Animals in Need of Your Help!

August updates:

Cats in Peril at Naval Shipyard:
Some of you are aware of the plight of the feral cats that have been living in the Naval Shipyard at Chesapeake, Virginia, for decades. Recently, the Naval authorities placed a ban on feeding feral cats; and, the group that has been taking care of them, MEOWER POWER Feral Cat Coalition, has not been allowed on the base. The Navy intends to trap these furbabies and take them to local shelters. The problem is that the local shelters are already full; and, chances are most of these cats will be euthanized. MEOWER POWER is looking for foster homes; and, they greatly need donations of dry cat food, toys, cat litter and monetary donations of any amount. They also have a program where you can sponsor a furbaby of your choice. We ask that you visit the MEOWER POWER website at http://geocities.datacellar.net/Heartland/Ranch/2148/index.html and see how you can help. We also ask that you pass this message on to all of your friends; and, please cross post to any lists that you belong to. The trapping is scheduled to begin on Monday, August 28th; and the situation is desperate. Thank you; and, remember, Happiness is a warm, soft ball of fur that loves you unconditionally. Unfortunately there are not enough homes for them all, so please spay or neuter your cats.

Ellie & the "kids"

Sharif's Sundown
http://sharif.com

THESE CATS NEED HELP NOW!
Immediate faxes and e-mails are needed to save a feral cat population, whose home for decades has been the Navy shipyard in Portsmouth.
BACKGROUND: On July 14, 2000, Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) in Portsmouth, Virginia instituted a feeding ban and an eradication program for the feral cat population on its property. Despite offers of help from local and national humane organizations to set-up an effective, nonlethal control program for the feral cats at NNSY at no cost to taxpayers, the shipyard will begin trapping in earnest this week. Bans on feeding outdoor cats are cruel, inhumane, and ineffective. The free-roaming cat population at the Shipyard will not go away simply because compassionate individuals are no longer allowed to feed them. Feeding bans are counterproductive to solving the issue of unsterilized feral cats, as they tend to worsen nuisance behavior and increase complaints from citizens. Eradication methods do not work. When cats are removed from an area, a biological phenomenon called the "vacuum effect" occurs. More cats move into the area and quickly breed back up to previous levels. Eradication does nothing to solve the problem, and also goes against what the public wants. We have already heard reports from individuals that the health of the cats is declining. Preventing people from feeding the cats when the cats have no access to food may be construed as cruelty to animals. Even more shocking, the Shipyard is going ahead with their eradication plan at a time of year when there are kittens and lactating mothers. If a lactating cat is trapped and removed, the kittens will die from exposure or starve to death. For the past five years, a concerned employee at NNSY has been caring for the Shipyard cats. Last month, the Shipyard ordered her to stop. This compassionate individual has made repeated attempts to present a formal proposal to the Shipyard Commander about her nonlethal project, but was denied the opportunity. The Shipyard's plan is going forward in spite of proposed military recommendations for the humane treatment of feral cats on military grounds. Please visit the Defense Link for the U.S. Department of Defense at http://www.defenselink.mil DefenseLINK - Official Web Site of the U.S. Department of Defense and click on "Cat Herding on the Military Range" for more information. ACA and other concerned individuals and humane organizations have made repeated attempts to contact Shipyard officials to discuss with them a nonlethal management approach that would cost NNSY and the taxpayers nothing. We have received no response. NNSY is in the midst of a Change of Command. During this critical time, it would be to the commanders' great disadvantage to support the inhumane treatment of the feral cat population at the Shipyard.

WHAT YOU CAN DO: Write polite letters to:
Captain Timothy E. Scheib
Commander, Norfolk Naval Shipyard
Portsmouth, VA 23709
Scheibte@nnsy.navy.mil

Copy your letters to:
Captain Mark A. Hugel
Code 300, Building 1505
2nd Floor
Norfolk Naval Shipyard
Portsmouth, VA 23709
Hugelma@nnsy.navy.mil
Steven B. Milner, Public Affairs Officer Code 1160, Building 1500
2nd Floor
Norfolk Naval Shipyard
Portsmouth, VA 23709
Fax: (757) 396-8005
milnersb@nnsy.navy.mil
James K. Strickland, Executive Director
Code 1100, Building 1500
6th Floor, Norfolk Naval Shipyard
Portsmouth, VA 23709
Fax: (757) 396-8104
stricklandjk@nnsy.navy.mil.

In your letters, stress that feeding bans are cruel and are not a solution. Tell them that individuals and organizations want to work with them to solve the problem in an effective, humane manner at no cost to taxpayers. Mention the possibility of a Congressional Hearing into the Command.

SAMPLE LETTER: (please personalize!)
I am very concerned about your stance against feeding stray cats who have lived for decades in the Navy shipyard in Portsmouth. I understand that your plan to eradicate the cat population has gone into effect in spite of the fact that their are kittens and lactating mothers. I'm sure you are aware that if you kill a mother but have not found where she keeps her kittens you are leaving the kittens to die a very slow, painful death. I'm also sure you are aware of proposed military recommendations for the humane treatment of feral cats on military grounds. As a feral cat rescuer for over 15 years, I can confidently say that feeding bans and "trap & kill" plans do not work. The cost to trap and kill is the same, if not more, than the cost of spaying and neutering. Refusing food to starving cats can be constituted as cruelty to animals and I'm sure most concerned and compassionate citizens will view it that way. You have organizations and volunteers who are ready, able, and willing to help trap, vaccinate, spay/neuter, feed, and help with adopting the cats. I do not understand why you would choose a cruel plan such as starvation and murder over a humane, effective one which will be no cost to the taxpayers of this country. I will watch the outcome of these events very carefully, as will all people concerned about the welfare and humane treatment of animals.

July updates:

JOJO the dolphin
It has been awhile since I gave everyone an update on JOJO the friendly bottlenose dolphin in the Turks & Caicos islands. I was hoping that I would eventually have good news to give you but unfortunately, that is not the case.

To date, hundreds of us have written letters to Club Med and the Governor of the Turks & Caicos pleading with them to reconsider the water-ski program offered by Club Med in order to prevent any more life threatening injuries to JOJO. For those of you who might not know this, it is a very common occurrence for JOJO to show up at the Club Med dock on any given day to visit with tourists. However, this may prove to be JOJO's undoing. A Club Med dock can be a very dangerous place to a friendly dolphin like JOJO who can easily be injured around propellers and water-ski skegs.

Club Med has sent many of us letters saying among other things, that they have installed their ski boats with propeller guards. These propeller guards are manufactured to protect propellers, not dolphins. I had a marine biologist from the Save The Manatee Organization write to Club Med to inform them that propeller guards are useless when it comes to preventing injuries to marine life like JOJO when used on fast moving water-ski boats. Club Med chooses to ignore this claim.

A Club Med employee in a recent newspaper article about JOJO, went on record to say that they had sent their boats to Miami, at a great expense, to have them fitted with propeller guards. I knew this was not the case and questioned them about this further. Eventually Club Med admitted that their boats had never left the island. In fact, the propeller guards were ordered from the US and sent there by Federal Express. I also sent pictures of the Club Med propeller guards to a couple of propeller guard manufacturer's who laughed at the claim that Club Med had gone to great expense. According to them, the propeller guards bought by Club Med do not cost more than $100.00 each. I would hardly call that a great expense for a company like Club Med.

Because of the incredible outpouring from around the world for JOJO and his plight, one of the largest US nightly news programs picked up the story. Club Med went on national television and claimed that they were hiring a panel of experts to come to the Turks & Caicos islands to do an assessment to determine whether or not their ski program posed a threat to JOJO. That has never happened. Club Med is now 3 months into their 6 month ski season. It certainly appears like Club Med is dragging it's heals in the hopes that this story eventually dies down.

Lets let Club Med and the Governor know that we mean business and we are tired of their apathy where JOJO's safety is concerned. Please write to Club Med and the Governor and let them know that "UNTIL YOU STOP THE WATER-SKI PROGRAM AT CLUB MED WE WILL CONTINUE OUR BOYCOTT OF ALL CLUB MED VACATIONS AS WELL AS ANY VACATIONS TO THE TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS". Please send your emails to Philippe.Bourguignon@clubmed.com , Carole.Boucard@clubmed.com , Nicolas.Japy@clubmed.com , D.Colliat@hotmail.com , governoroffice@tciway.tc and CRMPGARLAND@tciway.tc please cc: all copies to me at gmckenna@interhop.net

Thank you.
Gwen McKenna
gmckenna@interhop.net

Puppy Auction Site
This site was brought to my attention this am. I think you find it shocking and kindred to a puppy mill mentality. Please email them and tell em what you think. We need to take the wings out of their sales before it takes hold.

Thank You....
Joey's Dog House

Puppy Auction Site = Puppy Trader
http://www.puppytrader.com/index.html

Make Animal Education Mandatory in Schools!
Please help us make Animal Education mandatory in our schools. Sign the petition!
http://drdolittle.net/greatandsmall/petition

Lynnda
Sharif's Sundown
http://sharif.com

Cat Torture in Korea
Please go to this link, read what you can stand to, and then write something in the links at the bottom. We can only help this situation if we start doing something.

http://www.itn.co.uk/World/world20000725/072522.htm

Thank you,
Lynnda

Sharif's Sundown
http://sharif.com