Animal rights activists harassed, threatened in SC

By Stewart and Terri David

By Stewart and Terri David Aug. 7— Asheville activists demonstrated against animal abuse on Saturday, Aug.4, at Hollywild Animal Park outside Inman, SC. The activists were met by Spartanburg County Sheriff’s deputies intent on intimidation, with the purpose of denying the protesters their right to free speech. The scene turned uglier when protesters had their tires slashed. Hollywild was targeted for its consistent failure to meet minimal federal standards for the care of animals used in exhibition, as established in the federal Animal Welfare Act. The USDA has cited Hollywild repeatedly for failure to provide veterinary care, environment enrichment to primates suffering from psychological stress, shelter from inclement weather, and minimum space, as well as for improper feeding and watering, filthy and foul-smelling enclosures, failure to maintain enclosures, inadequate drainage, and improper waste disposal. At least 6 elephants have died since November 1991, including 5 who died within the same three-month period. There are 300 currently living at Hollywild. More information about Hollywild can be found at . One of the demonstrators, a teacher in South Carolina, visited Hollywild the day before the protest to witness the situation firsthand. Her observations included the following: a zebra bleeding from the top of his front leg and wire wrapped around the lower part of the leg, a goat run over that day by one of the safari buses, a brown bear housed in an 8x12 foot enclosure with no den, a tiger enclosure in total shade with the floor covered in mud and reeking of urine, and a baboon with a large tumor. Hollywild is run by David and Lucia Meeks. Ms. Meeks took pictures of protesters and their license plates shortly after their arrival. Activists were told by deputies to move their cars from the Hollywild parking lot, and they complied with the request. Then deputies told activists they were not allowed to protest along the road and insisted they move to a spot over a mile away, the same spot to which they had moved their cars. Sergeant Creek threatened to immediately arrest those who refused. When activists reached their cars, they found that while the vehicles were unattended, three cars had two or more of their tires slashed. Ms. Meeks had earlier taken down the license numbers, and Hollywild employees were seen congratulating one another with “high fives” when one employee returned from the direction the cars were parked. The deputies showed little interest in investigating the incident. A sheriff’s department superior was reached and informed of the illegal actions of the deputies, and activists went back to protest across from the Hollywild entrance. There will be another demonstration at Hollywild on Saturday, Aug. 18, from 1-3pm. Supervisors at the Spartanburg Sheriff’s Office have assured activists that Sergeant Creek was not following his orders, and that officers will attend the next demonstration with participants’ safety foremost in their minds. Activists will meet nearby and shuttle people in; cars will not be left unattended.

Information: Carolina Animal Action, (828) 298-4647; meatstinks@aol.com; or John Kimbrell, (864)-814-4700, jkimbrell@juno.com.

Governor Easley threatens to pull the “trigger” on the Clean Smokestacks Bill

Aug. 6— Governor Easley is considering a proposal that will drastically cut the air pollution reductions provided for in Senate Bill 1078, commonly called the Clean Smokestacks Bill, that was overwhelmingly approved by the Senate in April. The governor is apparently succumbing to pressure from a vocal minority of large industrial users whose power is generated by coal-fired power plants, and are complaining that the provisions of Senate Bill 1078 will raise their rates by an estimated 5%. Easley is considering a new “trigger mechanism” that will alter the bill and reduce its effectiveness. “The governor is placing corporate profits decidedly above the health of North Carolinians and the environment,” said Scott Gollwitzer, Air Pollution Task Force Coordinator with Appalachian Voices. “At some point in the future, the proposal will allow Duke Power and Progress Energy (formerly CP&L), to excuse themselves from complying with about one-third of the Senate’s scheduled reductions of deadly sulfur dioxide emissions through what is called a ‘trigger’ mechanism. Easley’s proposal will only require these polluters to reduce their emissions of sulfur dioxide from 480,000 tons annually to 250,000 tons annually, instead of the annual 130,000-ton cap called for by the Senate. Then, at some point in the future, based upon some currently uncontrollable condition(s), the remaining reductions, depending on the actions of Duke Power and Progress Energy, may or may not become a reality.” Dr. Harvard Ayers, Chairman of the Board of Appalachian Voices, says, “Sulfur dioxide is the main culprit in terms of the impacts of power plant air pollution on human health and mortality in NC. If adopted, the Governor’s plan will, no doubt, result in hundreds of additional deaths and other health problems across the state each year. Is this the kind of leadership we expect from Governor Easley, to compromise our health and our environment?” According to Tracy Davids, Executive Director of the Southern Appalachian Biodiversity Project: “The people of North Carolina overwhelmingly support the Clean Smokestacks Bill in its current form because it insures healthier air for all to breathe. Adding a trigger mechanism to the Act insures nothing but uncertainty. It’s disappointing that the Governor may turn his back on the wishes and health of the many, in favor of the profits of a few.” Referring to the 1970 Clean Air Act and amendments, Lou Zeller, Clean Air Campaign Coordinator for the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, said, “Duke and CP&L have had decades to bring these coal-fired generators up to date. North Carolina prides itself on being a leader in the South and a leader in the nation. What is the Governor waiting for? Governor Easley should be using his bully pulpit to help drag the state’s coal-fired dinosaurs into the 21st Century.”

Source: Canary Coalition; canarycoalition@earthlink.net