Dear Friends,

We only have four items for you this month, but we hope that you will  participate in all of them. As you will see below, we had a partial  victory with British Airways but more work needs to be done.

For the Animals
Maria Lopes
Coordinator

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MEXICO

PLEASE PROTEST AGAINST THE "MARQUESADA"

Source: NATURANIMALES

The city of San Miguel in Mexico used to host a Pamplona-style running of  the bulls, known as the "San Miguelada". This city is however due to be  awarded the title of "World Patrimony" by UNESCO, who objected to this  "festivity" - not because of any perceived animal cruelty, but because  some stones and walls of the city may be damaged. It seems that in the  eyes of UNESCO, stones are worth more than animals' lives. UNESCO's award  was more valuable to the city than its so-called "traditions and  heritage", their excuse for continuing this annual torture. The San  Miguelada was therefore cancelled.

Now this barbarity has been moved to the neighboring city of Salvatierra,  where it is to be known as the "Marquesada".

The article (in Spanish) can be read at:
http://marquesada.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=27

Please send letters of protest to the Mayor of Slavatierra and the  Governor of the State of Guanajuato:
comunicacion_salvatierra@yahoo.com.mx,gobernador@guanajuato.gob.mx,salvatierra@guanajuato.gob.mx

with CC to the website that promotes this animal abuse:
contacto@marquesada.com


If you can write an original in Spanish please do, but we have provided  one below. Briefly, this asks that this cruel festival be ended, not  relocated, and to show the world that Mexico is not a barbaric country.  Unfortunately we will be too late to prevent this cruel event taking place  this year, but with enough protests perhaps we can make them think twice  next year.


Estimados Señores:

Por medio de la presente, le solicito de la manera más atenta que tome la  decisión de no volver a repetir la "Marquesada 2007" que viene a  reemplazar la tradicional sanmiguelada que se realizaba año con año en la  ciudad de San Miguel de Allende.

Demostre al mundo que México es un país civilizado donde se reprueban las  lesiones y pérdidas humanas así como el maltrato a los animales y con ello  se busca el crecimiento del país.

En espera de que su decisión sea la adecuada para beneficio de su estado y  de México, le envío un cordial saludo.

Atentamente,
Nombre/País


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REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

UPDATE - CAMPAIGN AGAINST ONLINE BETS ON BULLFIGHTS

International Movement Against Bullfights
www.iwab.org

After we launched on the 16th of August the campaign against Paddypower,  several persons received letters, in Spanish and English, claiming that  bullfights are part of Spanish culture for hundred years.
We want to thank ICABS for contributing to our campaign.
Please continue to send protest letters. We include two new addresses of  the headquarters.

info@paddypowerplc.com , ppower@paddypower.com

Dear Sirs,

I see from the Spanish version of your web site at paddypower.com that you  are prepared to accept bets on how many bulls' ears matadors will be  awarded at various bullfighting events. While I have nothing against  betting on sport in general, I must protest at the unsuitability of this  subject for gambling purposes. Although I am aware that bullfighting is  legal in Spain, it is no more appropriate to bet on an event involving the  suffering of a bull (or indeed any animal) than it is to gamble on the  outcome of a dog or cockfight. Encouraging such tasteless bets degrades  the gambling industry and brings it further into disrepute. I respectfully  urge you to remove the offer of such bets without delay.

Name/Country


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UNITED KINGDOM

BRITISH AIRWAYS

International Movement Against Bullfights
www.iwab.org


As you are aware due to hundreds of letters sent to BA concerning the  promotion of the Bull of Vega in their website , the company removed this  promotion.
Nonetheless BA still announce in their website bullfights in their section  "other destinations".
When we made the campaign against the bull of Vega we were aware of these  adverts but it was important strategically to attack first the outrageous  festival of the bull of Vega, since even BA could not justify this  barbarity, before going after BA for promoting bullfights.

The section "other destinations" has several countries where BA flies and  they list all kinds of "festivals and heritage" in those countries.
We made a thorough search in those destinations and bullfights are  announced in countries such as:
Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Portugal and Spain. Curiously concerning  France no bullfights are mentioned.

You can check these adverts at the following links:

Colombia:http://eventsuk.britishairways.com/sisp/index.htm?fx=event&event_id=24845

Ecuador:  http://eventsuk.britishairways.com/sisp/index.htm?fx=event&event_id=40269
                 http://eventsuk.britishairways.com/sisp/index.htm?fx=event&event_id=159235

Mexico:    http://eventsuk.britishairways.com/sisp/index.htm?fx=event&event_id=158942
                http://eventsuk.britishairways.com/sisp/index.htm?fx=event&event_id=24475

Peru:        http://eventsuk.britishairways.com/sisp/index.htm?fx=event&event_id=40782

Portugal:   http://eventsuk.britishairways.com/sisp/index.htm?fx=event&event_id=21805
                 http://eventsuk.britishairways.com/sisp/index.htm?fx=event&event_id=15725
                 http://eventsuk.britishairways.com/sisp/index.htm?fx=event&event_id=15727

Spain:       http://eventsuk.britishairways.com/sisp/index.htm?fx=event&event_id=53982
                 http://eventsuk.britishairways.com/sisp/index.htm?fx=event&event_id=13391
                 http://eventsuk.britishairways.com/sisp/index.htm?fx=event&event_id=13402
                 http://eventsuk.britishairways.com/sisp/index.htm?fx=event&event_id=13438
                 http://eventsuk.britishairways.com/sisp/index.htm?fx=event&event_id=149369
                 http://eventsuk.britishairways.com/sisp/index.htm?fx=event&event_id=13503
                 http://eventsuk.britishairways.com/sisp/index.htm?fx=event&event_id=13498
                 http://eventsuk.britishairways.com/sisp/index.htm?fx=event&event_id=13486


Please send polite letters to BA asking them to remove all advertised  festivals involving abuses of bulls.
There is no email avaliable to BA therefore please leave your complaint  letter at:
http://www.britishairways.com/travel/custrelform/public/en_gb

Dear Sirs

I was pleased to note that your web site no longer promotes the outrageous  barbarity of the notorious festival known as the "Bull of Vega", and I  congratulate you on this.

The site however still advertises several bullfights, and attempts to  justify this by stating that these gruesome displays are an intrinsic part  of the heritage of the countries concerned. Whilst you admit that many  people are opposed to these practices, by continuing to promote them you  are helping to perpetuate the myth that these spectacles are enjoyed by a  majority of these populations. You would not have advertised flights to  Britain by referring to fox hunting even before it was banned, and I would  ask you to show similar respect to the majority of the people in other  countries that take no pleasure from the suffering of animals.

Please don't allow British Airways to appear to condone cruelty and remove  these adverts without delay.

Sincerely,

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U.S.A.

Help Us End Aerial Hunting of Alaska's Wolves

Source: Kinship Circle

Tell the Bush Administration to Protect Gray Wolves!
http://www.nrdconline.org/campaign/Act_Now_To_Protect_Gray_WolvesIII

VIDEO:
http://action.defenders.org/site/R?i=Xz8KHsmBji7MjH0p38VtkA

SIGN PETITION:
Urge Congress to End Aerial Gunning of Wolves!
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/929804505?z00m=9454085


ALL SAMPLE LETTERS:
Sample letters are prepared to give you ample background on an issue.
Try to change some words, pare down letters, and make them your own.

KINSHIP CIRCLE MUST REMAIN ANONYMOUS, for letter campaigns to have impact  and to avoid legal problems under the Animal Enterprise
Terrorism Act (AETA). Please NEVER REFERENCE KINSHIP CIRCLE when sending  comments directly to letter recipients.


SAMPLE LETTER #1: U.S. Fish And Wildlife Service
View wolf rule changes:  http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/mammals/wolf/
SOURCE:  http://www.fws.gov/news/newsreleases/showNews.cfm?newsId=F5D1AC6B-EDF8-3CBA-0547FF10C1AF38C1

All public comments must be received by October 11, 2007.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Ed Bangs, Western Gray Wolf Recovery Coordinator
585 Shepard Way * Helena, MT  59601
Ed Bangs: 406-449-5225, x204
email: EA-WolfRuleChange@fws.gov, WolfRuleChange@fws.gov
**Include RIN 1018-AV39 in the subject line of the message**

Thank you for soliciting public opinion about the fate of gray wolves in  the Northern Rocky Mountains. Please register my opposition to proposed  revisions that permit states and tribes "more flexibility in managing  nonessential experimental wolves."

I strongly disapprove of the destruction of protected wolves to  artificially inflate big game populations. A management scheme that could  result in the slaughter of hundreds of wolves is irresponsible. The  revised 10(j) rule nullifies wolf recovery gains in Wyoming and Idaho.  Moreover, your proposal lets states initiate the killing before wolves are  even removed from the Endangered Species List.

The mass elimination of predators always impacts an ecosystem. The USFWS  Environmental Assessment fails to disprove that large-scale slaughter will  hinder wolf recovery. In fact, the EA offers no scientific rationale for  modifying the 10(j) rule -- an indication that its primary purpose is to  open hunting opportunities. This is not "wolf management," especially when  wolves have yet to attain steady numbers.

I am disgusted a government agency would authorize states to kill wolves  on public lands if they are perceived as a threat to companion animals and  livestock. Wolf provocation remains a rare event and certainly doesn't  warrant revision of a rule intended to preserve a species. Furthermore,  private landowners ought to employ non-lethal methods to deter wolf  conflicts. Fencing, carcass removal, non-lethal repellents or scare  devices, in conjunction with modified animal husbandry techniques, have  proven more capable than kill tactics in decreasing livestock damages.

I ask USFWS to adopt Alternative A in your Environmental Assessment and  take no action on the 10(j) rule. Please take a stand for wildlife  impunity and uphold the Endangered Species Act.

Sincerely,

________________________________

SAMPLE LETTER #2: Alaska Governor Sarah Palin
Governor Sarah Palin
State Capitol, Juneau Office
P.O. Box 110001 * Juneau, AK 99811-0001
ph: 907-465-3500; fax 907-465-3532
email: office_of_the_the-governor@gov.state.ak.us
web email: http://gov.state.ak.us/govmail.php
SOURCE: http://www.gov.state.ak.us,  http://people.smu.edu/rhalperi/governors.html

Dear Governor Palin,

Twice: The number of times Alaskans voted to ban aerial hunts. 35 years:  The span aerial gunning has been outlawed under federal law.
Almost 700 wolves: Fatalities over four years of aerial hunts. $400,000:  Funds allocated to promote the state's aerial gunning program.

Unfortunately, nobody's buying it. Aerial hunts only jeopardize Alaska's  billion-dollar tourism industry. I will continue to boycott attractions in  your state until these profoundly inhumane hunts end.

There is nothing responsible about "wildlife management" that calls for  hundreds of wolves to be gunned down from low-flying aircraft. These  animals are harassed to exhaustion. Pellets rain down on them. Some limp  away to slowly bleed to death. Others are cornered in the snow and shot at  point blank range.

Under the Federal Airborne Hunting Act, Alaska's aerial gunning policies  are illegal. Yet the state still lets private citizens track and kill  wolves using low-flying aircraft and high-powered riles. No public  relations campaign can convince Alaskans and the world that aerial  slaughter is
humane, rational, or necessary.

Aerial and land-to-shoot hunts shame the State of Alaska, prized for its  breathtaking wildlife and terrain. Please permanently ban the senseless
slaughter of Alaska's wolves and bears.

Thank you,
_______________________________________

SAMPLE LETTER #3: Your U.S. Representative
To identify your federal legislators and find contact info, try:
Congress.org: http://www.Congress.org
USA House of Representatives: http://www.house.gov
Congressional Switchboard: 202-224-3121

The Honorable Representative _____________________________
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Representative _____________________________________,

I am a registered voter in your district who is distressed about Alaska's  aerial gunning of wildlife. Aerial marksmen have killed nearly 700 wolves  over the last four years.

An aerial trophy hunter aims his assault rifle out the window of a  low-flying aircraft to shoot wolves on the ground. Pellets rain down on  them. Injured wolves limp away to slowly bleed to death.

A same-day airborne hunter harasses animals from the air until they are  worn down. He then lands his helicopter or plane, corners exhausted and  wounded animals in the snow, and shoots them at point blank range.

Clearly, aerial slaughter is not humane, rational, or necessary. Yet it  may expand beyond Alaska as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service weighs a  proposed rule change that would permit the slaughter of hundreds of gray  wolves in Wyoming and Idaho.

I call upon you to help end these inhumane hunts. I've learned  Representative George Miller (D-CA) has authored legislation to defend
wolves from aerial gunning. Please cosponsor this imperative legislation.

Rep. Miller's bill seals a loophole in the Federal Airborne Hunting Act  (FAHA) and effectively terminates aerial gunning of wolves. In 1971,
Congress enacted the FAHA to ban use of an aircraft to "attempt to shoot  for the purpose of capturing or killing any bird, fish, or other animal"  or to "harass any bird, fish, or other animal."

In addition, Alaskan voters passed ballot measures in both 1996 and 2000  to ban aerial and land-to-shoot wolf hunts.

I urge you to act on behalf of your constituents, most Alaskans, and the  international community -- who all want this senseless slaughter to stop.
Please cosponsor Rep. Miller's legislation when introduced.

Thank you,
 

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