Feb 28
Last Friday I wrote about how getting close to captive tigers might not be such a good idea and could, in fact, be fatal. Haley’s Act, named for a 17-year old girl killed by a tiger during a photo shoot,…
Feb 27
On February 15, I commented on an article called “Ore. Students Raise Pigs for School Trip,” and one of the students who is raising pigs for slaughter in order to fund their senior trip submitted a comment that I’d like…
WHY PANDAS DO HANDSTANDS: And Other Curious Truths About Animals, by Augustus Brown, is a 265-page trivia book about the oddities of nonhuman animal communication, dietary choice, mating habits, social habits, ways of movement, and parenting. I say “oddities” because…
Feb 25
When you’re an abolitionist in 2007, you’re not going to see the fruits of your labor in your lifetime for most uses of animals. However, I do think that there are animal uses and abuses that we can conquer in…
Feb 24
National Public Radio’s All Things Considered (02/23/07) reminded me that it’s dog racing season. No, not greyhound racing. There’s no season for that; it’s year-round horror. I’m talking about the Iditarod, which is next week, and the Yukon Quest, which…
I’ve received an urgent request from the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) asking me to contact my representatives to urge them to support Haley’s Act, which was designed “To promote public safety and improve the welfare of captive big…
Before my father got his doctorate from Columbia University, he was in the seminary and was going to be a Roman Catholic priest. He was definitely onto something with his original impulse and probably should’ve kept it going. But that’s…
For several decades, I’ve heard so-called Animal People suggest we experiment on prisoners instead of animals. The argument goes something like this: They forfeited their right to freedom and their right to vote (during the time imprisoned). They’ve committed crimes…
If you’re an Animal Person, you probably give a bunch of money to animal causes each year. But do you know where that money goes? Do you have a formula for how much you give? How many organizations do you…
Feb 19
CAPERS IN THE CHURCHYARD: Animal Rights Advocacy in the Age of Terror, by Lee Hall, the Legal Director at Friends of Animals, should be required reading for individuals interested in abolishing our use and abuse of nonhuman animals. As a…
I’ve written about what I feed my two rescue greyhounds, Violet Rays and Charles Hobson Booger, III, more times than seems reasonable. But anyone who has a dog–and particularly a vegan who has a dog–is likely to spend an inordinate…
Say what you want about PETA (and I happen to NOT be a fan of their campaigns that objectify women, regardless of the reality that people do pay attention to them), but they come up with some great ideas (I…
And now, by popular request, Animal Person’s views on the ownership versus guardianship debate. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you that you might be disappointed. Let’s deconstruct: In Defense of Animals started The Guardian Campaign with its first Guardian…
Feb 15
Since this story hit the wire on February 13, I have yet to read of any animal group that thought it was troubling. Let’s deconstruct “Ore. Students Raise Pigs for School Trip:” I get that due to headline space, you…
Though I’ve referred to the work of Gary Francione many times, I’ve neglected to review his 1996 book that started much of the brouhaha over whether animal welfare efforts can lead to abolition (short answer: no). RAIN WITHOUT THUNDER: The…
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