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PHILADELPHIA, U.S.A., July 23, 2004: When the Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights arrived to set up their booth at the American Veterinary Medical Association’s annual convention in June, they were asked to leave. Apparently, it was because the dissident group for animal rights ran a full-page ad in The New York Times on June 21 where they accused the medical association of “betraying” farm animals. With a membership of 70,000 vets nationwide, the AVMA was founded in 1863. Bruce Little, executive vice-president of AVMA, says, “The Times ad was ‘inaccurate and misleading’ and the medical association cannot support disruptive and nonproductive approaches to veterinary issues.” The article says, “The ad, which was sponsored by an array of animal rights groups, including People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, targets farm practices that it considers abusive, including keeping calves in 2-foot-wide crates and starving hens to get them to produce more eggs.” In response, the AVMA made the following statement, ” It is the AVMA policy that all animals should be treated humanely, including gestating pigs, laying hens and veal calves. The association does not endorse inhumane practices.” Terri Barnato, national director of the Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights comments, “The ad was pretty scathing. It probably embarrassed them. We did it to expose what they are about. They are trying to penalize us for speaking out.”

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