encroached on habitat that once belonged to these animals, so for at least 15 years now, new residents of Brooklyn have been seeing these animals.

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The closest large park area near to where I live is Prospect Park…where I imagine they would be happier. In one area of the park, many years ago, you used to be able to see bats come out after sunset, but I don’t know if that happens anymore what with the bat populations being so decimated with white-nose syndrome (now the mosquito population is booming here). One of the “wildest” things I have witnessed in Brooklyn actually happened twice. Both times it was in the early morning hour when I saw a red-tailed hawk swoop down and get its talons into the flanks of a pigeon pecking at the ground on Avenue M and just fly off with it like that. I remember not moving or breathing at all as I watched what happened and wondered if the pigeon would feel funny about flying without flapping its wings. But then I thought that the unlucky pigeon was probably in shock. Nature is cruel and wonderful, but to have the ability to watch without disturbing wild animals is like being let into another world and learning a big secret. I really should have been a wildlife biologist as I get much pleasure in observing what little wildlife we have here. There are of course, the “Brooklyn College parrots” who make nests that are more like fabulous apartments! And not to forget the baby sparrow who flaps its wings like crazy to get the adults’ attention to bring more food. I love it! ILENE LURIE • BROOKLYN, N.Y.

ANIMAL ABUSE REGISTRIES ARE A NECESSITY I am from Massachusetts and we have a proposal for an animal abuser registry. I would like to see

the model bill that Tennessee has already implemented that was written about in summer Action Line. I also would like to post it on my website for my members to introduce to their state legislators. I think it is extremely necessary for this to become nationwide also to protect animals. With all the animal cruelty being reported, now is the time to implement and enforce this as legislation for those convicted of animal abuse. CATERINA MOYNIHAN • MASSACHUSETTS

TRUMPS BAD FOR WILDLIFE Thanks for the JEERS (Summer 2016 Action Line) to Donald Trump. One of the most disgusting photos I've seen was of his two kids standing next to a slain crocodile hanging from a tree. The kids were posed with their rifles and gloating like they were so proud to be hunters who just killed some poor animal. I am afraid that if Trump wins, he will put these idiot kids in charge of a position where they can destroy more wildlife. JON BENNETT• OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON

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

CHEERS WASHINGTON REPORTS NEW WOLF FAMILY Washington State has a new wolf family, the 19th since the animals began returning to the state in the 1990s. State wildlife managers say part of a northcentral Washington wolf group has split away and formed a new group called the Sherman Pack. So far, the state’s Fish and Wildlife Dept. has only confirmed two adults in the family, though biologists suspect they have pups. The Spokesman-Review reports that at the end of 2015, the state was home to at least 90 wolves and eight breeding pairs. Wolves were shot, poisoned and trapped nearly to extinction in the state in the 1920s and 30s but then began returning from nearby states and Canada in the 1990s.

NATIONAL AQUARIUM CREATES DOLPHIN SANCTUARY The Baltimore National Aquarium announced it will create the first U.S. dolphin sanctuary and transfer its eight Atlantic bottlenose dolphins there. "We now know more about dolphins and their care, and we believe that the National Aquarium is uniquely positioned to use that knowledge to implement positive change," John Racanelli, CEO of the aquarium, said in a statement. The sanctuary will be located in subtropical or tropical waters and will provide more space for the dolphins to swim and dive, as well as natural stimuli like fish and marine plants. As most of the dolphins were born into captivity, they will continue to be under human care, but the sanctuary will allow them to live out their days in an environment much closer to their natural habitat. We hope this inspires other facilities that use animals in entertainment to follow suit.

JEERS S.C. BETRAYS COYOTES We find it unbelievable that in June the South Carolina Senate revived a statewide coyote-bounty hunt overriding Gov. Nikki Haley’s veto. The program requires the state Department of Natural resources to tag 16 coyotes across the state. If a hunter kills a tagged coyote, they receive a reward – a free lifetime hunting license. Rep. Mike Pitts defended the proposal saying coyotes are "decimating the deer herd” while citizens claim the animals were harming pets. These lethal methods to control predator populations not only have low success rates, but they also have a significant, negative impact on the local environment. Encounters arise when coyotes—the original inhabitants of these areas—find themselves in the midst of human development. The best way to reduce coyote/human interactions would be for humans to make modifications to the way they are living. VP CANDIDATE NO FRIEND TO WILD HORSES Indiana Gov. Mike Pence introduced himself to the nation as Donald Trump’s running mate at the Republican National Convention. But one thing we already knew is that he is no friend of wild horses. According to On the Issues, a non-profit providing info to voters, in 2009 when Pence was a U.S. representative he voted against the “Restore Our American Mustangs Act. Rep. Nick Rhall (D, WV) sponsored the bill because the Bureau of Land Management announced that it had plans to slaughter 30,000 healthy wild horses and burros. The bill included language to ensure that acreage available for wild horses and burros is at least equal to the acreage where they were found in 1971. It also intended to lift a restriction to relocate horses and burros to public lands where they did not exist at the passage of the Wild Horse and Burro Act of 1971. It revoked provisions that allow the Secretaries to destroy: (1) old, sick, or lame animals; (2) horses and burros for which an adoption demand does not exist; and it required adopters to affirm that adopted animals will not be sold to slaughter.

CROSS OUT T-SHIRT “There’s no right way to do the wrong thing” Navy 100% combed and ring-spun cotton T-shirt. Women’s sizes S, M, L, XL and Men’s sizes S, M, L, XL, XXL as available. Females should consider ordering up a size for great fit. $24 including shipping

BE VEGAN T-SHIRT Dark gray heathered high quality ring-spun cotton/polyester T-shirt. Women’s sizes S, M, L, XL and Men’s sizes S, M, L, XL, XXL as available. Females should consider ordering up a size for great fit. $24 including shipping

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VEGAN T-SHIRT 100% certified organic cotton available in black. Also available in white. Men’s and women’s sizes S, M, L, XL. Artwork by Nash Hogan at Hand of Glory Tattoo, Brooklyn, NY $22 including shipping

WOLF T-SHIRT Show your support for wolves in this 100% certified organic t-shirt in white. Women’s runs extremely small and fitted so order a larger size. Men’s and women’s sizes S, M, L, XL

SPARE AN ANIMAL T-SHIRT High-quality 100% combed cotton shirt in black. Available in women’s sizes S, M, L, XL. Men’s sizes S, M, L, XL, XXL. $14 including shipping

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