ANIMALS - R - ALIVE
Animal Welfare
"There are key differences between animal welfare and animal rights. Animal welfare reflects the belief that all animals should be humanely treated, while the animal rights philosophy gives moral equivalence (and promotes equal legal standing!) to animals and humans. Animal rights groups reject all uses of animals: for biomedical research as well as for food, clothing, entertainment."
I must disagree. The Welfare, (which means Well-Being, which in turn means good health, happiness and/or prosperity), of an Animal includes the quality of Life. They have the Right for a Quality Life. This is why I use the term 'Animal Welfare'. It incorporates the Animal's Rights. The Animal's birth right. Keep in mind, many Animal Welfare and Animal Rights people believe there is a huge difference between the two. I am just stating my beliefs here.
I do ".....reject all uses of animals: for biomedical research as well as for food, clothing, entertainment." as stated above by the AMP. I have Hepatits C, and animals have been used in research for over two decades, with no results, in the supposed research to find a cure for any kind of hepatitis. Animals want what we want, things we sometimes take for granted like the food on our tables or a roof over our heads.
An Animal's Welfare, or Well-Being, Health and Happiness, is not taken into consideration when it's Life is spent getting painful tests done to it's body, or being forced to perform acts that are unnatural, or being forced to eat, breed, and produce at an unnatural rate. They have a Right, to have a Quality Life. Their Well-Being, Health and Happiness, depends on this.
I do not support, or am supported by nor do I advertise for the establishments that this website provides links to. The following websites, I personal have found to be helpful for their wonderful e-mailing lists, pre-written letters, links and information;
Here are a few Yahoo groups I am a memeber of that I also find helpful;
Why I support P.E.T.A. - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
PETA is, by far, the most recognized Animal Welfare / Animal Rights Organization in the World. Because of this, they are able to bring to people, the awareness of the atrocities and inhumane treatment we as humans allow other humans to perform on living beings we use for our own unneeded selfish needs. While some are hiding behind religion, science and politics, others hide behind the food industry, the clothes industry or the human rights industry. Once a person becomes aware of these atrocities, their lives will never be the same.
For instance, last year, 2004, poultry producer Pilgrim's Pride Corp. vowed to crack down on chicken abuse after a video released by PETA showed workers stomping and kicking live chickens at a plant that supplies chicken to Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Another example is the following recent article shows an example of how PETA gets undercover evidence of animal abuse, this is one of the main reasons I support PETA. By doing the work they do, like undercover work, they have the ability to take legal measures against those who abuse animals and make public, freely, to all who dare open their eyes to see what human beings are capable of.
Activists Urge NIH to Sanction University for Repeat Offense
By Rick Weiss
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, December 2, 2005; A21
"Fool me once, shame on -- shame on you. Fool me -- you can't get fooled again."
-- President Bush, 2002
Concerned that the federal government may not be living up to President Bush's famous two-strikes-and-you're-out philosophy, animal rights activists are asking federal officials how many times a university needs to violate animal welfare regulations before it gets hit with some kind of punishment.
At the center of the storm is the University of North Carolina, which in the past four years has twice had the misfortune of hiring animal laboratory technicians who turned out to be undercover agents for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
The first instance produced embarrassing video footage taken by the employee (one clip showed a lab worker using scissors to cut the heads off of baby rats while saying: "I don't put them to sleep. Maybe it's illegal, but it's easier."). It led to a damning report from the federal Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare. But no sanctions came down from that office, part of the National Institutes of Health, because by the end of that investigation OLAW had determined that the problems had been corrected.
By then, however, PETA had managed to have a new agent hired by UNC. After an 11-month tour of duty, that employee released a new batch of evidence, including more photos and videos, and OLAW opened a new investigation.
The recently released report of that second investigation is remarkable for its similarity to the first report, PETA activists note -- including its conclusion that no action needs to be taken because of reassurances that the university has again resolved the problems.
"We looked at the new report and thought, 'Did they just cut and paste the old one or what?' " said Kate Turlington, the PETA investigator who conducted the first undercover operation, during which she wore a hidden video camera while caring for sick lab animals and talking to co-workers.
In a letter sent this week to NIH Director Elias A. Zerhouni, PETA Vice President Mary Beth Sweetland called for sanctions, such as a suspension of UNC's federal animal research license.
"Surely it should not take a third PETA undercover investigation of UNC to convince NIH that its practice of taking federally funded research institutions at their word is ineffectual," Sweetland wrote. "UNC's repeated, chronic violations . . . spotlight the university's lack of respect for NIH authority, and it seems that NIH does not mind one bit."
Tony Waldrop, UNC's vice chancellor for research and development, said that many of the problems found in the second inspection were remnants of problems from earlier on, which were still in the process of being corrected. "It was not new information," he said, noting that a recent follow-up inspection resulted in "an absolute clean bill of health and full accreditation."
Norka Ruiz Bravo, NIH's deputy director for extramural research, which oversees animal research at grantee institutions, said NIH has the authority to pull the plug on research at institutions that repeatedly violate animal welfare rules. But in general, she said, OLAW "doesn't work in a punitive fashion," preferring instead to "work with the institution" to bring it into compliance.
Perhaps most important, UNC says it has updated its screening and background checks for new hires.
© 2005 The Washington Post Company
BEFORE giving money to, or supportng ANY organization you may come across, make sure you do your research. ALOT of companies, like IAMS for example, that claim to be such a great pet food maker. What they forget to mention is how they do their research; cruel experiments on the very animals they supposedly are creating healthy food for. See; IAMS Kills
Also, organizations, like the WWF ( World Wildlife Federation ), support animal testing and hunting. There are many more, so again, please do your research. PETA has a wonderful website that 'grades' some of these so-called, 'animal welfare' organizations. Its called GreenWash. Check it out. You'll be surprised who does what.
I cannot promise any of the listed websites are against use of animals in every aspect of human behavior. However, I personally am against animals used for; research, testing in anyway, entertainment and food. If you do come across a link, listed here, that supports animal use and/or abuse in ANY way, please email me, and I will remove it.
Animal Welfare Links Listed Alphabetically
Working on adding desciptions of the listed entries below ~ All descriptions come from the respected websites
"In response to pressure from hunters, Iams has placed hunter Kelley Donham on its animal care advisory board. Donham is a breeder of hunting dogs and a judge of field trials (events at which people disable birds, bind their feet together, and throw them into marshes so that they can sic their dogs on the frightened animals). Donham is an expert in human occupational safety hazards associated with the factory farming of cows, pigs, and chickens."
The IAMS Company: Killing dogs and cats to make a better pet food...
"Unbelievable as it sounds, the Iams Co., manufacturer of the Iams/Eukanuba line of quality dog and cat foods, has been harming and even killing dogs and cats, claiming to make a better brand of pet food. In dozens of painful and invasive experiments, hundreds of dog and cats just like your animal companion, were made to suffer and sometimes die in the name of "nutrition research." These experiments were not designed to help the animals involved. These innocent victims were all healthy animals who were used simply as disposable objects."
Proctor & Gamble owns Iams
"The extensive line of Aussie hair care products, long touted to be free of animal tests, is now under the ownership of Procter & Gamble."
My communications with the A.S.P.C.A. about their relationship with IAMS, and their replies,
have been placed on the following webpage;
Humane Living Pawprint Quiz
"Every day, by the choices you make, you leave a mark on the earth, and on the animals who share our world. So what's the size of your Humane Living Pawprint? Are you making the kinds of lifestyle choicesfrom minor to majorthat can make life better not just for you, but for animals and our planet?
As part of The Humane Society of the United States' 50th anniversary celebration, we've come up with a quick and easy way to find out! Just take the Humane Living Pawprint quiz: http://www.humanepawprint.org
Animal Welare Information & Links Grouped by Animal
Organizations Against using Animals in Testing & Research (in prgoress)
Why fur is cruel
"Fur comes from animals who are either trapped in the wild or raised in cages in fur factories -- often referred to as "fur farms" or "ranches." Altogether, roughly 40 million animals are killed for the fur trade each year. Millions of additional animals, including dogs, cats, and endangered species, are caught accidentally in traps each year. Both trapping and ranching cause animals to suffer extreme cruelty."
The Observer, Sunday November 27, 05
"Millions of fur-bearing animals including foxes, raccoons, minks, coyotes, bobcats, lynxes, opossums, nutria, beavers, muskrats, otters, and othersóare killed each year on fur farms by anal and vaginal electrocution and in the wild by drowning, trapping, or beating. Every year, thousands of dogs, cats, raptors, and other so-called "trash" animals (including endangered species like the bald eagle) are crippled or killed by traps."
"China supplies more than half of the finished fur garments imported for sale in the United States. When undercover investigators made their way onto Chinese fur farms recently, they found that many animals are still alive and struggling desperately when workers flip them onto their backs or hang them up by their legs or tails to skin them. Watch the Movie
Order PETA's Shopping Guide a FREE copy of this convenient, purse-sized guide.
"Shopping compassionately couldn't be easier. PETA's shopping guide lists information about where to buy everything from satin pumps and non wool sweaters to synthetic leather snowboarding boots and rubber biker jackets." For a sneak-preview of the guide click here.
"By selling real fur, J.Crew is supporting an industry that kills hundreds of millions of animals each year. Despite the public outcry against the cruelty involved in fur farming, J.Crew has refused to remove fur from its clothing line. Let J.Crew officials know that you won’t shop there until they follow the lead of forward-thinking retailers such as Gap, Banana Republic, American Eagle, Aeropostale, and others and pledge to stop selling items made of fur. Please take the time to send a short message now."
Dec 2005
For 11 short weeks, PETA's supporters waged a vigorous campaign against retailer J.Crew, capturing headlines and attention throughout the nation, demanding that the chain stop selling fur clothing, fur trim, and other fur items. This pressure, along with a tremendous outcry from J.Crew's own customers, who were shocked to see that the retailer was supporting the violent and bloody fur industry, paid off: On November 30, 2005, J.Crew confirmed that it will no longer sell any fur.
Joining the ranks of top fashion retailers H&M, Forever 21, and others that have adopted fur-free policies, J.Crew is sending a powerful message to the clothing industry that putting rabbits, coyotes, foxes, and other animals through horrible lives and torturous deaths will not be tolerated.
"Dogs - including breeds you're familiar with, such as German shepards and Chow Chows - are bludgeoned or bled to death. Cats are typically strangled by wire nooses. Others are boiled alive."
"....the cruelty and carnage taking place daily on fur farms around the world, including widespread slaughter of nearly 2,000,000 cats and hundreds of thousands of dogs in China every year."
"Once they have been killed, their coats are "processed" into clothing, glove linings, coat collars, fury figurine knick-knacks - even cuff links - and shipped to destinations around the world, including the United States and Canada."
"To kill rabbits, fur farmers break the animals’ necks, smash their skulls, or use vaginal or anal electrocution to kill them before stringing them up by their legs to cut off their heads. Some are even skinned alive. Other animals watch as this horrific violence is taking place."
In Massachusetts ~ Animal Beaters To Get Stricter Penalty
August 23rd 2004 - The Metro Newspaper - Boston
"Cruelty to animals will now be a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and/or a $2,500 fine. The Legislation, which Lt. Gov. Kerry Healy signed on Friday, will also allow state officials to report cases of animal abuse."
Factory Farming
"...the quantity of waste produced by farm animals in the U.S. is more than 130 times greater than that produced by humans. Agricultural runoff has killed millions of fish, and is the main reason why 60% of America's rivers and streams are "impaired"....In addition to killing fish, pfiesteria causes open sores, nausea, memory loss, fatigue and disorientation in humans. Even groundwater, which takes thousands of years to restore, is being contaminated. For example, the aquifer under the San Bernadino Dairy Preserve in southern California contains more nitrates and other pollutants than water coming from sewage treatment plants."
December 9, 2004
"A University of Iowa study released Thursday was cited as finding that children living on hog farms are more likely to have asthma."
March 22 2005
Watch 'Meatrix' the action thriller which shows the truth behind the mass meat industry by mega-corporations called 'factory farming'. Created by Free Range Graphics
Korean Dogs and Cats
Should the brutal treatment and death of a dog or cat concern us more than if the same were done to a cow, or a sheep, or a chicken. It shouldn't, but animals that the "Western world" looks upon as companion animals are treated very differently in Korea.
Many Koreans still believe that if one eats dog meat from dogs that have been tortured to death, it will make them more sexually active. The marketing of dog meat as a health food was initiated and perpetuated by the dog meat dealers to keep their billion dollar businesses going. The rationale behind savagely beating a dog to death lies in the primitiveness that when a dog is beaten they produce high levels of adrenaline hence the selling of their meat as a kind of "natural" viagra for impotence and vitality!
This adrenaline rush is achieved by hanging dogs from ropes on trees and leaving them to slowly strangle to death, and then while still alive, their fur is blowtorched off.
Cats do not hold any position of affection in Korean society. They are not eaten as dogs are but many attempts have been made to eradicate them, not by humane methods, but rather by beating the animals to death in sacks or, in some cases, boiling them alive in large pressure cookers to supply the insatiable demand for another "herbal" remedy – although clearly animals do not fall into this category.
The Korean government does not enforce its animal welfare laws so people make an assumption that farming dogs, slaughtering them and selling their meat is legal. It is not. The sale and cooking of dogs is illegal under Korea's food and sanitation laws.
More Helpful Links on This
"One of the most dangerous things that can happen to a child, is to kill or torture an animal and get away with it."
-~ Margaret Mead, Anthropologist
"Not to hurt our humble brethren (the animals) is our first duty to them, but to stop there is not enough. We have a higher mission - to be of service to them whenever they require it...If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men."
~Saint Francis of Assisi
"All the arguments to prove man's superiority cannot shatter this hard fact: In suffering, the animals are our equals."
-- Peter Singer, from Animal Liberation
"Animal cruelty is a key trait for conduct disorders in an American Psychiatric Association profile. The FBI also acknowledges animal abuse as a
stage along the violence continuum."
July 18 issue
"As Mike Markarian wrote last week, animals have friends of all political stripes. Matthew Scully, a former speech writer for President George W. Bush and political conservative, speaks out eloquently against animal cruelty. Read more in this week's Newsweek."
Please visit the following websites to read more about the relationship between violence
towards animals and violence towards people
"It has been proven over and over. Statistical data, case studies, psychologists, and even FBI Profilers show us the connection over and over again, and yet animal abuse crimes are not given nearly the weight that human crimes are given. Animal abuse clearly illustrates a lack of empathy for the suffering of others, which is a signficant characteristic of sociopathic personalities."
"Animal abuse doesn't occur in isolation; rather, it takes place in a complex net of disturbed family relations. For example, animal abuse is frequently found in families where there also is child abuse and domestic violence. Children in these disturbed families who witness the abuse of family companion animals are more likely to abuse animals; in addition, children who commit animal cruelty are more likely to engage in criminal behavior as adults. We also see a close link between domestic violence and animal abuse. In one national survey of women seeking shelter from domestic violence in safe houses, 83% of women with companion animals reported that their batterers had also hurt or threatened the family pet."
"Violent acts toward animals have long been recognized as indicators of a dangerous psychopathy that does not confine itself to animals....Animal abuse is not just the result of a minor personality flaw in the abuser but rather a symptom of a deep mental disturbance. Research in psychology and criminology shows that people who commit acts of cruelty toward animals don't stop there; many of them move on to their fellow humans."
"Researchers Alan Felthouse and Stephen Kellert found that a child who learns aggression against animals is more likely to rape, abuse, and kill other humans as an adult. Thus, it is reported that the nation's most violent criminals exhibited excessive cruelty towards animals."
"The link between violence and animals has been recognized, researched, studied, and documented, but there remains a gap in understanding why our dogs and children are becoming violent."
"The First Strike® campaign was created in 1997 to raise public and professional awareness about the connection between animal cruelty and human violence and to help communities identify some of the origins of violence, predict its patterns, and prevent its escalation."
"The Link between child abuse, animal cruelty, and other crimes of violence against humans has now been well established. Child and animal protection professionals have recognized that abuse of both animals and children is linked within a self-perpetuating cycle. Statistics nationwide indicate that this Link is a problem of national concern, and breaking this cycle of violence has become a top priority for thousands of communities nationwide."
"......men who abused animals were 5 times more likely to have been arrested for violence against humans, 4 times more likely to have committed property crimes, and 3 times more likely to have records for drug and disorderly conduct offenses."
"This Bulletin, (Juvenile Justice Bulletin, September 2001) describes psychiatric, psychological, and criminal research linking animal abuse to violence perpetrated by juveniles and adults."
"Mahatma Gandhi said, "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." Animals feel pain and fear like we do, but they are often helpless victims because they can't
voice what happened to them. In fact, some people choose to abuse animals over people because animals
for this very reason! If we wish to create a humane society, we must stop cruelty against those who are
most vulnerable--like animals."
"Our publication 'The Violence Connection: An Examination of the Link Between Animal Abuse and Other Violent Crimes' stresses the growing importance of treating animal abuse as a serious crime. Intermixing research with illustrative examples, this booklet examines the link between animal abuse and child abuse, domestic violence, and other crimes."
10/15/2005
"A beloved pet may prolong an abusive relationship, a study has found. The Central Queensland University study, which assessed the perspectives of family service providers, has found domestic violence perpetrators used pets to manipulate and control their victims. Sixty per cent of respondents reported that the welfare of pets were a major concern for those stuck in abusive relationships. Almost all respondents told the study that domestic violence victims significantly delay leaving abusive relationships due to concerns for their pets. Most indicated that they saw deliberate harm of pets as another way in which abusers had kept control of the abused. "There is a link between the way we treat animals and the way we treat people," said study researcher Dr Nik Taylor. "Animals are used in a number of ways to coerce women to behave in a particular way. "It's premeditated a lot of the time, we have children whose abusers have actually bought them animals so that they can threaten to take them away if they reveal they have been sexually abused, for example. "Women and children have been saying they need more services and choices when they were deciding whether or not to leave ... If they have been saying they need this service, then why isn't it there? So (in this study) we've asked the service providers whether or not they need this, to find out if they think this is valid. "It gives us a real position of strength to prove that it's needed."
Resources on the Approach of Teaching Children about Animal
Abuse and Treating Those who Abuse Animals
AniCare Child: An Assessment and Treatment Approach for Childhood Animal Abuse
"The AniCare Model of Treatment for Animal Abuse is now in use in thirty states. It is the first professionally developed psychological intervention program for animal abusers over the age of 17. AniCare Child gives clear, step-by-step advice on how to assess and treat young people who abuse animals. It was created by experts in the field who have worked to determine the most effective methods of treatment."
The book addressess; "childhood animal abuse and how it often precedes further acts of violence and/or is symptomatic of family violence. Information on how to effectively assess the situation, factors to consider when determining the severity of the problem, and additional disorders that are often associated with children who abuse animals. Addresses specific methods that can be used to treat animal abusers. Explains how to establish a nurturing relationship with the child; describes the importance of helping the child learn how to identify, express, and regulate his or her feelings; and provides a variety of specific, therapeutic exercises that can be used to develop the skills that the child needs to improve his or her behavior. Numerous case studies show the reader how to successfully implement the exercises."
"TeachKind's mission is to provide you, the educator, with free high-quality lesson plans and materials that will help your students develop critical-thinking skills, empathy, compassion, and civic responsibility while empowering them to take compassionate action for animals in their own communities. We also help educators and schools implement healthy and humane educational policies that benefit students, educators, and animals. TeachKind is the education program of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, a 501(c)3 nonprofit that is funded primarily by the generous donations of members and supporters."
More from this website
More Animal Welfare Up to Date News & Action Alerts
Also see the Updates webpage for News on Animal Welfare, Health, Politics and more
"The world is a dangerous place to live in, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who
stand by and let it happen."
~ Albert Einstein
Watch a video of the capture of dolphins during Japan's bloody drive fisheries.
Please be aware that this footage is very graphic and disturbing.
Protest Japanese dolphin hunts on September 25, 2007
This year on September 25th, WSPA and dolphin advocates around the world will stage an international day of protest against Japan's bloody drive fisheries. Events will take place at 12 noon (local time) on Tuesday, September 25th at Japanese Embassies and Consulates worldwide.
WSPA urges you to show your support for dolphins by participating in an event near you.
Llora Britches (Cry Britches), is a musical video of the Spanish rock band Lyvon. The lyric of the song belongs to the Spanish poet Ángel Padilla -
For more information on 'Animal Liberation Front', click the image below.
