Animal Times Fall 2002

	Purrs to Jack Osbourne (of MTV’s The Osbournes) for setting his furwearing mother straight. When her “precious” mink scarf fell into a restaurant toilet, Jack quipped, “You shouldn’t be wearing mink anyway!”
Grrrs to designer Nicole Miller for her fuzzy thinking: “Women are still feeling insecure from the troubling events [of September 11], and fur is definitely a comfort fabric….I often cover up with a fur throw on the bed.” Tell Nicole to find comfort in compassion. Write to Nicole Miller at 525 Seventh Ave., 20th Fl., New York, NY 10018.
Purrs to ABC Sports hockey anchor Mike Emrick for anchoring himself by the side of his dying dog, Katie, passing up a major gig at the 2002 Winter Olympics. “This is what you do for a family member,” explained Emrick. “As much as I would have loved to be at the Olympics, being there for Katie was more important.” Please send your sympathy and thanks to Mike Emrick c/o ABC Sports, 47 W. 66th St., New York, NY 10023, or via e-mail at ABCSports.com.
	Purrs to moviemaker George Lucas, who thoughtfully offered his employees soy Tofurky roasts last Thanksgiving, in lieu of customary carcasses.
	Grrrs to Sharon (Heart of) Stone for parading around in a freebie fur at the Oscars, where pelt peddlers loaned fur to celebs in order to use the stars as walking fur ads. Please tell Sharon that she looked cheap and made an unfurgivable faux pas. Write to: Sharon Stone, c/o Cindy Berger, PMK, 650 5th Ave., 33rd Fl., New York, NY 10019.
Purrs to sympathetic stand-up comedian Elayne Boosler, who raised enough funds to foot the medical bills and relocation costs for Buster, a Boxer mix who was beaten nearly to death with a claw hammer. Boosler says that her work to rescue dogs combines her two passions, “loving animals and butting into other people’s business.”
Purrs to Germany for granting to animals in its Constitution the same rights to respect and protection as humans enjoy, opening up the possibility of lawsuits against fur farms, laboratories and factory farms. Following PETA’s decade-long campaign in conjunction with Germany’s Green Party, lawmakers voted overwhelmingly in favor of the change.