Cherokee Elders attempt to end abuse of captive bears on Tribal land

[jasstnhawk]

I would like to add to the information provided in the SOTT article "Cherokee Elders attempt to end abuse of captive bears on Tribal land" published on 3 February 2013 http://www.sott.net/article/258067-Cherokee-Elders-attempt-to-end-abuse-of-captive-bears-on-Tribal-land-

From PETA's website:

Won't you take action now and urge Michell Hicks, principal chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, to close these dilapidated facilities immediately and to retire the animals to sanctuaries, where they can live the rest of their lives in a more suitable environment? Feel free to use the form letter below, but personalized comments are always preferred.

Michell Hicks, Principal Chief
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
P.O. Box 455
Cherokee, NC 28719
michhick@nc-cherokee.com

Please refrain from using the words "bear" and "Cherokee" in your e-mail subject line when writing your letter to avoid having your e-mail blocked by Principal Chief Hicks.

Suggested Form Letter Body:

-->I was horrified to learn about the conditions for captive bears in Cherokee. There has been no attempt to provide these animals with a natural habitat or environmental enrichment to satisfy their intense curiosity. Recognizing that the conditions in which the bears are kept are simply unacceptable, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently filed a complaint against Chief Saunooke Bear Park for 14 violations of the Animal Welfare Act. Moreover, the USDA has repeatedly cited Cherokee Bear Zoo, Chief Saunooke Bear Park, and Santa's Land with serious violations of the Animal Welfare Act, and leading bear experts have found that the animals are suffering.

When confined to barren enclosures without room to roam and with no opportunity to express natural behavior or make choices about their daily routines, bears quickly become stressed, frustrated, and bored and often develop neurotic behavior. Captivity-induced neurotic behavior—such as pacing, circling, head-tossing, and begging—are signifiers of poor welfare and are displayed by virtually all the bears exhibited in Cherokee.

In light of the USDA's complaint, it is essential now more than ever that you take the compassionate course of action. Please help close the bear pits and transfer these animals to a reputable sanctuary.<--

Source for the above quote: _http://www.peta.org/action/action-alerts/ask-cherokee-to-close-cruel-bear-pits.aspx

Seems the abuse of these bears has been going on for quite some time now. See: _http://www.pawsweb.org/news_and_alerts_7-29-09.html

Also see the "Cherokee Bear Welfare Report" (PDF) published in April 2010: _http://www.mediapeta.com/peta/pdf/PETA_Cherokee_Bear_Welfare_Report.pdf

 

[Guardian]

Seems the abuse of these bears has been going on for quite some time now. See: _http://www.pawsweb.org/news_and_alerts_7-29-09.html

Yes it has! I've been fighting this one since 2004....and others have been trying to free them even longer.

 

[Voyageur]

Seems the abuse of these bears has been going on for quite some time now. See: _http://www.pawsweb.org/news_and_alerts_7-29-09.html

Yes it has! I've been fighting this one since 2004....and others have been trying to free them even longer.

Had just read about this matter on SotT - i'll be passing it around.

 

[jasstnhawk]

Seems the abuse of these bears has been going on for quite some time now. See: _http://www.pawsweb.org/news_and_alerts_7-29-09.html

Yes it has! I've been fighting this one since 2004....and others have been trying to free them even longer.

It was this heart-wrenching photo "Underfed bear begs for food" that compelled me to dig a bit further: http://www.sott.net/image/image/s6/130999/full/774_114_002_rz.jpg

Truly a sad state of affairs to put it mildly.

I emailed the aforementioned "Chief", however I am left wondering: 'What else can I do to help?'

 

[webglider]

quote from Robin:

I emailed the aforementioned "Chief", however I am left wondering: 'What else can I do to help?'

You could start and circulate a petition on Change.org I've signed tons of them, and I would sign yours.

http://www.change.org/

 

[Voyageur]

quote from Robin:

I emailed the aforementioned "Chief", however I am left wondering: 'What else can I do to help?'

You could start and circulate a petition on Change.org I've signed tons of them, and I would sign yours.

http://www.change.org/

Also, having just skimmed through the pdf report, one could send to any biologists they know; i've a few in mind for me to do who work with bears, and also post links, letter to the editor in university papers or direct them to the departments.

Good idea too webglider.

 

[jasstnhawk]

Thank you for the suggestions, webglider & voyageur. :) It looks as though a bit more research on my behalf needs to be done before writing up and starting a petition.

Also, it appears that as of 30 January 2013 PETA has succeeded in having the license revoked at one of pit parks mentioned, Chief Saunooke Bear Park. See: _http://www.peta.org/b/thepetafiles/archive/tags/Cherokee/default.aspx

PETA also has a petition asking the USDA to seize the abused bears from the 'Bear Pit Park' here: _https://secure.peta.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=4469

 

[webglider]

quote from Robin:

It looks as though a bit more research on my behalf needs to be done before writing up and starting a petition.

If you go to the Change.org site, you'll see samples of former petitions. As the aim of the petition is to reach the general public, it doesn't have to be scholarly. What almost all of them have in common is a simple statement of an injustice, some evidence that the injustice has been done, and a desired course of action that would right the injustice. It is also important that the facts are accurate.

When I went on their site yesterday, there was a petiion aimed at seeking justice for a couple who had taken in a wounded fawn and then had been prosecuted for not having a license for taking in that fawn even though they had applied for a license and had it turned down by the person who had instructed them to apply for it. The scenario was straight out of Orwell's 1984 as the situation developed into possible jail time for the couple.

Petitions like that seem to get the public enraged and engaged.

The petition worked and they are not going to jail.

 

[Guardian]

Thank you for the suggestions, webglider & voyageur. :) It looks as though a bit more research on my behalf needs to be done before writing up and starting a petition.

This is a longgggggg and complicated story that has a lot to do with the "Sovereign Rights" of the Cherokee NATION.

The best thing anyone can do for the Bears at this point is to call, and keep calling. Emails are being filtered right to the trash, but they can't shut off their phones.

 

[jasstnhawk]

quote from Robin:

It looks as though a bit more research on my behalf needs to be done before writing up and starting a petition.

If you go to the Change.org site, you'll see samples of former petitions. As the aim of the petition is to reach the general public, it doesn't have to be scholarly. What almost all of them have in common is a simple statement of an injustice, some evidence that the injustice has been done, and a desired course of action that would right the injustice. It is also important that the facts are accurate.

When I went on their site yesterday, there was a petiion aimed at seeking justice for a couple who had taken in a wounded fawn and then had been prosecuted for not having a license for taking in that fawn even though they had applied for a license and had it turned down by the person who had instructed them to apply for it. The scenario was straight out of Orwell's 1984 as the situation developed into possible jail time for the couple.

Petitions like that seem to get the public enraged and engaged.

The petition worked and they are not going to jail.

Webglider, what I meant by 'a bit more research' was that I do not want to be repetitious or write up a petition for something that may be already resolved, or is in the process of being resolved. You did however touch on a 'program' of mine with the statement: "... it doesn't have to be scholarly", which ties in with a couple of other 'programs' such as my tendency to 'lay things out in a textbook fashion' and a lack of external considering. I am slowly working on these 'programs', i.e. trying to get to the 'root' of them, however I think it's best I save/write about this/these topic/s in the 'swamp'. In the interim, I am going to continue to look into this situation to decide whether or not a petition is in order.

I am so glad to hear that the 'petition aimed at seeking justice for a couple who had taken in a wounded fawn' resulted in a 'happy ending'. It's evidence that getting the public 'enraged and engaged' can actually work sometimes. :D

Thank you for the suggestions, webglider & voyageur. :) It looks as though a bit more research on my behalf needs to be done before writing up and starting a petition.

This is a longgggggg and complicated story that has a lot to do with the "Sovereign Rights" of the Cherokee NATION.

The best thing anyone can do for the Bears at this point is to call, and keep calling. Emails are being filtered right to the trash, but they can't shut off their phones.

Guardian, I read your comment with the included phone number on FB here: _https://www.facebook.com/RedGriffon/posts/254950667973306?ref=notif&notif_t=close_friend_activity ... I will be calling, for I cannot get the picture of 'Brother Bear' trapped in a bear pit-park, begging for food out of my head.

I would also like to add that I shared this graphic _https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=550298191661096&set=a.159167054107547.34833.159092957448290&type=1&relevant_count=1 concerning PETA's "annual killing statistics" on my FB timeline on 5 February 2013. I plan to delete this graphic due to PETA's success in getting the Chief Saunooke Bear Park's license revoked, and because clearly I have a bit o research to do concerning the 'workings' of this organization.

 

[Guardian]

There's now a blog and Facebook page for the Cherokee Bears, created at the request of one of the Elders advocating for the Bears.

http://cherokeebears.blogspot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stop-Abusing-the-Cherokee-Bears/391524430945803