PETA Offers Syracuse Zoo $2,000

On Tuesday PETA sent a letter to the Rosamond Gifford Zoo's director offering a donation of two thousand dollars to replace the zoo's penguins with robotic ones, which were developed by Festo, a German engineering company.

PETA's letter to Rosamond Gifford Zoo Director Chuck Doyle follows.
September 15, 2009

Chuck Doyle
Director
Rosamond Gifford Zoo

Dear Mr. Doyle,
I am writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and our more than 2 million members and supporters--including thousands in the Syracuse area--to ask you to replace the zoo's captive penguins with the lifelike robotic penguins that were recently developed by the German engineering company Festo. PETA is even offering to make a donation toward fundraising for the project by pledging the first $2,000.

While zoos claim to be educational, a true understanding and appreciation of wildlife cannot come from looking at bored animals who are confined to cramped enclosures that can never replicate the animals' real home environments. Captive animals are denied any semblance of a natural life, and virtually every facet of their existence is controlled. The only thing that people can learn from a visit to the zoo is how animals behave when held in captivity.

Penguins are avid swimmers and divers, and their need to roam in open water cannot be met in a small enclosure. They are good parents and form monogamous pairs, working together to care for their young. In zoos, their mates are often chosen for them through breeding programs, and in many cases, their chicks are removed. The physical and mental frustrations of captivity commonly lead to abnormal, neurotic, and even self-destructive behavior known as "zoochosis." And while zoos tout species preservation, the fact is that captive-breeding programs do little if anything to protect wild populations. Warehousing penguins in zoos is not the solution to saving their counterparts in the wild.

Festo's robotic penguins move, swim, and even communicate just as real penguins do, and visitors who observe the robots will be able to learn about penguin behavior without inflicting additional stress on captive live birds. This will be particularly true if you also erect a sign that reads, "This zoo does not house real penguins because we recognize that we cannot adequately replicate their natural environment or provide them with a satisfying life." Please see the attached article about these fascinating robots. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Tracy Reiman
Executive Vice President
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals


See robot penguins in action:

SPCA's fundraiser tainted with blood money!

ACTION ALERT!

By now, we all now that PETLAND is one of the major contributors to: 1) animal abuse via puppymills; and 2) the pet overpopulation problem. When folks breed or buy, shelter dogs die. See the facts here that "almost every Petland store in the country is buying from puppymills": http://www.hsus.org/pets/pets_related_news_and_events/petland_investigation_2_062909.html

Our one local PETLAND is responsible for hundreds of dogs flooding into our community each year. While these dogs might be bought into nice homes by unsuspecting PETLAND customers, these dogs came from suffering mothers and will cause additional suffering of our region's shelter animals.

PETLAND is a major competitor with U.S. shelters. WHY, then, would our local shelter, CNY SPCA (based in Syracuse, NY), partner with PETLAND, including them as a SPONSOR for their upcoming 10th Annual Walk and Four-Legged Family Fun Festival Festival on Sept. 13? That is like Sea Shepherd partnering with the Japanese whalers!

SEE the FLYER retrieved from PETLAND's website:
http://www.petland.com/FindPetlandStores/NewYork/Syracuse/cnyspca_flyer.pdf

PLEASE CALL the shelter TODAY and ask POLITELY ASK them to CUT TIES with PETLAND asap: 315-454-4479.  Choose the Customer Service option; if you don't get a live person, let it keeping ringing until you reach voicemail and leave a message.

These are rough times for all charities, but especially for animal rescue groups. In addition to calling, if you are financially able, please consider making a donation to your local animal shelter, and show them that they do not have to compromise their morals and mission statement to avoid bankruptcy.

Kitty, Reunited With Guardian, is Sole Survivor of House Fire

Last Friday, around four in the afternoon, a fire broke out at 1305 Cedarbrook Drive in Rome, NY.  Smoke and fire were reportedly coming from the house when the fire department rolled onto the scene.  Trapped inside where three feline friends, but their sole guardian, Dawn Baris, was not at home at this time.  According to one report, the house suffered substantial heat and smoke damage through out.  According to Rome Deputy Fire Chief Mark Kohlbrenner, two of the three cats did not survive. EMTs administered oxygen to the third cat, the cat is going to live.

While we can't all stay home to watch our companion animals 24/7, we can help fire and rescue teams by putting a decal on our front doors or windows that lets them know their are animals inside.  You can buy one from most pet stores or you can order a free one from the ASPCA.