News for Florida animal advocates

The National Weather Service has issued heat advisories for counties across central and north Florida. Yesterday, the St. Augustine Record ran an article about what locals can do to stay cool in this summer’s record heat. The paper spoke to a landscape worker who complained, “We are out here all day, and the hotter it gets, the harder it is to breathe, it’s so humid.” Another worker told the paper, “We try to stay in the shade.” Although human workers can take steps to stay cool, horses in St. Augustine who are forced to pull heavy carriages in extreme heat and humidity have no protections from the heat. But that may soon change.

The City of St. Augustine is currently working on long-overdue revisions to the city’s horse-carriage ordinance. ARFF has testified in front of the city commission in support of the draft ordinance. Under the proposed changes, horses would be moved off of Avenida Menendez, one of the busiest streets in the city. Another proposed change would be to require horses to be pulled off the street if the temperature reaches 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

This summer is one of the hottest on record, but the temperature in St. Augustine has only broke 100 on a few days. For the new ordinance to make a real difference for horses, the maximum temperature at which horses are removed from the streets must be lowered. The City of St. Petersburg bans horse-drawn carriages on city streets when the temperature is above 95. In Tampa, the maximum temperature is 90.

Please contact the City of St. Augustine City Commission and express your support of the proposed changes to the city’s horse-carriage ordinance, but urge them to consider lowering the temperature max to 95 or 90.

Contact:
Mayor Joseph Boles and Commissioners
City of St. Augustine
E-mail: cosa@citystaug.com

Send a copy of your e-mail to Assistant City Attorney Carlos Mendoza at cmendoza@citystaug.com

Please let ARFF know if you receive a response.

ARFF is mourning the death of “Dondi,” a solitary female Asian elephant who was a regular performer at Flea World, a flea market in Sanford, and at Santa’s Enchanted Forest, a Christmas festival in Miami. (Click here to view video of a performance at Flea World in February.)

Dondi died of unknown causes on July 28.

ARFF held numerous demonstrations on behalf of Dondi. For years, ARFF pleaded with Dondi’s owners to retire her to a sanctuary where she could be free from constant travel and have an opportunity for normal social relationships. It is tragic that her life ended without being given that chance. Dondi deserved better.

Sadly, Dondi was not the only elephant in Florida forced to live alone. Visit ARFF’s website to learn how you can help “Nosey,” an elephant currently traveling with the Liebling Bros. Circus.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed designating the Burmese python, boa constrictor and seven other large constrictor snakes as “injurious wildlife.” The rule would prohibit the import and interstate transport of these species.

Before a final decision is made, the proposed rule is open for public comment until August 2.

It is very important for the USFWS to hear from Floridians about this proposed rule. Please submit a brief comment in support of designating these potentially dangerous snakes as “injurious wildlife.” Stopping the import and interstate trade in these animals would benefit animal welfare, improve public safety and protect Florida’s fragile environment.

To submit comments (until August 2), click here.

Or, go to www.regulations.gov, search “python” and then click on “Submit a Comment”

Sunday’s St. Petersburg Times will feature a wonderful profile of Stella Pavlides, a Clearwater resident who founded the American Vitiligo Research Foundation in 1995 after being diagnosed with the skin disorder.

In the article, Stella explains how she was conflicted in starting the foundation because she is an animal rights advocate: “I wanted vitiligo research, but not on animals.” Fortunately, she met a researcher at the University of Florida College of Medicine who assured her that important research could be done without the use of animals. The foundation has since given more than $175,000 toward vitiligo research at UF.

Click here for a listing of health charities that do, and those that do not fund animal experimentation.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released its annual survey of animals used in research. In 2009, over 11,000 animals were used in teaching, testing or experiments in Florida. Included in this number* were 2117 nonhuman primates, 1272 pigs, 937 dogs, 778 rabbits, 491 cats and 250 sheep.

In 2009, 1,000 more animals were in laboratories in Florida than in 2008, and 3,500 more than in 2007!

The University of Florida is the largest research facility in the state. Recent USDA inspection reports reveal problems inside UF labs. In December 2009, a worker carelessly placed a cage containing five baby rats into a high-temperature cage washer. The rats were boiled to death. In July 2009, a rabbit broke his back during a routine nail trimming procedure. A technician was blamed for not supporting the animal’s back properly. The rabbit was euthanized.

*NOT included in this number are the tens of thousands of mice and rats used in research every year in Florida (the Animal Welfare Act excludes from protection mice, rats, birds, frogs and fish).

Learn more about animal experimentation in Florida at ARFF’s website.

Recently the St. Petersburg Times spoke to a Clearwater homeowner who doesn’t like armadillos because they dig holes in his yard in their search for worms and insects to eat.

We don’t believe everything we read in the newspaper, but the man said something that we want to believe! He told the newspaper that his previous attempts to catch armadillos using live traps were frustrated because once an armadillo became trapped, word got out and other armadillos came to the rescue: “They come through the … fence at his Clearwater home. And then they start rocking the trap until they liberate their comrade.”

Armadillos are strong little animals, so it’s more likely that the trapped armadillo simply busted out of the trap. But we like the idea of armadillos organizing a jail break!

It’s illegal to release armadillos who have been trapped back into the wild, so when homeowners hire a trapper, they are paying to have the armadillo killed. ARFF does not think that foraging for food deserves a death sentence! There are humane, non-lethal methods of discouraging armadillos from damaging lawns.

Exotic pets no longer for sale at Flamingo Gardens. An article in Saturday’s Sun-Sentinel confirmed that Flamingo Gardens, a botanical garden in Fort Lauderdale, has ended its involvement in the sale of non-native reptiles and other exotic pets.

In late 2009, ARFF received complaints about events held several times each year at Flamingo Gardens during which reptile breeders set up booths selling pythons, iguanas and other exotic lizards and snakes. ARFF contacted Flamingo Gardens and explained that due to their low cost and small size, animals such as ball pythons and iguanas are often purchased by individuals who lack the knowledge and resources to properly care for them. Once these reptiles become too large or expensive to care for, they are often abandoned or released into the wild. Others live miserable lives inside a glass aquarium.

According to the newspaper, “Flamingo Gardens used to host a Reptile Expo & Sale, but it has discontinued animal sales from its 60-acre property. Clark [Keith Clark, special events coordinator] said they did so because such events run counter to the facility’s mission as a native wildlife rescue and sanctuary.”

Thank you Flamingo Gardens!

Liebling Bros. Circus on the run. The Liebling Bros. Circus, and their poor elephant Nosey, has been mentioned many times on this blog. When ARFF learns of the circus performing in Florida, we are quick to contact event sponsors and city code enforcement, and organize protests. But if the circus thought they’d receive more of a welcome outside of Florida, they were wrong. Last week, Mackinaw Crossings, a shopping center in northern Michigan, asked the circus to pack up and leave after learning about their horrible history of animal neglect.

Please contact ARFF if you learn of the Liebling Family Circus, or any circus with elephants or other exotic animals, coming to a town near you. (Liebling sometimes performs as the “Piccadilly Circus”.)

This week, Miss Florida USA announced who the judges will be at this weekend’s pageant. The line-up includes a former Miss USA, a fashion designer, a TV news anchor, and other local notables. Also joining them at the judging table will be Keith Kaplan, executive director of the Fur Information Council of America.

Mr. Kaplan makes $170,000/year to “protect and improve the public image of the fur industry.” Considering the terrible suffering of mink, fox and other animals imprisoned in fur farms, he has a lot of work to do!

Please contact each of the Miss Florida USA judges and politely request that they say a few words to pageant organizers against the pageant’s continued links with the cruel fur industry (and tell them the steer clear of Mr. Kaplan!).

Contact:

Eyal Savir
Designer, Elan International
E-mail: eyal@elan-usa.com

Terri Amos-Britt
Author, spiritual coach
Contact Ms. Amos-Britt through her website (click here)

Lisa Scott-Founds
President, Winterfest Boat Parade
E-mail: lisa@winterfestparade.com

Levi G. Williams
Partner, Fertig & Gramling Law Partnership
E-mail: lgw@fertig.com

Vanessa Hauc
Telemundo news anchor
Contact Ms. Hauc by using this comment form (select “Al Rojo Vivo With Maria Celeste” from the drop-down menu)

Gene Engle
University of South Florida trustee, realtor
E-mail: geneenglerealtor@aol.com

ARFF will hold protests against the cruel fur industry during pageant preliminaries on Friday, July 9 and during pageant finals on July 10, at Broward College’s Bailey Concert Hall in Davie. Click here for details.

If you missed last weekend’s “Independence for the Animals” picnic in Winter Park, you missed a fun afternoon and some great food. The annual event hosted by ARFF was featured in this week’s Winter Park/Maitland Observer. Among the attendees, the paper spoke to Maria Corrales who came to the picnic with her daughter: “She said her 8-year-old daughter recently turned vegetarian, and she wanted to learn more about the vegetarian lifestyle and recipes she could prepare for her daughter.” 8-year-old Bianca explained how, “she became vegetarian because she felt bad for the animals and she wanted to be healthier.” Way to go Bianca! Another picnic goer, Christopher Murphy, told the paper, “I’m one of those people who cannot love one animal and eat another.”

The paper took some great photos at the event (click here).

It probably won’t be news to you, but an article in Saturday’s Palm Beach Post announced that South Florida consumers “are increasingly realizing that meat doesn’t have to be the star of every meal.” The article profiled three new vegan restaurants in West Palm Beach: Darbster, Soma Center and The Raw Kitchen (visit VegSouthFlorida.com for more information about these and other veg-friendly restaurants).
 
Perhaps the best news from the article was not the three new all-vegan restaurants (although that is very exciting), but that national restaurant chains are exploring vegan options. For example, The Yard House, a chain with restaurants in Florida and nine other states, is testing meatless options at a few of their restaurants. Yard House is considering using the vegan protein alternative gardein to replace some of its chicken dishes! Corporate chef Carlito Jocson explained, “We want to offer options everyone can feel good about.” The article also mentioned that gardein has been popular during trials at Chipotle restaurants.

Have you been stuck eating a bland salad at a restaurant near where you live or work? Speak up! Let the restaurant know that you’re vegan and that it would be wonderful if they could add more vegan/vegetarian choices to their menu. Contact ARFF for tips about working with restaurants to add meat-free dishes.