HSUS, PETA share $ and resources, Air China stops primate transport

Source Animal Agricultural Alliance

There is a complex interplay going on between animal organizations that involves money and people. No wonder then that there is commonality in targets, strategy and in moving forward against animal use industries. Here's how the Animal Agricultural Alliance describes it:

Radical activist organizations are leading the fight to grant animals the same legal rights as humans. The ideology of the animal rights movement- that animals are not ours to own, enjoy, or use in any way- is a direct assault on farmers and pet owners. Activists often hide their true agenda in order to gain the support of unknowing pet lovers. Here, you will find current updates from the world of animal rights.

In fact talking of targets and opposing animal use,  yet another airline - Air China - has ceased transporting laboratory destined monkeys, as PETA reports a victory against NHP laboratory animal transport:

http://www.peta.org/b/thepetafiles/archive/2012/07/31/victory-cruelty-won-t-fly-with-air-china.aspx

Repeated by smash hls

http://smashhls.com/2012/08/01/air-china-no-longer-transporting-monkeys-for-vivisection/

The sad story continues? Not really. Facts and figures show that the majority of laboratory animals consist of rats and mice. Whilst research does need primates, the locations where research now takes place, are simply moving closer to where the animals are.

Should you be interested in where all these charitable donations go to at PETA take a look here: http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=4314

PETA in FY2011 earned $30,591,252 in contributions, whereas total expenses amounted to $36,869,314 leaving a $-5,057,199 deficit for the year!

Not bad for a registered charity that apparently doesn't run or own shelters and lives of public donations. According to the charity evaluator that leaves them with an overall one star rating out of four.

Extremists target AF-KL, United, Air China

Another merry go round for animal extremists by WAR-Faun, Peta against airlines!

**Join the WAR-FAUN Anti-Vivisection Alliance as we again converge on Air France-KLM Executive Offices in NYC to call them out for their complicity in the "lab" primate-trafficking blood trade! Come and stand with us in defense of our evolutionary next-of-kin at a WAR-FAUN Gateway to Hell! demo on Friday, July 27th!**

http://www.meetup.com/FAUNNJ/events/68131412/

 

United's One-Way Flights Are Deadly for Monkeys Claims PETA

Here's what PETA wants you to do:

In addition to not booking a flight with United Airlines and the other heartless airlines that transport monkeys to U.S. laboratories, please take another step to help end this cruel practice by urging these airlines to adopt a policy against the transportation of monkeys destined for laboratories.

Also, take a moment of your time to let United Airlines know that you will not be flying with the airline until it stops transporting monkeys to laboratories:

● Post a message on United Airlines' Facebook page.

● Tweet at United Airlines on Twitter.

● Send an e-mail directly to United Airlines.

This is part of PETA's AIR CRUELTY campaign which asks airlines to stop shipping monkeys to be tortured. Here's what they want you to say to UNITED at their PETSAFE email:

I was dismayed to learn that your airline continues to facilitate cruelty to animals by transporting primates destined for laboratories. These highly social, intelligent beings are routinely mutilated, poisoned, deprived of food and water, forcibly immobilized in restraint devices, infected with painful and deadly diseases, and psychologically tormented.
Additionally, primates suffer from the long and grueling transport in the cargo holds of planes and in the backs of trucks. For these reasons, nearly every major airline including Cathay Pacific, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and Aer Lingus refuses to transport primates for use in experiments. It is shameful that your airline lags behind and continues to support this cruel practice.
Please join leading airline companies and adopt a formal policy prohibiting the transport of primates destined for laboratories to ensure that your company plays no role in the suffering of these animals.

If you want to look at the campaign follow this link

Another association American Anti Vivisection Society has a letter up too, protesting United's policy of transporting laboratory animals. The emails are sent to Jeffery A. Smisek President and CEO. Follow the link here to view the Transport Trouble campaign.
PETA also wants Air China to stop transporting non human primates, here's what their web site says:

Even though nearly every major airline in the world has abandoned the disgraceful practice, Air China continues to transport hundreds of monkeys from Asia to their deaths in some of the cruelest laboratories in the United States.

To read it follow the link here


This type of continued harassment has got to stop for the intention is to damage the reputation of the airlines and cause economic loss. If you can not stop research don't try stopping transportation! There is no law saying this transportation activity is illegal and certainly neither is animal research! In fact the benefits and medical advances using animal research have been demonstrated over and again.

Different Perspectives, different goals!

Incidents do happen, no doubt about that. An Air China flight got delayed at JFK airport over the weekend because a non human primate escaped from its container. The news rapidly circulated over the internet and was reported by the New York post amongst others. Air China does not take these things lightly and I am sure a thorough audited investigation will follow this occasional and unfortunate incident. Be assured that No one was hurt as a result of the incident and all made it safely to their final destination.

The BUAV quickly put together a renewed campaign to target Air China, as a result of this incident and to call for an end to monkey shipments on this carrier.  Emails and letters to Air China are part of the campaign tactics.
I can't comment as to the causes of the escape but from experience it often comes down to container construction and by the interference of the animal itself.

In the meantime according to a Biospectrum article, Chinese scientists led by Dr Sidong Xiong of Fudang university, report having developed a novel TB- DNA vaccine in an HIV-1 p24 protein backbone that protects against mycobacterium tuberculosis and simultaneously elicists robust humoral and cellular responses to HIV.  The vaccine was tested in mice.
It remains to be seen how the vaccine behaves in clinical trials. The article goes on to point out that there are an estimated but nevertheless staggering 14 million people co-infected by both diseases (WHO data). Read the abstract here. Or download the ASM pdf article here.

Putting things in perspective my post should have started with the TB HIV vaccine story because it is of far more significance than the buav reaction to a monkey that escaped confinement. I just find it ironic that the latter makes headline news, creates a big stir and eventually may lead a carrier to stop transporting laboratory animals. Different perspectives and different goals? It sounds like a dialogue between deaf people. How could it be any different when stopping any and all animal use is the objective? These people sure know how to build a fire.

Despite the above noise produced by a single animal escape, I for one have great faith in alternatives for they too hold great promises. We can all learn from animals. Think of the tensile strength of spider produced wire, the adhesive power of the gecko or other insects that are able to walk upside down. A new era is upon us that will unleash the power of biotechnology not only in the medical field but in many different domains.  Before we start inoculating though let's ensure new and alternative means of saving or improving lives are appropriately tested, it just makes so much sense! Don't you think so? And do let carriers, such as Air China, know you support them for together our voices can make a difference since we share a common perspective and a common goal of advancing medical research and improving lives.