The Story of Britches

 

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A Little Encouragemnt For The Weary Activist

The Difference He Made
by Randy Poole

Amidst the morning mist of the swift returning tide
I set out on my daily run, my walkman on my side.
Lost within my private world apart from cares and woes
I ran along the moistened shore, the sand between my toes.

In the distance, I saw a boy, as busy as can be.
He was running, stooping, picking up, and tossing in the sea.
Just what he threw, I couldn't tell, I looked as I drew near.
It seemed to be a rock or shell - as I approached him I could hear:

"Back you go, where you belong. Your safe now hurry home.
Your family's waiting for you little starfish, hurry on!"
It seemed the evening tide had washed the starfish on the shore,
And the swift receding water left a thousand there or more.

And this self-appointed savior, was trying one-by-one
To toss them back into the sea, against the racing sun.
I saw his plight was hopeless, that most of them would die.
I called out from my private world, "Hey Kid, why even try?"

"Must be at least a thousand here, strewn along the beach,
And even if you had the time, most you'll never reach.
You really think it makes a difference, to waste your time this way?"
And then I paused and waited, just to hear what he would say.

He stooped and took another, and looked me in the eye.
"It makes a difference to this one sir, this starfish will not die!"
With that, he tossed the little life, back where there was hope.
He stooped to take another. I could tell this was no joke.

The words that he spoke to me cut like a surgeon's knife.
Where I saw only numbers, he saw only life.
He didn't see the multitude of starfish on the sand.
He only saw the little life he held there in his hand.

He didn't stop to argue, to prove that he was right.
He just kept tossing starfish in the sea with all his might.
So I too stooped, and I picked up, and I tossed into the sea,
And I thought, just what a difference, that this boy has made in me.
___________________________

THE DOMINION OF MAN

One Voice

THE DOMINION OF MAN

By Glynda L. Marcus

Can you hear them?
Can you hear the caged cats crying,
Hear the netted dolphins' scream in dying,
Hear the scientists that are lying?

Can you hear them?




Can you see them?
When you close your eyes to pray,
Do images seem to stay
Of pigs' skin being burned away,
And goats shot by the Army each day?

Can you see them?




Can you smell them?
The puppies held in filthy pens,
The tuskless elephants left in the dust by men,
The slaughter house floor where once life had been?

Can you smell them?




Can you feel them?
When you touch your new coat of fox,
Can you feel the trap snap shut and lock?
When you pour the cleanser from the box,
Do you feel the singed eyes of the rabbit in the stock?

Can you feel them?




Can you imagine
What humans do to creatures every day,
The needless pain with which the helpless pay,
For a line in a book of God that some say,
Gives man the right to do whatever he may?

Can you imagine?




Posted By: One Voice

Video Of Steer Trying To Avoid Slaughter

The A.L.F.

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Please Donate to help finish making the upcoming, inspiring documentary on the fur trade. SKIN TRADE.



"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." -Margaret Mead

Take Action: End Animal Use in Military Medical Training

On June 3, PCRM and a group of former military medical officers filed a formal petition with the Department of Defense requesting that it end the cruel and outdated use of monkeys, goats, and pigs to train personnel. With the petition, we also submitted


https://secure2.convio.net/pcrm/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=259&autologin=true

Watch the Monkey and Goat Training Videos



Chemical Casualty Care Training on Monkeys

Seizures, breathing difficulty, and possible death: The vervet monkeys used in the military’s chemical casualty care training experience horrific symptoms. The animals are given a toxic dose of the drug physostigmine in an exercise designed to simulate the effects of a nerve agent attack. The exercise—which takes place at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland—is demonstrated in the video below obtained by PCRM through the Freedom of Information Act. Using monkeys in this exercise is profoundly inhumane, and it also distracts military personnel from the real-world, clinically valid training they need to treat chemical casualties.



Combat Trauma Training on Goats

An instructor cuts a live goat with a scalpel to create traumatic wounds in the military video below, obtained by PCRM through the Freedom of Information Act. The use of goats and pigs for combat trauma training is suboptimal due to, among other issues, the animals’ anatomical and physiological differences from humans. Compared with humans, goats and pigs have smaller torsos and limbs, thicker skin, and important differences in anatomy of the head and neck, internal organs, rib cage, blood vessels, and airway. Many of these differences are demonstrated in this film for the Army Medical Departments Tactical Combat Medical Care course. The instructor in the training film repeatedly references significant differences between training on live goats and human casualties.

Tube Thoracostomy with Chest Tube Insertion



Combat Application Tourniquet and Pressure Dressing


https://secure2.convio.net/pcrm/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=259&autologin=true

China's Wanton Abuse of Dogs/Animals

http://www.animalsasia.org/


~Boycott China ~

THE CAN FROM CHINA

I was buying food the other day at the Country Market. On the label of
some products, it said, "From China". For example, the "Our Family"
brand of Mandarin oranges says right on the label, "From China".

I was shocked!! For a few more cents I bought the Liberty Gold brand or
Dole, which is from California . Are we Americans as dumb as we appear --- or --- is it that we just do not think?

While the Chinese, knowingly and intentionally, export inferior and
even toxic products and dangerous toys and goods to be sold in American
markets, the media wrings its hands and criticizes the Bush
Administration for perceived errors. Yet 70% of Americans believe that
the trading privileges afforded to the Chinese should be suspended.


Well, duh..why do you need the government to suspend trading privileges?

SIMPLY DO IT YOURSELF, AMERICA !! Simply look on the bottom of every product you buy, and if it says 'Made in China ' or 'PRC' (and that now includes Hong Kong ), simply choose another product, or none at all. You will be amazed at how dependent you are on Chinese products, and you will be equally amazed at what you can do without. Who needs plastic eggs to celebrate Easter? If you must have eggs, use real ones and benefit some American farmer. Easter is just an example; the point is do not wait for the government to act. Just go ahead and assume control on your own.

THINK ABOUT THIS If 200 million Americans refuse to buy just $20 each of
Chinese goods, that's a billion dollar trade imbalance resolved in our
favor...fast!! The downside? Some American businesses will feel a
temporary pinch from having foreign stockpiles of inventory. Wahhhhhhhhhhhh

The solution? Let's give them fair warning and send our own message:
Most of the people who have been reading about this matter are planning
on implementing this on June 4, and continue it until July 4. That is only
one month of trading losses, but it will hit the Chinese for 1/12th of
the total, or 8%, of their American exports. Then they will at least
have to ask themselves if the benefits of their arrogance and
lawlessness were worth it. Remember, June 4 to July 4.

EVEN BETTER. .. . START NOW.

Send this to everybody you know. Let's show them that we are Americans,
and NOBODY can take us for granted. If we can't live without cheap
Chinese goods for one month out of our lives, WE DESERVE WHAT WE GET!

Pass it on, America

Dog Massacre continues.. Hanzhong city Dog Scull

Dog Massacre continues.. Hanzhong city Dog Scull.. please help ! ....Following the previous blog which mentioned the appeal received from the Animal Rights activists in China, here is the update on the dog sculls in China, from Animals Asia Foundation. During the past months, there had been more than one dog scull that was to take place in various towns. Some china governement officials however stopped the dog scull in Heihe in response of the reactions from animal lovers though China.

From Jill's Blog : (Jill robinson, President of Animals Asia Foundation and World Animal Day Embassador China)

..Dogs beaten to death on Hanzhong city streets ....Wednesday, June 3, 2009, 08:23 PM
..
The sight of those wretched dogs trying to crawl away from the people bludgeoning them over the head was beyond words. More heartbreaking still was the scene where a dog was surrounded by men with poles and began to wag his tail in welcome - before screaming in agony as the poles and rods came down upon his body. Howling in terror, he tried to raise himself on already broken limbs as the blows came thick and fast and sent him crashing once more to the ground. Blood gathered in pools around his head before he was picked up by one of his back legs and dragged away. The pile of dead dogs grew - and people in the video laughed – satisfied with a job which had so cruelly stilled the beating hearts of our best friends.
......

........................I watched the film in disbelief – thinking surely we were of a different species to those dreadful people so utterly disconnected to the agony of animals who feel pain and terror and a host of emotions so similar to ours. That life can be so dismissively snuffed out as if it held no importance in this world reflects so appallingly on a country and people I have grown to love.
..


..Culling in China is back - in all its bloody glory - and we need your help to make a stronger push than ever before to drive it into the dark ages where it belongs. Local animal welfare groups in China are also appalled –and we are working closely with them in appeals to the authorities – united in our call that dogs deserve better.

Animals Asia is trying to raise funds to support these groups in their efforts to stop the cull and provide the Hanzhong city authorities with an alternative solution to dog population and disease control. (donation link below)

Jill
..
Local animal welfare groups rally to help Hanzhong city dogs

..The pictures are not meant to shock, only to show what is happening in thee streets of Honzhong

........Several local animal welfare groups are sending representatives to Hanzhong to gather evidence on the cull and offer their help with alternative methods of dog control. Animals Asia is sponsoring their trip and we have also offered to provide the city with free rabies vaccinations, in support of their efforts to instigate change in future animal population management practices.

Ms.Jiang Hong, the founder of Xi'an Small Animals Rescue Center, Mr. Chen（陈明才）from Chongqing Small Animal Protection Association, Ms. Qin（秦肖娜）from Capital Animal Protection Association, Ms. Du（杜玉凤）from Sichuan Guangyuan Small Animal Association, will travel to Hanzhong with three media representatives and two volunteers. They will keep us up to date with what is happening on the ground and provide us and the Shaanxi Province government with a full report on their findings.

We will update this page with regular bulletins from Hanzhong as we receive them.......

......Local government officials sanction mass slaughter to make Hanzhong a “dog-free” city

..
....Almost immediately following news that the authorities in Heihe have agreed to suspend their previously announced dog cull, we now hear that the authorities in Hanzhong, Shaanxi Province have commenced a cull there. While people in China and across the world are congratulating the Heihe authorities for their cancellation of the cull and proposed promotion of responsible dog ownership, the authorities in Hanzhong should be ashamed for their barbaric response to a rabies outbreak which does not even begin to address the problem at source.

....The decision to implement a cull is apparently based on the health and safety of the local population, but the reality is that this not an effective solution in stopping the spread of disease such as rabies. The vacuum which culls leave is very quickly filled by new stray animals with similar problems of those before. Responsible Trap Neuter Release (TNR) programmes allow desexed, vaccinated, microchipped and now healthier animals to remain in the area, where they will prevent new and potentially diseased animals from entering their territory, and where their population will gradually decrease. Further, culling is seen as a cruel and hastily implemented massacre which brings disgrace to the country in the eyes of the international community. The unnecessarily cruel method of slaughter – literally beating the dogs to death – is unconscionable and incompatible with any reasonable standard of animal welfare. ....In India, where rabies is widespread, a recent report by the Animal Welfare Board of India has shown the results of a study which compares two different methods of controlling this disease. Conclusive results from this study show that responsible “spay/neuter/vaccinate/release” programmes have reduced the incidence of rabies by a significant percentage. “Since 1996, instances of rabies in humans have reduced from 120 to five a year in Chennai” said Dr. K. Manivasan, Joint Commissioner (Health), Chennai Corporation.

....The study covered two periods; the first from 1980 to 1995 when the killing of dogs was implemented as the method of choice of rabies control, and the second period from 1996 to 2005 after the killing was replaced by spay/vaccinate and return programmes. The results showed a rapid distinct down trend of rabies after 1996 “and was further proof, if any were needed, that Animal Birth Control/Vaccination is the only sensible way to go to control the street dog population and rabies.”

....Similarly, Dr. Francette Dusan, a WHO expert on diseases passed from animals to people, said effective rabies control required coordinated efforts between human and animal health agencies and authorities. “This has not been pursued adequately to date in China with most control efforts consisting of purely reactive dog culls,” Dusan said. To access the WHO materials on rabies control please click here: Fact sheet 99, Dec 2008.
....
In this spirit of coordination, Animals Asia has also been funding Trap Neuter Release programmes for cats in China. Stray cats are collected by local welfare groups and animal lovers, and transported to clinics where they are desexed and vaccinated. Once they have recovered from their surgery, these more healthy animals are placed back into the original area from where they came and embraced and cared for by the community. Suddenly street cats become therapy cats and provide companionship for those who enjoy their presence such as the elderly and lonely.
....
The issue of licensing and vaccinating dogs must also be explored more effectively in China. The authorities of various provinces previously raised the license for pet owners to such an extent that people hid their dogs away rather than paying such extortionate fees. This in itself could have contributed to the rabies problem - particularly in rural areas - and potentially left these dogs vulnerable to the disease - especially if they were abandoned, escaped, or entered the live animal markets. Animals Asia often witnesses pedigree animals in these markets - which can be bought as pets or food.

....There is significant risk of rabies being found in the dogs caught up in the meat trade, where they are caged, transported and kept in the markets en-masse. Many are wounded as a result of inappropriate handling and the abuse they receive at the hands of the traders and the rabies virus can easily spread through bites or scratches or even from saliva entering open wounds. Indeed, evidence is emerging in countries such as China, Vietnam and the Philippines where the preparation and consumption of these animals is putting people's lives at risk. Rabies is one disease which can be reduced by implementing responsible and humane management practices for stray dogs and cats, and by removing these animals from the food chain.
....
Several authorities such as Beijing and Guangzhou have now implemented responsible procedures in an attempt to prevent disease. In recognition of the important role that dogs play in society, city departments in Beijing reduced the licence fee from 5000 Rmb to 1000 Rmb, as of October 15th 2003. Subsequently the number of registered dogs shot up to 410,000 citywide and experts estimate that this represents roughly 90 per cent of the total number of dogs in the capital - all of which are now vaccinated against rabies.
....
Allowing people to have companion animals is very much in keeping with the change in China's social structure where dogs and cats are seen today as playing an important role in developing society. During the Olympic Games in Beijing, and during natural disasters, such as the earthquake in Sichuan, sniffer dogs were risking and losing their lives to protect and help the people of China. Similarly, customs dogs and even guide dogs for the blind are being introduced into community service and the public are gradually recognising this species as one which can benefit our day to day lives, rather than providing us with food.
....
Dogs provide comfort for the elderly and emotional support for those who are childless or single. As a result, more and more people are turning to dogs for companionship and support, and pet ownership is booming, with just over 150 million pet dogs throughout the nation - one for every nine people. (Xinhua News Agency 14th February 2005). ....As with similar studies worldwide, recent research in China, jointly conducted by the Psychology College of Beijing Normal University and Companion Animal Research and Information Centre (CARIC) also concluded that pet owners have better physical and mental health than non-pet owners.
....
"The human-pet bond is one of attachment and loyalty. When we as a society pay attention to it, we can also benefit from it by improving the quality of life for at least some social strata in very tangible ways. Hopefully our research can help the government in its pet-related regulations." Professor Zheng Richang, Beijing Normal University.
....
Dogs and other companion animals also provide an important financial, as well as emotional, contribution to China: according to the Beijing Kennel Club, pet owners in the city spend more than 500 million yuan on their pets a year. Experts predict that the annual sale of pet food and accompanying necessities and accessories in China may exceed 6 billion yuan by 2008 and that the market potential for the "pet economy" could reach a minimum of 15 billion yuan.
....
Embracing dogs as an integral part of our society also has long-term ramifications in the control or reduction of national healthcare costs. Studies by Professor Bruce Headey, at the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic & Social Research, puts the amount of national savings in Australia or Germany at billions of dollars.
....
Animals Asia's successful Dr. Dog animal therapy programme sees over 300 dedicated volunteers and their dogs visiting hospitals, disabled centres, elderly homes, orphanages and schools spreading warmth and love to people in need across Asia. Dr. Dog operates in Hong Kong, Japan, India, the Philippines Taiwan and, most recently in China, in Chengdu, Shenzhen and Guangzhou. As a result, we have been inundated with calls from organisations across China requesting visits and from dog owners enquiring how to join this uniquely beneficial programme.

"The delight that Dr. Dog brings to our patients can never be done by medicine." Professor Jinxiang Li, The Department of Palliative Care, West China Fourth Hospital of Sichuan University.
....With dogs offering so many benefits to all sectors of society, it is vital that they are treated with the respect and compassion that they deserve. We urge the authorities in Hanzhong to end the cruel and senseless culling and to follow the example of other countries in Asia who have introduced wide-ranging protective measures for companion animals and who promote far reaching education programmes of responsible pet ownership, rabies awareness and humane stray dog and cat control. Animals Asia and the groups with whom we work with would be pleased to cooperate with the authorities on all levels to introduce and advise on public education initiatives to ensure that dogs and people can peacefully and safely co-exist in Hanzhong.
....In this context, we are forwarding a message to the Hanzhong authorities reflecting our concerns and requesting an urgent meeting to discuss this matter further. We look forward to working with them towards a more harmonious relationship between people and companion animals.

........Heihe city dog cull............Local government suspends cull in the face of strong opposition..........
Late last week we were alerted to a proposed dog cull in Heihe city in Hei Long Jiang province in China through emails and letters from local people horrified at the prospect.

While we investigated over the weekend, we received the news that the local government had a change of heart and stopped the cull for now, in response to the furious reaction from dog lovers, not just in Heihe city, but from across China.

Part of that protest was instigated by the leader of a Xia Men animal welfare group who attended our recent Companion Animal Symposium in Chengdu. He sent the city officials a letter based on Animals Asia guidelines and on a sample letter sent by us previously in a similar situation. He also appealed to all animal welfare groups in China and animal lovers to add their support by sending this letter to the Heihe government.

We also sent a letter to the city officials, not only praising their decision to stop the cull, but also suggesting ideas for better dog management and offering our help with public education, etc.

You can read our letter to the Heihe government officials below. We will continue to monitor the situation in Heihe and let you know if we need your support for further action.

Letter to the Heihe Government officials from Animals Asia Foundation :

25 May 2009
Attention: Heihe City Government

Dear Sir/Madam,

We have heard that Heihe local government has decided to temporarily suspend the dog cull announced last week – and that in the meantime, you will be seeking suggestions and comments from different departments and the public in order to make regulations on dogs in the city more complete and humane.

We are also pleased to know that, before the more detailed regulations are launched, the related government department will promote responsible dog ownership. We believe these acts by the Heihe Government will be highly praised by animal lovers in China and beyond.

As an animal-welfare organisation working in China for many years, we also hope that we can provide some suggestions to the city government on dog management.

Heihe is not the first city to use a dog cull to tackle the problem of rabies. Two years ago, Mouding County in Yunnan, and Jinan in Shandong used a similar method. While we understand that your decision to cull the city's dog population is based on the safety and health of the public, having such a cruel, hastily implemented emergency massacre is not an effective and efficient way to stop and control the spread of rabies.

The Animal Welfare Board of India recently published a report comparing two different ways of preventing rabies. The report shows that implementing a TNR (Trap, Neuter, Release) programme for stray dogs can greatly reduce the incidence of rabies outbreaks. For example, in Chennai, which has run a TNR programme since 1996, the cases of rabies have reduced from 120 to five each year.

The study compared the two stages of rabies prevention in Chennai. The first stage was from 1980 to 1995, when culling was the main method used to prevent rabies; the second stage was from 1996 to 2005, when TNR had replaced the dog cull. The researchers found that from 1996 the number of rabies cases have plummeted, and there is more evidence to prove that neutering and vaccination are the only effective way to control both the number of stray dogs and rabies.

Dr Francette Dusan of WHO also supports this view. She said that in order to control rabies effectively, we need the cooperation of human and animal health organisations. "This has not been pursued adequately to date in China with most control efforts consisting of purely reactive dog culls”. (Associated Press, 1 August, 2009)

Last year, many places in China carried out dog culls supposedly to stop the spread of rabies. These proved yet again that dog culls cannot effectively prevent disease; instead they hurt the feelings of dog lovers in China and all over the world, and will damage the image of Heihe, both in China and abroad.

It is important also to realise that it is impossible to prohibit the public from keeping dog as pets. On the contrary, the important role companion animals play has been widely recognised by our society. In China, the importance of dogs as members of society is gaining more recognition due to the change in social structure. For example, families that don’t have children or single, elderly people see their dog as a companion and an emotional comfort.

For these reasons, the number of people keeping pets is increasing and the number of pet dogs has reached 1.5 million. On average, one of every nine people will have one pet dog.

There are studies from all over the world, including one from China recently, all of them proving the value of companion animals. Research conducted by the Beijing Teachers Education University School of Psychology and The Companion Animals’ Research Center, concluded that keeping pets can make people healthier.

Dogs and other companion animals not only contribute on the emotional side, but also to China’s economy. Pet owners in Beijing spend up to 500 million RMB on their pets each year. Experts say spending on pet food and other accessories in China was over 6 billion RMB in 2008. The market potential of the “pet economy” is up to 15 billion.

Animals Asia’s Dr Dog programme also provides solid proof of dogs being our best companions. Over 300 Dr Dog volunteers regularly visit hospitals, disabled centres, elderly homes, schools and orphanages, bringing love and care to the needy in six countries in Asia. Currently, the Dr Dog programme is running in Hong Kong, Japan, India, The Philippines, Taiwan and in mainland China (Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Chengdu). We have over 70 Dr Dogs in China, where this programme has attracted a lot of pet owners who are very interested in joining Dr Dog, and a lot of organisations looking forward to our Dr Dog visits. Dogs have contributed so much to mankind, they deserve our respect and they deserve to be treated well.

We sincerely ask the Heihe government to amend the current Act, using Hong Kong, Shenzhen and other cities’ more effective and scientifically proven methods of dog-management regulations.

Please implement measures that protect the rights of companion animals, strengthen the promotion of “being a responsible pet owner”, and use a humane way to control the numbers of stray dogs and cats.

Animals Asia and our partners are willing to work with the Heihe government on public education, ensuring both humans and dogs can live safely and harmoniously together in Heihe. At the same time, we also suggest the Heihe government strengthen its cooperation with local animal protection organisation and the local community to develop a scientifically proven and effective way of managing dogs.

Under these circumstances, we sincerely hope that Hehei’s related departments can accept our suggestions and use a more humane way to control and prevent rabies, giving innocent animals the chance to live.

I look forward to your reply.

Sincerely,

Jill Robinson
Founder and CEO
Animals Asia Foundation



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Factory Farms Mutilate Baby Pigs

Reposted with Thanks From:
One Voice

Factory Farms

Mutilate Baby Pigs

On factory farms, the following procedures are performed on piglets only weeks old. The pig-flesh industry refuses to use painkillers even though local anesthesia would cost about 1 penny per baby pig.

Castration

Workers slice into a piglet’s scrotum and pulls out his testicles while the piglet screams and writhes in pain. Imagine asking a veterinarian to neuter your dog—but without pain relief. That would be a felony in most states.

“Ear-notching”

Large hunks of each piglet’s ears are sliced off with scissors to make identification patterns.

“Ear-notching”

Piglets have their tails cut off to reduce tail biting, a habit that arises from boredom and frustration in stressful factory farm conditions. Scientists testify that the pain is severe and continues for many days.

“Tooth-clipping”

The piglet’s incisor teeth are cut off with pliers that are similar to wire cutters so that they can’t cause injuries by chewing on themselves or their neighbors when the extreme confinement drives them insane. Imagine dental surgery without anesthetics.

WARNING:
This video shows scenes of animal cruelty and tooth clipping filmed undercover in intensive factory farms

One Voice

40 Ways To Help Animals In Laboratories

Reposted with thanks by
~Vegan Adventurer


One Voice

40 Ways to Help Animals in Laboratories

You must be the change you wish to see in the world. —Mahatma Gandhi



Simple Acts of Kindness



....1.. Live by Example

The gentlest way to teach is by example. Whenever you choose cosmetics and household products whose ingredients have not been tested on animals, refuse to dissect an animal, write a letter to the editor, or wear a button, you set an example. Live your life in accordance with your principles—others will notice, and many may follow.

2..Shop with Compassion

As the movement to protect animals has grown in size and influence, it has become easier than ever to avoid the use of animals in laboratories every time you open your wallet. Today hundreds of companies conduct no animal testing, dozens more include no animal ingredients, and many make their policies clear on their labels with phrases like “no animal testing,” “cruelty-free,” or “tested by stylists, not on animals.” Drugstores and supermarkets are putting more of these items on their shelves. Every time you purchase an animal-friendly product, you support animal-friendly companies and don’t support companies that continue to use animals. What could be easier?


3..Identify Your Companion Animal

Having your companion animal wear identification is important for minimizing the chances of theft or permanent loss. Lost or stolen companion animals can end up in research laboratories. The likelihood of this happening is remote and decreasing these days, but an animal who is easily identified is less likely to suffer this fate. An identification tag is a lost pet’s ticket home. Equipping your animal with identification won’t guarantee that he or she won’t fall into the wrong hands, but it can help. Although a collar with an identification tag is still the first line of defense, some argue that tattoos or even microchip implants are the best way to ensure the safety of your companion animal. Concerned laboratory animal facilities will look for tattoos and microchips and make an effort to track down the animal’s guardian.

4..Donate

Giving money to a worthy organization is one of the simpler actions you can take to help animals. Animal protection is, by definition, not a profit-driven enterprise, and organizations both large and small depend on donations to maintain and expand their efforts. If you are not sure whether a particular group merits your support, ask for specific information about what the group does. Never hesitate to ask questions. Be aware that many charities and health foundations fund experiments using animals.

5..Join In

If there is an animal advocacy organization in your area that is concerned about animals used in research, education, or testing, join it. You’ll be able to keep on top of local issues, you’ll meet others who share your concerns, and you’ll be among the first to know about local activities for animals. Every year the Animals’ Agenda magazine (www.animalsagenda.org) publishes a directory of hundreds of animal advocacy organizations, and the Internet has many sites devoted to animal advocacy issues

6..Wear Your Messages

Because they are seen by so many people, bumper stickers, buttons, and T-shirts are great ways to bring an issue to the public’s attention or to remind people that it is an issue. Placing a bumper sticker on your car is one way to express your views to many, but you can also put a bumper sticker on a briefcase or piece of luggage, perhaps on a laundry basket on its way to the Laundromat, or on any other container big enough to display it. People typically pin buttons on jackets, but hats, bags, and scarves are also effective places to express your views. And beneath your jacket may lurk a compassionate T-shirt waiting for a sunny day! “I’d rather dissect the Digital Frog” is one of our favorite T-shirt slogans.

7..Use Your Answering Machine

The next time you put a message on your answering machine, put in a good word for the animals. Urge your callers not to buy animal-tested personal-care and household products (see Action 2), recommend they put identification on their companion animals (see Action 3), or announce an upcoming meeting or public demonstration by your group (see Action 5). Similarly, you can also set your computer to attach a favorite quotation or message each time you send out an e-mail.

8..Circulate Your Messages

Once you’ve read a good animal rights book or magazine, don’t let it collect dust on a shelf. Let someone else read it. You can put your books back into circulation by donating them to a school or by dropping them off at your local library, community center, used bookstore, or used book sale. Many a latent activist has been sparked by discoveries made in the library or at a book sale. Flying somewhere? Visiting the mall? Taking the bus or the subway? Those pockets in the aircraft seats in front of you, those food court tables at the mall, and those bus or train seats are among the many good places to plant animal advocacy magazines to add to the reading supply. They’re bound to provide more edifying reading than the usual fare. Just remove your address label from the cover, then help remove the blinders from some people’s eyes.
....
Educate Yourself



9..Read

The better informed you are, the greater the impact you can make, so read everything you can. When you read stories in major newspapers and magazines such as the New York Times, Washington Post, and Newsweek, be wary of simplification, bias, and a tendency to support traditional views indifferent to animals’ interests. A well-referenced book is probably your best source of reliable information. There are many excellent books on issues related to animal research.

10..Know Your Adversary

Part of being an effective activist on animal research issues is knowing the arguments in support of animal research. Do not limit your knowledge and your effectiveness by reading only those materials with which you agree; read articles and books reflecting a range of opinions. You will make yourself a much more effective advocate if you learn the arguments used by those who support the continuing use of animals in the laboratory— and how they might be countered.

11..Get On-Line

The world is a web and you are its spider. The World Wide Web is growing at a rate of thousands of new users per day. With it comes more information to access (see Action 12), more places to express your opinions, and more people to brainstorm with via e-mail or chat lines.

Always be aware that the Web is a free and easy cyberspace where any opinion or “fact” can be found. It is not only a good place to locate people and information; it is also a major source of misinformation.
Be cautious in repeating claims you find on the Web, especially those made by members of chat groups.

12..Find the Databases

Databases are loaded wit information relating to animal use in laboratories! CRISP (Computer Retrieval of Information on Scientific Projects), for instance, is a federally funded database available free of charge; it can be accessed on the Internet at www-commons.cit.nih.gov/crisp. Using CRISP, you can access basic information about any scientific study receiving federal money. This information includes research topics, funding amounts, types of animals used, and the number of years the project has been funded.
A valuable new resource has recently entered the information superhighway. Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing, in collaboration with a number of government agencies, has established AltWeb, the Alternatives to Animal Testing Web site. This rapidly growing site is to be a global resource on alternative methods, the 3Rs (replacement, reduction, and refinement), animal ethics, and animal care, with hyperlinks to related Web sites and databases. Check it out at www.jhsph.edu/~altweb.

13..Search the Libraries

A good library is one of your best sources of information on the whos, whats, whens, wheres, and whys of animal research. For sleuthing on animal experimentation, you will want to visit a library with good science holdings. A university library will usually serve you well.

14..Collect the Numbers

As an advocate for animals, you never know when you’re going to find yourself engaged in a discussion with someone about animal research issues. It never hurts to have a few facts and figures up your sleeve.

15..Get FOIAed Up!

It is not a free country for animals in laboratories, but it is a comparatively free one for you. One such freedom is provided by the U.S. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), passed in 1966. The FOIA entitles you to information on how the government is spending your tax dollars. FOIA allows you access to information on federally funded animal research projects and to documents of various departments of the federal government, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Administration, and Public Health Service (PHS). FOIA can provide you with such information as the amount of money spent yearly on a specific project, the research methods used, and internal correspondence related to the project.

16..Consult the Experts

Don’t hesitate to contact experts—especially those known to be sympathetic toward animal protection—for advice or background information. Experts from many fields have helped in the fight to better the conditions for animals used in laboratories. Medical doctors and veterinarians have critiqued the published reports of animal experiments, lawyers have represented students asserting their right not to be compelled to dissect animals, and biologists have testified in support of bills that would recognize a student’s right to choose dissection alternatives. Even if you’re not sure of an expert’s availability or approachability, it never hurts to ask.

17..Tour a Laboratory

Try sending a letter to the director of a local facility explaining that you are concerned about how the animals are treated and that you are interested in learning more about the research being performed there. If the laboratory receives federal funds (most of them do) to conduct animal research, then you may point out that you are entitled to know how your tax dollars are being spent. This may not get you a free pass to the laboratory, but it is a valid point.

If you can secure a tour of the facility, that is great. But if you are unable to, your efforts are certainly not wasted. Your request serves as a reminder that the public is concerned about animal research.

....Get the Word Out



18..Take Aim

Whether you are acting as an individual or as part of a group, it is wise to focus your energies. If you are part of a small group, direct your attention to one or two specific projects; don’t spread yourself too thin by working on too many. Start out your campaign with small-scale projects that have a reasonable chance of success. You are more likely to convince a drugstore to stock animal-friendly personal-care products, for instance, than you are to get the National Institutes of Health to swear off invasive animal research by the year’s end. Always keep your larger goal in mind, but devote your energies at first to winning the smaller battles

19..Call Toll-Free

Many companies maintain toll-free customer information numbers. These include companies that perform animal testing, such as cosmetics companies, pharmaceutical companies, and manufacturers of household or personalcare products; companies that breed and sell animals for experimentation; companies that sell live and dead animals for classroom use; and companies—certain airlines, for example—that transport animals. When you call such companies, you remind them that you don’t approve of their practices. Ask that your views be shared with company leaders, request a response, and add that you will not purchase any of the company’s products as long as the company continues its current practices. Be polite to whomever you talk to. Telephone representatives are not responsible for a company’s policies.

20..Check out the Charities

We all know of many big charities and health foundations whose aim is to help people. What most people don’t know is that many of these groups harm animals in the process by funding or conducting experiments on them. It is important to remind these groups that animal experimentation is a concern for their potential donors.

21..Talk Back to Advertisers

Advertisers will use just about any ploy to get their product noticed. This often includes reference to animals or the use of animal images, and the message sent isn’t always a good one. If you encounter such an advertisement, contact the company responsible. Reasonably explain your objections and ask the company to retract the offending advertisement. Many companies will be sensitive about alienating consumers and responsive to your complaints. While you’re at it, don’t hesitate to commend companies who send positive animal messages in their advertising.

22..Write a Letter

Awell-written, well-directed letter is still one of the most effective tools of communication. The length and style of your letter will depend on the person you are addressing. Letters to the editor of a newspaper or magazine should be brief and concise; long letters are rarely accepted for publication. Similarly, a letter to your state or federal representative will usually have the best effect if it is not long-winded. Your letters will need to be more lengthy if you are submitting a list of specific complaints regarding an animal laboratory.

Write letters to companies that continue to test their cosmetic, personal-care, or household products on animals. Politely ask them to join the hundreds of other companies that have given up these practices, and tell them that you look forward to the day that you can purchase their products. Also ask what they’re doing to advance alternative methods. Always include your phone number and your return address on your letter so that the recipient can confirm your identity. Since many publications and companies solicit letters and comments via e-mail, take advantage of this quick and easy way to be heard.

23..Quote Friends in High Places

ANobel laureate and Joe Sixpack may both have something to say about animal experimentation—and don’t make any assumptions about who might be more accurate!—but whatever is said, more people will listen to the decorated scientist. A good quote from a recognized expert is a valuable tool for lending credibility to your position. The opportunities for such a quote are increasing every day as more scientists come out with criticisms of the status quo for animal use in research, testing, and education.

24..Speak Up

As the public controversy over animal research has heated up in recent years, teachers have been inviting speakers to address their classes on this issue, and the general public has become more interested in learning about it. With some preparation and practice, you can become an effective spokesperson on this issue. Public speaking can be a powerful way to deliver a message.


25..Set up Tables

Whether you are looking to open the doors to a particular laboratory or to open people’s minds in general, distributing literature is a good way to start the job. And there are few better ways to do that than by setting up a table, or “tabling.” Contact the local police first to tell them of your plans and to ascertain that you aren’t violating any local ordinances.

26..Work with the Media

Members of the media are not always the animals’ best allies, but you cannot live without them if you want your message to reach the most people in the shortest possible time.
....
Educate the Educators


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27..Join the PTA

Parents, beware—it is likely that at some point your child will be expected to participate in a classroom exercise that is harmful to animals. Your first recourse is to ask the teacher and administrators whether and what alternatives are available. If alternatives are not available, there is much that you and your child can do to reform animal use in education. You can start by joining the parent-teacher association (PTA) of your child’s school and bringing the dissection issue to the table.

28..Dissect Dissection

If you are a student, the most direct way you can help animals in the classroom is simply not to dissect them. An estimated six million vertebrate animals are killed and dissected each year in U.S. high schools alone. As more students object to dissection and vivisection at their schools, more schools are accommodating them, and more humane alternatives are being developed by companies that recognize the rising demand for them.

29..Borrow a Bullfrog

The increasing demand from student activists for humane alternatives to classroom dissection and invasive liveanimal exercises has resulted in an influx of alternatives on the market. Now there is a quick and easy way to lay your hands on these materials: borrow them!

30..Document the Truth

If you tour an animal research laboratory (see Action 17), you probably won’t be able to photograph or videotape what is being done to animals in the research process. Schools, however, provide a unique opportunity for you to document animal use in the laboratory. If you are a student or parent, you may want to request permission to videotape or take photographs of the animals being dissected or used in invasive live studies in the classroom. You could make a project of documenting each step of a dissection, starting with images of whole animals as they are received by the school, then as they are readied on the dissection tray and dissected in the classroom, and, finally, as they are discarded in the garbage bin.

31..Be an Alumna/Alumnus for Change

Most large, state-funded universities have active research programs that involve animal experiments. In addition, curricular use of animals for dissection and live-animal exercises is commonplace. Some schools even perform animal tests on products.

First, find out what is being done at your alma mater or at any school of higher education that you are concerned about. Information about state-funded schools is more accessible because they are supported by taxes and are thus required to divulge certain information that is considered in the public domain. Private schools, unfortunately, are not obliged to provide such information.

....Take Direct Action



....32..Demonstrate

Is pursuing your nonconfrontational campaign tactics beginning to feel like banging your head against a wall? Is it time to make your efforts more visible? It may be the moment to hit the streets with a well-planned demonstration.

33..Start Your Own Group

If there is no local animal advocacy group in your area, start one. Perhaps you could even form your own Internet-based animal advocacy club. For information about starting your own organization, contact one or more national organizations for advice. You may also want to call the founders of another kind of local activist group you admire and ask for advice.

34..Improve Your Drugstore

Happily, it’s harder today to find drugstores that don’t stock any mouse-friendly mascara or rabbit-friendly hair-care products. But if a store in your neighborhood carries no crueltyfree products, or if you just want to see more cruelty-free items on the shelves, make a project of improving your drugstore. Send a letter to the manager of your drugstore—and a copy of that letter to company headquarters—requesting that the store stock various cruelty-free items. Suggest some of your favorite brands and products. If you get nowhere, see the section on boycotts (see Action 40).

35..Eliminate Pound Seizure

Pound seizure is an idea that ought never to have become reality in the first place. Fortunately, laws are being enacted to stop this practice. More than a dozen states prohibit pound seizure. In almost all other states, pound seizure is neither prohibited nor mandated, although in some states it is regulated. In those states, the city or county council usually decides whether to release animals from shelters for use in research. If you live in one of the few states that mandates pound seizure or in a locality that allows it, join ongoing efforts to repeal the laws. If you live in one of the states with discretionary laws, write to your state representatives requesting that legislation be passed to outlaw the transfer of animals from pounds and shelters to research laboratories.

36..Help God- Help God’s Creatures

Noah didn’t act alone! Enormous numbers of people attend religious services, and scriptures of many faiths speak of the needs and suffering of animals. Yet, with very rare exceptions, religious leaders have been silent regarding and sometimes even antagonistic toward the humane and just treatment of animals. But things need not remain this way. If you belong to a religious group, bring some of your religion’s humane teachings to the attention of your religious leaders.

Ask your religious leaders to include animal-focused sermons in their schedules and to include positive references to animals in their sermons. Some Christian churches hold blessings for the animals on the Sunday nearest Saint Francis’s Day (October 4); perhaps your church would be interested in doing this.

37..Take Stock for Animals

As the number of companies having animal-friendly policies and practices grows, so do your options for humane investing.

38..Lobby

Figure out what you want your legislators to do. Determine whether you want them to support, oppose, or introduce a piece of legislation.

Find out who represents you at the local, state, and federal levels. Contact your local board of elections, library, League of Women Voters, or a local political organization.

Make an effective, convincing case. As with any effort to get people to act on your behalf, it always pays to be polite and respectful with your legislators, regardless of their prior record on animal issues.

39..Boycott

The simplest way to protest the practices of a company that tests on animals is not to purchase any of its products. As more and more people boycott a company’s products, the company will begin to feel the boycott’s adverse effects. A well-organized boycott can pressure companies into changing their ways. Many of the cosmetics companies that have stopped conducting animal tests made the decision, in part, because of the public impact of activist boycotts.

40..Get a Job

If helping animals is a priority in your life, consider seeking employment with an animal protection organization.


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Ways To Help Animals In Laboratories pdf file

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