Blast at Shaklee building

[jamesinca]

Blast at Shaklee building
Police unsure whether animal rights militants planted Pleasanton bomb

Stacy Finz and Kevin Fagan, Chronicle Staff Writers Saturday, September 27, 2003

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Federal agents are trying to determine whether a predawn explosion at a Pleasanton company Friday was the work of animal rights militants who have stepped up violent protest in the last year -- though they said the bomber could also have been anyone from a disgruntled worker to teenagers looking for a thrill.

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Shaklee, founded in 1956, sells nutritional supplements, personal care products, and air treatment and water purification systems. The firm, which employs about 200 people in Pleasanton, calls itself a "company with a conscience" and touts its environmental record. Its parent company, however, has been a target of protests for its work with an animal research company that activists have tried to put out of business.


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PREVIOUS THREATS
Shaklee's parent company, Yamanouchi Consumer Inc., has been the target of such tactics in the past. Tim Smith, director of strategic planning for Shaklee, said that about 1 1/2 years ago, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) threatened Shaklee.

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40 BEAGLES SPARED
In 1997, a busload of PETA protesters, including actress Kim Basinger, demanded the release of 40 beagles that were to have their legs broken at Huntingdon to test a new osteoporosis drug developed by Yamanouchi. Huntingdon eventually turned the dogs over to the protesters.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/09/27/BOMB.TMP

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[WillParkinson]

1. To test a new osteoperosis drug?

I'm sorry, I don't care what people think about animal testing. That is just plain disgusting!