2001 Victories & Highlights World Week for Animals in Laboratories
For the 16th year, IDA spearheaded grassroots activism exposing the cruelty and scientific invalidity of vivisection. As national coordinator for this weeklong series of events, IDA helped organize non-violent civil disobedience, rallies, marches, protests, lectures, street theatre and educational events on behalf of the millions of animals suffering in laboratories. Actions in cities worldwide, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Tel-Aviv, and New Delhi, garnered significant media attention and placed intense pressure on the vivisection community. Once again, WWAIL successfully reminded vivisectors that we will not rest until the horrors of vivisection end.
Please visit our Vivisection Information web site
Victory in Rhode Island
This year, the state of Rhode Island, West Hollywood and Berkeley, CA, and Sherwood, AR, passed legislation that recognizes the rights of people to consider themselves guardians, not owners, of their companion animals. In April, students in Rhode Island initiated their state's guardian legislation. IDA President Dr. Elliot Katz testified in support of the bill before a Rhode Island Senate subcommittee. Legislation incorporating the term "guardian" was approved soon thereafter. This was another important victory for IDA and our animal friends. IDA members and staff continue to work with officials in a number of cities to pass similar legislation in their communities.
Helping the Animal Victims of the WTC Tragedy
In New York City, untold numbers of animals were left without care and without homes following the attack on the World Trade Center. IDA's New York staff and many of our New York members joined forces with other animal protection organizations to ensure that no animal was forgotten. They escorted families into their condemned apartments to rescue their animals, cared for injured and orphaned animals, and helped find foster and permanent homes for orphaned animals.
IDA's Pressure on The Coulston Foundation (TCF) Intensifies
IDA's seven-year campaign against TCF has left the company hopelessly bankrupt, with its private client base evaporated and its federal support dwindling to levels that cannot possibly sustain the lab's continued operations. IDA's formal complaints based on the evidence of whistleblowers prompted the USDA to file an unprecedented fourth set of charges against the lab, as the NIH revoked TCF's eligibility for federal funding. Sealing TCF's fate was a federal order prohibiting it from testing any drugs or medical devices destined for marketing approval in the U.S. As a result of a federal lawsuit in which IDA played a key role, an additional 31chimpanzees gained their freedom from TCF and are currently living in a Florida sanctuary.
Brain Cancer Experiments on Beagles Come to an End
After months of protests, the horrible cruelty and incredible waste of tax dollars by "researcher" Michael Berens finally ended. IDA's Dr. Pat Haight met with Arizona Congressman John Shadegg, who along with Senator John McCain sent letters of inquiry to the USDA and NIH. As a result of the pressure, 20 beagles who would have been killed were adopted into loving homes.
IDA Sues UC San Francisco
In a lawsuit filed in San Francisco Superior Court, IDA charged UCSF with illegally withholding information subject to the California Public Records Act. Among the documents sought were uncensored copies of animal care and animal death records and videotapes of monkeys used in Parkinson's disease research. Whistleblowers afraid of retaliation continued to provide IDA with information to pass on evidence to federal agencies. Thanks to pressure from IDA, the USDA once again cited the university for Animal Welfare Act violations.
Primate Torture Ended at ORPRC, 22 Victims Freed
In Oregon, as a result of IDA's exposure of the torture of monkeys at the Oregon Regional Primate Research Center (ORPRC), Daniel Casey's "research" on capuchin monkeys came to a much-needed end. Casey had literally driven his victims insane by injecting them with psychotropic drugs. Twenty-two survivors of his cruelty have been released to animal friendly zoos. IDA's demonstrations and marches generated over 100 separate local TV news stories and headlines around the world. IDA continued to increase the pressure by instituting a boycott of OHSU.
Fight Against HLS Intensifies
Despite a lawsuit filed against IDA by Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS) and Stephens, Inc., IDA continued to wage its campaign against the notorious animal testing laboratory. From holding a major press conference outside of Stephens' headquarters, to placing ads in local newspapers and mobilizing activists, IDA continued pressuring HLS. Thousands of IDA members urged HLS investors to divest their interests. A major stock investor, Oracle Investment Management, Inc. confirmed that it has begun selling its 23 million shares of HLS stock.
Fighting the Dog Meat Trade
IDA continued its efforts to end the barbaric practice of torturing and killing dogs in South Korea. In July, IDA participated in an international day of action, with demonstrations in major cities around the world. IDA staff presented 20,000 petitions to the Korean consulate in San Francisco, demanding that the South Korean president enforce existing laws and support tougher measures on the animals' behalf. Members continued to flood South Korean legislators and key government officials with letters, phone calls, faxes, and e-mails demanding a stop to this barbaric practice.
Project Hope
In rural Mississippi, IDA's Doll Stanley continued her fight on behalf of our animal friends. From rescuing and finding homes for starving and abused animals, to performing undercover investigations and staging raids on "owners" who abuse and exploit animals, IDA's Project Hope continued to bring justice and compassion to thousands of exploited and abused animals. In one particularly grisly situation, Doll, working with local police, rescued 44 dogs from a hideously abusive breeder. Over 200 animals, including dogs, cats, goats, pigs, horses, rabbits, and chickens, currently reside at Project Hope.
Please visit the Project Hope web site
P&G Boycott Continues
On July 14, IDA's Global Day of Action Against Procter & Gamble again reminded the company and millions of consumers that animal testing for cosmetic and household products is unacceptable. Activists across the world, including the United States and Europe, educated the public and the media about newly-uncovered abusive experiments conducted by the Iams pet food company, a new subsidiary of P&G. The boycott and protests will continue until P&G ends the torture of tens of thousands of animals in tests not required by law.
Please visit our P&G Kills web site
Hundreds of Feral Cats Saved
Boeing Space and Communications Company in Long Beach, CA had been trapping and killing feral cats on its property. As a result of IDA's demonstrations, the company accepted a proposal to trap, spay/neuter and return the feral cats to Boeing property. Boeing promised to work with animal rights groups to establish a feeding program and locate additional permanent sanctuary sites.
IDA Africa
Under the direction of IDA's Dr. Sheri Speede, the Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center, dedicated to providing sanctuary to abused and orphaned chimpanzees in Cameroon, Africa, continued to grow. Many of the infant chimpanzees are victims of the bushmeat trade. The adults have spent twenty to thirty years held captive by short chains or in small cages for human amusement. This year an additional seven chimpanzee infants joined the adults and youngsters already residing in the Center.
Please visit the IDA Africa web site
The Puppy Mill and Pet Store Connection
IDA's campaign to eliminate the horrors of the puppy mill trade gained tremendous momentum this year. Director of Investigations Marshall Smith continued his investigations of puppy mills, traveling to rural Missouri to document conditions. IDA organized demonstrations and protests across the U.S., and these actions garnered ever-increasing public support and media attention. Adding to the pressure, IDA coordinated Boycott Petland Week, a week of letter-writing, demonstrating, and public outreach pressuring Petland to sever ties with the commercial pet industry.
"In The Garden" and "An Evening With Bea Arthur"
At IDA's inaugural fundraising event, "In the Garden," animal advocate Didi Silverstone received an IDA Lifetime Achievement Award. Previous award recipients are David Brower, Cesar Chavez, and Jane Goodall. This wonderful event featured an auction and a beautifully catered vegan luncheon. This successful event was followed a few weeks later by "An Evening With Bea Arthur," a one-night performance benefiting IDA. Many celebrities and friends of Bea and IDA – including Angela Lansbury, Dom Deluise, Estelle Getty, Sharon Stone, Cybill Shepherd, Jennifer Jason-Leigh, and Betty White – filled the 1400-seat house to its capacity. It was truly a warm and inspiring evening.
Animals in Entertainment
In New York City, IDA held multiple protests and leaflettings targeting Ringling Brothers and Clyde Beatty Cole Brothers Circus. At virtually every performance, activists educated the public about the suffering and cruelty endured by animals exploited by these institutions. IDA has begun a campaign to urge the NYC Parks Department to ban animal circuses on Park property. Throughout the U.S., IDA's network of activists kept pressure on circuses and rodeos by organizing demonstrations and educating the public. Activists in Pasadena convinced the city council to pass an ordinance banning circuses, rodeos, petting zoos and pony rides on public property.
IDA's Anti-Fur Efforts Intensify
For the seventh consecutive year, IDA coordinated Fur-Free Friday. Activists marched and demonstrated nationwide, carrying signs, holding banners and distributing literature to draw the public's attention to the plight of the millions of innocent victims of the fur trade. In San Francisco and New York City, major demonstrations educated the public about the cruel realities of the fur industry.
Please visit our FurKills web site
Defending Urban Wildlife
IDA co-sponsored a first-ever community educational forum to examine strategies for reducing human-wildlife conflicts. The forum featured wildlife biologists, law enforcement, animal advocacy and agricultural experts who shared effective strategies for peaceful co-existence between human communities and native predators. IDA also successfully filed a lawsuit against the poisoning of rabbits and ground squirrels in Southern California.
Marine Mammals
IDA continued its campaign against Six Flags Marine World by filing a formal complaint with the USDA. IDA held a high profile protest and well-attended press conference featuring two former Marine World employees who provided eyewitness testimony of shocking animal abuse at the park. On another front, IDA actively opposed the Navy's plan to deploy sound-blasting sonar that harms whales and campaigned against "swim with the dolphins" programs throughout the Caribbean and Southeast Asia. Pressure from IDA members and activists helped secure the release of Turbo and Ariel, two dolphins who were abandoned in Guatemala by a traveling dolphin show.
Working to End the Killing of Companion Animals
Two Cats Production Company donated their time and resources to produce a powerful PSA regarding the tragic deaths of millions of homeless animals in our nation's shelters every year. The PSA included sensitive images of animals in shelters destined to be killed and urged people to adopt animals from shelters rather than purchasing them. The PSA educated millions by being aired numerous times on CNN Headline News.
View the PSA
IDA Outreach
In New York City, IDA staff members continued weekly public outreach using a TV/VCR unit that allowed them to bring the reality of animal exploitation right to the public's eye. At venues including Grand Central Station, IDA displayed video footage of factory farms and slaughterhouses and distributed a variety of free vegan literature. For the Great American Meatout, IDA joined Farm Animal Reform Movement in placing billboards in five major cities. IDA also aired the U.S.'s first hard-hitting commercial against the horrors of vivisection.
And Much, Much More!
From rescuing horses from horrendous neglect in St. Johns, AZ, to raiding abusive dog breeders and dog fighting rings, to pressuring the release of birds on display in tiny cages in a New York department store, to battling to end the cruelties of live food markets and the trapping and killing of wildlife, to supplying materials and support to countless students, activists, and community-based animal rights organizations, to presenting workshops to teachers and humane educators, to advancing federal legislation, to promoting a more compassionate diet, IDA activists, staff and volunteers continue to fight for the rights, welfare and habitats of our animal friends.
Our special thanks to the more than 80,000 members, supporters and volunteers of In Defense of Animals whose participation, generosity and caring make all of our victories and accomplishments possible.
For The Animals,
We Thank You!
