Hello Friends! Here is the fourth Action_Alerts & More Newsletter!

If you missed the first 3, you can view them on our website at
happypets.addr.com/newsletter1.htm
happypets.addr.com/newsletter2.htm
happypets.addr.com/newsletter3.htm

IN THIS ISSUE:
1: ACTION ALERT:  Save The Beluga Sturgeon
2: ANIMAL BYTE (News)
3: PET TIP OF THE WEEK
4: JOKE OF THE WEEK
5: RECIPE

ACTION ALERT: Save The Beluga Sturgeon

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service will be accepting public comments
concerning the listing of beluga sturgeon as an endangered species
until October 29, 2002. Please register your support for placing
this remarkable fish that has existed since the time of dinosaurs on the
endangered species list.

Beluga sturgeon are on the brink of extinction, largely due to a demand 
for beluga caviar around the world. The population of beluga sturgeon
in the Caspian Sea has plunged by more than 90% in recent decades.
Since the United States imports 80% of the world's beluga caviar, 
representing a significant source of the demand for the imperiled beluga 
sturgeon’s eggs, three conservation organizations through the Caviar Emptor
campaign petitioned the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to list the fish 
as an endangered species. By listing beluga sturgeon as endangered, 
all importation of beluga caviar into the U.S. will be halted. 

Please contact:

Mr. Gary Frazer
Assistant Director for Endangered Species
US Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior
1849 C Street NW 
Washington, D.C. 20240

ANIMAL BYTE: 
The Fund for Animals is pleased to announce that the prestigious
Kennedy Center is now allowing the organization to place one of
their anti-fur ads in Playbills this winter, reversing a
previous decision to reject the ad for being "too controversial." 

The ad features a photo of a bobcat with the caption
"She Needs Her Fur Coat More Than You Do," and has
been placed in theatre stagebills in New York and
Washington as well as magazines such as The New Yorker and Avenue. 

A PDF file of the anti-fur ad can be viewed at
http://www.fund.org/uploads/fur.pdf

PET TIP OF THE WEEK: 
It's always a good idea to keep your cats indoors, but 
if you have a black cat, you should be especially careful
about keeping her indoors this month because of Halloween.
Some people are superstitious about black cats, others just
cruel,but at this time of year it's quite common for people to
steal and harm black cats. 

JOKE OF THE WEEK:
A mother and her son were walking down the road.
Suddenly she said: "Look, Johnny, that's a puddle of H2O."
"No," said Johnny, "that’s a puddle of K9P."


RECIPE : LENTIL STEW

INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbl. olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
3 cans vegetable broth
3 cups water
3 carrots, sliced
1 cup green beans
1/4 tsp. sage, dried
1/2 tsp. oregano, dried
1/2 tsp. thyme, dried
1/4 tsp. marjoram, dried
1/2 tsp. rosemary. dried
1/2 tsp. basil, dried
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cups lentils
1 cup pearl barley

In 1 T olive oil, brown onion and garlic powder. 
Add vegetable broth, 3 cups water, green beans, carrots,
dried seasonings and pepper.

Bring to boil, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add tomatoes and additional water, if desired. Cook until lentils
are tender, about another 30 minutes. This is a thick stew, but it's
also good as a topping for your favorite rice.

Well, that wraps up this week's newsletter.  I hope you are all
finding it useful and I welcome your feedback, comments and suggestions.  

Warmest Regards, 

Tara
www.happypets.org