| From: Angel’s Gate
Good Morning,
This morning "The Family Pet", NEWS 12 Long Island ran an episode that
is most disturbing. Dr. Greenfield had on a representative from The Suffolk
County Farm in Yaphank. She is advocating the duck breeding program in
elementary schools. As many of you know Angel's Gate is home to many of
these displaced ducks. We have an active campaign to stop the breeding of
animals in the classroom but we need your help. The Family Pet show airs
7:30AM, 11:30AM, 5:30PM and12:30AM Saturday and Sunday. After viewing please
contact Dr. Greenfield with your opinion. Our sample letter follows below.
Dr. Jonathan Greenfield
Syosset Animal Hospital
700 Jericho Turnpike
Syosset NY 11791
greenfield@familypetshow.com
phone 516-921-0700
fax 516-921-0640
The following is a letter that I have sent to Dr. Greenfield and the
producers of the show:
Dear Dr. Greenfield
This is in response to your show airing January 22, 2005. I am appalled that
“educational” programs such as this exist. What exactly are we teaching our
children? Dr. Greenfield you asked a very poignant question, “What happens
to these animals after the classroom experiment is complete?” Your guest’s
response said it all. It demonstrated that she knew the outcome will
certainly not benefit the animal.
For the animals used in these “educational experiments”, death is a
certainty. If returned to the farm, they are slaughtered or used in
breeding programs. Many animals, however, never make it back to the farm. In
the classroom some die when they are dropped or mishandled. Often teachers
send the newly hatched chicks home with the children. Though well intended
families are ill equipped to care for these animals. They are flock animals
and do not do well in a solo existence. Housing is often a problem and many
are killed by other family pets. Every spring we are inundated with calls
from families who have taken home a chick and they are looking for
placement. We also get calls to rescue helpless ducks found in local ponds.
Last year we got a call from 11-year-old Tim Eisemann who was disheartened
and frantic when he heard the plight of his new charges. I told him that I
would take the 4 chicks that his 6th grade class had incubated. When he
arrived at Angel’s Gate he had 22 Peking chicks with him. He had called all
the classes in the school that incubated eggs. He wanted to save them all.
The “Duckling Project” can be read on our web site, www.angelsgate.org
How does creating life only to discard it teach the value of life to our
children? The information in these classroom experiments can be learned
through virtual programs such as those used by UC Davis. These virtual
programs are even being used in their veterinary college.
“The Family Pet” has always been a show that is informative and educational.
This episode undermines the value of life and to be promoting this for our
children is unconscionable. We need to have reverence for all life.
Namaste,
Susan Marino
Founder/Director
Angel’s Gate
Hospice &Rehabilitation Center for Animals
www.angelsgate.org
631-269-7641
|
United
Poultry Concerns, Inc.