Hi everyone,
Wednesday, December 10, 2014 is International Animal Rights Day! International Animal Rights Day (IARD) takes place on December 10th of every year. There is not currently very much information online about it, but that doesn't mean that people can't acknowledge it!
This Wednesday, I hope we all can try to do something special to help the animals. :) I've written some ideas on some ways to make a difference in my previous blog post, which can be found at http://theanimalrightsactionsite.blogspot.ca/2014/11/november-is-world-vegan-month.html.
I don't have one of these on my blog, but on the "Animal Rights: The Abolitionist Approach" website, http://www.abolitionistapproach.com/, they have an "Animal Kill Counter", which shows you the shockingly high "Number of animals killed in the world by the meat, dairy and egg industries, since you opened this webpage." (This feature is actually on a number of animal rights websites.) I wouldn't put one of these on my blog, because it's so disturbing. However, if you want to get a numerical impression of how many animals are being slaughtered, you could go to that website and scroll down a bit to see it.
Animals all over the world are in horrible suffering at human hands right now. If the world goes vegan and animal testing is abolished, this suffering could be enormously reduced. If you haven't gone vegan yet, please do so today. Together, if we raise awareness about animal rights, join or start campaigns, and follow a cruelty-free lifestyle, we can and do make a difference, even if change is frustratingly slow-going sometimes.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
-Margaret Mead
Have hope, passion, resolve, and compassion. Let's keep working to make the world a better place!
Showing posts with label animal experimentation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label animal experimentation. Show all posts
Monday, December 8, 2014
Friday, November 7, 2014
Petition: "University of Wisconsin: Cancel The Unethical Torture and Killing of Baby Monkeys!"
Hi everyone,
There's a petition by Dr. Ruth Decker, M.D., J.D., M.B.A., on Change.org called "University of Wisconsin: Cancel The Unethical Torture and Killing of Baby Monkeys!" that still needs more signatures.
Please visit the petition webpage and sign the petition: http://www.change.org/p/university-of-wisconsin-cancel-the-unethical-torture-and-killing-of-baby-monkeys?tk=LkFvaJbcdoAlzT8TI01jbPZp2HyKpkCImJZlqxD02S0&utm_source=petition_update&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=petition_update_email
Thanks.
There's a petition by Dr. Ruth Decker, M.D., J.D., M.B.A., on Change.org called "University of Wisconsin: Cancel The Unethical Torture and Killing of Baby Monkeys!" that still needs more signatures.
Says Dr. Decker,
"As an alumna of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s School of Medicine, I am horrified to learn that my alma mater plans to conduct highly controversial and cruel experiments that will torture and kill baby monkeys.
The experiments, led by Dr. Ned Kalin, will take newborn rhesus macaque monkeys away from their mothers (who have been restrained or drugged against their will while their baby is removed). The defenseless baby monkeys are then sent to solitary confinement—where they are terrorized and exposed to anxiety-inducing stressors including live snakes, painful skin-punch biopsies, and stressful brain scans. After this relentless torture, they are killed before the age of two."
Dr. Decker's petition is calling for the plans for these experiments to be cancelled at once.
Thanks.
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Colgate and Tom's of Maine-- Not Animal-Friendly in My Books
Hi everyone!
I've recently learned that the company I get my toothpaste from-- Tom's of Maine-- is owned by Colgate-Palmolive, which tests on animals. Although Tom's of Maine itself does not do animal testing, the fact that their parent company does has persuaded me to switch to a different brand of toothpaste.
I've also decided to send a message to Colgate-Palmolive asking them to stop testing on animals once and for all. Below I've pasted a copy of this message. If you would like, feel free to copy and paste the message (with any edits to make it more applicable to you) into the online form at http://www.colgate.ca/app/Colgate/CA/EN/Corp/ContactUs/ConsumerAffairs/ContactForm.cvsp to increase the number of people who are demanding this company to go cruelty-free. Or, if you'd like, you can write your own message (which is probably a better way of getting the company's attention, so they'll be more likely to read each individual message instead of just skimming a lot of them).
"Hello,
I am writing to you because I have recently learned that your company does testing on animals. I am appalled that there are still companies such as yours that do animal testing. Animal testing is unnecessary and terribly cruel. It also dissuades potential customers from buying your products in the future.
There are alternatives to animal testing that many other companies employ. Now that I know about your animal testing record, I have decided to switch to a different brand of toothpaste that is not owned by a company that tests on animals.
Colgate, please stop animal testing and using animal-tested ingredients. In doing this, you may be able to win back some of your ethically-minded customers, or at least prevent any more damage from being done both to your fan base and the animals, the latter having no voice in this matter.
I've recently learned that the company I get my toothpaste from-- Tom's of Maine-- is owned by Colgate-Palmolive, which tests on animals. Although Tom's of Maine itself does not do animal testing, the fact that their parent company does has persuaded me to switch to a different brand of toothpaste.
I've also decided to send a message to Colgate-Palmolive asking them to stop testing on animals once and for all. Below I've pasted a copy of this message. If you would like, feel free to copy and paste the message (with any edits to make it more applicable to you) into the online form at http://www.colgate.ca/app/Colgate/CA/EN/Corp/ContactUs/ConsumerAffairs/ContactForm.cvsp to increase the number of people who are demanding this company to go cruelty-free. Or, if you'd like, you can write your own message (which is probably a better way of getting the company's attention, so they'll be more likely to read each individual message instead of just skimming a lot of them).
"Hello,
I am writing to you because I have recently learned that your company does testing on animals. I am appalled that there are still companies such as yours that do animal testing. Animal testing is unnecessary and terribly cruel. It also dissuades potential customers from buying your products in the future.
There are alternatives to animal testing that many other companies employ. Now that I know about your animal testing record, I have decided to switch to a different brand of toothpaste that is not owned by a company that tests on animals.
Colgate, please stop animal testing and using animal-tested ingredients. In doing this, you may be able to win back some of your ethically-minded customers, or at least prevent any more damage from being done both to your fan base and the animals, the latter having no voice in this matter.
Sincerely,
[Cat]"
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| The Leaping Bunny: www.LeapingBunny.org |
To find out which companies that make cosmetics, personal care products, animal care products, and household products are animal testing-free, you can go to the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics' website, http://www.leapingbunny.org/shopping.php, and do a search-- or, if you'd like, you can scroll down on that page, look beneath the "Get Your Own Shopping Guide" heading, and order a guide or download the PDF guide for free. Their guide notes if the company is owned by a parent company that tests on animals.
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| Picture from https://www.facebook.com/leapingbunny/photos/a.365637005501.152863.48644720501/10152533914655502/?type=1&theater or https://www.facebook.com/leapingbunny |
Remember, every time you spend (or don't spend) money on a product, you're letting the companies know what you want and what you don't want in a product and company. It's even better if you can specify what exactly you like and don't like by contacting the companies, too! I think it's best to not buy very much in general, but when you do buy things, it's important to support the most ethical and sustainable companies.
Thursday, May 8, 2014
What is the Physicians' Committee for Responsible Medicine?
Hello everyone,
Today I'm going to talk about the Physicians' Committee for Responsible Medicine, also known as PCRM.
PCRM is an organization of doctors, dieticians, and other health care professionals. The organization promotes a healthy diet as a way to prevent diseases; it advocates for ending the use of animals used in medical research; and it does its own studies on nutrition. It is a big proponent of vegan diets and abolishing animal testing!
I learned about PCRM quite a while ago, but I have renewed interest in it now, since Dr. Neal Barnard, the president of PCRM, was one of the speakers at the Food Revolution Summit. The interview with him was particularly interesting.
Whether or not you are a health care professional, PCRM is a valuable resource for information on nutrition as well as animal experimentation and alternatives. Among MANY other things, they even provide their own Vegetarian Starter Kit which gives tips on following a plant-based diet. (It does NOT advocate for the consumption of eggs and dairy, by the way.) There are lots of posters and brochures that they have up on their website, too.
Their online store has a great selection of books, other literature, DVDs, bumper stickers, T-shirts, and posters. (The Cancer Survivor's Guide can even be downloaded for free!) Here are pictures of some of the book covers you can find (but there are more than just these ones!):
Soon, I'll put up another philosophical post... so stay tuned!
Cat
Today I'm going to talk about the Physicians' Committee for Responsible Medicine, also known as PCRM.
PCRM is an organization of doctors, dieticians, and other health care professionals. The organization promotes a healthy diet as a way to prevent diseases; it advocates for ending the use of animals used in medical research; and it does its own studies on nutrition. It is a big proponent of vegan diets and abolishing animal testing!
I learned about PCRM quite a while ago, but I have renewed interest in it now, since Dr. Neal Barnard, the president of PCRM, was one of the speakers at the Food Revolution Summit. The interview with him was particularly interesting.
Whether or not you are a health care professional, PCRM is a valuable resource for information on nutrition as well as animal experimentation and alternatives. Among MANY other things, they even provide their own Vegetarian Starter Kit which gives tips on following a plant-based diet. (It does NOT advocate for the consumption of eggs and dairy, by the way.) There are lots of posters and brochures that they have up on their website, too.
Their online store has a great selection of books, other literature, DVDs, bumper stickers, T-shirts, and posters. (The Cancer Survivor's Guide can even be downloaded for free!) Here are pictures of some of the book covers you can find (but there are more than just these ones!):
 |
If you sign up for their e-newsletter, you can also opt to receive other news from them as well, such as Breaking News Alerts, Food for Life Recipe of the Week, Information on PCRM's Campaigns and Programs, and more! I've already signed up, and I've been getting informative and useful e-mails in my inbox ever since.
I highly recommend that you check out their website, which can be found at www.pcrm.org.
Here are links to some specific pages on their website:
- vegetarian and vegan diets: http://www.pcrm.org/health/diets/
- animals in medical research: http://www.pcrm.org/research/.
Soon, I'll put up another philosophical post... so stay tuned!
Cat
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Health Charities That Do and Don't Test on Animals
With Spring just around the corner, many people are registering for upcoming charity running races and starting to train for these events. If that's you, great-- but please, before signing up for an event, consider where the money is going and how it will be used.
There are still many health charities that test on animals as part of their research. These experiments include sensory deprivation, physically hurting the animals, and separating infants from their mothers, among other cruel practices. Not only that, but animal testing doesn't give scientists a good sense of how the human body works anyway, since humans and animals have different body chemistry and physiology. If you were to fundraise for or donate to a health charity that funds tests on animals, you may think that you'd be helping your cause, but in fact, you'd be supporting cruelty to animals and bad science.
Happily, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has set up a Humane Charity Seal of Approval website, which notes which health charities do and don't fund tests on animals. With so many charities listed, you should be able to find charities for each major health condition that are humane-approved. Here are some examples of charities listed on the website:
Charities that DO fund animal testing, according to PCRM:
There are still many health charities that test on animals as part of their research. These experiments include sensory deprivation, physically hurting the animals, and separating infants from their mothers, among other cruel practices. Not only that, but animal testing doesn't give scientists a good sense of how the human body works anyway, since humans and animals have different body chemistry and physiology. If you were to fundraise for or donate to a health charity that funds tests on animals, you may think that you'd be helping your cause, but in fact, you'd be supporting cruelty to animals and bad science.
Happily, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has set up a Humane Charity Seal of Approval website, which notes which health charities do and don't fund tests on animals. With so many charities listed, you should be able to find charities for each major health condition that are humane-approved. Here are some examples of charities listed on the website:
Charities that DO fund animal testing, according to PCRM:
- The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada
- The American Cancer Society
- The Alzeimer's Society of Canada
- and a great deal more...
- The Breast Cancer Society
- Canadian Red Cross
- The Leukaemia CARE Society (in the UK)
- and many more!
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Remembering Animal Victims of War on Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day is this Monday. While most people use this time to remember the countless human lives lost to warfare, we can also take the time on Remembrance Day to remember another group who have suffered and continue to suffer in human conflict-- animals.
Animals are forced to help humans fight bloody wars, whether the animals want to help or not. In this way, they can be considered victims of warfare.
Eight million horses died in World War I. Mules, donkeys, dogs, pigeons, elephants, camels, oxens, bullocks, cats, canaries, glow worms, and probably other species, too, have all been used for warfare by British, Commonwealth, and Allied forces in 20th century conflicts, and countless animal lives have been lost as a result. For more information on how these animals have specifically been used in warfare, please see Animals in War Memorial Fund's website, http://www.animalsinwar.org.uk/index.cfm?asset_id=1375.
From Animal Aid, here are some of the many ways animals have suffered in war:
"Collateral damage: Some of the most indelible images of the 1991 Gulf War showed the scorched and bloated bodies of camels abandoned in the shadow of burning oil wells. Photographer Steve McCurry describes ‘driving through the oilfields for several weeks after the hostilities ended and often [coming] across cattle, camels and horses wandering around like zombies. I guess most died eventually – all the water holes and vegetation were covered in oil‘. (Blood in the Sand, The Guardian newspaper, G2 section February 14, 2003).
Willful assaults: During the Serbian conflict – also in the early 1990s – bored or hyped-up soldiers amused themselves by taking shots at wild animals. Zoo inmates were starved, beaten, fired upon and even attacked with grenades.
The deserted ones: These include the farmed animals abandoned in their sheds or in fields once the shooting starts. And dogs, cats, fish, guinea pigs and birds left alone in people’s houses after those people take off to escape the mayhem. The animals starve and cry out for water, while the terrifying din of gunfire and explosions sound around them.
Front line victims: We can go back to the ancient Greeks and their use in pitched battles of Indian elephants – or consider the recent deployment of German Shepherd dogs, parachuted into Taliban strongholds in Afghanistan to search buildings for the enemy. A new generation of animal conscripts is even more expertly controlled and manipulated than those in the past – dolphins trained under extreme psychological and physical duress; and rats with gadgets implanted into their brains so that they can be directed, punished and rewarded at the tap of a keyboard.
Animals in weapons research: In Britain, most war-related vivisection is conducted by the Ministry of Defence in Porton Down, Wiltshire. Animals have been poisoned by chemical warfare agents, subjected to blast injuries, force-fed sensory irritants and deliberately wounded and killed by bacterial toxins. Porton scientists have described how monkeys, dosed with the nerve agent soman, became prostrate with violent convulsions, made attempts to crawl about the cage and then lost consciousness."
- Excerpt from "PREFACE FOR 'Animals and War: Confronting the Military-Animal Industrial Complex' (Lexington Press) - By Andrew Tyler, Director of Animal Aid" from http://www.animalaid.org.uk/h/n/NEWS/news_other//2974//
Animal Aid, the UK's largest animal rights group, provides purple poppies to be worn alongside red poppies on Remembrance Day. The purple poppy is a way to remember the animal victims of war. This year (2013), Animal Aid are unable to fulfill any more orders for poppies, but please buy one of their purple poppies in 2014 or later to show your support for the animals (or make your own purple poppy). Those in the UK may be able to find these poppies being sold in various UK shops. You can also purchase Animal Aid's Purple Poppy Car Sticker to raise awareness for this important issue. On Animal Aid's website, the organization lists other ways to get involved: http://www.animalaid.org.uk/h/n/CAMPAIGNS/living//2256//. (Please note that those living outside of the UK must purchase at least one non-poppy item along with the poppy items so that you can have your order placed.) (I only hope that the poppies aren't made of animal-derived felt!-- although I doubt that they would be, since Animal Aid is an animal rights group.)
Even if you don't wear any poppies, you can still take a moment to contemplate the human and animal cost of war this Remembrance Day.
Animals are forced to help humans fight bloody wars, whether the animals want to help or not. In this way, they can be considered victims of warfare.
Eight million horses died in World War I. Mules, donkeys, dogs, pigeons, elephants, camels, oxens, bullocks, cats, canaries, glow worms, and probably other species, too, have all been used for warfare by British, Commonwealth, and Allied forces in 20th century conflicts, and countless animal lives have been lost as a result. For more information on how these animals have specifically been used in warfare, please see Animals in War Memorial Fund's website, http://www.animalsinwar.org.uk/index.cfm?asset_id=1375.
From Animal Aid, here are some of the many ways animals have suffered in war:
"Collateral damage: Some of the most indelible images of the 1991 Gulf War showed the scorched and bloated bodies of camels abandoned in the shadow of burning oil wells. Photographer Steve McCurry describes ‘driving through the oilfields for several weeks after the hostilities ended and often [coming] across cattle, camels and horses wandering around like zombies. I guess most died eventually – all the water holes and vegetation were covered in oil‘. (Blood in the Sand, The Guardian newspaper, G2 section February 14, 2003).
Willful assaults: During the Serbian conflict – also in the early 1990s – bored or hyped-up soldiers amused themselves by taking shots at wild animals. Zoo inmates were starved, beaten, fired upon and even attacked with grenades.
The deserted ones: These include the farmed animals abandoned in their sheds or in fields once the shooting starts. And dogs, cats, fish, guinea pigs and birds left alone in people’s houses after those people take off to escape the mayhem. The animals starve and cry out for water, while the terrifying din of gunfire and explosions sound around them.
Front line victims: We can go back to the ancient Greeks and their use in pitched battles of Indian elephants – or consider the recent deployment of German Shepherd dogs, parachuted into Taliban strongholds in Afghanistan to search buildings for the enemy. A new generation of animal conscripts is even more expertly controlled and manipulated than those in the past – dolphins trained under extreme psychological and physical duress; and rats with gadgets implanted into their brains so that they can be directed, punished and rewarded at the tap of a keyboard.
Animals in weapons research: In Britain, most war-related vivisection is conducted by the Ministry of Defence in Porton Down, Wiltshire. Animals have been poisoned by chemical warfare agents, subjected to blast injuries, force-fed sensory irritants and deliberately wounded and killed by bacterial toxins. Porton scientists have described how monkeys, dosed with the nerve agent soman, became prostrate with violent convulsions, made attempts to crawl about the cage and then lost consciousness."
- Excerpt from "PREFACE FOR 'Animals and War: Confronting the Military-Animal Industrial Complex' (Lexington Press) - By Andrew Tyler, Director of Animal Aid" from http://www.animalaid.org.uk/h/n/NEWS/news_other//2974//
Animal Aid, the UK's largest animal rights group, provides purple poppies to be worn alongside red poppies on Remembrance Day. The purple poppy is a way to remember the animal victims of war. This year (2013), Animal Aid are unable to fulfill any more orders for poppies, but please buy one of their purple poppies in 2014 or later to show your support for the animals (or make your own purple poppy). Those in the UK may be able to find these poppies being sold in various UK shops. You can also purchase Animal Aid's Purple Poppy Car Sticker to raise awareness for this important issue. On Animal Aid's website, the organization lists other ways to get involved: http://www.animalaid.org.uk/h/n/CAMPAIGNS/living//2256//. (Please note that those living outside of the UK must purchase at least one non-poppy item along with the poppy items so that you can have your order placed.) (I only hope that the poppies aren't made of animal-derived felt!-- although I doubt that they would be, since Animal Aid is an animal rights group.)
Even if you don't wear any poppies, you can still take a moment to contemplate the human and animal cost of war this Remembrance Day.
 |
| Photo Courtesy of Animal Aid: http://www.animalaid.org.uk/h/n/CAMPAIGNS/living//2256// |
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| Photo Courtesy of On the Wight: http://onthewight.com/2012/11/05/purple-poppy-appeal-remembering-the-animal-victims-of-war/ |
Friday, October 4, 2013
The Ghosts in Our Machine: Film Review
Recently, I went to see a screening of a new documentary film, The Ghosts in Our Machine. It's a breathtaking film about a photographer named Jo-Anne McArthur, who goes on a mission to document the exploitation of animals for human use in modern society. The "ghosts" referred to in the title are the animals who we don't see, and they work in "our machine", which is pretty much our industrial system of production and research.
This was a fantastic movie. It truly re-invigorated my passion for animal rights, reminding me why I care about animal rights issues and veganism in the first place. The movie "takes" the viewers with Jo-Anne and friends on an undercover photoshoot of a fur farm. It also shows Jo-Anne's photographs from other excursions-- photographs of imprisoned monkeys, dogs, cows, and many more animals. All of this is shown from the perspective of Jo-Anne, a passionate animal rights activist with immense concern and empathy for animals.
One of the most heart-rendering scenes was the one with the pigs. There was a truck-load of pigs being shipped away to be slaughtered, and animal rights activists gathered around and took pictures of the animals in the truck when it slowed down on its route. The frightened piglets looked so emotional and intelligent in very human ways... and yet you knew that they were going to be killed. I felt somewhat reassured by the animal rights activists standing by the road holding signs urging drivers to honk their horns to show compassion for the pigs. They were also wearing Go Vegan T-shirts. Many cars did honk their horns.
Some people who have seen animal rights films or photographs before might be hesitant to see another movie on animal rights. Wait a minute... you might be thinking, Is this going to be full of gory, disturbing footage of dead, dying, and horribly abused animals? Well, friends, don't worry, because you can rest assured! Although this movie shows you some heartbreaking photographs and film footage-- which is a good thing, since that's the only way you can really come to understand the urgency of animal rights issues-- the filmmaker (Liz Marshall) tactfully switches the view from suffering animals to happy animals whenever it starts to get to be too much to handle. This is done in an effective, relevant manner, since Jo-Anne regularly visits Farm Sanctuary to re-charge after emotionally-draining expeditions. This also allows the viewer to ponder what they have just seen and breathe a breath of fresh air while watching beautiful sheep frolick through the fields!
Also, instead of outright giving instructions on how to go vegan at the end of the film (which is something that most animal rights films would do), "The Ghosts in Our Machine" leaves it to the viewers to come to their own conclusions. Although references to veganism are made in the film (the Go Vegan shirts, the food that Jo-Anne ate at meals, and a sign at Farm Sanctuary asking people not to consume animal products while visiting), the movie was not at all preachy. Even so, it was certainly moving enough to convince people to go vegan.
This is the movie that the world needs to see. "The Ghosts in Our Machine" has the capacity to change the world by first changing the minds and hearts of the world's people. It is professional enough to be taken seriously, gentle enough to enter the mainstream, and heartbreaking enough to truly inspire change.
Regardless of who you are (although you shouldn't show this movie to very young children, as it can be disturbing) or how familiar you are with animal rights, this movie is for you! I repeat, the world needs to see this movie!
If you'd like to learn more, order the film, find out when the next screenings are coming up, or if you'd like to order copies for your local library (which would be a lovely thing to do, don't you agree?), please go to their website at http://www.theghostsinourmachine.com/. Their website is full of information and food for thought in itself. You can even request permission to hold a community screening of the movie for 2014. To go immediately to their online store, you can click here: https://the-ghosts-in-our-machine.myshopify.com/
For the animals!
Cat
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| The movie poster, from their online store, at https://the-ghosts-in-our-machine.myshopify.com/ (not the same as their main website) |
One of the most heart-rendering scenes was the one with the pigs. There was a truck-load of pigs being shipped away to be slaughtered, and animal rights activists gathered around and took pictures of the animals in the truck when it slowed down on its route. The frightened piglets looked so emotional and intelligent in very human ways... and yet you knew that they were going to be killed. I felt somewhat reassured by the animal rights activists standing by the road holding signs urging drivers to honk their horns to show compassion for the pigs. They were also wearing Go Vegan T-shirts. Many cars did honk their horns.
Some people who have seen animal rights films or photographs before might be hesitant to see another movie on animal rights. Wait a minute... you might be thinking, Is this going to be full of gory, disturbing footage of dead, dying, and horribly abused animals? Well, friends, don't worry, because you can rest assured! Although this movie shows you some heartbreaking photographs and film footage-- which is a good thing, since that's the only way you can really come to understand the urgency of animal rights issues-- the filmmaker (Liz Marshall) tactfully switches the view from suffering animals to happy animals whenever it starts to get to be too much to handle. This is done in an effective, relevant manner, since Jo-Anne regularly visits Farm Sanctuary to re-charge after emotionally-draining expeditions. This also allows the viewer to ponder what they have just seen and breathe a breath of fresh air while watching beautiful sheep frolick through the fields!
Also, instead of outright giving instructions on how to go vegan at the end of the film (which is something that most animal rights films would do), "The Ghosts in Our Machine" leaves it to the viewers to come to their own conclusions. Although references to veganism are made in the film (the Go Vegan shirts, the food that Jo-Anne ate at meals, and a sign at Farm Sanctuary asking people not to consume animal products while visiting), the movie was not at all preachy. Even so, it was certainly moving enough to convince people to go vegan.
This is the movie that the world needs to see. "The Ghosts in Our Machine" has the capacity to change the world by first changing the minds and hearts of the world's people. It is professional enough to be taken seriously, gentle enough to enter the mainstream, and heartbreaking enough to truly inspire change.
Regardless of who you are (although you shouldn't show this movie to very young children, as it can be disturbing) or how familiar you are with animal rights, this movie is for you! I repeat, the world needs to see this movie!
If you'd like to learn more, order the film, find out when the next screenings are coming up, or if you'd like to order copies for your local library (which would be a lovely thing to do, don't you agree?), please go to their website at http://www.theghostsinourmachine.com/. Their website is full of information and food for thought in itself. You can even request permission to hold a community screening of the movie for 2014. To go immediately to their online store, you can click here: https://the-ghosts-in-our-machine.myshopify.com/
For the animals!
Cat
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Richard Adams' "The Plague Dogs"
If I could recommend one fictional book to all of you people out there, I would probably recommend The Plague Dogs by Richard Adams. The Plague Dogs is about two dogs-- Snitter and Rowf-- who escape an animal research facility and venture throughout beautiful Lake District in England. Soon, however, a dishonest journalist named Digby Driver sets out the alert that the dogs were kept in a laboratory that also contained carriers of the bubonic plague-- and now the dogs might be carrying it, too. A wild chase ensues as the humans of Lake District make it their mission to destroy the dogs, who are soon blamed for not only carrying the plague, but also killing sheep and being generally murderous. (Admittedly, they did kill sheep, but they only did it to survive. They're dogs, for heaven's sake!)
Richard Adams brilliantly combines action, drama, suspense, contemplation, and romantically describing Lake District's beautiful scenery in this once-in-a-century novel of morality, friendship, survival, and love. It's easily one of the best books I've ever read.
While in the laboratory, Snitter the terrier was subjected to brain surgery experiments to discover if one could recreate a strange delusion from a fictional story inside the head of a dog. Although he is rather mad, he is also entirely charming. Rowf was repeatedly drowned until he stopped struggling, then pulled out and resussitated. According to a disdainful Adams, all this was done in the name of "science" simply as because-we-can experiments. It was incredibly cruel, and it reminds one of real animal research-- rather insane and nonsensical tests that are done simply because we think that maybe, someday, they'll add to our overall understanding of the world.
Quotes from near the beginning of The Plague Dogs:
"'The wire swing!' said Snitter, sitting up suddently. 'The door, Rowf! That's why I came! The door of your pen's unfastened!'
The Alsatian had stopped howling and for some moments the only sound in the block was a sudden dripping from the tap, plangent on the convex edge of the overturned bucket beneath it.
'We can go through it, Rowf!'
'What for?'
'Rowf, we might be able to get out of here!'
'They'd only bring us back. Dogs are supposed to do what men want-- I've never had a master, but I know that.'
'The suffering, Rowf, the misery you've endured--'
'As dogs we're born to suffering. It's a bad world for animals--'
'Rowf, you owe them nothing -- nothing -- they're not masters --'"
“A quick run past the rabbits' execution shed, a turn around the kittens' quicklime pit, a moment's hesitation beyond the monkeys' gas-chamber--and they are gone: ay, not so long ago these canines fled away into the storm. It would be pleasant to report that that night Dr. Boycott dreamt of many a woe, and all his whitecoat-men with shade and form of witch and demon and large coffin-worm were long be-nightmared. One might even have hoped to add that Tyson the old died palsy-twitched, with meagre face deform. But in fact--as will be seen--none of these things happened. Slowly the rain ceased, the grey rack blowing away and over Windermere as first light came creeping into the sky and the remaining inmates of Lawson Park woke to another day in the care and service of humanity.”
"Freedom-- that consuming goal above doubt or criticism, desired as moths desire the candle or emigrants the distant continent waiting to parch them in its deserts or drive them to madness in its bitter winters! Freedom, that land where rogues, at every corner, cozen with lies and promises the plucky sheep who judged it time to sack the shepherd! Unfurl your banner, Freedom, and call upon me with cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer and all kinds of music to fall down and worship you, and I will do so in an instant, for who would wish to be cast into the fiery furnace of his neighbours' contempt?"
Richard Adams manages to create a truly thought-provoking story without sounding didactic or preachy. I highly recommend any of you to read it.
If you don't want to read the book, you could always watch the movie; you can definitely find it on Youtube. I'm not sure whether it's good, since I haven't watched it yet, but it probably is great. You can watch the WHOLE movie here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBxfOvx7QmU
Until next week!
Richard Adams brilliantly combines action, drama, suspense, contemplation, and romantically describing Lake District's beautiful scenery in this once-in-a-century novel of morality, friendship, survival, and love. It's easily one of the best books I've ever read.
While in the laboratory, Snitter the terrier was subjected to brain surgery experiments to discover if one could recreate a strange delusion from a fictional story inside the head of a dog. Although he is rather mad, he is also entirely charming. Rowf was repeatedly drowned until he stopped struggling, then pulled out and resussitated. According to a disdainful Adams, all this was done in the name of "science" simply as because-we-can experiments. It was incredibly cruel, and it reminds one of real animal research-- rather insane and nonsensical tests that are done simply because we think that maybe, someday, they'll add to our overall understanding of the world.
Quotes from near the beginning of The Plague Dogs:
"'The wire swing!' said Snitter, sitting up suddently. 'The door, Rowf! That's why I came! The door of your pen's unfastened!'
The Alsatian had stopped howling and for some moments the only sound in the block was a sudden dripping from the tap, plangent on the convex edge of the overturned bucket beneath it.
'We can go through it, Rowf!'
'What for?'
'Rowf, we might be able to get out of here!'
'They'd only bring us back. Dogs are supposed to do what men want-- I've never had a master, but I know that.'
'The suffering, Rowf, the misery you've endured--'
'As dogs we're born to suffering. It's a bad world for animals--'
'Rowf, you owe them nothing -- nothing -- they're not masters --'"
“A quick run past the rabbits' execution shed, a turn around the kittens' quicklime pit, a moment's hesitation beyond the monkeys' gas-chamber--and they are gone: ay, not so long ago these canines fled away into the storm. It would be pleasant to report that that night Dr. Boycott dreamt of many a woe, and all his whitecoat-men with shade and form of witch and demon and large coffin-worm were long be-nightmared. One might even have hoped to add that Tyson the old died palsy-twitched, with meagre face deform. But in fact--as will be seen--none of these things happened. Slowly the rain ceased, the grey rack blowing away and over Windermere as first light came creeping into the sky and the remaining inmates of Lawson Park woke to another day in the care and service of humanity.”
"Freedom-- that consuming goal above doubt or criticism, desired as moths desire the candle or emigrants the distant continent waiting to parch them in its deserts or drive them to madness in its bitter winters! Freedom, that land where rogues, at every corner, cozen with lies and promises the plucky sheep who judged it time to sack the shepherd! Unfurl your banner, Freedom, and call upon me with cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer and all kinds of music to fall down and worship you, and I will do so in an instant, for who would wish to be cast into the fiery furnace of his neighbours' contempt?"
Richard Adams manages to create a truly thought-provoking story without sounding didactic or preachy. I highly recommend any of you to read it.
If you don't want to read the book, you could always watch the movie; you can definitely find it on Youtube. I'm not sure whether it's good, since I haven't watched it yet, but it probably is great. You can watch the WHOLE movie here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBxfOvx7QmU
Until next week!
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Animal Welfare vs. Animal Rights
The Fundamental Difference Between Animal Welfare and Animal Rights
Animal welfare, as an ideology:
- wishes to improve quality of life for animals;
- believes that we should not cause animals harm and excess suffering;
- does not necessarily prohibit the consumption of animal products like meat, milk, eggs, honey, leather, wool, etc., nor does it necessarily prohibit medical animal tests.
- states that all animals are equal;
- believes that we should not use animals for our purposes;
- reminds us that all animals have the right to be free;
- typically prohibits the consumption of any animal products, such as those listed above, and prohibits animal tests for medical purposes.
``United we stand, divided we fall.`` Aesop
Some people may be under the false impression that animal rights activists are the extremists, and animal welfarists are the ``normal`` ones. This is false. In the end, animal rights and animal welfare are two separate ideologies. Animal welfarists may, at times, be extreme in their actions, and animal rights activists may be mild and completely engaging in legal actions.
Of course, I believe in animal rights, as that is the title of this blog. Keep in mind, however, that you should always think for yourself-- don`t accept something as true just because all the other animal rights activists say it is. For example, most animal rights activists think that we should spay and neuter all our pets, even if they never are exposed to another animal. This is ridiculous. Why should I make my rabbit have a painful, personality-altering operation just to make the other animal rights activists happy? It is not like she is going to have babies if I do not get her spayed. People sometimes say that you need to spay or neuter your pet so that they are more manageable pets. Again, ridiculous! That is not for the good of the animal-- it is just to make our human lives easier! How would you like to have one of those spay or neuter surgeries? (Annoyingly, my keyboard is replacing all those apostrophes with è, which is why I have suddenly stopped using contractions and quotation marks. Sorry.)
You do not have to agree with me, of course. My point is, though, that you must always think for yourself. You may even choose to not identify as an animal rights activist or an animal welfare advocate at all, but as something else entirely (animal liberationist, perhaps?).
Next week, I will be talking about different philosophical approaches you can take to animal rights. See you then!
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Animal Rights Blogs, Action Alerts, Newsletters, and Events to Sign Up For
This week, I'm just going to post a long list of different things to sign up for. These things can effectively help you become a better volunteer/person/activist by engaging you in reading and activity. I think that there isn't a list that gives a list of animal rights blogs, newsletters, and action alerts as comprehensive as this one on the ENTIRE web!
List of Animal Rights Blogs, Organizations, Action Alerts, and Events
Blogs
Do you have anything to add? Please contact me at rabbit-cat (at) vegemail.com or comment below.
Next week, I'll be talking about the cruelty of circuses. Until next week, then!
List of Animal Rights Blogs, Organizations, Action Alerts, and Events
Blogs
- My blog, http://www.theanimalrightsactionsite.blogspot.com/ (if you think you will forget to check my blog, sign up for it by e-mail on the right of this page)
- Animal Rights: The Abolishinist Approach, at http://www.abolitionistapproach.com/
- Le Chateau Soleil Vegan Cooking Blog: http://lechateausoleil.blogspot.ca/
- Vegan Marshmallows (this blog is no longer updated, but it still can be used as a resource): http://veganmarshmallows.blogspot.ca/
- Animal Rights Blog (quick updates about what's happening right now in the animal rights realm), at http://www.animalrightsblog.org/
- Animal Rights News: http://animalrights.newsbeet.com/
- Vegan.com blog: http://vegan.com/blog/
- PETA's blog: http://www.peta.org/b/thepetafiles/default.aspx
- peta2's blog: http://www.blog.peta2.com/
- WSPCA's Animals in Disaster Blog: http://www.animalsindisasters.typepad.com/
- Humane Society International News: http://www.hsi.org/news/
- Sea Shepherd Conservation Society News: http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-media/sea-shepherd-news.html
- International Fund for Animal Welfare: http://www.ifaw.org/ (enter your e-mail address at the top right-hand corner)
- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Action Team: http://www.peta.org/action/action-team/default.aspx
- WSPCA E-Newsletter: http://www.wspa-international.org/ (enter your e-mail address in the left-hand column)
- Humane Society International Action Alerts: http://www.hsi.org/ (enter your name, e-mail address, and country in the right hand column to sign up)
- Vegan Outreach E-Newsletter: http://www.veganoutreach.org/enewsletter/
- Vegan Society E-Newsletter: http://vegansociety.com/default.aspx (enter your e-mail address in the top right-hand corner)
- Vegetarian Society E-Newsletter: http://www.vegsoc.org/page.aspx?pid=912
- Friends of Animals Action Alerts: http://www.friendsofanimals.org/news/action-alert/
- Friends of Animals Magazine (available online): http://www.friendsofanimals.org/actionline/index.html
- Animal Rights 2012 National Conference: In Washington, D.C., from August 2nd to 5th, the conference will be held. All welcome! http://arconference.org/
- For area-specific events in the USA and Britain, please go to http://www.soystache.com/vegetarian-events.htm
Do you have anything to add? Please contact me at rabbit-cat (at) vegemail.com or comment below.
Next week, I'll be talking about the cruelty of circuses. Until next week, then!
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Cut Out Dissection!
My biology class will most likely have a dissection in the next few weeks. The other students may willingly chop up frogs or worms, but I will not! Nor will I agree to saw away at little rabbits or cats once I reach "higher" levels of science education.
Dissection is immoral for more reasons than you may think. Animals who are destined to be dissected are bred from biology supply companies, fur farms, and factory farms. There have been records of animals being severely abused while there. And did you know that cats have been stolen off the streets to provide for school and university science projects? Many (or most, according to the Humane Society of the United States) animals are taken from the wild to be dissected, including frogs, which are actually threatened with extinction! I also believe that either cutting up an animal or merely watching an animal being dissected somehow takes away part of your morality. I use the word "desensitization" a lot, and I think it would apply here, too, don't you think?
Here are some things you can do:
1) Students: When your teacher announces that your class is going to have a biology lab that involves dissection, let them know that you won't be participating. In most places, you have the right to refuse. In Canada, this right is protected by the Charter of Personal Rights and Freedoms. In the United States, there are laws and guidelines that let you refuse. Don't agree to stand there and watch, either-- that's still participating, because you'll be expected to take notes and inspect the animal, too.
2) Students: Get your friends to refuse dissection, too. If they don't particularly care about the animals, educate them about it. I know that it might not work (friends can be so apathetic nowadays!), but it's worth a try.
3) Students: Start an animal rights club at school and tackle the topic of dissection. You may even succeed in getting it banned!
4) Parents: Let the school board, teachers, and principal that you disapprove of dissection and that you want the students to be able to choose an alternative. This may not actually change anything immediately, but if enough parents start saying this, the school might cut out dissection completely! You can also rally the other parents to go to the school board with the same complaints. If you get the school's environment club/ animal rights club to join in, you might be starting a schoolwide revolution (without the physical fighting)!
5) Teachers: Don't make your students do a dissection; in fact, don't buy any dead animals at all! If the curriculum or the school or the principal tells you that you must "teach" a dissection, tell them that it goes against your values and that you'd be happy to provide alternatives, such as computer programs, 3-D plastic models, and diagrams.
6) By-Standers: All of you who aren't involved in the messed-up school system can make a difference, too. You can let the students know of their right to refuse by putting up posters on telephone poles near the school and post anti-dissection blog entries, among other things. Sign any anti-dissection petitions that come your way, and maybe get involved in an anti-dissection group.
Remember, people are often the only ones who can right the wrongs of other people. And, well, you're a person... So what are you waiting for?
See you next week!
Dissection is immoral for more reasons than you may think. Animals who are destined to be dissected are bred from biology supply companies, fur farms, and factory farms. There have been records of animals being severely abused while there. And did you know that cats have been stolen off the streets to provide for school and university science projects? Many (or most, according to the Humane Society of the United States) animals are taken from the wild to be dissected, including frogs, which are actually threatened with extinction! I also believe that either cutting up an animal or merely watching an animal being dissected somehow takes away part of your morality. I use the word "desensitization" a lot, and I think it would apply here, too, don't you think?
Here are some things you can do:
1) Students: When your teacher announces that your class is going to have a biology lab that involves dissection, let them know that you won't be participating. In most places, you have the right to refuse. In Canada, this right is protected by the Charter of Personal Rights and Freedoms. In the United States, there are laws and guidelines that let you refuse. Don't agree to stand there and watch, either-- that's still participating, because you'll be expected to take notes and inspect the animal, too.
2) Students: Get your friends to refuse dissection, too. If they don't particularly care about the animals, educate them about it. I know that it might not work (friends can be so apathetic nowadays!), but it's worth a try.
3) Students: Start an animal rights club at school and tackle the topic of dissection. You may even succeed in getting it banned!
4) Parents: Let the school board, teachers, and principal that you disapprove of dissection and that you want the students to be able to choose an alternative. This may not actually change anything immediately, but if enough parents start saying this, the school might cut out dissection completely! You can also rally the other parents to go to the school board with the same complaints. If you get the school's environment club/ animal rights club to join in, you might be starting a schoolwide revolution (without the physical fighting)!
5) Teachers: Don't make your students do a dissection; in fact, don't buy any dead animals at all! If the curriculum or the school or the principal tells you that you must "teach" a dissection, tell them that it goes against your values and that you'd be happy to provide alternatives, such as computer programs, 3-D plastic models, and diagrams.
6) By-Standers: All of you who aren't involved in the messed-up school system can make a difference, too. You can let the students know of their right to refuse by putting up posters on telephone poles near the school and post anti-dissection blog entries, among other things. Sign any anti-dissection petitions that come your way, and maybe get involved in an anti-dissection group.
Remember, people are often the only ones who can right the wrongs of other people. And, well, you're a person... So what are you waiting for?
See you next week!
Sunday, February 12, 2012
How To Stop Animal Cruelty Everywhere You Go
Animal cruelty seems to be all around us nowadays-- it doesn't take a trip to a factory farm or circus to confirm the way animals are being senselessly abused. On the streets, some children think it's funny to burn ants with magnifying glasses on hot days; people drag their dogs along without thinking about their pets' happiness; and sometimes teenagers will even throw rocks at cats. At home, dogs are locked in crates while their masters are at work; "pocket pets" and fish are stuck in cages hardly bigger than they are themselves; unwanted goldfish are flushed down the toilet while alive; and dogs and cats, supposedly the joys in our lives, are yelled at for doing things like eating a tasty treat that their owner had prepared for their guests.
It seems hard to know where to start. Since these things can only be eliminated through new legislation and such, there's nothing we can do to stop it.
Or is there?
There is, in fact, a very simple way to help reduce speciesism, or the prejudice against other species. This is practicing respect! It's not just a matter of not harming animals. It is about advocating the respect for other creatures in our daily lives. Here are some examples of what I mean:
- Refer to animals by he or she instead of it. The pronoun it signifies an inanimate object. Once humans consider animals to be individuals with lives of their own, it will be a lot harder for people to show cruelty. Cruelty, after all, often spawns from thoughtlessness-- not even considering another's point-of-view.
- When one of your friends is joking about animal cruelty, let them know that it isn't funny and that they shouldn't joke about it.
- When you actually come into the aquaintance of a non-human animal, do as J. Allen Boone was instructed to do when he was asked to care for the dog celebrity, Strongheart:
- "I was told what and when to feed my new companion, how to bathe and brush him and what kind of exercise he should have every day. I was advised to treat him exactly as I would an intelligent human being. I was never under any circumstances to 'talk down my nose' at him, to use baby talk with him, or to say anything... that I did not sincerely mean in my heart. The instructions ended with the apparently serious recommendation that I read something worthwhile to him every day." To learn how this all went, I advise you to read his book, Kinship With All Life.
- Make sure that you don't participate in events that support animal cruelty. For example, a barbeque fundraiser may be raising funds for a good cause, but by helping with setting up/cleaning up/cooking/making posters/etc., you would be supporting animal cruelty at the same time. Veggie-burger-only/veggie-dog-only barbeques are okay, though! If someone asks you why you won't help, try to explain as politely and descriptively as you can. You may not convert them into animal rights activists on the spot, but you will definitely get them thinking about stopping their unconcious cruelty. Another example would be if your friends think it's "fun" to squish/drown ants. Don't be the by-stander. "But I'm not actually doing anything" doesn't cut it. As I have heard from many anti-bullying campaigns in elementary school, "the by-stander is just as bad as the bully."
- If you see someone who isn't treating their animal properly, offer a suggestion on how to do things better. Don't make it sound like you are attacking them, but give them a "friendly pointer" and ask them to look at it from the animals' point-of-view. If you can, direct them to an animal rights video, organization, or my blog!
- Remember: children and youth are the future. The atmosphere that young people are raised in will have a profound impact on the world of tomorrow. Humane education is vital to helping kids cultivate compassion. Teach your children (if you have kids) and their friends to be compassionate wherever they go, explaining them why they should boycott circuses, zoos, animal products, etc. This is not "brainwashing" them. It is exactly the same as teaching children to care for their neighbours. If they are taught this, there won't be a need for animal rights activism in years to come-- respect will come naturally!
By the way, I'm not accepting e-mails from my old ecofuzzy e-mail account anymore. Google is changing it's privacy policies. So you'd be better off to post a comment instead, for those of you who want to contact me but don't know me personally. Thanks.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Animal Rights-- a Traditional Value
Huh? Just wait a minute. You're probably wondering how on EARTH animal rights is an age-old European tradition, right? It seems like a totally new, radical idea that has just recently appeared in our culture, doesn't it?
Well, there was a time-- during the medieval period and American colonization-- when the idea of animals not having rights was even more absurd, according to Jeffrey St.Clair in the introduction of Fear of the Animal Planet, a book by Jason Hribal. Animals were frequently given trials for breaking the law, yet if anyone violated that animal's rights, they would also end up in court. Convicted animals would end up executed in the exact same way humans were-- and often buried beside human criminals.
For example, in 1575, the weevils who lived in Savoy, France were sent to court (represented by a lawyer) for destroying a famous vineyard. Their lawyer, Pierre Rembaud, cited the Christian Bible to defend the weevils. He said that God had promised the all animals any plants that they needed to eat, so it was the weevils' preordained right to eat the grape leaves. He even swayed the local citizens to set up a weevil reserve!
In another case, a donkey had been attacked by a farmer in 1750. The court needed to decide whether the donkey had provoked the attack or was innocent. So, some top citizens wrote to the court. An abbot described the donkey as "in word and deed and in all her habits of life a most honorable creature." In the end, the donkey was declared innocent and was allowed to go back to her field.
Notice how the abbot describes the young donkey in the same way one might speak of a human being, and using the term "her habits", instead of "its habits". The donkey is considered capable of rational judgement, morality, and the freedom of choice. Compare that to nowadays, and how a donkey is often described as a commodity without innate value.
What happened?
How did animals become seen as human goods, then?
Well, according to the book that I cited earlier, around 1600, the view began to change. If an animal was inconvenient, "it" would have to go, and there were no more trials that gave animals rights. Take Rene Descartes, for example, who was a scientist, philosopher, and vivisector. He was known to nail dogs to a board to cut open-- while alive-- on the basis that animals were simply atomatons, and that their screams were comparable to the "noise of breaking machinery". Other celebrities of the time were starting to view animals in this way, too. Those who still lived close-up-and-personal to animals challenged this "modern" way of thinking, but gradually it spread like the plague through nearly every city, town, and village in the modern world.
Although this is a truly sad tale, there are still ways that we can reverse this dangerously cruel direction that we have been heading. Luckily, some of the work is already cut out for us, as environmentalists, animal rescuers, and animal rights activists are starting to work towards a compassionate world. But they can't do it unless we all pitch in. Here are some things to do to help:
Well, there was a time-- during the medieval period and American colonization-- when the idea of animals not having rights was even more absurd, according to Jeffrey St.Clair in the introduction of Fear of the Animal Planet, a book by Jason Hribal. Animals were frequently given trials for breaking the law, yet if anyone violated that animal's rights, they would also end up in court. Convicted animals would end up executed in the exact same way humans were-- and often buried beside human criminals.
For example, in 1575, the weevils who lived in Savoy, France were sent to court (represented by a lawyer) for destroying a famous vineyard. Their lawyer, Pierre Rembaud, cited the Christian Bible to defend the weevils. He said that God had promised the all animals any plants that they needed to eat, so it was the weevils' preordained right to eat the grape leaves. He even swayed the local citizens to set up a weevil reserve!
In another case, a donkey had been attacked by a farmer in 1750. The court needed to decide whether the donkey had provoked the attack or was innocent. So, some top citizens wrote to the court. An abbot described the donkey as "in word and deed and in all her habits of life a most honorable creature." In the end, the donkey was declared innocent and was allowed to go back to her field.
Notice how the abbot describes the young donkey in the same way one might speak of a human being, and using the term "her habits", instead of "its habits". The donkey is considered capable of rational judgement, morality, and the freedom of choice. Compare that to nowadays, and how a donkey is often described as a commodity without innate value.
What happened?
How did animals become seen as human goods, then?
Well, according to the book that I cited earlier, around 1600, the view began to change. If an animal was inconvenient, "it" would have to go, and there were no more trials that gave animals rights. Take Rene Descartes, for example, who was a scientist, philosopher, and vivisector. He was known to nail dogs to a board to cut open-- while alive-- on the basis that animals were simply atomatons, and that their screams were comparable to the "noise of breaking machinery". Other celebrities of the time were starting to view animals in this way, too. Those who still lived close-up-and-personal to animals challenged this "modern" way of thinking, but gradually it spread like the plague through nearly every city, town, and village in the modern world.
Although this is a truly sad tale, there are still ways that we can reverse this dangerously cruel direction that we have been heading. Luckily, some of the work is already cut out for us, as environmentalists, animal rescuers, and animal rights activists are starting to work towards a compassionate world. But they can't do it unless we all pitch in. Here are some things to do to help:
- Don't buy any product that has come from the animal industry. This includes food, clothing, souvenirs, and cleaning solutions that are made out of an animal product, among other things. Although some products are considered "humane", remember that humane in the 21st century is a great deal different than truly humane.
- Remember to treat animals as individuals, not just cute things. They're different from us in many ways, but not as many as you might think. Follow the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
- Speak of animals in the same way. Although it won't directly affect your neighbour's cat if you describe him as "cute and pathetic" while talking to your friends, it will create a worse case of human superiority-complex in society. So be careful!
- Educate others on how the current typical view of animals is not natural nor compassionate. If you don't want to take the time to explain, send them to my blog, okay?
- Don't support the cruel practices of the pet trade, animal performances, and rides on either wagons drawn by animals or on their backs.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Boycott Animal Testing-- Part Two: Biomedical Reseach
Biomedical research is, in a nutshell, the use of animals in medical research. However, it is not as simple as a few words on a computer screen; it is a very cruel and unscientific process that totally defies the animals' rights.
I am going to write this post in the form of a Q&A:
Q: How are laboratory animals treated?
A: Very poorly! They are considered to be scientific models, not living animals. Dr. Jane Goodall said of chimps, "hundreds have been condemned to life imprisonment (up to sixty years) in five-foot by five-foot laboratory cages". I have heard many stories from countless sources of animals being tortured and even senselessly abused by animal experimenters.
In The Plague Dogs, a novel by Richard Adams, Snitter and Rowf (the main characters, who are dogs) are subjected to cruel, unscientific experiments, such as brain surgery to see how delusional Snitter can get, and holding Rowf down in a tank of water to see how long it takes for him to drown (they also see if they can revive him later). Although The Plague Dogs is a work of fiction, Adams does mention in the Author's Note that every experiment mentioned in the book is real and has been performed. Many of the dogs in the story were also subjected to poisoning, over-exercising, and countless other experiments. I recommend reading the book-- from what I've told you it sounds pretty depressing, but soon the dogs escape the laboratory and go on an adventure together. It is not a kids book, either. It has some very difficult language that will leave you reaching for the dictionary every so often.
Besides, I think being shut up in a cage for your whole life is bad enough!
Q: Isn't using animals in experimentation the only way to find out which drugs are okay for humans?
A: No, and it is actually is very ineffective. Every species (humans included) has a different cellular and molecular make-up, and it is on this level that diseases occur. What might be okay for rats can be absolutely toxic for humans. For example, an asthma medication called Isuprel (even the NAME sounds toxic!) killed 3500 people in Great Britain. It had been tested on animals, but it had not caused the same effects on humans as it had on other animals. And, according to Sacred Cows and Golden Geese, a book on the scientific fraud of animal experimentation, 15% of people admitted to hospitals are there because they have had problems with their medication.
Q: So, what are the alternatives?
A: Here is a list of the alternatives:
A: For a few reasons. According to a pamphlet I got a few years ago (Animals In Research by University of Ottawa), "biomedical research involving animals remains essential to the better understanding of biology and physiology of higher organisms in medicine's continuing quest to advance the treatment and prevention of disease." So they are calling humans "higher organisms". But I wonder what defines one organism as "higher" than another? Surely humanity just views itself as the best because it does not understand other creatures. At the time I got the pamphlet I was at a Philosophy and Animal Rights mini-enrichment course. A guest speaker came in to tell us about why animal testing was good. She said not only that humans were "higher organisms" but also that within the animal kingdom there were higher and lower species as well. This was solely based on the size of the animal. She said that first they test on mice, then rabbits, then dogs, and then humans. To be honest with you, I find this philosophy more than a little sickening. Is the size classification merely because the bodies are easier to dispose of if they are smaller? If we followed this rule, would we test the drugs on children first, adults last?
Other reasons include: false beliefs about animals being good models and experiencing no emotion, as well as people wanting to protect their career. If I was told I could earn a billion dollars per hour by being a vivisector, I wouldn't do it. Even though I could help a lot of animals with a billion dollars, it would be too against my moral values to cause one animal suffering even for a short while. Of course, many people have such a desperation to hold on to their career that they will fight for anything to keep it. Some people consider this a worthy cause, but why would we kill untold numbers of animals for the sake of letting a few people keep their jobs?
Q: So, what can we do about it?
A: 1) Boycott drugs that were tested on animals, especially those that you don't really need, like hand-lotion and birth-control. Try to use natural remedies, instead. Medical hand-lotion, for example, can be replaced with a non-animal-testing brand. Painkillers can be replaced with a natural painkiller, like white willow bark or turmeric. See http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/story.html?id=91e0211d-62aa-47b2-bdd8-dcf1a81132bb for information on why conventional painkillers are unsafe, and for ideas on what to use instead.
2) Raise awareness! Post your own anti-animal testing article on your blog, webpage, or social networking site. Tell people about it. Post links to my blog wherever the topic does (or doesn't) appear!
3) Sign a petition against animal testing. Here are a few ones you could start with:
http://www.therainforestsite.com/clickToGive/campaign.faces?siteId=3&campaign=AirCanadaMonkeys
http://www.petitiononline.com/pawsclub/petition.html
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/protest-against-animal-testing.html
Thank you for your support!
I am going to write this post in the form of a Q&A:
Q: How are laboratory animals treated?
A: Very poorly! They are considered to be scientific models, not living animals. Dr. Jane Goodall said of chimps, "hundreds have been condemned to life imprisonment (up to sixty years) in five-foot by five-foot laboratory cages". I have heard many stories from countless sources of animals being tortured and even senselessly abused by animal experimenters.
In The Plague Dogs, a novel by Richard Adams, Snitter and Rowf (the main characters, who are dogs) are subjected to cruel, unscientific experiments, such as brain surgery to see how delusional Snitter can get, and holding Rowf down in a tank of water to see how long it takes for him to drown (they also see if they can revive him later). Although The Plague Dogs is a work of fiction, Adams does mention in the Author's Note that every experiment mentioned in the book is real and has been performed. Many of the dogs in the story were also subjected to poisoning, over-exercising, and countless other experiments. I recommend reading the book-- from what I've told you it sounds pretty depressing, but soon the dogs escape the laboratory and go on an adventure together. It is not a kids book, either. It has some very difficult language that will leave you reaching for the dictionary every so often.
Besides, I think being shut up in a cage for your whole life is bad enough!
Q: Isn't using animals in experimentation the only way to find out which drugs are okay for humans?
A: No, and it is actually is very ineffective. Every species (humans included) has a different cellular and molecular make-up, and it is on this level that diseases occur. What might be okay for rats can be absolutely toxic for humans. For example, an asthma medication called Isuprel (even the NAME sounds toxic!) killed 3500 people in Great Britain. It had been tested on animals, but it had not caused the same effects on humans as it had on other animals. And, according to Sacred Cows and Golden Geese, a book on the scientific fraud of animal experimentation, 15% of people admitted to hospitals are there because they have had problems with their medication.
Q: So, what are the alternatives?
A: Here is a list of the alternatives:
- using human volunteers
- using cells in test tubes
- autopsies
- surveys of people with the disease
- genetic research
- diagnostic imaging
- post-marketing drug surveillance (PMDS)
- computers
A: For a few reasons. According to a pamphlet I got a few years ago (Animals In Research by University of Ottawa), "biomedical research involving animals remains essential to the better understanding of biology and physiology of higher organisms in medicine's continuing quest to advance the treatment and prevention of disease." So they are calling humans "higher organisms". But I wonder what defines one organism as "higher" than another? Surely humanity just views itself as the best because it does not understand other creatures. At the time I got the pamphlet I was at a Philosophy and Animal Rights mini-enrichment course. A guest speaker came in to tell us about why animal testing was good. She said not only that humans were "higher organisms" but also that within the animal kingdom there were higher and lower species as well. This was solely based on the size of the animal. She said that first they test on mice, then rabbits, then dogs, and then humans. To be honest with you, I find this philosophy more than a little sickening. Is the size classification merely because the bodies are easier to dispose of if they are smaller? If we followed this rule, would we test the drugs on children first, adults last?
Other reasons include: false beliefs about animals being good models and experiencing no emotion, as well as people wanting to protect their career. If I was told I could earn a billion dollars per hour by being a vivisector, I wouldn't do it. Even though I could help a lot of animals with a billion dollars, it would be too against my moral values to cause one animal suffering even for a short while. Of course, many people have such a desperation to hold on to their career that they will fight for anything to keep it. Some people consider this a worthy cause, but why would we kill untold numbers of animals for the sake of letting a few people keep their jobs?
Q: So, what can we do about it?
A: 1) Boycott drugs that were tested on animals, especially those that you don't really need, like hand-lotion and birth-control. Try to use natural remedies, instead. Medical hand-lotion, for example, can be replaced with a non-animal-testing brand. Painkillers can be replaced with a natural painkiller, like white willow bark or turmeric. See http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/story.html?id=91e0211d-62aa-47b2-bdd8-dcf1a81132bb for information on why conventional painkillers are unsafe, and for ideas on what to use instead.
2) Raise awareness! Post your own anti-animal testing article on your blog, webpage, or social networking site. Tell people about it. Post links to my blog wherever the topic does (or doesn't) appear!
3) Sign a petition against animal testing. Here are a few ones you could start with:
http://www.therainforestsite.com/clickToGive/campaign.faces?siteId=3&campaign=AirCanadaMonkeys
http://www.petitiononline.com/pawsclub/petition.html
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/protest-against-animal-testing.html
Thank you for your support!
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Boycott Animal Testing-- Part one: Cosmetics
Animal testing is the cruel and unnecessary process of force-feeding and slathering products on animals and seeing how they react. One kind of animal testing for cosmetics is the Draize test, which involves putting chemicals in rabbits' eyes (rabbits have a slow reaction that causes them not to blink fast enough to avoid the chemicals). Another kind tries to determine how long it takes for half of the rats or mice to die once poisoned with a chemical, such as hairspray, nail polish, shampoo, etc. These tests are conducted to ensure the "safety" of the products being used-- but they are totally unhelpful.
Humans and other animals are different on a cellular and molecular level-- which often results in the tested animals reacting differently than humans do (I'll talk more about that in Part two: Biomedical Research). And besides, the chemicals used in cosmetics should be safe enough to test on humans right away. Not force-feeding humans like they do to animals, but applying a small amount on the skin of volunteers to see if they form a rash. So basically, testing on animals is completely worthless, not to mention cruel!
Which products do and don't test on animals, then? Well, it is your lucky day-- there is a huge printable list of cruelty-free companies that I am about to give you a link to!
Ta-Da!*** Regular List: http://www.leapingbunny.org/images/cciclist.pdf
Global Guide: http://www.leapingbunny.org/images/globalguide.pdf ***
Of course, there are so many unnecessary cosmetics out there, too-- you would be best to stick with the basic shampoo, conditioner, soap, and deodorant-- but if you do choose to use more than that, make sure that they ALL are animal-testing-free! Even better, make sure that they are animal-product free, toxic chemical free, and environmentally friendly, too.
Have fun shopping!
P.S. I almost forgot to post this because it's Christmas! Well, this is the last post of 2011. See you on January 1, 2012!
Humans and other animals are different on a cellular and molecular level-- which often results in the tested animals reacting differently than humans do (I'll talk more about that in Part two: Biomedical Research). And besides, the chemicals used in cosmetics should be safe enough to test on humans right away. Not force-feeding humans like they do to animals, but applying a small amount on the skin of volunteers to see if they form a rash. So basically, testing on animals is completely worthless, not to mention cruel!
Which products do and don't test on animals, then? Well, it is your lucky day-- there is a huge printable list of cruelty-free companies that I am about to give you a link to!
Ta-Da!*** Regular List: http://www.leapingbunny.org/images/cciclist.pdf
Global Guide: http://www.leapingbunny.org/images/globalguide.pdf ***
Of course, there are so many unnecessary cosmetics out there, too-- you would be best to stick with the basic shampoo, conditioner, soap, and deodorant-- but if you do choose to use more than that, make sure that they ALL are animal-testing-free! Even better, make sure that they are animal-product free, toxic chemical free, and environmentally friendly, too.
Have fun shopping!
P.S. I almost forgot to post this because it's Christmas! Well, this is the last post of 2011. See you on January 1, 2012!
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