Dogfighting Public Service Announcement (HSUS)

Ohio Committee Passes Bill to Crack Down on Animal Fighting

May 14th, 2008

H.B. 415 Approved Unanimously by House Criminal Justice Committee

The Humane Society of the United States praised Ohio’s House Criminal Justice Committee for passing a bill to strengthen the state’s animal fighting laws by a unanimous vote. H.B. 415 would raise cockfighting from a misdemeanor to a class 4 felony (punishable by a maximum $5,000 fine and/or six to 18 months imprisonment). The bill is sponsored by Reps. Lou Blessing, R– Colerain Township, and John Domenick, D–Smithfield.

“Forcing animals to mutilate each other for the sake of gambling money and a sick sense of entertainment is animal cruelty at its worst,” said Dean Vickers, Ohio state director for The Humane Society of the United States. “It’s time for Ohio law to assign meaningful punishment to these criminals.”

The bill will now be sent to the House Rules Committee, and The HSUS is calling for its swift passage. Ohio has one of the weakest anti-cockfighting laws in the nation, and has become a magnet for cockfighters who view such penalties as simply the cost of doing business.

Making cockfighting a felony in Ohio would equate the Buckeye State with its neighboring states of Indiana, Michigan and Pennsylvania, which all designate felony-level penalties for the crime. The current class 4 misdemeanor penalties for cockfighting in Ohio are no greater than those of a speeding ticket.  

About Cockfighting:

• Tens of thousands of people are involved in cockfighting nationwide.
• Common cockfighting practices include breeding birds for viciousness, drugging them to heighten aggression, and fitting their legs with razor-sharp knives or gaffs resembling ice picks.
• Law enforcement raids across the country have revealed that cockfights, which are frequently attended by children, involve illegal gambling and — as a result of the large amount of cash present — firearms and other weapons are also often present.
• Law enforcement officials have documented a strong connection between cockfighting and the distribution of illegal drugs.
• The illegal transport of fighting birds can spread deadly diseases to people and poultry. 

Thats right, Kumar from “Harold & Kumar go to White Castle” is a grind core vegitarian.  Who woulda thunk! In fact, Kumar, whose real name is Kal Penn, said “I think fast food is disgusting. I was a vegetarian when I first shot the film, and I generally eat organic as much as possible.”  What was he eating throughout the movie, you ask? Veggie burgers! 

“Nothing will benefit human health and increase the
chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the
evolution to a vegetarian diet.”

Albert Einstein

Cows are a lot like dogs. But Calmer. With slightly softer eyes. This is one of the lucky ones saved from factory farms and from slaughter. She’s a sweetheart…she’ll come up to you and sniff inquisitively, of if she trusts you she will nuzzle her nose into you. If only they were all this lucky…

Humane Society investigations have revealed the brutal mistreatment of these gentle animals time and again. Please take a moment to watch what these animals endure day after day until being slaughtered for our food.

Mercy for Animals just uncovered a horrific video documenting extreme abuse, neglect, and suffering at a California egg farm– the largest egg distributor in the Western US. The video was recorded with a hidden camera on an undercover investigation earlier in 2008, and is just one of many undercover accounts of cruelty going on at factory farms that have been surfacing across the country. More info in the LA Times article.

Attention Carnivores & Vegetarians! Abuse in the egg and milk industry is something worth your consideration. I have been a vegetarian for 10 years, but little did I know, I was still supporting some of the worst abuse in the industry.  I have recently become aware that the production of eggs & milk causes as much (and in many cases more) suffering than the production of meat itself. This awareness nauseates me, because I have been have been supporting and paying this industry my whole life, even as a vegetarian.

It’s time for a change. It’s time for a change in meat production operations, but considering that can’t happen quickly enough, it’s time for a personal change–one that I have complete control over and one that can be immediate–it’s time for me to change my consumption habits and to embrace a vegan lifestyle.  It is my time to stop eating the products that have been made from or pumped ouf of animals that never had a chance to enjoy a moment without suffering or a moment of freedom.

Want to help without changing your diet? Certainly possible! Erik Marcus (vegan.com) is fronting an effort to require surveillance cameras in slaughterhouses (SlaughterCam’s). This would be an easy, inexpensive, and reliable way to insure accountability in slaughterhouses. Support this effort by signing the petition and join the Facebook group!

Fellow Animal Advocates,

     I encourage you to consider attending the 2008 National Animal Rights Conference this summer!  It is in Washington DC, and will make a pretty awesome summer vacation!  Registration is $120.  I know this seems like a lot, but it will truly be the experience of a lifetime, not to mention a ton of fun!

The four-day program features nearly 100 presenters from more than 60 organizations and nine countries, representing virtually all sectors of our movement. They appear in eight Plenary Sessions, 50 Workshops, 30 Campaign Reports, and 7 Rap Sessions. Other program elements include: Exhibits, Videos, Newcomer Orientation, Group Workouts, Strategy Meetings, Networking Receptions, Awards, and musical entertainment.

Bluch! And here are yet another three reasons why I don’t eat food that had a face:

Seriously, people. Those do NOT look delicious… no matter how long you cook them.

So this is interesting…

“Since April 15, 2007, pricier, grain-based animal feed (which consumed 40 percent of 2007’s 13 billion bushel U.S. corn crop) has helped hike eggs 46 percent. Got milk? You paid 26 percent more. Conversely, meat prices have dropped, as farmers slaughter animals rather than pay so much to feed them.”  

Check out the rest of the article here.

                             Meat prices may fall… but how much are they worth to you?

The Case Animal Rights & Ethics Society (CARES) is an animal rights club at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. This organization has grown tremendously since its foundation almost 4 years ago. CARES works to spread awareness about animal welfare issues by hosting speakers, holding events, distributing informational pamphlets and posters, etc. Many CARES members also volunteer at the local animal shelter, the Cleveland APL.  CARES has also formed ties with other animal organizations such as Mercy for animals, Happy Trails Farm Animal Sanctuary, Farm Sanctuary, any many more.

If you happen to be a Clevelander and are interested in learning more about the club or getting involved, OR if you are interested at speaking at a CARES event, contact CARES president Michelle Cehn at mtc14@case.edu !