Animal Person

Surreal Speciesist Sunday

One Leslie O. Collier, recreational murderer of all types of sentient nonhumans, was pardoned by President Bush for killing two bald eagles decade ago (here's the article from today's New York Times).

Mr. Collier’s crime was unlikely and, he said in an interview, unintended. While hunting, he began noticing the reappearance of wild turkeys, decades after they were believed to have died away. But he feared that a pack of coyotes in the area would not give them a chance to breed. “I got it in my head that if we got rid of the coyotes, the turkeys would get off to a better start,” Mr. Collier said. So he laid a trap of ground beef laced with the pesticide Furadan, which, under federal law, may not be used as animal poison.

Seven coyotes died after eating the beef. But several other animals fed on their carcasses and died as well, including the bald eagles.

Is your jaw on the floor?

Am I the only one who finds it surreal that the routine killing of tens of millions of turkeys for one meal or the brutal and illegal poisoning of seven coyotes aren't a problem, but the death of the bald eagles-- now that's a real travesty?

Collier was sentenced to two years of probation, ordered to pay a $10,000 fine, and had to give up his collection of hunting guns. He learned that he'd been pardoned while working at a cattle auction (the speciesism continues) on Monday and was back out stalking and killing (deer) on Tuesday.

A decision, made a very long time ago, gave the bald eagle a status enjoyed by no other animal in the US. Meanwhile the turkey's status, unfortunately, would involve "to be eaten by Americans by the tens of millions, not just all year, but on one particular day as a celebration of thanks." Most people simply don't see that all of this is based on some random human decision, or on some human decision with an easily debunked rationale. Here's what Ben Franklin wrote to his daughter about the turkey and the eagle.

"For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen the Representative of our Country. He is a Bird of bad moral Character. He does not get his Living honestly. You may have seen him perched on some dead Tree near the River, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the Labour of the Fishing Hawk; and when that diligent Bird has at length taken a Fish, and is bearing it to his Nest for the Support of his Mate and young Ones, the Bald Eagle pursues him and takes it from him.

"With all this Injustice, he is never in good Case but like those among Men who live by Sharping & Robbing he is generally poor and often very lousy. Besides he is a rank Coward: The little King Bird not bigger than a Sparrow attacks him boldly and drives him out of the District. He is therefore by no means a proper Emblem for the brave and honest Cincinnati of America who have driven all the King birds from our Country . . .

"I am on this account not displeased that the Figure is not known as a Bald Eagle, but looks more like a Turkey. For the Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America . . . He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on."

Unlike Franklin, I don't have anything against scavengers. Dogs are scavengers (and greyhounds are no exception). I won't judge their moral character. But I do question the moral character of people who set out to murder sentient nonhumans, whether in what they've told themselves is a "humane" way or not. It's not necessary, it's cruel, and there should be a law against it. Pardoning Collier simply positions him to continue killing for fun. Though he's just one person, each animal he kills is an individual who deserves to live his or her life without being terrorized and slaughtered.

Logan the Calf Finds a New Home

I was in a mood not to write anything that would make anyone angry or want to cry, which left me nothing to write about today.

Then Bea sent me this story, about Logan the Calf.

Thanks for saving my day, Bea!

Another Muscovy Tale

I have dozens of Muscovy tales, and after the warm reception from the Thanksgiving Muscovy Tale, I thought I'd post another one, from 2003.

I made sure I saw each of the dozen or so main inhabitants of my backyard lake at least once a week. I finally spied Messy Momma, who had been missing, limping and looking horrid, at the far side of the lake. I whipped out my trusty binoculars to get a better look from my upstairs balcony. She flew a couple of yards into the lake, rather than walk, so she obviously knew something was wrong.

She swam across to my side of the lake and, with a heartbreaking amount of effort, she hoisted herself out of the lake. At this point I didn’t need binoculars. I went downstairs, out the door onto the patio, and opened the patio door. And guess who was standing there—barely.

I touch wildlife only when I have to. Not because I’m afraid to or I think their mom’s won’t touch them if I do. I don’t touch them because they might like it, and if they like it, they might approach other humans. And as we all know, that creates a potentially unsafe situation for the wildlife. But Messy Momma wasn’t going anywhere. She looked up at me and cooed as best she could and the only way I could interpret it was as a cry for help. She had lost her sheen, her feathers were a mess, and she had difficulty holding her head up.

Getting her into one of my wildlife boxes was easy; she practically hopped. This was the first time I touched a grown Muscovy. She was soft and smooth and surprisingly squishy and light. I thought she’d be more dense and substantial. I learned my lesson with Little Guy [and his tragic end] and closed the top of the box—a move she wasn’t too happy about. But I couldn’t handle another projectile duck while I was driving.

Thank You for Reading and Writing

As you may know, I've been blogging daily, usually about our relationship to nonhuman animals, but sometimes digressing wildly to address religion or god (or the dubious existence thereof), since May 22 of 2006.

Like most vegans over 40, I was raised as an omnivore. I had a kitty I named Brady from age eight until age 25. I was in and out of both vegetarianism and veganism since age 17, never quite getting the message that dairy and eggs involve any kind of cruelty, and never confronting the oxymoron that is humane farming.

I was even a vegan for years then ate filet mignon for a year (the year I met my husband, who of course refers to that year as the year of the bait and switch). I understand what it's like to know something is wrong yet do it anyway. I understand what it's like to enjoy the taste of something so much (pizza) that I was willing to overlook its horrifying aspects. I understand what it's like to believe that welfare reforms should lead to the cessation of the use of sentient nonhumans.

I've made every mistake possible while trying to help wildlife, some mistakes were fatal. My path hasn't been completely linear, but overall it has led from ignorance to education, and from acquiring knowledge to developing a belief system to aligning my actions with my beliefs.

Studies of happiness consistently demonstrate that money, contrary to popular belief, as very little to do with happiness. The factors happy people share are: giving and sharing, helping others and gratitude. Today is a day set aside specifically for gratitude. I wish there were a giving and sharing day and a help others day that were widely celebrated, but I digress.

I thank you for reading and commenting and writing me personally, and for and being witness to my journey, imperfect as it is.

A Muscovy Thanksgiving Tale

A couple of days before Thanksgiving of 2002, I was a mile into driving to an appointment and I saw a white Mercedes Benz hit a gorgeous black and white Muscovy duck. Unlike most of the injured flying creatures I've encountered, this one wasn’t going anywhere because her wings were badly damaged. The beautiful duck was bleeding from somewhere and her entire left side was crushed, leaving her to hop and drag from her right side. As if that weren’t heartbreaking enough, by her side was a larger black Muscovy (pictured above) with white tuxedo accents, in such distress that he was actually making a low, but audible honk amid its huffing. I assumed he was the female’s mate, as this was prior to my learning the morsel about their polygamous nature. They were new to me, so I named them Mr. and Mrs. New Guy. I made a quick u-turn and for a fleeting moment thought about exacting revenge on the driver. The road was narrow and when I stopped by the right curb there was barely enough room for traffic to pass me. I went to my trunk to get my injured-animal kit that consisted of an old dog leash, a towel, and a box, but upon sizing up Mrs. New Guy I realized the box was too small for the swan-size duck.

I was going to have to put the towel around her and somehow transport her myself. That proved more difficult that I imagined, as Mr. New Guy was far more formidable than I had anticipated, coming at me in what my husband and I would come to call “the plow,” which was a craned-neck with a low head combined with wings slightly outstretched. He marched toward me in full plow, huffing, and although he couldn’t have been more than twenty pounds, he scared the daylights out of me and I stepped way back to regroup and devise a new strategy. I didn’t want to humiliate myself by being the first suburban housewife to be killed by a duck, nor did I want Mrs. New Guy to kill herself trying to avoid me, so I let them be and began calling around for help.

On Vegans in Minnesota and Pigs in Florida

It's currently 19 degrees Fahrenheit but "feels like 10" in Minneapolis, MN according to weather.com. My brother- and sister-in-law and my adorable niece Gracie Pants live nearby, as does Colleen and the rest of the wonderful people at the Animal Rights Coalition.

"I heard there's rumors on the Internets" that last week brought the premiere of Meagan Holtgrewe's new cooking show "Rhymes With Vegan" for us all to enjoy from the warmth and comfort of our own homes. The first episode brings seitan and tofu kabobs with chipotle barbeque sauce, mashed potatoes with chives and edamame with toasted sesame oil. I like the production because it's fun and varied and has funky music and editing. Meagan talks about veganism, explains ingredients, and makes it seem easy and not at all exotic to be a vegan in your backyard cooking on a grill.

The website is filled with recipes and also recipe cards, which I'm going to vote for more of because their easily printable. I'm thinking about Grandpa Earl's Stuffing for Thanksgiving if I go back to a more traditional menu (nothing like planning a whole 48 hours in advance!).

Check out Rhymes With Vegan, and stay tuned for more . . .

Entirely unrelated, except that the message came from vegan Michele at PPS, is that Pig Tales Sanctuary in North Florida (about four hours from me), which I didn't know existed until yesterday, is in dire need of help. Here's all you need to know about founder Lory Yazurlo:

Lory Yazurlo, paralyzed since her truck accident in 1991, took it upon herself to create a Farm Sanctuary devoted to saving pigs from eventual abuse and slaughter. At present she houses nearly 500 pigs, including PotBellies, on her 20 acres of land. Yazurlo, with the help of family members and friends, turned a flat, weed laden piece of land into a protective area where pigs can live out the rest of their lives in natural surroundings. “I consider this land holy ground”, said Lory. “Nothing gets killed or sold for slaughter”. One would wonder why someone would accept financial difficulties when all they need to do is sell a few pigs to a slaughterhouse for thousands of dollars in return. Lory Yazurlo’s answer is simple: “I’m a vegetarian because I don’t believe in killing, even for food”. Lory refuses to partake in any foods that come from animals, including eggs, milk or animal oils.

From the e-mail I received, I think there are currently fewer than 500 pigs (I was told "a few hundred"), but one's enough for me.

The situation is that Lory doesn't have enough help or money, some of the pigs are indeed suffering, and the local "Humane" Society is about to round up all the pigs and haul them all off to slaughter (you know, the "euthanasia" kind). Michele writes: "The solution to this problem is really not that difficult or insurmountable if enough people - even just 5 or 10 to start with - pitch in and help out.  Since the sanctuary already exists, the hardest part,  finding a place for the pigs to live out their lives, is already done."

Here's the need: volunteers to save the pigs and reorganize the sanctuary so it isn't closed and the animals aren't killed or displaced, and donations. Note that other sanctuaries are filled to capacity, so displacement isn't as likely as death for the pigs. The How You Can Help page has contact information on it. If you know anyone in North Florida who might be able to volunteer for any amount of time (but I'm sure regularly is desperately needed), please contact them. Pigs are probably the creatures most vilified by humans, and if this sanctuary were filled with horses or dogs I'm sure that help would be more plentiful.

Unfortunately.

Meet Some of the Cats

First, I am delighted, yet annoyed, that we adopted Violet Rays four years ago and have taken precious few good photos of her, and my good friend Jackie was able to snap this on Day 2 of her visit.

Next, Jackie took a couple of photos of where the cats live. It's a fenced-in area on a one-way street that is tiny and rarely used. There are three or four small abandoned buildings nestled among new ones.

Notice the Trump building two blocks away . . .

And without further ado, some of the residents, beginning with the first two rather unwilling participants in Project Treadstone.

It was difficult to get close to any of the cats, and they dart around so quickly, but I did manage to get a handful of them. Some of photos are a bit like Where's Waldo and you might have to click on them to locate the cat(s).

I'm grateful to all of you who gave me advice and wished me (and the cats!) well in this endeavor, which is likely to continue deep into 2009. At least it has begun.

On Gifts for Firefighters

I'm losing my mind. I have at least three cords for my camera (to download photos) and I cannot locate any of them (which makes me think a certain person trying to help me tidy up put them someplace special for me). I was going to post a series of photos of the feral cats but I need that darn cord! And I refuse to buy one because I have three. . . . Somewhere.

But I've got something better.

The good news is that thanks to a special oxygen mask, Rex the lizard, of Naples, Florida, shall live another day. The bad news is that Savannah Monitors like Rex are not native to Florida and he lives in a tank in someone's house. His heat lamp apparently fell over and started a fire.

The Animal Rights Foundation of Florida, from which I pilfered this story, says:

You Can Help
Recovery oxygen masks would make a great holiday gift for your local fire department. A kit of three masks (for large dogs, small dogs and one for cats) can be purchased for $60. Contact your local Fire Chief and ask if he or she would be interested in receiving the life-saving masks. Then contact ARFF and we’ll help you to purchase the masks.

I did some research of my own on recovery oxygen masks because I know nothing about them or their manufacturers. I suggest that no matter where you live, contact ARFF about the purchase of the masks, as there could be something you don't know about the various companies that produce or sell them (I know some of the masks are made in China, which is sort of ironic).

Before we moved to this house we lived in a townhouse on a lake and I was the (Muscovy) duck lady. I cared for, rehabbed, and adored about 30 ducks (not to mention anhingas, herons of all kinds, a couple of mallards and dozens of ring-neck doves), purely by accident (you learn about one type of waterfowl or bird, then you can't help but learn about the others around it). I was the outreach person and the go-to-person, and that often involved climbing onto roofs. And when you climb onto roofs in order to, say, scoop up seven, day-old ducklings who won't survive on said roofs and are in no position to dismount and survive, you often must involve the fire department.

In fact, sometimes you must call the fire department to rescue your husband, in addition to the seven ducklings. And sometimes the fire department must return later the same day when your husband gets stuck on the roof again in an attempt to rescue a rogue duckling that was missed the first time around.

Sometimes.

With budgets being the way they are, and fire departments often run by volunteers, I think the recovery oxygen mask is a great idea for local fire departments.

On Environmental Injustice and Animal Units

I was going to write about Thanksgiving but, really, what's there to say that would be interesting or different at this point. Americans will pay to have tens of millions of one kind of sentient nonhuman slaughtered for one meal. And they'll do it this year because they did it last year and the year before and call that "tradition." They'll say that this particular day wouldn't be the same without the sight, smell and taste of one creature as sentient as their Labradoodle. Or their rescue dog.

It's simultaneously more upsetting and just as upsetting as any other day or meal. Scores of millions of animals have their lives unjustly taken for every meal, but I for one do feel an acute sense of scale and carnage when it comes to turkeys and Thanksgiving. But I'll spare you discussion about that in favor of some language deconstruction.

I was reading about a new study discussed over at Grist about infant mortality and factory farming (and, no surprise to you I'm sure, those rates are higher around the CAFOs), and was struck by a couple of passages in this happy meat article:

• "The animal abuses associated with this type of confinement seem obvious. Cows, pigs, chickens, turkeys and other animals need the same type of space and fresh air that human beings do. Crowding them together and never letting them see the light of day is certainly inhibiting their natural inclinations as sentient beings. But we should care about CAFOs for reasons far greater than animal abuses, for they abuse our own environment and the health of our children."

I see this a lot, this notion that protecting the environment is of "far greater" importance than abusing (forget about talking about using) animals, and I find it odd. On a level of pure, concrete reasoning, I'd think that seeing and hearing and smelling hundreds of thousands of sentient nonhumans in abject terror and pain wouldn't be backburnered to the environment, which most people don't see as in actual, physical screaming pain. I also see no reason why the two can't be on par, or close to it.

Is it that the environment is directly related to "the health of our children," and that's why it's so important (as in, not for its own sake)? I don't get it.

• "This week, Stacy Sneeringer, a professor at Wellesley College, published research, which documented the impact of CAFOs on infant mortality, in the respected American Journal of Agricultural Economics. Sneeringer looked at a 15-year period between 1982 and 1997, analyzing data on a county level for the number of CAFOs and animal units. Controlling for a host of variables, she found that changes in animal units directly compared to changes in infant mortality."

Imagine, for a moment, if we spoke about the human population in terms of human units. "Unit" adds the ultimate insult to a lifetime of injury to each sentient nonhuman by basically naming them "living things." "Unit" makes sure you know you're a commodity. I wonder why they don't say "changes in the number of animals," or "analyzing data on a county level for the number of CAFOs and animals"? Why the extra word?

I'm going to return the two kitties today, as I was basically asked "are you high?" at behavioral assessment. Further, the entire colony was observed and there are likely only a handful--if that--who might be able to be socialized. There are two pregnant kitties, so obviously their offspring, if they can be caught very early, should be adoptable.

Our Animal Care and Control has killed 16,000 cats so far this year and adopted out 5,000. That's just for Palm Beach County and there are over a dozen other shelters that are kill shelters and not included in that number.

Some of you may have read about the public/private partnerships that serve the feral cat population and involves animal control (and not in the traditional sense, to trap and kill feral cats, but for TNR). I'll be looking into that, as good samaritans are fantastic, but from what I see around me, they're burnt out, frustrated, at full capacity and broke, and the feral cat situation in this county needs more than they are in a position to give and could use some help.

On Boards, Cats and Sarah Palin

First, Bea sent me this link. Be glad the election ended the way it did. The title of the article is "Sarah Palin Turkey Incident: Does TV Interview While Turkeys are Slaughtered in the Background."

And it's not a joke.

The kitties trapped were two males, 8-10 weeks, and they'll be going today for their behavioral assessment. If they can be socialized they'll go to a foster home (again, they can't be at my house because of Emily's FIP--not to mention the hounds. We are trying to keep them alive, after all). Then they go out to one of the weekend adoption afternoons at a local pet supermarket. They're both a bit more feral than I thought--or maybe just terrified. I'm not the expert, so I can't say, although I was invited to learn as much as possible about the behavioral assessment and I think that's a good idea.

I updated my contacts at the building and they're very excited and wanted to help create a database and make sure we document our results. Because of the "holiday" next week, I'm going to try to trap on my own on Sunday night if the gentleman trapper isn't available. And my vet gave me a $40/deal and won't test for FIV (but will test for FeLV), so I'll be going there until a lower cost option is available.

I'm thinking you've had enough of Project Treadstone for quite some time. I will update if anything compelling occurs or if I have any questions. Thanks again for all of your input!

Finally, you may know that I sort of needled Deb Durant about possibly joining the board of Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary. And I've received e-mails about this topic (plus there were recent comments about it), so I thought I'd comment publicly.

A Message from Dennis Kucinich

For Immediate Release:
Contact: Nathan White (202)225-5871

Kucinich Asks LA City Council to Close Pachyderm Enclosure

Washington D.C. (November 19, 2008) – Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today asked members of the Los Angeles City Council to reject a measure that would expand the LA County Zoo’s “Pachyderm Forest.” Instead of expanding the space, Kucinich called upon Council Members to release the lone captive elephant to sanctuary.

In 2006, the LA City Council voted to approve a $40 million dollar project to expand the elephant habitat from two acres to four acres. Two months later an elephant named Gita died, leaving just one elephant named Billy in captivity.

Billy has a rare habit of bobbing and swaying his head. In several news reports, elephant expert Joyce Poole is quoted as saying, “I know that some people believe that elephants do that in the wild, but having observed elephants for many, many years, seeing perhaps 10,000 different individuals ... I have never seen head-bobbing and I have never seen swaying. This type of behavior is pathological. It is a result of being in a confined space."

“In the wild, Asian elephants can live 50 to 70 years, African elephants up to 80 years. It is a matter of record that fifteen elephants have died in the LA Zoo since 1974 before reaching 20 years of age. Cramped confinement of such majestic creatures is cruel and inhumane,” Kucinich wrote in a letter to the LA City Council.

The full text of the letter follows: 

November 19, 2008

Los Angeles City Council
200 North Spring Street
Lost Angeles, Ca  90012

Dear Councilmembers:

I strongly urge your support for the motion that will come before the Council today to close the elephant exhibit and release the lone remaining elephant to sanctuary rather than bringing in more elephants and placing them in a new zoo exhibit.

As a former member of the Cleveland City Council, I know full well the demands upon your time.  I also know it is helpful to get new information when confronted with a decision or a vote. So when I was contacted by some of your constituents, prior to contacting you, I decided to do some research on the issue of elephants and zoo confinement which I believes merits your consideration. 

I recommend to your attention a 2005 study of Optimal Conditions for Captive Elephants: A Report by the Coalition for Captive Elephant Well-Being by Lisa Kane, JD, Debra Forthman, Ph.D., and David Hancocks. The authors, experts on elephant welfare, behavior and zoo naturalism, review relevant research of the natural space, or home range, of various types of elephants.  Their research describes the “home range” parameters or the natural space of an elephant in the wild (in kilometers) for specific types of elephants.

I used the “Ask” search engine calculator , which converts square kilometers to acres, so that I could provide you with a comparison of the area of the natural environment of a specific type of elephant compared with the area of a confined environment.

African Home Range (Female) 
34 square kilometers (8,401 acres) to 800 square kilometers (197,684 acres).

Asian Elephant Home Range (Male)
 200 square kilometers (49,421 acres) to 235 square kilometers (58,069 acres).

African Cow/Calf Herds Home Range
50 square kilometers (12,355 acres) to hundreds of square kilometers (24,710+ acres).

African Bull Elephants Home Range
500 square kilometers (123,552 acres) to 1,500 square kilometers (370,658 acres).

For comparison, the City of Los Angeles is located upon 469.1 square miles which is equal to 300,000 acres.  The new elephant exhibit at the Los Angeles Zoo is to be on 3.6 acres.  It has been said that up to 10 elephants would be housed in the new acreage.

Billy, the Asian elephant, is currently the only elephant living at the LA Zoo.  He has spent 24 years in an enclosure that encompasses only 0.6 acres. Cramped confinement of such majestic creatures is cruel, inhumane, and can be threatening to the health of the elephant.  Indeed, a review of necropsy reports of at least 12 which elephants who died in captivity at the LA Zoo over the past three decades shows various states of degenerative joint disease and fatal orthopedic disabilities associated with lack of mobility due to close captivity.

“Elephants’ space requirements are driven in part by their size.  Equally important is their natural history.  They are intensely social, physically powerful animals built to roam large tracts of land searching for water, foraging for food, minerals and exploring and investigating their physical environment.  They also travel considerable distances in order to socialize with family, kin and conspecifics.”

The writers cite research which “argues that geographic range is important precisely because its implications are ‘frequently ignored’ by the zoo community (Forthman 1998, 238).”  They point out that “Elephants need for space is not only driven by their body size but also by their key characteristics as highly social, physically vigorous individuals.  Elephants need for space is also a function of the species natural history playing out in a warm climate over large tracts of land.”

In the wild, Asian elephants can live 50 to 70 years, African elephants up to 80 years. It is a matter of record that fifteen elephants have died in the LA Zoo since 1974 before reaching 20 years of age. Cramped confinement of such majestic creatures is cruel and inhumane.

Two years ago the LA Zoo made the right decision to release Ruby, the African elephant, to sanctuary, but only after she exhibited severe depression and rapidly declining health. Once Ruby was moved to a sanctuary she began to exhibit behaviors more in line with normal elephants, behaviors which animal experts said she had never exhibited while in the LA Zoo, due to the injurious effect of close confinement.

Elephants are particularly vulnerable to foot and joint disease as well as mental disorders while in the zoo environment.  As such, the Zoo’s current plans for expansion will result in the continuation and enlargement of an inhumane and unhealthy environment for elephants. It is impossible to see how the LA Zoo will adequately provide for the proper veterinary care of 10 or more elephants, especially at an annual veterinary cost of $120,000 per elephant per year.  

All across America, zoos are reevaluating the practice of keeping elephants in small confinements.  I humbly request that you consider the research I have presented and support today’s motion which will ensure sanctuary conditions for the housing of elephants by the LA Zoo, and begin consideration of an alternative use of the new facility which can still be educationally rewarding for the public.

Sincerely,

Dennis J. Kucinich
Member of Congress

If you think this was a good move, contact Congressman Kucinich and thank him!

On Cats, Testing and Phony Vegan Soup

FROM LAST NIGHT, BUT I FORGOT TO POST IT.

The luncheon was what I expected. All four of the kittens available for adoption were adopted (the non-black one went first, of course), I believe, and that's great. Martinis and wine flowed, a waiter told me the pumpkin soup was vegan and it wasn't (and I proceeded to have to flee toward the ladies room after a mere 10 minutes of its consumption, as I'm sure it included cream made from cow's milk, and, well . . . ), and in fact he told me the entire meal was vegan, but the next course was grilled chicken and warmed goat cheese over mesclun greens.

This is after there was a prayer at the start of the event for all of the animals who are suffering all over the world (but at that point I thought the meal was vegan, so I was impressed. What a difference five minutes makes!).

The room was filled with people who really care about "pet overpopulation" and do the hard work of fundraising (the people who do the work usually don't go to the events, so we didn't get to celebrate their work and thank them, unfortunately) and outreach, and Palm Beach has had great success at decreasing their feral cat population. Dr. Levy did mention that the success is largely due to the fact that Palm Beach is an island, however (but she in no way said that to take away from the achievements of the group).

Gertrude Maxwell was honored, as she should be, and while she made her plea for everyone to not give up (she hasn't, and I believe she's 97), most people chatted and weren't listening, which I found disappointing. The gentleman next to me, upon hearing that the Town gives the group more than half of its $250,000 budget, said, "A quarter of a million dollars? For cats?"

I spoke with Dr. Levy before the event, and that was my plan, so regardless of everything else, I consider the luncheon successful. Also, the chair of the board of the no-kill I'm taking the kitties to tomorrow was at the event, so that necessary contact is taken care of.

Here's what Dr. Levy said: they don't test cats because they want to spend as much money as possible on sterilization. And she emphasized that killing cats who test positive but aren't ill isn't euthanasia (as Paul has been rightly saying). Dr. Levy said she was only supposed to talk about cats on Palm Beach, believe it or not, so I knew in advance that the Q&A wasn't going to be helpful and I shouldn't say anything. There's a protocol in that town that it does no good not to follow. And besides, I already had what I went for.

At least when I go to the no-kill tomorrow I'll have all the ammo I need to attempt to persuade them to change their policy, and I will know whom to talk to.

And when I met the trapper this evening, we were able to get 2 kitties (they're in my garage in traps covered with camouflage the trapper immediately put on). They know each other so I set them side-by-side and allowed them to see each other. They're black, of course. And they're kittens, and friendly, and apparently the socializing group has great success with kittens (but better success with non-black ones).

The biggest coup was the contact with the feeders, the facility manager, and several Executive Directors in the building, all of whom are supportive and said they will contribute financially. The youngish people (under 50) are fantastic, educated about the issue, and were just waiting for someone to nudge them along or help them. The property manager might send out a letter to the tenants for me (says the facility manager who gave me his contact info), and I'm very excited about that. The huge downside is that one of the feeders told me there are 50 cats now because the location has become a dumping ground. 

I have called my vet to ask him if he would, as a favor, sterilize some cats for me and not test (and of course tip the ears, etc.). I'll pay whatever he wants. I was hoping to hear from him before I bring the first two kitties, but it's unlikely.

So there's the update. We have a schedule and plan to trap 2-3 each week and I'll rehab them at my house and either bring them to the kitten people or release them if they're feral.

Thanks for all of your suggestions, and if there's anything I haven't covered, feel free to comment.

Finally, my new calling just might be to veganize the animal-related events in my area. It was truly surreal to be fed chicken at this event. The only animal events I attended in the past five years were all related to Nanci Alexander (the owner of Sublime and the founder of the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida) and PCRM. I think there was a total of three events. My thinking is that if I donate to animal organizations in this area I can then, as a donor, suggest that they start doing their events differently (as in, have their events catered by Sublime). It's just an idea at this point, but there's so much lack of connection in this community, and it's ironically juxtaposed with deep concern and compassion. Maybe a little nudge will help shift their way of thinking and behaving.

I'll never know unless I try.

Peaceful Prairie Update

Dear friend of Peaceful Prairie Sanctuary,

After months of fundraising, making offers and counter offers, it looked like we finally were in reach of acquiring the adjacent property for the sanctuary expansion. Friday afternoon we were still a few thousand short of our goal of $110,000.00 but, by Monday morning, we were there.

Unfortunately, someone else swooped in and made an offer *over* $125,000.00 and the bank countered their offer with a higher price, which the people accepted. We don't know the final amount that it has been contracted at, but we do know that we are now out of the running.

To all of you who so promptly and generously responded to this opportunity to help the sanctuary, THANK YOU. Because of you, we were able to raise funds and awareness of our work and our need for a new Education & Visitor center and on-site housing for our amazing volunteers - now, and for generations to come.

There is still the possibility that the other buyer's contract will fall through if their financing falls through. If that happens, we'll have to start the whole process over again. It has been a grueling process and a rollercoaster ride - not the fun kind, either. But this is necessary for the sanctuary's future, so we will take another run at it.

If their financing does go through, we'll have to move to Plan B which is going to be much more expensive and time-consuming, but needs to be done. We'll build a brand new Education Center and housing on the existing sanctuary land.

Peaceful Prairie Sanctuary's rescue and lifelong care of former victims of egg, dairy and flesh production, as well as our tireless vegan advocacy, is needed now more than ever. With your continued support, we will keep moving forward and NEVER give up on the billions of animals who need us!

Thank You!

Michele Alley-Grubb
Peaceful Prairie Sanctuary

 

On Civil Disobedience, Direct Action and AK Press

There's a lot of chat, here and elsewhere about direct action and what it is and whether it includes violence (and if so, what's the definition of violence, anyway?). Enter the latest AK Press catalog that was in many of your mailboxes recently.

Excerpted is David Graeber's Direct Action: An Ethnography. Graeber samples various definitions of direct action, demonstrating that if you're confused over what direct action is and isn't, it's not without good reason.

There are commonalities in the definitions and they part on the elements you're probably thinking they part on. They all share the notion that your aim is to achieve your goals through your own activity; you're acting for yourself to directly affect a problem. Veganism is direct action, then (though I know some of you disagree).

I like how simply Graeber describes the traditional distinction between civil disobedience and direct action (I'm sure you've seen elsewhere that civil disobedience is a subset of direct action, or even vice versa, and Graeber does admit to overlaps):

"When one burns a draft card, one is withdrawing one's consent or cooperation from a structure of authority one deems illegitimate [Graeber, if you're not aware, is an anarchist], but doing so is still a form of protest, a public act addressed at least partly to the authorities themselves. Typically, one practicing civil disobedience is also willing to accept the legal consequences of his actions. Direct action takes matters a step further. The direct actionist does not just refuse to pay taxes to support a militarized school system, she combines with others to try to create a new school system that operates on different principles. She proceeds as she would if the state did not exist and leaves it to the state's representatives to decide whether to try to send armed men to stop her."

However, Graeber then explains that currently direct action is defined more loosely:

"'Direct action' becomes any form of political resistance that is overt, militant, and confrontational, but that falls short of outright insurrection . . . . In this sense, if one is doing more than marching around with signs, but not yet ready to take to the hills with AK-47s, then one is a direct actionist. . . . 'direct action' can cover an enormous range: it can mean anything from insisting on one's right to sit at a segregated lunch counter to setting fire to one . . . ."

The points of departure in the various definitions center, as you might imagine, around militancy and conventional definitions of violence.

I look forward to reading Direct Action: An Ethnography, as having a sense of history (particularly from the linguistic angle) is important to me. That's why I wrote about giving and activism yesterday. It seems like we're experiencing a shift in what we consider activism and advocacy and action and philanthropy, and a greater degree of behavior change in the lives of individuals is becoming more common, if not normalized. Now, much of that is around consumer behavior and that might be a bit of a red herring at times (like when people greenwash their shopping as opposed to greening their lives). But sometimes it isn't.

Here's Graeber on globalization, capitalism, and why Yale University gave him a year off with full pay.

I also look forward to Everywhere All the Time: A New Deschooling Reader (Matt Hern, ed.).

"Everywhere All the Time presents an array of historical and contemporary alternatives to traditional schooling, demonstrating that children's capacity to learn decreases as soon as they enter bureaucratic, institutional facilities.

Trends indicate an increasing skepticism toward current public and private school models. They fail to offer kids the skills they need to be healthy, self-directed life-learners. They stifle creativity, and encourage conformity of thought. They utilize draconian disciplinary measures and a one-size-fits-all approach to learning. Government control of, and corporate intrusion into education has been a further disaster for communities concerned with the welfare of their youngsters. Alternatively, the 'deschooling' project offers self-directed learning strategies for children, encourages community-building and participation from parents in the learning process, builds critical thinking for active engagement and democratic self-governance, and alleviates the negative psychological effects of traditional schooling methods."

Support AK Press!

Is Giving Money Activism?

The documentary I'm working on about the plight of youth who have aged out of the foster care system and the various ways we can help them was on a bit of a hiatus. Now I know what it means when a project is scrapped because of "artistic differences."

We're back to work, or at least we were this past weekend, and we were talking about how a film is about one thing (the plight of emancipated foster youth and various programs and legislation that help them successfully transition to adulthood), but it's really about something deeper (i.e., it takes only one person, and not even one related to an official "program" to change someone's life, and you can be that person).

This is an activist film, and to many in my town activism means writing a check. And sometimes it's a really big check that, for instance, funds the production of a documentary or starts a new Turtle Nest Village. And as much as I (as the co-chair of several organizations that deal with this issue) enjoy getting--and even writing--big checks (which I enjoy as an individual, as well), I think of writing checks as part of my philanthropy plan, and not as activism. I make a personal distinction between social investing/venture philanthropy/charitable giving, and what I want the audience of the documentary to do: get off their asses and get involved, and essentially change their lives in order to better the lives of others.

Activism, in this context, means if you are moved to care about this issue, do something (or change the way you do something). And if it's inconvenient or annoying or you'd much rather be doing something else, so be it. Do you think I want to be up at 5am blogging every day? Do you think I want to feel compelled to give two abused greyhounds a home and spend tens of thousands of dollars on them and basically change my life so they can have their needs met? Do you think I want to deal with the ridiculousness of the cat-trapping situation (which, thank heavens, has actually begun)? Do you think I want to spend 25 hours/week volunteering and serving on boards and advisory councils when I could be spending that time making money? Do you think I enjoy the reality that shopping, even for the simplest item, first involves a thorough search for potential human rights abuses, environmental impact, and sources of ingredients or materials?

Let me be clear: The answer is No. I'd rather be drinking mimosas for breakfast, training for a triathlon, traveling some more, learning how to paint, and polishing up my voice so I can sing jazz in some smoky club at night (okay, a non-smoking club). Activism is about your daily behavior, from eating to shopping to working to socializing and about how all of the decisions you make about the way you live your life and even the way you think about life, are informed by the changes you'd like to see in the world. It's about being a living editorial on current state of the world and the future you'd like to see.

What do you think?

Taking on an Institution

The Backstory
I was invited (read: invited to pay $95) to a luncheon on Wednesday about TNR by an organization on Palm Beach that's not exactly friendly to outsiders. (I used to live there, and few people and fewer organizations there are friendly to outsiders.) Going in with a bang, I have RSVP'd that I assume lunch will be vegan (can you say No chance?). I look forward to the response I get, if any, in addition to the welcoming I get.

At mere weeks from turning 42, I will be the youngest person in attendance, probably by two decades. The organizer, who is a man, will likely be the only man in the room. There will be at least one other outsider, Dr. Julie Levy of the University of Florida.

Dr. Levy's clinical interests center on feline infectious diseases, neonatal kitten health, humane alternatives for cat population control, and immunocontraceptive vaccines for cats. She is the founder of two university-based feral cat spay/neuter programs which have sterilized more than 40,000 cats since 1994 (Operation Catnip). Dr. Levy’s accomplishments include publication of more than 100 journal articles and textbook chapters.

Fabulous.

I plan to find a way to discuss veganism (again, I'm making assumptions, such as my fellow attendees, with the exception of Dr. Levy, don't even know what a vegan is), such as by comparing the cats we share an affinity for with the cows and chickens who are like them in at least one very important way (sentience, but I might not use the word).

Intergenerational communication can be dicey, but in this case the group probably needs some kind of succession plan (which wouldn't include me because I don't live there, but I might know someone . . . ), so it would behoove them to lend me an ear. I haven't had much luck getting my own parents to go vegan (my mother was promising and did stop eating meat for a while, but alas, not killing animals--even her beloved cows--is simply not that important to her).

And the question (finally): Has anyone had success with 60+ year olds whom you do not live with (heck, or even the ones you do live with)? If I were to wager, I'd put my money on the health reasons for going vegan as most likely to succeed with this population. I do know a handful of vegans who are a couple of decades older than I, some of whom are recent converts, and health is the argument that made the difference for them.

If anyone is 60+, I'd of course like to hear from you, too!

NYT on Supreme Court's Navy Sonar Decision

As I'm sure you know, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Navy, lifting restrictions that would have saved whales from mass strandings, hemorrhaging around their brains and ears, and lesions in their vital organs. At least the New York Times, which has consistently been on the side of the scientists who have studied the whales rather than the Navy "experts" who ever actually did an impact study and deny the evidence, has come out once again against the Supreme Court.

I vowed to find some good news at least once a week. Does this count? Before you say NO how about defining good news as either good for animals directly, or indicative of a movement toward being better for them?

Maybe? Anyone . . . anyone . . . Bueller . . . Bueller . . .

A Message from Michele at PPS

Dear friend of Peaceful Prairie Sanctuary,

We're so close...but we still need more help to make it to the finish line!

We've been working feverishly behind the scenes on acquiring this property for several months now.

Thanks to your overwhelming response and generosity, we were able to make another cash offer for $97,000.00. Having consulted with, and been working, with Realtors and financial professionals, we had every reason to expect that offer to be accepted.

However, the property is owned by Fannie May and we are dealing with a hugely dysfunctional bureaucracy. They have countered our offer with an asking price of $115,000.00.

Although donations are still coming in, we need to raise another $15,000.00 ASAP.

If you use JustGive, as soon as your donation is recorded, we can show Fannie May that PPS has the funds. We won't need to pay the sale price until the closing date of Dec. 17th, at which time, JustGive will have dispersed the funds.

Credit card donations can also be made through PayPal from our home page. http://www.peacefulprairie.org/help.html#donateButton

Thanks to so many of you, we've come amazingly close to making this sanctuary expansion and new education center a reality for generations to come!

Please spread the word and we'll get there TOGETHER!

Thank You!

Michele Alley-Grubb
Peaceful Prairie Sanctuary

P.S. This property was originally listed at $255,000.00. Due to the market crash, the price has gradually been dropped to the final asking price of $119,000.00. If PPS can purchase it for $115,000.00 (even though we had hoped to get it for 100k), it will still be an unbeatable bargain and once in a lifetime opportunity!

 

On Single Issues and Vegetarians

In my outreach, I use single issues such as dog racing and breeding, horse usage, sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation, and now TNR, as entrees into vegan education. And guess what I've found, 100% of the time?

Not a vegan in the bunch.

There are at least a handful of vegetarians in the group, and the funny thing about them is how vehemently anti "meat" they are. They talk about how disgusting it is, and most won't allow meat in their homes (so if a bunch of people are working at their home for the day and bring lunch, no meat is allowed). Now, I'm willing to bet my entire net worth (which has definitely been shrinking) that these vegetarians have no idea how closely connected frozen yogurt is to veal, and they're the first ones to speak out against the cruelties of veal. I believe this is simply a matter of education.

The vegetarians have one significant trait in common with the single issue people: they believe they're already doing a lot to help animals. And they've certainly demonstrated their willingness to change their behavior a bit and change the way they spend their time and money in order to help animals. What better place to introduce veganism?

Thanksgiving's coming to a nightmare near you in two weeks. We're still trying to get out of being in a home that has a carcass on the table and go to Sublime. Whether I bring food to our friends' home or we go to Sublime doesn't matter much, though I clearly have a preference. What I can definitely do from now until Thanksgiving is emphasize the similarities between greyhounds and turkeys. And between feral cats and turkeys. And between sea turtles and turkeys. Single issues present an odd kind of speciesism, and vegetarianism is often the result of misinformation. Both of these challenges can be easily addressed (though the outcome is not in our hands) with a little patience and compassion.

Remember that single issue people think they're already on the side of animals. Rather than showing them how they're not, why not show them how they can take their compassion or desire for justice even further?

On Why I Haven't Joined the Obama Dog Craze

I signed the Presidential Pooch Pardon, and I think we all should. But I've been getting asked why I haven't started a campaign for a greyhound in the White House, and I wanted to address that. (Greyhounds are hypoallergenic.)

I'm not sure how good an idea it is to campaign for any kind of purebreed dog as the next White House companion animal. I think the focus on saving a life by adopting from a shelter is the simplest message that's least likely to have unintended, negative consequences.

Like what, you ask?

Let's say Obama goes with the goldendoodle, but gets her from a breed rescue group or a shelter rather than a breeder. Yes, there's a rescue message in there, but there's also a purebreed message in there. Considering the extent to which this particular President Elect has become somewhat of a cult figure, I'd be concerned that he might start an accidental trend--an increase in the demand for goldendoodles. And that means an increase in the breeding of goldendoodles.

The greyhound situation is actually worse, in that rescuing a greyhound, and particularly one who raced, isn't as smooth sailing as it is often made out to be. Yes, they can be giant couch potatoes and they are very catlike. But they also need to run in an enclosed area, for hundreds of yards at a time, at least a couple of times a week, and they create divots galore, especially when they turn. And trotting them out onto the White House lawn without a leash is fine (as there are fences . . . eventually), until they see a squirrel, at which time they take off like a shot and will very likely mow down anyone in their path in an attempt to catch the squirrel. And they have behavioral issues and socialization issues (most often both are around small dogs, as greyhounds have high prey drives which are exploited during training). What has been done to them during the first two years of their lives can turn them into difficult pets. Now, with love and patience and time, that situation can change, but they have had very hard lives before they are rescued, and it shows.

Meanwhile, there are greyhounds who are bred for show, and they don't have the issues that retired racers have. And a greyhound in the White House is bound to increase the demand for non-racing greyhounds, particularly once the word gets out that they don't have the same problems.

Finally, it's not out of the realm of possibility that a greyhound in the White House might actually help the dog racing industry. We simply don't know what would happen and it's too risky to throw the dice and find out.

I say let the industry die the death that's already begun, educate people about dog racing and also get them to question the idea that racing dogs is even acceptable, adopt a retired racer if you can (they're certainly not for everyone), and when you get the chance to vote for a racing ban or in any other way support one, do so.