SILVER SPRING, MD - The Fund for Animals is celebrating a banner year for animal protection and looking back on some of the year's biggest achievements. "We have made great strides this year to improve the lives of animals across the country," said Michael Markarian, President of The Fund for Animals. "We hope to continue that success through 2003 and beyond."

Some of The Fund's accomplishments this year include:

Crackdown on Cockfighting: The Fund worked with The Humane Society of the United States and other groups to pass a voter initiative making Oklahoma the 48th state to ban cockfighting, state legislation to strengthen cockfighting penalties in Kansas, and an amendment to the federal Farm Bill prohibiting the export and interstate transport of birds for cockfighting.

Ending Cruel Confinement of Farm Animals: In Florida, The Fund worked with The Humane Society of the United States, Farm Sanctuary, and the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida to pass the nation's first voter initiative to ban the cruel confinement of pregnant pigs in two-foot-wide metal crates.

A Day of Rest for Wildlife: Hunters were dealt a double blow in their efforts to open hunting on Sundays across the country, when Governor Parris Glendening vetoed a bill that would have overturned Maryland's 300-year-old prohibition on Sunday hunting, and when West Virginia citizens overwhelmingly voted to reject Sunday hunting in 41 of 41 counties voting on the measure.

Black Beauty Ranch: The Fund purchased an additional 140 acres of land for its Black Beauty Ranch animal sanctuary in Texas, and provided homes for new animals rescued from abuse and abandonment throughout the year, including horses, burros, swans, a tapir, a zebra, and a camel.

The Kindest Cut of All: The Fund's Have-A-Heart Spay and Neuter Clinic in New York City provided subsidized services for more than 5,000 dogs and cats.

Pigeon Shoot Shot Down: The Fund's investigators provided undercover video footage of a live pigeon shooting contest in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, and town officials promptly ordered the gun club to shut down the cruel and illegal event.

New Cyber Tools: The Fund launched its new Web Action Center (action.fund.org) to provide an easy way for citizens to respond to critical animal protection issues, and its new fundraising guide (animalfunding.org) to assist animal shelters, rescue groups, and grassroots organizations with funding.

Save the Whales: The Fund won a U.S. Court of Appeals decision stopping the hunting of gray whales by the Makah tribe in the Pacific Northwest.

Public Education: The Fund provided new PSAs to television stations nationwide, featuring Julia Barr of "All My Children" on the importance of spaying and neutering dogs and cats, and actor Judd Hirsch on tips for driving safely and avoiding car accidents with deer and other wildlife.

Fur Crying Out Loud: The Fund launched a new radio ad campaign in New York City and Washington, D.C., featuring Wendie Malick of "Just Shoot Me," telling consumers that compassion is the new fashion and urging them not to purchase cruel and unnecessary fur coats or fur-trimmed clothing.

Binny the Binturong: The Fund helped to rescue a rare Asian binturong from the exotic animal trade and place him in a permanent home at the Austin Zoo.

The Fund for Animals was founded in 1967 by famed author and humanitarian Cleveland Amory.

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