10/28/12

AIA files suit against Indio claiming deplorable and substandard conditions at animal shelter


Advancing the Interests of Animals filed a lawsuit on Friday, October 19  with the Superior Court of Riverside of California against the City of Indio claiming deplorable  and  substandard conditions at its city animal shelter, as well as numerous  violations of both state and county ordinances regarding the treatment of animals in the shelter.
In the suit, we are requesting that the shelter complies with state, county and local laws, that professionally trained staff is hired to manage the shelter, and other items.

We certainly would appreciate your support of the lawsuit and the work of Advancing the Interests of Animals by donating any amount you can to help us cover the legal fees for this action. The animals of Indio deserve better and finally, we are getting the city’s attention.


You may also mail a check to:
Advancing the Interests of Animals
PO Box 5066
Palm Springs, CA 92263




Other important updates from AIA:

Grant Program: The Advancing the Interests of Animals grant program for college and university animal advocacy groups and clubs has received its first applications. Grants of up to $1,000 will be made to winning applicants to fund specific projects that aid animals, educate about animal rights and welfare issues, or promote veganism. We have contacted more than 300 groups directly with invitations to complete an easy application.  Depending on the response, we may expand this campaign next year, and may seek outside foundation support for the program. Details are on the AIA website. Please spread the word to any applicable groups you know that may be interested.


Film Contest: The AIA International Film Contest for Youth is also underway. Cash prizes and radio appearances will be awarded to young film makers in three age categories who produce winning short films (3 minutes or less) promoting animal welfare, animal rights or veganism. Again, please refer to the website and share the news of this contest with any young person who may be interested.



As always, we welcome your comments, suggestions and support.


Advancing the Interests of Animals,

Lori, Peter and Marilyn

10/27/12

Carpe Diem

 
 By: Marilyn Ramos
 
 
Carpe Diem = Seize the moment (or seize the day).
With 24 hours in a day, those of us who are animal activists have a unique opportunity to speak up for them each and every day, each and every hour. We should seize those special moments and opportunities throughout the day to get our message across. I know, however, that it is not always easy. We get distracted with our busy lives and busy schedules or if you have been an ethical vegan for a long time you sometimes can get complacent and forget why you became vegan in the first place. The fierce passion where you want to shout from the rooftops loses a little luster. I have to admit that I sometimes fall into the latter category although I try to do at least one thing per day for animals (besides not eating them, wearing them, etc.) – whether it is sign a petition, send an email or make a phone call; however, this isn’t much so it is important to look for those opportunities each day where you can make a difference or enlighten someone.
I had that opportunity last week when I went to City Wok to pick up my lunch. I usually order their hot braised tofu or their Szechuan eggplant. This was a particularly busy day and I was standing at the takeout counter waiting for my turn when an older gentleman next to me looked at me and smiled. I smiled back. He then asked, “Have you tried their BBQ honey pork? It is out of this world! I got some yesterday and my wife almost ate the whole thing herself”. GULP. Here was an opportunity! I smiled and politely stated that I don’t eat animals because I’m a vegan. The smile on his face disappeared. I then told him in about a minute or so how pigs suffer on factory farms, how they sometimes have their tails docked and teeth pulled without anesthesia. I also told him about gestation crates and how pigs are kept in these crates without the ability to stand up, turn over or simply move. I said, “This suffering is why I don’t eat animals”. Now the look on his face told me that he probably regretted making small talk. What I find humorous is that, more often than not, when you tell someone you don’t eat animals they spring into the, “Oh I don’t eat much meat either”. This gentleman said, “My wife is vegetarian a lot of the time but sometimes she wants meat”. I told him, “With all due respect sir, that doesn’t make your wife vegetarian, it just makes her someone who doesn’t eat a lot of meat. They do have some great tofu and eggplant dishes here if the two of you ever want to try something different”. He said, “Thanks”, paid for his meal and left. I tried not to be bitchy and kept a small smile on my face. I hope that the next time they eat pork (or any meat for that matter) that he will remember the quick facts about cruelty I gave him and reconsider his choice. Maybe even make a more compassionate choice. We never know how our speaking up for animals will influence others especially strangers but that doesn’t mean we shouldn't try.
I recall another time at an animal rights conference, I asked one of the staff to direct me to a specific room where a speaker was going to talk about factory farming. I didn’t ask, “Where is Ballroom B?”. I asked, “Where is the room where they will be speaking about factory farming?”. She wasn’t sure so I then said, “I think it is Ballroom B?” She gave me directions then asked, “So you are with the conference?”. I said, “Yes, why?”. She said, “Can you tell me what’s wrong with milk?”. I said, “Yes I can”. I chatted with her for about 3 minutes and she was engrossed in what I was saying. You could see the light bulb going off in her head. I then thanked her for the directions and said, “Now tomorrow, we can talk about what’s wrong with eggs!”. She chuckled, smiled and bid me adieu.
I will grant you that it took me some time to gain the courage to have these quick little conversations that mean so much. The key is to have 3 or 4 facts at the ready on any vegan topic – dairy, eggs,  meat, factory farming, animal testing, animals in entertainment, animal fur and skin used for clothing, etc.  On the occasion when they ask a question I’m not sure of, I always promise to get back to them or ask them for an email so I can follow up with an answer. Then do it! These little opportunities don’t cost us anything but a minute or two of our day but they can have a lasting effect. Of course, there is more we can do. In the past, I’ve treated coworkers to vegan pizza on World Vegan Day or World Farm Animals Day. The Berkeley Vegan Pizza from Z Pizza is great for that especially since they have the veggie crumbles and it fools the meateaters. They can’t believe that yummy slice is cruelty-free.
Many of us attend or organize protests against the circus or the rodeo or pet stores, etc. but it is these quick unexpected encounters on a daily basis that we need to seize so that we are speaking up for the innocent, speaking up for the voiceless. A bonus is that you feel pretty darn good afterwards! It also gets easier with practice.
 
 



10/8/12

Politics, Politics, Politics



By: Marilyn Ramos


With the Presidential campaigns in full swing, I often think, “Which party is more animal friendly?”  Which party regularly votes for the betterment of animals’ lives? The answer may be obvious but I don’t think it is necessarily a simple answer.

I recall attending an animal rights conference in July 2004. During one of the plenary sessions, the speaker suggested voting for so and so, a conservative anti-gay Republican who had a pretty decent track record (I wish I could remember his name) when it came to animals. I was a bit flabbergasted that this speaker would make such a suggestion. When I challenged him he responded with “So what?!”  He argued that we should be voting the animals’ interests not our own. Fortunately, the race we were discussing was not in California where I’m a registered voter so I didn’t face this dilemma.

Studies have shown that Democratic voters are generally 14 to 19 percentage points more likely than Republican voters to take a pro-animal rights position. The majority of animal rights activists and vegans I know (whether personally or just through our movement) lean to the left. The irony, however, is that in decades past both Republicans and Democrats were both fighters for civil rights. It has only been recently that the rights movement (women’s rights, gay rights, voting rights, etc.) seems to be buoyed by more Democratic leaning voters and Democratic voting Congressmen and women. So does it stand to reason that it will be Democrats and liberals who will also be in the forefront of animal rights? I believe so due to the federal congressional voting record of Republicans and Democrats but I truly hope that this can be changed. It needs to be changed. The animals need this to change.

 There is an animal rights organization that publishes an annual legislative scorecard scoring our federal representatives. I did a review and found the following numbers for those Congressmen and women who scored 50 and over:

In the Senate:      31 Democrats     4 Republicans     1 Independent

(a special shout out goes to Republican Senator Collins, Independent Senator Sanders and Democratic Senators Blumenthal, Kerry, Menendez and Reed for scoring 100 or 100+)

In the House:      148 Democrats   19 Republicans

(a special shout out goes to 57 Democratic representatives for scoring 100 or 100+. No Republican scored 100)

The lopsided numbers in the House are particularly troublesome. We need to do a better job of outreach to Congress but in particular conservative right-leaning representatives. I fear that the “animal rights” argument doesn’t seem to make a difference with a certain segment of conservatives but perhaps a more forceful argument based on the environment and health is how we can reach these people.

I also wish that more Republicans and conservatives in the animal rights movement would “come out of the closet” and make themselves known. I know it may not be an easy thing to do especially when it seems that 90% of the movement is liberal. However, I believe the conservatives in our movement have a duty and have a unique opportunity to do outreach that the rest of us may not be able to do.

I know that these things are not black and white and that many of you (like me) might have a dilemma voting for someone who is pro animals but might be against another position that is important to you. I guess we need to balance our needs with the animals’ needs and we need to do our homework on these politicians to determine how entrenched they are in all of their positions. Are they flexible? Are you flexible?