Dear Friends,

I just read that Harvest Hills Animal Shelter in Fryeburg Maine, is hosting "Best Friends Week-end Passion For Pets,"  this week-end at the Fryeburg Fair Grounds. http://bestfriendweekend.org/default.aspx

One disturbing activity is their scheduled Chicken BBQ. Anyone who has had hens as pets understands that these birds are intelligent, loving, curious, and that their wings and breasts are what they use to protect their babies. They are no different than any other animal and deserve respect and to live free from suffering.

Over 9 billion chickens are killed in the US ever year after living and dying in  stress and trauma. Their experience is NO different than if it were being done to any puppy, dog or other sentient being.

The link above is for the schedule of events at this fair and includes a talk by HSUS Maine Rep, Katie Lisnik. It is also sad that HSUS is participating in something that includes food derived from animals. Harvest Hills Animal Shelter has other events where the food is non-vegan and perhaps it is time they thought about the conflict and contradiction of this.

Please write to Harvest Hills ASAP at hhas@fairpoint.net or call them at 207-935-4358 to request that their events be non-violent to the animals who do not deserve to live and die in horror and pain when so many other foods could be served

Thanks for taking the time to help our feathered friends. www.upc-online.org is a wonderful resource for cutting and pasting info about birds.

Laura Beth Slitt

Bartlett, NH

603-374-1996