HUMANElines: Issue 202 --- July 5, 2002

A project of The Humane Society of the United States and The Fund for Animals (202)955-3666
humanelines@hsus.org

HUMANE SCORECARD NOW AVAILABLE:
See how your U.S. Senators and Representative voted this year on critical animal protection
measures by ordering your copy of The Humane Scorecard for the 107th Congress. The scorecard
is now available online (see: http://fund.org/uploads/HumaneScorecard2001.pdf) or send an
email to: fundinfo@fund.org .

NAVY BOMBING HURTS WHALES:
With only 300 individuals thought to remain of the entire population, North Atlantic right whales are
one of the world's most critically endangered species. Stringent protection of their three critical
habitats in the U.S. has been ongoing and is crucial to their survival. However, on June 10th, the
headless carcass of a right whale calf was discovered floating in waters just adjacent to one of
these critical habitats, off Cape Cod, MA. Subsequently, it was discovered that the U.S. Navy has
been conducting live fire bombing exercises just outside of this critical habitat.
According to the Endangered Species Act (ESA), federal agencies are required to consult with one
another when they are engaging in activities that may adversely affect endangered species. The
Navy's decision to conduct bombing exercises so near to right whales' critical habitat indicates a
violation of this requirement and is a dire threat to the survival of the entire species.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Contact your two U.S. Senators and U.S. Representative and ask them to insist that the U.S. Navy
stop bombing near the right whales' critical habitat and immediately consult with the NMFS on the
areas least likely to risk the lives of whales, in accordance with the federal Endangered Species Act.

All federal legislators can be reached by calling the Capitol switchboard at 202/224-3121.
You can look up the names of your federal legislators at www.vote-smart.org.

OKLAHOMA COCKFIGHTING BAN OFFICIALLY ON THE BALLOT:
On Tuesday (7/1), the Oklahoma Supreme Court issued, for a second time, a unanimous ruling
allowing an initiative to ban cockfighting to go before its citizens on the November 2002 ballot. The
ruling comes in response to cockfighters' challenges to a ruling last year in which the Oklahoma
Supreme Court issued an opinion that a citizen-generated, anti-cockfighting petition had enough
valid signatures to be submitted to a vote of the people. In a desperate attempt to block citizens
from voting on the issue, cockfighters are vowing to challenge the ruling yet again, taking it to a
federal court if necessary. If the ballot initiative is approved by voters in November 2002, cock-
fighting and related activities will become a felony in Oklahoma, punishable by up to 10 years in
prison and a $25,000 fine.
Currently Oklahoma remains one of only three states that have yet to ban the cruel blood "sport"
of cockfighting.
* Reality is negotiable? Amazing that it is considered necessary to vote on this gross abuse of
animals.

STOP STORAGETEK'S MASSIVE ANIMAL POISONING:
On June 22, StorageTek, a technology company and the third largest employer in Boulder County,
CO, began a massive prairie dog poisoning program on its 440-acre plot.
StorageTek spokesman Joe Fuentes explained the poisoning by saying, "We have a jogging track
(on StorageTek property). . . People were complaining that the prairie dogs were digging holes on
the track."
The poisoning came after StorageTek broke off negotiations with Rocky Mountain Animal Defense
(RMAD) members, who had been trying to implement non-lethal and humane methods of mitigating
the conflict with prairie dogs. Animal activists who witnessed the poisoning, in which burrows were
stuffed with aluminum phosphate pellets and covered with dirt, described it as nothing short of
horrifying.
"It creates a sort of gas chamber for prairie dogs and other wildlife . . .They bleed to death internally,
it's excruciating," explained one activist.
Hours after the poisoning, prairie dogs were seen climbing out of their holes to slowly die in full view
of horrified onlookers.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Contact StorageTek officials on Monday and demand that they resume negotiations for non-lethal,
humane methods of prairie dog control, such as relocation or fencing, which are both cheaper and
more effective:

Pat Martin, CEO
StorageTek
One StorageTek Drive
Louisville, Colorado 80028-0001
ph: 800-877-9220, ext. 18661
fax: 303-661-7637

For more information on this issue, visit the Rocky Mountain Animal
Defense's website at www.rmad.org

THANKS FOR MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR ANIMALS--TODAY!
For more information on legislation, how to find your legislators, and past HUMANElines,
visit http://www.hsus.org or http://www.fund.org

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