FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Doug Jeanneret
(614) 888-4868 x 212
November 19, 2004
Beth Ruth (614) 888-4868 x 214
Animal Rights Groups to Announce Plan to Merge, Ban Bowhunting
(Columbus) - The U.S. S****tsmen’s Alliance (USSA) has learned that the
nation’s principal anti-hunting organizations will announce a merger on
Monday, November 22. In announcing the merger, the unified anti-hunting
group will reveal its intention to target bowhunters for extinction.
The USSA, a national organization founded to protect the rights of
s****tsmen to hunt, fish and trap, has been following a rumor that the
Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and the Fund for Animals are
preparing to combine forces.
The HSUS, located in Wa****ngton, D.C., is the nation’s largest animal
rights organization raising nearly $60 million in 2002. The Fund for
Animals is the most vociferous anti-hunting organization and is
headquartered in New York City. It raised $6.7 million in 2003.
Scripps Howard News Service re****ter Lance Gay confirmed the merger
announcement to USSA late Friday afternoon. Gay stated that sources
within
the groups confirmed that the new organization would seek to ban
bowhunting
as a first priority.
In response, USSA announced an emergency meeting of bowhunting
organizations, businesses and publications to prepare to counter the
attack. The Alliance created the Bowhunter Defense Coalition to defeat a
series of attacks on bowhunters during the late 1980s.
“The merger announcement serves as a wake up call to bowhunting groups to
reunite to defeat what promises to be a powerful attack on our heritage
from this monstrous anti-hunting group,” said Rick Story, U.S. S****tsmen’s
Alliance senior vice president. “To win, we will need to energize the
vast
grassroots network of s****tsmen across this country.”
Over the years, the Fund for Animals and HSUS have been the two most
formidable organizations working to ban hunting. While the Fund for
Animals has been openly hostile to hunters, HSUS has attempted to mask its
intentions by raising funds using puppy calendars for promotions. Earlier
this year, HSUS appointed former Fund for Animals official Wayne Pacelle
to
the position of CEO. Combined with the merger announcement, Pacelle’s
appointment leaves little doubt about the agenda of the newly-merged
organization. According to public filings the new organization will have
combined assets of as much as $97 million to implement its anti-hunting
agenda.
The U.S. S****tsmen’s Alliance protects the rights of hunters, anglers and
trappers in the courts, legislatures, at the ballot, in Congress and
through public education programs. For more information about the U.S.
S****tsmen’s Alliance and its work, call (614) 888-4868 or visit its
website, www.uss****tsmen.org.
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