the quarterly newsletter of the animal legal … · spring 2002 one cause, many faces w hat does an...

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Eyes on the Prize Bob Barker, Game Show Host T hanks to his 30-year run as host of the pop- ular game show The Price Is Right — not to mention an 18-year stint on Truth or Conse- quences and 21 years as emcee of the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants — Bob Barker is more than a household name. He’s a TV icon. When someone like that takes a stand, Amer- W hen it comes to reading the mood of the public, Paul Leonard’s a pro, and he’s got the résumé to prove it. Before retiring from pol- itics 12 years ago, he was elected to the Ohio state legislature four times, served two terms as the mayor of Dayton and then returned to the capital as lieutenant governor. And Leonard says adopting a pro-animal plat- form would be a smart move for any office-seeker. “Whether you’re running for county commis- sioner or the legislature or Congress, if you’re not talking about strengthening protections for ani- mals, you’re missing a golden opportunity,” says Leonard, an attorney with a burgeoning animal law caseload. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the last few years, it’s that there are a lot of people out there who really support expanding rights for animals. I think they truly are a silent majority.” One sign of the growing support for animal rights is the ease with which a successful politi- cian from the nation’s Rust Belt can make a sec- ond career as an animal lawyer. But it’s not the only sign. As the following profiles show, animal rights advocates can be found nowadays in some surprising places — from sheriff’s departments and courtrooms to leading universities to Ameri- ca’s favorite game show. The movement is grow- ing up, and gaining ground. That’s bad news for those who hope to marginalize us. But it’s great news for the animals. Spring 2002 Volume 21 Number 1 THE QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER OF THE ANIMAL LEGAL DEFENSE FUND Bob Barker and Federico INSIDE: Media Wars: Flak vs. Facts See Page 7 continued on page 4 Animal Rights Grows Up Movement’s new message: There ought to be a law PHOTO BY MARTY BRINTON/CBS

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Page 1: THE QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER OF THE ANIMAL LEGAL … · Spring 2002 One Cause, Many Faces W hat does an animal rights activist look like? For those who get their images mainly from news

Eyes on the PrizeBob Barker, Game Show Host

Thanks to his 30-year run as host of the pop-ular game show The Price Is Right — not to

mention an 18-year stint on Truth or Conse-quences and 21 years as emcee of the Miss USAand Miss Universe pageants — Bob Barker ismore than a household name. He’s a TV icon.

When someone like that takes a stand, Amer-

When it comes to reading the moodof the public, Paul Leonard’s apro, and he’s got the résumé toprove it. Before retiring from pol-

itics 12 years ago, he was elected to the Ohiostate legislature four times, served two terms asthe mayor of Dayton and then returned to thecapital as lieutenant governor.

And Leonard says adopting a pro-animal plat-form would be a smart move for any office-seeker.

“Whether you’re running for county commis-sioner or the legislature or Congress, if you’re nottalking about strengthening protections for ani-mals, you’re missing a golden opportunity,” saysLeonard, an attorney with a burgeoning animallaw caseload. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned inthe last few years, it’s that there are a lot of peopleout there who really support expanding rights foranimals. I think they truly are a silent majority.”

One sign of the growing support for animalrights is the ease with which a successful politi-cian from the nation’s Rust Belt can make a sec-ond career as an animal lawyer. But it’s not theonly sign. As the following profiles show, animalrights advocates can be found nowadays in somesurprising places — from sheriff ’s departmentsand courtrooms to leading universities to Ameri-ca’s favorite game show. The movement is grow-ing up, and gaining ground. That’s bad news forthose who hope to marginalize us. But it’s greatnews for the animals.

Spring 2002Volume 21 Number 1

THE QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER OF THE ANIMAL LEGAL DEFENSE FUND

Bob Barker andFederico

INSIDE:

Media Wars:Flak vs. Facts

See Page 7

continued on page 4

Animal Rights Grows UpMovement’s new message: There ought to be a law

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2

Spring 2002

One Cause,Many FacesWhat does an animal rights

activist look like? For thosewho get their images mainly fromnews reports, it may seem there’s asimple answer to that question. Young. Angry. And, more than likely — especially if the activistin question has managed to catch the notice of a camera crew — prone to violence, either real orsymbolic.

But there’s another face to the animal rights movement. In fact, there are millions of faces.Many are young, yes, and some are understandably angry; what caring person, seeing the unspeak-able cruelty visited upon so many animals day after day, has not experienced anger? The media’snarrow focus, however, yields a distorted picture of what is in fact an increasingly diverse, main-stream movement. Rarely glimpsed are the myriad means by which animal advocates turn the wel-ter of emotions stirred by needless suffering — outrage, empathy, love — into action.

That’s a shame. Vast numbers of Americans recognize that animals have lives and interests oftheir own, unrelated to the property rights of their “owners.” Yet while this awareness forms thevery foundation of the animal rights movement, our cause still resonates with a relatively smallfraction of the U.S. public. Despite all the media attention paid to animal issues — or perhaps,given the myth of the Activist as Outlaw, because of it — vast numbers of Americans aren’t gettingthe message.

What we have here, in that famous phrase, is a failure to communicate. Sadly, many can’t seem to hear the message for the messenger. And the real story — the

appalling, systematic abuse and exploitation of animals — is too often lost in rhetorical stormsover tactics. For our opponents, the popular stereotype of the militant, violence-prone animalrights activist is a useful fiction. It diverts the nation’s eyes from the plight of animals, and offersa handy alibi for failing to see. It is disinformation, a lie with a purpose. In truth the movement isfar more broad-based and law-abiding — and thus more threatening to the corporate ranchers,researchers and “factory farmers” who regard animals as commodities — than the cartoon versionregularly beamed into America’s living rooms.

The truth is emerging. So, too, are new messengers, willing and able to carry the message to awider audience. As this issue of The Animals’ Advocate makes clear, the animal rights movementhas grown up. Its ranks today include politicians, cops, quiz show hosts and, of course, lawyers —marching side by side with truck drivers, file clerks, sons and grandmothers and neighbors. Peo-ple, in other words, who resist caricature as a lunatic fringe. People with a story to tell. And whosemessage will be heard.

We will always have our militant wing — every movement does — and for that we need makeno apologies. But it’s just one part of the story.

The rest, as they say, is history. And that, fortunately, is in our hands.

For the animals,

Steve Ann ChambersPresident

For the RECORD

“We think thatpercentage [of vegetarians]would jump dramatically ifthe other 94 percent read the record in this case.”

The 7th U.S. CircuitCourt of Appeals,

referring to a poll thatshowed 6 percent of

Americans are vegetarian.The court had just

heard the case of an Illinois warehouse whereUSDA inspectors foundputrid meat and poultry,

some of it covered inrodent feces.

“A rodent could do a lotworse than live out its lifespan in researchfacilities.”

Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.)— confusing lab rats,perhaps, with rodents

in meat warehouses —offering an amendment

to gut protection forbirds, rats and mice

under the Animal Welfare Act. (For the

latest details, go to www.aldf.org.)

Letter from the PRESIDENT

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3Animal Legal Defense Fund

of ALDF supporters who illustrate a bit ofancient financial wisdom: No matter what yourcircumstances, there’s no time like the present toremember the future.

➤ A retired Texas schoolteacher, Ruth Stormshas created a will that combines family with ani-mal advocacy. It splits up her assets among aniece, a nephew and her favorite animal advocacygroups, including ALDF. “I can do a little bitwhile I’m here. I rescuedan abandoned dog lastyear and I’m findinghomes for three puppiesnow,” Storms says. Then,thinking perhaps of all theabandoned dogs and catsstill to come, she adds: “It’sgood to know my moneycan keep on working foranimals after I’m gone.”

➤ David Bellino, anengineer from Boston, hitit big in the stock marketand retired to Florida at thetender age of 30. Six yearslater he’s working on behalfof animals, fighting foreffective spay and neuterprograms in his new com-munity. His will leaves allhis assets to ALDF. “There’sa lot of things you can dofor animals,” he says, “butit seems to me that the legal system really gets at theroot of the problem. That’s where real change isgoing to happen. And that’s why I’m leaving 100percent of my estate to the Animal Legal DefenseFund.”

➤ A resident of Petaluma, Calif., home toALDF headquarters, Ginger Belin has namedALDF in a “contingent bequest.” This means shehas stipulated in her will that her daughter andson-in-law will receive all her assets upon herpassing — assuming they survive her. If theydon’t, then her estate goes to ALDF. “It doesn’tcost me anything now,” observes Belin, “and Ihave the satisfaction of knowing my money willeither support my daughter or a worthwhilecause after I’m gone.”

There are many other ways to include ALDFin your estate planning, and help ensure abrighter future for animals. For more informa-tion, please contact Linda Manning via e-mail [email protected] or by calling (707) 769-7771,ext. 16.

No matter what ALDF accomplishes today,the sad fact remains: Millions of animals

will still need help tomorrow — and for manymore tomorrows after that.

That’s why it’s important that ALDF’s mem-bers and supporters take steps now to ensure vig-orous legal advocacy on behalf of animals wellinto the future. And it’s why, starting this spring,donors who remember ALDF in their estate plan-ning will be enrolled in the Barney Legacy Society,named for the chimpanzee at the heart of a land-mark legal case. The case, brought by ALDF, gavecitizens the right to go to court to ensure that fed-eral animal welfare provisions are enforced.

Among the group’s charter members are a trio

Help Us Go the Distance!

Bequests, endowments,trusts — they’re all pow-

erful ways to support ALDF’scampaign for animal rights.But even small gifts canmake a big difference.

Especially when youleverage them by becom-

ing an ALDF Partner in Protection.Whether creating long-term legal strate-

gies or tackling unexpected crises, ALDFneeds steady, dependable sources of financialsupport. By being there for us, Partners inProtection members help ensure that ALDFwill be there when we’re needed by the ani-mals who depend on us.

Joining ALDF through our Partners inProtection program is also a painless, conve-nient way to give. It’s hassle-free and paper-free. And because your sustaining member-ship costs us less to process than standarddonations, we can spend less time andresources on administration — and more onanimal protection.

How does it work? It’s simple. You pledgean automatic monthly donation from yourchecking account or credit card. The gift canbe as large as you like, or as little as $5 amonth. That’s all there is to it. And you’refree to cancel your authorization any timeyou like.

To request an authorization form — or ifyou have questions — please contact LindaManning via e-mail at [email protected] orby calling (707) 769-7771, ext. 16.

Remembering Tomorrow: No Time Like the Present

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icans notice. And Bob Barker hasn’t been afraid totake a stand.

“I was always kind to animals when I wasgrowing up, but back when I was a boy no onehad heard of ‘animal rights,’” says the 78-year-oldbroadcasting veteran. “Then about 25 years ago Iwas asked to be chairman of Be Kind to AnimalsWeek here in Los Angeles. As such, I was invitedby some animal groups to take part in their activ-ities. And when I did, they really opened my eyesto the exploitation of animals in this country. AsI became more aware, I felt the urge to do what Icould to rectify the situation.”

It turned out he could do quite a lot. He donatedtime and money to various animal-oriented groupsand causes. He created his own animal welfareorganization, the DJ&T Foundation (named inmemory of his wife, Dorothy Jo, and mother,

Tilly), which provides grants to spay and neuterclinics across the country. And he didn’t check hisconvictions at the door when he went to work.

“For years they had been giving away a furcoat on the Miss USA pageant, and I’d been urg-ing them to stop. Then in 1987 they agreed thatit would be the last year they did it,” Barkerrecalls. “So I went to Albuquerque to do thepageant delighted that it was the last time theywould give away a fur. But then I was appalled tolearn that they were going to have the semi-final-ists in the swimsuit competition make theirentrance wearing fur coats over their swimsuits. Itold them I couldn’t be on stage while that hap-pened. It would make me a complete hypocrite.”

Barker and the show’s producers tussled overthe issue for days. Soon, to everyone’s surprise,the debate was making waves far beyond the set.

“It was leaked to the press,” Barker says. “Itbecame a front-page story in newspapers acrossthe country. People were hearing about it on theradio and on television. It was the first time a lotof these people had been made aware of the cru-elty to animals in the production of fur. And I’mdelighted to say that the fur industry went intodecline soon after that. I don’t claim that I’mresponsible for that, but I think I helped.”

While he’s well aware of the impact he canhave as a celebrity, Barker believes that the mostimportant battles of all won’t be fought in thecourt of public opinion — they’ll be fought inactual courtrooms.

“Once you’ve done any kind of work on behalfof animals, you know that the law is the answer,” hesays. “If we can get young minds interested in ani-mal law, then we’re headed in the right direction.”

Barker has reached out to those young mindswith the help of FreMantle Media, the produc-tion company behind The Price Is Right. WhenFreMantle executives asked him how they couldshow their appreciation for his years on the pro-gram, he wasn’t stumped for a second. And he hitthe jackpot last year, when the Bob BarkerEndowment Fund for the Study of AnimalRights was established at Harvard Law School.The $500,000 endowment supports courses andseminars on animal law and subsidizes the workof scholars in the field.

Though animal rights advocates still have along way to go, Barker says strides like this one— carving out a permanent niche for animal lawat one of the world’s most prestigious universities— are a sign that we’re moving faster and fartherthan we sometimes think.

“People get discouraged from time to time. Ihear them say that they’re burned out,” he says.“Well, all you have to do is look at what we’veaccomplished over the past 25 years or so and Ithink that should give you all the inspiration youneed to continue the work.”

4

Spring 2002

Bob Barkercontinued from front page

“Once you’vedone any kind of work on behalfof animals, youknow that thelaw is theanswer.”

Bob Barker

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5Animal Legal Defense Fund

Bearing WitnessCass Sunstein, Legal Scholar

The big noise on campus these days — espe-cially at law schools — is the sound of muz-

zles coming off. “People who were interested in animal rights

felt a bit like they should be quiet about that factbecause it wasn’t in the mainstream as much as it isnow,” says Cass Sunstein, an authority on consti-tutional and administrative law and the author ofseveral well-regarded books about the legal system.“I’ve been surprised in the last few years to learnthe extent to which a wide range of people — aca-demics who teach law, students who are studyinglaw — are very concerned about cruelty to livingcreatures. They just weren’t saying so until theyheard that other people were interested, too.”

Sunstein himself is certainly doing plenty oftalking about the subject these days. A professor atthe University of Chicago Law School, he incor-porates discussion of animal rights into a class heteaches on environmental law. A prolific author,he’s written about animal rights issues in suchhigh-profile forums as the New York Review ofBooks and The New Republic. He’s also co-editing abook of essays on animal rights by legal scholarsand philosophers — some of the very people whomight have felt uncomfortable identifying them-selves with the subject just a few years ago.

“The progress has been slow, but we’re defi-nitely moving in the right direction,” Sunsteinsays. “As more people in academics start dis-cussing animal law and more law schools addcourses on the subject, you’re going to see morepeople practicing law who are committed to thewell-being of animals. And that’s going to have ahuge impact.”

Copping to CompassionSherry Schlueter, Police Officer

“Some of my earliest memories from child-hood are of being so outraged when I saw

anything abused — animals, bugs, whatever,”says south Florida native Sherry Schlueter. “Myclassmates from first and second grade say theyremember me as the little girl who wouldn’t letanyone step on a roach. I was the one who wouldcarry a spider out of the room and let it go.”

As Schlueter grew older, her career path seemedobvious. She would become a veterinarian. But acouple of summers spent working for vets changedher mind.

“I didn’t agree with certain procedures thatwere being performed, such as cropping ears anddocking tails and declawing cats,” she recalls. “Iwas appalled.”

So Schlueter eventually found a new field: lawenforcement. In 1979 she entered the policeacademy for Broward County, just north ofMiami. The following year she was a sheriff ’sdeputy. Though initially she had the same dutiesas every other rookie cop, Schlueter eventuallygot her dream assignment. She was made a one-woman animal cruelty task force, investigatingcases and pushing for prosecutions. And whenshe grew dissatisfied with the sentences beinghanded down, she did something about that, too.She helped draft a felony animal cruelty statutefor the state. In 1989, a slightly revised version ofher bill became law.

And the first cop to make an arrest and get aconviction under the new law? Schlueter, ofcourse.

Over the years, the one-woman crusade has

“Progress hasbeen slow, butwe’re definitelymoving in theright direction.”

Cass Sunstein

continued on next pageSunstein

Schlueter

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6

Spring 2002 grown into a 40-member department — the Spe-cial Victims and Family Crimes section, createdand headed by Schlueter. It’s no accident thatspouse, child and elder abuse now fall underSchlueter’s purview. From the beginning, she’sbeen trying to open other officers’ eyes to the linkbetween cruelty to animals and domestic vio-lence. She now gets to make that point as a fre-quent lecturer at the Broward County policeacademy as well as at seminars across the country.While Schlueter urges the people she calls her“brothers and sisters in law enforcement” to fullycommit themselves to protecting animals, she’sheartened that society at large is already movingin that direction.

“Back in the 1960s, I knew that cosmetics andoven cleaners and all that were being tested onanimals, but I never thought mainstream Ameri-ca would notice. But it has,” Schlueter says. “Peo-ple are starting to make conscious choices aboutthe products they buy. They’re not all necessarilyembracing an animal rights philosophy, butthey’re embracing a humane and protective atti-tude towards animals. And I’m very encouragedby that.”

Raising the BarJane Hoffman, Attorney

Over the last two decades, some animal rightsgroups have resorted to outrageous stunts

and “in-your-face” campaigns to push the move-

ment into the spotlight. For much of that time,attorney Jane Hoffman has also been working tomake the plight of animals more widely known,particularly in her native New York. And she’ssucceeded without sensationalism or stunts.

How did she do it? She credits a frequentlyforgotten flipside to all the lawyer-bashing thatgoes on in America.

“People may hate us,” she says, “but theyrespect us, too. We’re professionals who aretrained to see both sides of any argument. Thatgives us a certain credibility.”

It also gives attorneys committed to animallaw a special opportunity — one Hoffman andothers have been quick to seize. Hoffman helpedlaunch an animal law committee for the NewYork City Bar Association in 1990. Today, theassociation’s 36-member Committee on LegalIssues Pertaining to Animals sponsors programsand conferences, offers booklets and brochuresand reviews and occasionally drafts legislation, allfrom a pro-animal perspective.

That’s helped bring animal law to the atten-tion of attorneys, judges, prosecutors and thepublic in a positive, professional way. Bar associ-ation committees and sections devoted to ani-mal law have taken hold in Washington state,Texas, Michigan and the District of Columbia,and efforts are under way to launch severalmore.

“The fact that we’re lawyers and we think thisis important legitimizes the issue in a way that alot of other groups can’t because they’re advoca-cy groups,” says Hoffman, who specializes inestate planning and executive compensation.“For instance, our programs have been listed inCrain’s New York Business and the Wall StreetJournal. I don’t think [those publications] woulddo that for a lot of groups. But because we’re partof a professional organization, they’re more opento it.”

In the beginning, the group experienced somegrowing pains, since not all its members were infavor of animal rights. But that was all part of theprocess, says Hoffman.

“We’re here as the marketplace of ideas,” shesays. “Let the ideas battle it out, and the best oneswill win.”

Which, in fact, they did. The result was acommittee that was both unified in its support ofanimals and widely perceived as open and bal-anced. That opened the door to collaborationswith other bar association committees and vari-ous law enforcement agencies.

“We’ve formed connections with other attor-neys, with the New York Police Department,with the DAs here, with a lot of people, and itjust keeps on growing,” Hoffman says. “We’vehelped them see that this is something thatneeds to be discussed. And, by and large, they’relistening.”

“We’re profession-als who aretrained to seeboth sides of anyargument. Thatgives us a certaincredibility.”

Jane Hoffman

Sherry Schluetercontinued from previous page

Hoffman

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7Animal Legal Defense Fund

A Political AnimalPaul Leonard, Attorney/Ex-Mayor

Paul Leonard got his first taste of civil serviceyears before he traveled to Columbus to serve

in the Ohio House of Representatives — or evenlearned how to drive a car. At the age of 12, thefuture lieutenant governor and Dayton mayorjoined the safety patrol at his elementary school. Itwas while he was doing his rounds that he had hisface-to-face introduction to animal cruelty.

“I came across a kid who had a big stick in hishand, and he was literally beating the life out of adog with it,” Leonard says. “After I put a stop tothat, I did a lot of thinking about how defenselesssome animals are.”

Years later, after Leonard left politics andbegan practicing law full-time, his work as anattorney brought back memories of that disturb-ing childhood incident. Though his specialty wasemployment law, he learned of an interesting newfield that might give him a chance to help ani-mals again, this time on a much larger scale.

“I read some articles about the universities thatwere starting to teach animal law and I decided tolook into that,” he says. “Employment law is reallycivil rights work, so in a way it’s the same thing. I’dbeen doing all this civil rights work for two-leggedanimals, and now hopefully I could do some civilrights work for four-legged animals.”

These days, Leonard is doing just that. He’s rep-resented both animals and animal rights groups,with a primary focus on cases involving claims ofnegligence and non-economic damages, such as lossof companionship and emotional distress.

“My goal is to use civil law to put people in aposition where it’s going to cost them money ifthey mistreat animals,” says Leonard, who plansto launch a new nonprofit organization, the Cen-ter for Animal Law and Advocacy, this year.

Of course, being a high-profile former politicoin the culturally conservative Midwest, Leonardhasn’t been spared the jokes and jibes of thosewho don’t understand animal law.

“There are people who feel the need to ridiculeme,” he admits. “But it doesn’t bother me. I get alot of comments from people who are very sup-portive, too. When I’m out in public people rec-ognize me and tell me they appreciate what I’mdoing. So that’s been encouraging.”

So encouraging, in fact, that it almost makesLeonard reconsider his departure from politics.

“The congressional seat in this area justopened up, and I was tempted to run for it — forabout a minute. I think there’s a lot of supportout there for a politician who makes animals apriority. But I’m a Democrat, so I’d be going inthere as a part of the minority and I’m not surehow much I could have accomplished,” he says.

“The legislative branch is so dominated by spe-

cial interests and contributions these days. Hope-fully, the judiciary can be more independent. Ithink we can get a couple of judges to say, ‘This iscommon sense — animals aren’t just property.’And that’s going to change everything.”

“My goal is to usecivil law to putpeople in a posi-tion where it’sgoing to costthem money ifthey mistreatanimals.”

Paul Leonard

Unusual SuspectsAfter the horrific events of Sept. 11, headline writers and headline seekers

alike went in search of the Next Big Threat to national security. A few ofthem came up with an unlikely candidate.

You.Opinion pieces in USA Today, the Daily Oklahoman, the Topeka Capital-

Journal, the Deseret News and other publications demonized animal rightsactivists. One fact-challenged columnist for the Toronto Star went so far as tobrand ALDF an “extremist” group, recklessly linking us with firebombings and“letters booby-trapped with razor blades” — ludicrous insinuations at oddswith our mission and history of working lawfully through the courts. Mean-while, back in the nation’s capital, Colorado Rep. Scott McInnis held hearingsaimed, apparently, at proving that U.S. animal rights and environmentalactivists are dupes of Osama bin Laden.

Why attack a movement that is overwhelmingly law-abiding and peaceful?As attorney Jane Hoffman sees it, it’s simply confirmation that animal rightsadvocates are making progress.

“Just saying ‘This is a silly issue’ doesn’t cut it anymore. So now they’reupping the ante,” Hoffman says. “These industries like pharmaceuticals andbiomedical research and dairy and poultry and all the others — they’re wor-ried. So they just figure this is a good time to smear anybody who engages inany kind of activism. But I think people are going to see that for what it is, andultimately it’s going to backfire.”

Until that happens, Bob Barker — a vocal animal advocate who’s been inthe public eye for half a century — says the movement should be proud of itsattackers, not intimidated by them.

“All of us who’ve tried to do anything for animals have been criticized,” hesays. “Usually, we’re criticized by the people who are profiting from theexploitation of animals. I’ve been the whipping boy of the fur industry and theresearch industry. I’ve been the focus of countless less-than-flattering stories intheir trade papers. And when you have that kind of critic — well, I think youmust be doing the right thing.”

Leonard

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A LDF’s efforts to halt the hunting ofendangered sheep got a boost in March,when a federal judge denied a U.S. gov-

ernment motion to dismiss a lawsuit aimed atblocking the issuance of permits to so-called tro-phy hunters.

ALDF, the Fund for Animals, Earth IslandInstitute and several other plaintiffs brought thesuit last summer to stop the U.S. Fish andWildlife Service from allowing hunters to importthe heads and other parts of argali sheep killed incertain regions of Central Asia. Argali sheep areformally designated by the agency as endangeredthroughout most of their range. But in threecountries — Mongolia, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan— they are listed as threatened, a status thatoffers far less protection. A proposal by the Fishand Wildlife Service to upgrade the sheep’s statusto endangered in those countries has been inlimbo for almost a decade.

Meanwhile, despite the agency’s own fears for thespecies’ survival, it has granted hunters more than550 permits to import argali “trophies” into theUnited States, at least 100 of which are still valid.

In March, the Dalai Lama called for an end tothe killing of argali sheep in Mongolia. “I amdeeply saddened to learn that Mongolia encouragestrophy hunting of rare and endangered species fortourism,” he said in a statement. “I therefore appealto all concerned in Mongolia not to indulge in tro-phy hunting of rare and endangered species. I makethis appeal as a Buddhist because of our respect andcompassion for all living beings.”

The suit contends that the permits violate theEndangered Species Act and other rules specificto argali sheep, the largest species of wild sheep inthe world. Now that the government’s motion todismiss has been denied, both sides will producemotions for summary judgment, a processexpected to take several months.

Nonprofit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDTucson, AZ

Permit No. 3341

The Animal Legal Defense Fund is a nonprofit organization funded almost entirely byindividual, tax-deductible contributions. If you would like more information about ourwork, are interested in joining or wish to notify us of a change of address, write to theaddress above, or call (707) 769-7771. The Animals’ Advocate is published quarterly.

Joyce Tischler Executive DirectorSteve Ann Chambers President

NEWSLETTER STAFFBarry Bergman EditorSteve Hockensmith Associate EditorStephen Farley Design Newsletter Design

Robert L. TrimbleChair

Stephanie Nichols-YoungVice Chair

Sarah H. LuickSecretary

David S. FavreTreasurer

DirectorsKatie M. BrophyHoward LichtigKatharina Otto-BernsteinJay L. PomerantzSonia S. Waisman

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Animal Legal Defense Fund127 Fourth Street, Petaluma, CA 94952-3005

http://www.aldf.org

On the Run from “Trophy Hunters,”Imperiled Sheep Head Back to Court➤ The prize is rights

page 1

➤ AR’s many faces page 2

➤ Remember tomorrow!page 3

➤ Dupes and demonspage 7

IN THIS ISSUE

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