This Week's Bay Area Events

Outreach to Hunters at Sportsmen's Expo

This weekend, the 5th annual Tri-Valley Sportsmen's Expo comes to the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton. A Record Deer Display, wild pig-hunting seminars, catch-and-release fishing from an aquarium and a live-bird display are among the weekend's scheduled activities.

Local animal rights activist Paris Harvey has reserved space at the Fairground's "Free Speech Area" to conduct outreach to all the hunters and fishermen/women's families attending the show. Anti-fur and anti-trapping leaflets will be provided, and Paris will be bringing a body TV to display the bloody reality of hunting.

What: Outreach at Sportsmen's Expo
When: Saturday, February 26 from 10 a.m. to noon
Where: Alameda County Fair Grounds, 4501 Pleasanton Ave., Pleasanton

Please contact Paris Harvey at (925) 788-8296 for more information and to RSVP.

Click here (http://www.sportsexpos.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewlocation&locationnumber=5) for more information on the Expo's events and for directions to the fairgrounds.




Two Bay Area KFC Protests

There are TWO protests against fast food giant Kentucky Fried Chicken happening this Saturday in the Bay Area:

1. Join Bay Area Vegetarians (BAV) in sticking up for chickens abused by KFC.

What: Monthly KFC Protest
When: Saturday, February 26 from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.
Where: KFC at 4408 Coast Hwy., Pacifica

For more information and to RSVP, visit BAV's event calendar at http://www.bayareaveg.org/events.php , where you can also find other Bay Area events.

2. Join East Bay Animal Advocates (EBAA) outside the notorious fast food restaurant to distribute information on KFC's inhumane treatment of chickens while serving soy "chicken" to customers.

What: EBAA's KFC Feed-In
When: Saturday, February 26 at noon
Where: KFC at 470 Lake Park Avenue, Oakland

To volunteer, email info [at] eastbayanimaladvocates.org or call (925) 487-4419.

Visit http://www.kentuckyfriedcruelty.com for more information on the nationwide campaign to urge KFC to treat chickens right.




Rocket Dog Rescue's Annual Cocktail Party Bash

In only four years, Rocket Dog Rescue has saved over 600 dogs in the overcrowded Bay Area shelter system from euthanasia, all without a facility and relying completely on volunteer foster help. Now founder Pali Boucher wants to save even more animals by purchasing and converting a San Francisco warehouse into a fully functioning urban dog sanctuary. You can help raise the needed funds by attending Rocket Dog's Annual Cocktail Party Bash. This special evening will include a live auction (for baseballs and uniforms autographed by Barry Bonds and Willie Mays, as well as other items), live music, meatless snacks and delicious "dog-tinis."

What: Rocket Dog Rescue's Annual Cocktail Party Bash
When: Saturday, February 26 from 6:00 to 9:30 p.m.
Where: Terra Mia Studios, 1314 Castro St. (at 24th), San Francisco

Tickets are $35 in advance and can be purchased by e-mailing rocketdogrescuerocks [at] hotmail.com or visiting http://www.rocketdogrescue.org .




Letter Writing Party in Palo Alto

Come to the Bay Leaf Cafe for delicious vegan/organic food, Maggie Mudd's vegan ice cream, and the monthly Letter Writing Party sponsored by Bay Area Vegetarians.

Write letters to the editor, as well as state, county, and federal legislators about issues that affect the lives of animals. Be a voice for the voiceless by writing personal, handwritten, high-impact letters.

What: Monthly Letter Writing Party
When: Saturday, February 26 starting at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Bay Leaf Cafe, 520 Ramona St., Palo Alto

New activists are encouraged to attend! It's helpful if you can bring: - Pen, paper and envelopes - The names of your State Assemblyperson, Senator and federal legislators (visit http://ga0.org/indefenseofanimals/home.html to find them) - Veg or animal rights topics to write on. Read IDA's e-newsletter at http://idausa.org/alertnew.html for suggestions. You can also use the ones provided by the organizer.

If you plan to attend, please RSVP at http://www.bayareaveg.org/events.php?EID=598#598.




Vegetarian Outreach

Every Monday in February, join East Bay Animal Advocates (EBAA) for proactive vegetarian outreach in the East Bay. Help EBAA educate the public about the plight of farmed animals by handing out educational literature.

Times and locations will depend on activists' availability. To volunteer, email info [at] eastbayanimaladvocates.org or call (925) 487-4419.




Stop Extermination of Exotic Deer in Point Reyes

The National Park Service is planning to kill much of the non-native deer population in Point Reyes National Seashore because they compete with native species for food. The deer were originally purchased in 1948 from the San Francisco Zoo by a Point Reyes resident who released them into the wild to hunt. When Point Reyes became a national park in 1962, hunting was banned in the area and the remaining deer proliferated. At present, about 1,150 exotic deer live in the park.

The plan devised by the National Park Service proposes a combination of lethal and non-lethal control methods (such as sterilization) to manage the deer. You can read the park's Environmental Impact Statement online at http://www.nps.gov/pore/home_mngmntdocs_exoticdeer_deis.htm .

What You Can Do:

1. The National Park Service is accepting public comments on their proposal between now and April 8, 2005. Please contact the Superintendent of Point Reyes and urge the use of non-lethal methods to control the deer. Let her know that humans caused the overpopulation problem, and any solution must take the interests of the deer into consideration.

Write to: Superintendent, Point Reyes National Seashore Point Reyes, CA 94956 Attn: Non-native deer management plan Email: ann_nelson [at] nps.gov

2. Attend a public information meeting being presented by the park to learn more about their plans, discuss alternatives, and convey your opinion in person.

What: Meeting on exotic deer control in Pt. Reyes
When: Thursday, March 3 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Where: Point Reyes National Seashore Park Headquarters in the Red Barn classroom




Gopher Gardening at Ocean Beach

Join the San Francisco Wildlife Protection Project, a joint effort by IDA and the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department, to create a wildlife "sanctuary" along the Great Highway. By landscaping the area according to the Parks Department's specifications, volunteers create a habitat for native gophers and prevent them from being trapped and killed. This is an on-going monthly effort, and happens on the first Saturday of each month. Please give us a hand so we can help the gophers.

What: Gopher Gardening
When: March 5 from 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon
Where: Along the Great Highway, near Ocean Beach, San Francisco

For more information, please contact Kevin Connelly at (415) 388-9641, ext. 226 or kevin [at] idausa.org.




Author Erik Marcus Talks About His New Book

Bay Area Vegetarians is sponsoring a talk by Erik Marcus, one of America's leading critics of the animal agriculture industry and publisher of Vegan.com, a popular website devoted to animal protection and the vegan lifestyle. In talking about his new book, Meat Market: Animals, Ethics, and Money, Erik will present a brief history of animal agriculture and chart the decline of its ethical standards. He will also offer ideas and strategies to combat cruelty that can be embraced by meat-lovers and activists alike.

What: Erik Marcus talk
When: Sunday, March 6 at 2:00 p.m.
Where: Red Victorian Bed & Breakfast Peace Cafe, 1665 Haight Street (near Cole), San Francisco




See a Circus that Doesn't Use Animals

Circuses that use animal acts are full of horrible animal cruelty and abuse. Fortunately there are wonderful animal-free circuses with talented performers who choose to be a part of the show that you can enjoy. Check out Circo Zero - a nouveau circus that is free of cruel animal acts. Most "new" circuses choose not to use animals in part as a protest against the exploitation of performing animals, making it a fantastic form of entertainment that all animal advocates can enjoy and support. Visit http://www.circozero.org to learn more about this unique performance that combines diverse media genres and art forms while exploring political and spiritual themes.

What: Circo Zero
When: February 17 through March 6
Where: The Dance Mission Theater (3316 24th Street at Mission), San Francisco

Tickets range from $10 to $15, and (aside from opening night) Thursday is pay-what-you-want day. For tickets call (415) 273-4633.

Note: Circo Zero deals with some pretty serious issues (like war & atrocity). According to their Website, the show may be "inappropriate for most children and some adults" (though most other nouveau circuses are great for kids).




Help Save Alaska's Wolves

In 2003, the State of Alaska legalized the aerial gunning of wolves, in which hunter-pilot teams shoot the helpless animals from low-flying planes. Dozens of wolves have already been gunned down this winter, and Alaskan officials hope that over 1,000 more will be killed by the end of April.

Seeking an end to this brutal practice, the international animal advocacy organization Friends of Animals (FOA) has asked people from around the world to boycott the $2 billion a year Alaskan tourism industry. They have organized over 200 "Howl-Ins" across North America - as well as in Germany, Japan and Great Britain - to raise awareness of the slaughter and give people the opportunity to send postcards urging Alaska's governor to stop the killing.

Now, FOA introduces the first Virtual Howl-In, which allows anyone with an Internet connection to send postcards from the convenience of home. When you enter your name and address into an online form, FOA will send an actual postcard to Alaska's Governor, Frank Murkowski, on your behalf. Please click here (http://www.friendsofanimals.org/howl-in) to send your postcard and help save Alaska's wolves.

To learn more about Alaska's aerial gunning of wolves, visit http://www.friendsofanimals.org .




Require Trapping Licensure for "Pest" Control Operators

A bill has been introduced into the California Assembly that would allow "pest" control operators to trap animals for profit without training, passing a proficiency exam, or acquiring a Fish & Game license. Exempting "pest" control operators from such basic requirements will result in gross incompetence, leading to even greater suffering than is now caused by this animal-killing industry.

Other professional animal trappers - such as wildlife control trappers - must be licensed, so "pest" control operators should be held to the same standards, especially since they commonly use deadly pesticides. Of the twenty-two states that officially regulate and license the "pest" control industry, none exempt operators from such basic quality measures.

What You Can Do:

1. Please help retain current standards for the "pest" control industry by urging your Assemblyperson to oppose AB 87. You can find out how to contact your Assemblyperson by clicking here (http://ga0.org/indefenseofanimals/home.html) and entering your zip code, or by calling the Government Information Hotline at (916) 322-9900 and giving the operator your address. To achieve the maximum effect, please also forward a copy of your letter to:

Assembly Water, Parks, and Wildlife Committee Attn: Diane Colborn, Committee Analyst 1020 N Street, Room 160 Sacramento, CA 95814 Fax: (916) 319-2196

In addition, please e-mail or send a copy of your letter to the Animal Protection Institute (API), the organization that is spearheading the campaign against AB 87:

API
P.O. Box 22505
Sacramento, CA 95822
E-mail: info [at] api4animals.org

2. Please attend the Assembly Water, Parks, and Wildlife Committee meeting in Sacramento on March 8, when AB 87 is likely to be discussed.

For more information on AB 87, please contact the Animal Protection Institute at (916) 447-3085 ext. 214, or email npaquette [at] api4animals.org.




Help Farm Sanctuary Fight Foie Gras

As part of its national campaign against Wolfgang Puck, Farm Sanctuary is looking for a few good volunteers in the Bay Area to help organize and attend regular demonstrations outside Puck's "Postrio" restaurant in downtown San Francisco.

The demonstrations will be part of an ongoing, nationwide campaign to convince Puck to remove two items of egregious cruelty - foie gras and crated veal - from his restaurants' menus. As one of the most high-profile celebrity chefs in the U.S., with an extensive network of restaurants and eateries across the country, Puck holds a great deal of influence in the world of "fine" dining. Perhaps more than anyone else, Puck's menu decisions have a significant impact on the state of the veal and foie gras industries.

Currently, Los Angeles activists have garnered positive media attention for their weekly vigils outside Puck's "Spago" restaurant in Beverly Hills. If you can help San Francisco do its part for this important campaign, please contact Ariana Huemer at ahuemer [at] farmsanctuary.org.

For more information on the campaign, see http://www.WolfgangPuckCruelty.org .

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