SHARK (SHowing Animals Respect and Kindness)
PO Box 28 • Geneva, IL 60134 • 630-557-0176
www.sharkonline.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact:
Wednesday October 31st, 2012 Steve Hindi: (630) 640 1889
BOB BARKER RUFFLES FEATHERS OVER PENNSYLVANIA LIVE PIGEON SHOOTS
EX-HOST OF THE PRICE IS RIGHT CHALLENGES OFFICIALS
Los Angeles -Wednesday October 31st, 2012- The indomitable animal defender and iconic former host of ‘The Price Is Right,’ Bob Barker has fired off letters to officials demanding animal cruelty investigations take place into the live pigeon shoots currently allowed in Pennsylvania. Letters were sent to current Attorney General Linda L. Kelly, Governor Tom Corbett, and official candidates running for the office of Pennsylvania Attorney General this year, Kathleen Kane (D) and David Freed (R) appealing them to enforce PA Humane Law 5511 against the horrific animal cruelty occurring at the pigeon shoots.
Part of the letter states: “It is very distressing to me personally to see such appalling cruelty. This is not a hunt or sport, but a massacre of the cruelest kind. SHARK’s most recent video filmed at the Wing Pointe hunting club documents unspeakable acts of violence against docile, semi-tame and even banded pigeons.”
Well-known for his tireless work helping animals, Bob Barker was so appalled at the cruelty towards pigeons depicted in the most recent footage filmed at Wing Pointe hunting club by SHARK (Showing Animals Respect and Kindness) on September 30th, and hearing how as yet, no-one had been prosecuted for animal cruelty, he decided to pen letters to officials. Barker goes on to say, “It is equally disturbing to me to watch not only adults committing the abuse, but also young boys being indoctrinated into such gratuitous violence. As I am sure you are aware, teaching children such heartless cruelty and careless behavior toward animals leads down a very dangerous path.”
Full copies of the letter can be seen here: www.pashame.com
Pennsylvania is the one of only a few states to still allow live pigeon shoots, which are held openly, mostly at private hunting and gun clubs. Approximately 22,000 birds are used as targets every year and are generally captured from the streets of New York or are ex-homing pigeons, ex racing pigeons and sold by farmers. Only a very small percentage survive, the majority are not killed outright and either die slowly from their wounds or are horrifically executed by the pigeon shooters themselves by stomping, kicking, swinging them around by their necks, smashing against objects and decapitation.
SHARK is a US registered 501©(3) tax-deductible non-profit charity. SHARK's mission is to nonviolently battle animal abuse whenever and wherever possible
Letter to Governor Tom Corbett. You can get the PDF's of the other letters on the following links:
Bob Barker
P.O. Box 57227, Sherman Oaks, CA 91413
October 23, 2012
Governor Tom Corbett
Southeast Office,
Attn: Director Adam Gattuso,
200 S. Broad St, 11th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102 A 17120
Dear Governor Corbett:
My friends at SHowing Animals Respect and Kindness (SHARK) have for many years exposed the animal cruelty at live pigeon shoots in Pennsylvania, which is notably and sadly one of the last states to tolerate such horrific abuse.
It is very distressing to me personally to see such appalling cruelty. This is not a hunt or sport, but a massacre of the cruelest kind. SHARK's most recent video filmed at the Wing Pointe hunting club documents unspeakable acts of violence against docile, semi-tame and even banded pigeons.
A typical one-day pigeon shoot contest can kill and injure many hundreds, to more than a thousand birds. Even before they are used as live targets, the pigeons are abused. They are illegally captured off city streets and starved for days.
Most of the shot victims are not killed outright. Some of the wounded are picked up by young people and stomped, kicked, beaten, thrown, slammed to the ground, swung around by their necks and more. One club shoots them over the Delaware River during the winter, so many wounded fall into the freezing cold water to drown or are never found.
None of the birds recovered by the killers are eaten. They are disposed of as garbage in large dead piles with living victims suffering and slowly dying. The victims rescued by SHARK members usually die due to emaciation and the terrible stress and injuries they incur. The many victims left wounded in the surrounding countryside die slowly and suffer greatly.
In the state of Pennsylvania not a single pigeon shooter has been prosecuted for animal cruelty under the Pennsylvania Animal Cruelty statute 5511, which is extremely surprising and distressing. It is my understanding that both Berks County District Attorney John Adams and Bucks County District Attorney David Heckler refuse to prosecute any animal abuse charges against any participants in this cruelty. Furthermore, both Mr. Adams and Mr. Heckler have actively opposed any attempts by Pennsylvania Humane Society Police Officers to bring charges against the perpetrators.
It is equally disturbing to me to watch not only adults committing the abuse, but also young boys being indoctrinated into such gratuitous violence. As I am sure you are aware, teaching children such heartless cruelty and careless behavior toward animals leads down a very dangerous path.
Pigeons are no less worthy of legal protection then other animals. These pigeons are neglected prior to the shoots. Such neglect is illegal. They are abandoned when they are released for shooting. Abandonment is illegal. They are cruelly treated by being shot, and that cruelty is illegal. The many birds left wounded are further illegally neglected as they are left to suffer and slowly die in the surrounding countryside without food, water, shelter or veterinary care, as is required by law.
I urge you to investigate this issue and implement legal action against these horrific live pigeon shoots, and to prosecute all who are responsible for acts of animal cruelty. Here is the link to the most recent footage so you can clearly see for yourself the illegal activity:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o994K5oJ_EA
Yours sincerely,
Bob Barker
Cc: Attorney General Linda L. Kelly
Cc: Attorney General candidate: David Freed
Cc: Attorney General candidate: Kathleen Kane
Cc: Attorney General candidate: Marakay Rogers
You can get the PDF's of the other letters on the following links: