Help GMAD Audit State Fairs!

Animals Used in Entertainment

Animals who are used in entertainment are often times subjected to the stress of transport, strange environments, irregular feeding & watering, mishandling, and crowds of strangers. Some of these animals travel thousands of miles to participate in our fairs!


What can you do to help?
1. Monitor fairs to ensure that:
~No animals (including fish) are given as prizes per VT’s Prohibited Use of Animals: Title 13, Chapter 8
~No animals are under duress, and have access to clean water and shelter from sun/rain
2. Inform fairs which highlight exotic/traveling acts that our fairs are meant to showcase Vermont’s
agricultural excellence, and are not a place to be using animals for entertainment
3. Immediately contact fairground supervisors onsite or through email if you see anything that concerns
you-all reports can be anonymous and they are listening!
4. Report any findings back to GMAD so that we can continue to keep track and follow up as necessary

_________________________

2013 Vermont Fair Dates
***Fairs with an asterisk include exotics and/or traveling animal acts from out of state!
Connecticut Valley Fair, Bradford: 7/18-7/21
Lamoille County Field Days, Johnson: 7/26-7/28
Franklin County Field Days, Highgate: 8/1-8/4
Addison County Fair & Field Days, New Haven: 8/6-8/10
***Orleans County Fair, Barton: 8/14-8/18 Featuring Eudora Farms out of South Carolina
Deerfield Valley Farmers Day Fair, Wilmington: 8/15-8/18
***Caledonia County Fair, Lyndonville: 8/21-8/25
Bondville Fair, Bondville: 8/23-8/25
***Vermont State Fair, Rutland: 8/30-9/8 Featuring Coronas Petting Zoo out of Florida (website not updated for 2013,
but features “slytheryn serpents”)
Champlain Valley Fair, Essex Jct: 8/24-9/2
Tunbridge World's Fair, Tunbridge: 9/12-9/15
Guilford Fair, Guilford: 9/20-9/22

More Info: http://www.aspca.org/fight-animal-cruelty/animals-in-entertainment.aspx

Piccadilly Circus Cited Numerous Times for Violations of Animal Welfare Act!

Green Mountain Animal Defenders recently learned that the Piccadilly Circus visited Vermont (Rutland) and Plattsburgh, NY last week. While some circuses are cruelty-free and don't use exotic animals, the Piccadilly Circus leases animals, and its exhibitors have been cited numerous times for violations of the Federal Animal Welfare Act. These charges range from lack of veterinary care to physical abuse to failure to handle animals properly; numerous instances of abuse and/or neglect have been reported even in the past 18 months. In fact, it was reported just this week that the USDA cited Piccadilly General Manager Zachary Garden with eight new violations of the Animal Welfare Act.

Please read the entire news release with a link to a fact sheet about Piccadilly here via the link below.

GMAD is requesting that polite letters and phone calls be sent to the following people at the venues sponsoring these events. Please encourage these venues to offer humane entertainment in the future,
rather than offering "entertainment" that exploits and abuses magnificent animals.

Please send me a quick e-mail to let me know that you made a call or sent an e-mail, so we can track our effectiveness~

Crete Memorial Civic Center, Plattsburgh, NY- show was May 21st
Steve Peters
Superintendent of Recreation
peterss@cityofplattsburgh-ny.gov
(518) 324-7709

Spartan Arena, Rutland, VT- show was May 19th
Steven Wolf
steven.wolf@castleton.edu
(802) 775-3100

More Info: http://www.peta.org/mediacenter/news-releases/Whistleblower-Reports-Beating--Deaths-of-Animals-at-Scranton-Bound-Circus.aspx

Pet Food Drive Continues!

GMAD's 2012 Pet Food Drive was a Huge Success

2012 was a record-breaking year for our pet food drive! We delivered 1,920 pounds of pet food to local area food shelves and feral cat colonies this year. It’s great to see Vermonters so generously helping pets!

So far in 2013,we have already collected 810 lbs of pet food, which has been delivered to local food shelves and feral cat colonies. Our pet food bins are at:

Agway, Williston
Affectionately Cats, Williston
Healthy Living Market, So. Burlington
Richmond Market

GMAD has also received donations this year from Play Dog Play and Pet Food Warehouse so a huge thank you to our business partners for making this possible!


Please stop by and help us feed the hungry kitties and pups.

Don't feel Trapped this trapping season!

Don't feel Trapped & helpless this trapping season. You can do something!

Write letters to newspapers (GMAD has a complete list) & let them know how you feel about trapping, post No Hunting/Trapping signs on your property (ask neighbors to do the same) & organize a community informational session! We may be able to provide a speaker.

Remember, these traps are indiscriminate; cats, dogs, protected & endangered species may fall victim. GMAD is concerned about ALL animals who suffer the pain & physical & psychological trauma when caught in one of these traps. You can do something! Contact Brenna@gmad.info with questions & please share on your Facebook walls.

**We don't like posting graphic photos but it's important for people to realize the inherent cruelty involved in trapping.**

Our No Foie Gras Campaign Continues!

Foie Gras—French for fatty liver—is the grossly enlarged liver of a duck or goose. Medically known as hepatic lipidosis, foie gras is a disease marketed as a delicacy. Birds raised for this gourmet cruelty are force-fed enormous quantities of food through a long metal pipe three times a day. This process of deliberate and painful overfeeding continues for up to a month, by which time the birds’ livers have swelled up to twelve times their healthy size.

GMAD has sent letters to these Vermont restaurants asking them to reconsider serving this cruel dish!

LET THESE RESTAURANTS KNOW HOW YOU FEEL!

The Quechee Inn at
Marshland Farm
info@quecheeinn.com
Quechee, VT (802) 295-3133

Bistro Henry (new to list)!
info@bistrohenry.com
Manchester Center, VT

Blue Cat Cafe & Wine Bar (new to list!)
bluecatcafewinebar@yahoo.com
Burlington, VT

Reluctant Panther Inn
Manchester, VT
reluctantpanther.com/contact
(802) 362-2568

Leunig’s Bistro
Burlington, VT
mail@leunigsbistro.com
leunigsbistro@myfairpoint.net

Update: Thanks for attending the Nerger Lion and Tiger Protest at the Champlain Valley Expo

UPDATE: THIS ACTION HAS ENDED

Despite protests and the cancellation of its sponsorship last year, the Nerger Lion and Tiger Show is returning to the Champlain Valley Fair this year. The owner of this show, Hawthorne Corporation, has been cited many times for abuses and inhumane treatment of his animals. Here is a summary of some of their violations of the Federal Animal Welfare Act, amassing a whopping $272,500 in fines.

Compassionate people know that these big cats who have evolved for pack-living in wide open territories should not be separated from their natural family members and confined in cages measuring 6’8” wide by 7’3” long by 4” high!

Please show your support for these animals and all animals confined to life in the entertainment field by attending a protest with us. SEE DETAILS OF THE PROTEST

More Info: http://www.expocruelty.com

ReportAnimalCruelty.com

Vermont?s Animal Cruelty Reporting System has a new website! This website, www.reportanimalcruelty.com is designed to help in preventing cruelty and responding to acts of neglect and cruelty against animals in Vermont. It is a useful and wonderful resource for all Vermonters who care about animals.

At ReportAnimalCruelty.com, you can report a case of animal cruelty or neglect on-line & anonymously, find a listing of phone numbers for reporting animal cruelty in each VT county, and also learn about Vermont?s animal cruelty laws.

Reporting cases of animal cruelty is extremely important in protecting animals in Vermont. Please forward this resource to all of your contacts

Have A Gentle Thanksgiving

Millions of vegetarian and other caring folks across the U.S. are celebrating this Thanksgiving with a rich selection of delicious vegetables, fruits, baked goods, and mock meats replacing the carcass on their dinner table. The vegetarian bill of fare may include a 'tofurky,' lentil or nut roast, stuffed squash, corn chowder or chestnut soup, candied yams, cranberry sauce, pumpkin or pecan pie, and carrot cake.

This site is a great resource for those interesting in a cruelty-free Thanksgiving.

More Info: http://www.gentlethanksgiving.org/

Free Food for Homeless Pets

Just one free click on the link below will help to feed and provide care for a homeless animal in a shelter or sanctuary. Click every day!

More Info: http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/

Sign The Fur Free Pledge

Do we even need to tell you about the cruelty and torture associated with wearing furs and fur trimmed clothing? I don't think so, but everyone should sign this fur free pledge.

Write Write Write!

Write! Write! Write!

Letters to the editor are the second most read section of the newspaper. They are a very effective vehicle for bringing our message to many people not reached in other ways. If you are interested in writing a letter and want suggestions for possible topics, would like a list of some things to keep in mind when submitting a letter, or need an e-mail list of Vermont
newspapers, please contact Sharon.

Our No Foie Gras Campaign Continues!

Let these restaurants know that as long as they continue to serve foie gras, you'll be dining elsewhere! What these ducks/geese are forced to endure just to produce this delicacy is nothing short of horrific.