November 10, 2001 agenda

SHELTER
The HSUS report is in. It is not favoring our stance. It does, however, recommend $11,000,000 in funding – including
$4,000,000 for improvements in the Forney Road shelter. Tawana gave us an update. The HSUS report will be presented at a meeting (open to the public) on Monday. After reviewing the report, we will determine whether to support it or to push for full funding of the design recommended by the architect who was hired by the city.

LEGAL
We got a call from the Animal Legal Defense Fund. They are submitting an Amicus Brief on our behalf. (This is a “Friend of the Court” filing). They are filing in support of our right, under the Open Meetings Act, to attend the UT-SWMC Animal Care and Use Committee Meetings. Many thanks to ALDF (and ACT member Skip Trimble) for their assistance.

SWMC
Our UT-Have-a-Heart Ball was successful. We definitely had UT worried. (The police told us that extra officers were on duty.) However, we did not get the media attention we wanted, and did not have the participation level we sought.
It is time to rethink our strategies. The Foxhound Committee will meet next Friday, November 16, at 6:30 at Luby’s on Oak Lawn and Cedar Springs to discuss our next move. If you are not able to join us, but have ideas, please call Susan at (214-943-6667). It is time to think outside the box.

HUNTING
See Cheryl or Jill to volunteer. This will be a major initiative for ACT after the Shelter issue comes to a vote. The hunting committee envisions a staged campaign. We anticipate doing some activity in January or February.
Website – If you visited our site, and wondered why the information was not as up-to-date as usual, it is because we have been having some problems with our web host. Jill and Greg are continuing to work on getting us a new (and, hopefully, trouble-free host). Remember
our address: www.animalconnectiontx.org

FUNDRAISING DRIVE
Our coffers are getting low. We need to determine how best to raise money and increase membership. ACT cannot continue spending more than it is taking in. Any ideas or volunteers in this campaign are welcome. At the meeting, Tawana suggested a raffle. (She thought that we might be able to get a pair of tickets on Southwest Airlines as a prize.) Bobbi suggested ACT T-shirts. Gina said that she can get them for us at cost.

NEW ISSUES
Farm Sanctuary. Bobbi Petit has another opportunity for us to raise money and spread the message of compassion. Adopt a Turkey, Don’t Eat One! For a $15 donation to Farm Sanctuary, you can adopt a turkey
and support their good work. The Lettuce Ladies. PETA’s Lettuce Ladies are coming to Dallas on Tuesday, November 13. They will be
passing out veggie burgers in Pegasus Plaza downtown. They need a place to cook the burgers., preferably in the downtown area (they will need access to a working stove – and some pans – from 9-11a.m.). Cynthia offered to check with Kyle and Christy.

VEGETARIAN CHILI COOKOFF
Greg, once again, outdid himself! Congratulations are due for his Best in Show
award. Please congratulate Greg, too, for his appointment to the Plano Animal Shelter Advisory Committee. They couldn’t have done better! Way to go, Greg!!!

MARY THE ELEPHANT
Mary the Elephant. We are trying to get an update. If Mary’s show is to continue past December, we’ll take another trip to Sherman.
Bimbo, the pawnshop chimp. PETA called with an idea. They talked Mr. Strong (Bimbo’s guardian) intoallowing a volunteer to come out each week to do enrichment activities with Bimbo – and to bring him some toys. We had several volunteers for this project. Our goal is still to convince Mr. Strong to allow Bimbo to go to Black Beauty Ranch.

SHELTER The HSUS report is in. It is not favoring our stance. It does, however, recommend $11,000,000 in funding – including $4,000,000 for improvements in the Forney Road shelter. Tawana gave us an update. The HSUS report will be presented at a meeting (open to the public) on Monday. After reviewing the report, we will determine whether to support it or to push for full funding of the design recommended by the architect who was hired by the city. LEGAL We got a call from the Animal Legal Defense Fund. They are submitting an Amicus Brief on our behalf. (This is a “Friend of the Court” filing). They are filing in support of our right, under the Open Meetings Act, to attend the UT-SWMC Animal Care and Use Committee Meetings. Many thanks to ALDF (and ACT member Skip Trimble) for their assistance. SWMC Our UT-Have-a-Heart Ball was successful. We definitely had UT worried. (The police told us that extra officers were on duty.) However, we did not get the media attention we wanted, and did not have the participation level we sought. It is time to rethink our strategies. The Foxhound Committee will meet next Friday, November 16, at 6:30 at Luby’s on Oak Lawn and Cedar Springs to discuss our next move. If you are not able to join us, but have ideas, please call Susan at (214-943-6667). It is time to think outside the box. HUNTING See Cheryl or Jill to volunteer. This will be a major initiative for ACT after the Shelter issue comes to a vote. The hunting committee envisions a staged campaign. We anticipate doing some activity in January or February. Website – If you visited our site, and wondered why the information was not as up-to-date as usual, it is because we have been having some problems with our web host. Jill and Greg are continuing to work on getting us a new (and, hopefully, trouble-free host). Remember our address: www.animalconnectiontx.org FUNDRAISING DRIVE Our coffers are getting low. We need to determine how best to raise money and increase membership. ACT cannot continue spending more than it is taking in. Any ideas or volunteers in this campaign are welcome. At the meeting, Tawana suggested a raffle. (She thought that we might be able to get a pair of tickets on Southwest Airlines as a prize.) Bobbi suggested ACT T-shirts. Gina said that she can get them for us at cost. NEW ISSUES Farm Sanctuary. Bobbi Petit has another opportunity for us to raise money and spread the message of compassion. Adopt a Turkey, Don’t Eat One! For a $15 donation to Farm Sanctuary, you can adopt a turkey and support their good work. The Lettuce Ladies. PETA’s Lettuce Ladies are coming to Dallas on Tuesday, November 13. They will be passing out veggie burgers in Pegasus Plaza downtown. They need a place to cook the burgers., preferably in the downtown area (they will need access to a working stove – and some pans – from 9-11a.m.). Cynthia offered to check with Kyle and Christy. VEGETARIAN CHILI COOKOFF Greg, once again, outdid himself! Congratulations are due for his Best in Show award. Please congratulate Greg, too, for his appointment to the Plano Animal Shelter Advisory Committee. They couldn’t have done better! Way to go, Greg!!! MARY THE ELEPHANT Mary the Elephant. We are trying to get an update. If Mary’s show is to continue past December, we’ll take another trip to Sherman. Bimbo, the pawnshop chimp. PETA called with an idea. They talked Mr. Strong (Bimbo’s guardian) intoallowing a volunteer to come out each week to do enrichment activities with Bimbo – and to bring him some toys. We had several volunteers for this project. Our goal is still to convince Mr. Strong to allow Bimbo to go to Black Beauty Ranch.	.	People often say that humans have always eaten animals, as if this is a justification for continuing the practice. According to this logic, we should not try to prevent people from murdering other people, since this has also been done since the earliest of times. Isaac Bashevis Singer

		STEPHENS INC. Protest in Little Rock. Local activists Jill, Cheryl, Claire, Bobbi and Frank attended the Little Rock demo. It was a great success. Cheryl and Bobbi gave us an update. Apparently, SHAC had Stephens Inc. on the run. Mounted police and helicopters followed the activists everywhere. Bobbi got hit in the neck with a pepper bullet. We discussed, briefly, the impact that the World Trade Center Attack has had on civil liberties. There is a Dallas demo scheduled on November 30 and December 1. JANE GOODALL Jane Goodall. Dr. Goodall’s special animal-people appearance was a big hit. Don Feare joined her in New York late last month, as she received a special award at the United Nations. Black Beauty Ranch. Mark your calendars for December 1. Margaret Morin, courtesy of Whole Foods and Greg’s company, Frito Lay, has arranged a complimentary light vegan lunch for the volunteers going to the Black Beauty Ranch. Details are attached. Please RSVP as soon as possible if you can join us. If you wish to attend both the Black Beauty Ranch and HLS demo – it is possible (although special arrangements will need to be made for carpooling.) FUR FREE FRIDAY The day after Thanksgiving we will again hit the streets to protest the sale of fur. We will first join ALT in the downtown Neiman’s protest. Then proceed to a 1:00 demo at Koslo’s. We will get the details out through e-mail and phone tree messages. TABLING OPPORTUNITY Erin said that the owner of the Red Jacket would permit us to table for the Doctor Johnson campaign there on Sundays from 1-6 (this is a great time – as the welfare groups are doing pet adoptions then). This could be a good way to get the word out. We could rotate shifts. A sign-up was sent around. OLYMPIC RODEO A petition in opposition to the Olympic Rodeo Event was sent around. Both PETA and SHARK are working to get this abusive sport stopped. Before and during the meeting, we all enjoyed a wonderful potluck – tofu “turkey”, stuffing, sweet potatoes, pasta, green beans, burritos, dip, rolls, cookies, fruit. Thanks to all those who brought dishes – and to all those who helped clean up! Afterwards, we watched a 3-minute tape of the shelter. Several members were shocked that this was a video of the Dallas pound – they thought the pictures were from a third-world country. This tape impressed upon us, again, the need for full funding! Then we watched a Farm Sanctuary tape – Making a Turkey. This is a sobering look at factory farming and the toll it takes on the animal that Benjamin Franklin thought should be our national bird. The meeting adjourned at 2:30.
		The human body, the very one you're sitting in right now, has no nutritional requirement for animal flesh or cow's milk. It functions superbly without them, and this includes producing healthy offspring. Mothers who do not give milk or dairy products to their children are helping their children stay healthy rather than depriving them. Michael A. Klaper, M.D.