Shoot Down Gov. Pataki’s “Children
and Guns” Proposal
Faced with a declining number of hunters and a chronic deficit
in the hunting coffers, Gov. Pataki’s budget proposes to lower the
hunting age of children from 16 to 14, allowing them to bear firearms
and kill deer in ‘big game’ season, while accompanied by
an adult. If passed, the lowering of the hunting age will result in
the
further desensitization of children to the suffering of animals, and
places kids in dangerous situations where fatal accidents often occur.
The state should not be in the role of encouraging violence and placing
weapons in the hands of children, which can lead to destroying animals
and committing violence against humans.
Please write and call: Governor George Pataki, Executive Chamber, State
Capitol Bldg., Albany, NY 12224; 212-681-4580; email: gov.pataki@
chamber.state.ny.us.
Speaker Sheldon Silver, c/o Dean Fuleihan, NYS Assembly, Rm. 347, State
Capitol Bldg., Albany, NY 12248; 518-455-3791 and 212-312-1420; email:
speaker@assembly.state.ny.us.
Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, L.O.B. Rm. 909, Albany, NY 12247; 518-455-3191
and 518-583-1001; email: bruno@senate.state.ny.us.
Ask them to shoot down the portions of Governor Pataki’s “Children
and Guns” Budget Bills A2000 and S1148 proposing to lower the hunting
age to 14 years old. Ask them not to sell out our children in exchange
for increased license sales and other revenue. State that this is a
public safety issue and remind them of the deadly use of hunting firearms
by children in several schools. Explain that almost all hunting deaths
occur during “big game” season as opposed to “small game”
season. Placing weapons in the hands of children, even with adult accompaniment,
will result in more hunting fatalities and injuries in the woods.—From
The Fund for Animals (www.fund.org)
Petition to Prohibit the Slaughter of Downed Animals
There is a petition currently before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration—Docket
# 98P-0151/CP1—that, if granted, would prohibit the slaughter of
“downed” animals—animals too sick or injured to walk
into the slaughterhouse under their own power. Please support this common-sense
petition. Sick animals should not be permitted to enter the human food
supply. They may have bacterial infections, or other communicable illnesses.
There is even the threat of ‘mad cow disease,’ which has
caused so much death and suffering overseas, and cannot be ruled out
as a possibility
here in the U.S. Additionally, it is cruel and inhumane to move a sick
or injured animal. Such animals are currently dragged with chains or
pushed with tractors, resulting in further injury. A prohibition on
their slaughter would encourage the industry to provide better care,
and would protect the public from the risk of contamination.
For more information, contact: Robyn Thunderchild, Campaigns Coordinator,
Farm Sanctuary, 607-292-3731, ext. 11, or email robyn@farmsanctuary.org.
