animal activism

Taken From PETA.com

PETA has learned that Hillcrest High School in Springfield plans to host a "donkey basketball" game on October 6 (this Saturday). Donkey basketball games are a cruel form of "entertainment." Hauled around in cramped and stuffy trailers, the donkeys are denied proper exercise, and in order to prevent "accidents" on the court, they are often denied food and water before the games. The noise and chaos of the games are extremely stressful for the donkeys, who often endure the additional trauma of being shoved, kicked, screamed at, or whipped when found to be "uncooperative" by their riders. Experts agree that an average-sized donkey is only able to bear a little more than 100 pounds, but in donkey basketball games, the animals are typically forced to carry full-grown adults.

Please urge Hillcrest High School and Springfield Public Schools to cancel the donkey basketball event immediately and replace it with a fundraiser that involves only voluntary participants. PETA has provided the school district with a list of exciting animal-free fundraising ideas. Let the high school and the school district know that donkey basketball results in suffering for donkeys.

I am a PETA supporter and if you think this is cruel and uncalled for PLEASE go on PETA.com and send a comment to the hillside high school in springfield.

On September 17, Cornell University student Alexander Atkind pleaded guilty to a felony animal abuse charge. He admitted to the March 2007 torture of Princess, a friend's Labrador-mix dog, while the dog was in his care. Atkind reportedly became enraged after Princess chewed on a speaker wire. News sources state that Atkind lost all control, pummeling the 30-pound dog before pouring bleach and laundry detergent on her. Princess' skull was visible through a 2-square-inch laceration, and an examining veterinarian reportedly found that Princess had suffered chemical burns to her face, eyes, back, groin, and paws. Princess will have diminished eyesight for the rest of her life. Atkind allegedly showed no remorse and told police that he would engage in similar behavior again and that he believed the case against him would be dismissed.

Atkind is scheduled to be sentenced on October 15. A Tompkins County grand jury indicted Atkind on one count of aggravated cruelty to animals (AML 353a), a Class E felony. His charge brings with it a jail term of up to two years.

The task of adjudicating the case falls to Judge M. John Sherman. Please respectfully remind him that only a vigorous sentencing of this and any cruelty-to-animals case—and the pursuit of stringent penalties when convictions in such cases are won—is in the best interests of the county's human and animal residents.


This story also pained me because i have a dog and if that happened to her i would not be able to contain myself.