[FEL-L] RE:New USDA policy. No declawing or pulling of teeth

[Ray]

>From who? Seriously. Those are cheap words. They did it to domestic owners - 
a MUCH bigger and more powerful group. It's law in many places now. All was 
posted on the lists. Breeding bans, declaw bans, sales bans, pet store bans, 
etc. People took it like sheep watching others of their flock being 
slaughtered.

Talk is cheap.  I see so much of it here. "They better NOT try to do that!" 
Then they do it and nothing happens. People have accepted being legislated 
out of their animals, having USDA tell them to go out of business, and on 
and on - and NOBODY has ever fought back. They just give up their animals, 
maybe move to the next place to repeat the cycle - until there's nowhere 
left to run to.

Let's be honest. Ownership is no longer a right, it's a state-granted 
privilege. If the state (meaning any level of government) says "No" that's 
the end of it. Precedent has been built up and NEVER overturned. Owners will 
not stand together so nobody fears, much less respects them.

It is well-established in law that they CAN say whether and how you can have 
any animal. Owners right here MADE it that way by not fighting at the 
beginning and now it is far too late. Many campaigned for and welcomed it to 
nail others they hate. Some thought it was a "loophole" to use one person's 
misguided description.

This is just reality. USDA has started making morality decisions. They can 
take that anywhere they want if it stands. They are interpreting the AWA as 
AR people see it. Under the AR doctrine it is immoral to put a tiger in a 
cage - of any size. It is immoral to interact with it. To interfere IN ANY 
WAY with its life. Ergo, ALL captivity is a violation of the AWA since it 
violates "Animal Welfare" as they see it.

We have moved beyond safety excuses now. Now it's the morality of captivity. 
Once that horse is out of the barn it is all lost.

You can only do one of two things: Accept it and prepare for the day when 
they mandate NO exotic captivity or fight it NOW, in the courts, and get it 
overturned before it takes hold.

This is a test. Pass or fail. Which will it be? The next step will be too 
late to do anything about. THIS will be legal precedent for that. And the 
next.

With apologies:

When they came for the pet owners I said nothing because I hated pet 
ownership.
When they came for the breeders and brokers I said nothing because I hated 
them and was not one.
When they came for the circuses I said nothing because I did not like them.
When they came for the photo people I said nothing because I did not approve 
of it.
When they banned contact I said nothing because I did not approve of it.
When they banned declawing I stood by because objecting was not PC.
Then they came for me and nobody stood up to them...

The big argument now is about not supporting the ONE group that is willing 
to fight it because they aren't "pure" enough for us.

Well, worry about the broader war AFTER you win just ONE damn battle. Stalin 
wasn't our friend either but sometimes you have a bigger enemy to worry 
about.

You can get your hands dirty and fight or sit and grouse and let the tyrants 
march in. There is NO third option.

Pick now.

Ray

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tim Stoffel" <tim at lionlamb.us>
To: <felines-l at catbox.com>
Sent: Sunday, September 03, 2006 1:10 AM
Subject: Re: [FEL-L] RE:New USDA policy. No declawing or pulling of teeth


> On Sat, 2006-09-02 at 17:59 -0400, Ray wrote:
>> I wonder how much cheering there will be when they also follow the same 
>> pet
>> laws and mandate neutering of all big cats...
>>
>> Too many unwanted mongrels and all that.
>
> There will be war in this country if they try that.
>
> Tim Stoffel
>
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