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Making the ‘Cruelty Connection’:
From Boob Tube to Test Tube

Animals suffer terribly when they are ripped from their social structures, "trained" and forced to perform for humans’ "entertainment." And their pain and suffering often does not end in the circus ring, Hollywood, or on the "boob tube" screen.

Sue Ellen 15 years/entertainment 15 years/research HIV+ Contact the Fauna Foundation What you can do

(Winter 2002) — All-too-often, animals in the entertainment industry who have outlived their youthful "cuteness" or are no longer small or young enough to dominate are forced into the horrors of the research industry. There they spend lives of isolation, boredom, suffering and fear.

This "cruelty connection" between the "entertainment" and animal experimentation industries is starkly illustrated in the 2002 calendar of the Fauna Foundation, a Canadian sanctuary that is home to 14 chimpanzees and many other animals. The calendar gives us beautiful sketches of the chimpanzee residents along with some brief biographical information.

Consider this:

1. Donna Rae 12 years/entertainment 19 years/research HIV+
2. Pablo (d. 2001) 9 years/entertainment 16 years/research HIV+
3. Sue Ellen 15 years/entertainment 15 years/research HIV+
4. Billy Jo 15 years/entertainment 15 years/research HIV+
5. Yoko 7 years/entertainment 17 years/research HIV+
6. Annie 16 years/entertainment 21 years/research

Animals are being sent from one living hell to another. And in the case of five of the chimpanzees listed above who finally have safety and care and quality lives at the Fauna Foundation, the research industry "rewarded" their years of use and abuse as "entertainers" with infection with HIV!

What YOU Can Do to Disconnect the Cruelty Connection:

The "entertainment" industry abuses animals in both their training and living conditions and trivializes their suffering and fear. Please take every opportunity to educate industry leaders to the fact that animals have no place in "entertainment." Tell them that the cruel practice of turning "performing animals" into captive breeding machines and research subjects MUST be stopped.

Be ever vigilant of programs, ads, movies and other entertainment venues that use real animals. Write to them or call them immediately and tell them you do not want to see animals used and abused by their industry. In this day of sophisticated animatronics and computer imagery – there is no excuse. Anti-vivisectionists must be prepared to stop all sources of inexpensive, "expendable" animals for vivisectors.

Keep the following contact information for your reference:

Paramount Pictures Corp.
5555 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90038
323-956-5000

Walt Disney Pictures & TV
500 S. Buena Vista St.
Burbank, CA 91521
818-560-1000

Universal Studios, Inc.
100 Universal City Plaza
Universal City, CA 91608
818-777-1000

International Keystone Entertainment
Development, Sales and Distribution
23410 Civic Center Way, Suite E9
Malibu, CA 90265
310-317-4903
films@keypics.com

Visit Action Alerts for NEAVS’ response to Saturday Night Live’s callous and disrespectful use of chimpanzees. You may also want to view our "Tips for Letter-Writers" and sample letters on various issues.

Action Alert!
> Kraft Foods Commercials
> Help pass H.1252
> Chimps in Commercials

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The State of the Anti-Vivisection Movement in America