Please sign the petition-- stop itravel2000 from promoting animal cruelty!

itravel2000 is a popular travel website to help Canadians plan their vacations. According to a petition on Care2, itravel2000 encourages people to go to "amusement parks where dolphins, killer whales, and belugas are held captive." The petition is asking itravel2000 to remove these destinations from their website. Good idea!

The petition is still a bit short on signatures. Please sign the petition and share it with people you know, before it gets sent off to the travel website in about a week! Thanks!

Arturo, "The World's Saddest Animal"

Arturo

I recently signed a petition on Change.org calling for Arturo, a polar bear who has been dubbed by many to be "The World's Saddest Animal", to be transferred from his current location at the Mendoza zoo in Argentina to the Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg.
Arturo lives in inadequate, hot conditions in the Argentina zoo. A narrated Youtube video (which you can see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxSZF-3rIt0; NOTE: following a warning, it gets graphic partway through-- I didn't watch through to the end) shows that Arturo and a brown bear in another enclosure at the zoo were exhibiting stereotypic behaviour. In the video, Arturo looks sad and lonely. Many people consider him to be depressed, which is very believable when you look at the photos. According to the Daily Mail, "The polar bear has been alone in his enclosure since his partner, Pelusa, died of cancer in 2012. Visitors to the zoo, and animal experts, had reported seeing him pacing nervously in his concrete enclosure, and appearing to struggle with the high temperatures." Although his enclosure is air-conditioned, he still has to spend time in temperatures of "up to 40C (104F)", according to the Daily Mail and others. It is said that his pool is only 50 cm (20 inches) deep. A polar bear should not be kept in sweltering hot temperatures in Argentina! Polar bears are built to live in the cold northern regions of the world, with plenty of space to roam free. Winnipeg seems like a much more suitable option for Arturo; the conditions of the zoo are said to be "world-class". (Of course, animals shouldn't be kept in zoos, but once you've kept an animal in a zoo for his or her whole life, they may not be able to survive in the wild anymore, in which case they just need to be kept in the best, most natural conditions as possible for the rest of their life.)
Unfortunately, the Mendoza zoo is refusing to transfer Arturo. I was saddened to learn this shortly after signing the petition. The zoo claims that Arturo isn't in good enough health to be transferred. They are claiming that his poor health and sad behaviours are due to old age. (As if! If a polar bear acted like this in the wild, he or she would be considered seriously unwell and/or seriously unhappy.)
If you'd like to sign the petition anyway, here's the link: Change.org
Just a reminder, everyone, please boycott zoos! Also, we all need to raise awareness about the plight of the animals who are exploited by humans. Every time we educate someone else about the way animals are being harmed, we make a difference. Even if that person doesn't go vegan and boycott animal exploitation right away, we've at least planted a seed in their mind about the matter, so that eventually they may make the right decisions. I'm definitely not suggesting that people can justify hurting animals by saying that they're "not ready to change their lifestyle yet", but at least by raising awareness, they will hopefully become more likely to make good choices in the long run.
Thanks for reading!

The New Movie "Noah" is Animal-Friendly!

Director Darren Aronofsky's new movie "Noah" is coming out in theatres on March 28th, 2014. It's a creative adaptation of the story of Noah's ark from the book of Genesis. You probably already know the story-- two of every animal are taken onto a large boat to be saved from the great flood that God has sent to kill off humanity.
Many movies are filmed using live animals-- and this often has very negative effects for the animals. For example, animals have been harmed in the making of Pirates of the Carribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, The Life of Pi, and the Hobbit, among others. You can read more about this from the Daily Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2513407/How-Hollywood-animals-repeatedly-harmed-movie-TV-production.html.
Happily, the new movie "Noah" did not use real animals in the filming of the movie at all! All of the animals are computer animations. Not only this, but the storyline of the movie also has a large focus on the importance of caring for animals and the environment. The director, Darren Aronofsky, has even advocated for animal rights in the past, according to Joan Reddi on Ecorazzi.
Here's the trailer:


I'm definitely going to go see it-- are you? ;)

A Recent History of Veganism: Part I-- The Vegan Society

Vegetarianism has a long history, stretching back all the way to Ancient Greece, Ancient India, and more. Veganism also has a long history-- in fact, in Jainism, veganism plays an integral role in the practice of compassion and non-violence. However, for most of history, veganism was referred to as "pure vegetarianism", "strict vegetarianism" or "total vegetarianism" (and in some parts of the world, it still is!). Although this pure/strict/total vegetarianism has a rich history of its own, today I want to explore with you the recent history of veganism as we know it today in the Western world, starting with the year the word "vegan" was born.
In this post, I'll be discussing the history of the Vegan Society, which is how the term "veganism" came to be.
The word "vegan" was coined in 1944 by Donald Watson, co-founder of the Vegan Society, which is based in the UK. According to Wikipedia,

"In August 1944 two of the Vegetarian Society's members, Donald Watson (1910–2005) and Elsie "Sally" Shrigley (died 1978), suggested forming a subgroup of non-dairy vegetarians. When the executive committee rejected the idea, they and five others met in November that year at the Attic Club in Holborn, London, to discuss setting up a separate organization.
They suggested several terms to replace non-dairy vegetarian, including dairyban, vitan, benevore, sanivore and beaumangeur. Watson decided on vegan.... As he put it in 2004, the word consisted of the first three and last two letters of vegetarian, "the beginning and end of vegetarian." He called the new group the Vegan Society. Its first newsletter... was distributed to 500 people."

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veganism

To read the FIRST EVER copy of the Vegan Society newsletter from 1944 ("The Vegan News" (Quarterly Magazine of the Non-Dairy Vegetarians)), follow this link: http://www.vegansociety.com/uploadedFiles/About_The_Society/Publications/The_Vegan_magazine/Feature_Articles/1944-news.pdf. It's really cool to see on page 2, for example, where they discuss what to call themselves:

"We should all consider carefully what our group, and our magazine, and ourselves, shall be called. ... As this first issue of our periodical had to be named, I have used the title "The Vegan News". Should we adopt this, our diet will soon become known as a VEGAN diet, and we should aspire to the ranks of VEGANS. Members' suggestions will be welcomed."

In 1976, The Vegan Society produced a 30 minute program on veganism. It presents shockingly similar knowledge to the modern-day information on veganism and is still highly relevant to veganism today-- watch it to see for yourself!


If you can't watch this video on my blog, you can view it on Youtube instead: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=VlTYjaQLy2o

The gardener who was interviewed, Kathleen Jannaway, later left her position as the secretary of the Vegan Society and formed The Movement for Compassionate Living, which focuses on both veganism and sustainable living (the two are closely correlated, of course).

The Vegan Society focuses on a wide variety of tactics, including education, food labelling, and their (still quarterly!) magazine, The Vegan. Check out their website: http://www.vegansociety.com/default.aspx.
The Vegan Society is definitely one of my favourite vegan organizations; it doesn't do offensive things like PETA, and it doesn't scorn personal purity in the vegan diet the way Vegan Outreach does.

Here is a much more recent video from the Vegan Society:


Check back soon for my next post, everyone!

For the Love of Horses...

For the love of horses, please do not go on a horse-drawn carriage ride this year. I know there are all too many opportunities to do so at heritage farms and museums, as well as in Montreal and New York City, among other places. But these horses-- especially the big-city ones-- are treated very poorly and are in for a lifetime of suffering.
According to the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages,

"The average working life of a carriage horse on NYC streets is under four years compared to a police horse whose working life is about 14 years. ... On the streets of NY, these horses are constantly nose-to-tailpipe and often show corresponding respiratory impairment. Because they are not given adequate farrier care, lameness is often a problem, especially walking on pavement. Horses must work in hot humid temperatures and in the brutal cold – nine hours a day, seven days a week and go back to stuffy stable where they have no opportunity for turnout. Many of the stables are firetraps with inadequate sprinkler systems and fire protective devices and only one means of egress. Most house the horses on upper floors, which makes it even more difficult to evacuate them if there were a fire. It is not unusual to see urine and feces stains on the horses. Because of their previous uses on the racetrack or on Amish farms, many of the horses come into this industry with preexisting injuries or arthritis and are forced to pull carriages containing heavy tourists – upwards of 7-800 pounds. When these horses are no longer fit to work the demanding streets of NYC, they are “retired” – many go to auction where their fate is unknown. “Killer Buyers” often buy these horses by the pound for the slaughterhouse. Horsemeat is a delicacy in some European countries."

 There is no reason to exploit the horse's strength in this way. Horses may be strong, but they are also delicate. These horse-drawn carriages are outright cruelty, comparable to the trail-riding industry, circuses, and zoos. It is much worse than cockfighting. (Don't believe me on that last one? Read next week's post to learn more. [But next week's post hasn't come out yet, so you'll have to wait!])

I love horses. They are another animal that I have been attracted to for my whole life (along with cats). This one doesn't look too happy, though. Maybe he's getting back at people for treating him like a slave...
Photo courtesy of http://www.extension.org/pages/15174/basics-of-equine-behavior

A Warning for Animal-Rights-Concerned Tourists

There are quite a few things that anyone concerned with animal rights should be aware of when on vacation this summer. Here are all the ones I could think of:

• This summer, I urge everyone to refuse to buy wildlife souvenirs. For example, if you are going to India this summer, please make sure not to buy anything made of monkey fur, tiger skins, ivory, etc. It sounds obvious, but honestly, it is so easy to get carried away with excuses of "just this once" while on vacation! This is especially crucial with endangered species, of course, so that they do not become extinct. However, following the animal rights philosophy, we must also boycott all other animal souvenirs while we are away. Many animals are actually raised just for this industry alone, which dispels all wishful images of some native hunter donating the scraps of a wild animal to the tourist industry.

• Another thing to look out for: the foods of other cultures! If you are going somewhere that seems exotic by your standards, you had better do research on what all the food names mean-- and write them down! For example, hummus may be a delicious chickpea spread, but haggis is a Scottish "food" made from the lungs, heart, and liver of a sheep or calf. (Once when I was about 9, my mom told me there was hummus in my submarine sandwich. I thought she meant haggis, and I freaked out and almost vomited. Mind you, back then I thought that haggis was actually minced calf brains, so maybe it's different.) It is importatnt to keep up your animal rights vegan diet while away. You might have to bring a few of your own foods for this.

Dog Meat, or Gaegogi (in Korean) for sale at market. Courtesy of Wikipedia.

• Pony rides, camel rides, elephant rides... You've really got to consider how this will affect animals. Most of the rides that tourists are allowed to go on are animals specifically bred and raised for this purpose. Talk about unfair...

If I've left anything else out, please leave it in the comments section. I'd love to know!

Zoo: Compassionate or Killer?

Zoos are both environmentally-friendly and -harmful, and the same goes to how they treat animals. Since there is so much information on zoos out there, I've decided to make a pros and cons list:

Pros ("zoos are good")

• They save certain species from extinction, and through breeding, they can gradually release the animals back into the wild again.
• They teach people about wild animals and nature, while getting them away from a screen!
• They help injured animals get back to full health.
• They are great meeting spaces for conservationists, and a great way to encourage sustainable living.

Cons ("zoos are bad")

• They treat animals as "products". If one animal isn't wanted in a certain zoo, he or she is shipped away to another zoo-- surely a very traumatizing experience.
• The only thing they teach people about animals is how desperate any creature will act when confined to a cage.
• Many animals at zoos become so bored and upset that they develop emotional disturbances. They often have absolutely nothing interesting to do, so they make up movement patterns and obsessions to continually go through. Some people call this "stereotypic behaviour" or "zoochosis". This psychological torture must be abolished.
• Zoos rarely can get an animal back into the wild. The difference between zoos and the wild is far too big for a zoo animal to successfully be re-integrated back into a natural environment.
• Zoos sometimes even take animals out of the wild!

In my opinion, zoos are very often "bad", for the reasons I've listed above. They make me very angry, especially con #3; read more about it at http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-zoochosis.htm. The following video is rather disturbing, but, well, it tells you a little more visually what I'm talking about.

Conservation is great, of course, but that should take place on wildlife reserves-- not behind bars.
If you do go to a zoo, take pictures and send them to me at:
rabbit-catATvegemailDOTcom. However, my best advice is to avoid zoos. There are so many better things you could be doing: taking a tour of real nature, for example!
Please share this information with everyone who you know. Thanks, and come back next Sunday for my next post.

Boycott the Circus, Save an Animal or Two

Hello everyone,

I am writing this on Thursday and Friday, as I will be away at the Ontario Nature Youth Council's Youth Leadership Retreat (ha! I love long names) for the weekend. On June 1 (my birthday), I'll be posting about how it went on my environment blog, http://www.hugatreetodayseriously.blogspot.com/.
Anyway, today I want to let you all know about why we need to avoid the circuses that use animals...

1. The use of animals for human entertainment is inherently wrong. Just as women were not made for men and black people weren't made for white people, animals were not made for humans. Keeping these animals locked up in cages is like keeping them as slaves.
2. The training tactics of circuses are also very cruel. To train elephants to be ridden by humans, for example, they have to be chained down in a bowing position (this is the position they must be in for people to climb onto their backs). I can't imagine why circus visitors would find it fun to see abused animals perform tricks for them.

Instead of the traditional animal circus, why not attend the Cirque du Soleil or a similar circus, which focuses on the amazing feats of human acrobats and gymnasts? I have heard that it is truly awe-inspiring.
For those of you who want to stop the circus cruelty in its tracks, you can start a miniature protest near the entrance to a circus. Hand out leaflets encouraging visitors to attend another attraction instead (ie. going to the movies (without animal actors!), swimming in a lake, seeing a non-animal circus, etc.). You might think that this is too much work, but all you really need to do is gather some friends who care and make the signs, educate yourselves, prepare some sort of handout and alternatives to the circus, then go do it! Some peta2 teens successfully did this: http://blog.peta2.com/2012/05/alexandra-craig-takes-on-ringling-bros.html.

http://denbeath.blogspot.ca/2009/04/facts-about-circus-cruelty.html

Stopping Animal Cruelty in the Home

I found this poster last week, and I decided to write about it today. I've actually felt this way about family violence, and even just occasional shouting matches, for a long time. The animals are hurt when people hurt each other.
The most extreme kind of violence towards animals (beatings, whippings, etc.) might be the most obvious version of animal abuse. If you ever witness this happening, in your household or elsewhere, be sure to contact your local humane society or SPCA immediately! Animal cruelty can not be overlooked, even if a loved one is the perpetrator. Another reason to be concerned is that animal cruelty is linked to cruelty towards humans: for example, a psychologist in Denver reported that "over 70% of battered women he has studied said that their partners had abused, threatened to abuse, or had killed a pet." (As stated in Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat by Hal Herzog.) If you love both the animals and humans in your life, preventing violence towards animals is the only humane thing to do!
There are also the less obvious kinds of violence, however. Has your family gotten into a heated argument recently? Many families do. But I believe that this sort of selfish debate hurts the household animals. Many people compare animals to very young children with regards to mental functioning. I disagree with this point-of-view; I think that animals are much smarter than that (there is ample evidence that some animals are even smarter than many humans!). But either way, if you have a companion animal, next time you get into a loud argument with your parents/spouse/siblings/children/relatives (depending on your age and who you live with!), ask yourself whether you would feel comfortable having this argument in front of, for example, your neighbour and their family. Ask yourself if you would be very happy to find your other family members arguing loudly while you were trying to sleep in the next room, or worse, trapped in a cage in the midst of the fight! If you ever want to cool an argument, a great way to do it is to say, "Shh! You're bothering the dog."
No creature should be subjected to constant tension and rivalry, especially if they can't do anything about it and it isn't even their problem to begin with. Of course, fights between people should be avoided even if there is no animal present. Read How to Be Compassionate by the Dalai Lama if you don't believe me!
Here is another poster that sums up an important point:

All the name-calling doesn't help. If anyone you know has a habit of saying things to their pets like "dumb dog" of "shut UP!", get them to stop! Tell them that their behavior only hurts the animals. Everyone loses their temper sometimes and lets a few mean words fly, but doing it regularly is abusive.
Since animal abuse can start in childhood, it's good to take prevention measures for children and teenagers. If you are still in high school, see if you can arrange for the local humane society can speak at your school or the local elementary school. If you have kids of your own, you'd better start teaching them respect for animals if you haven't already! And no matter what, never agree to participate in animal cruelty, even if it's "just a game". Stand up to peer pressure, please!
That's all I have to say for now. Check back next Sunday for my next post!

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

• 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

E-Newsletters/Action Alerts

• 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

Events

• 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!

And the Cruelty Award goes to...

If there's one thing that bothers me (besides people eating meat and testing on animals and trashing the planet, that is!), it would have to be rodeos. One rodeo, called the Calgary Stampede, takes place in Calgary, Alberta every year.
Aside from the inherent cruelty of forcing an animal to do one's bidding, animals are often made as uncomfortable as possible in order to make them "angry" enough to have to be driven into submission. For example, "bucking broncos" have had a girldle tied so tightly around their waist that they buck and run around wildly in order to try to get it off and relieve the pain. Calves get thrown around in contests. "Steer wrestlers" jump off racing horses and fling themselves onto the horns of frightened animals. And at the end of the show, injured animals may have to be euthenized. Remy Scalza, who attended a Calgary Stampede, watched as a bull rider clung on to a bull as part of the show.



"In the relative silence, you can hear the ominous clang of horn and hoof on steel as the bull rears and bucks in the tight confines of the chute.... The gate flings out and the bull launches a foot or more off the ground  in an apoplexy of rage and fear, its eyes wild and foam jetting from its mouth. Back legs rocket up and the animal's back bends so far it looks like it will snap. Then the bull plunges into a frantic spin-- around and around and around, launching clods of mud across the infield while its muscled neck whips side to side.... Then the horn blows-- his eight seconds are up-- and Thompson [the rider] is diving head first for the dirt.... Somewhere beneath his helmet and mask, he's smiling."

If this doesn't deserve a reward for thoughtless cruelty, what does?



There is also the fact that a lot of livestock events take place, which encourage people to raise livestock for slaughter. Another thing is that, as you can imagine, a lot of meat, steak, and ribs are served at the Stampede.



Photo Courtesy of sharkonline.org



I highly discourage anyone reading this to attend any rodeo anywhere. But alongside an outright boycott, you can also:

1. Spread the word-- tell your friends and family about the cruelty that occurs at the rodeo. Have them each tell two other people, who will them be asked to tell two other people, etc. You can always send them the link to my blog to make it easier!
2. Contact the rodeo personally and tell them why you won't be attending this year. Polite complaints can go a long way, especially if we all do it.
3. Find unique ways to educate others about animal cruelty at the rodeo (or anywhere else, for that matter!). Interesting media to try includes video, photos, audio (podcast), articles, speeches, visual art, blog posts, posters, etc.
4. Go to the city that the rodeo is held in with a group of other people who care about animals. Hold up signs and hand out leaflets to deter people from going to the rodeo.
5. Go to http://www.sharkonline.org/ to learn more about the rodeo and to gather more information. (SHARK stands for SHowing Animals Respect and Kindness.)

Let's stand up to this cruel blood sport by educating the world! I think that the more people who understand, the more will refuse to support it.

Until next week!

Say Neigh to Trail-Riding

Many people-- even those who are vegetarian and opposed to animal testing-- often strongly defend trail-riding and commercial horse-back riding as being fair and humane. This is a very misleading opinion, however, as I am about to show:

• The horse's physiological makeup was not built to withstand an extra 100-200 pounds, rider and tack, on their back, says Cherry Hill in her book How To Think Like a Horse. The only reason that humans can ride is due to the position of certain ligaments and muscles, but, in my opinion, by no means will the horse be comfortable with it. (Update: I know that Cherry Hill is not advocating against trail-riding in this quote. I am merely drawing logical conclusions based on the facts.)
• Commercial riding centres do not let their horses roam free; instead, they are kept penned in "standing stalls" that do not allow the horse to turn around. Often the horses only see daylight when they are being ridden.
• Animals, quite plainly, were not put here on earth for humans to use as their tools. Says Saba Alemayehu on all-creatures.org, "I always tell to pony riders and police men/women not to ride the animals needlessly, but some of them think it is something that the animals themselves enjoy to do, which is a lie. Every animal hates being manipulated, exploited, and being made an instrument..."
• The "tack" that horses are forced to don is anything but humane. Nobody should kid themselves that horses like to have such a painful bit (piece of metal invented for "steering" the horse) in their mouths that they become desensitized to the pain and need a stronger one.
• Neither should we try to believe that it's okay to whip horses in order to make them go faster. I learned this at a March Break riding camp I attended years ago. The riding instructor had a long whip that she would wave near the poor horses' legs to keep them going. I wasn't sure that it was a whip at first, but the terrorized neighs and startled eyes of the horses confirmed my guess. I was riding a horse who wasn't going as fast as the others, so the instructor handed me a short piece of leather.

"Here, use this," she said.

"What do I do with it?" I asked nervously.

"You-- er-- tap your horse's side."

I very gently "tapped" my horse's side, but nothing changed.

"Harder!" she said.

I hit the horse with a bit more force, but decided that I shouldn't do any more than that. Why would I hurt my horse?
"Come on," she exclaimed. "Horses are big, tough animals-- they won't be able to feel a little hit on their sides!"

She managed to bully me into hitting my poor horse even harder-- remember that I was still pretty young and easily intimidated-- but needless to say, I never went back to a riding stable again!

• Horse stables very often support conventional breeding practices-- that is, forcing the two horses together. They do this so that the stallion won't hurt the mare, but really, such breeding is one of the worst kinds of abuse that there is!
• Horses may become exhausted from overworking and providing one ride after another... for days on end.

vs.

It's up to you to stop supporting these cruel practices. Firstly, don't go to a trail-riding place yourself. This may mean turning down an invitation from your friends, but it's worth turning them down for once. Secondly, try to explain to people why not to go horse-back riding-- you can tell your friends, parents, grandparents, children (if you have any), teachers, colleagues, etc. Third, spread the word via social networking sites, blogs, posters, etc. The first three people who send an anti-horseback-riding poster that they made to:

get their creations posted on The Animal Rights Action Site next week!

What about bareback riding rescued horses? That's a slightly different story. If you have rescued a pony or horse, riding her must be consentual-- she mustn't refuse, run away, or flatten her ears. Teaching your horse to live in harmony with you is one thing. Forcing your horse to be ridden on the false premise that "he'll like it after a while" or "it's good for him" is another. If you really want your horse to want to be ridden, you'll have to build a close relationship with him first.

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.

Chimpanzees in Entertainment on Feb 5, 2012

This week I wanted to let you know about CareerBuilder.com's latest advertisement for the Super Bowl on February 5th-- one using chimpanzees as the so-called "actors"!

As the Jane Goodall Institute put it in an e-mail sent to their supporters, "despite CareerBuilder’s best efforts, the use of chimpanzees in entertainment is inherently inhumane." They have started a petition against such cruelty, which can be found at http://janegoodall.ca/ask-careerbuilder-not-to-use-chimpanzees.htm. I hope that you can take a few short minutes to sign it!

The use of animals to solely entertain humans is wrong. Animals have the right to decide how to spend their time, instead of being forced to perform tricks and ridiculed.

If you haven't already, I suggest you sign up for Jane Goodall's e-newsletter. It isn't sent around too often-- just enough to keep you informed.

Oppose Blood Sports-- Part Two: Fishing

I find it incredible how people can eat fish without even knowing what a real one looks like-- mind you, that is probably why they are okay with eating fish in the first place!

Catching fish for "sport", on the other hand, is more a matter of desensitization. In other words, many people start fishing at a young enough age to never even question hurting the fish, or it's just that their parents tell them it is okay. Children will do a lot to get a role model to look up to, so they may even change their beleifs in order to accomodate for their parents' ones.

Leaping Salmon:

Fish are really intelligent creatures, too-- just ask Culum Brown, a biologist who studies fish: "Fish are more intelligent than they appear. In many areas, such as memory, their cognitive powers match or exceed those of 'higher' vertebrates, including nonhuman primates." Fish in research centres have also known at which times of day pressing a lever can provide food. In the wild (which clearly is where fish should be!), they even keep gardens by weeding out types of algae that they don't want to promote the growth of their favourite foods.

Please don't even get me started on catch-and-release fishing-- what a cruel way to kill a fish. The fish who you throw back will end up being weakened by having their scales rubbed the wrong way, will struggle to eat after having their mouth being cut, and will have gone through the trauma of being half-drowned in the air. Their blood (from where their mouth was cut) will also attract predators. Their chances of survival will have been severely reduced.

Besides not fishing yourself, there are some other ways to stand up for fish rights:

1) Oppose fishing whenever you can. If one of your friends or somebody in your family is going fishing, tell them why you don't fish.

2) Display anti-fishing bumper stickers on your or your parents' car, patches on bags, and stickers on laptops. You can order some of these things from the PETA store, along with other anti-fishing organization stores. http://www.petacatalog.com/catalog/Stickers-55-1.html

3) Make your signature at the bottom of e-mails an animal rights one. (e.g. ***Fish are people too*** /Oppose fishing!) You can also do this at the end of your voicemail message. (e.g. "Hello, you have reached the voicemail of [blahblahblah]... By the way, did you know that catch-and-release fishing is just as bad as killing the fish? The fish will be so weakened that they will die after bleeding for hours. Order some "fishing hurts" stickers from PETA today! Leave a message after the beep!")

4) Litter that fishermen leave over from their so-called "sport" (nets, hooks, fishing line) can kill wildlife in the surrounding areas. Organize a litter cleanup in such areas, while bringing awareness to the plight of the fish!

5) Set up anti-fishing displays at school, libraries, and community centres.

6) For the public speakers of you, give presentations to groups of people on why they shouldn't fish. If you have a class presentation that you have to give, make it an anti-fishing one!

7) At a local fishing pond or lake, put up signs saying "No Fishing" or "Please clean up your fishing lines before you go."

8) Any other great ideas? Let me know!

(Dead) Tuna:



Oppose Blood Sports-- Part One: Hunting

"Blood sports" is a term used to describe a "sport" that requires violence against animals, like hunting, fishing, trapping, rodeos, etc. These always amount to either the death or injury of an animal.

Today, I'm going to talk about hunting. Hunters constantly seem to be defending their demented pastime with excuses. Here are a few of them, with my responses:

1. "We need to keep the wildlife populations in check".

Truth: Can Mother Nature not take care of herself? Some hunters have even been reported to feed the animals so that their populations rise, then go out for a kill. The wildlife population theory is just an excuse to put our skeptical minds (and their guilty ones) at rest. (Sorry hunters, but you haven't fooled me.)

2. "It helps the economy."

Truth: Sure, it increases the amount of money people spend in the country. But is that a good thing, considering that humanity is overconsuming so many resources that the Earth cannot replenish itself?

3. "It's better than animal farming-- hunted animals only suffer at the end of their lives!"

Truth: Although hunting is probably less harmful to individual animals than factory farming is, it's important to remember that animals have intelligence beyond what we give them credit for. They have families and herds and babies who accept, rely on, and love them. When you (or someone else, because I doubt that hunters are reading this) kill the first wild animal you see, you are bringing untold damage into the lives of many others. Also, I can't even begin to imagine the fear that it causes all the animals of the forest when they hear the first gunshot of hunting season.

4. "It connects us to nature."

Truth: There are many other ways to connect to nature than killing the animals in it. Many hunters have major problems in their lives, so they go and take it out on the animals, but this is wrong. How about going on a nature walk, birdwatching, feeding the chickadees in the woods, having a picnic, skiing, cycling, and, um, well, going outside???

5. "It teaches our children about wildlife."

Truth: Children are being desensitized to the suffering of others to a high degree nowadays. People can take their kids to do any of the activities that I have mentioned in #4. As I progressed through school, I noticed my classmates becoming less and less caring... Do you really want to support that? Parents are supposed to teach their children to do good in the world and support themselves, not teach them how to kill!

"What can I do to stop this?" you must be thinking (at least, I hope you're thinking!). Well, here are some things you can do:

1. Don't go hunting yourself. Please have compassion!
2. Encourage others-- family and friends-- not to hunt. If they tell you that they want to start hunting, show them with evidence why it's a bad idea. If they are already hunters, show your concern for them by trying to get them to stop. It's bad for them to have an obsession (or even just a "hobby") with killing.
3. Display anti-hunting  logos for all to see, on your car bumper, laptop, and handbag.
4. Purchase a hunting license-- don't use it, of course-- just to take the opportunity away from other bloodthirsty folk who want one. You should also read more about the regulations in your area, first, though-- make sure that demand will not be met with more supply, otherwise you'll only be adding to the problem.
5. If you're very brave, go out for a picnic during hunting season in a part of the forest where hunting is allowed. Be loud. Play music. Do whatever you can to scare the animals away into no-hunting zones.
6. Link to my blog on your website, or send this post to friends. Really!

Okay, that's all for this week. Remember to come back next week!

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:

1. 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.
2. 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."
3. 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!
4. 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?
5. Don't support the cruel practices of the pet trade, animal performances, and rides on either wagons drawn by animals or on their backs.

By always being mindful of animal rights, we can really make a difference in the world.

Action IV: Why wool isn't cool

Hey there. This week I've decided to talk a bit about the wool industry. You might be thinking, "well, what's wrong with wool? It doesn't hurt them or kill them or force them to do anything." Well, it actually does all three, the extremity of which depending on the type of farm they are kept on.
Wool animals typically have to go through the cruel industry breeding system, which is merciless and does not take into account the emotions of the animals there. Some animals may be auctioned off and end up as dinner at a fancy restaurant. Furthermore, they aren't sheared by hand. Instead, there are machines that shear them, and, obviously, machines do not take into account the suble movements of the gentle creatures, so they end up with little cuts on their bodies. They are shipped around the world, and the ones who are too weak to carry on are left to die. Once in Australia or New Zealand, a kind woman took in a dying sheep and nursed her back to health. The sheep proved to be a wonderful companion!
Admittedly, sometimes the situation is different. For example, I went to an alpaca farm and the alpacas were treated better than this. However, these alpacas were raised as pets, not as an industry. Anyway, it is still irresponsible to breed animals into the world as toys for our enjoyment and when there are still so many who need homes.
Not all animals in the wool industry have hooves, however. Angora rabbits are highly prized for their wool, even today. A few months ago, I looked at the tag on my old sweater and discovered that it was made of Angora wool! I was shocked! I couldn't deal with the thought of the suffering that went into it, so I donated it right away. You see, most angora rabbits are bred in China, according to the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation's Report. From the same source, Chinese Angora rabbits are kept at temperatures around 30 degrees Celcius! That is quite hot for us humans, but rabbits with all that fur must be sweltering! I could go on, but I hope that gives you an idea.
There are definitely alternatives to end this cruel practice. You can find acrilic and cotton fibers to knit with (I like knitting; I tried it last weekend), and so many clothing options are available in stores. It may come down to curbing a shopping impulse here and there, but most wool is heavy and scratchy anyway, so why would anyone want it to begin with?
Things you can do to stop the wool industry in it's tracks:
1) Stop using wool!
2) Encourage your friends and family to stop using wool and get them to read about why.
3) Ask a store that uses a lot of wool to stop producing wool clothes, and don't shop there until they do.
4) Spread the word! Post on your blogs, websites, and social networking sites to stop using wool, or simply post a link to my blog.
I hope you found this post interesting and useful! And come back to learn how to have an animal-friendly Christmas next week! And in the meantime, answer the poll shown to the right!

For your interest, I have included this table from the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation's Report to give you an idea of which animals are most used for wool.

 Table 1. World production of animal fibres (from Leeder et al 1998)

Animal Source vs. World Production (tons)

Sheep fine wool 100,000

Goat mohair 25,000

Rabbit angora 8,500

Goat cashmere 5,200

Alpaca 4,000

Culminating the 3 essential skills

Before we start with the how-you-can-help, we have to first discuss what will keep you motivated; this is what I call the 3 essential skills.

1. Empathy: Empathy is a sense of feeling for others, and, in our case, animals. We all have empathy, but sometimes living off in "our own little worlds" for a long time can desensitize us. If your life is just go-go-go, you'll be so busy that everything else that matters in life will seem insignificant.

•  How to culminate this skill: Read up on animal rights issues. Try to imagine what the animals are going through. I've found that simply starting to change my lifestyle to be more animal-friendly has helped a lot, too. It made me start to be more empathetic. Now, I can hardly believe that I used to eat animals, wear their wool, abandon socializing time with my animals for computer games, and pretty much live ignorantly of the world's problems and how I can help. Another strategy that I use when my empathy fades a little is to spend time outside, watching a squirrel high up in the trees. After watching that squirrel for a long time, it became more evident that he or she is not just a decoration or passerby. That squirrel has a life, for she has to find food and a warm place to sleep at night, as do we. She may have some squirrel children to feed and keep warm, as all mothers do. She wants to keep out of danger and find a mate, like most humans do. This strategy really gets you thinking. My last strategy would be to volunteer at a shelter or visit a farm to see the animals firsthand.

        2. Imagination: Imagination is important to cultivate because we need to imagine what others are   going through when we cannot literally live "in their shoes." We may say that it is OK to keep a bird in a cage because we aren't hurting the bird. But imagine: how would you like to be locked up in a cage? How would you like to have the main source of transport (for birds, this would be their wings; for us, it is our legs) taken away from you so that you cannot escape? How would you like to be fed the same boring old food every day?

• How to cultivate this skill: Every time you see an animal who is kept for human use or amusement, find out his life story and ask yourself, "How would I feel if I was this animal?"
   I am not saying that it is always wrong to keep pets, especially if they are your family. (Just adopt from a shelter!) But it is good to remember that they have feelings. In the past, humanity has enslaved those of its own kind, and they turned a blind eye to that, too. People who stood up against slavery had to imagine how gruelling the slaves' lives must have been. You can do this, too.

    3. Motivation: We need to keep focused when working to help animals.  It is the only way we can accomplish things.

• Keep up your empathy, set goals, reward yourself for achievements, and try hard.

Believe me, it is all worth it!