It's hard to miss that the holiday season is upon us, and we've got some fun activities happening in Victoria to celebrate this, with the 5 Days of Chrismukkah, as envisioned by Sarah Kramer!
In addition, we're encouraging you to check out some books from Friends of Animals if you haven't already - we have two cookbooks (Dining With Friends and The Best of Vegan Cooking) which are quite highly acclaimed, and also On Their Own Terms: Bringing Animal-Rights Philosophy Down to Earth by Lee Hall. Terms is a fantastic book, discussing and investigating vegan and animal rights ideas, and how to manifest these ideas into our world, making a better world for all.
All our books can be found at Sarah's Place, in Market Square off Pandora, and if you're not in Victoria, On Their Own Terms can also be ordered from Sarah's online shop to be shipped anywhere in Canada or elsewhere. While you're at it, look into picking up some stocking stuffers, there are lots of great vegan goodies to choose from!
And that brings us to our Vegan Cash Mob! Check out the details below, and please do join Sarah and myself at Green Cuisine on Tuesday for a dine-out:
VEGAN CASH MOB - 5 DAYS OF CHRISMUKKAH
Support your local vegan businesses this holiday season because they care about animals like you do!
The idea is to get together as many people as possible to "mob" a local vegan business with your support.
Please feel free to invite anyone, and EVERYONE you think might be interested. Everyone is welcome! Vegans, vegetarians, veggie-curious! :)
Dec 12 V - is for Vshoen (620 Broughton St)
Come peruse their cruelty free selection of shoes, socks, tshirts, belts & purses!
Dec 13 E - is for Eat at Green Cuisine (Market Square)
Victoria's oldest running vegan restaurant just re-opened their doors after a devastating fire. Let's show them some love!!
PLUS: 6pm - Victoria Vegan Dine-Out! Join Sarah and Dave for dinner in the 'side' room!
Dec 14 G - is for Gift Certificate from Tattoo Zoo (1215 Wharf Street)
Give a gift that lasts a lifetime from Tattoo Zoo - Victoria's only vegan-friendly tattoo shop!
Dec 15 A - is for Animals!
Donate $20 (or more) to support the Victoria chapter of Friends of Animals (www.thevictoriavegan.com). Donations can be dropped off at Sarah's Place (533 Pandora) and Vshoen (620 Broughton St) and with your donation receive a 10% discount** on items you purchase on the 15th.
PLUS: Green Cuisine is also offering all who donate $20 to FoA their Discount Card, which is good for 10% off at Green Cuisine for the next year!
**shoes only at Vshoen
Dec 16 N - is for Nosh at Sarah's Place (533 Pandora Ave) Sarah's boutique is chock-a-block full of vegan noshables and other great stocking stuffers perfect for the holiday season.
What does that spell? VEGAN!!!
Please feel free to invite anyone, and EVERYONE you think might be interested .
The Fur Free Downtown Dash is quickly approaching! It's a fun, activist-oriented scavenger hunt type of event hosted in downtown Victoria, and will have a fur theme, or better said, anti-fur theme!
You can find out a bit more about the event on our page:
(These numbers include badger, bear, beaver, cougar, coyote,
ermine, fisher, fox, lyns, marten, mink, muskrat, otter, rabbit, raccoons,
skunk, squirrel, bobcat, wolf, wolverine. Numbers DO NOT include harp seals on
Canada's east coast). Total "dollar value" of trapped animals (wildlife)
for 2009: $14,847,952
FUR FARMS - AN OVERVIEW
In 2010, number of
minks killed on fur farms: 2,590,950
In 2010, number of foxes killed on
fur farms: 10,385
In 2010, total number of minks and foxes killed on fur
farms: 2,601,335
Newfoundland: 2,405 foxes and 214,700 minks
Price
Edward Island: 880 foxes and 124,800 minks
Nova Scotia: 885 foxes and
1,347,700 minks
New Brunswick: 2,120 foxes and 54,300
minks
Quebec: 3,380 foxes and 70,800 minks
Ontario: 355 foxes and
504,400 minks
Manitoba: individual animals not reported, only 56,400
listed as a total
Saskatchewan: n/a
Alberta: na/
British
Columbia: 0 foxes and 215,000 minks
Yukon: n/a
Northwest
Territories: n/a
Nunavut: n/a
Total "dollar value" of fur farmed
animals (foxes/minks) for 2010: $192,510,789
The 2nd Annual Save-A-Turkey Trot was held on Saturday, October 2nd, and despite the threat of rain, it turned out to be a pretty nice day for a trot! (See our report from last year.)
We welcomed 22 people - 6 opted to run, 2 were joggers, and the remainder strolled along the scenic and fresh 5km walking path along the waterfront in Victoria in support of an animal-friendly Thanksgiving! Turkeys are symbolic of this holiday, but it's no excuse for exploiting and harming other animals. OrganicAthlete Victoria and Friends of Animals both recommend a compassionate vegan Thanksgiving dinner. - visit our Action page for more info, and delicious vegan recipes: http://TheVictoriaVegan.com/foa/ Also visit the Friends of Animals VeganMeans website for a great selection of Thanksgiving and Holiday recipes: http://www.veganmeans.com/how_veganism/Thanksgiving_Remember.htm
We set the walkers out 10 minutes before the runners, so all would arrive around the same time.
The record to break, from Kevin Park last year, was 20:33, although he ended up taking a slightly longer route along the beach for a short while.
We saw Glenn Jasechko (running barefoot!) coming over the hill at around 18 minutes and were surprised to see him so early! He sprinted for the line and stopped the clock at 18:44, raising the bar significantly from last year! Our next top finisher was Jenn Marr who came through next at 23:26, a minute short of her time from last year, 22:36, although she came off the beach as well, perhaps mirroring Kevin's route from last year.
Next to cross the line were Michelle Dagg and Cara McLean both at 25:04. While this was Cara's first Trot, Michelle raced last year, and was most improved dropping over 5mins from last years time of 30:35! Will Michelle drop another 5 minutes for the 2012 event?! Check back in a year! =)
Evan Guengerich and Bridget Lambert finished strong with times of 26:46 and 27:46.
Our joggers, Reese Willis and Eko Goldberg finished together to the cheers of our runners, and before long our walkers turned up - Kiley McLean gave a little kick at the end and finished at the front of the walkers with a time of 52:10. ;)
After a short break, prizes were awarded, and we'd like to thank Clif Bar, Purica, Vega, Lotus Pond and Sarah's Place for their generous contributions to our entry goodies and draw prizes; all left with smiles and prizes in hand!
Also, a shout out to our amazing volunteers, Ailsa and Scott who made sure things went smoothly.
Feedback from participants was really positive, and so we'll be trying to come up with more ideas for 'trots' to do throughout the year. Let us know if you have any idea or inspirations for more events like this!
I'm pleased to introduce Friends of Animals supporters Diana and Paul, who are offering vegan cooking classes, and they are guaranteed to knock off your socks! Proceeds to go animal sanctuaries, including Primarily Primates. Sign-up quick, space is limited:
Vibrant Vegan Cooking Classes
Master the basics of vegan cooking with Vibrant Vegan Cooking Classes at Fairfield Community Centre. With over 30 combined years of experience in vegan culinary arts, Paul and Diana will share with you their passion of creating simple, delicious vegan meals. In less than two hours, you will learn how to prepare a complete vegan meal, including appetizer, entree, and dessert--and get to taste the scrumptious results! Each class is only $30 to cover supplies, and remaining funds will go to various animal shelters. Space is limited, so please sign up early.
* Sep 19 (6:30- 8pm) Our Italian themed class will start with Roasted Pepper Bruschetta, followed by Tuscan White Bean with Sun-dried Tomatoes, and finished off with a slice of Lemon Cheese Cake
* Sep 26 (6:30- 8pm) Easy and quick meals starts off with Carrot Ginger soup, followed by BBQ Tempeh on a bed of Lettuce, and finished off with rich Chocolate Mousse with a hint of Hazelnuts
* Oct 11 (6:30 - 8pm, note changed from the 10th) Back to comfort foods brings a new twist to old favourites with a starter of Peanut Hummus, followed by Mac & Cashew Cheese, and finished off with Pumpkin Waffles with Coconut Whipped Cream
Paul Williams has been a professional baker for 20 years with an appreciation for vegan culinary arts. . Diana Hassannia's background in chemistry has helped her find new, innovative solutions in vegan cooking.
There was a carriage accident earlier this week in Beacon Hill Park, as part of the harness broke causing the carriage to "jackknife". Thankfully no people or horses were hurt, but it was only dumb luck this was the case, and this could have had a very different outcome. Below is news footage from A-Channel:
Accidents involving the carriages occur with alarming frequency in Victoria, endangering both humans and horses. Last summer there were two significant accidents reported (here and here) - at what point is City Council going to say 'enough is enough, we shouldn't be risking human lives, and forcing horses to endure the same'?
We have a thorough collection of information and materials on our Activism page, and we are asking people to write the City Council and let them know their thoughts on the matter.
Please send letters councillors@victoria.ca and tell them that you want to see the horse-drawn carriages banned from Victoria's streets. Ask your friends and family to write as well, and please do share this on Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus and elsewhere.
If you'd like to get involved in our local campaign, which includes handing out leaflets and collecting signatures for our petition nearly every week (usually on weekdays, best if you have a spare hour from 11-1pm) please don't hesitate to contact us.
You may have heard of FoA VP Lee Hall's new book, On Their Own Terms: Bringing Animal Rights Philosophy Down to Earth, and now it's available in town, at Sarah's Place - if you haven't seen this vegan boutique, make sure you stop in!
It's on the outside of Market Square on Pandora, and is a cute and fun little shop, with clothing, neat trinkets and curios, and vegan chocolate bars!! (Try the Jokerz, for long-time vegans, it's pretty neat to have a 'Snickers' candy bar!) Congrats, Sarah, and thank you for once again raising the profile of veganism in Victoria!!
On Their Own Terms is an essential read for vegans, animal rights activists, and those interested in the theories and ideas behind animal advocacy. A review that I could have written myself (since it mirrors my own reactions) can be found here on the My Daily Vegan website.
Copies of all books are available at Sarah's Place for $20, and can be ordered from her online shop in a few weeks, or alternately you can order online from Amazon.com.
Be sure to come back and post a review after you get your copy!
Canada frequently trails others in its attitudes and policies regarding animals. Whether it's a lack of a meaningful Endangered Species Act or protection of the trees and lands, or support of international treaties, protection for fur-bearing animals or ordinary anti-cruelty measures, Canada's record is abysmal.
The Green Party of Canada, headed by Saanich & Gulf Islands MP Elizabeth May, remains the only national political party to speak against this. The Greens support ideas promoted for years by Friends of Animals: buy back the licensing for killing crews, and promote the growth of better jobs ( http://greenparty.ca/media-release/2011-06-14/end-sealing-subsidies-and-keep-dfo-conservation-programs-say-greens ) . While a few other Ministers of Parliament voice a personal opposition when pressed, two of the parties (the Conservatives and Liberals) fully support the killing, and the National Democratic Party remains 'neutral' - which has the effect of condonation.
Millions of dollars are spent each year to facilitate the kills. The grotesque affair involves chartering Coast Guard boats and promoting the industry internationally. And still more millions more will be spent challenging the European ban on seal products. It adds up to much more than the business of killing seals brings in, or - now that the markets have dwindled so significantly - will ever hope to bring in again.
One reason for the weakness of the animal-protection sphere in Canada is legal. Registered animal charities are effectively silenced, intimidated by the prospect of losing their charitable status. Some groups, such Fur Bearer Defenders, have changed their status from being a charity to a non-profit for this reason. And it's because of this that "agencies like the David Suzuki Foundation don't go anywhere near issues like Canada's seal hunt,"according to Toby Gorman's recent column in the Nanaimo News Bulletin http://www.bclocalnews.com/opinion/123650219.html ).
The law states that "an activity or purpose is only charitable when it provides benefits to humans"; and "to be charitable, the benefit to humans must always take precedence over any benefit to animals."
This essentially means that these groups can't speak out against animal cruelty and exploitation when there are human interests in conflict. But it's only in times of conflict with human interests that defending animals matters at all. Yet these groups seem unable to challenge the very laws that limit them. Thus, an animal-advocacy charity registered in Canada is doomed to failure from the start.
While 38,061 baby seals have been shot and battered to death off the coast of Newfoundland this spring, polars and grizzly bears are being hunted and killed for trophies, and countless other animals are being killed and exploited, the organizations that do speak out are kept from registering -- forced to operate at a significant financial and public-relations disadvantage.
Canada, it's time to step into the 21st century, and start treating other animals with respect, including the humans who wish to speak up for them. Our activists in Victoria, BC will keep speaking out (it helps us that the Friends of Animals headquarters are located in the US). But it's time for our politicians, animal law professors and students, and environmental law experts to address these issues and level the field. Let us hear more from you about how to begin to change our antiquated legal system, so that Canada's precious ecology and the animals who rely on it can have a fighting chance.
April 30th was the Victoria fundraiser event for World Wide Vegan Bake Sale Day, co-hosted by Sarah Kramer (of How it all Vegan fame) and we had another beautiful, sunny day!
Our most amazing poster design thanks to
Gareth Gaudin, creator of Perogy Cat.
Things got crazy just after 11:30am (even tho the bake sale started at 12!), as we were hit with a dessert mob as we tried to set it up! Things were pretty steady until nearly 4pm. This year we had over 20 bakers contribute (thank you SO MUCH!), and there were some really impressive offerings:
The most mysterious were some seriously dark chocolate 'Stephen Harper' cookies, we were puzzled by those ones!
We encouraged people to be creative with their goodie names, and Dave MacKenzie-Kong came up with this fantastic sign, children of the 80's rejoin, bee-do bee-do:
I'm very disappointed that the final raw brownie vanished before i could even put my camera down! ;)
It was an amazing event, and we're very grateful to all the bakers who made this such a delight, and Tattoo Zoo for providing the space. Also, a thank you to OrganicAthlete Victoria, who organized the raffle, who organized about $700 in prizes, including the grand prize: a tandem paragliding flight on Dallas Rd courtesy of Vancouver Island Paragliding. The winner was Jon K, who is also the winner of 'most goodies eaten', as he hung around all afternoon and had something in his hand nearly the entire time! =)
A super-big thank-you to Sarah Kramer for co-hosting this, we're already discussing next year, and making it a much bigger vegan celebration! Check out her blog report and more photos here: http://www.blog.govegan.net/?p=8798
At the end of the day, $1181.64 was raised - very impressive for our little bake sale! This will go towards printing more of the Friends of Animals Vegan Starter Guides: http://bit.ly/foa-vsg - there is a new design and update in the works, and we'll be printing over 2,000 on 100% post-consumer-waste paper for distribution in Victoria.
If you missed the bake sale, but would like to support Friends of Animals and help with our programs here and elsewhere, please visit our membership page to sign up.
Hurray for another amazing World Wide Vegan Bake Sale Day!
It's the second annual World Vegan Bake Sale Day event here in Victoria, and it's this Saturday, April 30th, from noon to 4pm with Sarah Kramer at Tattoo Zoo - make an appointment with your dentist on Monday!!
A year ago we began our campaign to eliminate all seal products from retail outlets in Victoria, BC. Our primary focus is on seal oil capsules, which is similar to salmon oil and is touted for Omega 3 and DHA, but these nutrients can be found in plant-based oils made with flax, hemp and algae.
Seed of Life does not have the Friends of Animals Seal of Approval. The Vitamin Shop quickly removed it from their shelves after our supporters stopped in, dropping off letters of protest and speaking with the managers.
But Seed of Life has been much more resistant to those who care about seals and the use of environmentally and ecologically respectful products.
Seal oil is one of very few products that can be sold from the killing of seals on the East Coast. Some Newfoundlanders continue to justify seal killing, despite international protest and boycott, and a huge decline in the interest and investment in seal fur.
We at Friends of Animals encourage all Canadian cities to join in this protest, and become Seal Friendly, showing Ottawa and the rest of the world that very few Canadians support the seal slaughter. Start locally, in Victoria, BC!
Please boycott Seed of Life, and shop elsewhere. Be sure to go in and speak with a manager, or drop off a letter, explaining why you’re boycotting their shop, so that they can appreciate the number of people who are opposed to the disgraceful killing of seals on the East Coast, and that we want Victoria to be a Seal-Friendly city.
Write to:
Seed of Life Natural Foods
1316 Government St
Victoria, BC V8W 1Y8
We request a focus on seal products at this time, but of course encourage the elimination of all animal product sales as well.
If you’re in a different city, please get the ball rolling - find out who’s selling seal oil capsules or seal fur, and go in and speak with the managers, and encourage the same from your friends, families and colleagues. If they continue to sell these things, then begin a boycott.
The seals need your voices; let’s continue to deprive seal killers of a market, here and abroad.
There are generally two sides to a story, but in the case of seals, the majority of Canadian views are being grossly misrepresented at the International level.
The European Union (EU) recently banned imports of commercially-killed seal products (fur, oil and flesh), denying Canadian seal-killers profits. Key markets now closed to seal pelts include Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Finland, Greece and Poland.
Adrian Raeside
Since the ban on importing baby harp seal pelts was first proposed, Canada's delegates have defended Newfoundlanders by supporting the seal market, rather than pressing for an end to many decades of misery for seals, and all who want the bloodshed stopped. Where's the democracy?
Poll after poll[1] demonstrates most Canadians oppose the seal slaughter. It directly impacts the lives of 4,000 or less people in Newfoundland and Labrador. The total annual income has been a few million dollars -- while part-time seal-killers make a pittance to risk their lives -- yet our government promises to waste millions of dollars to challenge an intelligent, overdue ban.
The proper function of Canada's government is to represent its people, and the majority oppose a commercial seal slaughter which embarrasses this nation. Let’s finally be done with this annual bloody debacle -- cease propping up the antiquated and frivolous fur industry, and leave the seals in peace. Direct the funds to a license buy-back for the next few years (which the industry supports[2]), and then shut it down. Let’s, please, move on.
[2] http://www.hsi.org/world/canada/news/releases/2010/04/sealers_poll_040610.html “A recent poll [PDF] conducted by Ipsos Reid reveals that half of Newfoundland sealers holding an opinion support a federal buyout of the commercial sealing industry, which would involve fishermen and vessel owners being compensated for their sealing licenses, and money being invested in economic alternatives for affected communities. Two-thirds of licensed Newfoundland sealers holding an opinion believe that the landed value of the seal hunt will remain the same as 2009 (less than $1 million CAD in Newfoundland) or decline further. Telephone interviews were conducted with 267 fishers, 181 of whom identified themselves as holders of a sealing license, between Dec. 7, 2009 and Jan. 24, 2010.”
The Alley Cat Allies has published an interesting document called The Vacuum Effect: Why Catch And Kill Doesn’t Work (read the PDF here: http://www.alleycat.org/NetCommunity/Document.Doc?id=534 ) researching the efficacy of kill or ‘cull’ programs, mainly in relation to feral cat populations. It’s no surprise to learn that the elements that drew cats to the area will only continue to do so, even when the community is destroyed. Same with other species in other environments, like mountain lions, badgers, raccoons and others.
Doubtless, more rabbits will turn up at UVic. They are currently living off-campus in the surrounding neighborhoods, and other wooded areas. Inevitably, they will also find their way to UVic. And, unfortunately, UVic’s response (at least for now) is to kill them.
We can understand that UVic doesn’t want people abandoning pet rabbits on campus grounds - we really sympathize with UVic, and the rabbits themselves. This isn’t an ideal location for a domestic rabbit. But as we’ve stated repeatedly, and this is further backed up by this research: instituting a kill policy is not a solution. It’s not an ethical solution, and really just doesn’t work to solve anything, other than ensure some rabbit killing business makes a continuous profit.
Please take a moment to remind UVic’s decision-makers that what they’re planning has been done before, and fails. It will be an endless, bloody process as rabbits will continue to move in, no matter how many UVic kills.
Further, is UVic planning to kill deer, hawks, falcons, or other wildlife that find their way to the campus? Tell UVic that they need to respect animals, and live in harmony with them, not dominate and murder them because they’ve crossed some imaginary borderline.
Peaceful steps can be taken to prevent an overpopulation, including instituting a TNR (Trap, Neuther/Spay, Return) program, which thanks to volunteers from local veterinarians, would actually cost less than the thousands of dollars UVic would have to spend per rabbit killed.
A group of over 50 enthusiastic people gathered in front of the UVic Student Union Building to join in the UVic Friends of Animals Club protest demanding UVic end all future plans to kill the rabbits at the University. Less than two dozen are estimated to remain on campus, and UVic’s intolerance to this population is disheartening.
UVic had changed their minds once again, and now declared that the grounds will be a ‘rabbit free zone’ after the end of the month. Plans are to capture and kill any rabbits found. Note and important distinction: UVic (and sometimes even the SPCA) may use the term ‘euthanize’, but you cannot euthanize a healthy animal; it’s a term used to describe the mercy killing of a terminally ill animal, including humans.
What's so difficult about tolerating a small group of rabbits living on campus to eat some of the grass? UVic argues that allowing any rabbits to live on campus means that people will drop off unwanted rabbits..and by declaring UVic 'rabbit-free', people will stop.
Well, most people already believe that UVic culls rabbits (which they haven't, at least until last summer according to FoI reports.) So that argument is decidedly baseless. Has UVic considered the impact on local raptors? There are hawks, falcons and owls that live on campus, and they depend on rabbits for meals. What will happen to the biodiversity of the campus? Has an environmental and ecological impact assessment been done? Wouldn't they have to be accountable for this massive change in life on the ground? Also, given the bunnies grass-cutting skills, does this mean we can expect the University to contribute more greenhouse emissions from running more tractors? This ill-considered decision will impact animals near and far.
The event began with a short speech, explaining the situation, and then the March rolled out. We filled up a lane on Ring Road, and displayed numerous signs with pro-rabbit slogans. In front of the administration building, we hollered and chanted for a few minutes, to ensure they knew we were there. Chants included ‘Hey hey! Ho ho! Elmer Fudd has got to go!’ and ‘1 2 3 4 5, Let The Bunnies Live Their Lives’.
The procession carried all the way around Ring Road, picking up more supporters, and many vehicles honking in support. We also made a detour around the library, where a number of students were gathered. We rallied them to show their support.
We wrapped it up back in front of the SUB after over 40mins of marching, people wondering if we can do this again, and what else that can be done. For now, more emails can be directed to University of Victoria President Dave Turpin dturpin@uvic.ca, and UVic Facilities Manager Tom Smith tomfmgt@uvic.ca. These two are the ones making the decisions.
Letters in support of the remaining UVic rabbits can also be written to local papers. First priority is to demand UVic scrap any and all rabbit-killing policies. After that, several steps can be taken to resolve whatever issues UVic has with their feral residents, such as posting signs around the campus explaining that abandoning rabbits is harmful to the rabbits, and they should be instead taken to shelters, like the SPCA. Please also highlight that Victoria should ban the sale of pet rabbits. These two steps would go a long way to eliminating a further growth explosion.
If UVic decides that rabbits can remain on campus, then a TNR (Trap, Neuter/spay, Return) program needs to be started. Local vets have volunteered their services, which would be the most expensive aspect. Currently UVic spends thousands per rabbit to kill each one, and instead could save this money and direct a fraction to managing a small program.
These simple steps would alleviate UVic’s frustrations, and ensure a safer and healthy environment for remaining rabbits, and help prevent future rabbits from being dropped off. Maybe UVic will be rabbit-free one day, but it shouldn’t be because we’re killing them.
A big thank-you goes out to Diana and Meghan for putting a ton of time into making this event happen. Also to the rest of the UVic Friends of Animals Club for organizing, painting signs and promoting the event.
Also, there is an ongoing fundraiser in Victoria for the rabbits bound for a Texas sanctuary, check out the Creatures Great and Small art exhibition and sale, which goes until Feb 20th at The Well at 821 Fort St.
Tomorrow is our big event for the UVic bunnies, we're hopeful for a large turnout! Below is our media release, the Facebook event page is here:
====
The UVic Friends of Animals Club Has organized a protest to speak up for and defend the UVic Rabbits. We’re expecting hundreds of students and members of the community to join our march around Ring Road. The event begins at the SUB (StudentUnionBuilding) on Wednesday, February 9th at 3pm.
We’re demanding UVic put an end to their savage plans to kill the remaining rabbits – it’s understandable that UVic wouldn’t want people abandoning rabbits on campus, but this isn’t how the situation needs to be handled.
We’re asking that the few remaining rabbits (probably under 30 based on such few sightings) remain on campus, and UVic should take responsibility after decades of neglect by organizing a TNR program (Trap, Neuter, Return; local vets have volunteered to help), and post signs around campus explaining that people shouldn’t abandon rabbits, instead taking them to the local SPCA.
Further, we’re hoping the City of Victoria will follow through on a proposal to ban the sale of pet rabbits.
All these steps would result in a peaceful and long-term resolution to the matter, a permanent reduction in population and allow the remaining rabbits to live out their lives with minimal impact, leaving them in relative peace on familiar grounds amongst their own communities. UVic clearly needs to learn to respect animals, not destroy them.
We fear that if they succeed with their rabbit-killing policy, who will be next in their bulls eye? The local deer? UVic should be setting a peaceful and respectful example, not portraying the mentality of someone like Elmer Fudd.
Please contact me if you have any questions, I will be available at the event as well.
In two earlierpostings we've commented on the proposed pet bylaw updates that the City of Victoria has been looking into. Sadly, despite several emails since late July to Councilor Thornton-Joe (who's heading the project), we hadn't heard back.
Well, until 6pm last night, an hour and a half before I had to be at City Hall to speak on the matter. The Councilor finally got back to me, after six months, and dozens of emails and phone messages. She apologized, but it's still very disappointing.
It turns out that the proposed bylaws have been filtered down significantly since the initial proposal, here's the latest draft (thank you to Chantelle from the Greater Victoria Animal Crusaders for providing this). At the meeting last night, all were passed, and two additional amendments were added, including mandatory spaying of all cats sold in the Victoria area. Fortunately, the earlier proposed limits to the number of pets allowed in a home has been scratched.
Here's the speech I brought to read to the Mayor and Council:
Thank you, Mayor Fortin and Council, for this opportunity to present.
As a little background, I’m the Canadian Correspondent for Friends of Animals, an international animal rights organization. I have been employed by Friends of Animals for over four years, and have been a local advocate for animals for more than a decade.
I would like to address the Council on matters relating to the review and update of local animal bylaws. Many of the proposals I’ve seen are great, and much-needed, and I applaud the council for making Victoria a safer place for our pets and free-living animals as well. But media reports never mention the horses used in Victoria’s carriage industry – although over the last four years, I imagine Council has received hundreds of emails and letters on the matter.
As you know, our organization and supporters want to see a ban on the horse-drawn carriages.
Coercing horses to walk on hard concrete in busy traffic is inhumane. They have no choice but to breath in the traffic fumes, and perform in rain, snow or heat. Their presence in traffic leaves them constantly in danger. Sometimes, they react. They can bolt without notice. Accidents occur, although they are rarely reported. My own Freedom of Information Request to the City Hall, the Victoria Police Department and ICBC revealed reports of incidents in the single digits over the last 10 years, including one that was from a carriage company who was being harassed by scooters.
Last summer there were two awful incidents reported in the media, one which saw a carriage driver taken away on a stretcher in an ambulance, and another which reported on one horse in a pair being dragged along Dallas Road.
We have not seen a recent fatality in Victoria, but in cities in the US, there have been recent horse fatalities, and people being injured from a bolting horse, including several children in one incident.
Let’s quit this unnecessary gimmick while we’re ahead, and not wait for a tragedy to force our hands to act.
Another concern, which we have submitted several emails addressing, is the matter of pet limits. One letter was co-signed by Lawyers in Defense of Animals, an organization whose lawyers have spent 20 years litigating animal-related cases in New Jersey. They’re familiar with the impact of pet limit bylaws.
While it no longer appears that Council will be pursuing this measure, Friends of Animals wants to emphasize the significance of the matter. Part of the letter reads:
Both of our groups view pet-limit laws as creating distrust (and thus non-compliance) among law-abiding people who are driven underground in an effort to protect their animals.
Household limits have proved detrimental for cats and cat rescue or foster advocates – people who do our communities a service, and who should be encouraged.
In various locations in North America it’s become clear that pet limit laws do not effect the aims for which they are enacted. Existing health code laws and animal-cruelty laws are already aimed at the problems that limit laws attempt to address. Local ordinances can be enacted to cover situations such as breeding of animals. Limit laws, however, are typically enacted in reaction to some incident, and fail to ensure good general policy.
Relinquishment of cats, rabbits, and other pet animals attributable to the economic climate has already overburdened shelters. A limit law will increase that burden while simultaneously depriving these shelters of the foster homes on which they rely to help ease the space constraints.
Ultimately, enacting pet limits would mean Victoria will be viewed as an authority to be avoided, thus diminishing the likelihood that help will be sought in those situations where it is genuinely necessary.
End of quote. I hope council will take this into careful consideration.
The last matter I’d like to address was mentioned in last week’s Victoria News. Councillor Thornton-Joe commented on receiving numerous emails requesting a ban on the sale of pets, but instead seeks more information to be provided for city by-law officers and the public upon request.
This issue really needs to be considered more deeply. The interests of a business should not overstep the interests of cherished members of our communities. It’s a simple fact that the sale of pets fuels feral communities and ultimately inundates shelters with animals.
Go for a visit to our own SPCA’s cat room, which houses upwards of 200 cats, if you have any doubts. This is because people are inclined to go to a pet store to buy an animal, which drives demand, and more breeding.
These animals are sold to people without any kind of background check, who can just as easily take the poor creature to the shelter (or abandon them) when ‘bored’, or whatever excuse people give. This is another large factor in the abundance of homeless and feral animals.
We’re asking: What is the core point of the policy? Should we care more about the businesses, or the pets themselves?
At the very least, the ban of rabbit sales should be foremost on this list. The University of Victoria rabbit debacle emphasizes this need. UVic, blaming all but themselves, has neglected the issue, and is now punishing the offspring or descendants of rabbits who were abandoned on the grounds over the last few decades. A simple TNR (Trap, Neuter, Return) program, as volunteered by local vets, would have managed the issue if enacted even just a few years ago. Now groups are scrambling to deal with the latest news - UVic Faculties Manager Tom Smith is considering making UVic “rabbit free”.
In media reports from the last week, Smith claims that by declaring UVic ‘a no-rabbit zone’ rabbits would no longer be dropped off at UVic. Right - because the people who are abandoning their rabbits care so deeply for them.
Three simple steps would go a long way to reducing or eliminating an overpopulation of rabbits at UVic, were a population to remain, which we support. There really is no reason to remove or kill all of the iconic rabbits.
First step, a little education by posting signs around the campus, making it clear people should not abandon rabbits, or any animals, on the ground, and should take the animal to a shelter. Second, take advantage of volunteering veterinarians and start a TNR program. If the rabbits can’t reproduce, they can’t increase numbers. Third, ban the sale of rabbits in Victoria. These three simple and reasonable steps would go a long way to dealing with this matter, and saving everyone a lot of headache.
Thank you for the opportunity to present here, I hope you consider these issues.
Unfortunately, I didn't get to read it all and hit my 5 minute limit, so the last couple paragraphs weren't read, but I've included them for your reading.
Thanks to other activists for coming and speaking up, they really helped drive home that mandatory spay and neuter programs are essential, and that we need to align programs with the Greater Victoria area (like the program in Saanich.) I believe it was our presentations that lead to the amendment, which is encouraging!
We'll keep you posted on the progress, feel free to comment below as well!
The Cornucopia Institute has published some helpful and revealing reports, such as the use of hexane in many soy foods (commonly consumed by vegans), as well as exposing non-organic soy use. They recently did a good job of blasting the “free range” eggs sold by Whole Foods Market, Trader Joe’s, and other pious grocery chains, showing that these and many more “humane” eggs are actually derived from high-volume operations. They showed that some companies, like Silk, had moved away from using organic (to cut costs) and pressed them back onto the organic track.
But the group seems unable to admit that consumption of eggs is ecologically unsound and entirely unnecessary. Organic farming emits quite a lot of CO2 equivalent, and requires ample space, usurping habitat from free-living animal communities. Follow the money: several Cornucopia board members own organic animal farms.
I opted to respond to Mark Kastel, co-founder of Cornucopia. Below is our exchange.
-----Original Message----- From: Dave Shishkoff Sent: Friday, December 17, 2010 1:44 PM To: kastel@cornucopia.org Subject: Re: How do you want your eggs? Over easy, with salmonella, arsenic . are yours really organic?
Hi Mark,
I'm not interested in consuming eggs or exploiting animals at all. What's worse, eggs are completely unnecessary for human health. We can get all the nutrition we need from plant-based foods, and completely avoid plunging into these moral dilemmas.
Also, consider the impact of more organic farms verses 'factory' farms: significantly more land is required for these organic animal farms. This takes yet MORE space from other free-living animals.
Haven't we taken up way too much land as it is? If everyone were to switch to organic eggs, as an example, the destruction to habitat would be astounding. Do we really need to take up even more land, just to eat eggs?
The only meaningful choice is to move away from animal-based foods, and promote a vegan diet. Salmonella is rarely a concern (in cases like sprouts or lettuce, it is contaminated from animal manure), nor is arsenic ever an issue. And were significantly more people to adopt a vegan philosophy, the amount of land freed and allowed to return to nature would be truly incredible and inspiring.
Why not help promote this vision?
Dave Shishkoff Canadian Correspondent Friends of Animals http://FriendsofAnimals.org
-----Original Message-----
From: Mark A. Kastel - The Cornucopia Institute
Sent: Friday, December 17, 2010 12:24 PM
To: 'Dave Shishkoff'
Subject: RE: How do you want your eggs? Over easy, with salmonella, arsenic . are yours really organic?
Hi Dave,
First, let me say that we support and respect everyone's dietary choices.
We have done extensive research not only in livestock agriculture but also comparing brands of soy food and protecting the availability of raw almonds (untreated by chemical fumigants or heat).
We have members who are omnivores, vegetarians and vegans. Everyone deserves the healthiest possible food.
But if you don't want to eat food from farms, family-scale farms, where are you buying the food you eat? Do you eat organic vegetables and other protein sources?
Mark
Mark A. Kastel
The Cornucopia Institute
kastel@cornucopia.org
608-625-2042 Voice
866-861-2214 Fax
-----Original Message-----
From: Dave Shishkoff
Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 1:52 PM
To: kastel@cornucopia.org
Subject: RE: How do you want your eggs? Over easy, with salmonella, arsenic . are yours really organic?
Hi Mark, thanks for writing back.
While it’s clear that you support ‘everyone’s dietary choices’, that doesn’t mean everyone’s dietary choices deserve support.
Clearly, some are more harmful than others. The UN FAO has made it abundantly clear that animal agriculture is responsible for more greenhouse emissions than any other category. The choice to eat meat and other animal products is making it impossible for others to even live. “There is no right way to do a wrong thing.”
And the fact remains: eggs are entirely unnecessary for human health -- but they do seem a useful financial gain for some board members of the Cornucopia Institute, who have invested interests in livestock. Is that not a bit of a conflict of interest?
Organic food practices are essential, and yes, the vast majority of the food I eat is organic. Organic is a very valuable and worthwhile principle.
However, it seems to get lost when other animals are introduced. Instead of working to benefit the land and planet in a sound and peaceful ethic, we claim their flesh and other excretions and try to sanitize this insensitive and uncaring behavior with particular ‘rules’ on their handling, but the heart of the matter remains: it’s still hurting animals, and it’s treating them like they’re commodities instead of sensitive, feeling individuals.
And once more – unlike plant foods, their consumption is completely unnecessary for human health, and nothing more than a luxury - which is harming and compromising all life on the planet.
I hope you will give this more thought, and begin to promote a vegan and organic ethic. (Check out ‘veganic’ farming if you’re not already familiar.)
Sincerely,
Dave Shishkoff
Canadian Correspondent
Friends of Animals
-----Original Message-----
From: Mark A. Kastel - The Cornucopia Institute
Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 1:06 PM
To: Dave@FriendsofAnimals.org
Subject: RE: How do you want your eggs? Over easy, with salmonella, arsenic . are yours really organic?
Dear Dave,
Once again we are just going to have to agree to disagree. We fully understand and respect your position, and that of other ethical vegans.
We will continue to support farmers and consumers in the dietary choices they make and not take a position.
Best regards,
Mark
Mark A. Kastel
The Cornucopia Institute
kastel@cornucopia.org
608-625-2042 Voice
866-861-2214 Fax
This article deserves more discussion. There is talk of honor and ethics, yet an honest discussion on these matters reveal there is no room for either when it comes to supporting the exploitation and killing of a sensitive, sentient being because “we like the taste.” Given this, it is a decidedly unethical act.
Honouring an animal (human or non-human), were we to apply meaningful usage to the phrase, would mean not killing them. It would mean not exploiting them. It would mean allowing them to live on their own terms, in their own communities. It’s a perversion to claim that eating the entire corpse of an enslaved creature is “more honourable” than only eating select parts. Further, animals can’t be understood as containers of pain, as Lee Hall writes in On Their Own Terms; they need to be respected as individuals.
The discussion of ethical eating needs to shift away from greenwashing the ways in we manage livestock to the eating of foods which are truly ethical—that being plant-based foods. The vegan philosophy is the logical conclusion, and where “ethics” and “food” are concerned, the ethical choices are clearly to consume foods which do not harm others. And in thinking ahead, to quote Hall once more, “Committing to vegan living today will play an important role in the making of fair ways to produce, and equitable ways to distribute, what we need tomorrow.”
Being World Vegan Month, Friends of Animals in Victoria organized several activities to celebrate and promote veganism, and we got busy with it!
First off was a vegan feed-out, in downtown Victoria in front of Bastion Square. A feed-out is a fun event where you give out vegan food and info, demonstrating on the spot that you can have tasty food, and not hurt animals.
Mary and I gave out dozens of cupcakes, brownies, and pumpkin chocolate-chip cookies (thanks to Diana for the latter!) and had some good conversations with people, who were genuinely interested in finding out more about veganism.
Next up was a screening of Peaceable Kingdom at Green Cuisine on Sunday. A dozen people turned up, half of whom I haven't met before, so nice to get some new faces out. As expected, the film was well received, and during the discussion period afterward one person commented they would be now committing to being 100% vegan. Declarations we like to hear!
Afterward most people stuck around to enjoy dinner with the group. Green Cuisine kindly offered a discounted special, and people took advantage of this, filling up on delicious vegan food. We also had a small draw, and further thanks to Green Cuisine for donating a couple $15 gift certificates and their cookbook, and Friends of Animals also chipped in a tote bag, and copies of Dining With Friends and Capers in the Churchyard.
On Monday, the UVic Friends of Animals club got busy on campus with a fundraiser vegan bakesale for Primarily Primates, an amazing sanctuary for chimpanzees and other animal refugees. Lots of amazing goodies were prepared, and a big thank you goes out to Mary, Meghan and Jenn for baking and helping with the table, and to Katrina, Diana, Kyla and Jess for filling out the rest of the table with vegan goodness. (And more brownies from me of course. ;)
Despite it being a slower reading break crowd, we still managed to raise nearly $200 - thanks, UVic FoA Club, perhaps there's another watermelon party in the near future for the residents of Primarily Primates.
An extra-special thank-you goes out to Mary, who's been an amazing, inspiring and dedicated volunteer. Sadly for us, she'll be moving away in a week, first to travel South America for six months, and then moving permanently to Australia. There, I'm sure the vegan community will benefit from her exceptional out-going and engaging activism. We'll miss you Mary!
A few more photos from the day can be found here; it's up to you to continue to celebrating the rest of World Vegan Month! =)
November 1st was World Vegan Day, happy belated World Vegan Day! =)
It's been 66 years now since the term 'vegan' was coined, and the Vegan Society founded, and we've progress fairly well! Let's try and encourage more to go vegan for the rest of 2010, and into 2011.
To accomplish this, Friends of Animals has a few events planned in the immediate future. On Sunday, November 7th, we'll be organizing a Feed-Out (giving out yummy vegan food to prove you can have tasty food and not hurt animals), as well as a screening of Peaceable Kingdom, followed by a Dine-Out at Green Cuisine.
On Monday, November 8th, we'll be up at UVic to have a vegan bakesale fundraiser for Primarily Primates, the FoA sanctuary in Texas.
Below is a joint letter from FoA and Lawyers in Defense of Animals, Inc. (LIDA) commenting on pet restrictions in Victoria, which was featured in the Times Colonist a few months ago (see this blog entry.) I've sent repeated letters requesting more information on the issue to Mayor Fortin and Councillor Thornton-Joe, with no response, hopefully this gets their attention.
To: Mayor Dean Fortin; Charlayne Thornton-Joe (Councillor) Cc: Dave Shishkoff [mailto:dave@friendsofanimals.org]
Greetings to Mayor Dean Fortin and Councillor Charlayne Thornton-Joe, and the Members of the Victoria, BC Council:
We wish to inform you that Friends of Animals, Inc. (FoA) and Lawyers in Defense of Animals, Inc. (LIDA) share concerns over a proposed law that would be problematic and difficult to change once its unintended consequences are felt.
Each of our organizations has a strong record of advocating for animals raised as pets, and their abandoned offspring.
Since its inception in 1957, Friends of Animals, Inc. has facilitated more than 2.5 million sterilization procedures for cats and dogs. The mission of the group is to challenge and end cruelty to animals and their exploitation.
Having litigated animal-related cases in New Jersey for more than 20 years, LIDA has a thorough familiarity with pet-limit laws.
Both of our groups view pet-limit laws as creating distrust (and thus non-compliance) among law-abiding people who are driven underground in an effort to protect their animals.
We understand from media reports that the Council Members for Victoria, BC, Canada are proposing to legislate per-household cat and rabbit limits. Household limits have proved detrimental for cats and cat rescue or foster advocates – people who do our communities a service, and who should be encouraged.
In various locations in North America it’s become clear that pet limit laws do not effect the aims for which they are enacted. Existing health code laws and animal-cruelty laws are already aimed at the problems that limit laws attempt to address. Local ordinances can be enacted to cover situations such as breeding of animals. Limit laws, however, are typically enacted in reaction to some incident, and fail to ensure good general policy.
We’ve seen household limits declared unconstitutional in Pennsylvania and Minnesota. Challenges are currently being mounted against them throughout the United States. More significantly, they are they ineffective in solving the problems they are enacted to address.
Relinquishment of cats, rabbits, and other pet animals attributable to the economic climate has already overburdened shelters. A limit law will increase that burden while simultaneously depriving these shelters of the foster homes on which they rely to help ease the space constraints.
Ultimately, enacting pet limits would mean Victoria will be viewed as an authority to be avoided, thus diminishing the likelihood that help will be sought in those situations where it is genuinely necessary.
Please take the time to confer with us before deliberating further on household limits. We recommend you to Dave Shishkoff, Canadian Correspondent for Friends of Animals, who lives in Victoria and can keep the animal-advocacy community and the Council in a beneficial communication loop. We also plan to reach out to the press so that the people of Victoria – including rescue advocates – can take part in discussion of issues surrounding enlightened policies for animal care.
Very truly yours,
Marie Ansari, Rescue Liaison for Lawyers in Defense of Animals
Website: www.njlida.org
E-mail: info@njlida.org
Headquarters: 98 Washington Street, Morristown, NJ 07960 U.S.
Lee Hall, Vice President - Legal Affairs
Friends of Animals
Website: friendsofanimals.org
E-mail: leehall@friendsofanimals.org
Headquarters: 777 Post Road, Suite 205, Darien CT 06820 U.S.
Please send in your own letters as well to mayor@victoria.ca and cthornton-joe@victoria.ca asking them to make more info on this issue available, to discuss and consult with the public and animal rescue organizations, and to ensure that these limits don't hinder those who work to rescue animal refugees.
As always, please feel free to share your thoughts and comments below.
