April 22, 2015 | News Releases
For Immediate Release: April 22, 2015
(Jacksonville, FL) — Last week, two African elephants were transferred from the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens to the Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester, New York.
The two female elephants, Moki and Chana, joined two elephants already at the zoo in Rochester.
Sadly, this is only the most recent move for the two elephants. Moki and Chana arrived in Jacksonville from the Lee Richardson Zoo in Garden City, Kansas in October 2006. In return, the Jacksonville Zoo moved a different pair of elephants (“Missy” and “Kimba”) to Kansas. The swap was an (unsuccessful) experiment designed to encourage Moki and Chana to breed with a male elephant at the Jacksonville Zoo.
“Too often, zoos trade elephants like baseball cards, without the best interest of the individual elephant in mind,” said ARFF Campaigns Coordinator Nick Atwood. “The two Florida elephants have a future of harsh winters to look forward to. In Rochester, Moki and Chana will likely spend more time confined indoors, especially during the winter months.”
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April 2, 2015 | News Releases
For Immediate Release: April 2, 2015
(Longwood, FL) — Students from Lyman High School will no longer participate in “Man vs. Greyhound,” an annual event in which football players from the school raced greyhounds at the Sanford-Orlando Kennel Club. The event raised funds for greyhound adoptions, but was opposed by animal welfare activists.
Local residents Bryan and Carla Wilson, who became greyhound advocates after adopting a rescued greyhound, appealed to the school not to associate itself with the cruel greyhound racing industry. Between May 2013 and July 2014, 19 dogs were reported to have died at the Sanford-Orlando Kennel Club — one of the highest death rates among Florida tracks. The Wilson’s provided the school with over 100 fundraising ideas for the students, so they could continue to support greyhound adoption.
This week, Lyman High School Principal Brian Urichko confirmed that the event would not go forward in 2015 with students from the school. (The school mascot is a greyhound.)
“Having had the pleasure of sharing a home with a rescued greyhound and working with local adoptions, we know how special these dogs are and how horrible the racing industry is,” said Bryan Wilson, who also acts as Central Florida Coordinator for the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida. “We are thankful that Lyman made the decision to cancel the Man vs Greyhound event. The students not only had no business at a gambling institution, but no business being used as a public relations props by SOKC.”
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March 18, 2015 | News Releases
For Immediate Release: March 18, 2015
(Gainesville, FL) — “Topsy,” an Asian elephant who was born in the wild but spent her entire life in the circus, died in August 2014. Her death came to light only recently as a result of a public records request from the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida (ARFF).
Topsy was owned by Frank Murray, a circus elephant handler. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Topsy was buried on Murray’s property in Archer, Florida. A necropsy was not conducted to determine the cause of death, despite Topsy’s history of health problems.
In 2012, Topsy tested positive for tuberculosis antibodies, raising concerns about a threat to public health.
“Topsy reportedly tested positive for the antibodies for tuberculosis on two blood tests in 2012, and was denied entry into both Maine and Wisconsin for that reason,” explained Deborah Robinson, attorney and circus specialist, “Given that tuberculosis does not necessarily produce symptoms, and given that these tests can show the presence of TB long before it can be detected otherwise, they point to a strong possibility that Murray’s other elephant, Annette, has been exposed to the disease, which is transmissible to humans. Annette is still being used to give rides.”
For at least 20 years, Frank Murray’s two elephants, Topsy and Annette, traveled together. The elephants were used in circuses and to give rides at Renaissance fairs across the country. Annette is currently being used to give rides at the Bay Area Renaissance Festival in Tampa (weekends until March 29).
“It is unfortunate that we will never know why Topsy died. Surprisingly, owners of captive wildlife, even endangered Asian elephants, are not required to report deaths to the FWC,” said ARFF Campaigns Coordinator Nick Atwood. “Topsy’s death heightens our concerns that other elephants in Florida could fall through the cracks after a life of exploitation.”
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February 26, 2015 | News Releases
For Immediate Release: February 26, 2015
(Miami, FL) — Plaintiffs on February 11 voluntarily dismissed a lawsuit against activists with the group South Florida Smash HLS (smashhls.com). The lawsuit, “Worldwide Primates, Inc. v. Serignese,” commenced in the 11th Judicial Circuit Court on March 10, 2014.
The lawsuit originally alleged that 34 named defendants had tortiously interfered with Worldwide Primates’ business relationships. It sought a preliminary and permanent injunction, and damages. Amended complaints were filed in May, June and November. Prior to the voluntary dismissal, claims against 29 of the defendants had been dismissed by the Court or withdrawn. All claims against five remaining defendants have now been dismissed.
“We are extremely pleased that this meritless lawsuit has ended,” said Smash HLS organizer Gary Serignese. “As for Worldwide Primates, we will continue to vigorously speak out on behalf of the hundreds of monkeys each year that the company condemns to a miserable existence inside research labs.”
The Court imposed no restrictions on future protests targeting Worldwide Primates.
The defendants were represented by Thomas Julin and Paulo Lima of Hunton & Williams LLP, and attorneys James Green and Anne O’Berry.
Worldwide Primates is one of the largest importers of monkeys for research and testing in the United States. In 2014, according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service records, Worldwide Primates (16450 SW 180 St., Miami, Florida) imported over 2,000 monkeys from China, Mauritius and St. Kitts & Nevis to be sold for experiments.
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December 16, 2014 | News Releases
For Immediate Release: December 16, 2014
(Miami, FL) – This morning, the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida (ARFF) delivered a bouquet of flowers to the Consulate General of Mexico, in downtown Miami, to congratulate Mexico’s congress on its enactment of a groundbreaking law prohibiting the use of lions, tigers, elephants and other wild animals in circuses.
The House of Representatives passed the legislation on December 11. Mexico’s Senate approved the legislation earlier in the week. The bill now needs the signature of President Enrique Peña Nieto to become law.
Legislator Arturo Escobar y Vega, of the PVEM (Ecological Green Party of Mexico), which pushed the measure, explained, “It is undeniable that there is cruelty and abuse during handling and training of animals in the circus industry, and it has been proven many times that animals are victims of physical and psychological damage.”
Flowers delivered to:
José Antonio Zabalgoitia, Consul General
Consulate General of Mexico in Miami
1399 SW 1st Ave.
Miami, FL 33130
Phone: (786) 268-4900
In June, Mexico City prohibited the use of animals in circuses. Thirteen Mexican states have also adopted bans.
“In circuses in Mexico, elephants, tigers and other animals spend much of their lives chained or in small cages. Training is often violent and abusive,” said ARFF Communications Director Don Anthony. “Sadly the situation is not any different for animals used in circuses that visit Florida, such as Ringling Bros.”
The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus has a long history of abusive treatment of elephants and other animals. ARFF will hold a demonstration against the circus at American Airlines Arena in Miami on January 8.
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October 2, 2014 | News Releases
For Immediate Release: October 2, 2014
(Fort Pierce, FL) — The Animal Rights Foundation of Florida (ARFF) has sent a letter to the National Association of Letter Carriers, Branch 1690, protesting a donkey basketball fundraiser to be held October 5 at the Fenn Center in Fort Pierce.
During donkey basketball games, donkeys are mishandled by participants who have no animal-handling experience. The animals are often yelled at, dragged, shoved or kicked when they don’t cooperate.
In addition to concerns for the welfare of animals, these events place the public at risk. Participants can fall from donkeys’ backs, or may be kicked by mistreated or frightened animals. During a donkey basketball fundraiser in Pinellas County in 2003, a woman was either bucked off or fell from a donkey. She suffered injuries and later sued the event organizers.
“Donkey basketball fundraisers trivialize the abuse of animals, and teach a dangerous lesson to impressionable children,” said ARFF Communications Director Don Anthony. “We hope that the National Association of Letter Carriers will choose an alternate fundraiser that does not include cruelty to animals.”
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