Animal confinement bill introduced in NY (Earth Times)‏

Sent: May 8, 2009 1:23:13 PM

NOTE: Detailed information on Bill A08163 can be found at:
http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A08163

Earth Times (UK)
New York State Ponders Better Conditions for Farm Animals
Posted : Thu, 07 May 2009 17:55:47 GMT
Author : Farm Sanctuary
Category : Press Release


ALBANY, N.Y. - (Business Wire) The Humane Society of the United States
and Farm Sanctuary, headquartered in New York, announced enthusiastic
support for legislation introduced in the New York State Assembly to
provide more room for farm animals.

The bill, A08163, introduced Tuesday by Assembly member Linda
Rosenthal, D-Manhattan, prohibits confining breeding pigs, calves
raised for veal, and egg-laying hens in cages that prevent them from
turning around or extending their limbs.

“This modest measure would make a world of difference to animals
subjected to the terrible pain, discomfort and abuse of extreme
confinement for months on end. Common sense and an abundance of
scientific evidence clearly demonstrates that animals suffer when
forced to remain immobile nearly all of their lives,” said Patrick
Kwan, New York state director for The HSUS.

Californians overwhelmingly passed a similar measure, The Prevention
of Farm Animal Cruelty Act, by ballot initiative last fall.

“It’s simply inhumane to confine animals in cages so small they can’t
turn around or extend their limbs,” said Gene Baur, president and
co-founder of Farm Sanctuary. “We’ve rescued enough animals from these
cruel confinement systems to know how debilitating they are, and we
urge swift passage of this humane legislation to end this abuse on
factory farms in New York.”

The bill has been referred to the Agriculture Committee, where it
awaits a vote.

Facts

-The measure would phase out extreme confinement systems such as
battery cages for hens, veal crates for calves, and gestation crates
for pigs.
-The HSUS and Farm Sanctuary were the main backers of the California
proposition, which was endorsed by groups including the Center for
Food Safety, the California Veterinary Medical Association, Union of
Concerned Scientists and the Consumer Federation of America.
-In addition to California, four other states have passed similar
reforms, including Colorado, Florida, Arizona and Oregon.
-The bill is co-sponsored by the following legislators: Nelson Castro,
D-Bronx, Amy Paulin, D-Westchester, Alan Maisel, D-Brooklyn, John
McEneny, D-Kings, Micah Kellner, D-New York, Brian Kavanagh,
D-Manhattan, Joan Millman, D-Brooklyn, Patricia Eddington, D-Suffolk,
Annette Robinson, D-Brooklyn and Richard Gottfried, D-Manhattan.

Follow The HSUS on Twitter.

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal
protection organization — backed by 11 million Americans, or one of
every 28. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for
the protection of all animals through advocacy, education, and
hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty — On
the web at humane society

Allow Farm Sanctuary on Twitter.

Farm Sanctuary is the nation's leading farm animal protection
organization. Since incorporating in 1986, Farm Sanctuary has worked
to expose and stop cruel practices of the "food animal" industry
through research and investigations, legal and institutional reforms,
public awareness projects, youth education, and direct rescue and
refuge efforts. Farm Sanctuary shelters in Watkins Glen, N.Y., and
Orland, Calif., provide lifelong care for hundreds of rescued animals,
who have become ambassadors for farm animals everywhere by educating
visitors about the realities of factory farming. Additional
information can be found at farm sanctuary
Media:
The Humane Society of the United States
Kristen Eastman,

or
Farm Sanctuary
Tricia Barry,

More on AR legislation in NY (Farm & Dairy)‏

Sent: May 14, 2009 2:07:44 PM


Farm & Dairy (OH)
HSUS supporter introduces bill in N.Y.
by Emily Caldwell
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
http://www.farmanddairy.com/news/hsus-supporter-introduces-bill-in-ny/11989.html

ALBANY, N.Y. — Legislators in New York introduced a new bill that
would prohibit the confinement of breeding pigs, veal calves and
egg-laying hens by 2015. New York State Assembly member Linda
Rosenthal, D-Manhattan, introduced the bill.

Animal activist

Rosenthal has served in the assembly since 2006 and has been a
supporter of the Humane Society of the United States for many years.

She recently helped the organization use undercover cameras to target
New York retailers selling mislabeled fur. In March, the society
presented Rosenthal with a humane legislator award.

Her most recent sponsored legislation, bill A08163
<http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A08163>, states that confined
animals are unable to engage in natural behavior and “experience
extensive and significant physical and psychological trauma.”

“[Rosenthal] has been an animal rights activist for a number of years,
and this bill is another step in her commitment,” said Meghan Nutting,
legislative director to Rosenthal.

“This was an issue she pursued on her own, and the Humane Society of
the United States has thrown their full support behind her.”

Nutting said Rosenthal sponsored a bill similar to this one last year
and has introduced many other bills related to the humane treatment of
animals.

Referred to ag committee

Although 10 other assembly members, most located in the New York City
area, have co-sponsored the legislation, New York agricultural
producers shouldn’t be too worried, said New York Farm Bureau
Government Relations Director Julie Suarez.

“The bill has been introduced in legislation, but it must be voted on
and passed in the agriculture committee,” she said.

This committee is chaired by William Magee, an auctioneer in Madison
County, N.Y., who graduated from Cornell in agricultural economics.
Magee said committee members are reviewing the bill, and a vote will
probably not take place before 2010.

“We have to take a close look at it,” Magee said. “We understand the
concerns of the sponsor, but we also have to consider the negative
impact for farmers.”

Magee said of the 22 other members of the agriculture committee, many
have similar backgrounds to his and are well-versed in production
agriculture.

Opportunity

Magee said, however, the bill provides an opportunity to re-evaluate
New York’s agricultural industry.

“We want to protect farmers, but they should take a look at what
they’re doing and see what they can do differently,” he said.

HSUS success

Although New York farmers may be breathing a sigh of relief for now,
others aren’t so lucky. Similar action to this bill has succeeded in
other states, such as the Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act
(Proposition 2) that was passed in California last fall by ballot
initiative.

Reforms for so-called “factory farms” were also passed in Arizona,
Colorado, Florida and Oregon.

Suarez said part of the reason the Humane Society of the United States
and Farm Sanctuary have been so successful in other states is because
the initiative and referendum process allows legislators to obtain
signatures and support for a one- or two-sentence ballot that does not
fully represent the entire proposed action.

“[Legislators] use language that is posed very simplistically,” Suarez
said. “The agriculture industry does not have the funds to educate the
public about that language.”

Washington D.C. and 24 states, including Ohio, allow for these ballot
initiatives.

Efforts in Ohio

“What is needed here is more consumer education,” said David White,
Ohio Farm Bureau’s senior director for policy research and
development. “As agricultural producers, we need to do a better job of
telling our story.”

Ohio agricultural leaders like White have been evaluating consumer
education programs more closely since the February 2009 meeting
between representatives from the Humane Society of the United States
and Ohio’s livestock industry leaders.

White said the best way to counteract the efforts of the Humane
Society of the United States and similar activist organizations is to
emphasize that although farmers have a variety of production systems,
they are all dedicated to caring for animals.

Door is open

White said producers need to understand that even if the legislation
does not pass, the issue still creates a buzz and initiates a ripple
effect.

“This type of legislation affects all states and all commodities
related to livestock production throughout the nation,” White said.
“Now is the time to educate the public.”

Where HSUS donations really go (ABC News)&#8207;

Sent: May 15, 2009 3:21:03 PM


NOTE: The televised report aired by this ABC Atlanta affiliate can be
viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ta8GdABQPHA. For more on
H$U$'s 2007 tax returns, including a flyer formatted as a handout, see
http://www.furcommission.com/resource/perspect999cl.htm
-------------------------------

WSB-TV2 (ABC-Atlanta)
Where Humane Society Donations Really Go
Updated: 6:24 am EDT May 15, 2009
http://www.wsbtv.com/sports/19463509/detail.html

ATLANTA -- A Channel 2 investigation is looking into millions of
dollars in donations given to the Humane Society of the United States.

A national consumer organization says the society solicits pet-lovers
for money, but little to none of that money ever goes to help local
shelters.

Critics tell Channel 2 Action News reporter Amanda Rosseter that this
isn't just consumers misunderstanding who they are giving to -- but an
organization actively misleading donors to get money.

“They do their marketing very well, that's for sure,” said Trey Burley
of PAWS Atlanta.

Critics say the national organization takes advantage of people who
think they are giving to local shelters. DeKalb's "PAWS" shelter says
there is no regular funding help from the $100 million HSUS budget.

“I think that some of the folks who donate to the national
organization may be under the false pretense that that money is going
to a local cause,” said Burley.

While the HSUS does work to stop puppy mills, it also gets media
coverage and donations doing it. But the puppies then go to local
shelters who have to pay and care for them.

“They may initialize the resources for a rescue, but again the animals
go to a shelter somewhere in the country,” said Richard Rice, VP of
the Atlanta Humane Society.

Critics said HSUS also takes advantage of high-profile events. After
hurricane Katrina, HSUS CEO Wayne Pacelle promised on national TV to
reunite pets with their owners -- and raised $34 million for the
cause. But public disclosures of where that money went add up to less
than $7 million.

The Louisiana attorney general launched an 18-month-long
investigation, and then ended it, when HSUS offered to build the state
a new shelter.

The HSUS annual report for 2007 showed $120 million in revenue,
including $5.4 million just from online donors.

Then there's $112 million in expenses -- most of which appears to have
gone to legislation for animal rights bills. The list includes
raccoons, mice, wild horses, burros and primates. The center for
consumer freedom says all worthy causes, but HSUS shouldn't mislead to
get money.

So where does all the money go?

“It goes to lobbying, it goes to political contributions, it goes to
pay huge staff salaries and benefits," said David Martosko with Center
for Consumer Freedom.

Channel 2 Action News went to a local HSUS meeting to find out. The
two hour discussion was about activist plans and lobbying. The Georgia
director for the HSUS agrees that's mostly what she does.

“I think that in all of our literature, it is very explicit as to what
our campaigns are and what we are doing,” said Cheryl McAuliffe,
Georgia Director for HSUS. “We help where we can and focus on our
programs, which are national and international.”

McAuliffe said there are just too many local shelters to help.

“I always tell people, contribute to your local shelter first,” said McAuliffe.

When asked how much her budget is for the state of Georgia, McAuliffe
said she didn't have a budget and neither did other states. McAuliffe
said all money is controlled from headquarters in Washington, D.C.

HSUS later contacted Channel 2 about their work during hurricane
Katrina. They say all of the money they collected has been spent since
the initial crisis on helping Katrina families and pets.

Copyright 2009 by WSBTV.com. All rights reserved. This material may
not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Bill Magee has been a friend to sportsmen his entire term in office.
bob