A n i m a l W r i t e s © sm
The official ANIMAL
RIGHTS ONLINE newsletter
Publisher ~ EnglandGal@aol.com
Issue # 12/01/02
Editor ~ JJswans@aol.com
Journalists ~ ParkStRanger@aol.com
~
MichelleRivera1@aol.com
~ sbest1@elp.rr.com
THE ARTICLES IN THIS ISSUE ARE:
1 ~ The El Paso Thanksgiving Parade by Greg Lawson
2 ~ Dogs Deserve Better by Michelle Rivera & Tammy
Grimes
3 ~ Calling All Student Animal Rights Advocates
4 ~ Scholarships
5 ~ 2002 NoPuppymills Brochures
6 ~ Money Madness and Animals
7 ~ Gift Ideas
8 ~ I Loved You Best by Jim Willis
9 ~ Memorable Quote
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~1~
The El Paso Thanksgiving Parade
By Greg Lawson - ParkStRanger@aol.com
My
vegetarian society had our Thanksgiving dinner three weeks ago, so I faced
spending Thanksgiving alone, watching the Buffy the Vampire Slayer marathon and
trying not to think about the poor roasted birds on all the tables throughout
our land.
So I was happy when a vegan friend of mine asked me to join her group on a
float in the Thanksgiving parade. A coalition of several El Paso animal
rescue groups had joined forces for the Pet Express float, a train that
consisted of a jeep converted to look like the train engine and two cars and a
caboose. Twenty people and a dozen dogs rode in or walked beside the
train. I was happy to see several members of my vegetarian society with
our float.
On each car of the train we had banners with messages such as "Be a
Responsible Pet Owner, Spay and Neuter Your Pets," "Fix the Problem,
Fix Your Pet," "Adopt Your Next Best Friend From a Shelter."
Since the train had an old west look, we had decided to dress up in western
gear. I did a reprise of my Clint Eastwood look from Halloween, with
cowboy hat and pancho and three days worth of facial stubble. Even a
vegan likes to play cowboy now and then.
A new friend of mine, a former El Paso County Commissioner who became a
vegetarian and an animal rescuer several months ago, brought his four dogs, so
I walked one of his spaniels for most of the five miles of the parade. I
have been a cat person for thirty years, and so I haven't been fond of dogs
since I had canine companions as a young boy. At first I was a little
uncomfortable walking a dog on a leash, but it was a little like flying a kite,
and I soon got the hang of it.
For a little while during the parade, I pushed a cute little dog in a baby
carriage. Wrapped up in a blanket and very happy for the ride, he was a
big hit with the many children who lined the street.
My vegan friend who had invited me to participate told me that the vegan news anchor
man of channel 9 had prepared a strong message about spay and neuter to deliver
when our float passed his camera setup. All the television stations were
there and captured our message banners and our dogs for either live coverage or
the evening news.
Today, Thanksgiving, could have been a bit depressing for me, but instead it
was a day where we were able to make a small difference. If only a few
people got our message, then it was worth the walk, very well worth the
walk. And I learned to like dogs a little bit more than I did.
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~2~
Dogs Deserve Better
By Michelle A. Rivera - MichelleRivera1@aol.com and
Tammy Grimes - Tammy@DogsDeserveBetter.com
I
recently received an e-mail from my sister-in-law Marion who forwarded another
e-mail from our cousin. I have a definite policy not to open forwards and
Marion knows this. So when I saw it was from her, I figured it had to be
something really important. I was not disappointed. The e-mail
contained a short introduction about a new effort to help dogs through
legislation. Working to enact legislation to make lives better for
animals is an important form of activism because with the laws come empowerment
to help the animals in our own communities. I visited the website and
then wrote to the founder of the site and asked her to write an article about
her mission for Animal Writes readers because I knew they would
not only want to welcome her and wish her much luck, but also learn about what
they can do to start the huge machine that is bureaucracy chugging out laws to
prohibit the chaining of dogs in communities across the U.S. As a cruelty
officer certified in the State of Florida, one of the most common complaints I
received are those involving dogs chained to trees, fences, bumpers of cars and
trucks and other concoctions. I truly wonder, as I watch my dog curl up
on my bed for the hundredth time in the cool air conditioning in an environment
full of stimulation and enrichment, how ANYONE can be so cruel as to chain a
dog outside.
Peta (www.helpinganimals.com and click on "Animal Angels") has a
wonderful campaign - "Life Sentence, No Parole" where they have
posters and fliers about dogs chained outside and some of the laws that are
being enacted around the country to outlaw this barbarism. And don't forget our
friends at the Animal Legal Defense Fund (www.aldf.org) for help and assistance
in getting through to the lawmakers in your community. One last resource is the
Humane Activist Network, (www.hsus.org), a great source of help when it comes
to initiating letter-writing campaigns and speaking before your
legislators.
Here is why Tammy thinks Dogs Deserve Better:
Dogs Deserve Better, Inc. is a newly-formed nonprofit dedicated to being the
voice for all dogs living chained outside. Dogs Deserve Better was formed to
address what I feel is an extreme need to raise awareness of this issue, both
in my area and across the country. Dogs are loving, pack-oriented creatures.
They want nothing more than the love of a family and to feel a member of this
family whenever possible. When they live chained outside, not only do they not
have this love and familial bond, their quality of life is, in essence,
nonexistent. They spend every minute of every day within a tiny, confined
space, dragging a chain with every step. Many dogs in this position become
quite territorial and may bite or become overly aggressive due to the
restricted circumstances and the accompanying feelings of sadness, anger, and
boredom. This is the life of a prisoner, not a valued companion.
Would you for one minute exchange places with these dogs? Living chained by the
neck is not an option that any human would choose, and Dogs Deserve Better
feels we need to make better choices for our best friends. We as a society have
evolved, our standard of treatment for these dogs must evolve as well!
Montgomery County, Maryland has recently enacted laws prohibiting chaining of
dogs outside between the hours of 10 pm and 6 am, and even those kept outside
during the day must be tethered by a harness rather than chained by the neck.
This is a wonderful step in the right direction, and I hope to continue that
kind of reform in my area and across the country. Because of this success, I've
often been asked, "Why don't you broaden your platform, what about all the
other dog issues that abound?" There are many groups focusing on larger
issues of animal abuse. These groups absolutely agree that dogs should not be
living a chained existence. However, it is for them one issue of many. They
must focus on the other immediate animal issues, such as saving dogs that are
abused, finding homes for abandoned dogs, and providing medical care for those
in need, that the dogs-living-chained-outside issue falls to the back burner.
In fact, it falls so far back that it often isn't even addressed. Yes, the
platform is much broader than dogs living chained outside. These issues run
really deep, and chaining dogs is only one symptom of a huge societal problem.
But unless someone focuses on this, it will continue to fall to the back burner
and dogs will continue to live chained outside for a lifetime, 10-20 years
living as prisoners who've committed no crimes, because the caretakers are not
prohibited from participating in this particularly heinous form of mental and
emotional abuse. In most case the chaining of a dog constitutes a
"manner of keeping violation" at best. Violators can expect a $25
fine or so. But this is neglect, pure and simple. This issue should be in the
public's awareness time and again until people sit up and take notice. And I
don't want to cloud it up with the other million and 1/2 problems that are
wrong with society's view of dogs as pets, or any companion animal for that
matter. People need to know that when they get a dog chaining him or her
outside is not an option. We must educate, educate, educate!
I recently tabled at a community event. Some people came up to my booth
practically in tears, thanking me for taking this stand. And for me that's
confirmation enough that this mission I'm working is worthwhile. My main focus
will stay on those forgotten dogs, those who supposedly have a home, and food,
and are not in immediate crisis of death. But death of the soul is still death
to me. No Chains!
If you would like to learn how Tammy succeeded in getting laws passed in her
area or get copies to show your own commissioners, please contact Tammy S.
Grimes Founder, Dogs Deserve Better, at tammy@dogsdeservebetter.com, or visit
her site at www.dogsdeservebetter.com, or call her at 877.636.1408.
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~3~
Calling All Student Animal
Rights Advocates!!!
Liberation
Now! - The National Student Animal Rights Conference
University of California - Berkeley
February 21 to 23, 2003
www.LiberationNow.com
"Liberation Now!" is the animal rights movement's biggest national
event dedicated to bringing together students and youth in the struggle for
animal rights.
Join hundreds of other young animal advocates and dozens of the leading
authors, speakers, and organizers of the animal rights movement for the second
national student animal rights conference!
$10 early registration fee. Free and low-cost meals and lodging available.
APPLY NOW for travel grants.
FOR MORE INFO and to REGISTER, visit www.LiberationNow.com
Student Animal Rights Alliance
PO Box 932
New York, NY 10013-0864
212-696-7911
www.defendanimals.org
Other Sponsors of Liberation Now!
Animal Protection Institute
AnimalVoice.com
Berkeley Organization for Animal Advocacy
In Defense of Animals
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
Saving Our Resources Today
VegNews
------------------------------------------
Student Animal Rights Alliance
PO Box 932, New York, NY 10013-0864
212-696-7911 info@defendanimals.org
http://www.defendanimals.org
Every living, feeling creature deserves
the right to live free from torture,
mutilation, slaughter, and exploitation.
- Support Animal Rights -
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~4~
Scholarships
Vegetarian teen-agers now have a chance to take a
bite out of their college tuition. The Vegetarian Resource Group, a nonprofit
group that advocates vegetarianism, has announced a new scholarship program for
teens who have promoted meat-free diets in their schools or communities.
The group said two $5,000 scholarships will be awarded each year.
Applicants will be judged on demonstrated compassion, courage and commitment to
promoting a peaceful world through a vegetarian lifestyle and diet.
Applications
can be found at the group's Web site at:
http://www.vrg.org/student/scholar.htm
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~5~
2002 NoPuppymills Brochures
From Kim Townsend - kim@nopuppymills.com
The
2002 NoPuppyMills Brochures are ready to order. You can view the panels
of the brochure at:
http://www.nopuppymills.com/b1.jpg
http://www.nopuppymills.com/b2.jpg
http://www.nopuppymills.com/b3.jpg
http://www.nopuppymills.com/b4.jpg
http://www.nopuppymills.com/b5.jpg
http://www.nopuppymills.com/b6.jpg
The cost for ordering brochures is as follows:
100- $5
200- $8
300- $12
400- $15
500- $19
This includes the cost of shipping.
To order, you can either send payment to me at:
Kim Townsend
24120 State Route T
Edgar Springs, MO 65462
Or you may use Paypal by sending payment to kim@nopuppymills.com
Be sure to include a note that payment is for brochures, and if you are sending
a check, it would help if you included two address labels if you have
them. Be certain to include a mailing address when using PayPal.
If you are out of the U.S., you can email me for postage cost.
Thanks!
Kim Townsend
http://www.nopuppymills.com
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~6~
Money Madness and Animals
By David Cantor - Djcgside@aol.com
Editor's Comment (from "PSYETA News," Fall 2002, Volume 22)
Psychologists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
As
Kevin Phillips explains in Wealth and Democracy (2002), the term
"plutomania," the fanatical pursuit of money, went out of vogue in
the middle of the 20th century, when New Deal and subsequent reforms appeared
to have restricted the extent to which a few people could obtain enormous
wealth while millions were destitute or desperately struggling. The
recent looting of Enron, WorldCom, Adelphia, and other publicly held companies
at the expense of millions of people logically should revive concerns about plutomania.
So should exposure, in The Cheating of America: How Tax Avoidance and
Evasion by the Super Rich Are Costing the Country Billions -- and What You Can
Do about It (2002), by Charles Lewis & Bill Allison and the Center for
Public Integrity.
Meanwhile, psychologists and other experts agree that, beyond meeting basic
needs, increasing wealth does not increase its possessors' happiness. The
lure of wealth, rather than the results of obtaining it, appear to drive some
people's apparent mania for it.
Despite indignation about unethical or unlawful money hauls - and despite such
warnings as that issued in economist David Schumacher's popular Small Is
Beautiful: Economics As If People Mattered (1973) that the true costs of
production are not acknowledged until we understand that depletion of Earth's
"resources" is a capital expenditure - one hears nothing in public
discourse about the suffering and destruction caused by the treatment of
animals as commodities to mass-produce in the most profitable ways for experimentation,
food, or other uses.
Mass-news-media discussions of families who have "lost everything"
due to the collapse of Enron or WorldCom can be depended upon to ignore the
connection between plutomania and animal abuse. Such discussions never
question whether terrible suffering is inherent in an economic system that
worships wealth and whether our society as a whole is deluded and in need of
genuine education; they restrict themselves to questions of who broke what laws
or regulations and what should be done to a very few people who "crossed
the line." "Corporate ethics" merely refers to accounting
procedures and has nothing to do with choices as to whom is produced, what is
produced, or production methods.
A genuine nationwide concern with ethics would have to include those crucial
concerns. It is indeed unacceptable to deceive people into losing their
pensions and their homes, but when people experience financial ruin, they are
not killed at seven weeks of age without ever having spent an enjoyable hour in
the sun. Nor are they isolated in cages or tortured with toxic chemicals
or experimental surgical or dental techniques.
On December 2, 1999, the president of the Ohio State Senate, Richard Finan,
appeared on C-SPAN's morning call-in interview program Washington Journal.
A caller asked Finan if he thought it was right for Ohio, then in the process
of becoming a major egg-producing state, to permit the operation of
battery-shed egg factories holding hundreds of thousands of caged hens per building.
Finan answered that such facilities were "the coming wave of the future
…. You just can't put 'em out of business."
It is naive to think some will not always possess or wish to possess more
wealth than others. It is equally naive to think corporate ethics are
being addressed in the outcry over current scandals. Most naive of all
may be to think justice is related only to the treatment of fellow human beings
and not to human beings' treatment of nonhuman animals. PSYETA's
groundbreaking projects, its directors' publications, its website (www.psyeta.org),
and the Society & Animals journal uniquely insist that humanity must
address connections between the mistreatment of humans and of nonhumans.
Working together, perhaps we can broaden today's focus on fraud to a more
comprehensive discussion of plutomania's consequences for nonhuman
animals. Maybe Finan was wrong; maybe we can "put 'em out of
business."
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~7~
Gift Ideas
Researched by Demnymets@aol.com
One
of the most effective ways of educating is message apparel. The following
websites offer t-shirts and other items with animal-friendly messages printed
on them. Be sure to also check your favorite animal rights/welfare groups
online for products they offer. That way you can help the animals and get
your shopping done at the same time.
PETA
:: PETA Mall : PETA Catalog : Apparel
http://www.petacatalog.com/Peta/c-departments.asp?dept=4&CurPage=1&mscssid=
AnimalRightstuff
http://animalrightstuff.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=A
Spay & Neuter
T-Shirt
http://shop.store.yahoo.com/earthdog/tshirt.html
Vegan
Products from Pangea Vegan Products--Cruelty-Free
http://www.veganstore.com/
Products
and Services
http://shop.ipledge.com/iwwida.pvx?;PRODUCTS_DTL?cat=SN?comp=usa
Mutt Stuff
http://www.bellacompany.com/category.cfm?Category=6
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~8~
I Loved You Best
Copyright Jim Willis 2001
tiergarten@onebox.com
http://jimwillis0.tripod.com/tiergarten/
So this is where we part, My Friend,
and you'll run on, around the bend,
gone from sight, but not from mind,
new pleasures there you'll surely find.
I will go on, I'll find the strength,
life measures quality, not its length.
One long embrace before you leave,
share one last look, before I grieve.
There are others, that much is true,
but they be they, and they aren't you.
And I, fair, impartial, or so I thought,
will remember well all you've taught.
Your place I'll hold, you will be missed,
the fur I stroked, the nose I kissed.
And as you journey to your final rest,
take with you this...I loved you best.
*******
Dedicated to the memory of our friend Dion's Boxer boy, "Caesar."
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~9~
Memorable Quote
"A human being is a part of the whole,
called by us 'Universe,' a part limited in time and space. He experiences
himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from rest. A
kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of
prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few
persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this
prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and
the whole of nature in its beauty. Nobody is able to achieve this
completely, but the striving for such achievement is in itself a part of the
liberation and a foundation for inner security." -
Albert Einstein
«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»
Susan Roghair - EnglandGal@aol.com
Animal Rights Online
P O Box 7053
Tampa, Fl 33673-7053
http://www.oocities.org/RainForest/1395/
-=Animal Rights Online=-
&
Advisory Board Member, Animal Rights Network Inc.,
not-for-profit publisher of The Animals' Agenda Magazine
http://www.animalsagenda.org/
The
Animals' Agenda Magazine: WebEdition
«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»
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