For the most part the weather on the journey has been good, and the Tiger has operated flawlessly. Luck seemed to take a turn for the worse once the Tiger left Sacramento and headed for Portland. A blizzard closed roads for the better part of a day and night. For the next few days it either snowed or rained nearly nonstop, and travel was both slow and problematic. A tire blew, a cracked windshield needed replacement and there was trouble with the generator.

In spite of the problems, there has been sporadic coverage by radio and television media. There was a particularly productive interview lasting over 45 minutes on the nationally syndicated Lars Larson Talk Radio Show while I was waiting in a tire repair shop. With an almost dead cell phone battery, I couldn't just walk away and I couldn't lower my voice, so everyone in the waiting area received an education about rodeo abuse. It was pretty awkward, but that’s just the way things go sometimes on Tiger road trips. You do what you have to do, when you have too.

There have been many steps to bring the Starbucks' campaign to where it is today. The combined efforts of dedicated activists on the Tiger route, those of you who have protested at Starbucks' locations nationwide, individuals and organizations who have contacted Starbucks' stores, have all helped immensely. Barbara Birnbaum successfully put the rodeo issue on the radar of Starbucks' board and the shareholders at the February 8 shareholders' meeting.

While I was in San Francisco, I received a call from Starbucks Executive Liaison, Matthew Murray. Finally, at long last, we had broken through the toll free customer relations barrier! A meeting was set for March 10, at Starbucks' headquarters in Seattle.

Demonstrators in Portland tell Starbucks to "Just Say No!" to rodeo.

While in Portland I learned that Starbucks had received a phone call from movie star and committed animal activist, Alicia Silverstone, who expressed her dismay with Starbucks’ rodeo connections. Alicia reportedly was handed a SHARK flier outside a Starbucks in Westwood, California. We do not know at this time who the unsung hero was that handed her the flyer, but we appreciate it. A few days after Alicia’s phone call to Starbucks, television and movie celebrity, Ted Dansen also called Starbucks to express his discontent of their involvement with rodeos.

The March 10 meeting with Starbucks’ Executive Liaison Matthew Murray was cordial and friendly. I told Mr. Murray that it was vital that Starbucks not put money in the pockets of rodeo animal abusers, and that rodeos not be able to use Starbucks' name or logo in an effort to legitimize their cruelty. Murray gave assurances that Starbucks would no longer give money to rodeos, nor would the company allow the rodeos to claim them as sponsors or use Starbucks' name or logo. Murray also said, however, that Starbucks' store managers regularly give free products to certain local groups and organizations and that this might include some local rodeos.

Bob Chorush of PETA holds a banner in front of Starbucks headquarters in Seattle.

If store managers were going to privately give away their products to rodeo organizers, that was up to them. The funny thing is that while they might consume free coffee, rodeo supporters are unlikely to pay Starbucks prices when they can get a 10 cent cup of coffee at a truck stop. Furthermore, if Starbucks wants to give coffee away, why not provide some to homeless folks, places sheltering abused women or any number of deserving causes? Instead Starbucks chooses to pander to animal abusers.

Murray also assured me that Starbucks is not and will not be affiliated with circuses, bullfights, cockfights or other abusive forms of animal entertainment.

One might reasonably ask, therefore, why rodeos? I believe the answer is two-fold. First, there are rodeo supporters within Starbucks' corporate structure. Second, I believe our movement has not focused sufficiently on the issue of rodeo animal abuse. SHARK will continue to dedicate substantial resources to relieving the plight of rodeo victims.

The Tiger operated in Seattle for five days. Three evenings were at Starbucks' headquarters and two were in the highly populated area of downtown Seattle. Many Starbucks' employees have seen the rodeo footage on the Tiger and it is obvious that they are not pleased. The Tiger also played the response of Chairman Howard Schultz and CEO Jim Donald from the Shareholders' Meeting, addressing Barbara Birnbaum's concern about their support of rodeos. A number of Starbucks' employees voiced their support for our campaign. There could be a moral problem at Starbucks before too long.

It has been a pleasure to work with local activists from the Northwest Animal Rights Network (NARN). One exceptionally committed activist Barbara Birnbaum was sick, but that didn’t stop her from taking two buses to participate in the protest, being the first to arrive and enduring the cold weather.

Local Seattle activists including (NARN) members Rachel Bjork and Claudine Erlandson offered Starbucks' employees flyers and free DVDs of rodeo animal abuse.

It took four months, but finally the Tiger is in Seattle and in front of Starbucks' headquarters.

I hope you will continue to call and e-mail Starbucks. If you would like to protest your local Starbucks, In Defense of Animals has produced some wonderful posters for the campaign, and we want to make good use of them. To order, call IDA at: 415- 388-9674 and ask for Anne.

Protesters from NARN and PETA make a show of compassion for Starbucks' employees leaving work, with the Tiger in the background ready to start-up as soon as the sun sets.

We want to thank PETA and In Defense of Animals and for recently putting out an action alert to its membership about the Starbucks/rodeo issue. We anticipate a similar alert from Animal Protection Institute and encourage other organizations to do the same.

Kindest Regards,
Steve Hindi and your SHARK Team

email: shark.central@sbcglobal.net

phone: 630-557-0176

web: http://www.sharkonline.org/