A n i m
a l W r i t e s © sm
The official ANIMAL RIGHTS ONLINE newsletter
Publisher ~ EnglandGal@aol.com
Issue # 10/25/00
Editor ~ JJswans@aol.com
Journalists ~ Park StRanger@aol.com
~
MicheleARivera@aol.com
~ SavingLife@aol.com
THE NINE ARTICLES IN THIS ISSUE ARE:
1 ~ Tricks for Treats by KMBWolf@aol.com
2 ~ Decisions, Decisions by JJswans@aol.com
3 ~ Taipei Abandoned Animal Rescue
Foundation
by Mina Sharpe -
sharptpe@ficnet.net
4 ~ Thanksgiving Vigil for Turkeys
5 ~ Update on the Caracal Kittens
6 ~ Models with Conscience Announces Updated Website
7 ~ Humane Education Loan Program (HELP)
8 ~ Love Song (Poem)
9 ~ Quote To Remember
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Tricks for Treats
by KMBWolf@aol.com, staff writer
As
Halloween vastly approaches, one question arises -- What do I give those
werewolves and ghosts?
Candy comes as the most traditional answer, but is it the right one?
Most candy that is on the market is made with chocolate, milk, and butter. And
those that are nondairy have gelatin. So what does that leave us with? Those
hard candies you find in secretary candy bowls. Yum.
Where candy is not an option, unless you like those little peppermint candies,
we see much difficulty in what to find to hand out at Halloween.
So, dear readers, I give to you a small list of treats to hand out to help make
this a Vegaween (geez, that was as corny as candy corn).
-- Prizes found in cereal boxes
-- Stickers
-- Rubber balls
-- Those monster finger puppets that look like they came from B movies
-- Pencils
-- Erasers (not the boring pink ones, the ones that are shaped and
colored like
unicorns and baseballs and bats and cats
-- Temporary tattoos
-- Rings of Cracker Jack quality
-- Kazoos
-- Whistles
-- Clickers (might as well drive the parents really crazy)
-- Pencil toppers
-- Tops
-- Stencils
A lot of these can be bought in bulk at low prices in party stores. Kids love
them, and they last a lot longer than a Milky Way.
I hope these ideas help make Halloween easier for you, and better for the
animals!
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Decisions, Decisions
by JJswans@aol.com
When casting our vote for the next president of
the United States of America, we have an opportunity to make changes for the
animals as well as to send a message about what we feel is important. But
of the present candidates, who will make those changes, and who shall I choose?
I've watched the debates, I've listened to other people's reasoning, and read
lots of political hoopla, but since I'm an animal advocate, doesn't it come
down to who will have the best chance of winning?
I'm told that Governor Bush blew apart frogs when he was young -- not much
compassion and empathy there. I'm told that Vice President Gore says he's
for environmentalism, but does little about it and doesn't have a clear
understanding what it really means. I'm also told that they are both
hunters.
Then there is Ralph Nader. I'm told that he is really the best chance for
the animals, but not only did his running mate feel that tradition is more
important than animal life (the Makah whale situation), but does Mr. Nader
really even have a chance at winning?
My fear is that if I cast my vote with a candidate that has little chance of
winning, then I will be enabling the candidate to win that would be the worst
choice. Is it enough to just send a message that I'm dissatisfied with the
status quo? Next year or the year after, will it really matter to the
animals that I sent a message by voting for a candidate that has little
chance? Will enough of the country also want to send a message that there
might be a real chance of an upset - a chance for a third party candidate to
actually make it to the White House? Should I stake the animal's rights
and welfare on that slim chance?
I do believe that for the sake of the animals, we have to make our voices
heard. I know that our letter writing
efforts through ARO's Alert for Action have made positive changes for the
animals. Whatever the final decisions made, I hope it benefits those that
we try so hard to give a voice.
When one of ARO's volunteers told me of the following website, it helped a lot
to further define the issues, especially the local ones. Please take a
peek.
Animals
Elect America
http://animalpolitics.com/
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Taipei Abandoned Animal Rescue
Foundation
by Mina Sharpe - sharptpe@ficnet.net
Director, Taipei Abandoned Animal Rescue Foundation
I
am 18 now. When I was 12 years old my parents were hired as teachers for
the Taipei American School. So we moved with our two dogs, and my beloved
horse, to hot, humid and gross Taiwan at the beginning of my 7th grade year.
I went, I hated it, and wanted to go back. Shortly after we moved I saw a
dog in a pet shop window. I told my parents if they bought her for me,
I'd stop hating them for bringing me here.
In an act of desperation, they bought Lydia, but unfortunately, I still hated
them for bringing me here for quite awhile longer.
Lydia was the beginning of my affair with Taiwan dogs. She was the first
inkling I had of the problems dogs have in Taiwan (at 6 months old, she had
never been out of a cage and had no idea how to walk.) She also had a
horrible case of ringworm. All of this was so startling as she had come
from a prestigious breeder. (We paid over $400 for her.)
The same year I moved to Taiwan, and soon after getting Lydia, I began the
Animal Rescue Club at my school, the Taipei American School (TAS). It began so
small, even to the point that myself and the few other members went around to
vets *asking* if they had any animals needing to find homes. Slowly, one
by one, and mistake and accomplishment each taken one at a time, the Animal
Rescue Club has developed into the internationally known, and only Taiwan
based, no kill, not for profit animal rescue organization, the Taipei Abandoned
Animal Rescue Foundation (T-AARF).
It wasn't meant to grow into what it is now, which is probably good -- had we
started off with the scope that is there today, things never would have gotten
off the ground. Being young and foreign in Taiwan, I was able to go around and
"save" a few dogs here and there in the beginning without much bother
or problems.
The local people called me the crazy "mei-gwo" (white person) but
usually it was all in good jest, and if the vets wanted to tease me, but still
let me keep the dogs at their offices, it was certainly worth it.
Unfortunately for the vets I have worked with, the "mei-gwo" that
they thought would drop out of this line of work soon after I started 6 years
ago, hasn't quite left the building yet!
My T-AARF shelter is in their back room at the Yang Ming Veterinary Clinic in
Taipei, Taiwan. We have dogs in 10 cages, which comfortably holds about
15 small-med sized dogs. Our average capacity is 30 dogs, with several
being med-large sized. 90% of our dogs go overseas for homes, because homes in
Taiwan are scarce, especially for adult, larger, or mixed breed dogs.
Rescued dogs in general are considered bad luck, and so aren't considered when
a family in Taiwan is looking for a pet. A majority of our dogs are disabled,
abused, or older. We accept them all, in every condition and with every
problem. Sometimes it can be easier to
find a home for a dog with a problem than one without, but we take in both
cases, regardless.
We are completely no kill, except to euthanize in situations where a dog has no
quality of life, or a fatal or painful condition that cannot be remedied. We deal with heartworm, tumors, lesions,
major skin problems and puppies on a daily basis. We have also dealt with dogs that were paralyzed, have
neurological problems, blind, deaf, amputees, recovering from major medical
problems, cancer and a plethora of other things. All the dogs have been treated
by our vet thanks to his selfless donation of his time and services, and have
been shipped to homes overseas where they are living out their lives as beloved
members of families.
When we are at or (as usual) beyond capacity and people bring us stray dogs we
cannot place, they are neutered and released back on the streets, and tagged
with our name. We do this in case they are picked up by the government, we
can reclaim them, and they will not be killed. There are several hundred
dogs on the streets of Taipei that for one reason or another would not have
been possible to be adopted out (mostly larger, streetwise, or feral dogs that
live life in safe areas on the streets), and have been neutered/spayed and
tagged with our clearance. These dogs
will be able to live out their natural lives on the streets, without being able
to procreate.
I graduated from High School in June, and have since moved back to Southern
California for school (don't know where yet, but eventually would like to go
into veterinary medicine).
I now have 7 dogs, 4 of whom are Taiwan strays, that are all coming home with
me. In my move in June from Taipei to California, I brought 27 dogs with me,
all of whom were sent to homes, foster homes, or preapproved shelters all over
the United States where they have since all found homes.
I've also rescued dogs in Thailand and Bali - the latter was a tiny puppy who I
brought to California five months later, the former is Mai Thai, a paralyzed
stray who has her own story on...
http://www.animalpeoplenews.org/98/6/intl.html
T-AARF is no kill, but we cannot save all the dogs in Taiwan. We feel that it
is "Better to save the few, than to do nothing at all." But we
do all we can to spread the idea both in Taiwan and abroad that, to paraphrase
FIDO NYC founder Bernadette Peters "there is nothing wrong with stray dogs
-- they are just homeless".&nnbsp;
Even though I have moved back, I am now making bi-monthly trips to Taipei,
where I will rescue a certain amount of Taiwan dogs, and bring them back to
preapproved homes and shelters in North America. Everything we do is funded
solely by private donations, and they are always desperately needed. We average
donations of less than $1000 a month, but it can cost us anywhere from
$300-$1000 a dog to complete their rescue, rehabilitation and transportation to
their new homes abroad. Without funds, we cannot continue our work.
Anyone interested in adopting a Taiwan dog, or finding out more about our group
is welcome to email me at sharptpe@ficnet.net, or visit our website at
www.toapayoh.com/taarf/
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Thanksgiving Vigil for Turkeys
from watkinsgl@usa.net
We
in Maryland our holding our third annual vigil for turkeys. Just
Saturday, I lunched with the most social and charming personality.
Her name was Alice. She looks much like
the gaudy male bird with her lush darkfeathers and large red comb and
waddles. When there is a crowd around, she will "display" them
flexing her feather muscles and puffing them out. She just hung out with
the humans when we rested for lunch at Poplar Springs animal sanctuary, not
desiring food, but only attention and affection. She loves adults, but adores
children even more. She had a choice of cows, horses, other turkeys and
chickens, but for some reason she waddled over to the humans. It almost
seemed she thinks she is human! If you sit cross-legged in the grass, she
will happily begin to circle you, spiraling ever close to you. Play music
and she will dance about. Turkeys are cool!
Please vigil in your town for the 285 million that are abused and brutally
killed and the 40 million that are slaughtered in the U.S. for Thanksgiving
alone! Usually, for a new event, you will get lots of good press.
Making a few posters and buying some tea candles is small cost for the
education of the public about these wonderful birds.
A Thanksgiving Vigil for Turkeys
We will not forget the turkeys who lived and died this year in factory farms.
Not a happy thought, 40 million birds, that were brought into the world, for
such a brief and miserable existence.
Please join us in showing that the animal rights movement is very much alive
and YES we even care about "food" animals like turkeys.
We have lots of signs, banners, brochures and candles. Just bring yourself and
help get the message of compassion out for all God's creatures.
Date: Friday, November 17th
Time: 7:30pm to 9:00pm
Where: Bethesda, MD. Intersection of Wisconsin Ave, & East-West
Highway. At the top of the Bethesda
Metro. Park at meter parking along side streets or in parking garages nearby.
For more information: contact Jamey West at 301-990-0593.
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Update on the Caracal Kittens
from krc@spg.co.za
Thanks
to you all for helping to publicize the plight of these little orphans.
On Thursday the Vet had to amputate the one little girl's left foreleg.
The government emails we gave you are not working and this is a common problem
in South Africa. In case people ask for different email protest
addresses, herewith:
The Premier of the Northern Cape Province of South Africa
Fax: +27 053-833-2122
Northern Cape Nature Conservation
Kimberley
Tel: 053 - 8322143
Fax: 053 - 8313530
E-mail: wessel@natuur.ncape.gov.za
The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
Fax: +27 021-461-5838
E-Mail: Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism - Valli Moosa
vmoosa@ozone.pwv.gov.za
South African President - Thabo Mbeki at president@anc.org.za
Regards
Chris and Bev
KALAHARI RAPTOR CENTRE
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Models with Conscience
Announces Updated Website
from: "Fera"
Sedona,
Arizona -- Models with Conscience (MWC), an international group of fashion
models dedicated to promoting cruelty-free products, announces its
newly-updated website: www.modelswc.com. The site features
profiles of MWC members, the group's mission statement, suggestions for humane
living, tributes to some species MWC strives to help, links to other
animal-friendly sites, and more. Updates to the site include:
profiles of new MWC members Cheryl, Esther, Serena, Andreas and Matthew
(Profiles section), names of additional publications in which MWC has been
featured - most recently, "Harper's Bazaar Japan" (Feedback section),
news of the group's founder participating in the 14th Annual Genesis Awards
(News section), a heartwarming tribute to dogs and cows (Animals section), and
links to two additional animal protection charities (Lynx section).
MWC founder Heather Chase relates, "I am delighted with the updated site,
reflecting the growth of our unique organization. The goal of the site
and MWC as a whole is to demonstrate how we all can enhance our natural
radiance while remaining true to our conscience and being kind to
animals. I hope the updated site will inspire people from all walks of
life to embrace this goal as well."
MWC has members throughout the US and UK - women and men of various ages,
sizes, nationalities and looks, all of whom share an extraordinary combination
of radiance and kindness. Chase, 28, explains, "Models with
Conscience is introducing a revolutionary paradigm in modeling -- one based not
on greed and ego, but rather, on compassion and heart." In addition
to promoting cruelty-free items, most members also donate time or money to
animal charities.
Several photos on the MWC website were made at animal shelters or sanctuaries
and feature models wearing cruelty-free products, such as non-animal tested
cosmetics, faux fur coats, faux leather shoes, faux ivory jewelry, etc.
The directors of MWC are applying for a modeling agency license and currently
do not charge membership fees to affiliated models or commission fees to
clients. For more information, visit the updated MWC site:
www.modelswc.com.
Contact:
Heather Chase, modelswc@sedona.net
Address: P.O. Box 1790, Sedona, AZ 86339 USA
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Humane Education Loan Program
(HELP)
from: http://www.hsus.org/programs/research/alt_dissection.html
Alternatives
Loan Program
The
Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) operates a loan program to provide
students and educators with up-to-date alternatives to classroom animal
dissection and live animal experimentation as a way to help those who object to
dissection and to encourage the adoption of humane alternatives in the
classroom.
All of the materials listed below are available for loan. The only cost to
borrowers is return postage. To release materials, The HSUS requires valid
credit card information and an approximate date when materials will be
returned. No charges will be incurred on the credit card unless materials are
returned damaged or not returned at all. Some items are limited. Please contact
us at least 2 weeks prior to needing the materials to check availability and
allow for shipping time.
All computer based materials are for Macintosh and Windows unless otherwise
indicated. Please contact us for information on the companies that produce
these materials.
Recommended educational level:
Middle School High School
College
Human
Grasshopper
Cat
Perch
Fetal Pig
Pigeon
Frog
Pig Heart
Rat
Sea Urchin
Clam
Sheep Brain
Cow Eye
Starfish
Crayfish
Other Disciplines (genetics,
physiology,
Dogfish
psychology)
Earthworm
To borrow materials from the Humane Education Loan Program, please contact:
Cheryl Ross
Research Assistant
The Humane Society of the United States
2100 L Street, NW,
Washington, DC 20037
Phone: 301-258-3042/ Fax: 301-258-7760
cross@hsus.org.
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Love Song
by Patricia Rogers - parogers@mindspring.com
I am in love.
Madly.
Totally.
With the mountains in the distance.
The fields of tall green grasses
uncut.
Flowers,
white, yellow, purple and blue.
Cattails gone to seed
and bending with age.
Trees
tall and short,
alone and in clumps.
Green-brown slow-moving
glassy streams
cutting through the orange-brown earth.
Black shadows moving across the fields
breaking the sun's light.
Silver flashes of skybirds
as they float.
Gliding and dipping
in the blue stream of air
above me.
I am in love.
Madly.
Totally.
With the smell of wet grass
carried on the wind.
Decaying leaves
in the woods around me.
With the rich, deep
nose-crinkling pungency of the dirt
as I lift the old rock
to see the life beneath it.
I am in love.
Madly.
Totally.
With the heavy metal concert
of spring peepers.
With the sudden plop!
As I approach the brackish pond.
So still now.
So full of matter.
A black hole.
Like its cosmic namesake
no light escapes its embrace.
But here, on earth, life abounds within.
Dragonflies and skimmers;
frog eggs that look like tapioca;
turtles, big and small,
their nostrils showing
in the center
of ever bigger circles on the water.
Bladderwarts below the black marble surface.
Jewelweeds and mayapples on the muddy edges.
Here in this world
imagination and mind
swirl about;
blending with the senses.
Living, dying
the whole of the universe
right here.
Oh, yes,
I am in love.
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Quote To Remember
"Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are."
~ Anthelme Brillat-Savarin1755-1826
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Susan Roghair - EnglandGal@aol.com
Animal Rights Online, President
http://www.oocities.org/RainForest/1395/
-=Animal RightsOnline=-
&
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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