Things I wish I could unsee
One, this video, of a heartless young woman throwing tiny puppies into a river. WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE??? A few sites seem to think this was a hoax. I hope it is but I doubt it. Nor does it change the fact that cruelty like this really does take place. Hoax or not, it's all horrifying.
I hope she gets caught like that crazy person, Mary Bale, who was filmed tossing a cat into a garbage bin.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
I've recently decided to delete the myspace profile I've had for 4 years. As a result, I'm moving over most of the 200+ blog entries to my blogger account. Anything related to AR/veganism goes here. Many of those are from my vegan infancy and, therefore, a bit misguided. I've learned a lot since I made the life-changing decision to go vegan and maybe these old entries will be educating, whether positive or negative. I'll be adding them in order, by year.
Why I'm posting PETA videos
07 Oct 2005 Friday
This is my fucking space to post whatever I want. If you don't like it, you're welcome to leave. These videos need to be seen. Ignorance is not bliss. This shit happens everyday, all over the world and it simply has to stop. How anyone can continue to wear fur and/or support that industry should be skinned alive. I mean it. If they know, and most do (they're not that stupid), they are aware of the misery that went into the clothing they don. I am at a loss for words after watching both of the fur farm videos. I was crying and sobbing so hard that Beaumont came wandering into the office to see how I was doing. God, I hope that my babies never have to endure something like this. I read that some of those poor dogs had collars around their necks, signifying they once belonged to someone. If that ever happened to my dogs....well, we won't go there. I've been reading some posts in many of the AR/vegan/vegetarian groups and I'm just plain disgusted with the animosity towards vegans. These videos are why I'm vegan and why I will never purchase animal products to wear. Simple as fucking that! And for all the little wussies who complain about the violent content, boo-fucking-hoo. If they are not shown, I feel that those animals will continue to suffer horrifically and that their deaths were worthless. What really got me was that the animals were still fucking ALIVE when that monster started skinning them. I don't even want to get started about the way they casually slammed them into the ground or stepped on their heads to finally snuff out their protracted agonized deaths. I think I'm tired now. I forgot how horrible and inhumane those videos were. My stepdad used to force us to watch Faces of Death, when we were children, but I am far more disturbed by these videos and images. My life may be but a flicker in the tapestry of life but at least I can say I tried to live it compassionately. And that 4 dogs named Max, Minna, Beaumont, and Panchito had a mama that loved them and let them be who they were.
22:40
Fur farms:Why they're hell on earth for the animals who will be clothing
08 Oct 2005 Saturday
Current mood: infuriated
Category: Pets and Animals
I've copied this from PETA becasuse it gives a great breakdown on why the fur farm industry is evil. I will never wear an animal's misery and this is why. Eighty-five percent of the fur industry’s skins come from animals living captive on fur factory farms.(1) These farms can hold thousands of animals, and the practices used to farm them is remarkably uniform around the globe. As with other intensive-confinement animal farms, the methods used on fur factory farms are designed to maximize profits, always at the expense of the animals. Painful and Short Lives The most farmed fur-bearing animal is the mink, followed by the fox. Chinchillas, lynxes, and even hamsters are also farmed for their fur.(2) Sixty-four percent of fur farms are in Northern Europe, 11 percent are in North America, and the rest are dispersed throughout the world, in countries such as Argentina and Russia.(3) Mink farmers usually breed female minks once a year. There are about three or four surviving kits for each litter, and they are killed when they are about half a year old, depending on what country they are in, after the first hard freeze. Minks used for breeding are kept for four to five years.(4) The animals—housed in unbearably small cages—live with fear, stress, disease, parasites, and other physical and psychological hardships, all for the sake of a global industry that makes billions of dollars annually. Rabbits are slaughtered by the millions for meat, particularly in China, Italy, and Spain. Once considered a mere byproduct of this consumption, the rabbit fur industry demands the thicker pelt of an older animal (meat rabbits are killed at the age of 10 to 12 weeks). The United Nations reports that “few skins are now retrieved from slaughterhouses,” and countries such as France are killing as many as 70 million rabbits a year for fur, used in clothing, as lures in flyfishing, and for trim on craft items.(5) Life on the “Ranch” To cut costs, fur farmers pack animals into small cages, preventing them from taking more than a few steps back and forth. This crowding and confinement is especially distressing to minks—solitary animals who may occupy as much as 2,500 acres of wetland habitat in the wild.(6) The anguish of life in a cage leads minks to self-mutilate—biting at their skin, tails, and feet—and frantically pace and circle endlessly. Zoologists at Oxford University who studied captive minks found that despite generations of being bred for fur, minks have not been domesticated and suffer greatly in captivity, especially if they are not given the opportunity to swim.(7) Foxes, raccoons, and other animals suffer equally and have been found to cannibalize each other as a reaction to their crowded confinement. Animals on fur factory farms are fed meat byproducts considered unfit for human consumption. Water is provided by a nipple system which often freezes in the winter or may fail because of human error. Pests and Parasites Animals on fur factory farms are more susceptible to diseases than their free-roaming counterparts. Contagious diseases such as pneumonia are passed from cage to cage rapidly, as are fleas, ticks, lice, and mites. And disease-carrying flies thrive in the piles of rotting wastes that collect under the cages for months. Video footage and photos taken by undercover investigators show animals suffering from severe infections and injuries, untreated and left to die slowly. Unnatural Habitats Fur factory farm cages are often kept in open sheds that provide little to no protection from wind or harsh weather. Their fur alone is not enough to keep them warm in the winter, and in the summer, minks swelter because they have no water in which to cool themselves. When minks learn to shower themselves by pressing on their drinking water supply nipples, farmers will modify the nipples to cut off even this meager relief. Poison and Pain No federal humane slaughter law protects animals on fur factory farms, and killing methods are gruesome. Because fur farmers care only about preserving the quality of the fur, they use slaughter methods that keep the pelts intact but which can result in extreme suffering for the animals. Small animals may be crammed into boxes and poisoned with hot, unfiltered engine exhaust from a truck. Engine exhaust is not always lethal, and some animals wake up while being skinned. Larger animals have clamps or a rod applied to their mouths while rods are inserted into their anuses, and they are painfully electrocuted. Other animals are poisoned with strychnine, which suffocates them by paralyzing their muscles in painful rigid cramps. Gassing, decompression chambers, and neck-snapping are other common fur-farm slaughter methods. The fur industry refuses to condemn even blatantly cruel killing methods. Genital electrocution, deemed “unacceptable” by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) 1993 Panel on Euthanasia, is a fur factory farm killing method that causes animals the pain of cardiac arrest while they are fully conscious. In 1994, Indiana became the first state to file criminal charges against a fur factory farm after PETA investigators documented genital electrocution at V-R Chinchillas. The chinchilla fur industry considers electrocution and neck-breaking “acceptable.”(8) In 1995, one district attorney filed charges against pelt supplier Frank Parsons of Salisbury, Md., for injecting a mixture of rubbing alcohol and weed-killer into the chests of minks. PETA undercover investigators videotaped Parsons using an illegal pesticide, Blackleaf 40, to painfully kill the minks. Would You Wear Your Dog? An undercover investigation by the Humane Society of the United States, reported in a 1998 Dateline NBC piece, revealed that dog and cat fur is a multimillion-dollar industry in Asia and found that coats and toys made with domestic dog fur are being sold in the U.S. “There are no federal laws preventing anyone from importing dog and cat fur into this country,” reported Dateline. “If the imported item costs less than $150, the importer doesn’t even have to reveal what it’s made of.” Dateline footage shows a German shepherd, tail wagging and head stuck in a restraint, moments before he is skinned alive. A cat, crowded in a cage, watches and waits his turn, as one by one, his cagemates are choked, slung up, and hanged just inches away.(9) New legislation outlawed the import or sale of clothing containing dog or cat fur, but the fur still enters the country illegally since it is intentionally mislabeled and can only be detected by expensive DNA testing. Environmental Destruction Contrary to fur-industry propaganda, fur production destroys the environment. The energy needed to produce a real fur coat from ranch-raised animal skins is approximately 20 times that needed for a fake fur.(10) Nor does fur biodegrade, thanks to the chemical treatment applied to stop the fur from rotting. The process of using these chemicals is also dangerous as it can cause water contamination. About 44 pounds of feces are excreted per mink skinned by fur farmers. Based on the total number of minks skinned in the U.S. in 1999, which was 2.81 million, mink factory farms generate approximately 62,000 tons of manure per year. One result is nearly 1,000 tons of phosphorus, which wreaks havoc in water ecosystems.(11) Fur in Sheep’s Clothing As fur sales decline, sales of shearling—the skin of lambs with the wool attached—have risen. Some fur manufacturers have actually taken to disguising mink as shearling.(12) Many people are unaware of shearling’s origins or that shearling sales are an incentive for sheep ranchers to increase their stock, thereby adding to the plight of sheep (see PETA factsheet “Inside the Wool Industry”). In Afghanistan, karakul sheep are now raised to produce lambs for the high-end market in “Persian lamb” coats and hats. For “top-quality” lamb skin, the mother is killed just before giving birth and her fetus is cut out. The pelts of the unborn lambs are prized in the fashion world for their silk-like sheen. It takes the skin from an entire lamb to make one karakul hat.(13) Industry in Decline Austria and the U.K. have banned fur factory farms, and the Netherlands began phasing out fox and chinchilla farming in April 1998.(14) In 2003 there were 307 mink farms in the U.S., down 5 percent from the previous year.(15) In a sign of the times, supermodel Naomi Campbell was denied entry to a trendy New York club because she was wearing fur. Said the club’s owner, “I really love animals, and I wanted us to be the good guys.”(16) Humane Choices Consumers need to know that every fur coat, lining, or item of trim represents the intense suffering of several dozen animals, whether they were trapped, ranched, or even unborn. These cruelties will end only when the public refuses to buy or wear fur. Those who learn the facts about fur must help educate others, for the animals’ sake. For more information, visit FurIsDead.com.
20:51
Sunday
09 Oct 2005 Sunday
Current mood: contemplative
Today was a nice day in that Mark and I spent most of the day in our bathrobes. The dogs napped and we read the newspaper and watched the first season of Lost. I gave him a haircut and we made delish vegan burritos for dinner. Then, I began reading my fashion magazines and was horrified to see all the ads and spreads of models and celebrities wearing fur. Even Uma Thurman, who is currently posing for Louis Vuitton, is sporting fur. UGH! What an ugly, abhorrent trend. Allure featured a spread about the Cossack look. Last I checked, the Siberian cold is not an occurence in the US. So, now I am stopping my subscriptions to Allure and InStyle, both mags that I been receiving for years. I'm simply sick of the fur use in the fashion industry and am trying to educate myself as to which companies are responsible for its use. Money is the only thing that wil make these bastard companies pay attention. They don't give a fuck about the pain and torture an animal must go through to achieve the "sumptuous pelts" designers and celebrities and their followers want. I can't think right now, I'm so mad.
22:34
Talk about diligence! I got rid of all of my subscriptions because I don't see the need to waste the paper that I rarely get the chance to read. I still get BUST, though. You'd like that.
Posted by ☠brooke☠ on [10 Oct 2005 | Monday] - 11:55
"I have given every green herb for meat"
10 Oct 2005 Monday
Current mood: mischievous
Category: Religion and Philosophy
I found this post in my Vegan No edge group and thought it was very interesting. Meat-eater tend to quote that hoary-old "We have dominion over the animals so we get to eat them" blahblahblah. Take that! GENESIS (regarding creation): 1:28 And God blessed them [humans], and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. 1:29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. 1:30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. hmmm, the last time i checked, animals aren't herbs nor do they go on trees. so per haps god intended for us to be vegans?
12:21
I'm not Christian but...
I love quoting that when people try to argue religion as a reason for eating animal flesh. Also, God made a covenant with animals after Noah saved them. Noah, in respect of God's covenant became a farmer. And in Revelations, God has four animals sitting around his throne. Which would imply that animals do have souls.
I read a ggod book called 'God's Covenant with Animals' not long ago. Quick read, but filled with some great info.
Posted by Caleb Hutchinson on [10 Oct 2005 | Monday] - 12:53
A posting from a group against animal cruelty (not mine)
11 Oct 2005 Tuesday
Current mood: mischievous
Category: Pets and Animals
"Yeah, I guess the animals will go to hell too then. They torture animals much worse than us. Ever look up the stats on animals eating eachother? How sanitary is that web that the insect gets stuck to and bound in and then wound up until it cant even breathe freely. Then slowly digested with acids while it is still alive? What about the honey badger or the hyena? What about the mouse or the cat? These animals kill for sport. If you own even a housecat you will know that. They will often eat their own babies. They will eat eachother while still alive. They will attack things due to shear annoyance. They will attack an area of the body that will not allow the creature to die right away. What about those who paralyze its' prey and lay eggs inside of the body of the prey. When the eggs hatch, the babies eat the prey from the inside out. ANIMALS ARE NOT INNOCENT! They are your food. Stop thinking like children! The woods are not full of pooh bears, care bears, or Big Birds! They are ruthless animals daring to kill anything in it's path....and we happen to be better, AND more compassionate. You guys will never win this argument...you ARE wrong....I am sorry. You cannot debate who is meaner. You cant fight over who is the most immoral. It is animals."
****My two cents:**** Wow..... Sometimes the things people believe really baffle me. This would be one of them. Animals being the immoral ones rather than humans. It would be hilarious if not for his adamant belief this is true. *sigh*
10:34
More pearls of wisdom
12 Oct 2005 Tuesday
Current mood: annoyed
"CHICO'S OPINION (and that's all it is, nothing more). And of course we have the haters (hemp-vegans). Yes, the vegans that hate everyone who isnt a vegan because they wont follow them, and most people think it is corny. So they walk around with a frown and hope that maybe the ozone layer will burn open and everyone will die so that they can all get a taste of their own medicine. They are always at rallies and fighting for the animals while their kids are at home alone. They smoke pot often, like the PETA march here in a week is supported by, and forsake bills, real matters, and responsibility as a human being to take care of ones self. They are the common culprits to conspiracies theories about anybody that is more powerful than them, such as presidents, large companies, and the government. Common sense is not this vegans' forte. Then we have the calm, educated vegan (flower-child vegan). This person is calm and well-spoken. They do not try to push it on anyone, although many can tell their distaste for anyone who has a normal diet. They tend to stick to veganism for staunch reasons as well as living in a futuristic mindset...."What if life could be THIS way?" Although it isnt something that will ever happen. They love their pets, but not many animals in the wild, because they really dont spend that much time out in the real wildlife to see what animals are really like. The vegan for health reasons will often be different personalities. The vegan that eats for health reasons and turns their purpose to animal cruelty is often feminine. Those who only do it for supposed health reasons seem to do it for both reasons. This person usually doesnt really care all that much about the animal issue, they just want to stay healthy, and so they think that if they dont eat meat then they will get thin...hence why men arent chasing this health plan. This is where the line starts to get shady, because the health vegan is not so worried about the animals, and will eat dairy products and so forth more often. Then we have the common "half & half" eater. They call themselves vegans but eat chicken. They call themselves vegans but eat eggs and drink milk. They dont mind if animals get killed, because they realize that we are omnivores, but they dont really care for the taste of meat that much, and obviously dont like animal cruelty. These people are usually the most healthy of the vegans because they get more vitamins per tonnage yet do not "OD" on meat alone as some people seem to do. They are usually balanced mentally pretty well and are the easiest vegetarian to debate with because of the level-headedness. Now we have the omnivore. This person is much like the vegan "half & half, " but he doesnt go by any terms. He allows his body to tell him what to eat, because he knows it is already built correctly just the way it is. People such as this are usually healthy naturally and havent ever dealt with major diseases or anything like that which would force them to get more involved in their diet. The difference is that food is not a vice for them, so if their body tells them to eat, they will, but wont gorge themselves. They eat what their body is asking for, such as chicken or pork, salad or eggs. This is a very large percentage of people. Last but not least, the person who really doesnt care. Enough said....they dont care about anything, lost their wife because they are lazy, dont have a real job or degree to embetter themselves, or even get a shower everyday. This person is rather worthless on every level of society and will use and abuse taxpayers' money on welfare if at all possible. And finally, the carnivore. This person prides himself in the fact that he eats meat. He does this to the point of annoyance. He doesnt realize that this is not only a corny thing to pride oneself in, but he doesnt realize that there is a correllation between that and his wasteline. He is commonly called a hick, and is usually the very few that actually do commit animal cruelty. They are loveable and have great hearts, but can be as annoying sometimes as the "hemp-vegan." Their worst enemies are the flower-child vegans, because they easily outdebate the carnivore, because the carnivore has little education whether he is right or not. Because of a feeling of inadequacy, this will force him to become withdrawn and have a lack of outward show of feeling or affection. These are usually male."
***This is what I think: According to the sage and wise, all-knowing Chico....I think I fall somewhere between the "hater(hemp-vegan)" and "flower-child vegan". Though, after reading most of his bullying posts, I lean toward hater. I'm done wasting energy on this close-minded indivdual. But, I do think his posts offer good reading. Am I learning anything from them? Yes, but nothing I'd care to be. Viva Veganism!***
9:00
. . . . . . ....I only have limited time with my friends MAC bawt I
. . . . . . ....Shall return to give this a better reading,, Hmmmmm,
My new motto: "The eating of flesh extinguishes the seed of great compassion"
Current mood: calm
01 Nov 2005 Tuesday
It wouldn't fit in my headline so I went with the doggie quote. I believe this quote, a Buddhist one, sums up why I don't believe in eating or using any animal products. I've run into those carnivorous haters who bemoan why I put animals first. There's a simple answer. If you can't show compassion to animals, how the hell do you expect to show compassion to people? As for my choice to have "furbabies" in my life rather than human children, so be it. It's a decision I feel comfortable with. Unfortunately, all it took was Max's death nearly 2 weeks ago :( Otto helps out quite a bit (he's nestled in my left arm as I type this. One-hand typing is not fun but puppy mojo is the best feeling in the world) I also like this quote, from Gandhi: “To my mind, the life of a lamb is no less precious than that of a human being. I should be unwilling to take the life of a lamb for the sake of the human body. I hold that, the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to protection by man from the cruelty of man. . . . I want to realize brotherhood or identity not merely with the beings called human, but I want to realize identity with all life, even with such things as crawl upon earth.” — Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)
10:47
Why I'm posting PETA videos
07 Oct 2005 Friday
This is my fucking space to post whatever I want. If you don't like it, you're welcome to leave. These videos need to be seen. Ignorance is not bliss. This shit happens everyday, all over the world and it simply has to stop. How anyone can continue to wear fur and/or support that industry should be skinned alive. I mean it. If they know, and most do (they're not that stupid), they are aware of the misery that went into the clothing they don. I am at a loss for words after watching both of the fur farm videos. I was crying and sobbing so hard that Beaumont came wandering into the office to see how I was doing. God, I hope that my babies never have to endure something like this. I read that some of those poor dogs had collars around their necks, signifying they once belonged to someone. If that ever happened to my dogs....well, we won't go there. I've been reading some posts in many of the AR/vegan/vegetarian groups and I'm just plain disgusted with the animosity towards vegans. These videos are why I'm vegan and why I will never purchase animal products to wear. Simple as fucking that! And for all the little wussies who complain about the violent content, boo-fucking-hoo. If they are not shown, I feel that those animals will continue to suffer horrifically and that their deaths were worthless. What really got me was that the animals were still fucking ALIVE when that monster started skinning them. I don't even want to get started about the way they casually slammed them into the ground or stepped on their heads to finally snuff out their protracted agonized deaths. I think I'm tired now. I forgot how horrible and inhumane those videos were. My stepdad used to force us to watch Faces of Death, when we were children, but I am far more disturbed by these videos and images. My life may be but a flicker in the tapestry of life but at least I can say I tried to live it compassionately. And that 4 dogs named Max, Minna, Beaumont, and Panchito had a mama that loved them and let them be who they were.
22:40
Fur farms:Why they're hell on earth for the animals who will be clothing
08 Oct 2005 Saturday
Current mood: infuriated
Category: Pets and Animals
I've copied this from PETA becasuse it gives a great breakdown on why the fur farm industry is evil. I will never wear an animal's misery and this is why. Eighty-five percent of the fur industry’s skins come from animals living captive on fur factory farms.(1) These farms can hold thousands of animals, and the practices used to farm them is remarkably uniform around the globe. As with other intensive-confinement animal farms, the methods used on fur factory farms are designed to maximize profits, always at the expense of the animals. Painful and Short Lives The most farmed fur-bearing animal is the mink, followed by the fox. Chinchillas, lynxes, and even hamsters are also farmed for their fur.(2) Sixty-four percent of fur farms are in Northern Europe, 11 percent are in North America, and the rest are dispersed throughout the world, in countries such as Argentina and Russia.(3) Mink farmers usually breed female minks once a year. There are about three or four surviving kits for each litter, and they are killed when they are about half a year old, depending on what country they are in, after the first hard freeze. Minks used for breeding are kept for four to five years.(4) The animals—housed in unbearably small cages—live with fear, stress, disease, parasites, and other physical and psychological hardships, all for the sake of a global industry that makes billions of dollars annually. Rabbits are slaughtered by the millions for meat, particularly in China, Italy, and Spain. Once considered a mere byproduct of this consumption, the rabbit fur industry demands the thicker pelt of an older animal (meat rabbits are killed at the age of 10 to 12 weeks). The United Nations reports that “few skins are now retrieved from slaughterhouses,” and countries such as France are killing as many as 70 million rabbits a year for fur, used in clothing, as lures in flyfishing, and for trim on craft items.(5) Life on the “Ranch” To cut costs, fur farmers pack animals into small cages, preventing them from taking more than a few steps back and forth. This crowding and confinement is especially distressing to minks—solitary animals who may occupy as much as 2,500 acres of wetland habitat in the wild.(6) The anguish of life in a cage leads minks to self-mutilate—biting at their skin, tails, and feet—and frantically pace and circle endlessly. Zoologists at Oxford University who studied captive minks found that despite generations of being bred for fur, minks have not been domesticated and suffer greatly in captivity, especially if they are not given the opportunity to swim.(7) Foxes, raccoons, and other animals suffer equally and have been found to cannibalize each other as a reaction to their crowded confinement. Animals on fur factory farms are fed meat byproducts considered unfit for human consumption. Water is provided by a nipple system which often freezes in the winter or may fail because of human error. Pests and Parasites Animals on fur factory farms are more susceptible to diseases than their free-roaming counterparts. Contagious diseases such as pneumonia are passed from cage to cage rapidly, as are fleas, ticks, lice, and mites. And disease-carrying flies thrive in the piles of rotting wastes that collect under the cages for months. Video footage and photos taken by undercover investigators show animals suffering from severe infections and injuries, untreated and left to die slowly. Unnatural Habitats Fur factory farm cages are often kept in open sheds that provide little to no protection from wind or harsh weather. Their fur alone is not enough to keep them warm in the winter, and in the summer, minks swelter because they have no water in which to cool themselves. When minks learn to shower themselves by pressing on their drinking water supply nipples, farmers will modify the nipples to cut off even this meager relief. Poison and Pain No federal humane slaughter law protects animals on fur factory farms, and killing methods are gruesome. Because fur farmers care only about preserving the quality of the fur, they use slaughter methods that keep the pelts intact but which can result in extreme suffering for the animals. Small animals may be crammed into boxes and poisoned with hot, unfiltered engine exhaust from a truck. Engine exhaust is not always lethal, and some animals wake up while being skinned. Larger animals have clamps or a rod applied to their mouths while rods are inserted into their anuses, and they are painfully electrocuted. Other animals are poisoned with strychnine, which suffocates them by paralyzing their muscles in painful rigid cramps. Gassing, decompression chambers, and neck-snapping are other common fur-farm slaughter methods. The fur industry refuses to condemn even blatantly cruel killing methods. Genital electrocution, deemed “unacceptable” by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) 1993 Panel on Euthanasia, is a fur factory farm killing method that causes animals the pain of cardiac arrest while they are fully conscious. In 1994, Indiana became the first state to file criminal charges against a fur factory farm after PETA investigators documented genital electrocution at V-R Chinchillas. The chinchilla fur industry considers electrocution and neck-breaking “acceptable.”(8) In 1995, one district attorney filed charges against pelt supplier Frank Parsons of Salisbury, Md., for injecting a mixture of rubbing alcohol and weed-killer into the chests of minks. PETA undercover investigators videotaped Parsons using an illegal pesticide, Blackleaf 40, to painfully kill the minks. Would You Wear Your Dog? An undercover investigation by the Humane Society of the United States, reported in a 1998 Dateline NBC piece, revealed that dog and cat fur is a multimillion-dollar industry in Asia and found that coats and toys made with domestic dog fur are being sold in the U.S. “There are no federal laws preventing anyone from importing dog and cat fur into this country,” reported Dateline. “If the imported item costs less than $150, the importer doesn’t even have to reveal what it’s made of.” Dateline footage shows a German shepherd, tail wagging and head stuck in a restraint, moments before he is skinned alive. A cat, crowded in a cage, watches and waits his turn, as one by one, his cagemates are choked, slung up, and hanged just inches away.(9) New legislation outlawed the import or sale of clothing containing dog or cat fur, but the fur still enters the country illegally since it is intentionally mislabeled and can only be detected by expensive DNA testing. Environmental Destruction Contrary to fur-industry propaganda, fur production destroys the environment. The energy needed to produce a real fur coat from ranch-raised animal skins is approximately 20 times that needed for a fake fur.(10) Nor does fur biodegrade, thanks to the chemical treatment applied to stop the fur from rotting. The process of using these chemicals is also dangerous as it can cause water contamination. About 44 pounds of feces are excreted per mink skinned by fur farmers. Based on the total number of minks skinned in the U.S. in 1999, which was 2.81 million, mink factory farms generate approximately 62,000 tons of manure per year. One result is nearly 1,000 tons of phosphorus, which wreaks havoc in water ecosystems.(11) Fur in Sheep’s Clothing As fur sales decline, sales of shearling—the skin of lambs with the wool attached—have risen. Some fur manufacturers have actually taken to disguising mink as shearling.(12) Many people are unaware of shearling’s origins or that shearling sales are an incentive for sheep ranchers to increase their stock, thereby adding to the plight of sheep (see PETA factsheet “Inside the Wool Industry”). In Afghanistan, karakul sheep are now raised to produce lambs for the high-end market in “Persian lamb” coats and hats. For “top-quality” lamb skin, the mother is killed just before giving birth and her fetus is cut out. The pelts of the unborn lambs are prized in the fashion world for their silk-like sheen. It takes the skin from an entire lamb to make one karakul hat.(13) Industry in Decline Austria and the U.K. have banned fur factory farms, and the Netherlands began phasing out fox and chinchilla farming in April 1998.(14) In 2003 there were 307 mink farms in the U.S., down 5 percent from the previous year.(15) In a sign of the times, supermodel Naomi Campbell was denied entry to a trendy New York club because she was wearing fur. Said the club’s owner, “I really love animals, and I wanted us to be the good guys.”(16) Humane Choices Consumers need to know that every fur coat, lining, or item of trim represents the intense suffering of several dozen animals, whether they were trapped, ranched, or even unborn. These cruelties will end only when the public refuses to buy or wear fur. Those who learn the facts about fur must help educate others, for the animals’ sake. For more information, visit FurIsDead.com.
20:51
Sunday
09 Oct 2005 Sunday
Current mood: contemplative
Today was a nice day in that Mark and I spent most of the day in our bathrobes. The dogs napped and we read the newspaper and watched the first season of Lost. I gave him a haircut and we made delish vegan burritos for dinner. Then, I began reading my fashion magazines and was horrified to see all the ads and spreads of models and celebrities wearing fur. Even Uma Thurman, who is currently posing for Louis Vuitton, is sporting fur. UGH! What an ugly, abhorrent trend. Allure featured a spread about the Cossack look. Last I checked, the Siberian cold is not an occurence in the US. So, now I am stopping my subscriptions to Allure and InStyle, both mags that I been receiving for years. I'm simply sick of the fur use in the fashion industry and am trying to educate myself as to which companies are responsible for its use. Money is the only thing that wil make these bastard companies pay attention. They don't give a fuck about the pain and torture an animal must go through to achieve the "sumptuous pelts" designers and celebrities and their followers want. I can't think right now, I'm so mad.
22:34
Talk about diligence! I got rid of all of my subscriptions because I don't see the need to waste the paper that I rarely get the chance to read. I still get BUST, though. You'd like that.
Posted by ☠brooke☠ on [10 Oct 2005 | Monday] - 11:55
"I have given every green herb for meat"
10 Oct 2005 Monday
Current mood: mischievous
Category: Religion and Philosophy
I found this post in my Vegan No edge group and thought it was very interesting. Meat-eater tend to quote that hoary-old "We have dominion over the animals so we get to eat them" blahblahblah. Take that! GENESIS (regarding creation): 1:28 And God blessed them [humans], and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. 1:29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. 1:30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. hmmm, the last time i checked, animals aren't herbs nor do they go on trees. so per haps god intended for us to be vegans?
12:21
I'm not Christian but...
I love quoting that when people try to argue religion as a reason for eating animal flesh. Also, God made a covenant with animals after Noah saved them. Noah, in respect of God's covenant became a farmer. And in Revelations, God has four animals sitting around his throne. Which would imply that animals do have souls.
I read a ggod book called 'God's Covenant with Animals' not long ago. Quick read, but filled with some great info.
Posted by Caleb Hutchinson on [10 Oct 2005 | Monday] - 12:53
A posting from a group against animal cruelty (not mine)
11 Oct 2005 Tuesday
Current mood: mischievous
Category: Pets and Animals
"Yeah, I guess the animals will go to hell too then. They torture animals much worse than us. Ever look up the stats on animals eating eachother? How sanitary is that web that the insect gets stuck to and bound in and then wound up until it cant even breathe freely. Then slowly digested with acids while it is still alive? What about the honey badger or the hyena? What about the mouse or the cat? These animals kill for sport. If you own even a housecat you will know that. They will often eat their own babies. They will eat eachother while still alive. They will attack things due to shear annoyance. They will attack an area of the body that will not allow the creature to die right away. What about those who paralyze its' prey and lay eggs inside of the body of the prey. When the eggs hatch, the babies eat the prey from the inside out. ANIMALS ARE NOT INNOCENT! They are your food. Stop thinking like children! The woods are not full of pooh bears, care bears, or Big Birds! They are ruthless animals daring to kill anything in it's path....and we happen to be better, AND more compassionate. You guys will never win this argument...you ARE wrong....I am sorry. You cannot debate who is meaner. You cant fight over who is the most immoral. It is animals."
****My two cents:**** Wow..... Sometimes the things people believe really baffle me. This would be one of them. Animals being the immoral ones rather than humans. It would be hilarious if not for his adamant belief this is true. *sigh*
10:34
More pearls of wisdom
12 Oct 2005 Tuesday
Current mood: annoyed
"CHICO'S OPINION (and that's all it is, nothing more). And of course we have the haters (hemp-vegans). Yes, the vegans that hate everyone who isnt a vegan because they wont follow them, and most people think it is corny. So they walk around with a frown and hope that maybe the ozone layer will burn open and everyone will die so that they can all get a taste of their own medicine. They are always at rallies and fighting for the animals while their kids are at home alone. They smoke pot often, like the PETA march here in a week is supported by, and forsake bills, real matters, and responsibility as a human being to take care of ones self. They are the common culprits to conspiracies theories about anybody that is more powerful than them, such as presidents, large companies, and the government. Common sense is not this vegans' forte. Then we have the calm, educated vegan (flower-child vegan). This person is calm and well-spoken. They do not try to push it on anyone, although many can tell their distaste for anyone who has a normal diet. They tend to stick to veganism for staunch reasons as well as living in a futuristic mindset...."What if life could be THIS way?" Although it isnt something that will ever happen. They love their pets, but not many animals in the wild, because they really dont spend that much time out in the real wildlife to see what animals are really like. The vegan for health reasons will often be different personalities. The vegan that eats for health reasons and turns their purpose to animal cruelty is often feminine. Those who only do it for supposed health reasons seem to do it for both reasons. This person usually doesnt really care all that much about the animal issue, they just want to stay healthy, and so they think that if they dont eat meat then they will get thin...hence why men arent chasing this health plan. This is where the line starts to get shady, because the health vegan is not so worried about the animals, and will eat dairy products and so forth more often. Then we have the common "half & half" eater. They call themselves vegans but eat chicken. They call themselves vegans but eat eggs and drink milk. They dont mind if animals get killed, because they realize that we are omnivores, but they dont really care for the taste of meat that much, and obviously dont like animal cruelty. These people are usually the most healthy of the vegans because they get more vitamins per tonnage yet do not "OD" on meat alone as some people seem to do. They are usually balanced mentally pretty well and are the easiest vegetarian to debate with because of the level-headedness. Now we have the omnivore. This person is much like the vegan "half & half, " but he doesnt go by any terms. He allows his body to tell him what to eat, because he knows it is already built correctly just the way it is. People such as this are usually healthy naturally and havent ever dealt with major diseases or anything like that which would force them to get more involved in their diet. The difference is that food is not a vice for them, so if their body tells them to eat, they will, but wont gorge themselves. They eat what their body is asking for, such as chicken or pork, salad or eggs. This is a very large percentage of people. Last but not least, the person who really doesnt care. Enough said....they dont care about anything, lost their wife because they are lazy, dont have a real job or degree to embetter themselves, or even get a shower everyday. This person is rather worthless on every level of society and will use and abuse taxpayers' money on welfare if at all possible. And finally, the carnivore. This person prides himself in the fact that he eats meat. He does this to the point of annoyance. He doesnt realize that this is not only a corny thing to pride oneself in, but he doesnt realize that there is a correllation between that and his wasteline. He is commonly called a hick, and is usually the very few that actually do commit animal cruelty. They are loveable and have great hearts, but can be as annoying sometimes as the "hemp-vegan." Their worst enemies are the flower-child vegans, because they easily outdebate the carnivore, because the carnivore has little education whether he is right or not. Because of a feeling of inadequacy, this will force him to become withdrawn and have a lack of outward show of feeling or affection. These are usually male."
***This is what I think: According to the sage and wise, all-knowing Chico....I think I fall somewhere between the "hater(hemp-vegan)" and "flower-child vegan". Though, after reading most of his bullying posts, I lean toward hater. I'm done wasting energy on this close-minded indivdual. But, I do think his posts offer good reading. Am I learning anything from them? Yes, but nothing I'd care to be. Viva Veganism!***
9:00
. . . . . . ....I only have limited time with my friends MAC bawt I
. . . . . . ....Shall return to give this a better reading,, Hmmmmm,
My new motto: "The eating of flesh extinguishes the seed of great compassion"
Current mood: calm
01 Nov 2005 Tuesday
It wouldn't fit in my headline so I went with the doggie quote. I believe this quote, a Buddhist one, sums up why I don't believe in eating or using any animal products. I've run into those carnivorous haters who bemoan why I put animals first. There's a simple answer. If you can't show compassion to animals, how the hell do you expect to show compassion to people? As for my choice to have "furbabies" in my life rather than human children, so be it. It's a decision I feel comfortable with. Unfortunately, all it took was Max's death nearly 2 weeks ago :( Otto helps out quite a bit (he's nestled in my left arm as I type this. One-hand typing is not fun but puppy mojo is the best feeling in the world) I also like this quote, from Gandhi: “To my mind, the life of a lamb is no less precious than that of a human being. I should be unwilling to take the life of a lamb for the sake of the human body. I hold that, the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to protection by man from the cruelty of man. . . . I want to realize brotherhood or identity not merely with the beings called human, but I want to realize identity with all life, even with such things as crawl upon earth.” — Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)
10:47
Monday, November 23, 2009
Travel: Eating vegan in France
I had some trepidations about being able to find decent vegan food when I went to France last month. Surprisingly, it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. At least, once I got to Paris. In Nice, it was definitely inconvenient.
It started with a going away meal at SFO, with my hubby. Very over-priced & bland Chinese food:
Then, since I requested "pure vegetarian" meals during my flight, this is what I was fed:
1) Evening meal
2)Breakfast
Unfortunately, some of the items on my "pure vegetarian" plate were not vegan at all.
Once I arrived in Nice, I settled in to my hotel room & went exploring. I ended up finding some decent groceries in the basement of the Galerie Lafayette, just a few blocks from my hotel. This was the first night of chip sandwiches, which I pretty much had to eat during my stay.
What my chip sandwich looked like:
The next day, I went shopping at Monoprix and picked up some fresh fruit. I found out that you have to print up labels for your produce, which was a bit inconvenient at first.
One of my favorite foods to discover was haricots verts, with a dijon mustard dressing. My first one was from the Nice Monoprix.
.
While in Nice, I ate in my hotel room. The one time I tried to eat out turned into a weird experience. After that, I figured it was just easier (& safer) to eat in my own quarters.
So, I had some hope for Paris, because I had reserved an apartment (complete with a kitchen). Thankfully, I was right! My apartment, located in the 9éme arrondissement, had plenty of boulangeries and grocery stores. In fact, this is what I found, at Franprix, my first night there:
So much good stuff, including almond milk & a vegan pesto!
This was my first dinner in Paris. C'est bon!
My second grocery trip had me at both Franprix & Monoprix. I found a vegan soy "steak" and freshly baked bread, as well as a delicious olive pasta sauce & soy yoghurt.
My Parisian frigo, full of vegan noms.
The soy "steaks", up close. This is the Tomate-Basilic flavor.
My 2nd dinner in Paris, with the soy "steak" & bread. Very filling!
At a produce market, in the Rue Cler area. I wish I had purchased those berries.
Though I never did eat at the veg restos or shop at the health stores I'd heard about, I did find some cool stuff. Brandi & I spent Saturday near Les Halles & the 1st arrondissement and I finally stepped into the French version of Whole Foods. Unfortunately, I didn't purchase anything but the idea of flavored tofu (especially the olive) was most intriguing.
That same day, Brandi & I stopped in at a café, on the Rue Montorgueil. She had the cheese plate & I had what I thought was bruschetta (sans fromage). Looks more like pizza, non? We both had vin chaud.
I tried to finish up what groceries were left in our frigo but we had one last meal out the day before we left. My salade & pommes frites were fantastic. Wish I had only gone sooner.
All in all, a mostly positive experience eating as a vegan in Paris. It would've been a different story if I didn't have my own kitchen. This might just be the way for me to be happy while traveling. I'm already looking at another international trip, next year. Back to Paris & London. But, at least I know what I'm in for!
I had some trepidations about being able to find decent vegan food when I went to France last month. Surprisingly, it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. At least, once I got to Paris. In Nice, it was definitely inconvenient.
It started with a going away meal at SFO, with my hubby. Very over-priced & bland Chinese food:
Then, since I requested "pure vegetarian" meals during my flight, this is what I was fed:
1) Evening meal
2)Breakfast
Unfortunately, some of the items on my "pure vegetarian" plate were not vegan at all.
Once I arrived in Nice, I settled in to my hotel room & went exploring. I ended up finding some decent groceries in the basement of the Galerie Lafayette, just a few blocks from my hotel. This was the first night of chip sandwiches, which I pretty much had to eat during my stay.
What my chip sandwich looked like:
The next day, I went shopping at Monoprix and picked up some fresh fruit. I found out that you have to print up labels for your produce, which was a bit inconvenient at first.
One of my favorite foods to discover was haricots verts, with a dijon mustard dressing. My first one was from the Nice Monoprix.
.
While in Nice, I ate in my hotel room. The one time I tried to eat out turned into a weird experience. After that, I figured it was just easier (& safer) to eat in my own quarters.
So, I had some hope for Paris, because I had reserved an apartment (complete with a kitchen). Thankfully, I was right! My apartment, located in the 9éme arrondissement, had plenty of boulangeries and grocery stores. In fact, this is what I found, at Franprix, my first night there:
So much good stuff, including almond milk & a vegan pesto!
This was my first dinner in Paris. C'est bon!
My second grocery trip had me at both Franprix & Monoprix. I found a vegan soy "steak" and freshly baked bread, as well as a delicious olive pasta sauce & soy yoghurt.
My Parisian frigo, full of vegan noms.
The soy "steaks", up close. This is the Tomate-Basilic flavor.
My 2nd dinner in Paris, with the soy "steak" & bread. Very filling!
At a produce market, in the Rue Cler area. I wish I had purchased those berries.
Though I never did eat at the veg restos or shop at the health stores I'd heard about, I did find some cool stuff. Brandi & I spent Saturday near Les Halles & the 1st arrondissement and I finally stepped into the French version of Whole Foods. Unfortunately, I didn't purchase anything but the idea of flavored tofu (especially the olive) was most intriguing.
That same day, Brandi & I stopped in at a café, on the Rue Montorgueil. She had the cheese plate & I had what I thought was bruschetta (sans fromage). Looks more like pizza, non? We both had vin chaud.
I tried to finish up what groceries were left in our frigo but we had one last meal out the day before we left. My salade & pommes frites were fantastic. Wish I had only gone sooner.
All in all, a mostly positive experience eating as a vegan in Paris. It would've been a different story if I didn't have my own kitchen. This might just be the way for me to be happy while traveling. I'm already looking at another international trip, next year. Back to Paris & London. But, at least I know what I'm in for!
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
Why I hate eating out
Since I moved out from my mil's house, I have 2 well-known veg-friendly restos in my neighborhood. I've eaten there occasionally but am officially fed-up.
a teriyaki "burger", from Au Lac, and sun-dried pasta salad & chocolate cupcake, from Charlotte's Bakery
the steamed veggies that came on the side of my teriyaki "burger". They're going in the trash.
Since I moved out from my mil's house, I have 2 well-known veg-friendly restos in my neighborhood. I've eaten there occasionally but am officially fed-up.
a teriyaki "burger", from Au Lac, and sun-dried pasta salad & chocolate cupcake, from Charlotte's Bakery
the steamed veggies that came on the side of my teriyaki "burger". They're going in the trash.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Ignorant comments and surprising cruelty
The other day, I was driving a co-worker home. We had to stop at the local PetCo as my dogs needed some food and he needed to pick up a filter for his fish. When we get back into the car, the subject turns to my dogs' diet-they are all vegan, as well as the cats-who are not.
Anyway, what infuriated me was the ignorant and unsubstantiated claims coming out of his mouth. He stated that dogs were carnivores and cats were omnivores because they ate grass. WTF????
In doing research, I found out that dogs, like us, are omnivores and scavengers whereas cats were obligate carnivores. In other words, dogs could live healthily & happily on a veg diet whereas a cat could not.
Also, several vets have confirmed that our diet choice, for the dogs and cats, was sound. Their health has checked out fine and we are, in no way, endangering our pets. In fact, their main veterinarian was quite supportive.
On to the other subject. Lately, I've been reading the Anne of Green Gables series. For some reason, I was never interested in the series as a child. Currently, I'm into the third book, Anne of the Island. The whole series has been mostly delightful, save for a few instances of exploitation and speciesism. Imagine my shock when I read the following two passages, one from chapter 16 and the other from the next chapter, 17.
In chapter 16, Anne and her friends are settling into place they've rented for the school term. A stray cat decides to adopt Anne and the others are fearful that Rusty will start fights with the other cats the housekeeper will bring when she moves in. Phillipa, Anne's flighty friend, suggests they chloroform him as it is the "most humane way". It goes downhill from there. Here is the passage, after Phillipa's rather graphic description of how to do it:
Accordingly the chloroform was procured and the next morning Rusty was lured to his doom. He ate his breakfast, licked his chops, and climbed into Anne's lap. Anne's heart misgave her. This poor creature loved her-trusted her. How could she be a party to his destruction?
"Here, take him." she said hastily to Phil. "I feel like a murderess."
"He won't suffer, you know," comforted Phil, but Anne had fled.
The fatal deed was done in the back porch. Nobody went near it that day. But at dusk Phil had declared that Rusty must be buried.
"Pris and Stella must dig his grave in the orchard," Phil decreed, "and Anne must come with me to lift the box off. That's part I always hate."
The two conspirators tip-toed reluctantly to the back porch. Phil gingerly lifted the stone she had put on the box. Suddenly, faint but distinct, sounded an unmistakable mew under the box.
"He-he isn't dead," gasped Anne, sitting blankly down on the kitchen doorstep.
"He must be," said Phil incredulously.
Another tiny mew proved that he wasn't. The two girls stared at each other.
"What will we do?" questioned Anne.
"Why in the world don't you come?" demanded Stella, appearing in the doorway. "We've got the grave ready. 'What, silent still and silent all?'" she quoted teasingly.
"'Oh, no, the voices of the dead
Sound like the distant torrent's fall.'" promptly counter-quoted Anne, pointing solemnly to the box.
A burst of laughter broke the tension.
"We must leave him here till morning," said Phil, replacing the stone. "He hasn't mewed for five minutes. Perhaps the mews we heard were his dying groan. Or perhaps we imagined them, under the strain of our guilty consciences."
But, when the box was lifted in the morning, Rusty bounded at one gay leap to Anne's shoulder where he began to lick her face affectionately. Never was there a cat more decidedly alive.
"Here's a knot hole in the box," groaned Phil. "I never saw it. That's why he didn't die. Now we've got to do it all over again."
"No, we haven't," declared Anne suddenly. "Rusty isn't going to be killed again. He's my cat-and you've just got to make the best of it."
"Oh, well, if you'll settle with Aunt Jimsie and the Sarah-cat." said Stella, with the air of one washing her hands of the whole affair.
Then, a few pages later, the chapter ends on this note:
Eventually Joseph and Rusty accepted the situation and from sworn enemies became sworn friends. They slept on the same cushion with their paws about each other, and gravely washed each other's faces.
"We've all got used to each other," said Phil. "And I've learned how to wash dishes and sweep a floor."
"But you needn't try to make us believe you can chloroform a cat," laughed Anne.
"It was all the fault of the knothole," protested Phil.
"It was a good thing the knothole was there," said Aunt Jamesina rather severely. "Kittens have to be drowned, I admit, or the world would be overrun. But no decent, grown-up cat should be done to death-unless he sucks eggs."
Then, in the next chapter, Davy, a 10-year old twin who lives at the Green Gables, wrote a letter to Anne, which contained this excerpt:
Mr. Harrison wanted to get rid of his dog. So he hunged him once but he come to life and scooted for the barn while Mr. Harrison was digging the grave, so he hunged him again and he stayed dead that time"
Ok......nice to read about the cruelty inflicted on non-human animals because they are unwanted or have outgrown their usefulness. Though, to be honest, not much has changed.
Still, I was taken about by the frank description of violence, in a children's book. I guess it's a monument to its era. I suppose I'm going to have read it with more caution from here on. This was a series I was thinking of reading to Caleigh, when she's older, but am not so sure now. Very disappointing.
The other day, I was driving a co-worker home. We had to stop at the local PetCo as my dogs needed some food and he needed to pick up a filter for his fish. When we get back into the car, the subject turns to my dogs' diet-they are all vegan, as well as the cats-who are not.
Anyway, what infuriated me was the ignorant and unsubstantiated claims coming out of his mouth. He stated that dogs were carnivores and cats were omnivores because they ate grass. WTF????
In doing research, I found out that dogs, like us, are omnivores and scavengers whereas cats were obligate carnivores. In other words, dogs could live healthily & happily on a veg diet whereas a cat could not.
Also, several vets have confirmed that our diet choice, for the dogs and cats, was sound. Their health has checked out fine and we are, in no way, endangering our pets. In fact, their main veterinarian was quite supportive.
On to the other subject. Lately, I've been reading the Anne of Green Gables series. For some reason, I was never interested in the series as a child. Currently, I'm into the third book, Anne of the Island. The whole series has been mostly delightful, save for a few instances of exploitation and speciesism. Imagine my shock when I read the following two passages, one from chapter 16 and the other from the next chapter, 17.
In chapter 16, Anne and her friends are settling into place they've rented for the school term. A stray cat decides to adopt Anne and the others are fearful that Rusty will start fights with the other cats the housekeeper will bring when she moves in. Phillipa, Anne's flighty friend, suggests they chloroform him as it is the "most humane way". It goes downhill from there. Here is the passage, after Phillipa's rather graphic description of how to do it:
Accordingly the chloroform was procured and the next morning Rusty was lured to his doom. He ate his breakfast, licked his chops, and climbed into Anne's lap. Anne's heart misgave her. This poor creature loved her-trusted her. How could she be a party to his destruction?
"Here, take him." she said hastily to Phil. "I feel like a murderess."
"He won't suffer, you know," comforted Phil, but Anne had fled.
The fatal deed was done in the back porch. Nobody went near it that day. But at dusk Phil had declared that Rusty must be buried.
"Pris and Stella must dig his grave in the orchard," Phil decreed, "and Anne must come with me to lift the box off. That's part I always hate."
The two conspirators tip-toed reluctantly to the back porch. Phil gingerly lifted the stone she had put on the box. Suddenly, faint but distinct, sounded an unmistakable mew under the box.
"He-he isn't dead," gasped Anne, sitting blankly down on the kitchen doorstep.
"He must be," said Phil incredulously.
Another tiny mew proved that he wasn't. The two girls stared at each other.
"What will we do?" questioned Anne.
"Why in the world don't you come?" demanded Stella, appearing in the doorway. "We've got the grave ready. 'What, silent still and silent all?'" she quoted teasingly.
"'Oh, no, the voices of the dead
Sound like the distant torrent's fall.'" promptly counter-quoted Anne, pointing solemnly to the box.
A burst of laughter broke the tension.
"We must leave him here till morning," said Phil, replacing the stone. "He hasn't mewed for five minutes. Perhaps the mews we heard were his dying groan. Or perhaps we imagined them, under the strain of our guilty consciences."
But, when the box was lifted in the morning, Rusty bounded at one gay leap to Anne's shoulder where he began to lick her face affectionately. Never was there a cat more decidedly alive.
"Here's a knot hole in the box," groaned Phil. "I never saw it. That's why he didn't die. Now we've got to do it all over again."
"No, we haven't," declared Anne suddenly. "Rusty isn't going to be killed again. He's my cat-and you've just got to make the best of it."
"Oh, well, if you'll settle with Aunt Jimsie and the Sarah-cat." said Stella, with the air of one washing her hands of the whole affair.
Then, a few pages later, the chapter ends on this note:
Eventually Joseph and Rusty accepted the situation and from sworn enemies became sworn friends. They slept on the same cushion with their paws about each other, and gravely washed each other's faces.
"We've all got used to each other," said Phil. "And I've learned how to wash dishes and sweep a floor."
"But you needn't try to make us believe you can chloroform a cat," laughed Anne.
"It was all the fault of the knothole," protested Phil.
"It was a good thing the knothole was there," said Aunt Jamesina rather severely. "Kittens have to be drowned, I admit, or the world would be overrun. But no decent, grown-up cat should be done to death-unless he sucks eggs."
Then, in the next chapter, Davy, a 10-year old twin who lives at the Green Gables, wrote a letter to Anne, which contained this excerpt:
Mr. Harrison wanted to get rid of his dog. So he hunged him once but he come to life and scooted for the barn while Mr. Harrison was digging the grave, so he hunged him again and he stayed dead that time"
Ok......nice to read about the cruelty inflicted on non-human animals because they are unwanted or have outgrown their usefulness. Though, to be honest, not much has changed.
Still, I was taken about by the frank description of violence, in a children's book. I guess it's a monument to its era. I suppose I'm going to have read it with more caution from here on. This was a series I was thinking of reading to Caleigh, when she's older, but am not so sure now. Very disappointing.
Shelters who transfer pets to labs
This was in my email inbox this morning:
MI- Halt Transfer of Shelter's Animals to Vivisection
Apparently, there is a vote, Monday 12 January 2009, that concerns the renewal of a contract between Michigan's Montcalm County shelter and R & R Research (a Class B dealer who takes the cats and dogs from the shelter then re-sells them to animal research labs).
I didn't know this but Michigan is one of thirteen states that allows the sale of sheltered animals into animal research. At the very least, I am appalled though not surprised. I've been reading Redemption: The Myth of Pet Overpopulation & The No Kill Revolution in America by Nathan J. Winograd. as well as Plague Dogs by Richard Adams and they both mirror, to some extent, what's going on with the shelter.
I agree with the email that the practice of selling non-human animals into the vivisection industry is repugnant. Especially as these doomed pets have already suffered grievously "at the hands of humans and a system whose original design was to help them". It's disgusting and completely unethical.
Also, according to the email, Michigan Animal News reports that in 2007 Montcalm adopted or returned to owners less than 10% of all pets received. Sounds like they're not making an effort to reduce the numbers in their shelters, knowing they can profit by selling them to the Class B dealers.
Once I'm done with this entry, I'll be contacting the local politicians to add my voice to the opposition. I rarely speak up on issues anymore but this one grabbed my attention. And, then, maybe order Dealing Dogs, which I've been reluctant to do because of the subject matter.
Oh, and in researching this article, I found an actual site dedicated supplying those in the "animal research profession". Words fail me. R & R Research is listed on their site.
More on Class B dealers, etc here and here.
This was in my email inbox this morning:
MI- Halt Transfer of Shelter's Animals to Vivisection
Apparently, there is a vote, Monday 12 January 2009, that concerns the renewal of a contract between Michigan's Montcalm County shelter and R & R Research (a Class B dealer who takes the cats and dogs from the shelter then re-sells them to animal research labs).
I didn't know this but Michigan is one of thirteen states that allows the sale of sheltered animals into animal research. At the very least, I am appalled though not surprised. I've been reading Redemption: The Myth of Pet Overpopulation & The No Kill Revolution in America by Nathan J. Winograd. as well as Plague Dogs by Richard Adams and they both mirror, to some extent, what's going on with the shelter.
I agree with the email that the practice of selling non-human animals into the vivisection industry is repugnant. Especially as these doomed pets have already suffered grievously "at the hands of humans and a system whose original design was to help them". It's disgusting and completely unethical.
Also, according to the email, Michigan Animal News reports that in 2007 Montcalm adopted or returned to owners less than 10% of all pets received. Sounds like they're not making an effort to reduce the numbers in their shelters, knowing they can profit by selling them to the Class B dealers.
Once I'm done with this entry, I'll be contacting the local politicians to add my voice to the opposition. I rarely speak up on issues anymore but this one grabbed my attention. And, then, maybe order Dealing Dogs, which I've been reluctant to do because of the subject matter.
Oh, and in researching this article, I found an actual site dedicated supplying those in the "animal research profession". Words fail me. R & R Research is listed on their site.
More on Class B dealers, etc here and here.
Friday, May 09, 2008
PeTA + Johnny Rockets = eeeeeeeew!
PeTA is pushing its promotion of Johnny Rockets this month: a free Streamliner (using a vegan Boca patty), at participating locations. I guess it's to celebrate "World Vegetarian Day". When I fell for this promotion, in April/May 2006, it was to support businesses that usually peddle in animal flesh to continue offering one veg alternative. I no longer believe in that type of thinking anymore, that's for sure. I just refuse to eat at most omni restos these days. It's easier to eliminate cross contamination that way.
Needless to say, when I fell for this I was still a n00b, and paid the price. Food poisoning, becoming violently ill, and not being able to eat more than crackers, juice, and water for nearly 2 weeks. Oh, yeah, and another infection from the antibiotics. Which I haven't had to take in years! Mark was nearly hospitalized from dehydration, as well.
Anyway...yeah. Mark and I have vowed to never eat at Johnny Rockets again. PeTA can fuck itself with this promotion. Fat lot of good it does you to eat a vegan burger when the patty is being cooked on the same grill as the dead flesh.
I'm still traumatized, and it's been two years since this happened. Hard to forget something as painful as what we went through. Plus, I ended up missing out on my nephew's first birthday party and I still haven't forgiven myself for that.
PeTA is pushing its promotion of Johnny Rockets this month: a free Streamliner (using a vegan Boca patty), at participating locations. I guess it's to celebrate "World Vegetarian Day". When I fell for this promotion, in April/May 2006, it was to support businesses that usually peddle in animal flesh to continue offering one veg alternative. I no longer believe in that type of thinking anymore, that's for sure. I just refuse to eat at most omni restos these days. It's easier to eliminate cross contamination that way.
Needless to say, when I fell for this I was still a n00b, and paid the price. Food poisoning, becoming violently ill, and not being able to eat more than crackers, juice, and water for nearly 2 weeks. Oh, yeah, and another infection from the antibiotics. Which I haven't had to take in years! Mark was nearly hospitalized from dehydration, as well.
Anyway...yeah. Mark and I have vowed to never eat at Johnny Rockets again. PeTA can fuck itself with this promotion. Fat lot of good it does you to eat a vegan burger when the patty is being cooked on the same grill as the dead flesh.
I'm still traumatized, and it's been two years since this happened. Hard to forget something as painful as what we went through. Plus, I ended up missing out on my nephew's first birthday party and I still haven't forgiven myself for that.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Saw this site, in a blog entry, and decided to sign up on the spot. I love the idea of short documentary profiles featuring vegans from all walks of life.
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