I've been following the Trump administration and their antics for some time now and every time a story involving animals comes out, it's always a negative one. Most recently, I shared with y'all a story about how the Trump administration is failing giraffes as their numbers plummet, unfortunately, giraffes are not the only animals that this shithole administration is failing. Allow me to explain a bit further. BLACK RHINO TROPHIES worldanimalnews.com/u-s-officials-urged-to-reconsider-approval-of-black-rhino-trophy-import-that-texas-billionaire-shot-killed-in-namibia-last-year/ A picture recently emerged of a happy billionaire and friends posing behind the corpse of an endangered black rhino they so happily slaughtered. He applied for a permit from The Fish and Wildlife Services that would allow him to return to the United States with a life size mount of the rhino to add to his collection of dead animal trophies. The Fish and Wildlife Services gave notice of their intention to allow this action because the money spent on slaughtering these animals goes towards conservation. Remember how much I like this line guys? What a load of horse shit! Billionaires evidently can get whatever they want despite the fact that everyone knows the Endangered Species Act technically works to protect and prevent the hunt of these endangered animals but because the Fish and Wildlife Services believes that money from trophy kills aides conservation, they are allowing these atrocities. What a corrupt system this is that demonstrates that money is the core of everything in the world. No amount of petitioning or pleading will ever get through to these jerks so long as billionaires are willing to pay lots of money to kill these animals. As I've said before, there is no more hypocritical of a line than killing endangered animals will help conserve them. The statement works against itself and is frankly, a load of shit. How can someone honestly argue that killing endangered animals will help them? Has it so far? NO! There are approximately 5, 500 black rhinos left in the wild, 5, 500, and here we are, arguing that killing them is helping them. Thank you Trump administration. GRAY WOLVES AND THEIR PROTECTIONS worldanimalnews.com/breaking-house-committee-holding-hearing-today-on-marking-up-endangered-species-act-voting-on-removing-federal-protections-for-gray-wolves/ The House Committee is currently considering removing the Endangered Species protections of gray wolves along with several other bills that undermine the federal protections of endangered species. Because gray wolf populations have increased, it's obviously time to stop protecting them so that more and more people who want to hunt them can have access once again. The story of the gray wolves is a success story under the Endangered Species act because it is proof that through protecting them and funneling money into their conservation, their population has risen. They do not occupy nearly as much space and range as they once did, but their numbers have risen and that's what the endangered species act aims to do. Bring these species back from the brink of extinction and prevent further damage to their habitat and numbers. If these protections are reversed or removed, the gray wolves will once again fall victim to the same problems that landed them on the endangered list initially. Why can't the U.S. committee see this? I truly believe selfishness and money are the reason for this. It's blatantly obvious that the current U.S. government has absolutely no fucks to give for animals and it's a frightening thought to think that so many animals are at risk because of the government's lack of empathy.
0 Comments
Good ol' President trump of the United States is really setting a record for one of the worst presidents in history in my opinion especially when it comes to animals. His administration is failing to protect animals and in this case, some of the most beautiful and threatened animals on the planet.
Last year, President Trump's administration was proposed an opportunity to protect giraffes under the Endangered Species Act which would help prevent the import and export of their parts, funnel more money into conservation, and essentially keep them from going extinct. Giraffes are currently listed as vulnerable meaning they are on track to be wholly extinct in the wild at this rate. It's a frightening thought, one that you would think any president would want to prevent, not President Trump however.
Now, the Trump administration is being sued by various conservation and animal protection groups for their lackluster response to the proposed protection of giraffes after failing to respond to a 2017 petition calling for their protection. The fact is, it's clear that the Trump administration has absolutely no empathy for the plight of the giraffes or any endangered species for that matter and this lawsuit is evidence that conservation groups are fed up. We are in a dangerous situation on this planet as some of the most beautiful creatures on our planet are suffering immensely. Giraffes, leopards, rhinos, elephants etc., these animals face a plethora of dangers to their survival and if things don't drastically change and quickly, we will inevitably see the extinction of these creatures in the wild. Can you imagine a world with no Savannah animals? A world where we now teach our children, nephews and nieces, and school children, about animals that once roamed the earth, much like the dinosaurs. A planet where we are solely responsible for their demise? What a horrible and frightening future we have before us if we do not speak out and voice our concerns! I regularly roast the president on twitter and other social media, reminding him of his lackluster performance and lack of empathy for anything and anyone aside from himself. If you feel that you can not take that step, take the time to write or email his administration and voice your disapproval of his track record with animals. The more people that stand up and speak out, the more of a chance that his administration will see that this planet does not belong to them and it is their responsibility to do their part to preserve the other living creatures who are seriously at risk. Here's the contact information for his administration; https://trumpadministration.wordpress.com/contact/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/ AAAAND, should you feel so inclined, here's his twitter handle where you can let him know exactly what a jackass he is <3 @realDonaldTrump Let's rally together and save these animals before it's too late! HAPPY VEG A farmer living in Limerick Ireland was convicted of animal cruelty after an investigation discovered nearly 40 dogs chained outside living in substandard conditions. The investigation also discovered two dogs and one puppy that were deceased on the property. I'm super grateful that they were turned on to this property and appropriate action was taken to rescue the remaining dogs, most of which were collies. He was dinged with over 2000 euros in fines and a ban on owning dogs for 18 months. Here's the problem I have with this.
The fines to me are a good enough deterrent although I would've slapped him with a heftier fine to truly demonstrate that what he did is no acceptable. My problem is with the 18 month ban on owning dogs, is 18 months truly enough time to be banned from owning the very same animals he left chained outside, covered in fleas, lethargic from lack of care? In my opinion, the answer is no. Someone who has nearly 40 dogs in poor condition needs to be banned from owning dogs period. What will change in 18 months? I highly doubt that this man will have learned a valuable lesson and will probably eagerly snatch up more dogs once he's allowed. Finally, there dead dogs and one dead puppy also discovered. This now changes the situation from neglect to something entirely different. Living creatures died under his care, does this not warrant a lifetime ban on owning dogs? These animals relied on him for care and died waiting to be cared for. Dogs are so intelligent and my thoughts are that they died thinking that no one cared about them. It's utterly heartbreaking to me and it's especially heartbreaking to think that this man will have access to dogs again in less than 2 years. Big thanks to the ISPCA for getting in there and saving the remaining dogs! Hopefully, at the very least, these animals will have an opportunity to feel true love from deserving families after this horrific experience. What do you guys think? Do you think this warranted a lifetime ban on owning dogs? HAPPY VEG
Celebrities shared this photo speaking out against sport hunting and it spread like wildfire. As with most cases of douches like this who post their happy selfies with corpses, the photo circulated and people cried out against sport hunting. Interesting, a large portion of the world disagrees and would like to see a ban on sport hunting entirely. There are of course those hunters who will argue up and down that it's their right and that the money from these slaughters goes directly towards conservation. That's about as dumb a statement as any I've heard and frankly, a lie used to fuel their ambitions.
The facts are, these people aren't hunting chickens or goats, animals that are naturally abundant, they are paying astronomical money to hunt animals that are endangered. Lions, leopards, elephants, giraffes etc. Can someone explain to me how slaughtering endangered animals for trophies helps to conserve them? What an asinine assumption to make full of nothing but hypocrisy. Do you think that 20 or 30 thousand dollars you paid to kill one of these beauties is going to help conservation? I'd love to sit and have a debate with one of these assholes about this. I imagine it would end up being much like when a meat eater tries to defend eating meat, they'd likely resort to name calling and repeatedly announcing that it's their right. It's our right to breathe air and drink clean water, those two things don't sit in line with killing endangered animals. It's time to put an end to sport hunting and everything that it stands for. The fact of the matter is, we are facing the possibility of elephants going extinct because of black market ivory. We've seen species of rhino go completely extinct within the past 2 years, these are facts. Your "conservation" efforts are a load of shit. All these people care about is killing things with their big shiny guns. I say, ship them all to an island and let them hunt one another. If you have the time, contact the Safari Club International by following the link at the top of the page to World Animal News where they've included the contact info. Let them know that their proposed methods of conservation are hypocritical and ridiculous. it's time to BAN SPORT HUNTING! HAPPY VEG Horse drawn carriages are a sight to be seen. There's something nostalgic and beautiful about the idea of riding in one of these carriages. I imagine it invokes a feeling of historical charm as the horse carriage can take you to parts of the city that buses are unable to visit. Unfortunately, it's not all nostalgia and charm. As I walked the city two days ago, I was on a very narrow street when a horse drawn carriage slowly trotted passed me and I was deeply saddened at what I witnessed. As the horse galloped by me, it was salivating heavily and looked immensely distressed. It really shook me so I decided to head back to the hostel and investigate reasons why a horse would be salivating in that nature. Although there were plenty of explanations as to why this could happen, there were also plenty of negative reasons why this would be the case. There's no way for me to know exactly which of these explanations were applicable but what I do know is that I was disturbed and saddened regardless.
This year in Ireland, an American couple was thrown down a rocky area after their horse lost its footing killing them both. Not only were they unfortunately killed, but the horse sustained injuries that inevitably led to it being put down. This is extremely saddening for all parties involved but also suggests that there are significant dangers involved with this method of travel. Does this happen often? Of course not, but across the globe, there are plenty of stories involving accidents that involve fatalities or horses being injured and put down.
In my opinion, there is no place for horse drawn carriages in today's society. There is a very big difference between horse back riding in the beautiful countryside, free from obstacles, potential human involved collision, and pollution, versus riding in heavily populated city areas.. The horses that carry these carriages are riding among heavy traffic likely breathing in excess amounts of pollution and toxins, and are at risk of other dangers as well. A horse that collapses among traffic would be extremely dangerous for every party involved. Montreal Canada has officially banned the horse drawn carriage and Chicago is also in the process of working towards that same goal with petitions calling for an end to the carriage. The fact is, the planet is slowly moving towards a better treatment of animals and frankly, history and tradition aside, there is no place for the carriage in today's society. I intend to contact the Prime Minister here and propose to him a reduction on the availability of the carriage. I would like to see a complete ban but frankly, I'm a Canadian in a foreign country, I highly doubt my influence alone will coerce an entire country to abandon their tradition. What I intend to propose is reducing it to special occasions only such as weddings, parties, and other big celebrations. In doing so, these horses will have less of an opportunity to breathe in pollution from vehicles and factories, and less of an opportunity to injure themselves or the people within the carriage. I've spoken out against the carriage before and after witnessing that horse trotting passed me salivating heavily, it tugged at my heart strings but also reminded me that I can never sit idly by as an animal suffers. At the very least, I can try, and that's all you can ever do in life, simply try. Sometimes, all it takes is one person to change the world and that motivates me to continue to fight for what I believe in. What do you guys think? Does tradition trump safety of animals in this case? Do you see a place for horse drawn vehicles in today's growing society? HAPPY VEG I can't think of anything I'd rather be reporting on than this y'all! London fashion week is making history this year as all of its contributors are going fur free for the very first time. What's especially promising is that none of the participants were coerced into doing so, they have decided on their own to not include fur in their designs for this year's fashion show. This is amazing news and marks a very important shift in the attitude towards fur and the needless torture and slaughter of the animals used for fur. Of the animals used for fur, there are some that are bred specifically for fur. Minks for example, are not used for anything other than fur. What this means is that there is no argument that the animals are wholly used, they are literally bred solely for their fur. As I've reported in the past, these poor animals live in absolute squalor. There are several of them crammed into every cage, living among their own feces and filth, emotionally and mentally stressed beyond comprehension, and often fattened up beyond their natural capabilities to produce more pelt. It's a sad and abhorrent existence for these animals. Besides mink, animals like foxes and coyotes are also subjected to unimaginable torture. Often times, coyotes are trapped which causes them immense stress, and they stay trapped until the moment that they are shot and killed. There is absolutely nothing redeemable about the fur industry and it's apparent that more and more people are realizing that not only is it unnecessary, it is despicable. Fur was once a sign of elegance and wealth, so to see one of the biggest fashion shows in the world have all of its participants avoiding fur, I couldn't be happier.
I want to celebrate this news but I'm actually quite surprised that this was still legal in 44 states! Now, this is not to say that it was happening, but the fact that it was still legal is most disturbing. Animal activists celebrated this victory as a bill to ban the slaughter of cats and dogs for consumption was passed this week which will officially end the hypocrisy of the United States. What do I mean? The United States has condemned cat and dog consumption in countries where it is regularly happening (Yulin dog meat festival anyone?) and yet, they technically allowed this to be legal in 44 states at the same time. Although it is hypocritical, the message that cat and dog meat needs to be banned worldwide is the message that should be taken from all of this. It's abhorrent to me to think about those poor dogs that suffer endlessly during these festivals. They are caged in groups, tossed around like garbage, burned alive, and far worse. With this ruling, hopefully the U.S. can start aggressively condemning these actions in hopes of seeing the end of the dog and cat meat industry.
All carnivores and omnivores on the planet will attack, kill, and consume their meat completely raw. No fear of illness or disease. With us however, we must cook the meat otherwise we face a multitude of potential risks from consuming it. Does this not in some way support the idea that we may very well be omnivores? When you look at species of primates that are omnivores, our closest relatives, they too can consume meat raw. So why is it that our bodies cannot also do the same? Why is it that we face life threatening illness' if we too consume our meat the way it is naturally supposed to be consumed? I won't argue this point any further, but I believe my point is made.
Ultimately, this is a victory for animals but one that should have been celebrated many years ago. As I said, now that this is completely illegal in the States, I hope that they now will put immense pressure on the countries that are still slaughtering cats and dogs for meat. An argument of hypocrisy is no longer valid so let's start pressuring these countries to abandon these practices. Cats and dogs don't belong on our plates, period. Check out the original story by visiting the link at the top of the page by World Animal News. What do you guys think? Are you surprised that this is just now being passed? HAPPY VEG It's been a busy week in the world of animals and their rights so I was unable to choose only 1 story to discuss. Today, I'll be jumping in to two topics I discovered and wanted to chat about, starting with Horse Drawn Carriages in New York! This past week, New Yorkers were issued a heat advisory and given tips on how to stay cool and avoid overheating during the advisory. The temperatures were extremely high and can be extremely dangerous if you are not careful. I know when we issue advisories in Windsor ON where I'm from, we're often advised to avoid going outside period unless it is absolutely necessary. A video went viral this past week of a horse drawing a carriage that appeared to be breathing heavily, tense, and in danger of collapsing due to the heat. The worst part was that the video was filmed at 10am meaning that the hottest and most dangerous part of the day was yet to come. The video sparked outcries from activists who say it's time to abandon the horse drawn carriage. I couldn't agree more! Many will argue that horses are built and bred for servicing humans and there's no denying that they can be useful friends to have, but when it comes to horse drawn carriages, there is no bigger abuse of power. These horses are forced to work several hours in a day pulling around tourists, weaving through traffic, breathing in countless hours of toxic fumes from all of the vehicles surrounding them, and they are expected to do so regardless of the weather. This is where the problem lies!
Aside from aesthetics, there is absolutely nothing redeemable about horse drawn carriages. Our population continues to grow meaning more buildings, more vehicles, and more pollution, all of which contributes to lackluster health in these horses. As I said, they truck us around all day breathing in poor quality air, tense and anxious as noise and vehicles surround them, it's super saddening to imagine their quality of life. There is no place in today's society for horse drawn carriages. They are part of our history that needs to be buried and left in the past. If you follow the link at the top of this post, you can find a petition to add your name to calling for the end of horse drawn carriages in New York. Take the time to lend your name so we can see these horses taken off the streets! Now we head to Utah where the wildlife association recently increased the amount of cougars that can be hunted for sport this year. The number is up in the 600's now with the wildlife association suggesting that numbers for cougars have increased, despite no scientific or factual evidence to support this.
It's time to ban sport hunting altogether! Forget those who will miss out on slaughtering living creatures for fun and forget their money as well. It's time to consider the animals who are suffering because of these stupid allowances. For crying out loud, we are going to see the extinction of so many species because of our actions, why don't our governments care about this?
Head to the original story where you can see full details and make a donation to the Mountain Lion Foundation if you so desire. HAPPY VEG This just might be some of the saddest and anger inducing news I've reported on recently. I know I've been talking to you guys about the poaching crisis Africa is facing currently as they try to crack down on illegal poaching. Africa is struggling to keep up with illegal poaching of elephants and rhinos, whose tusks are stripped and sold on the black market for substantial amounts of money. They've even gone so far as to enact a death sentence if convicted of poaching which I originally was weary of, but after reading this story, I feel like it's justified.
A gruelling discovery in Botswana revealed that nearly 90 elephants had been slaughtered and stripped of their tusks near a sanctuary. This is the largest mass poaching of elephants in Africa's history according to animal welfare group Elephants Without Borders. What a disturbing discovery to come upon, leading us all to believe that poaching is NOT getting better, despite attempts to curb it by the government. Elephant populations in Africa are steadily decreasing by 8% or 144, 000 elephants per year, almost wholly from poaching. Elephants are currently listed as endangered and are facing extinction in the wild if poaching continues at this magnitude. Their numbers have dropped in 15 of the 18 countries surveyed and dropped 30% between 2007 and 2014. These numbers indicate a steady decline, one that we should be especially alarmed about because of the fact that elephants are already endangered. What this story teaches us is that money will drive people to do abhorrent things. The desire to get rich is obviously enough to push people to do some of the worst things imaginable and that's why I have changed my tune about the death penalty. The death penalty is NOT something I typically agree with and have voiced my disapproval of in the past. However, when I consider the amount of elephants being slaughtered and the chances of seeing them go extinct, I'm left thinking that the strictest penalty possible is the only deterrent left. Can you imagine a world without elephants? It almost seems unimaginable, but the fact is, it's a possibility. I hope the people responsible for this mass poaching are found, and dealt with accordingly. Check out the original story from WORLD ANIMAL NEWS by clicking the link at the top of this post. Also, if you'd like to make a donation to ELEPHANTS WITHOUT BORDERS to help end illegal poaching of elephants, you can find their donation page by clicking the blue ELEPHANTS WITHOUT BORDERS link! HAPPY VEG |
Stay educated and remain involved in animal welfare. Together, we can all make a difference!
Archives
January 2025
Categories |