Anti-culling group SHARK circles Moreland Hills

Thursday, June 09, 2005

Chagrin Herald Sun

By KIM WENDEL

MORELAND HILLS _ June 20 is the 30th anniversary of the release of Jaws, the movie but that's not why SHARK was on West Juniper Lane from 8:30-10 p.m. June 1 and 2.

Illinois resident Steve Hindi, president and founder of Showing Animals Respect and Kindness, parked his 22-foot trailer truck outside the home of a village resident who sits on the Campbell Soup Company's board of directors.

SHARK is trying to get Campbell's' subsidiary, PACE, to stop sponsoring rodeos run by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Associations. Hindi said.

The resident did not come out, and the house appeared to be empty.

Hindi's truck is adorned with four giant video screens that show abuse of the young steers used in the roping competitions at PRCA rodeos.

The videos show up better at night when it's dark, Hindi said.Police arrive

The truck's presence and barely audible music soundtrack drew about 40 passersby the first night. The second night, it drew police.

We aren't loud and raucous. We document the problems and present them to the public in a non-confrontational way, Hindi said.

He and another volunteer shot the videos in November in Amarillo, Tex.

Police Sgt. Janet Boehler and Patrolman Scott Williams surveyed the West Juniper display. They said it was a public street and, as long as there were no complaints, Hindi could remain.

We did receive one complaint late (June 2) from one West Juniper resident. I explained to him that we are here to protect the rights of everyone, and that the display was gone and not going to return, Police Chief Tom Flauto said Monday.

Hindi was taking the truck to New Jersey to a semi-professional baseball stadium named for Campbell Soup. Campbell's headquarters are in Camden, N.J.

Hindi said the PRCA does not hold rodeos in Ohio.

Rodeos are banned in 40 states and the states they are allowed in are mostly western states, Hindi said.M

Culling foe

Hindi was a central figure in last winter's anti-deer culling movement in Solon. In December, Hindi helped organize Friends of Solon Deer, a group that tried to stop the shooting of 600 deer.

Hindi was described by deer culling proponents as an outside agitator.