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Sunday, December 05, 1999
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
Pie-throwing incident lands animal rights activist in jail
By Glenn Puit
Review-Journal
An animal rights activist was arrested Saturday afternoon by Las Vegas police after authorities say she threw a pie in the face of Miss Rodeo America 2000 as part of a publicity stunt.
Dawn Carr, 30, of Rockland County, N.Y., was charged with one misdemeanor count of battery. Carr, a member of the animal activist group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, was housed at the Clark County Detention Center on Saturday night.
The charge stemmed from an incident in which a pie was thrown into the face of Brandy DeJongh, 21, at the Flamingo Hilton, just moments after Dejongh was named Miss Rodeo America 2000.
According to a PETA spokeswoman, the pie thrower yelled "Stop torturing animals" as she launched the pastry.
Cindy Schonholtz, animal welfare coordinator for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, described the attack as an unfortunate incident motivated by misinformation. While PETA claims that hundreds of animals are tortured and abused during rodeos annually, Schonholtz said that is simply not the case.
In the last two years, there have been only two injuries to animals at Las Vegas rodeos and one was extremely minor, she said.
"Our rate of injury to animals is incredibly low," Schonholtz said. "We understand people have a right to think and believe what they want, but I can tell you none of us would even be involved with the rodeo if any of us thought animals were being mistreat- ed."
DeJongh shrugged off the episode.
"It's a special day for me, and I'm not going to let it bother me," she said. "I just washed it off, and I'm glad it tasted good. Everyone has a right to their own opinion."
PETA spokeswoman Kristie Sigmon of Norfolk, Va., said the pie throwing was justified, even if it did disrupt an important day in DeJongh's life.
"I think a little bit of cream on her nose is nothing compared to the suffering animals are enduring in the rodeo," Sigmon said.
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Newly crowned Miss Rodeo American 2000 Brandy DeJongh was hit in the face with a pie thrown by a member of an activist group
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