November 15: Animals in the Local Media
In the hustle of getting this new website up and running, a few stories ran in the local media that grabbed our attention and that we recommend to anyone browsing this site. We apologize for not posting them sooner and hope that you will still take time to write to the authors and congratulate them on a job well done.
The Tribune Review ran an article by columnist Jack Markowitz on the front page of its business section on August 20 th that supported the Chicago ban on foie gras sales. In the article -- "Foie gras ban is one that protestors get right" – Mr. Markowitz describes the ban and endorses it, stating "" foie gras production clearly is cruelty to animals".
Considering Voices for Animals own efforts to remove foie gras from the menus of Pittsburgh restaurants, a local columnist's support for a foie gras ban is a reminder that this national movement is making progress.
Pitt News columnist Lisa Brunner ran an article on October 3 -- "Lions and tigers and polar bears" -- that discusses the Pittsburgh zoos soon-to-open polar bear exhibit. Brunner cites numerous cases of polar bear capitivity around the globe to point out that polar bears can not be properly cared for in captivity.
Brunner raises an interesting point, are our zoos meant to serve and rehabilitate animals or is that just a front for the desire to turn over a profit? Brunner sides towards the latter of the two and we agree. If zoos were actually interested in conservation, Brunner argues, they would put money "toward protecting the threatened ecosystems that actually exist rather than attempting to build new ones."