Tag: New Mexico

Albuquerque Public Schools Criticizes PCRM Lunch Survey

After a Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine survey criticized the nutritional value of lunches served at Albuquerque Public Schools, a nutrition coordinator for the school system says she never would have cooperated with the survey if she had realized that PCRM was an animal rights group.

Stephanie Fila, nutrition coordinator for APS, told the Albuquerque Tribune that she didn’t realize PCRM was an animal rights group advocating a vegan diet when she responded to their survey. According to Fila, the APS lunches meet all USDA requirements and added that,

Real physicians would not recommend a vegan diet for growing children.

Jeanne Stuart McVey, while acknowledging that Physicians Committee for Responsible MEdicine actually has very few physician members, defended the nutrition survey saying,

We are advocates. But we really look at the science. We promote healthy diets, and there are so many studies showing that meat is just not the healthiest thing.

McVey also tried to distance PCRM from People for the Ethical Treatment, claiming that PCRM no longer receives funding from PETA,

. . . in the past, PETA might have supported one of our animal-testing programs, but we do not get funding from them now.

Of course McVey forgets to mention The Foundation to Support Animal Protection which appears to have been set up specifically to allow PETA to fund PCRM while hiding the relationship between the two groups.

Source:

APS: Lunch study unfair. Frank Zoretich, Albuquerque Tribune, September 4, 2004.

New Mexico Senate Unanimously Passes Ban on Type of Animal Euthanasia

In February the New Mexico state Senate unanimously approved a bill that would ban the use of intracardiac injection euthanasia in that state. Intracardiac injection kills an animal by injecting barbiturate directly into the heart of the animal.

Sen. Richard Romero, who introduce the bill, said that he sponsored the ban become too often the procedure misses the heart leaving the animals to suffer. Romero told The Albuquerque Tribune,

We need to put a halt to this inhumane practice in our state’s animal shelters right away. This amounts to tormenting and torturing an animal when it’s done without anesthesia or sedation.

The ban will only apply to animal control facilities and animal shelters. The procedure will remain legal in livestock and veterinary facilities.

The full text of the bill can be read here.

Sources:

Senate OKs bill to prohibit type of animal euthanasia. Associated Press, February 11, 2004.

. Albuquerque Tribune (New Mexico), February 12, 2004.

New Mexico SB 51 – Animal Euthanasia

SENATE BILL 51

46th legislature – STATE OF NEW MEXICO – second session, 2004

INTRODUCED BY

Richard M. Romero

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO CRIMES; PROHIBITING INTRACARDIAC ADMINISTRATION OF
EUTHANASIA ON A CONSCIOUS ANIMAL.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     Section 1. A new section of Chapter 30, Article 18 NMSA
1978 is enacted to read:

     “[NEW MATERIAL] INTRACARDIAC INJECTION PROHIBITED ON
CONSCIOUS ANIMAL.–

          A. It is unlawful for an employee or agent of an
animal control service or facility, animal shelter or humane
society to use intracardiac injection to administer euthanasia
on a conscious animal if the animal could first be rendered
unconscious in a humane manner.

          B. A person who violates the provisions of
Subsection A of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and
shall be sentenced in accordance with the provisions of Section
31-19-1 NMSA 1978.”

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