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Horror Slaughter in Australia, Too | Warning: Graphic Photo
Horror Slaughter in Australia Too
Horror Slaughter in Australia Too
by Alice Springs Vegan Society on Friday, June 3, 2011 at 6:43pm
Dear Editor of the Centralian Advocate,
The response to ABC's Four Corners documentary about cow slaughter in
Indonesia has been overwhelming.
http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2011/s3228880.htm
Although halal, or slaughtering in
accordance with Islamic law, may technically allow cows to be stunned before
they are killed, in practice the definition of "halal" does not permit
stunning.
There are many halal and kosher slaughterhouses on Australian soil that do
not stun cows before they are killed, as they get exemptions for ritual
slaughter from meat inspection authorities.
Despite the standard requiring stunning, even non-halal Australian
slaughterhouses kill many cows whilst they are fully awake. At an average non-
halal Aussie slaughterhouse, about 250 cows are killed every hour. Captive-
bolt stunning is inherently imprecise and workers are under constant pressure
to keep up the speed of the disassembly line. As a result, many cows are
still conscious when they are hoisted up by one leg, breaking bones and
tearing ligaments in the process, and their throats are cut and dismemberment
begins. Other Australian cows are stunned and then wake up during slaughter.
In the words of a former slaughterhouse worker; "On bad days, dozens of
animals reached my station clearly alive and conscious. Some would survive as
far as the tail cutter, the belly ripper, the hide puller. They die piece by
piece." So much for Australian superiority and the harmful anti-Muslim
sentiments that it can perpetuate.
Nearly nine million cows are killed in Australia per year and, with these
numbers, it is impossible to enforce the so-called stunning standard any more
than it already is. Cows are prodded into the holding stall with a high-
voltage electric prod. They are fully aware of what lies ahead. The physical
symptoms of terror are painfully evident on the faces of every animal. The
animals can smell the blood, and see their former companions in various
stages of dismemberment. Cows are routinely castrated, spayed, dehorned and
hot-iron branded without any pain relief.
There is no easy, clean way to oppress someone. There is no significant
difference between halal meat and so-called "humane" meat. Regardless of
country, all meat, dairy and eggs come from animals who have been tortured,
even under the very best of conditions. Our only excuse for this use of
animals as objects is that they taste good.
People who care about Australian cows in Indonesia may wish to consider
whether to consume any animal products at all. Each of us has the power to
stop this abhorrent violence now simply by eating delicious vegan food
instead.
Jeff Perz,
Alice Springs Vegan SocietyHorror Slaughter in Australia Too Horror Slaughter in Australia Too by Alice... more-
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Europe's First Vegan Supermarket Opens in Dortmund
Europe's first vegan supermarket opens in Dortmund
Photo: Forget beer and bratwurst, Dortmund now houses Europe's only all-vegan supermarket. Offering chocolates, fake tuna and even dog food, the store is hoping to cash in on a small but rapidly growing market.
Renowned for its mining industry and blue-collar attitude, Dortmund is an unlikely choice for Europe's first vegan supermarket.
"If someone opens a supermarket that has no animal products in them, that seems crazy," said animal ethicist and store owner Ralf Kalkowski. "But people are celebrating."
Vegilicious, which opened on February 26, occupies over 100 square meters in the city-centre, technically making it the only vegan supermarket in Europe.
Using soy, spices, and oils to supplement traditional animal-based ingredients, the shelves are stacked with over 1500 products. Vegilicious offers chocolate bars, cereals, and even meat imitations, like fake chicken wings, which use cane sugar sticks to serve as 'bones.'
"People say they can't live without cheese, but we've got 30 different cheese alternatives," said Kalkowski, who co-owns Vegilicious with wife Kim. "You can have anything you think you might be missing, so there's no need to eat animal products anymore."
Starting with a café and online shop, the Kalkowski's and their 16 staff have so far maintained a customer flow of 120-150 people per day. They have even managed to attract non-human clients, selling vegan dog- and cat food.
"It's ridiculous if you rescue one animal, but feed them with another dead animal," he said.
Chickens are often artificially inseminated to produce large quantities of eggsWhat is veganism?
Vegans abstain from foods containing any animal products, including egg, honey and milk. This differs from vegetarians, who only renounce meat.
"Vegans believe animals should be left alone, it's not just about avoiding cruelty", said Amanda Baker, from the Vegan Society UK. "If animals are farmed, you have to take away their freedom."
Baker told Deutsche Welle that many male animals are killed at birth because they cannot reproduce, while females are exploited for artificial breeding, which dramatically decreases their life expectancy.
"For example, the dairy industry and the meat industry are the same industry. You can't separate one from the other," she said.
Aside from animal ethics, some turn to veganism to stem environmental problems. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, the livestock sector is responsible for 18% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, as well as being a major cause of deforestation and water pollution.
Veganism can also reap health benefits, as high meat consumption has been linked to cardio-vascular diseases, which are responsible for 49% of European deaths annually.
Kalkowski explained that many older customers have shopped at Vegilicious for health reasons as his products are cholesterol free.
Veganism has been stigmatized as expensive and excessive and vegans are often regarded as extremists for going beyond vegetarianism, according to Kalkowski, who laments the reactions of some meat-eaters to the opening of Vegilicious.
He said that when his supermarket was first mentioned in the press, the paper was forced to remove online comments inciting a pro-meat flash mob before his store.
He thinks these prejudices are based on myths, of which the biggest is the assumption that a meatless diet deprives the body of vital nutrients.
"You can get all necessary nutrients from a plant based diet, except for vitamin B12," Kalkowski explained, "and that's one thing we supplement with a product from the UK."
Importing products from the UK, US and even Australia is common, but a significant portion of vegan merchandise is produced locally, according to Germany's biggest Vegan Wholesaler, AVE.
AVE owner Tobias Graf believes veganism's popularity is expanding, not least because his business is booming.
"In the last few years a lot of new products were established, produced and discovered," he said. "We've personally grown year by year, 100% for the past three years."
It is not only vegans who are catching onto the craze, "No, I'm not vegan," one Vegilicious shopper explained. "I have never tried real vegan food. I think it's good so I can now try."
Ralf Kalkowski hopes his supermarket will entice more people to buy animal-free food, but the question remains - how do vegan products truly taste?
"It even tastes better," he said, "because you have a good conscience."
Author: Hannah Wandel
Editor: Nathan WitkopEurope's first vegan supermarket opens in Dortmund Photo: Forget beer and... more-
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The Inconvenience of Being Vegan
Nil Zacharias
Co-founder, One Green Planet
The Inconvenience of Being Vegan
Posted: 06/ 1/11 06:40 PM ET
Why bother going vegan? Aren't there a million more important things to worry about? What about world peace? What about poverty? What about human suffering? What about plant suffering? Vegans just seem like misguided idealists; moreover, isn't veganism extreme, inconvenient and ultimately only for people who are hippies, animal rights nut jobs or elitist liberals trying to explore a new fad diet?
We know what you're thinking: I try to buy "humanely" raised meat; what's wrong with that? Aren't local and organic meat and dairy products great for the environment? Can't I be a vegetarian (come on, no milk and eggs and NO cheese?) Cows and hens don't have to die for it? Can't I be a pescetarian (fish don't have feelings, right)? Or maybe a flexitarian, or "veganish" (Oprah approves of it)? How will I get my protein? What about calcium? I love the taste of meat and doesn't vegan food taste like feet? How will I ever be able to experience joy in my life knowing I can't eat steak, drink a milkshake or wear a leather jacket? Why, oh why should I even consider this?
Here's why:
You're curious and you know deep inside that this is something you need to think about. It could be because you have a pet and wonder if there's a difference between him/her and the pig that turned into the bacon you ate for breakfast. Maybe you saw an eye-opening video about society's treatment of animals. Or maybe you have been reading about the environmental impact of industrial animal agriculture or the health benefits of a plant-based diet. Whatever the reason may be, the fact that this seems mildly interesting to you means that you have already taken the first step towards thinking vegan. Don't panic! That's a good thing and is reason enough to not turn back now.
The good news is you don't actually need to eat animal flesh or drink animal milk to lead a happy, healthy and productive life, and you certainly don't need to wear animal skin to look good. You can still enjoy the taste of meat, creamy desserts, snacks and stock up your fridge and pantry with all kinds of delicious food. More importantly, you can get enough protein, even calcium, without any animal having to suffer or die for it. Worried about your health? Really? You think not consuming animal products that are full of saturated fat and cholesterol will do your body harm? As long as your idea of vegan food is not eating potato chips, Twizzlers and vegan cupcakes all day, you'll do fine (but trust us, you should eat a good vegan cupcake every now and then).
If you're still concerned, take a supplement or two (which you probably do on any diet). Worried about losing your sense of style if you can't wear leather boots or fancy cashmere sweaters? You can buy all kinds of clothes and accessories, including designer coats and handbags, and fashionable shoes that not only look and feel great, but also won't dampen your karma or your style. Think about it; the only reason we eat and use animals is because we've been doing it for eons and animal-free alternatives did not exist. It is 2011, people; we need to get with the program and evolve!
Veganism is not hard; ever noticed how picky almost every person placing their drink order at Starbucks is? Being vegan isn't that different. So, you'll probably need to ask a few questions while ordering food, read a few labels while buying stuff, deal with a few raised eyebrows and answer a couple of questions about protein and calcium. So what! You don't have to go vegan overnight if you don't want to, but you have to be certain that you're ready to get started. Do some research on recipes and start with a few vegan meals a week. If after a few weeks, you find that your body and mind haven't descended into the depths of hunger and depression, respectively, you can consider doing this long-term and going completely animal-free. Take the time you need, and you will realize that veganism is not a huge sacrifice, but just a matter of making some adjustments to how you cook, shop and order at a restaurant.
Now remember that veganism is more than food, because you don't want to be that person talking about making ethical and ecological food choices while strutting around town in a fur coat, or wearing makeup that's tested on animals. Again, don't obsess over it; just do some basic research into vegan alternatives to various products you use and when you feel comfortable enough, make the switch to the animal-free version. Worried about having to throw away all your leather, wool and other clothes? Don't! No one says you have to get rid of it all the moment you decide to go down the vegan path. If you can afford it, donate your non-vegan stuff and go ahead and embark on a shopping spree. However, realistically, very few can do that, so just wear them out and discard or donate them when you feel like you're ready for a replacement. Relax; the vegan police is not going to fine you!
The amazing part is, your vegan journey has already begun! Why? Because we're pretty certain that you don't exclusively consume animal-based foods for all your meals and don't intentionally buy clothes and other products because they are made with animal ingredients. From our perspective, you're on your way -- you're a part time vegan already. Of course, it may seem convenient to not try harder and accept things the way they are today, but that doesn't make it right. On the other hand, you don't have to turn into a poster child for veganism overnight, either. Just start looking at the bigger picture and make conscious choices that will reduce your overall demand for products that are ecologically and ethically irresponsible. This is exactly why you don't need to be an animal lover, a health freak or a treehugger to think vegan.
Start where you want, but remember that all those Meatless Mondays, humanely raised Tuesdays, organic, cage-free, flexitarian, pescetarian or lacto-ovo vegetarian days are just stepping stones on the path to reducing and ultimately eliminating your consumption of animal products.
Once you acknowledge that with every lifestyle choice, you can help build a smarter future for people, animals and the planet, you will realize that choosing not to think vegan is, in fact, an inconvenient burden to live with.Nil Zacharias Co-founder, One Green Planet The Inconvenience of Being Vegan... more-
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National Day of Action to End Live Export - June 18 2011
NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION TO END LIVE EXPORT
Time
Saturday, June 18 · 12:00pm - 2:00pm
Location
Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Hobart, Adelaide, Fremantle (WA), Darwin
Parliament House in every city except WA. WA rally will be held outside the Fremantle Town Hall.
This is the OFFICIAL event page for the NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION TO END LIVE EXPORT (Animals Australia and RSPCA)
Organiser: Dr Patricia Petersen
Contact details: patriciapetersen01@hotmail.com
Numerous high profile figures including the Dalai Lama have been invited to speak, as have several Federal and State Senators, Federal and State MPs and Mayors from across Australia.
Confirmed Speakers include:
Dr Bidda Jones, Chief Scientist - RSPCA
Michael Beatty - RSPCA QLD
Glenys Oogjes and Lyn White - ANIMALS AUSTRALIA
Dr Patricia Petersen - Independent candidate for Ipswich
Lee Rhiannon - Senator-elect
Rachel Stiewart - Senator
Nick Xenophon - Senator
Tammy Franks - SA MLC
Scott Ludlam - Senator
Adam Bandt - MP for Melbourne
Lyn McLaren - MP for Perth
Melissa Parke - MP for Freemantle
This national event is "apolitical" in that all politicians, all political candidates from all parties are urged to attend and participate in it.
Politicians who oppose live exports and wish to speak on the day, are invited to contact Dr Patricia Petersen.
Please be brave and stand up for what is right. Please support the ban on live export!NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION TO END LIVE EXPORT Time Saturday, June 18 ·... more-
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New Animal Cruelty Penalties Now Law
Opinion 250...
New Animal Cruelty Penalties Now Law
By 250 News
Sunday, June 05, 2011 05:08 AM
Prince George, B.C. The changes that were made to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act in B.C. are now law.
The new rules mean B.C. has the toughest animal cruelty penalties in the country.
The changes provide for:
Increased penalties for animal cruelty to fines up to $75,000 and jail terms of up to two years.
Extension limitation period for offences under the act from six months to three years.
Greater accountability for owners, companies and others responsible for animals to protect their animals from distress.
New ability for government to set standards pertaining to the use, care and protection of animals - including sled dogs.
The legislation will also make it a provincial offence to harm or attempt to harm a law enforcement animal. Currently, police in British Columbia use both horses and dogs to assist in law enforcement purposes, such as crowd control, offender apprehension, search and rescue and drug/explosive detection.
The amendments to the act are a result of recommendations made by the provincially led Sled Dog Task Force in April of this year The amendments received royal ascent on Friday.Opinion 250... New Animal Cruelty Penalties Now Law By 250 News Sunday, June... more-
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Vinnie Vincent Denies Animal Abuse
AntiMusic...
Vinnie Vincent Denies Animal Abuse (A Top Story)
.
On Thursday Vinnie Vincent Denies Animal Abuse was a top story. Here is the recap:
(Rock News Desk)
Former Kiss guitarist Vinnie Vincent has slammed claims of animal cruelty following his arrest last month on suspicion of assault.
The 58-year-old says four dead dogs were found on his property because he hadn't had a chance to bury them. He explains he's spent years providing shelter to any and all animals he found who needed it, and he'd never be violent towards his "babies."
But he doesn't discuss the aggravated assault charges pressed after police believed he'd attacked his wife and dragged her through broken glass. Vincent, real name Cusano, says: "My dogs and cats have been, are and will be the most important thing in my whole life. I love them more than words can say – I look at them as 'perfect little people' that I believe God gifted to us to help comfort us through our lives, which always seem to be filled with pain in one way or another
__________________
June 2, 2011
Vincent’s tragic pet heartbreak
Ex-Kiss axeman Vinnie slams reports of animal cruelty circulated after his arrest – but won’t discuss his human cruelty charges
Vinnie Vincent
Attack: Vincent, real name Cusano
Former Kiss guitarist Vinnie Vincent has slammed claims of animal cruelty following his arrest last month on suspicion of assault.
The 58-year-old says four dead dogs were found on his property because he hadn’t had a chance to bury them. He explains he’s spent years providing shelter to any and all animals he found who needed it, and he’d never be violent towards his “babies.”
But he doesn’t discuss the aggravated assault charges pressed after police believed he’d attacked his wife and dragged her through broken glass.
Vincent, real name Cusano, says: “My dogs and cats have been, are and will be the most important thing in my whole life. I love them more than words can say – I look at them as ‘perfect little people’ that I believe God gifted to us to help comfort us through our lives, which always seem to be filled with pain in one way or another.
“I have 20 dogs rescued since 1999 from unspeakable abuse. I never turned my back if a dog or cat needed a loving home. Each one of them is spoiled rotten: great food, love, comfort, care and shelter. They sit wish me when I watch videos or when I play my guitar – the sound seems to fascinate them.
“I would never harm any animal – they are God’s most beautiful and innocent of creations. I’m a vegetarian because of my respect for all animals.”
He explains his big and small dogs are fenced off from each other for safety, but the larger animals managed to break free and killed three of the smaller ones before he could stop them.
“I was shattered – too devastated for words,” Vincent says. “I will never get over it and will always live with a pain greater than anything I will ever know. I wrapped them each in blankets and laid them to rest in ‘caskets’ where I made a cross and wrote the words to Danny Boy on each.
“The weather had been pretty bad here for a while. An excavator was to come to the property to dig up the ground so I could give them a proper burial when this terrible thing happened.”
The “terrible thing” took place on May 21. Deputy Joseph May of Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office in Tennessee told Rock News Desk how Vincent’s wife Diane Cusano appealed for help after leaving the couple’s home covered in blood.
May said: “Diane stated she and her husband Vincent Cusano had gotten into an argument about a female he was talking to. She stated Vincent became verbally abusive, swearing and telling her to ‘Get the fuck out of the house”.
“Diane stated that Vincent then smacked her in the face. She stated he grabbed her by the hair and threw her to the ground, then dragged her through a pile of glass from a broken plate. She stated he threw her on the ground a total of four times before he let her get up and she drove to the sheriff’s office.”
Vincent continues: “You must know my domestic situation is a private matter that I cannot comment on at this time. Please don’t believe everything you read. I would never hurt anyone – ever. What has been reported is an absolutely inaccurate depiction of the events that occurred that evening. When it’s time, the truth will be known.”
But he adds the drama has had a “silver lining” because it put a “long-lost family back together” and “for that, it’s worth what I’m going through.”
He says: “I’m an immensely private person and these events have caused me great pain and emotional anguish. I am requesting that you respect my privacy and that of my family during this difficult time and not engage in harmful useless gossip posted on blogs and forums.”
Vincent was known as the The Wiz and the Ankh Warrior when he replaced original guitarist Ace Frehley in Kiss in 1982. He had a tumultuous relationship with the band and was fired the following year, only to be re-hired for two more brief stints in the following years. He formed Vinnie Vincent Invasion in 1984, which released two albums before splitting in 1988. He put out a solo album in 1996.
He’s due to appear in court on June 23 to answer the charge of aggravated assault.AntiMusic... Vinnie Vincent Denies Animal Abuse (A Top Story) . On... more-
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Animal Cruelty Protest in Malta Brings About Huge Support
Photo: Shot in the head with 40 pellets, bound at the legs and muzzle, and buried alive, Star's miraculous will to survive has inspired citizens of the tiny island to pass stricter animal cruelty laws.
Credits:
Facebook photo
Continue reading on Examiner.com Animal cruelty protest in Malta brings about huge support - National Pet Rescue | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/pet-rescue-in-national/animal-cruelty-protest-malta-brings-about-huge-support#ixzz1OSzhxwwN
Animal cruelty protest in Malta brings about huge support
June 5th, 2011 6:25 pm ET
Cheryl Hanna
Pet Rescue Examiner...
It was an afternoon of protests against animal cruelty in Sliema, organized by Fleur Cilia Buckett, Joanna Attard, and Myriam Kirmond united as the March Against Animal Cruelty. Nearly two-thousand people were expected to attend.
Protestors carried signs stating "Stop Animal Cruelty," and many were accompanied by their dogs who wore colored ribbons in their collars symbolic for the support of Star, the dog who was cruelly beaten, shot with pellets in her head, and bound and buried alive in a shallow grave near Ghar Hasan in Birzebbuya. The dog's miraculous will to survive helped her scratch and push the dirt away from her nose at the spot her abusers left her to die.
Popular singer Shauna Vassallo sang Fejn, a song about animal cruelty.
The egregious torture and suffering of Star serves as a reminder for the country and for the people to enact stronger animal cruelty laws - not just for Star, but for all of the animals whose lives wind up in similar tragic fates. Buckett also wants the courts to invest in psychological counseling and provide help for animal abusers stating these offenders often abuse again.
Star was not able to attend the rally today since she is still too weak, but continues to slowly recuperate at St. Francis Animal Welfare Center in Tal Qali. The dog's horrific story and her amazing survival has touched people from all over the world - as far as Canada, Venezuela, and Australia.
Star's Facebook page entitled, " Star, the dog who lived," has more than 50,000 fans. Her page has become a place to encourage help for other dogs in dire need as well as a place for people to vent their anger. A reward page has been set up to help find the people responsible for Star's injuries.
Continue reading on Examiner.com Animal cruelty protest in Malta brings about huge support - National Pet Rescue | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/pet-rescue-in-national/animal-cruelty-protest-malta-brings-about-huge-support#ixzz1OSzbnNvcPhoto: Shot in the head with 40 pellets, bound at the legs and muzzle, and buried... more-
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Kitten's Death Marks Need for Humane Education
Suffolk News-Herald...
Kitten’s death marks need for education
Published 8:35pm Saturday, June 4, 2011
By Michele Thames
Guest Columnist
Earlier this week, I learned about a case of animal cruelty in Suffolk in which a 12-year-old boy allegedly threw a kitten against a wall, kicked the kitten and attempted to stab the kitten with a pocketknife. Before the 12-year-old was able to hurt the kitten with the knife, another child stepped in and stopped the abuse.
There has been an outpouring of anger at the 12 year old child for his actions. There has been a flood of support for the heroic action of the child that stopped the mistreatment of the helpless kitten.
There are many different reasons why people hurt animals, and sometimes it is because they are simply cruel. Studies show that there is a correlation between animal abuse, child abuse and domestic violence. For some children, exposure to violence makes committing violent acts more probable.
The hope of the Suffolk Humane Society is that the 12-year-old child gets the help he needs so he can stop the cycle of abuse and cruelty.
Unfortunately, the kitten in this case died, but the boy who attempted to save his life deserves all the accolades in the world. It is very difficult to stand up for what is right, and it is never right to harm an animal in an act of violence.
The Suffolk Humane Society would like to publicly thank this boy for his heroic actions. Our hope is that all children will feel empowered to stand up for what is right and just as they grow up.
The Suffolk Humane Society is committed to a humane education program that teaches compassion and kindness toward both people and animals. We want to teach ways to commit to living an ethical, sustainable, and peaceful existence on earth with animals and humans alike. We have a team of committed volunteers and certified therapy dogs that are able to visit schools, community centers, churches and other gathering places to educate both children and adults.
Please visit our website, www.suffolkhumanesociety.com, or call 538-3030 and leave a message to find out more about our services or how you can help. The way that we treat those least able to defend themselves speaks volumes about our community.
Michele Thames is the humane education director and president of the Board of Directors for the Suffolk Humane Society.
PHOTO: This is NOT a photo of the kitten who was killed.Suffolk News-Herald... Kitten’s death marks need for education Published... more-
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Animal Rights in Egypt: Truth or Myth?
Animal rights in Egypt: Truth or myth?
Amany Aly Shawky
Sat, 04/06/2011 - 11:53
Although the term “animal rights” may sound like Chinese to many, the Cairene community seems to be becoming gradually interested in the welfare of domestic animals.
“Comparing to other governorates, Cairo is animal heaven,” says Dina Zulfikar, one of the most renowned animal welfare activists in Egypt.
She says there are 11 animal rights organizations and they are all in the capital. “There is Brooke, an international organization dedicated to improving the lives of working animals in poor countries, the donkey sanctuary, and the Egyptian Mau Rescue Organization (EMRO) for Mau cats, which also encourages adoption,” adds the activist, explaining that there are also sanctuaries concerned with the welfare of cattle. Finally, there are three animal shelters: the Egyptian Society for Animals (ESAF), the Society for the Protection of Animal Rights in Egypt (SPARE) and the Egyptian Society for Mercy to Animals (ESMA), which currently shelters 632 animals (cats, dogs and horses).
It is very hard to get correct numbers and statistics on stray animals in Egypt. According to Zulfikar the census office and the American Embassy are the most reliable sources. However, she believes that thorough statistics are really hard to get today because of the increasing number of slum areas in the capital.
Mona Khalil, chairperson of ESMA, says that “the government stands rigid against any project to gather statistics,” and the Ministry of Agriculture does not see the urgency of projects concerning stray animals. Mass killing using poison or shooting seems to be the most common method used by the government to ‘solve’ the problem of stray dogs, she adds. “Strychnine is an internationally banned poison but the Egyptian government pays in dollars to import it to kill stray dogs. It is a highly toxic alkaloid.”
According to Zulfikar, there are enough people interested in animal welfare in Egypt, but in order to make this fight a priority, they need to get involved in politics. “There has to be a serious attempt to the change the law concerning animals and that would be achieved through the parliament."
Khalil explains that the major problem related to animal welfare in Egypt is lack of awareness. “ESMA approached 20 public figures and only one showed interest and got back to us,” she says. “It is not the animals' fault that we live in a country that has no human rights! What happened to mercy?”
“In the 19th century, there were masaqy al-kelab (fresh water source for dogs) behind Al-Azhar supervised by a dedicated sheikh called al-Sawaf,” says Khalil.
Both activists think that the Organization for Veterinary Service, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture and all society should all be involved in the passing of a new law on animal welfare. “We have the best laws for wild animal protection worldwide because they were passed through the Ministry of Environment. But domestic animals fall under the authority of the Ministry of Agriculture and are only mentioned in two vague paragraphs," Khalil says.
“The law that protects domestic animals is extremely vague, she explains, quoting the following excerpt: “It is forbidden to kill an animal without necessity,” stressing how the term “necessity” can be understood in many different ways.
"Donation money and sponsors are effective for animal rights organizations and shelters but awareness is even more important,” explains Zulfikar. She organizes events in public facilities and events to reach more people and raise awareness, for example at the Cairo Film Festival for children.
Zulfikar’s last event was “Orphans Day” in Saqqara, raising awareness on animal rights among a group of young children through games and drawing. “Children are the future,” she explains.
Breeders and pet shops also share responsibility for spreading awareness. “We all need to work together, the media, prominent NGOs, activists, animal welfare societies, law makers and enforcers, to reach a comprehensive and applicable law," Zulfikar says. “Do you know that most animal abuse is committed by kids? How do you expect to legally punish a child for abuse charges?"
“We have to refuse violations and report any incident of abuse to the police or to an animal organization,” says Khalil, addressing each and everyone one of us. “There has to be a change of attitude and animal lovers need to work together and know that they are not a minority anymore. There has to be an elaborate article in the Egyptian law concerning all types of animals, stray, owned, circus and working animals, in addition to exports and imports of animals.”Animal rights in Egypt: Truth or myth? Amany Aly Shawky Sat, 04/06/2011 - 11:53... more-
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Australia Considers Livestock Ban to Indonesia Due to Animal Cruelty
Updated News | Australia...
Australia considers livestock ban to Indonesia due to animal cruelty
Australia/Antarctica Friday, June 3rd, 2011
Sydney, Australia – Footage of cattle being brutalized in Indonesian slaughterhouses has prompted calls here for a ban on Australian livestock exports and highlighted international gaps in animal welfare standards.
The footage, secretly gathered by animal rights activists and shown on Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) television earlier this week, provoked an unprecedented public outcry. Australia’s Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig immediately banned the export of cattle to 11 slaughterhouses featured in the current affairs program, and is considering suspending the trade to Indonesia altogether.
Animal welfare groups and some politicians are urging him to go further and ban all live exports out of Australia. But livestock farmers and industry groups say the economic impact of such a move would be harsh, and they are calling instead for better training of overseas slaughterhouse workers and improved monitoring.
“It would have major economic ramifications,” says Luke Bowen, executive director of the Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association, which represents many livestock farmers.
The world’s biggest exporter of live animals, Australia sends hundreds of thousands of cattle and sheep to dozens of countries around the world every year. Half a million cattle – 60 percent of the total – go to its northern neighbor, Indonesia, for fattening and slaughtering, in a trade worth $351 million.
Now that trade is in jeopardy, following the backlash over scenes of cows dying long, apparently agonizing deaths after being whipped, beaten, and kicked.
“Watching it was the most distressing experience I’ve ever had, in 20 years working in animal welfare,” says Bidda Jones, chief scientist of the Royal Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA). “And the fact that the cruelty was so systemic was extremely disturbing.”
Humane slaughter of animalsThe Australian meat and livestock industry has been training Indonesian slaughterhouse workers for the past decade, but it admitted this week that the treatment of cattle exposed by ABC was unacceptable. “It [the footage] was horrific,” says Mr. Bowen.
In Australia as in the United States, Canada, and the European Union – cattle must be stunned before being slaughtered. While stunning is less common in developing countries, Indonesia is a signatory to an international standard set by the Paris-based World Organization for Animal Health that requires animals be slaughtered humanely.
Animal rights groups have long condemned Australia’s live export trade, questioning the conditions in which animals are transported on long sea voyages and the welfare standards at their destinations. Dr. Jones says that it’s not uncommon for at least 2 percent of sheep shipped to the Middle East and other regions die en route.
There was an international outcry in 2004 after 5,000 sheep died on an Australian ship bound for Saudi Arabia. The Australian government suspended the export of live sheep to Egypt in 2006 after a television program exposed cruel practices in slaughterhouses there. The trade has since resumed but is limited to one designated feedlot and processing center.
Government under pressureWith MPs bombarded by protests from their constituents this week – some veteran politicians say they have never experienced such a massive response to a single issue – analysts say Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s Labor government is under intense pressure to act robustly. Some Labor backbenchers, along with some independent and Greens Party MPs who prop up the minority government, want a ban on exports to countries that fail to meet Australian standards.
While observers say that is unlikely to happen overnight, Mr. Ludwig has not ruled out a total ban on exports to Indonesia. Bowen, of the cattlemen’s association, acknowledged that cattle farmers were “sickened” by the ABC program, but warned that a ban would cause hardship to thousands of people.
“The stark reality, particularly in northern Australia where there is no processing facility [slaughterhouse], is that we’ve got an industry that for many producers is entirely reliant on the Indonesian live market.”
Jones, who analyzed the footage, says that animals died after an average of 11 cuts to the throat, and some were stabbed as many as 33 times.
Indonesia responded by promising to investigate its processing facilities, but it admitted that an animal welfare law drafted two years ago had yet to be implemented. The country’s largest Islamic organization, the Indonesia Ulema Council, condemned cruel slaughter practices as “sinful.” In Indonesia, halal authorities permit cattle to be stunned before being killed.
- CSMUpdated News | Australia... Australia considers livestock ban to Indonesia due... more-
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5 Smart[ass] Answers to 5 Dumb[ass] Questions About Veganism
From The Veganomaly...
5 Smart[ass] Answers to 5 Dumb[ass] Questions About Veganism
13 May 2011
PART ONE...
This is the first installment of ’5 Smart[ass] Answers to 5 Dumb[ass] Questions About Veganism’, a Q&A written by me and my partner Joseph (vegan for 22 years!) in the hopes of offering some catharsis to vegans everywhere, as well as practical answers to those often loaded questions that can come out of nowhere and leave you unsure of what to say. And because the people asking them tend to either be genuinely curious or openly antagonistic, we’ve created separate responses for each. The ‘Smart’ answers are designed for the well-intentioned omnivore, while the ‘Smart-Ass‘ answers are reserved for the pseudo-curious interrogator who really only wants to get under your skin.
This will be a regular feature on my blog, and here’s the exciting part– YOU can send in any question/comment you want addressed. Got an uncle who likes hunting and insists on rubbing it in your face? How about a coworker who stares at your quinoa salad like you’re from a different planet? Or what about the 100′s of good-hearted people who seem to ask the same dumb-ass questions over and over again? Send them to us! We’ll do our best to craft a clever response and hopefully make you laugh while we’re at it! Just fill out the form at the bottom of this post, with the question or comment you want answered.
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Question One: Where do you get your protein?
The Smart Answer: Lots of places! Whole grains, legumes, nuts, tofu, soy milk, hummus, falafels, veggie burgers, bean burritos, pad thai – just to name a few. It shouldn’t be that surprising to learn that plants offer up lots of protein; if they’re good enough for big, strong herbivores like gorillas, elephants and rhinos, why wouldn’t they be good enough for us?
The Smart-Ass Answer: Where do you get your nutritional propaganda? Kwashiorkor, also known as protein deficiency, is all but non-existent in the developed world; it’s unlikely you’ll ever meet anyone who has suffered from it, vegetarians and vegans included. The real issue at hand is where YOU get YOUR protein, as it’s most likely from the body of a sick, suffering animal raised for the sole purpose of selling cheap, unhealthy food.
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Question Two: But I’ve been to family farms and seen animals that have a pretty good life. What’s wrong with that?
The Smart Answer: I don’t blame you for thinking that the farms you’ve seen are fair to the animals while reflecting an industry norm. After all, the animal foods industry spends tens of millions of dollars a year trying to convince you that modern animal farms are happy-go-lucky places where kind, old farmers attend to their animals’ every need. The sad reality is that 99% of the animals raised for food in this country are raised in factory farms, most confined their entire lives to tiny cages or stalls where the vast majority of their most basic needs (comfort, freedom of movement, foraging, socialization, access to fresh air and sunlight, and so on) are never met.
People want cheap animal products from healthy, happy animals, but few realize that the two are mutually exclusive. Over 10 billion animals are killed and eaten each year in North America; numbers like that simply cannot be sustained without treating animals like machines. That is why at the end of the day, it’s not really the meat or milk or eggs that need to be marketed, but the myth about how they were produced. This is why it is relatively common to be offered a free tour of a ‘friendly’ farm showcasing a handful of ‘happy’ animals, but completely impossible to get a tour of a factory farm. The industry doesn’t want you to know the truth, because the truth would bankrupt them.
The Smart-Ass Answer: People said the same thing about human slavery. That didn’t make it right, and the fact that some farmers are ‘nice’ enough to give their animals food and room to walk around doesn’t make their exploitation right, either. The bottom line is that in 99% of all cases, farmed animals are raised for the sole purpose of marketing their flesh, milk, eggs, skin or hair at a profit, and if anything gets in the way of that (vet bills, high quality food, spacious housing), it will always be the animals who suffer. That is why even on the most ‘humane’ farms, practices like castration, dehorning and tail-docking are performed without anaesthetic; unwanted baby males are discarded or butchered; unproductive (read: not productive enough) animals are sent to slaughter; and so on.
If it was really about the animals’ comfort and wellbeing, the animals we’ve selectively bred to maximize productivity (at the expense of their physical and emotional health) would cease to be bred (read: artificially inseminated), and those that remained would be allowed to live out the rest of their lives in peace at places like Farm Sanctuary. Anything less than this is exploitation and abuse in the name of profit, pure and simple.
CONTINUED...From The Veganomaly... 5 Smart[ass] Answers to 5 Dumb[ass] Questions About... more-
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Veganism (Video from a 7-Year-Old's Perspective)
Marielle shares some of her reasons to go vegan.-
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The Faces of "Free-Range" Farming
The faces of "free-range" farming... a video-
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Vegan Baking Fit for Royalty
If you click on the link above, you'll be able to see lots of photos, a bunch of recipes, as well as a one-question survey in which you can participate which, of course, is in regard to veganism.
CNN...
Vegan Baking Fit for Royalty
April 27th, 2011
06:00 AM ET
06:00 AM ET
Changing the world, one vegan cookie at a time
World Vegetarian And Vegan News announced on April 1 that the upcoming royal wedding would be entirely free of animal products due to cultural, health and environmental concerns.
“Celebrity vegan cook Sarah Kramer is being brought over from Canada to advise on ingredients for the reworked royal wedding cake,” the post said.
The report was, of course, just an April Fools’ Day hoax. While Kramer won’t be crafting an egg-free, dairy-free cake for Prince William and Kate Middleton this coming weekend, she will be taking part in the in the third annual Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale along with more than 140 groups across six continents from April 23 through May 1.
“My favorite thing in the world is to watch someone who isn’t vegan eat a vegan cookie and watch their eyes open,” Kramer says. “I’m changing people’s minds one tummy at a time.”
In the 1990s she helped put together a zine that would eventually become “How It All Vegan,” a cookbook that has sold over a quarter-million copies. But deliberately avoiding all animal products was still a foreign concept to many people.
“You had to go on a bus tour across town to some back alley to try and find soy milk,” she says laughing. “But now it couldn’t be easier to be vegan.”
These days, the vegan diet has no shortage of mainstream exposure. Former President Bill Clinton told CNN's Wolf Blitzer in 2010 that he had adopted a plant-based diet in an attempt to reverse his heart disease. Talk show hosts Oprah Winfrey and Martha Stewart both recently aired vegan episodes.
Skeptics might assume vegan desserts can’t compete with their dairy and egg-laden counterparts. But last summer Chloe Coscarelli became the first vegan to win a cooking competition on Food Network, taking top prize on “Cupcake Wars.” Doron Petersan of D.C.’s Sticky Fingers Bakery secured another vegan victory on the show in March.
“I think vegan baking is finally getting the respect and recognition it deserves,” Petersan says. “When done well it’s just as good if not better than traditional baked goods.”
Vegan baking has come a long way since its start as part of a more health-conscious movement in the ‘70s, says Melisser Elliott, author of “The Vegan Girl’s Guide to Life.” It’s not all sawdust cookies and date bars.
“Over the years it has gotten a lot more decadent,” she says. “People are really going for it and trying to veganize things that people didn’t think were possible.”
As one of the organizers of the first vegan bake sale in Vienna, Austria, Elliott says she’s appealing to people’s taste buds rather than touting the health benefits of a plant-based diet.
Gary Loewenthal, director of the Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale, also sees the global event as a way to show people that eating vegan food doesn’t have to mean sacrificing flavor.
“People are afraid of having to give up their favorite desserts,” he says. “At a vegan bake sale we can show them that they don’t need to have that fear.”
Vegan baking staples can now be found on the shelves of most supermarkets. Cow’s milk can be switched out for non-dairy alternatives like almond or soy milk, and a vegan margarine or vegetable oil can take the place of butter.
Replacing eggs can be trickier and depends on their role in the recipe, but common substitutions include ground flax seeds, silken tofu, blended bananas, and a mixture of vinegar and baking soda.
Best-selling cookbook author Isa Chandra Moskowitz has been experimenting with vegan baking since she embraced the diet in 1989 and says it has become a lot more accessible since then.
“I hope that after a while it stops being this thing where we’re replacing eggs and dairy and we’re just naturally working with vegan ingredients,” she says. “And I think that’s happening.”
iReport by Isa Chandra Moskowitz: If Bake Sales Are Outlawed Only Outlaws Will Have Bake Sales
Moskowitz runs the popular vegan cooking website “Post Punk Kitchen” and helped put together a bake sale in Omaha, Nebraska, earlier this month. The event raised more than $3,000 for Japan disaster relief.
“For me the bake sale is a holiday and it’s a celebration,” says Moskowitz, who recently tweeted that the Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale is one of her favorite times of the year. “And at the same time it’s raising money for a worthy cause.”
And that's an idea fit for royalty.If you click on the link above, you'll be able to see lots of photos, a bunch of... more-
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Vegan & Animal Rights Activist Shirley Wilkes-Johnson Dies | Her Mentoring Legacy Lives On
A LIFE SPENT MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Houston vegan & animal rights activist Shirley Wilkes-Johnson dies, but her mentoring legacy lives on
By Joel Luks
04.16.11 | 02:01 pm
"Some things are so wrong they cannot be tolerated," vegan blogger Rhea Parsons writes, quoting Shirley Wilkes-Johnson.
I can't say that I knew Wilkes-Johnson well. What I do know, is that she appeared to be omnipresent in all and every conversation that revolved around doing the right thing. Though our interactions were mostly limited to thoughtful and sometimes humorous conversations via social media channels — always encouraging as I continued to adapt to veganism, developed recipes and shifted paradigms — her passion came through clearly, befriending those making similar journeys and creating allies with others who didn't quite see the world her way.
On the occasion that we serendipitously met while she and her husband Ben were campaigning at Pepper Tree Veggie Cuisine, we made an instant connection and knew that I needed to learn from her.
She had a knack for being successfully and pleasantly persistent, making becoming vegan easy and natural, always speaking on behalf of those that couldn't speak for themselves.
It was as recent as early last week that we were speaking and scheming on making a vegan cuisine video and my being a guest on her popular Vegan World Radio show on KPFT FM 90.1. So it came as a shock when I learned that one of my mentors had suffered a stroke and passed away on April 9. She would have been 74 on April 11.
A Native Texan, Wilkes-Johnson's became vegan in 1984, shifting from 23 years living a vegetarian lifestyle. She was director of the Lone Star Vegetarian Network (LSVN) for 13 years, director of the South Texas Vegetarian Society for seven years, board member of the Houston Vegetarian Society for two years, board member of the Houston Animal Rights Team for two years, radio talk show host and newspaper reporter in the mid-1970s, vegan cooking teacher from 1987, public speaker and co-host of Go Vegan Texas! on KPFT Pacifica Radio. For 22 years, she sponsored a statewide vegan chili cook-off.
Survived by her vegan husband of 44 years, her daughter, granddaughter and great granddaughter are also following in her vegan footsteps.
Wilkers-Johnson was in the midst of preparing for the release of a 300 recipe vegan cookbook with the help of Carol Adams, author of The Sexual Politics of Meat. She had a virtuosic reputation for veganizing any recipe and teaching anyone how to eliminate animal products from their lives and diets.
Adams writes on her blog that Wilkes-Johnson said "that creating a vegan world is the most important social justice change in the history of this planet. Vegan activists are kindred souls to the abolitionists who worked to end slavery. I think that meat eating is the foundation of violence on this planet. Like Alex Hershaft, founder of FARM told me in an interview, I too can never stop being an activist until the world goes vegan or until I die — whichever comes first.”
A memorial celebration took place Saturday at Niday-Fairmont Funeral Home in Pasadena. In lieu of flowers, her family is requesting donations on her name to The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee or People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
A memorial dinner hosted by the Houston Vegan Vegetarian Lifestyle Meet-up group is also scheduled for Saturday at 6 p.m. at Loving Hut, the vegan restaurant on Kirkwood. Fitting, given that it was Wilkes-Johnson that requested Supreme Master Ching Hai bring her chain of restaurants to Houston during an interview.A LIFE SPENT MAKING A DIFFERENCE Houston vegan & animal rights activist Shirley... more-
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Vegan Magazine In a Stew Over Meaty Stock Photos
Vegan magazine in a stew over meaty stock photos
Photo: Vegan blog quarrygirl.com accused VegNews.com of using photos of meat from iStockphoto to depict vegan dishes.
April 15th, 2011
10:19 PM ET
Many salivate over the mere image of a juicy hamburger or a glistening rack of ribs, but vegetarians aren't usually among them.
But apparently, that's what the readers of VegNews, the nation's leading vegan magazine, have been doing for years without their knowledge.
With the help of an anonymous reader tip, the author of the vegan blog, quarrygirl.com, accused VegNews of using food images of meat in its magazine and website and passing them off as meatless. The allegation prompted the San Francisco-based publication to confess that it had, "from time to time," used stock images that turned out not to be totally animal-free.
"The pictures we've been drooling over for years are actually of MEAT!" she charged.
To support the allegation, the irate post compared pictures of recipes on VegNews.com with photographs from royalty-free image service, iStockphoto. One example shows an image of a "veganized" Brunswick stew recipe from VegNews.com and an identical image from iStockphoto titled "chicken breast-soup-stew-pepper."
"Get your barf bags ready!" quarrygirl.com editorialized.
In perhaps the most egregious example, the post compared pictures of "Vegan Spare Ribs" and "Barbecue Ribs Dinner," pointing out where the bones were apparently edited out of the image.
"Veg News has written tens (possibly hundreds) of articles extolling the virtues of a vegan lifestyle, while purchasing rock-bottom priced stock photos of MEAT, EGGS, DAIRY and other completely non-vegan things," the post said.
In response, the magazine admitted that "Yes, from time to time, after exhausting all options, we have resorted to using stock photography that may or may not be vegan," in a plaintive letter addressing the controversy.
The VegNews team pointed out in its defense that the magazine has been privately owned and independently funded for 12 years, no small feat in the expensive world of publishing.
"In an ideal world we would use custom-shot photography for every spread, but it is simply not financially feasible for VegNews at this time. In those rare times that we use an image that isn't vegan, our entire (vegan) staff weighs in on whether or not it's appropriate," the VegNews team said.
"It is industry standard to use stock photography in magazines – and, sadly, there are very few specifically vegan images offered by stock companies. In addition, it's exceedingly challenging to find non-stock imagery that meets the standard necessary for publication. We would love nothing more than to use only vegan photography shot by vegan photographers, and we hope to be there soon."
The controversy set off intense debate as to whether VegNews' actions can ever be justified, with many prominent voices in the vegan world vowing to cancel their subscriptions to the magazine and ban the site.
But others came to VegNews' defense.
"As a privately owned publication with no outside funding, VegNews has done the near impossible by lasting 11 years and securing prime real estate in bookstores across the country. Currently, the popular magazine reaches over 1 million readers each month, including herbivores and omnivores alike," wrote Michael Parrish DuDell, senior editor of Ecorazzi.com, a self-described "green gossip blog."
"While some online critics have suggested VegNews source user submitted photos, anybody who’s ever worked in publishing knows this suggestion isn't logistically possible. With time-sensitive deadlines, detailed specs, and other provisions to consider, sourcing photos would be more trouble than it's worth. Ideally, VegNews would have an in-house photographer, but being an independently owned company on a conservative budget prohibits that option. These are only some of the challenges the outspoken naysayers don't seem to be considering."
Another prominent vegan blogger said the end justifies the means and urged readers to continue supporting VegNews.
"All that really matters is that the reader associates the image with vegan food in a positive way, ultimately leading them to support vegan things," wrote Kayla, the blogger behind Babe in Soyland.
"Hurting VegNews over this would be sad and would mean the loss of an important resource and a way for vegans to reach out to their own kind as well as people who are NOT vegan but interested in veganism...It would be an unfortunate take-down of one of the vegan community’s greatest accomplishments by their own people and I just don’t think that’s what being vegan should be about."
But in this wired world, where action and reaction is instant, the kerfuffle has already sparked discussion of solutions.
"A good day to draw attention to vegan food photographers: @susanffvk @tofu666 @bittersweet_ @ohsheglows and I'm ok, too," tweeted Isa Chandra, a best-selling vegan cookbook author.
"Let's take a positive spin on the @VegNews photo controversy: create a vegan stock site! I would submit in a heartbeat. Problem-solved?" tweeted artsparrow.Vegan magazine in a stew over meaty stock photos Photo: Vegan blog quarrygirl.com... more-
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Farm Animals Could Be Off Limits to Photographers/Videographers
NPR Morning Edition...
Livestock Farms Could Be Off Limits To Photos
Click on Link to Listen to the Story by Kathleen Masterson
April 13, 2011
Animal rights activists have secretly filmed the inner workings of livestock farms, which has led to some bad press for the industry. Bills introduced in Florida and Iowa would make photographing animal operations without the owner's permission a felony. Supporters say that would help prevent activists from fraudulently being hired. Opponents argue the bills would prevent current employees from reporting abuse.
Transcript...
STEVE INSKEEP, host:
In Iowa and in Florida, big livestock operations are supporting bills that would forbid animal rights activists from going undercover to take photos and document conditions at big farms. Activists are asking what the industry has to hide. From Iowa Harvest Public Media's Kathleen Masterson reports.
KATHLEEN MASTERSON: If livestock industry groups get their way what happened at this farm would be considered a crime. Here in central Iowa amid an expanse of cornfields, Rose Acre Farms has six huge hen houses, each the length of a football field.
Last February, an undercover activist from the Human Society got a job here. He wanted to get inside and film the workings of the facility that houses about a million chickens. He stayed here only two weeks.
Then three months later, the Human Society held a news conference and splashed a video on the Web. It shows scenes filmed at Rose Acre Farms and another company's farm. The footage shows chickens living in cramped cages and some dead birds whose carcasses were left so long they'd been mummified.
Unidentified Woman: The crews just shoving them in the cages, sometimes they'll get their legs slammed in the door or their wings.
MASTERSON: The pending Iowa law would make filming this video without the owner's permission and the mere possession of it a criminal offense, punishable by up to five years in jail.
At Rose Acres, farm manager Andrew Kaldenberg says while the video did show some footage of their farm, the abuses didn't occur there. The media were invited out to their barn within hours of the video being released.
Mr. ANDREW KALDENBERG (Manager, Rose Acres): We welcome reporters, you know, what have we got to hide? If we're not treating our animals right, they ain't going to produce. They're not going to produce, we're out of business.
MASTERSON: So I asked him to show me around the hen houses.
Mr. KALDENBERG: In this house we are ten rows wide, five tier high. That means that we have five cages stacked on top of each other.
MASTERSON: Kaldenberg says the activists' motives are to promote an agenda which is vehemently against how the industry produces food, with thousands of birds living in row after row of small cages.
Rose Acre Farms and other large chicken, hog and cattle organizations say the pending Iowa legislation is being mischaracterized. They say it isn't about stopping whistleblowers from reporting abuse, but argue it's about keeping people who misrepresent their true purpose from getting hired.
Kevin Vinchattle is the executive director of the Iowa Egg Council.
Mr. KEVIN VINCHATTLE (Executive Director, Iowa Egg Council): People are trying to characterize the livestock folks as trying to hide things. We're not. We don't want any animal to be abused. And if it's truly a case where a person thinks that abuse is occurring, that needs to be reported immediately, not six weeks done the road or months later in a video released for PR efforts to raise money for an organization.
MASTERSON: But a whole section of the Iowa bill explicitly bans photography.
There's a similar bill under debate in Florida. Kansas and Montana already have laws that ban taking secret photos of an animal facility if the intent is to damage the owner. And other states across the country are also considering similar legislation.
Humane Society's Paul Shapiro says the bills are an attempt to shield America's food production system from public scrutiny. He says their exposes have been done legally and resulted in convictions for animal cruelty, as well as meat recalls over food safety problems. Without undercover videos, activists say their claims wouldn't be taken seriously.
In Iowa, State Senator Matt McCoy, a Democrat from Des Moines, said a bill like this would set a dangerous precedent. He argues the multibillion dollar livestock industry wants to operate with less oversight.
State Senator MATT MCCOY (Democrat, Iowa): They view animal welfare groups and individuals that take undercover video and release it to the public as a threat to their livelihood.
MASTERSON: Neither side in this fight appears willing to budge yet on a key sticking point, whether secretly photographing farm animals should be considering a criminal act.
For NPR News, I'm Kathleen Masterson in Ames, Iowa.
(Soundbite of music)NPR Morning Edition... Livestock Farms Could Be Off Limits To Photos Click on... more-
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Vietnamese Rescue Team Finally Retrieves Sacred Rafetus Swinhoei Turtle (One of Only Four Remaining)
Vietnamese rescue team finally retrieves sacred Rafetus swinhoei turtle
Julia on 4/05/2011 10:58:00 AM |
Rescuers in Vietnam have finally succeeded in retrieving their sacred giant turtle from Hoan Kiem Lake for medical treatment.
Though the sex of the turtle is unknown, people have dubbed it as “The Great Grandfather.” For months, Vietnamese veterinarians from Hanoi had made many attempts to capture and treat The Great Grandfather for injuries he sustained possibly due to pollution in the water, but he put up a strong fight.
Tim McCormack from the Asian Turtle Programme, a local conservation group in Vietnam, states, “This is one of the most endangered animals in the world and there's very little known about it.”
Endangered is sadly correct, The Great Grandfather is one of only four of his species—Rafetus swinhoei—still alive.
Recently, hundreds of people gathered ‘round as the veterinarians tried, once again, to reel in the stubborn turtle. This time, they had over 50 people in the rescue team to help. The job took two hours, but they had finally brought the turtle onto land.
All of the bystanders cheered as their century old turtle legend was saved, and he is now currently being treated for his injuries.Vietnamese rescue team finally retrieves sacred Rafetus swinhoei turtle Julia on... more-
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French vegan parents on trial over baby's death
Two French vegans are on trial after their 11-month-old baby daughter died from vitamin deficiency as she was only being fed breast milk. Sergipe and Joel Le Moaligou who are strict vegans called the emergency services in March 2008 after their baby Louise started sweating profusely and crying, and appeared to have no energy.By the time the ambulance arrived at their home north of Paris, she was already dead.Baby Louise weighed a mere 12lb, compared to an average 17.5lb for a child her age, and was deathly pale according to French media.An autopsy showed that she was suffering from a vitamin A and B12 deficiency, which experts say increases a child's sensitivity to infections.French prosecutors claim the vitamin deficiency may have been linked to the mother's diet, and also say that the couple failed to follow medical advice to hospitalise the baby who was suffering from bronchitis.The parents, who also have a 13-year-old daughter who didn't suffer from any vitamin deficiencies, became vegan after seeing "a television programme about how cattle were taken to abattoirs," said the mother's lawyer.The parents are still vegan and "are completely aware of the mistake they made," said the father's lawyer.
If convicted, the couple could face up to 30 years in prison.
Source: AFP and The Daily TelegraphTwo French vegans are on trial after their 11-month-old baby daughter died from... more-
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Getting to the Meat of the Issue
This author is NOT funny... or kind.
Getting to the Meat of the Issue
By Ryan Pike
Special to The Hoya
Published: Friday, March 25, 2011
Updated: Friday, March 25, 2011 04:03
A big-name PETA representative sparred with the Philodemic Society over the ethics of eating meat in Lohrfink Auditorium Tuesday evening.
A vegan since 1987, Bruce Friedrich, vice president of policy and government affairs for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, has engaged in debates at nearly 35 schools across the country. Aiming to bring the organization's vision — PETA holds that animals are not for eating, clothes, experiments or human amusement — to Georgetown students, Friedrich faced off against Philodemic member Stephano Medina (SFS '12).Friedrich's resolution, the eating of meat is unethical, was not affirmed after it failed to achieve a majority of the 75 voting philodemic members. Overall there were 37 affirming, 34 negating and four abstaining votes.
Friedrich's opening address cited the resource inefficiencies and the environmental toll of sustaining a meat-based diet.
"It takes about 20 calories [in feeding] a chicken, a pig or a cow to get one calorie back out in the form of meat," Friedrich said.
He also emphasized the cruel treatment that animals are subjected to in order to produce meat.
"The things that happen to farm animals both on factory farms, and on organic farms and on free-range farms, a range of things happen to animals that would warrant felony cruelty charges were dogs and cats similarly abused," Friedrich said.
He asked if anyone would eat the gray cat pictured on the screen behind him.
"OK, four or five people are willing to eat Gracie, she's my cat," Friedrich quipped.
Medina countered that while humans do share some similarities with animals, the differences are far greater, diminishing humans' abilities to wholly understand and fully empathize with the experience of animals raised to produce meat.
"Although we can measure serotonin levels and we can measure stress levels, I ask you to have a little bit more respect for the spectrum of human emotion and say ‘I know what pain is to me, and I can't understand fundamentally what pain is to any other organism,'" Medina said.
Medina also emphasized the distinction between animals and humans.
"Are we obligated to treat animals with respect and compassion because of rights the animals have? No. If that were true, then every single time a lion ate a zebra in the wilderness, some immoral action would be occurring," Medina said.
After opening statements, Philodemic Society President Nicholas Iacono (COL '12) opened the floor to approximately 90 minutes of dialogue. The debate was dominated by members of the society, although a few nonmembers also had the opportunity to express their reasoning.
However, both keynotes failed to bring up an important topic according to Sam Dulik (SFS '13), the vice president of Philodemic Society.
"A quote is missing from this debate, and that is one that says ‘there is room for all of Alaska's animals out there right next to the mashed potatoes,'" he joked.This author is NOT funny... or kind. Getting to the Meat of the Issue By... more-
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