October 31, 2019
DEAR FRIENDS,
This past June, SHARK released dramatic drone video of a beagle breeding facility in Virginia that was at that time owned by Covance (it is now owned by Envigo). Our video captured images of dogs wailing endlessly as they endured filthy conditions in the cages they were kept in.
ABC 8 in VA covered the story when we released the video in June, and now they have covered it again after PETA, taking our lead, released USDA inspection reports of the same facility. SHARK's video was prominent in the news story. Click the picture below to watch the story:
It took considerable effort and time for a multi-state SHARK team to get to VA and film the breeding facility, but we did it because the imprisoned dogs suffering in those cages needed to be seen and heard. If this is the type of activism that you want to see, then please know we can only accomplish this if you support SHARK financially.
• SHARK is in desperate needs of funds. Please support us now so we can continue to do what no one else does. Please click the picture below to support our efforts to save lives!
Things are heating up in Monterey County, California, where SHARK has been active in the fight against illegal rooster operations that are suspected of supplying cruel and illegal cockfighting. In fact, our drone video of illegal rooster operations and suspected cockfighting properties was used by a Monterey County Civil Grand Jury that investigated an unenforced rooster keeping ordinance. The primary purpose of the ordinance is to stop cockfighting.
With this shocking information in hand, SHARK President Steve Hindi wrote to John Ramirez, the director of the bureau that the Grand Jury focused on, and asked him four questions related to the Grand Jury report. These questions were:
“Mr. Ramirez, why did your department create impediments to the Monterey County Rooster keeping ordinance?”
“What was the purpose of obstructing that ordinance?”
“Do you have any connection whatsoever to any illegal rooster keeping operation?”
“Do you have any connection whatsoever to cockfighting?”
Here is part of Mr. Ramirez’ response: Instead of responding in a professional manner, Mr. Ramirez responded with an email that appeared to threaten legal action against Steve.
Mr. Ramirez' rather incoherent response is not what one might reasonably expect from a director of a county agency responding in his official capacity. Steve wrote back to Mr. Ramirez and let him know that asking questions does not constitute libel. You can read the full email HERE.
Mr. Ramirez could have answered “no,” to Steve's questions, but he instead seems to be acting like he has something to hide. That’s why we are asking for a full Board of Supervisors investigation into this issue, and Mr. Ramirez' role in it. We are also asking the Board of Supervisors to fully implement the recommendations of the Grand Jury.
• Please contact the Monterey County Board of Supervisors and demand they take action to eliminate the illegal rooster operations. Tell them to give Animal Control the resources they need. It has been 5 years since the ordinance went into effect and nothing has been done!
SHARK doesn’t back down from threats and we won’t back down from this one.
SHARK is allied with California-based Humane Farming Association, California-based In Defense of Animals, and Maryland-based United Poultry Concerns to deal with cockfighting nationwide. For more information, go to CrushCockfighting.com.
