On May 1, 2011 3:39 PM, "Elizabeth Young" <adoptkings@gmail.com> wrote:
> YAHOO!!!!!
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Andrew Zollman <andrew@lgbtcompassion.org>
> Date: Sun, May 1, 2011 at 3:31 PM
> Subject: Activists end live bird sales at S.F. farmers' market
> To: AdoptKings@gmail.com
>
>
> *FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:*
>
> CONTACT
>
> *Andrew Zollman*, Founder & Organizer, LGBT Compassion
>
> Andrew@LGBTcompassion.org, (415) 297-0207
>
>
>
> *Alex Felsinger*, Volunteer Organizer, LGBT Compassion Live Markets Campaign
>
> AFelsinger@gmail.com, (831) 601-9062
>
>
>
> San Francisco activists end live bird sales at Heart of the City Farmers’
> Market
>
>
>
> *Activists’ efforts result in victory for animals and public health*
>
>
>
> For over two years, local animal advocates Andrew Zollman and Alex Felsinger
> have led investigations and protests of live poultry sales at San
> Francisco’s Heart of the City Farmers’ Market—but starting next month, the
> sales will be banned.
>
>
>
> Today the Heart of the City Farmers’ Market announced on its website (
> http://hocfarmersmarket.org/News%20&%20Events.html) that live bird sales
> will no longer be allowed effective May 27, 2011. Both Raymond Young Poultry
> and Bullfeathers Quail will no longer be welcomed at the market, which is
> held Wednesdays and Sundays in San Francisco’s UN Plaza.
>
>
>
> The activists, organized under the name LGBT Compassion, congratulate the
> market for finally deciding to make animal welfare and public health a
> priority after nearly two decades of allowing the cruel practice. The
> activists had urged market management and many government officials to stop
> the blatant animal cruelty and public health risks, along with many other
> violations of local, state and federal laws.
>
>
>
> The market’s manager has said that Raymond Young Poultry used to sell over
> 1,000 factory-farmed birds twice weekly, and LGBT Compassion estimates that
> Bullfeathers Quail bred and sold at least 350 birds each week at the market.
> The change in policy will prevent the sale of over 100,000 live animals for
> food every year.
>
>
>
> The January lawsuit filed with the California Superior Court-San Francisco
> by Felsinger and Zollman against both the Heart of the City Farmers’ Market
> and Raymond Young Poultry is still in progress. The lawsuit addresses
> repeated violent attacks and civil rights violations suffered by Zollman and
> Felsinger at the hands of market and vendor personnel.
>
>
>
> The activists have had success protesting live animal sales at other
> farmers’ markets in the Bay Area. In September 2009, Zollman and other
> activists successfully shut down New Long’s Live Poultry, which had operated
> in a parking lot near the Alemany Blvd. Farmers’ Market.
>
>
>
> More recently, live bird sales at the Old Oakland Farmers’ Market were
> banned as a result of the activists’ discussions with management.
>
>
>
> The activists’ efforts to stop similar violations at the Richmond, CA
> farmers’ market will now increase, as it is the last known Bay Area farmers’
> market to continue to allow live bird sales. The market is currently under
> investigation by Contra Costa Animal Services for animal cruelty. The
> Richmond City Manager’s office has so far refused to enforce laws and the
> market’s land use agreement, relying instead on other government agencies
> for enforcement.
>
>
>
> Investigations of the cruelty, health, and environmental problems surround
> the sale of live animals for food at other stores and markets will also be
> increased.
>
>
>
> LGBT Compassion was founded by Andrew Zollman and Warren Jones, who have
> long suffered oppression and threats of violence because of their minority
> status, and continue to fight for their own rights. Zollman and Jones work
> to inform the community of the parallels between oppression and abuse of
> animals and certain groups of humans, as well promote the animal welfare,
> health and environmental benefits of a vegan lifestyle.
>
>
>
> LGBT Compassion extends its deepest gratitude to nonprofit organizations
> United Poultry Concerns, In Defense of Animals, Bay Area Vegetarians, Farm
> Sanctuary, and other organizations and activists who provided important
> support to the campaign. It also wishes to thank Harvest Home Animal
> Sanctuary, San Francisco Animal Care and Control, MickaCoo Pigeon & Dove
> Rescue and Palo Alto Animal Services for re-homing birds rescued from these
> and other live animal markets.
>
>
>
> *Recent media coverage:*
> SF Bay Guardian, February 15, 2011:
> http://www.sfbg.com/2011/02/15/playing-chicken SF Chronicle, front page,
> January 7, 2011:
> http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2011/01/07/MNES1H4PSJ.DTL
> SF
> Examiner, front page, January 7, 2011:
> http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/2011/01/chicken-sellers-ruffle-feathers NBC
> Bay Area January 10, 2011:
> http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local-beat/Live-Chickens-Sold-at-SF-Farmers-Market-113222984.html
> SFAppeal.com:
> http://sfappeal.com/news/2010/12/showdown-or-stalemate-at-the.php KRON 4 TV:
> People Behaving Badly: Service Animals
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxB8IqITh1U Bay Area Reporter: Poultry market
> worker accused of anti-gay slur
> http://www.ebar.com/news/article.php?sec=news&article=5003
>
> *The Tenderblog.com:*
> http://thetenderblog.com/2011/01/19/the-live-chicken-line/
> http://thetenderblog.com/2010/10/13/questionable-poultry-sales-at-the-hoc-farmers-market/
> **
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> Elizabeth
> *
> *
> Until they all have homes, don't buy, don't breed- adopt.
> www.RescueReport.org
> www.MickaCoo.org
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGjyooh3Yo0