Humaniacs, Part 1: Activist Slapped with Restraining Order

We’re starting an occasional blog series to highlight some of the more outrageous, extreme, or criminal acts done by animal rights activists, whether or not they’re affiliated with PETA, the Humane Society of the U.S., or other radical organizations.

From harassing diners in restaurants to comparing eating meat to Nazi death camps, animal activists can sometimes seem like they have a screw loose. Case in point: A judge has issued a restraining order to keep a seemingly unstable animal rights activist away from a state bear biologist in Nevada.

The activist, Carolyn Stark, has a history of clashing with officials in the state and is reported to have exhibited some dangerous road rage while pursuing the biologist, Heather Reich. As reported by the Associated Press:

Court documents describe a tense encounter on a highway between animal rights activist Carolyn Stark of Incline Village and Nevada Department of Wildlife biologist Heather Reich, the Reno Gazette-Journal reported.

Reich said Stark drove aggressively and dangerously close to her state vehicle, appearing to cut off other vehicles on Interstate 580.

The protective order is the latest development in a yearslong legal and public relations battle between the agency and a group of activists who oppose state methods for managing bears.

Agency Deputy Director Jack Robb says the escalation of the activists’ tactics is “alarming and concerning.”

Stark denies she stalked the biologist and says she intends to respond to the court order that cites allegations of stalking, aggravated stalking and harassment. A hearing on whether to extend the order is scheduled Nov. 7.

And as the Reno Gazette-Journal wrote about the encounter:

“It is extremely unnerving on a personal level to have to be concerned for not only my own security but the security of a private individual if this situation had been different and I was taking the trap to set at a residence at the time of being followed,” Reich wrote.

She also wrote the encounter left her shaken.

Animal activists claim to be “humane.” So why do they have such a hard time treating humans with compassion?