Thursday, January 9, 2020
AMPNews
A weekly newsletter from Americans for Medical Progress highlighting the latest
animal activism developments and significant science news for communicators and security professionals.

-- For internal use only, not for distribution--

Animal Rights Groups Celebrate a Victory in Wisconsin 
National animal rights groups including Stop Animal Exploitation Now and the Humane Society of the United States are celebrating a small but noteworthy victory in the state of Wisconsin this week. On Tuesday, activists with the group Dane4Dogs claimed that they were behind the first “ban on dog and cat experimentation and research puppy mills in a U.S. community.” Richland Center, Wisconsin, which according to the latest census has a population of just over 5000 people, voted in favor of the ban this week. Dane4Dogs is notably the same group leading the opposition to a dog breeding business in nearby Spring Green. The new law in Richland Center will have no foreseeable impacts in Spring Green or elsewhere because no research facilities or breeders that raise animals for biomedical studies are based in the area. 
It's believed that Dane4Dogs lobbied for the initiative in order to place additional pressure on the village of Spring Green, where two ordinances have been proposed in the past few months to restrict the breeding of research animals. Local residents will make a decision on one of those ordinances during an election in April. 

According to local news coverage , the Wisconsin representative for the Humane Society of the United States referred to this week’s decision in Richland Center as “groundbreaking.” 
NEAVS Again Floods USDA With Records Requests 
The New England Antivivisection Society is once again seeking a significant number of records from the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The USDA posted it’s monthly FOIA Logs for November this week and according to that report, NEAVS made 13 separate requests for documents from various time periods within 2019. Those records include: 
  • Inspection photographs and/or videos 
  • Animal care enforcement actions  
  • Animal care complaints
  • Appealed inspection reports

Frequent AMPNews readers may recall that NEAVS previously submitted hundreds of FOIA requests to APHIS throughout 2019 seeking a variety of documents. As for why the records are being sought, the group has several times referenced plans to create a public animal experimentation database. Once launched, NEAVS claims the resource will provide supporters with “stories, photos, and videos of animal abuse in labs around the country.”

Americans for Medical Progress will continue to follow this issue and provide updates as new information surfaces. 
 National Animal Rights Conference to Be Held in Portland, Oregon This Year 
Organizers of the 2020 Animal Rights National Conference have announced this year's event will be held in the Pacific Northwest. The conference will take place July 16 -19 in Portland, Oregon. It is expected that several protests will take place adjacent to the animal rights gathering as has been the case in years past. AMP is closely monitoring the planning of this event and we promise to share additional details as they surface. 
AMP Advice: Materials and Plans Every Institution Should Have on Hand in Case of an Emergency 
One strategy that animal rights groups frequently employ against their targets is using the element of surprise. Research opponents recognize that when science organizations are caught flat-footed, they are often less effective in defending themselves. Because animal care allegations can arise at any time, Americans for Medical Progress advises research organizations to have a few key documents finalized and on-hand and certain plans in place. Here are some tips on how to be better prepared when the unexpected happens. 

Create a Fact Sheet About the Use of Animals in Research at Your University or Company.
No matter what your organization is accused of, it's always helpful to have thoroughly vetted and approved  information on hand about the use of animals in research. Explain the types of studies that are taking place, why animals are used and why certain species are required. It's important to include a list of recent advancements or discoveries that took place at your institution as a result of animal-based investigations. Fact sheets should also include information about animal care and the many layers of oversight in place to ensure that research animals are treated with kindness and respect.  

General fact sheets can be used in a variety of venues including interviews, emails to reporters or concerned citizens, webpages, etc. In addition, it’s also important for organizations to respond as best as they can to any specific allegations that are made. 

Proactively Answer the Tough Questions.  
In addition to creating a general fact sheet, it's helpful to develop a list of frequently asked questions and answers that address both general and specific issues about your institution’s animal studies. When creating this document, AMP advises organizations to include a wide variety of questions - including challenging ones - that might be asked by the general public, lawmakers and other key constituencies. 

Consider Making Photos and Videos Available.  
Animal activists frequently paint horrific pictures of the studies they oppose. This is why it’s helpful for research organizations to consider providing images - both photos and videos - that illustrate how animals are housed and cared for. Obtaining these images and getting them approved takes time, which is why research institutions should go through this process long before a crisis erupts. 

Proactively Identify Key Spokespeople and Prepare Them.
Having good messaging on hand is one thing. But an organization also needs to have a spokesperson (or better yet, several spokespeople) prepared when these points need to be made in person or on camera. Ensure that faculty members or animal care staff are ready and able to speak when needed. It's also a good idea to have a lead communications person assigned to this issue who has clearance to share approved messages with the press. 
Americans for Medical Progress has staff on hand who have prepared these kinds of materials while working within research organizations. Please feel free to contact us for additional assistance or advice.
Upcoming Animal Activism Events 
We have included Facebook links, when possible, with additional information. 
January 7  
PETA President Ingrid Newkirk in New York to promote her new book 
Location: Barnes & Noble, 33 E. 17th St.

January 11
Kingston, New York 
Protest hosted by NY Farm Animal Save

January 18
March hosted by Progress For Science focused on women’s rights, human rights, social and environmental justice and animal rights.
Los Angeles, California 
 
January 19
Los Angeles, California 
Documentary screening hosted by Progress For Science and Liberation Los Angeles

January 25  
Kingston, New York 
Protest hosted by NY Farm Animal Save

January 25  
PETA President Ingrid Newkirk in Los Angeles to promote her new book 
Los Angeles, California
Location: Book Soup, 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood

January 27  
PETA President Ingrid Newkirk in Portland, Oregon to promote her new book 
Portland, Oregon
Location: Powell’s City of Books, 1005 W. Burnside St

January 28  
PETA President Ingrid Newkirk in Seattle to promote her new book 
Seattle, Washington 
Location: Elliott Bay Book Company, 1521 Tenth Ave

January 29  
PETA President Ingrid Newkirk in San Francisco to promote her new book 
San Francisco, California 
Location: Book Passage, 1 Ferry Building #42

February 3  
PETA President Ingrid Newkirk in Tempe to promote her new book 
Tempe, Arizona 
Location: Changing Hands Bookstore, 6428 S McClintock Dr.

February 10  
PETA President Ingrid Newkirk in Atlanta to promote her new book 
Atlanta, Georgia 
Location: Acappella Books with the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library & Museum, 441 Freedom Parkway

May 29
Berkley, California

July 16 - 19
Animal Rights National Conference
Portland, Oregon

July 24 - 27
Taking Action for Animals
Washington, DC 
A conference organized by the Humane Society of the United States.  

August 22  
Miami, Florida

September 3
Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg

October 23-25
28th Annual Animal Law Conference
Baltimore, Maryland
Ten Research Stories Worth Sharing
Americans for Medical Progress closely monitors the news media and other sources on a daily basis for breakthroughs involving animals. Please feel free to share these stories on your organizations' social media channels:

1

2

3

4

5

6
University of Pittsburgh, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases


7

8

9

10
Americans for Medical Progress