About SHARK:
Who We Are, What We Do, Where We Are Going

"Whenever we are allowed outside into the jail courtyard, I look out at the flocks of geese flying overhead and think that maybe, just maybe, some of those geese are ones that are still alive today because we warned them. And I think, yes, they were worth it."

These were the words of SHARK founding president Steve Hindi during a period of incarceration resulting from a hunter interference charge. Steve Hindi, the man who, eighteen years ago, would have been more likely be behind the barrel of gun instead of in front of it.

After hunting for most of his life, Steve turned around when he witnessed a horrific example of live pigeon shooting. From that point on, compassion, not killing, became his life goal.

As volunteer president of SHARK today, Hindi has led the organization to several victories for the animals: statewide bans on horse-tripping and live pigeon shoots in Illinois, shutting down various hunting clubs and canned hunts across the country, international exposure of the truth behind rodeos and bullfighting, helping to prosecute domestic animal cruelty cases... This list goes on and on and continues to grow today.

SHARK’s Founder and President Inducted into Animal Rights Hall of Fame! In honor of his achievements in animal protection over the past 17 years, and for many more to come, Steve Hindi was inducted into the Animal Rights Hall of Fame at the Animal Rights 2006 conference. Steve Hindi is one of a kind. His freight-train determination, tireless spirit, and tell-it-straight attitude make him a unique asset to the animal movement. We, as warriors in the same fight, and animals everywhere are lucky to have Steve Hindi on the front lines. ~Alex Hershaft, President of FARM; Director, Animal Rights annual conference

Showing Animals Respect and Kindness (SHARK) was founded by Steve Hindi, a former hunter, and incorporated in 1993. As a "sportsman," Steve hunted many species of animals both on land and in the sea. He killed for thirty years until the life-shattering day when, en route to shark hunting in the Atlantic Ocean, Steve attended the infamous Hegins pigeon shoot in Pennsylvania.

The slaughter of thousands of nonhuman victims, and the involvement of children in the horrific killings, was too much for Steve to tolerate. He vowed to stop pigeon shoots, and went on to dedicate his life to ending the abuse of all animals.

Steve almost singlehandedly stopped Illinois pigeon shoots, and rallied national support against the Hegins pigeon shoot. He went to pigeon shoots all over Pennsylvania, and graphically video documented the abuse. Pennsylvania courts are now dealing with pigeon shoots, with Steve's documentation as part of the evidence in the case.

SHARK is a non-profit organization with supporters around the US and beyond. SHARK receives no government funding and completely relies on donations and grants to work on issues ranging in scope from local to worldwide.

With a small core of volunteers, and a staff of three (two are part-time), SHARK battles tirelessly against bullfighting, pigeon shoots, turkey shoots, canned hunts (and all hunting), rodeos, circuses, zoos, and marine parks... any issue that involves violation of the innate rights of living creatures.

SHARK also conducts animal rescues and education projects. Steve Hindi has an open invitation to debate "the opposition". Because of his domination of past debates with animal abusers, however, it has been years since the opposition has been foolish enough to take him on.

SHARK was honored when Bizarro creator, Dan Piraro, captured this facet of our work.

SHARK's victories are hard-fought and proudly won. Of our many successes, some of the more noteworthy include:

• Forcing multi-national snack food and soda giant PepsiCo to pull its sponsorship of bullrings in Mexico.
• Exposing and eliminating many rodeos around the country.
• Exposing and eliminating live pigeon shoots in Illinois, and a major contribution of video documentation and strategies to the fight against pigeon shoots in Pennsylvania.
• Exposing and eliminating live turkey shoots at the Lone Pine Sportsmen's Club in Pennsylvania.
• Exposing and contributing to the banning of horse tripping in Illinois.
• Exposed and eliminated the rocket netting and captive bolt slaughter of deer in DuPage County, Illinois. This graphic and disturbing footage was then used to eliminate the same cruelty in Cook County, Illinois, and went on to eliminate rocket netting across the country.
• Exposed and caused the shutdown of a Rock Falls, Illinois, dog pound after exposing the use of captive bolt guns to kill dogs and cats as a means of euthanasia.
• Used undercover video to convince many schools to stop using donkey basketball games as fund-raisers.
• Convinced Mattel to halt production of "Bullfighting Barbie."
• Exposed animal abuse and political corruption at the National High School Association's Rodeo Finals and the Illinois governmental departments.
• Successfully pressured the Illinois Department of Agriculture to launch an investigation into criminal animal abuse at the 2006 National High School Rodeo Finals.
• “Buck Starbucks!” campaign halted rodeo sponsorships by the coffee giant.
• “Campbell Soup Kills” campaign instrumental in dissolving Campbell and Pace Foods support of the rodeo industry.
• Urged singer Carrie Underwood to cancel her performance at the horrific Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo, which she subsequently did.
• Our campaign and website exposing Hilary’s Duff’s support of rodeo cruelty brought international attention to this often ignored facet of animal abuse. Articles in the National Enquirer and Star magazines, sent discussions and images across the Internet and other media reaching an audience that was largely unaware of abuses inherent in rodeos. SHARK also took the Tiger Truck to Hilary's hangout, the streets of Hollywood, to expose the truth of rodeo cruelty.
• Convinced the international hotel chain, Choice Hotels, to pull its sponsorship of the National High School Rodeo Association after the company reviewed video and photo documentation taken by SHARK at the NHSRA Finals Rodeo.
• Exposed and received major media coverage in 2008 of horse shocking at Bulls and Broncs Rodeo in Peoria, IL, The National Western Stock Show and Rodeo in Denver, CO, The La Fiesta de Los Vaqueros - PRCA Tucson Rodeo in Tucson, AZ
• Exposed Colorado State Vet and NWSS and Rodeo committee member, Dr. John Maulsby for grisly murder of elk calf
• Successfully encouraged Marriott Hotels to withdraw support of the National Western Rodeo in Denver
• Exposed USAF Thunderbirds corrupt policy of supporting rodeo and giving joyrides to rodeo announcers with taxpayer's money
• Cancellation of steer busting at Killeen, Texas rodeo and replacement of stock contractor
• Matchbox Twenty withdrawing from scheduled performance at the 2008 Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo
• More videos made and more widely seen than ever before!

Support SHARK!

As SHARK's resources grow, we will take on more and larger projects worldwide. We are determined to eliminate the cruelty of rodeos and circuses, and the indefensible torture of bullfights with the continuation of video exposes.

Depending on resources, SHARK hopes to make legal challenges across the country against the cruelty of rodeos using existing cruelty regulations which we believe are currently ignored, and simply need to be enforced.

In addition, our Tiger Truck, a 4-screened mobile video vehicle, educates and mobilizes people against issues such as the meat industry, corporate cruelty through sponsorships of rodeos, bullfighting and circuses, and the horrific fur industry.

Depending on our resources, SHARK hopes to launch the world's largest fleet of Tiger Trucks to carry the message of animal issues to cities and towns around North America.

Depending on resources, SHARK plans to construct a website exposing and tracking animal serial killers, to keep caring people alerted in case their animal companions might be at risk.

We would appreciate your support on this exciting journey toward to more peaceful and compassionate planet. You will not find a more effective, efficient or dedicated organization. We look forward to having you as part of the SHARK Team as we press on for the rights of nonhumans worldwide.

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