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Alerts Animals in Entertainment URGENT: Protest Commerford Zoo at the David Lawrence Convention Center
Alerts Animals in Entertainment URGENT: Protest Commerford Zoo at the David Lawrence Convention Center
| URGENT: Protest Commerford Zoo at the David Lawrence Convention Center |
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Nov. 21st & 22nd, Saturday & Sunday 1-5 PM, DLCC (Penn & 10th)
   Since we sent our alert last about the Commerford Kid’s Fun Fair and Traveling Zoo coming to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center on November 21st and 22nd, we have been working very hard to get this event cancelled. Despite daily attempts to communicate with the Convention Center about this issue, the DLCC has failed to respond to VFA about the cancellation of this event. In addition, we placed informational literature in the places where promotional tickets were available, posted our alert on various social networking sites and sent alerts out to other local and national animal advocacy organizations, sent emails to the General Manager of the DLCC, and convinced several members of the public not to attend the event. When we discovered that the Commerford Zoo depends on the promotion of free children’s tickets that are distributed everywhere throughout the city, including all the schools(!), for event attendance, we immediately contacted the Pittsburgh Public School Board, local YMCAs, local Boys & Girls Clubs, and other local community centers to alert them about Commerford’s abusive record and the danger the event poses to children and their families. Despite the lack of cancellation of this event, things are starting to heat up as this issue has now reached other animal advocacy groups and has gone national! The Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, which owns the DLCC, is also now being contacted. This is an integral step in our Empty Cages animals in entertainment campaign because the Sports & Exhibition Authority also owns the new coming arena, the Consol Energy Center, which you may remember was the focus of our Ringling Bros. protest in the beginning of the month. Because the Commerford Traveling Zoo has not been cancelled and is still making its scheduled trip to Pittsburgh, we need to be there to unwelcome them to our city. VFA volunteers will be protesting outside the David Lawrence Convention Center on both days of the event, Saturday and Sunday, in various shifts from 1-5 PM. Please be there if you can! We realize because of the impromptu nature of this protest your schedules may be already busy for these days. However, please show up for as long as you are able to - your presence is needed to not only resist this event but all other forms of animal entertainment events throughout the city. We will meet on Penn Avenue behind the Convention Center on the block of Penn & 10th Street. Directions to the Convention Center and parking information can be found here: http://www.pittsburghcc.com/cc/directions.html This protest is going to be BYOS (Bring Your Own Sign)! We will have leaflets available to pass out but if you are able to make your own sign, please do. If you are not able to, please don’t let that stop you from coming! Your presence is all that is needed. If you’re stuck on sign ideas, here are a few suggestions: Abolish Animal Acts in Pittsburgh Commerford Abuses Animals Traveling Zoo of Misery Hospital Visits for the Whole Family! Step Right Up! Take a Gamble on Your Family’s Safety! Warning: Unsafe Event Ahead We will not end this issue with this protest. Animal acts and exhibits need to be banned at the David Lawrence Convention Center so that there are no future appalling events like this coming there ever again. Please contact Debbie Smucker, Director of Sales & Marketing of the David Lawrence Convention Center, and demand a ban on future exotic animal exhibits and shows at the Convention Center: Debbie Smucker, Director of Sales and Marketing David L. Lawrence Convention Center 1000 Fort Duquesne Boulevard Pittsburgh, PA 15222 Phone: 412-325-6174 Fax: 412-325-6104 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it And since Debbie Smucker doesn’t answer her phone, please contact the Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County as well, and demand the same: Mary Conturo, Executive Director Sports & Exhibition Authority Regional Enterprise Tower 425 Sixth Ave., Ste. 2750 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Phone: 412-393-0200 Fax: 412-393-7104 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it |