Background The Fall 1996 issue of PoultryPress described how a First Baptist preacher, Rev. Michie Proctor of Hollywood Florida, told the press his church was sending 250 emus to poor families in the Caribbean and South America to be raised and slaughtered for meat. Ironically, he complained that his church was having trouble feeding the emus and looked to God or someone to pick up "a food tab of $1,000 a week."

UPC asked its members to urge Proctor politely to give permanent sanctuary to the emus and to find compassionate, more efficient ways to help poor people.

Current Situation In 1997 Proctor is sending a form letter & "contract agreement" to animal activists, telling them their "talk is cheap" unless they are willing to pay a dollar a day to enable the church to give sanctuary to what has now risen to 280 emus. Activists are asked to send checks in quarterly installments of $90 each, payable to the FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF SOUTHWEST BROWARD designated For Emus.

Problem Proctor tells the recipient that the "Church presently owns Emus and proposes to send some or all of them to certain countries of Latin America, the Caribbean Region and Southeast Asia, for the purpose of assisting poor people" and that while disagreeing with animal advocates "on how best to use the birds," his church wants to be "good neighbors" and "good citizens." Earlier he told the press that the "Bible is quite clear that God has given man dominion" over the rest of life. His original miserable "Christian mission" was for "poor people to breed the emus, slaughter them for food, and sell feathers, hide and oil for profit" (Sun-Sentinel Nov. 20, 1996).

• If solicited, do not send money or sign the "contract" that accompanies Proctor's letter. Proctor is cynically preying on the concern of animal activists and trying to make them feel guilty if they don't send money to "save the emus." He would dupe well-meaning people to put well over $100,000.00 into his hands to support his trade in emus and who knows what else. He now lists 30 more birds than before. Don't Give Proctor Your Money.

• For more information contact Susan McCullom, Animal Rights Foundation of Florida (ph: 954-968-7622; fax: 954-979-6415).