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News on dogs, cats, horses, wildlife, zoonoses, & nature

Five animal advocates of British accent remembered in passing

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Two zookeepers,  two activists,  & a publisher Sharon Matola,  Jeremy Mallinson,  Brian Gunn,  Brian Gunn-King,  and Jon Wynne-Tyson were respectively two zookeepers dedicated to the conservation of endangered species,  an anti-vivisection activist,  a vegetarian activist of similar name,  and a book publisher,  of many overlapping associations. Matola and Mallinson,  for instance,  were both friends of […]

In Defense of Animals founder Elliot Katz dies at 86

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Animal rights movement pioneer             SAN RAFAEL,  California–– In Defense of Animals founder Elliot Katz,  DVM,  “died peacefully on March 24th at the age of 86,”  the organization announced via Facebook on April 9,  2021,  after word of Katz’s death had percolated through the animal advocacy community for several days. “Dr. Katz was a trailblazer […]

Ed Duvin on Elliot Katz: “I had a unique relationship with Elliot.”

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“Had a front-row seat for four decades with this larger-than-life man.” In Defense of Animals founder Elliot Katz passed away on March 24,  2021,  at age 86,   his former wife told me,  survived by their two daughters,  a grandchild,  and his brother. I had a unique relationship with Elliot.  It wasn’t merely that I was […]

“Slow response & jerky gestures” in death of vegetarian Elijah McClain

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Grand jury investigation ordered 18 months after animal shelter volunteer died from ketamine overdose administered by paramedics at police direction AURORA, Colorado––If slow response and jerky gestures were the criteria for injecting ketamine into the butts of Colorado public officials,  as well as the alleged symptoms for which Aurora paramedics fatally overdosed vegetarian animal shelter […]

Geologist John Stockwell co-edited journal Between the Species

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Longtime advocate for animals & vegetarian living John Stockwell,  85,  an advocate for animals and vegetarian living whose involvement dated back to the very beginnings of the late twentieth century animal rights movement,  died on November 23,  2020 in Berkeley,  California,  his home off and on since 1961 and continuously since 1982. Born in Superior,  […]

Vegan animal advocate Thomas “Tommy” Bloom Raskin,  25

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Second young activist suicide in six months raises profile of “compassion fatigue” Vegan animal advocate Thomas “Tommy” Bloom Raskin,  25,  died by suicide on New Year’s Eve 2020. His death,  a shock to hundreds of family,  friends,  and acquaintances,  rekindled an ongoing discussion of depression and suicides among committed activists that had barely simmered down […]

Rick Collord, 72, helped lead transition from the high-kill to the no-kill era

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Headed 10 animal shelters in six states Rick Collord,  72,  a 42-year humane professional and chief executive of humane societies for most of that time,  died on January 26,  2021 in Lexington,  North Carolina,  his home since 2017. Born Irving Richard Collord III in 1948 in New Orleans,  Louisiana,  Rick Collord––no one ever called him […]

Fish farming foe Kurt Oddekalv, no bunny-hugger, dies trying to save dog

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The dog died too Fish farming foe Kurt Willy Oddekalv,  63,  on January 11,  2020 died from drowning and hypothermia suffered in attempting to rescue his daughter’s dog Kompis,  who had fallen through ice on a lake near their home in Kalandseidet, Bergen, Norway. The dog Kompis was found dead nearby. As a sergeant in the […]

Murder along the equator: seven die defending parrots & gorillas

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Colombian and Congolese wildlife guardians were ambushed RONCESVALLES,  Colombia;  VIRUNGA NATIONAL PARK,  Democratic Republic of Congo––Simultaneous sad reminders of the human cost of wildlife conservation came on January 10,  2021 from the Reserva Loros Andinos in southwestern Colombia and Virunga National Park in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The Reserva Loros Andinos and Virunga […]

Siegfried Fischbacher, 81, follows tiger act partner Roy Horn, 75, in death

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Illusionist Fischbacher, of Siegfried & Roy, created image of partner Horn as “positive reinforcement” trainer & conservationist Both were role models for “Joe Exotic” et al             LAS VEGAS––Entertainer Siegfried Fischbacher,  81,  died of pancreatic cancer on January 14,  2021,  at the Las Vegas home he had shared with Roy Horn,  his partner in life […]