One of our members from our old YAHOO group board sent this letter to Mr. Ted Nugent. We encourage you to write Mr. Nugent also, as he is a wonderful Animal Activist.
Mr. Ted Nugent
4008 West Michigan Avenue
Jackson, MI 49202
Dear Mr. Nugent:
I have seen some of your interviews of the past 25 years in regards to your pro-hunting stance. I must admit as a 25 year vegetarian who does not eat meat, fish or poultry, I was initially angered. However, in watching those interviews you showed me that there is a difference between "trophy" hunters and people such as yourself who actual utilize the animals not only for food but clothing as well, not just mounting the head and throwing everything else out. As I aged I had to painfully admit there was a possibility that although still not something I could ever do, I could be open minded enough to understand your point of view. What forced me to accept that was you also made it clear that there is a "humane" way to hunt.
The later point brings me to the reason for this letter. As you may or may not be aware eBay has made national and international news recently. This was do to the thousands of protests by the public not only in the United States but other countries about their intention to allow live pets for sale.
Some of the concerns were the possibility of people purchasing animals from eBay who would use the dogs for bait in illegal dog fights, cats for ritual killings as well as not disclosing medical and behavioural problems to the people who purchased them. There was also the concern of the people who ran puppy mills would profit even more. I am sure you are aware that over 2 million dogs and cats a year are killed and the animal cruelty cases are rising to match with people setting fire to dogs and cats, using them to put cigarettes and cigars out on their skin, etc.
On the eBay Animal discussion board there were many hunters who responded to this issue. Unfortunately what many people were not aware of is that eBay allows the listing of pets on many of their international web sites. While none of us mind listing pets on qualified venues online this was particularly disturbing in the countries that eat dog and cat. We also realize that we cannot nor will not change what countries consider a food source. However, we do object to eBay although backing down in the United States due to bad publicity allowing this to happen in other countries.
The difficulty in countries such as China, Taiwan and others is that eBay allows the sale of dogs and cats in countries that do exactly what you do not. As a primary food source they skin the dogs and cats alive. This is a death process that is documented as a horrific and agonizing 20 minutes. They also like to see at slow electrocution the amount of time it takes some of the other animals to die. What eBay did was country target markets, changing what is and is not allowed to be listed by that countries biggest resource.
The hunters on the board who as yourself do not kill just for the trophy head were horrified and outraged. In a remarkable turn, vegetarians, none hunters and hunters alike all actually agreed, we need to stop this. For eBay to say we will not allow the sale of animals on eBay US but will on other sites is corporate hypocrisy at it’s finest. That is the same thing as saying I don’t beat my children any more since I was caught but I still beat my spouse.
We are asking you to please take into consideration assisting us. If the hunters who posted on the discussion board were outraged there must be many more if they knew about this that would be equally upset. The more people who support us and sign the petition the higher the odds are of eBay stopping their pets for profit. As a corporation they make an enormous amount of money. We do not believe they need to make more by the heinous suffering of animals.
