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Greetings!
This is a very busy time for SHARK. We have several Corporate Thug campaigns ongoing, plans being worked on for another Tiger Truck, and we're gearing up for the new rodeo season. While SHARK's animal protection umbrella covers other issues as well, such as bullfighting, hunting, horse slaughter, and animals in captivity, the largest part of our efforts in recent years has gone to exposing the rampant cruelty and corruption within the rodeo industry.
In this e-newsletter, we bring you news of efforts in the fight to end the abuse of animals in rodeo around the world.
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| Animals in charreadas deserve equal protection under CA law |
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There is good news to report on a piece of legislation in California that would include charreadas (Mexican-style rodeos) under current laws that apply to rodeos. Since California has many humane laws that protect animals in rodeos better than in most states, this bill is important to expand the scope of the law to include animals that are currently not under the same protections.
above, downed bucking horses are too common at charreadas just as they are at rodeos. It is heartening that this bill has succeeded thus far, but your help is needed to get it into law. The largest rodeo organization, the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), has already mounted an attack on the bill via their lobbyist and the vilification of the bill's sponsors.
Below is more information on this issue from Eric Mills, of Action for Animals in California:
ASSEMBLY BILL 1614 was introduced on February 23, 2007 in Sacramento. All those calls and e-mails helped set the stage, and I thank all those who responded to my pleas. My current hero, Assemblymember AUDRA STRICKLAND (R-Westlake Village) is
the author. ACTION FOR ANIMALS is the sponsor. The bill is being
co-authored by Assemblyman Lloyd Levine (D-Van Nuys) and (here's the "extraordinary" part) Assemblyman Joe Coto (D-San Jose), President of the Latino Caucus. Mr. Coto's support will help immeasureably in the bill's success--he's a brave man.
Ms. Strickland had agreed to introduce this humane legislation last year, but only on the condition that a member of the Latino Caucus (some 18-strong) would sign on as co-author. At that time, for whatever reasons, none would do so. (Interestingly, ALL the Caucus members are Democrats. There are only two Republican Latinos currently in the Capitol: Senator Abel Maldonado, and Assemblymember Bonnie Garcia.)
 A proud charro waves to the crowd after felling a steer at a charreada.
AB 1614 would amend the current state
rodeo law (Penal Code 596.7, which Senator Don Perata authored for me back in 1990) so as to include, BY DEFINITION, the Mexican-style rodeos called "charreadas," common throughout much of California. (Reportedly, there are 75 charro clubs in Southern California alone.) Charreadas have nine standard events, only three of which are near-identical to those of American-style rodeos (bull riding, saddlebronc riding, team roping). AB 1614 would simply change the number of events defining a rodeo from "four" to "three," thereby including the charreadas under 596.7. Seems only fair, no?
CURRENT STATE LAW requires that most rodeos have a veterinarian either on-site or on-call; prohibits unnecessary use of electric prods;
requires an on-site conveyance to remove injured animals humanely; and requires that rodeo animal injury reports be submitted by the attending veterinarian to the State Veterinary Medical Board within 48 hours of the incident.
Surely the charreada animals deserve the same protections as the animals used in American-style rodeos.
All this came about as a result of a combination of things: timing,
extensive lobbying, and key advocates in the State Capitol, not a
little of it inspired by a four-part ad I ran this week in the CAPITOL
WEEKLY'S daily e-mail newsletter, "The Roundup," which is widely read throughout the Capitol. (An ad which a number of you reading this helped pay for: Nancy Lyon, Jeannie Gocker, Steve Sapontzis, Linda Faso, Marilyn Jasper, et al.--many thanks!)
WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW
AB 1614 will be assigned to a commitee. Thank-you letters could be sent to Assemblymember Strickland (principal author) and co-authors Levine and Coto in support of the bill.
 Please ask your own CA state legislators to sign on as co-authors.
The words of Cesar Chavez bear repeating here:
 "Kindness and compassion towards all living things is a mark of a civilized society. Conversely, cruelty, whether it is directed against human beings or against animals, is not the exclusive province of any one culture or community of people." Words to live by. Again, thank you all. Si se puede! Eric Mills, coordinator ACTION FOR ANIMALS P.O. Box 20184 Oakland, CA 94620 tel. 510/652-5603
Copies of letters submitted would appreciated. |
Bull Rider Convicted of Assault of Animal Advocate
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 UPDATE: A conviction has been rendered against a bull rider who maliciously attacked a woman while she was video recording rodeo cruelty in Australia two years ago.
Many of you may remember this story reported in previous SHARK updates, but for the full account and the video of the assault CLICK HERE or go to www.norodeo.org.
ABC News Online published an article about the conviction in which the sentencing magistrate made a comment placing some responsibilty of attack on the victim herself due to her "misguided zeal." A comment like this is appalling and akin to a judge at a rapist's sentencing saying, "well, the woman brought this rape upon herself by wearnig a skirt so short."
From ABC News Online: A Victorian bull rider has been found guilty of assaulting an anti-rodeo activist at the Marrabel rodeo, north of Adelaide, two years ago.
In March, 2005, 22-year-old William Watson pushed 57-year-old Janet Allan into a water trough and kneed her in the back, after she had tried to film acts of animal cruelty.
During sentencing at the Clare Magistrates Court, Magistrate Peter Snowpeg said it was a serious, intentional and unlawful act.
But he said if it were not for Mrs Allan's misguided zeal, the incident never would have happened.
Magistrate Snowpeg placed Watson on on an 18-month good-behaviour bond.
Outside court, Mrs. Allan said while happy with the verdict, she was hoping for a prison term.
"Whatever an elderly woman has done, a young man who beats up an elderly woman belongs in prison," she said.
Magistrate Snowpeg recorded a conviction and ordered Watson to pay court costs. Of course, when rodeo thugs spend most of their time abusing animals, why should it come as any great surprise that these very same people are just as quick to abuse other people? At SHARK's site, www.CowboyCriminals.com, you can see many more examples of the moral black hole at the core of most rodeo thugs.
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Ironweed Films Promotes Rodeo Propaganda
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Recently a SHARK supporter and Ironweed member brought to our attention the surprising news that Ironweed Films is promoting the movie Rank as the highlight of its March selection.
Surprising because Ironweed promotes itself as a progressive, socially-conscious film club, and the documentary Rank is just that, but not in the way the filmmakers meant. Rank is a glorification of the thugs that choose to make a living by attempting to dominate, often through abuse, the bulls they ride as unwilling participants in their cowboy charade.
However, Ironweed is promoting this film on its website and to its members describing it thus, "Through breathtaking cinematography, gritty action and starkly honest
storytelling, "Rank" paints the portrait of three Professional Bull
Riding champions and the beautiful bulls they ride...The dance between
human and beast, the balance with the natural world and the theme of
the American Western are fleshed out against the backdrop of the high
intensity PBR World Finals."
Any caring, thinking person would realize that these tormented creatures, who are trucked around the country, shocked, spiked, and beaten, are not doing anything like "dancing."
Please contact Ironweed, especially if you are a member, and let them know just how abusive and reprehensible the rodeo industry truly is. Their description and promotion of this film is not a 'critical look' at the realities of bull riding; it is a propaganda piece choreographed by those that make their living from the abuse of animals.
email: customerservice@ironweedfilms.com
phone: 866-456-9333 (Monday through Friday, 9-6 PM PST)
write:
Ironweed Films
660 York St., #102
San Francisco, CA 94110
Below is a letter sent by a caring and insightful Ironweed member. The sender reports that her letter caught the attention of Ironweed's decision makers and the film club, while regrettably not willing to pull Rank from the March selection or change their glowing description of the film, responded that they are having "renewed discussion of the film and Ironweed's social goals and responsibilities."
Ironweed needs to hear from more people on this issue! Please read the letter below and then contact Ironweed with your own comments.
Dear Ironweed,
I've been a member for about a year now, and for the most part I really do
enjoy the movies you provide members. However, looking ahead to March, I'm
rather disturbed. I thought that perhaps your July 2006 issue was an anomaly,
with its inclusion of The Wildest Show in the
South: The Angola Prison Rodeo. Since you market yourselves as a
progressive organization dedicated to promoting socially-conscious cinema, I
thought surely you included that short film because of its focus on the criminal
justice system and used some sort of cost-benefit analysis to deem the
portrayal of the exploitation of animals in such a fashion. However, seeing
that you've chosen Rank
as your March 2007 feature, I'm no longer sure of that. Indeed, I must say that
I am appalled by your choice, and though I appreciate Ironweed I am seriously
reconsidering my membership.
I understand that it is a common misconception that rodeos cause little harm to
animals or that they are purely fun or a challenging sport. I encourage you to
visit Shark online to
disabuse yourselves of that notion; perhaps by educating yourselves about this
issue you will refrain, in the future, from indirectly promoting such an
abusive and cruel "sport" as "progressive" or
"socially conscious" cinema. In the mean time, if I decide to cancel my
subscription, how would I go about doing that?
Best,
A.H.
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Hilton Hotel in Copenhagen Pulls Out of Rodeo
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We are pleased to report on the success of anti-rodeo efforts in Europe. Specifically, an international campaign has been launched by FAACE, Fight Against Animal Cruelty in Europe, against the upcoming Copenhagen Rodeo in Denmark.
Their latest victory has been to convince the respected Hilton Copenhagen Airport and Hotel to withdraw their sponsorship of this heavily promoted rodeo. SHARK sends congratulations to the dedicated activists working on this campaign!
To learn more, go to:
www.faace.co.uk/copenhagen.htm |
Tiger Fund is Growing, but Still Needs Your Help
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 In our last update we told you about our exciting plans to build a next-generation Tiger, the Tiger 2--making us closer to our dream of a Tiger fleet. Many of you responded with generous donations, and we want you to know how much your support is needed and truly appreciated. Thank You! Our Tiger fund is growing but we still have significant amount we need to raise to meet our goal and be able to build another Tiger. Please Click Here to donate to SHARK and find out about other no-cost ways you can earn money for SHARK through GoodSearch.com and iGive.com. |
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Kindest Regards,
Steve Hindi and Your SHARK Team
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