Newsletter: Happypets.org Action_Alerts & More !

Volume: 2  Issue: 5

Hello Again Friends, welcome back to the happypets.org Action_Alerts
& More Newsletter! If you missed any previous issues, please visit:
happypets.addr.com/Newsletter_Archives.htm

Tuesday the 25th is SPAY DAY USA. To find events planned for your area visit
www.ddaf.org/SpayDay

Also this week, we are wishing a very happy birthday to Jack the Chihuahua! 
In his honor, $100 has been donated to Chihuahua Rescue and Transport at
www.chihuahua-rescue.com

IN THIS ISSUE: 
ACTION ALERTS: ELEPHANT ISSUES
1. LET LOTA RETIRE
2. KEEP RUBY & GITA TOGETHER
UPDATE: RESCUED POLAR BEARS MAKE THEIR DEBUT
ANIMAL BYTE: SPECIAL PROMOTION - ENDS MIDNIGHT FEB 25th
REMINDER: ONLINE PETITION DEADLINE - MARCH 10th
ACTION ALERT: TELL NIKE DOG FIGHTING IS NOT A SPORT
UPDATE: HORSE SLAUGHTER PREVENTION ACT
PET TIP: IS YOUR PET FAT?
RECIPE: VEGGIE PAELLA
JOKE: ELEPHANT IN A TEA SHOP

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ACTION ALERT: ELEPHANT ISSUES

1.) LET LOTA RETIRE!

Several years ago, the Milwaukee Zoo was forced to release it's elephants
after overwhelming evidence of abuse at the zoo was exposed to the public.
Two of the zoo's elephants were retired to a sanctuary, but Lota was not 
allowed to retire. Instead, she was secretly removed from the zoo and sold to the
Hawthorn Corporation who trains and rents elephant acts to circuses and has a litany of violations. The USDA suspended Hawthorn's license twice and they have been cited
numerous times accumulating $72,500 in USDA penalties.

The 52 year old elephant is perilously thin and has contracted a human strain of 
tuberculosis. Her deteriorating health and age renders Lota "worthless" to Hawthorn
from both a monetary and performance standpoint. 

Several sanctuaries are willing to provide Lota with a new, permanent home if
Hawthorne will retire her. Please contact:

John Cuneo, CEO, The Hawthorn Corporation
23675 W. Chardon Rd.
Grayslake, IL 60030
Phone: 847-546-0717
Fax: 847-546-3354

2.) KEEP RUBY & GITA TOGETHER

The Los Angeles Zoo is planning to send Ruby, a 41 yr old African elephant,
to another zoo in Knoxville, Tennessee. The transfer will separate Ruby from her
buddy Gita, a 44 yr old female Asian elephant, destroying a 15 year bond.

Elephant intelligence is on par with that of the whale and the dolphin, they are 
large-brained; capable of relatively complex thought processes and
have excellent memories. Separating Ruby and Gita could pose risks to the
health of the animals and/or emotionally traumatize them for the rest of their lives.

Please ask to zoo to keep Ruby and Gita together.

Ms. Susan Quinn Mazzarella
President, L.A. Zoo Commission
5333 Zoo Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 644-4218
(323) 662-9786 Fax

Dr. Edward J. Maruska, at:
Interim Zoo Director
5333 Zoo Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 644-6400

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UPDATE: Rescued Polar Bears Make Debut 

Two of the Suarez Six polar bears rescued from Puerto Rico last fall
made their public debut at the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium last week. 
About 30 people squealed and applauded at the appearance of 
893-pound, 16-year-old Kenneth and 1,016-pound, 18-year-old Boris. 

Both bears are still adjusting and appeared unsteady in their new 
environment. Kenneth repeatedly dipped his paws into the pool and
backed away, finally wading into the water and putting his head beneath 
the surface for what zookeepers said might have been his first swimming
strokes. Both animals fell against an electrified "hot wire" around the rear
of the polar bear exhibit. Neither bear was injured, officials said. 
"As far was we know, they've never experienced open space like this," 
zoo spokeswoman Carolyn Cox said. 

Since the transfer, Kenneth and Boris have gone from a "junk 
food" diet of dog food, rice and fruit to a more typical high-protein 
diet for polar bears -- smelt, herring, mackerel and cod liver oil, 
which for polar bears is like "chocolate sauce," said Traci Belting,
marine mammal manager at Point Defiance. 

"Our goal is to get them strong and healthy and back to being polar 
bears," said Traci Belting, marine mammal manager at Point Defiance. 

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ANIMAL BYTE: SHOP AND HELP GREYHOUNDS!
HURRY - SPECIAL PROMOTION ENDS MIDNIGHT FEB 25th!

AnimalRightstuff.com is holding special promotion! Until Midnight, Feb.
25th they will donate a FULL 20% of your order to the Greyhound Protection 
League if you simply add "GPL" anywhere on the order form! You can add it to 
your name such as "Jane "GPL" Smith" or add it to the space for "fax" or
"company." The site sells animal rights and veg designed merchandise,
specializing in hard to find styles like baseball jerseys , hoodies, hats and
a large selection of "women's style" shirts.

www.AnimalRightstuff.com
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ONLINE PETITION : DEADLINE MARCH 10th

If you haven't already done so, please take a moment to sign the
online petition from the last newsletter submitted by subscriber Jennifer 
Given to get a New York a animal abuser convicted of a felony.

The FBI has found a clear link between a history of cruelty to animals to
future violence against humans. To allow individuals guilty cruel and violent 
acts towards animals to go unpunished or insufficiently punished is permit them,
and others, to go on to commit serious and violent crimes against more animals
and possibly, human beings.

This petition needs as many signatures as possible by March 10th 2003. 
The hearing is March 12th. Jennifer will print and submit the petition to prosecuting
District Attorney, Tom Spoda who will then hand it over to the Judge assigned to the
case. 

www.PetitionOnline.com/1bert/petition.html
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ACTION ALERT: Nike Commercial Glamorizes Dog fighting

A recent Nike commercial, "The Battle," depicts an intense street court
basketball game with images of a Pit Bull and a Rottweiller also facing
off in a fight, presumably engaging in a similarly intense "battle." 

This ad, albeit unintentionally, presents dog fighting as an enticing form
of competition and entertainment, glamorizing the brutal, inhumane 
activity. Our streets and shelters are filled with dogs used in fighting rings. 

These dogs suffer horrific injuries and even death for the sake of human
entertainment, and those fighters who do wind up in shelters are often too
"vicious" to be adopted and are consequently euthanized. 

Please contact Nike to express your outrage with its irresponsible
promotion of dog fighting as competitive fun. 

http://swoosh.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/swoosh.cfg/php/enduser/ask.php.

You may also want to contact Wieden & Kennedy, the ad agency responsibly
for the commercial, at pressrelations@wk.com. 


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UPDATE: AMERICAN HORSE SLAUGHTER PREVENTION ACT INTRODUCED:

In October we told you about the The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, 
H.R. 3781, sponsored by MD Representative Connie Morella to prohibit the trade
and transport of live horses and horse flesh intended for human consumption. 
The Act is now being.sponsored by U.S. Reps. John Sweeney  and John Spratt, Jr.
and has been re-introduced to the House of Representatives as H.R. 857. 

If passed, the legislation(which has yet to be introduced in the Senate) would ban the
slaughter of horses for human consumption in the U.S. It would also ban the transport
of horses intended for slaughter for human consumption between states and out of the U.S.
While there is no real market for horsemeat for human consumption within the U.S., it is big
business overseas. American horses from stockyards and auction houses, and sometimes even
mustangs from the range, are trucked thousands of miles to slaughterhouses in Texas, Canada
and Mexico so that their meat can be sold as a delicacy in places like
France, Belgium, Italy, or Asia.

Please contact your elected officials and ask them  to co-sponsor H.R. 857. For a sample letter and contact information visit
happypets.addr.com/HR3781.htm


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PET TIP OF THE WEEK: 
Our birthday boy Jack the Chihuahua won't be having any cake this year
because his vet wants him to lose a pound. Gaining a pound or two may
not sound like a lot, but for an average cat or a small dog, this is equivalent
to a person gaining more than 25 pounds! How can you tell if your pet is overweight?
You should be able to feel his ribs. You shouldn't be able to see them, but you shouldn’t
have to dig to feel them either.

If you are still unsure visit :
warreneckstein.com/tips/fatfluffy.html

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RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Veggie Paella
Ingredients: 
3 tbs. Olive Oil 
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped 
1 green pepper, chopped 
2 stalks celery ,chopped 
1/4 cup peas 
1/4 cup diced carrots 
1 small zucchini, chopped.
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 tomato, chopped 
1 1/2 cups rice 
1 cup dry white wine 
1 tsp. saffron or annatto
2 cups water 
2 tsp. liquid smoke 
2 veg bouillon cubes 
2 large garlic cloves crushed 
1 tsp. lemon juice 

Directions: 
Sauté onion, peppers, celery and mushrooms and garlic in the oil until tender.
Add rice and stir. Cook for a minute or so. Add the white wine and saffron (or 
annatto) and cook 5 minutes. Add tomato, water, liquid smoke, bouillon and 
lemon juice. Bring to a simmer and add peas & carrots and zucchini.
Cover tightly and simmer over very low heat about 25 minutes or until
most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice the is done. 
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JOKE OF THE WEEK: 
An elephant walks into a tea shop, sits down at a table near the window
and says to the waiter, "Good morning, could I have a cup of tea, please?"
The waiter is amazed.
"What's wrong?" the elephant asks, "You look like you've seen a ghost". 
"I'm sorry" the waiter replies " I've never heard an elephant talking before ,
and you speak perfect English." 
"I don't know why you're surprised" the elephant says, " I'm Indian, I grew up
in Bombay, and a lot of people speak English there. Anyway, can I have my
tea now?" 
So the waiter goes into the kitchen and tells the manager that there
is an Indian elephant sitting by the window, who wants a cup of tea.
"OK," says the manager, "We'd better give him some tea, then." 
The waiter returns to the table. "Here's your tea, Sir, and here's your bill
for $1.95 - gratuity not included. "The elephant says "Thank you," picks up
the cup with his trunk, and starts to drink, but then the elephant throws the
cup to the floor and starts shouting! The waiter , terrified asks what the matter is.
"It's this tea," the elephant says, " you put milk in it! Don't you know ANYTHING
about elephants? We NEVER put milk in our tea!" 
"I'm really sorry," the waiter says, "I didn't realize. It's just that we don't come
across many elephants in these parts" 
"That's not surprising," the elephant says, "$1.95 for a cup of tea is outrageous!"
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And that wraps up this issue of the newsletter! 
I hope you are all enjoying it, but if not please know that you can unsubscribe
at any time.  As always, I welcome your questions, comments and suggestions.
If you have a recipe, joke or pet tip you would like to share with the community in
the next newsletter please let me know.  Plus, I am always looking for fresh content
for the website.  

Warmest Regards,

Tara
Tara@happypets.org
www.happypets.org