Federal K9 agent killed in line of duty - Detroit

Federal canine agent Freddy was killed in the line of duty this week, during an FBI raid here in Detroit.

Read the story FBI mourns Freddy the dog, 2, killed in raid in The Detroit Free Press. There are links to make a donation, and info on where to send condolences.

Check out this link http://k9pride.com/ to learn more about police, military, and working dogs worldwide.

The Dallas Zoo & Jenny the Elephant

The Dallas Zoo is seeking to relocate its 32-year old African elephant, Jenny, to the Africam Safari Park in Puebla, Mexico. (yes, Africam)

According to the NY Times story What to Do With Traumatized Elephant Stirs Up Dallas, there has been a local -- and increasingly national -- uproar over the Dallas Zoo's choice of future home for Jenny the elephant. Jenny is considered somewhat of a "special needs" elephant, as she at one time suffered from serious depression which included anger and self-mutilation.

So, what's all the fuss about?

Since the death earlier this year of the Zoo's other elephant, Jenny has lived alone. Zoo officials hope to relocate Jenny to the newly AZA-accredited Africam Safari Park, which offers a part of a 4.9-acre shared elephant site. (Currently, one acre of the proposed space is occupied by several Asian elephants.) However, Jenny has an opportunity to live out her life at The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, in a setting offering her several hundred acres within their 2,700 acre sanctuary.

You would think it would be a no-brainer for The Dallas Zoo, but it is not. The Safari Park offers significantly less roaming space than the Sanctuary (a portion of a 4.9-acre elephant site compared to 300+ acres), and less experienced staff. Additionally, the American Zoo Association (AZA) standards are voluntary amongst its members; the Safari Park accounts to no one. Also, more walking space would help in preventing arthritis, which many zoo elephants are prone to because of the small size of their enclosures.

Perhaps most importantly, the move of Jenny from a zoo to a drive-through theme park both perpetuates and highlights an organizational perspective of very street-level thinking: that animals are easily disposable, that the size of an animal's enclosure is irrelevant to quality of life.

Visit concernedcitizensforjenny.net to find out more about Jenny and how you can help in her quest for a better life.

Comedienne Lily Tomlin has become active in efforts to convince Zoo officials to allow Jenny to live at the Sanctuary....or any sanctuary. Read her blog post Lily Tomlin to the Rescue of a Special Needs Elephant.

To submit an online email to the mayor of Dallas, Tom Leppert, click on this link. Or, email tom.leppert@dallascityhall.com. To reach the Mayor and City Council members, write to: Mayor/City Council, City of Dallas, 1500 Marilla Street, 5th Floor, Dallas, TX 75201-6390

Bush Seeks to Render Endangered Species Act Comatose

ABC News reports that the Bush administration is seeking to make extinct parts of the Endangered Species Act. The following is a bit from that story, Bush to Relax Protected Species Rules:

The Bush administration wants federal agencies to decide for themselves whether highways, dams, mines and other construction projects might harm endangered animals and plants.

New regulations, which don't require the approval of Congress, would reduce the mandatory, independent reviews government scientists have been performing for 35 years, according to a draft first obtained by The Associated Press.

Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne said late Monday the changes were needed to ensure that the Endangered Species Act would not be used as a "back door" to regulate the gases blamed for global warming.

Well, that's pretty damned ridiculous. He says right there that his interest isn't "species," it's regulation of gases alleged to affect global warming. He's got his regulations mixed up. (Having things mixed-up seems to be common in the proud-of-his-college-"c"-average Bush administration.) Will somebody please slap the guy and yell "Snap out of it!"

Essentially, Bush proposes to "relax" current natural resources and wildlife policies, leaving the welfare of our natural resources and wildlife to be determined by federal agencies (such as the Dept. of Transportation) that know nothing about land and life, instead of agencies that do (Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, etc.).

Who needs independent assessments, second opinions, scientific input, diverse perspectives, or even a brain for that matter? Not us.

Would any of these federal agencies have proposed these projects in the first place if they thought it might be a problem? No, they wouldn't have wasted their time. If Bush has his way, these federal agencies will just go ahead with their projects without concern to anyone except their developers ($$$).

Please read today's NY Times editorial An Endangered Act, which addresses President Bush's continued attempts to eradicate the physical health and welfare of flora and fauna in this great country, quickly and surely.


It's a wonder I still have hair left.

Support The Detroit Zoo!

Please vote YES on August 5 to support the Detroit Zoo!

Pasted in below is the Proposal FAQ from The Detroit Zoo's web site. For more information about The Detroit Zoo, necessary funding, the Proposal, and how you can help, visit The Detroit Zoo's voter education pages.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Proposal?
The Detroit Zoological Society is asking Wayne, Oakland and Macomb Counties to each place a proposal on the ballot that asks voters to approve a tax of up to 0.10 of a mill on all taxable property for a period of 10 years. Funds will go to the Detroit Zoological Society to help support its operation and maintenance of the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Nature Zoo.

Why does the Zoo need the proposal?
The City of Detroit turned over governance and management of the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Nature Zoo to the Detroit Zoological Society in 2006. At the time of transition the City ceased its annual subsidy.

How much does it cost to operate the Zoo?
The DZS has an annual operating budget of $24 million dollars to operate the Detroit Zoo and the Belle Isle Nature Zoo in fiscal 2009. The City of Detroit was the source of a direct annual operating subsidy for 77 years. The current budget has one-third coming from earned revenue (admissions, parking, concessions, rides, rentals); one-third from contributed income (donations, memberships, sponsorships, grants) and one-third from a newly proposed public funding source.

How much will the proposal cost me?
A 0.10 of a mill tax will cost the average homeowner of a $200,000 home approximately $10 per year. That’s less than a dollar a month!

Is a ballot proposal necessary?
We continue to increase earned revenues and aggressively raise funds from the private sector (foundations, corporations, individuals), but the DZS needs a long-term sustainable source of public funding in order to continue serving the community.

Why are three different counties being asked to support the zoo?
The Detroit Zoo benefits the entire tri-county Metro Detroit region, and a substantial proportion - 85percent, - of the Zoo’s members and visitors come from the tri-county community. Therefore, it only makes sense for support to come from this entire area – not just one city, county or organization.

Why Should I care about the Zoo?
The Zoo is part of every Metro-Detroit family. You’d be hard pressed to find a family who hasn’t spent time at the Zoo. Throughout the tri-county area schools use the Zoo for field trips and hands-on learning. The animals and programs at the Detroit Zoo have educated, entertained, amused and amazed every generation for generations.

Do other zoos receive public funding?
Yes, more than two-thirds of nationally accredited nonprofit zoos receive public funding. Public funding accounts for 30-40percent of the operating budgets among nonprofit-operated zoos (this figure is even higher among government-operated institutions).

Will county residents get any special discounts if the proposal passes?
Yes. The Zoo and county zoological authorities in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne County will mutually determine what benefits its residents will receive should the ballot proposal pass. Benefits could include education discounts, free admission on select days, or any number of yet-to-be-determined discounts.

What happens if the tax doesn’t pass?
We believe the community understands the value of this regional gem and will support this measure to secure the Zoo’s future.

Genesee County Animal Control Adds Insult to Injury

A Mt. Morris, Michigan, (Genesee County) animal control shelter killed the "wrong" dog. The shelter staff lethally injected a family dog that was being held only for observation.

The kill shelter has offered that the family adopt another dog from their shelter, and charge the family only for the spaying or neutering.

The Genesee County Animal Control staff can join others in The Dog House for their gift of adding insult to injury: essentially penalizing a family by having them reimburse the county for monies they wouldn't have had to spend if the county had not made a mistake in the first place.

Read the story at the WDIV web site.

River Rouge Animal 'Shelter' : Animals walk in and don't walk out

Here's an article forwarded to me by the people at ReGAP (Retired Greyhounds as Pets). It's about the fact that the so-called animal shelter in River Rouge, Michigan, destroys each and every animal that comes through its doors; there are no volunteers at this shelter, and no effort is made to adopt out the animals.

In fact, the animal control officer for the city, Ernest Bowling, seems to have taken it upon himself to make it a policy to not adopt out any animals. This after being told by the city to not sell animals to research (he had previously been selling all of them, it seems, to a specific licensed "breeder" that in turn would sell them to research).

Why the reactionary response by Mr. Bowling? Is he angry about not making a buck on the sale to one specific 'breeder'? Is he just an angry and spiteful person in general towards his employers? Does he just not care to put any effort into his work? My own feeling is that the guy should be fired and a new animal control officer hired, and at least make an effort to find homes for the animals; they should not sell to breeders or to research. If breeders are taking in stray stock, then they're obviously not concerned with genetics or characteristics or qualities, just with popping out another pup to sell.

Read the May 18 Detroit Free Press article Animal shelter is criticized. The original story, by Justine DePalma, is printed below the following update.

--------------------------------------------

UPDATE: May 21, 2008

Changes were made by the River Rouge City Council. Click on this link to watch a video at Fox News about the situation and the City Council meeting.

Read the Detroit Free Press article Animal shelter to stop using poisonous gas.

Here's an excerpt from the Freep story:

Officials also said at Tuesday night's meeting that they will consider getting a scanner to read pet identification computer chips and will talk with Dearborn's animal control about creating a volunteer system for the local pound.

Approximately 60 people, many of whom were pound volunteers from other cities, filled the second-floor courtroom in River Rouge City Hall to voice their concerns about the city's high euthanasia rate and the carbon dioxide used to kill strays.

Except for animals that died in their cages, escaped or were stolen, River Rouge has a 100% euthanasia rate, according to the city's file with the Michigan Department of Agriculture.

------------------------------------------

The Worst Shelter in Michigan
Written by: Justine DePalma
Published May 2, 2008

One Michigan animal "shelter" does not need volunteers. Services such as petfinder to increase adoptions are useless at this shelter. City of River Rouge runs a no frills animal "shelter". The rules are simple, if a stray dog or cat enters the River Rouge shelter, he/she will die at the end of the stray time. There are no reprieves. The sweetest poodles, the most stunning purebred Afghan, the great family mutt all have the same fate when they enter that building, death by
gassing. Animals entering the River Rouge shelter have drawn the worst shelter in the state of Michigan. It is the only shelter that killed every single animal unlucky enough to enter its doors.

Why does River Rouge kills all of the animals that enter its pound?

Ernest Bowling is the animal control officer for River Rouge and he is just following orders. In 2001, Fox2 News reporter, Fanchon Stinger aired an undercover investigation of Hodgins Kennel, a USDA Class B Dealer. River Rouge sold dogs and cats to Hodgins at that
time. Because of the public uproar, the River Rouge City Council commanded that its animal shelter stop selling to research. According to Bowling "the only way I can 100% guarantee that I'm not adopting out an animal to research is to not adopt them at all". It
seems that Bowling takes things literally and he claims Fred Hodgins told him that about 1% of the animals the shelter would adopt to the public would end up in research labs, so Bowling decided the only way to comply was to not adopt any. So for all these years Bowling gassed
every single dog and cat that entered his shelter. Every single one.

Call to Arms

River Rouge's Mayor Michael Balder and its City Council have some explaining to do. However, they will not change a thing unless people stand up for the animals. Humans must be their voices. Quick action is necessary to end this hideous slaughter. This project will take a little effort. River Rouge is still in the dark ages without email or even a web page.

Please visit this link to read a City of River Rouge Animal Shelter 2007 State of Michigan Shelter Report.

Please consider attending tonight's River Rouge City Council Meeting TONIGHT.

Residents and River Rouge city officials will hear from animal activists Tuesday who claim the city's shelter euthanizes animals at an alarming rate and uses poisonous gas to put them down, versus cheaper more humane methods.

Send letters to or call by telephone:

Mayor: Michael D Bowdler

City Council: Patty Campbell, Karen Ward, Derek Perry, Malcolm Moulton, Mark
Pruneau, Anthony Laginess

City of River Rouge
10600 W. Jefferson Ave.
River Rouge, MI 48218

Telephone: (313) 842-5604

Shame on the City of River Rouge, Michigan. They can go live in The Dog House.

Chicago Embarrases Itself; Overturns Ban on Foie Gras

The Chicago City Council has chosen to embarrass itself, ironically by saying that it was an embarrassment to have a two-year city-wide ban on pate de foie gras (fatty - diseased - duck liver). Looks like I made a mistake by thinking that Chicago was a progressive-minded city and on the forefront of a fight against animal cruelty.

Want to see how the foie gras gets to your plate? Click on this link to YouTube - it's one of the easier to watch videos. (Heavy metal pipes are shoved down the throat of a goose, as it is force fed directly to the stomach. This happens several times daily the last 2 - 3 weeks of a goose's life. It's akin to rape.)

You can also purchase a copy of the ABC Night Line program, from March 2007, at their online store. Or, check out the web site No Foie Gras.

Read the Diners Jourrnal blog post Chicago Overturns Foie Gras Ban at The New York Times.

Shame on Chicago, and shame on the Chicago City Council. They're in The Dog House for preferring to condone animal cruelty rather than risk embarrassment by foie gras consumers.

Endangered Species Act: Yellowstone Wolves

There are almost no words that I can say to convey the utter stupidity and audacious carelessness of our current presidential administration's policy to do away with our country's wildlife and eco-systems; it's as though we're rushing head first into ecological genocide. (But, hey, business is great.)

After successfully ridding most of the western part of this country and Yellowstone National Park of all wolves nearly a century ago, the government decided in the 1990's to transplant 66 Canadian wolves in the Park. Over those short years, the number of wolves has grown to about 1,300. They were protected by the Endangered Species Act.

While scientists say that to protect and encourage healthy genetic diversity the wolves should number over 2,000 before being de-listed. The federal government thinks otherwise, and in February took the wolves off the Endangered Species list. As a result, Park employees are allowed to kill wolves they deem a "problem," and any that step out of the park onto state land are allowed to be hunted by sportsmen and ranchers alike. Several wolves have already been killed, two as "trophies."

The following is from a New York Times article titled U.S. Ends Protections For Wolves In 3 States, which I suggest you read:

State management plans allow for wolf hunting, or outright eradication in some places — including most of Wyoming — with a target population of 150 in each of the three states.

There are over 330 million people in this country, and we want to limit the numbers of wolves to 150 in each state? I say let the ranchers lose a cow or bull once a month (the average loss) in exchange for keeping a species alive, thriving, and healthy. I also say let the hunters have less elk to eat and less trophies in exchange for keeping a species alive, thriving, and healthy. For keeping our ecosystem - and human life - intact.

A New York Times editorial says the exact words that I feel about this situation; please read When Protection Vanishes, published in today's paper.


During his 7-year tenure as President, Bush has listed less than 60 animals as Endangered Species. Both Clinton and the former President Bush each listed at least 60 animals annually.

Thanks to our selfishness, we are putting ourselves in a dangerous situation where one day our wildlife will be depleted to the point of (near) extinction - leaving us without natural resources, sport, food, and jobs. Without maintaining our natural ecosystems - and the lives of those with whom we share the earth - we'll be putting an end to our own lives.

Read the Washington Post 2004 story Endangered Species Act's Protections are Trimmed.

Consider the current federal government wildlife polices in The Dog House.

(See detroit dog's March 23 post about Yellowstone Bison.)

Update 4/12/2008:

Read the New York Times story In the West, a Fierce Battle Over Wolves. It explains the current situation between those that want to hunt and/or kill wolves and those that want wolves re-listed on the Endangered Species list. (10 wolves were killed the first week they were de-listed.) The de-listing of wolves will be contested by animal welfare/rights and environmental groups in a federal court on April 28.

Check the State of Wyoming Game and Fish web site for Wolf Information (links to Weekly Wolf Update and news releases, management plans, etc.)

Let's stop trophy hunting, and re-list the wolves for greater numbers and better genetic diversity.

Endangered Species Act: Yellowstone Bison

A short post today. Just want to post some links to a couple of stories about issues that I think are very important.

The first of these is found in today's Washington Post, and is titled Since '01, Guarding Species Is Harder and subtitled Endangered Listings Drop Under Bush. As the title infers, it's become incredibly difficult during the Bush Jr. administration to get animals listed as endangered species; policy has been set to purposefully make it difficult. Why? Well, my take on it is that it's good for business, big business. During Bush's tenure thus far, less than 60 species have been listed as endangered. In contrast, during the Clinton and elder Bush's tenures an average of 60 species were listed annually. In the meantime, Bush denied an emergency listing for a sock-eye salmon which has since become extinct, as has a pygmy rabbit that he denied habitat protection.

Today's New York Times runs the story Anger Over Culling of Yellowstone's Bison, about the hunting and slaughterhouse deaths of bison that have wandered out of Yellowstone into "the state of Montana." (Sorry, no link.) When winter snows are heavy in the mountains, the bison migrate into the valley to graze on grass in attempts to stave off starvation; it's then that they are hunted or rounded up for the slaughterhouse by Park employees. What is especially terrible about this slaughter is the increased loss of genetic diversity within the herd; often four generations of females travel together, and the culling essentially wipes out entire families.

(See detroit dog's April 5 post about the Endangered Species Act and Yellowstone Wolves.)

Marine Throws Puppy Off Cliff

You would think that the U.S. military could use some good PR just about now. But no. A video has surfaced showing a Marine Lance Corporal throwing a puppy off a cliff, while the camera person (it's believed) comments on the meanness of it.

Just a fake video? No. The Marines know the officer in question and are not releasing his name pending further investigation. The video had been running on YouTube, but is now down. If you do a search on the site for "marine puppy," several videos will show. However, when you click on the video to play, this is what shows on a banner at the top of the page: This video has been removed due to terms of use violation. You can still see the video of the smiling soldier (with other smiling soldiers) at the web site Dumpen Maar. You can also sign a petition titled Stand Against Puppy-Killing Soldiers at the Care2 petition site.

Ugly and mean. You think that these people are here to protect us, but such cavalier attitudes toward life make you question the focus of their missions or, at the least, their competency in enforcing it.

Addendum (thanks to my spouse): This particular marine is a punk, not a warrior. A true warrior uses his skills and knowledge when appropriate; a true soldier is not gratuitously violent. Unfortunately, this guy chooses to misrepresent the mission of military colleagues.

Addendum 2: Some of the video viewers are suggesting that perhaps the puppy was dead, since it was limp, and that it's yelp was dubbed in. detroit dog thinks not. The puppy was indeed limp, as young pups do when picked up by the scruff of the neck. But the puppy still had a lot of muscle tone there. Have you ever seen a dead rabbit or other dead animal in an upright position? All of their legs hang as straight down as is possible given their angled joints. This pup's legs and paws were still held up. Also, the video quality appears to be that of either a small camera or a cell phone camera. I can't imagine that someone would go through all the trouble of inserting a yelp sound for an otherwise worthless video.

Thanks to my friend KE at Lusting WanderLuster for bringing this issue to my attention. You can read the news story Video appears to show Marine abusing puppy at CNN.

Hallmark Meats: Abuse Video, Update, Recall, Contacts....

Note: For additional info and news links, see my January 30 post.


Lots of "Breaking News" this past weekend resulting from the Hallmark/Westland Meat expose, generated by a Humane Society video documenting routine unlawful practices including gratuitous animal abuse.

As you might have heard by now, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has withdrawn federal inspectors from Hallmark Meat Packing Company, provoking a company recall of over 140 million pounds of beef. The size of this recall is historic due both to the amount of beef and time frame for recall - going back 2 years. (Ugly to think that meat from 2 years ago is still around.)

FYI: The USDA will not approve for slaughter 'downed' cows, as it's indicative of the severe health problems of the cow, and the increased possibilities that the cow's meat will infect our food supplies with dangerous E. coli and salmonella bacteria, as well as a life-threatening brain encephalopathy.

Slaughterhouse Hallmark Meat Packing is the second largest supplier of beef to the National School Lunch Program, which also feed the needy and the elderly. [The company's Operations Manager is also President of Westland Meat Company, which is a buyer/distributor of meats from Hallmark.]

Programs affected: National School Lunch Program, the Emergency Food Assistance Program and the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations.

Here is contact information for the Michigan National School Lunch Program (as listed on the USDA "Food Distribution Programs" web page):

NSLP, State Processing Contact:
Cheryl A. Schubel, Acting Supervisor
Fiscal Management and Food Distribution Grants
Coordination and School Support
Michigan Department of Education
PO Box 30008
Lansing, MI 48909
Tel: (517) 241-2597
Fax: (517) 373-4022
Email: SchubelCA@michigan.gov

According to WDIV TV news, some of the Hallmark/Westland beef was distributed by public schools in Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, and Portage, Michigan.

Check out the NBC Today Show story and see the Humane Society undercover video, which documents attempts to force sick and injured cattle to stand up - as required by law for inspection and approval for slaughter.

This is what I saw on the video:

• electric shocks to immobile cattle's rectums, heads, necks, and backs
• pushing/raising cows with forklift prongs
• rolling cows with the forklift's wheels
  
• slamming cows into the killbox with forklifts
• cows being kicked in the head, and hit in the head with the ends of poles
  
• high intensity water sprays shot up cows' nostrils ("veterinary water-boarding")
• cows dragged across the ground by their necks and legs with chains attached to vehicles

According to the USDA, the abuses were carried out immediately following daily USDA inspections. !!! USDA staff says that at the time of inspections, the cattle were standing and appeared healthy and did not fall down until afterwards. ??? Well, that remark certainly absolves them of any wrongdoing.

NOT.

Slaughterhouse staff are required to notify the on-site USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) for re-evaluation of a downed animal. The USDA is saying that Hallmark did not "consistently" contact their staff. My question is: if these Inspectors are on-site all day everyday, how could they possibly be ignorant of such appalling practices? Nice way for the USDA to let Hallmark be the fall-guy for their own inability to police.

Two Hallmark staffers seen on tape abusing the animals have been fired from their jobs and have been charged with felony and misdemeanor animal abuse.

How could Hallmark be unaware of their employees' behaviors for at least six weeks (during which the actions were videotaped)? Nice way for a business to shirk responsibility and let their employees be the fall-guy. Really, do you want to do business with a company that says it doesn't know what its employees are doing day in and day out? How can you not see cows being dragged behind vehicles or lifted with forklifts. Does someone yell Hey, the boss is coming! and suddenly everything seems normal?

Hallmark management staff is either incredibly stupid or incredibly malicious with their "save management, sacrifice the blue-collar worker" attitude. The senior staff should be charged with felonies - perhaps fraud and animal abuse.

detroit dog's thoughts: Hallmark's routine abuse is more than likely not the industry exception. Hallmark management should be held accountable for the actions of their employees. The good that's come of these terrible acts: millions are now aware of how their foods are processed, and how animals are treated prior to slaughter; people are rethinking the eating of meat (I know one person that's just become a vegetarian; detroit dog has been vegetarian since you were a pup); people are taking a closer look at government due diligence.


Contact info for Hallmark-Westland Meats:
Westland Meat Company, 13677 Yorba Ave., Chino, CA 91710
909-590-3340
Email is: info@westlandmeat.com

Website: www.westlandmeat.com


The following is lifted from Release No. 0048.08 at the USDA web site, where you can find other releases and information regarding the recall, including a statement by Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer, transcripts and audio of technical briefings, and a listing of all news releases and statements (titled USDA Actions).

Q. Why didn't FSIS personnel witness non-ambulatory animals being presented for slaughter?

A. FSIS inspection program personnel conduct ante-mortem inspection on all cattle on the same day of slaughter. If an animal becomes non-ambulatory before or at the time of being presented for slaughter, plant personnel are required to summon an FSIS Public Health Veterinarian to re-evaluate the animal.

If an animal becomes non-ambulatory after passing ante-mortem inspection, the Public Health Veterinarian may make a determination, on a case by case basis, that the animal was unable to walk due to an acute injury, such as due to a broken leg, and would therefore be eligible to move on to slaughter as a "U.S. Suspect."

FSIS inspection program personnel maintain a continuous presence at all slaughter establishments while they are operating.

FSIS inspection program personnel are stationed at various points throughout the slaughter and processing operation.

Public Health Veterinarians or other inspectors visit the holding pens to conduct ante-mortem inspection on an entire lot. They also randomly return to the area to observe specific humane handling activities at other times throughout each production shift.

Check the USDA FSIS web site for a listing of food "Open Federal Cases"; information is downloadable via PDF. Or, check out the Los Angeles Times list of recalled Hallmark /Westland beef products.

To read more about this historic recall and the human health perspective, read today's Washington Post article USDA Orders Largest Meat Recall in U.S. History.

U.S. Reps DeLauro, Miller, and McCarthy, and Sen. Dick Durbin, have asked the Government Accountability Office to investigate and explain processes for the protection of students and schools. Read the Reuters story Lawmakers Call For Review of School Lunch Program.

What to do? Send a message to Secretary of Agriculture Edward Schafer; visit the Humane Society web site and "Take Action."