In this week's edition: 

• It's a New Year!  Make a Resolution to Get Active!
• VFA's 10 New Year's Resolutions for Animals
• Breaking News!!  Denny's Ends Ringling Bros. Partnership!
• And our weekly news briefs...  

With the end-of-year festivities over, VFA now faces a whole new year and, it seems, a slew of new animal-related issues.  Locally, 2007 saw the slaughter of the North Park geese and increased pressure for the lethal "control" of other wildlife in the area, gradually infiltrating the message into the minds of the public that killing animals for human convenience is "OK."  Nationally, we saw efforts to intimidate activists through the enforcement of new legal tools, such as the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, which are making it increasingly hard to document or even protest animal abuse at businesses such as factory farms and vivisection labs.  The climate is getting tougher for animals, and for activists too.
 
Wherever you situate yourselves within the animal protection world, if we're going to make a difference for animals this coming year, we're going to need all the support you can give us.

Here are four things not to assume in 2008:

1) Someone else will attend VFA events and protests (they won't)

2) Someone else will make those phone calls and send those emails (they won't)

3) Someone else will attend VFA public meetings (they won't)

4) Someone else will donate money to VFA (they won't)

We're asking you to resolve to do at least (!) one of the above things on a regular basis in the coming year.  We need your input, your presence, and yes - if we are going to be able to pay veterinary and spay/neuter bills - your money.  So please help in whatever way you can. 

 
1.  For many more people to become aware of the mass death and suffering of animals  

      bred for food production, and that they will decide to not support this violence and  

      cruelty by becoming vegan.

 
2.  For the City of Pittsburgh to commit to a No-Kill strategy for all animal companions

     and animals in shelters.

3.  For animal activists to empower themselves through more local and regional

     networking, and to overcome differences and use our numbers to help animals.

4.  For the City of Pittsburgh to abandon its "trap and kill" program for wildlife.

 
5.  For progress to be made in putting an end to the misery of the thousands of animals

     who suffer and die in research and vivisection laboratories each year.

6.  For people who live in Pittsburgh, Mt. Lebanon, North Huntingdon, and other

    communities to realize that animal lives are more important than eaten flower-beds,

     spotless and chemically sterile lawns and parks, and cleared land to build

     sprawl-inducing shopping malls, and to end all killing and roundups of Canada

     geese, deer, raccoons, and other free-living animals. 

7.  For the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act to be immediately repealed and for all

     political prisoners who non-violently risk their lives and freedom to save

     animals to be released, as well as all political prisoners who continue to risk life and

     limb to help those who are exploited, human and nonhuman. 

 
8.  For Pittsburgh to become an animal-free circus only city and that Ringling Bros.,

     Shrine Circus, and all circuses that still use animals to realize that keeping animals

     captive in the circus is inherently cruel, and to join the 21st century by

     ending all their animal acts. 

 
9.  For the purposeful breeding of dogs and cats to end, and to instead be spayed

     and neutered, and for pet stores to realize that they are contributing to the deaths

    of animals in shelters by continuing to sell animals.  For all animals to stop being sold

    at pet stores like merchandise, and to instead be adopted through shelter and adoption

    programs.  

 
10. For Pennsylvania to outlaw pigeon shoots statewide.   

In early October 2007, Voices For Animals received word that Denny's restaurant would be joining in promotional partnership with Ringling Bros. Circus, in attempts to merge their images of "family fun."

What Denny's wasn't aware of was that animal circuses are no fun for captive animal performers or their families.  VFA held a demonstration at a local Denny's, as well as requested our members to write to Denny's demanding that they end this partnership of animal abuse.

We are very happy that Denny's is taking circus cruelty off their menu, and we would like to express our gratitude to all who showed up to protest with us as well as contact Denny's corporate office to voice your disapproval of their animal circus partnership.  Congratulations and excellent job!

You can thank Denny's for taking this positive step at the following address:

Nelson Marchioli, President, CEO, and Director
Denny's Corporation
203 E. Main St.
Spartanburg, SC 29319-9966
1-800-733-6697
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Let’s keep up the good work!  Ringling Brothers newest sponsor is AAA.  Please write to AAA’s public relations office and tell them to follow Denny’s example by ending their sponsorship of animal abuse:

AAA Member Relations
1000 AAA Drive, MS 61
Heathrow, FL 32746
Ph (407) 444-8402
 
Information about the inherent cruelty of keeping animals captive in the circus can be found at www.circuses.com and www.morebeautifulwild.com  

We have some important revelations to share concerning the roundup and slaughter of the South Side geese.  Look out for an upcoming announcement to be sent out in the next few days!          

A group of volunteers are planning to take a trip to the Dominican Republic around February or March of this year to help the mass numbers of homeless dogs living on the streets.  They are especially looking for veterinary technician volunteers who can perform spay and neuters, as well as volunteers willing to be trained to give dogs vaccine shots.  Interested?  Contact VFA and we can put you in touch with the contact person organizing the trip: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 1-877-321-4VFA.

       January 19th, Saturday, 3:00 PM-4:30 PM, Caryl Gates Gluck  Resource Center at Animal Friends, 562 Camp Horne Road, Nathan Winogard Seminar      

      January 25th, Friday, 7:00 PM, Aldo Coffee (Mt. Lebanon), Turkish Coffee & Bellydance Fundraiser for VFA