Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 21, 2010
Contact: Tom Pfeifer, (202) 225-5811

Moran, Gallegly & 54 Others Respond to Supreme Court Ruling on Animal Cruelty

Chairs of Animal Protection Caucus Introduce Bill Making Crush Videos Illegal

WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Co-chairs of the Animal Protection Caucus Reps. Jim Moran (D-VA) and Elton Gallegly (R-CA) introduced, along with 54 other cosponsors, a bipartisan bill authored by Gallegly and designed to overcome the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down federal law barring the sale of so-called “crush videos,” which graphically depict the abuse and killing of animals.

Gallegly’s original bill passed the House in 1999 on a bipartisan vote of 372-42 and in the Senate by unanimous consent. President Clinton signed it into law. For 10 years, it shut down the crush video industry.

“Violence is not a First Amendment issue; it is a law enforcement issue,” Gallegly said. “Ted Bundy and Ted Kaczynski tortured or killed animals before killing people. The FBI, U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Justice consider animal cruelty to be one of the early warning signs of potential violence by youths. This law is one step toward ending this cycle of violence.”

“The Supreme Court decision is a blow to the effort to prevent animal cruelty and a victory for the profiteers behind the `crush’ video industry, which glorifies the killing of defenseless animals,” said Moran. “For 10 years, federal law had worked to dramatically reduce the proliferation of these videos. Now, Congress must act to restore these commonsense protections against animal cruelty.”

The more narrowly focused legislation would prevent video depictions of drowning, impaling, burning and crushing of animals, while addressing constitutional concerns outlined by the court.

“Animal abuse and profiting from these actions are wrong,” said Rep. Betty Sutton (D-OH), a member of the Animal Protection Caucus and original cosponsor of the bill. “We must close the loopholes to crack down and end the trade in crush videos. Today, we are unequivocally restating, with a narrowly tailored measure, that it is unacceptable to videotape and sell extreme, cruel, and illegal depictions of the torturing, maiming, or mutilation of animals.”

“When the law banning animal cruelty videos was passed in 1999, the videos depicting the crushing of small animals virtually disappeared from the market,” said Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), another original cosponsor. “The implication by Chief Justice Roberts that the law should be circumscribed to require that the depicted conduct be `cruel’ will be addressed by this new bill.”

“Animal cruelty is not something to celebrate and circulate online,” said Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), an original cosponsor and Animal Protection Caucus member. “On the heels of yesterday’s Supreme Court decision, we’re taking immediate and bipartisan action to protect animals without infringing on the right to free speech. The bottom line is that we need to protect animals from being tortured or killed in a manner that is criminal or morally reprehensible. No one should be allowed to profit from so-called crush videos or other images of animal cruelty.”

“While I am disappointed in its ruling, I have the highest respect for the Supreme Court,” Gallegly said. “They left the door ajar for us to continue to outlaw these heinous actions and we intend to do so.”

“I refuse to stand by while people profit from the mutilation and torture of helpless puppies, kittens and other animals.” said Moran. “I look forward to continuing to working with Congressman Gallegly to respond to this decision while preserving the constitutional freedoms all Americans hold dear.”

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Source of info:

http://www.house.gov/gallegly/media/media2010/042110crushvideo.htm

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Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, VIDEOS | Leave a comment »

Inside the Cat and Dog meat market in China.

A CNN Report.

**Warning – Video shows animal suffering **.

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/03/09/china.animals/index.html 

Guangzhou, China (CNN) — Dogs bark and whine behind high chain-link fences, some of them gnawing the wire so hard they bleed at the mouths while cats packed into crowded cages cower in fear if anyone approaches.

This isn’t a pet store — it’s a meat market in Guangzhou, a city in southern China where eating cats and dogs is common practice.

At the Han River Dog Meat Restaurant in central Guangzhou, diners can choose from a long list of menu items, including dog soup, dog steak, dog with tofu and more. In the kitchen, the chef chops up meat for dog hot pot, one of the more popular dishes. Most customers like it spicy.

“Dog meat is good for your health and metabolism,” explains Li, the hostess who declined to give her first name. “In the summer it helps you sweat.”

Should cat and dog meat be banned?

But these local restaurants may have to find a new specialty. The Chinese government is considering legislation that would make eating cats and dogs illegal.

Professor Chang Jiwen of the Chinese Academy of the Social Sciences is one of the law’s top campaigners. “Cats and dogs are loyal friends to humans,” he said. “A ban on eating them would show China has reached a new level of civilization.”

Eating dog meat is a long-standing culinary tradition not just in China, but also Korea. Cat meat can be found on the menu in China, Vietnam and even parts of South America.

The Chinese government has signaled a willingness to take the meat off the market. To avoid upsetting international visitors during the Beijing Olympics, officials ordered dog meat off the menus at local markets. Officials in Guangzhou have warned vendors to stop selling it ahead of the Asian Games which will be held there later this year.

The ban on eating dog and cat meat is part of a larger proposal to toughen laws on animal welfare. Individual violators could face up to 15 days in prison and a small fine. Businesses found guilty of selling the meat risk fines up to 500,000 yuan ($73,500.)

The legislation is gaining support from China’s growing number of pet owners. With living standards rising and disposable income growing, more Guangzhou residents are investing in house pets.

“I would never eat dog meat,” said Louisa Yong, as she clutches her pet cocker spaniel. “It’s so cruel!”

Meat vendors have a different view.

“The dogs you raise at home, you shouldn’t eat,” said Pan, a butcher who also declined to give his first name. “The kind raised for eating, we can eat those.”

Many of the dogs and cats sold for meat are specially raised on farms. But Chang said there is always a chance they’re someone’s lost or stolen pet.

In anticipation of the new ban, dog and cat meat has become more difficult to find, though some vendors say they will keep selling it as long as they can.

“The legislation will definitely affect our restaurant,” said Li. “We’ll just wait to see the result.”

And it seems restaurants don’t necessarily need to change their menus anytime soon. According to the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the law prohibiting cat and dog meat could take as long as a decade to pass. Until then it’s a la carte, from the cage into the kitchen.

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Video Link and Article:     http://en.terra.com/lifestyle/articles/html/hof8619.htm

Spain: Fashion Drama at Dog Show

Two year old dog died, strangled by its own coat, at a dog show in Madrid.

The tragedy occured at the PROPET fair where stray dogs from the animal protection groups took part along with other dogs presented by breeders.

The dogs were on the catwalk as fashionistas in the latest trends for ‘Dog Model’company in jackets, overcoats, and pajamas.

At the show everyone was shocked to find out that one of the dog models collapsed and died after getting caught and strangling its own coat.

VIDEO: Dog dies, strangled on its own coat

Are these the possible consequences of wanting to humanize animals?

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Today, 24/02/10, at about 6:30 PM (Brussels’ time),

the Romanian European Deputy, Mr. Corneliu Vadim Tudor (president of PRM party), will have a speech in European Parliament with regards at animal cruelties in Romania and the necessity of neutering the dogs in view of their reduction.

You can see the live transmission on Internet:

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/wps-europarl-internet/frd/live/live-video?eventId=20100223-1500-PLENARY_SESSION&language=en 

Once in the site, convert to the language of your choice.

Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, VIDEOS | Leave a comment »