Thursday, April 4, 2013

Our Animal Relatives....

Today, April 4th, is World Stray Animal Day! I would like you to use this occasion to think about our Animal Relatives - and how poorly so many of them get treated by us humans. 


Please think in particular about the abuse of animals in present-day farming industries, research labs, and entertainment - and about what you can do, personally, to help stop the existing discrimination and violence against animals (e.g. by volunteering for animal shelters, by creating more awareness, by choosing cruelty-free products, by eating more vegan food, by getting politically active, etc).

Share your personal ideas of how you can help (or have helped) to create more happiness for animals. Feel also free to share pictures and/or stories and/or poems of/about your animal friends.


Some Informative Links about the Issues and how to Help:


http://www.peta.org/issues/default.aspx

http://vancouveranimalrightscampaigns.wordpress.com

http://www.vancouverhumanesociety.bc.ca

http://www.humanesociety.com

http://liberationbc.org

http://www.wwf.ca/about_us/#.UV3I1aVhvww

http://www.wspa.ca

http://www.chooseveg.ca/animal-organizations-canada.asp

About April 4th"
http://www.cesarsway.com/dogrescue/spayandneuter/The-Story-of-World-Stray-Animals-Day?utm_source=CMF_FB&utm_medium=Post&utm_campaign=4.3.13
and:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zCioRj3XmE&feature=share

Cruelty-Free Cosmetics and Household Goods:
http://www.peta.org/living/beauty-and-personal-care/companies/default.aspx

12 comments:

  1. It completely boggles my mind how people can treat harmless, innocent animals so poorly. I would like to live in a world where animal cruelty no longer exists, and it starts with us making a change. Some ideas I have to help are the following. Firstly get to know the animals in your community. If you know the animals it is much easier to see signs of animal cruelty. Report any signs of animal cruelty to the police, giving them as many details as you can. Animal cruelty is a crime and should not go unpunished. Volunteering at animal shelters is another great way to show your support to end animal cruelty. Finally lead by example. Always treat your pets with the respect they deserve.

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    1. I sincerely agree with you Luke, Lead by example, For the most part, many people's hearts are in the right place when it comes to their pets, they just simply don't know all the facts. Educating people about how to better care for their own animals, and supporting programs that encourage this is a good start for anyone that wants to contribute.

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    2. Good points, both of you! Of course, one other thing we humans can do is to actually become political for animals and make public pressure to try to get the laws changed and thus stop legalized torture and abuse of animals (e.g. in farming industries, "entertainment," labs, fur industries, etc). Of course, informed consumer choices also help and really make a difference (e.g. buying cruelty-free products, and NOT buying fur as well as reducing the consumption of meat etc)...

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  2. After reading some of these articles, it astonishes me that such acts of cruelty can be still done around the world today. I have a cat, who I love dearly. Simply imagining anything that would cause her harm hurts me as well.

    My cat was adopted from an animal shelter when she was just a kitten, and I feel that this is a good way to give animals in shelters a second chance at life. If everyone who is thinking about adopting a pet visits an animal shelter first, this will greatly reduce the amount of demand from places such as puppy mills, where often animal abuse or neglect is found.

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    1. Hello Eva!

      I completely agree with your thoughts, and I think such acts of cruelty to our animals shouldn't be happening in this world.

      If you were motivated enough to make an impact to the world, in relation to this topic, what would you do to make a difference?

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    2. Adopting animals from shelter - as well as volunteering for shelters and supporting organizations that try to protect animals is certainly a good starting point. Of course, we can do more if we want to - from becoming more political for animals (e.g. by signing petitions and creating more awareness) to refusing to buy products (household cleaners, cosmetics, clothes, food) that exploit and torture animals....

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  3. It concerns me that we have been treating animals with such cruelty and that unknowingly, we are even supporting it through what we eat and buy. Animals should be treated with the same love and care as we treat other humans as these animals are our friends and even part of our families. Thinking about what the animals have to suffer, I imagine what it would feel like if it were me instead of the animals being “electrocuted, strangled, and skinned alive” as told in the PeTA article. We are not that different from animals and to be treating them with such abuse is unacceptable.
    In order to prevent this, active participation in reporting signs of animal cruelty must be taken. I remember having a golden retriever living across from my grandparent’s house. When I looked at him, he would look miserable and end up being left outside, day after day. Just sitting there without any toys, every time I visited my grandparents, I would bring some tennis balls or chew toys and casually throw them over the fence. We phoned SPCA and luckily, he was taken in and found a better environment to live in.

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    1. Good points! And I am very glad that the golden retriever found a better home! Thanks for having contributed to his or her happiness!

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  4. I met my Laughing in the fall of 2011 when she was only 2 months old. I always think that I am so lucky to have her in my life. She is the most amazing creature in my world and what she has brought to my family is incredible. My mom used to be afraid of all furry animals, just as my fear of insects. After one year study in Biology at college where I was forced to touch insects frequently, I got rid of my fear(here's another long story). In return, my mum accepted the idea of adopting a cat at home which I had been dreaming from childhood. Laughing has her own charisma without doubt, and won my mum's affection just within a few months. Now I am studying abroad and living far away from my mum, it is Laughing who keeps her company a lot instead of me. Sometimes, I really appreciate her of that. That's part of story of my cat, and I hold the belief in the equality of all living creatures, and do want people to pay more care and awareness to the living condition of our animal relatives.

    Based on what I know, in my home country, a lot need to be fixed in the problems related to animal welfare, such as the illegal trade of fur or skin from rare wild animals, the consumption of wild animals, the imperfection of the law when punishing people who violently treat animals, and the loose regulations in doing with the experimental animals, etc.. What concerned me most is the lost of critical laws to sanction those abuse. It needs more volunteers, organizations, campaigns to raise awareness of animal welfare, and instill the sense of rightness in treating our animal relatives kindly.

    It is good to see so many achievements has been made here, I always have an ambition to bring those good practices back to my home country, because sometimes it is frustrating to see people have the mind to improve things but ended up in an inappropriate way and even aroused some antis to them. I could start from finding a more convincing way to persuade/educate ordinary people to choose cruelty-free products, take vegetarian life, adopt animals other than purchase, and pass the idea to more people around them.


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    1. Excellent points. I think we all really need to contribute on a daily basis to start making a difference for animals world-wide! Although what we can do individually looks like not much, it will add up if everybody does it - and if we encourage our families and friends to join us in our care for animals.

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  6. I heard there was an incident at the Kitsilano beach few days ago. A man with his dog was passing by another person with a dog and the dog growled at his dog. This is extremely usual case when two dogs meet, right? But this man took out his pocket knife and started to stab the dog just because it growled at his dog. There was no biting or physical contact between two dogs. Just growling. The dog ended up dying. This is a story that happened in our neighbor. I think we really need to grow more awareness of animal right and should pass a stricter law to protect animals so that no animal would become a victim of thoughtless humans like this.

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