Re: [pyrnet] Permission To Cross post. Rescue

[dsmith@iolinc.net (Smith, Deborah)]

    This will make a huge difference!  And will, in the long run, help these
unfortunate animals.

Chrissy

> This may be a partial answer to some of your questions about what happens
> when rescues occur on a large scale with the pet shop/puppy mill issue.
> This is the bigger picture we all need to be aware of!  Cindy
>
> -----------
> >
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: Donna W. Thompson
> >To: Paula Neumann ; Pat Hebert ; Maxine Wade ; Marty Hetherington ;
> Lyndaaz@att.net ; Joseph E. Champoux (Joe) ; Joie Chandler ; Esther
> Scheller
> ; Ann Grosser
> >Sent: Friday, January 05, 2001 2:37 PM
> >Subject: Animal Welfare Act Change
> >
> >
> >>
> >> PLEASE CROSS-POST TO ALL DOG BREED RESCUE / ANTI-MILL GROUPS, SHELTERS
> &
> >> HUMANE ORGANIZATIONS ON YOUR LIST.
> >>
> >> It takes a while to read, but please do it -- you'll see why as you
> read
> >> on...!
> >>
> >> For the animals,
> >> Livi French, Director
> >> The Caring Corps, Inc.
> >> Box 319 Gracie Sta., NY, NY 10028
> >> Phone/Fax 212.737.9358
> >> =============================================================
>
>
> >>
> >> On Thu, 4 Jan 2001 16:47:46 EST Startec15@aol.com writes:
> >> Received from another with permission to crosspost.
> >>
> >> January 3, 2001
> >>
> >> A United States Department of Agriculture's press release, dated
> January
> >> 2nd 2001, announced a major change that will affect rescue groups and
> >> humane societies everywhere. Listen up...I'll do my best to explain.
> >>
> >> The Animal Welfare Act governs a large group of animals in the United
> >> States. Regulated animals include dogs, cats, monkeys, rabbits,
> exotics,
> >> zoos, circus animals, animals shipped on airlines, research animals,
> etc.
> >> It is also the law that oversees the commercial dog industry in
> America.
> >>
> >> Late in 1999, USDA finally moved forward in a case involving a New
> Mexico
> >> research facility called the Coulston Foundation. The Coulston
> Foundation
> >> agreed to surrender more than 300 chimpanzees housed at their
> facility.
> >> In a settlement agreement with the facility, USDA announced, "This is
> an
> >> unprecedented consent agreement and a big win for these magnificent
> >> animals...This agreement will help to ensure that all of the
> >> approximately 650 chimps currently housed at the Coulston Foundation
> are
> >> provided quality care well into the next century."
> >>
> >> USDA was faced with a major dilemma during the long-lasting
> investigation
> >> involving the Coulston Foundation. The Animal Welfare Act allowed for
> the
> >> confiscation of the animals, but what on earth would USDA do with 650
> >> chimpanzees? By law, if USDA confiscated these animals, they would
> have
> >> to be relinquished to another USDA facility. Given Coulston's long
> >> history of abuse, torture and the deadly viruses these animals had
> been
> >> infected with, no research
> >> facility in the country was offering to take these animals. So the
> >> animals remained, year after year, at the Coulston Foundation until
> USDA
> >> finally 'forced' the Coulston Foundation to voluntarily surrender
> these
> >> animals to a retirement sanctuary.
> >>
> >> When USDA investigates horrendous conditions at a puppy mill, they are
> >> often faced with the same problems as mentioned above. What will USDA
> do
> >> with the confiscated dogs? The law doesn't allow them to turn the
> animals
> >> over to shelters or rescue groups. They can only turn the dogs over to
> >> another USDA licensed commercial kennel. Even if USDA could find a
> kennel
> >> to take in the dogs, they know that public outrage would  follow.
> Their
> >> only option is to destroy the dogs...again, the public would be
> >> infuriated.
> >>
> >> On January 2nd 2001, USDA announced a change to the Animal Welfare Act
> >> that will finally allow USDA to confiscate animals and release them to
> >> humane organizations. Ron DeHaven, the deputy administrator of
> >> USDA/APHIS/AC, announced, "This amendment to the regulations will
> allow
> >> us greater flexibility to act when it becomes necessary to confiscate
> >> animals. The change will minimize the amount of time neglected, sick,
> or
> >> injured animals stay in unhealthy conditions."
> >>
> >> The change will officially take place on February 2nd 2001.
> >>
> >> Will your rescue group, animal shelter or humane organization be
> ready?
> >> Consider the Wisconsin case in September of 2000...223 dogs were
> >> voluntarily surrendered. Most of these dogs were Chihuahuas. Because
> the
> >> facility voluntarily surrendered the dogs, USDA was able to work with
> the
> >> American Humane Association, but the story didn't end there. After
> many
> >> of the dogs were adopted, it was discovered that several of the dogs
> were
> >> infected with Brucellosis and hundreds of people were unknowingly
> exposed
> >> to this serious bacteria. All and all, I am sure the entire ordeal was
> >> more than anyone ever bargained for.
> >>
> >> When will you be called on? What will you do when 200 dogs of your
> breed
> >> are seized? Are you prepared to bring this many dogs, most suffering
> from
> >> disease and injury, into your rescue program? Do you know how to keep
> the
> >> peace within your organization during a stressful time?
> >>
> >> Now is the time for your organization to establish an emergency plan
> of
> >> action. I think USDA will utilize this amendment to the Animal Welfare
> >> Act very quickly. There are MANY, MANY cases pending right now where
> it
> >> is evident that USDA plans to confiscate animals...the only thing that
> >> has been holding them back is the current law that gives USDA no power
> to
> >> do anything with the animals once they are confiscated. On February
> 2nd,
> >> that will all change!
> >
>
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>
> Cindy Henke
> clhenke@juno.com
> Ennis, Texas
>
> "All knowledge, the totality of all questions and answers, is contained
> in the dog."  ~ Franz Kafka