Please tell me how to get off this list! Jake A Paisain wrote: > HEY ALL, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO SPEAK OUT ON THIS > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1999 10:16:02 -0700 > From: Buffalo Folks <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: Stop the Slaughter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Buffalo Supporters reflect on death of 8 buffalo...speak out please... > > Comment on the "No action" Alternative of the Horse Butte Buffalo Capture > facility EA by Jan. 13th.... > http://www.wildrockies.org/buffalo/politico/capture > _________________________________________________________________ > January 12, 1999 > > Dear Buffalo Supporters, > > The events of the last few days have saddened us greatly, it has > been hard to watch 8 of our buffalo friends captured and trucked to > slaughter. Still, though, it has strengthened our resolve to make sure that > the killing can go no further. I remember last year when the DOL killed > buffalo that I felt an overwhelming sadness, loss, and shock that anyone > could kill these animals that felt as close as brothers and sisters, or my > own children. But this year something has changed, I see that beyond these > feelings of senseless loss that we have done everything in our power to > prevent these deaths. > > Right now we have people camped outside the capture facility to > keep vigil and make sure not one more buffalo is caught. Many stay up all > night, sleep a few hours, and then go out to the buffalo again. And still > there are smiles, laughter, music, and the hugs that keep us all going. > > I will never forget last Thursday morning, January 7, when we found > out that the DOL had hazed buffalo into the facility the night before. One > of us on the patrol snuck into the pen with a captive bull and opened the > gate. Before the buffalo could escape the outermost pen and we could get > the last gate open, a DOL security truck drove up. There was an incredibly > long moment when we didn't know whether the buffalo would be caught again. > The buffalo looked at the truck, looked at us on the other side of the > fence, and then made his choice to jump up and break through the closed > gate to freedom. > > We have watched how the buffalo take care of each other when one of > their friends is in trouble. One buffalo whose legs were wounded in the > hazing process was limping and struggling to walk. The other buffalo > circled around him and nudged him into the willows where the DOL could not > find him. > That is our work too for our buffalo friends, to keep them away from the > capture pen, to find them a path where they are free to walk. In turn they > give us the joy of seeing them graze in an open field, of calves who run > and jump through the snow with their mothers, or just the quiet moments > when we can watch as the wind plays along their thick fur as they sleep. > > Right now we are seeing the potential for some political headway. > The DOL will be meeting in the middle of this month to consider greater > leniency towards bison that the federal Animal Plant Health Inspection > Service (APHIS) considers a low risk for brucellosis transmission. APHIS > has repeatedly told Montana that the state will not lose its cherished > brucellosis-free status if it tolerates the presence of yearling calves and > bulls who have a low risk of transmitting brucellosis. The disease can only > be transmitted if cattle come in contact with brucellosis contaminated > birthing materials. Of the eight buffalo killed so far, seven were bulls, > who obviously are not pregnant. The ultimate decision to continue the > slaughter rests with Governor Marc Racicot, who oversees the DOL, and it's > up to us to let him know that we hold him personally responsible for the > needless deaths of wild buffalo. > > Our moonlit ski down to the capture facility is a well worn path, > our skis can almost follow it on their own. It is part of our commitment to > be here all winter, the tangible proof that we will continue to speak for > the buffalo, to defend the lands that their ancestors travelled each winter > in search of the food they needed for survival. > > If you feel in your heart that you want to take direct action to > prevent the deaths of these buffalo come to West Yellowstone and help first > hand. We provide food and a space in our warm cabin for all who volunteer. > Contact us at (406) 646-0070 or [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > If you are unable to come in person you can support our work in > other ways. Any donations you make will be put to good use in defending > the buffalo from such senseless slaughter. Many of our volunteers have > given months or years of their lives to this work. Your financial support > allows us to feed, house, and send these dedicated people out on patrol. > > Help us turn up the heat on the one person who is directly > responsible for the current situation. Let Gov. Racicot know that you find > the slaughter unacceptable! Call him at 1-800-332-2272 or (406) 444- 3111 > or email him at: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] and mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Call the DOL's acting director Marc Bridges from in state at 1-800-523-3162 > ext. 3 or (406) 444-2023. > > Thank you all for your support. Knowing that there are many out > there who can not be there but are with us in spirit gives us the strength > to keep working. Keep in touch and keep speaking out for the buffalo at > this crucial time. > > Sue Nackoney > and all of us here at Buffalo Nations > > Buffalo Nations > PO Box 957 > West Yellowstone, MT 59758 > 406-646-0070 phone > 406-646-0071 fax > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > ******************************************************************** > Other helpfull email addresses.... > > "Agertonson (MT Gov)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Montana State Vet > "Bruce Babbitt" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, > "Conrad Burns (Sen)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Montana Senator > "Daniel Glickman (Ag Secy)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Secretary of Agriculture > "Dave Garber (Gallatin Nat'l Forest)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, > "Diana Enright (Forest Service)"<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, > "Diana Enright (USDA)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, > "Dr.. Craig Reed (USDA)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, > "Dr. Tom Walton (USDA)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, > Hillary Clinton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, > "Ira Hobbs (USDA)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, > "Kris Lee(NEPA)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, > "Laurie Fenwood (USDA)"<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, > "Matthew T. Cohn (MT Tourism)"<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, > "Max Baucus (Sen)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, > "Mike Dombeck (Head of Forest Service)"<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, > "Mike Finley (NPS)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, > Montana DOL <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, > Montana Governor Marc Racicot <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > "Mrs. Al Gore" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, > President Bill Clinton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, > "Thurston Elfstrom (MT Tourism)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, > Vice President Al Gore <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, > "Wardell C. Townsend, Jr. (USDA)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > ____________________________________________________________________ > Department of Livestock to consider more lenient policy toward bison > > BOZEMAN (AP) - The Montana Board of Livestock will consider switching to a > more lenient federal definition of > "low-risk" bison around Yellowstone National Park, a change that could save > the lives of many of the animals. > > When the Department of Livestock traps bison in the West Yellowstone area, > it only releases those animals it considers > low risk. If the definition of "low risk" were relaxed, fewer bison would > be killed. > > The department's current policy requires brucellosis testing of many bison > that leave the park. Only those that test > negative for the disease, which can cause animals to abort their fetuses > and can cause undulant fever in humans, are > considered low-risk. > > But federal officials define low-risk differently. The Animal and Plant > Health Inspection Service defines low-risk bison as > untested bulls, yearlings, calves and cows that have completely passed a > placenta. > > Brucellosis is passed primarily through contact with infected birthing > materials or aborted fetuses. State officials killed > nearly 1,100 bison during the winter of 1996-97 in order to protect the > Montana's brucellosis-free status. > > "In terms of this situation, bull bison and calves can go in certain areas > as long as they are hazed back into the park 30 > to 60 days before cattle" return to the area, said Patrick Collins, > director of legislative and public affairs for APHIS. In that > case, the bison will "pose no threat to Montana cattle." > > There are no cattle in the area now, and there won't be until June. > > State Veterinarian Arnold Gertonson said Friday that the APHIS definition > of low-risk is still undergoing some fine > tuning, but that he'll present the APHIS definition to the Board of > Livestock when the group meets Jan. 21 and 22 in > Helena. > > "I can bring it before the board," Gertonson said. "We'd be willing to take > a look at it." > > State livestock officials have maintained in the past that APHIS guidelines > may not be sufficient to appease state > veterinarians in other states, each of which has the power to impose > sanctions on animals imported to their state from > Montana. > > But Collins said his agency has been able to persuade other state vets of > the safety of Montana beef. > > "If they don't have a scientific basis (for threatening sanctions), we've > been pretty successful in getting them to back off," > Collins said. > > Copyright 1999 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not > be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. > > Updated: Sunday, January 10, 1999 > Copyright � The Billings Gazette, a division of Lee Enterprises. > > _______________________________________________________ > ___________________________________________________________ > Our web pages are current and full of great info; please share the URL with > friends and others who care.... > http://www.wildrockies.org/buffalo > > If this has been passed on to you via a friend or a list, please subscribe to > mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > to receive the most current news from the field as well as other pertinent > Yellowstone buffalo info (2-3 updates per month)! > > List-Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > List-Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > News Submissions or Problems: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > ************************************************************************ -- Sincerely, ~Asad (JORDAN2339) __________________________________ VISIT MY BEAUTIFUL SITE @ BULLS FAN CENTRAL http://welcome.to/BullsFanCentral/
