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Dateline 1992 Andrews Canine Chronicle Column keenly predictive, see inserted links to Project: PAWS.

Another writer's observation of the "similarity between animal rights rhetoric and Nazi propaganda" got my attention due to the political implications.   She said "animal extremists are just the latest hate group, pure and simple, and the animal rights issue is just a vehicle to disguise its character."  I consider Patti Strand among the most informed on the issue of animal rightists and she really 

Other writers have also pegged these groups pretty accurately. William Tapply, writing in Field & Stream 6/91 quotes Kathleen Marquardt, Director of "Putting People First" as stating, "People just don't understand how dangerous, how radical, the animal extremists are."  Nowadays it's hard to even know who the good guys are. For instance, Cleveland Amory, founder of the Fund For Animals, indicated he'd let his children die before he would harm an animal when asked if he would sacrifice an animal in order to get medicine needed to save his child's life. Radical? Extreme?  Mr. Tapply says these people scare him to death. Me too.

They frighten me, not just because of the ownership rights we're losing, not just because many of us can no longer enjoy our hobbies, otherwise known as "pursuit of happiness". It's not even about the Dog Pedigree Registries Bill, wherein Californians must declare in writing that the dog may not be purebred. These are problems but they are only the tip of the iceberg!

What scares the hell out of me is the warning of a broader conspiracy destined to undermine democracy by peeling away our rights as American citizens. World-watchers are saying it and America is waking up to some pretty weird happenings - while the dog fancy just snoozes on, dreaming of ribbons and ratings.

Look at the basic rights we're giving up without a fight. Multiply us by hundreds of other hobby or professional groups which are also being threatened. Ask the National Rifle Association. Whether you hunt animals or not, you have the constitutional right to bear arms in defense of your person and property. The examples could go on and on but I'll spare you.

Sally Stewart Bishop gave a brilliant lecture on the Humaniacs and Rightists groups at the JEA workshop in Washington State. Other than the opportunity to present my own breed, her talk was one of the highlights of my trip. Later that evening, Sally was about to explain the possible political ramifications of groups like PETA when the rest of our party arrived. We never got back to that subject but I'll bet Sally knows a lot more than how to breed great Corgis!

Think for a moment. How can the PETA movement become so powerful that its political agenda is on the table in almost every state in less than five years? Think about the international growth of Animal Rightist groups and that it seems to be spreading only within the democratic countries. The legislative power and especially, the source of the funding which fuels that power is a perplexing mystery of intriguing implications.

One has to wonder where the immense capital necessary to promote support animal rights groups comes from?  Even with the national respect accorded to the AKC, I very seriously doubt that the American Kennel Club, the Cat Fanciers Association, and all the breeders of dogs and cats in this country could raise a hundred million dollars in a few months time! That's no big deal for the extremists groups. They're amassing huge war chests and I fear Patti Strand and political commentators may be right. These are not animal rights groups -they're anti-American groups!  How ironic.  Buzzards in polyester. No sheep's clothes for these clever, twisted, political activists!

For example. Many counties banned "bull breeds" and we were astounded. We griped and said "How dare they?" but it didn't stop. Today many breeds are banned by entire countries. Dogs today -farm animals tomorrow! What's happening here? And why are we not up in arms, marching, protesting, rallying like the Rightists? We drive 500 miles to show a puppy but would we drive 200 miles to attend a rally for our right to own and show that puppy.

Perhaps I'm overreacting. Perhaps the leader of some wacko group is chuckling and dialing my number as he reads this, knowing I'm a candidate for the loony bin - ergo, for his subversive group. But truly folks, what more insidious way to undermine the inalienable rights we think we have than to start taking away that which we love second only to our friends and families?

Where is the American Civil Liberties Union? Probably lobbying for PETA! Discrimination? In some counties, you can keep a houseful of birds, hamsters, or goldfish but you can't own a Rottweiler without paying a special tax. Civil rights? We set convicted child molesters free after serving a fraction of their sentence but we kill a dog and put the owner in jail. Not because he intended to harm the victim, but because he was careless or irresponsible. And by the way, where are the Rightists when an innocent dog needs protecting? Out demonstrating against the right to own animals, that's where! If we give up our God-given dominion over the animals, it will be an easy next step to give up our constitutional right to eat meat or scrambled eggs or to drink milk. Farfetched? I think not!

Animal rightist groups say we should not own any animals. As Sally Bishop pointed out, we better be prepared to give up leather shoes, cashmere sweaters, silk blouses, and lanolin skin creams! If we allow our rights to be usurped in ways which we as dog owners are aware of, just think how our democracy is being broken down in other areas which we're not so acutely aware of.

By the way, how did PETA get listed in the new Encyclopedia Britannia? Do you know how many of our tax dollars are passed through Federal Funding  (Like USDA) to organizations such as PETA? (HSUS or AKC) Have you heard about the Puppy Lemon Law? No? Would you want to reimburse an owner three times the price of the puppy for alleged vet bills which could be for something over which you had no control? I've only mentioned one incredibly bad portion of an incredibly bad bill. Let's hope the Maryland crowd can stop it from becoming a national law.

A conspiracy to take away your constitutional rights? Yep, I really think so. We don't have to worry about the "bomb" blowing our lives to smithereens - the loss of our individual rights, pride, pleasures and freedoms will make our lives so miserable, they'll have won anyway.

Page 2                                                                                             Canine Chronicle – May 1992