Day: September 28, 2003

Israeli Supreme Court Bans Force Feeding of Foie Gras

Israel’s High Court of Justice ruled on August 11 that the force feeding of geese and ducks in the production of foie gras violates that country’s Animal Welfare Law.

A group called Concern for Helping Animals in Israel filed a lawsuit in 2001 against foie gras producers in Israel claiming that the force feeding of approximately 800,000 animals each year violated the Animal Welfare Law.

Israel is the world’s third largest producer of foie gras, and the industry employs about 600 people. There are about 100 farms producing foie gras, with about 45 percent of those using force feeding.

Those currently using force feeding will have until at least March 2005 to develop alternatives.

Sources:

Israel court cans foie gras farms. BBC, August 13, 2003.

High Court rules against force-feeding geese. Stuart Winer, The Jerusalem Post, August 13, 2003.

Court bans fattening of geese for foie gras. National Post (Canada), August 12, 2003.

Animal Rights Foundation of Florida Protests Against Hermit Crab Sales

The Boca Raton News reports that on August 15 activist with the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida showed up at the Town Center Mall to protest against a kiosk there selling hermit crabs.

Animal Rights Foundation of Florida outreach director Fred Ellis told the Boca Raton News that,

It [selling hermit crabs] sends the message to kids that animals are here for us to use and abuse on a whim and they’re not. They belong in the wild, not locked in a plastic box.

ARFF communications assistant Loretta Murray added that,

They[hermit crabs] don’t reproduce in captivity so every crab in Crab Buddies kiosk was ripped away from his or her home and family.

Hermit crabs are apparently a recent fad in the area, and sell at kiosks for $20-$50 apiece.

Source:

Protestors get crabby at Town Center Mall. Kelli Kennedy, Boca Raton News, August 16, 2003.

Animal Rights Extremists Vandalize Sonoma, California Restaurant

On the night of August 9, animal right extremists broke into and vandalized a new restaurant in Sonoma, California and also damaged an adjoining 19th century historical building which had recently been restored.

Activists targeted Sonoma Saveurs because one of its owners, Guillermo Gonzalez, is the only producer of foie gras in the Western United States and the restaurant will feature foies gras, among other things, when it finally opens.

According to the Press Democrat, the animal rights activists got into the restaurant by squeezing through an exterior water heater closet and then tearing a hole in an interior wall. One in, they spray-painted animal rights slogans throughout the building, poured dry concrete down drains, and then turned on the water.

By the time the vandalism was discovered, water had seeped into surrounding buildings including a historic 19th century adobe building that had once been used by Mexican Gen. Mariano Vellejo. The water also damaged a women’s clothing store that adjoins the restaurant.

The three owners of the restaurant, Gonzalez, Laurent Manrique, and Didier Jaubert, have also faced acts of harassment and vandalism from animal rights extremists at their homes.

The Sonoma News reported that,

Late last month vandals trashed Jaubert’s home in Santa Rosa and Laurent’s residence in Mill Valley. They spray-painted the buildings, etched the windows with acid, poured glue in locks, covered a statue of a Buddha with red paint and splashed acid all over a car. A report lauding those attacks is posted on the Bite Back site.

Jaubert told the Sonoma News,

You can be tolerant, you can believe in freedom and respect diversity, but it is sometimes difficult to understand some actions. … If you don’t like foie gras I can understand. If you don’t want foie gras to be sold you can demonstrate in front of the store, you can write letters to the editor, you can do many things. But to destroy a historical building, to attack a family’s home, to do this at night and to be proud of your actions – this is very difficult for me to understand.

Total damage from the attack is estimated at $50,000.

Sources:

Animal activists vandalize Sonoma Plaza restaurant. Mary Callahan, The Press Democrat, August 15, 2003.

Animal activists vandalize restaurant. Associated Press, August 15, 2003.

Vandals flood historic building. Patricia Henley, Sonoma News, August 15, 2003.

Michigan House Bill No. 5029 (Dove Hunting)

HOUSE
BILL No. 5029

August 13, 2003, Introduced by Rep. Tabor and referred
to the Committee on Conservation and Outdoor Recreation.

A bill to amend 1994 PA 451,
entitled

“Natural resources and
environmental protection act,”

by amending section 40103 (MCL
324.40103), as amended by 2000 PA

191; and to repeal acts and
parts of acts.

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE
OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

1 Sec. 40103. (1) “Game”
means any of the following animals

2 but does not include privately
owned cervidae species located on

3 a registered cervidae livestock
facility as that term is defined

4 in the privately owned cervidae
producers marketing act:

5 (a) Badger.

6 (b) Bear.

7 (c) Beaver.

8 (d) Bobcat.

9 (e) Brant.

10 (f) Coot.

 

1 (g) Coyote.

2 (h) Crow.

3 (i) Deer.

4 (j) Duck.

5 (k) Elk.

6 (l) Fisher.

7 (m) Florida gallinule.

8 (n) Fox.

9 (o) Geese.

10 (p) Hare.

11 (q) Hungarian partridge.

12 (r) Marten.

13 (s) Mink.

14 (t) Moose.

15 (u) Mourning dove.

16 (v) (u)
Muskrat.

17 (w) (v)
Opossum.

18 (x) (w)
Otter.

19 (y) (x)
Pheasant.

20 (z) (y)
Quail.

21 (aa) (z)
Rabbit.

22 (bb) (aa)
Raccoon.

23 (cc) (bb)
Ruffed grouse.

24 (dd) (cc)
Sharptailed grouse.

25 (ee) (dd)
Skunk.

26 (ff) (ee)
Snipe.

27 (gg) (ff)
Sora rail.



1 (hh) (gg)
Squirrel.

2 (ii) (hh)
Weasel.

3 (jj) (ii)
Wild turkey.

4 (kk) (jj)
Woodchuck.

5 (ll) (kk)
 Woodcock.

6 (mm) (ll) Virginia
rail.

7 (2) “Interim order of
the department” means an order of the

8 department issued under section
40108.

9 (3) “Kind” means
an animal’s sex, age, or physical

10 characteristics.

11 (4) “Normal agricultural
practices” means generally accepted

12 agricultural and management
practices as defined by the

13 commission of agriculture.

14 (5) “Open season”
means the dates during which game may be

15 legally taken.

16 (6) “Parts” means
any or all portions of an animal, including

17 the skin, plumage, hide,
fur, entire body, or egg of an animal.

18 (7) “Protected”
or “protected animal” means an animal or kind

19 of animal that is designated
by the department as an animal that

20 shall not be taken.

21 (8) “Residence”
means a permanent building serving as a

22 temporary or permanent home.
Residence may include a cottage,

23 cabin, or mobile home, but
does not include a structure designed

24 primarily for taking game,
a tree blind, a tent, a recreational

25 or other vehicle, or a camper.

26 Enacting section 1. Section
40110 of the natural resources

27 and environmental protection
act, 1994 PA 451, MCL 324.40110, is

1 repealed.