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After more than 30 years, Denver is overturning a pitbull ban after 65% of the public voted in favour of the motion. The ban came into effect in 1989 after there had been 20 documented attacks by pitbulls including a 3 year old who lost their life after an attack. The Mayor originally repealed the motion to lift the ban citing concerns that people could get attacked but also stated he would leave it up to the voters to decide. The voters decided and pitbulls will now be permitted under very specific rules that must be adhered to.
You see, you can train any breed of dog to be violent. You can verbally and physically abuse a dog which pushes it further towards violence. You can poke and prod a dog until it snaps. You can force a dog into dog fighting and train them to be violent. The reason we always hear about it from pitbulls is because they are strong animals that when trained, can become aggressive killers, which makes them the ideal dog for humans who have those intentions. Pitbulls have been exploited for dog fighting and then the media has sensationalized this violence to paint a very negative picture about these dogs. All of this negativity has pushed our governments to ban the ownership of these animals without actually recognizing the underlying cause of this violence, the human beings who own these animals.
Pitbulls have been subjected to some of the most violent and malicious situations of all of the dog breeds on our planet. They are one of the most euthanized breeds in shelters and the most exploited for their purported violence. Because of what humans have done to them, they are reviled and feared when in fact, they are some of the goofiest and most loyal breeds on the planet. I've had the privilege of living with a pitbull breed for the past year and a half and he's completely changed my life. I was a bit frightened by larger dogs for most of my life and having spent so much time with him has really shattered all of those unsubstantiated fears. He's really shown me that regardless of the size or breed, if you give your pets love, they will return it tenfold. Look, pitbull bans are outdated and discriminatory without ever addressing the root cause of their violence. It's as simple as having special permits and requirements to have your pit in public. Make sure they're registered, keep them microchipped, and keep them muzzled in public. That's it, that's all we have to do to allow these wonderful animals a chance at a happy life. Stop blaming the breed and start blaming those who have manipulated and exploited these wonderfully loving animals. End the pitbull ban across the globe! HAPPY VEG
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A new report released by the Animal Welfare Institute revealed that the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) has failed the nearly 9.6 billion chickens and turkeys slaughtered every year for meat. The report brought to light that the USDA only took action to stop documented abuse 14% of the time it was reported leaving hundreds of millions of birds subjected to horrific abuse. In fact, between 2017 and 2019, of the more than 20 "humane" handling violations, the USDA only issued "Letters of Concern" to two of the 16 plants cited. This is improper management that is leaving innocent birds subject to animal cruelty.
Animals on factory farms endure significantly shortened lives rampant with abuse and fear. They are kept in gestation crates, unable to turn around or nurture their young. The are kept in tiny cages with barely enough room to move, getting fatter and fatter until their legs cannot hold them up any more. These animals are abused at the hands of handlers who see them as nothing more than trash. As the report indicated, birds were being maliciously abused in several instances without repercussions. When there is absolutely no accountability or oversight, when does the abuse stop? When do those responsible for these instances of abuse face any kind of consequences when the group responsible for overseeing their operations only seems to care 14% of the time?
While it's obvious that hundreds of millions of people consume meat every day, I find it hard to believe that they would be accepting of birds being kicked, punched, or disemboweled while still alive in agonizing pain. I find it hard to believe that anyone out there would be able to witness that sort of abuse and still continue to be supportive of these particular plants. I believe there is a lot of ignorance from the meat eating community in regards to what is happening behind the scenes. I believe it is easy to accept that they are slaughtered, but I highly doubt it would be as easy to accept that they were violently abused prior to being tortured, however hypocritical that may be. The USDA needs to step up and make the 9.6 billion birds in factory farms across the United States a priority. They need to investigate and follow up 100% of the incidents documented regarding abuse or improper handling. This abuse is rampant across this industry and will not stop unless the USDA takes charge and does their job appropriately. 14% is a fail in any regard and their inactivity is complicity when it comes to animal welfare and the abuse these already exploited animals have to endure. HAPPY VEG An undercover investigation of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa discovered his ties to the trophy hunting industry that is helping along the extinction of some of the world's most beloved species. The investigation conducted by PETA, turned up recordings of Ramaphosa talking about his quiet opening & developing of an expanded trophy hunting reserve called Diepdrift. He speaks about stocking it with animals from his personal wildlife-breeding facility and his 50% stake in Tsala Hunting Safaris. It's abundantly clear that his ties to the trophy hunting industry are bad news for Africa's most imperiled species.
This investigation has proven another unfortunate fact about animal welfare, and that is if our world leaders aren't committed to animal welfare & conservation, animals will continue to go extinct. Our country's leaders are responsible for enacting change and without them, we work tirelessly to get their attention. Raising awareness for the plight of animals is a wonderful, magical thing but if we're not winning the RIGHT hearts and minds, our efforts are only prolonging the inevitable. Not to mention, if our governments are actively working against conservation by profiting off of an industry that is capitalizing on the extinction crisis, we've got our work cut out for us. It will be interesting to see what kid of backlash Ramaphosa receives from the South African people as the report suggested a majority of citizens would disapprove. Will he brought to justice for his contributions to the endangerment of animals like leopards or giraffes? A president who supports the slaughter of elephants for the highest bidder, despite the fact that elephant populations have dwindled by over 9 million in less than 100 years. A president who has presided during the decimation of his country's animals and now is exposed for profiting off of this extinction crisis? This is inexcusable and he must be brought to justice! We are witnessing a very dark time for animals on our planet. Arctic drilling is set to begin which will cause irreversible damage to an already fragile ecosystem. Rainforests are disappearing. Forest fires are destroying detrimental habitats for endangered animals. Climate change is melting sea ice putting polar bears and other arctic species at risk of extinction. Knowing the plight of animals and our incredible privileges', how can we stand idly by while animal after animal goes extinct? Our selfishness will ultimately become our undoing. I will definitely be following this story as details emerge. HAPPY VEG  This elephant ultimately took 5 bullets before it dropped to its knees and died.
Photo Credit - World Animal News Renowned primatologist Jane Goodall is backing Senator Murray Sinclair from Manitoba's push to ban the captivity of elephants and apes in Canada. Sen. Sinclair is also responsible for heavily advocating for the ban on orca / cetacean captivity that passed in Canada last year. This proposed ban would make it illegal to own an ape or an elephant or to breed them unless it is approved to be done for the purpose of animal welfare / conservation. This would effectively end elephant and ape captivity at zoos and places like the Animal Lion Safari, where it will then become illegal to obtain new elephants / apes unless for conservation purposes. The bill is also pushing for Canada to ban the import of products containing ivory that have slipped under the cracks of Canada's lackluster welfare standards.
"I gather that in Canada they actually use them for entertainment and giving tourists rides. That's very insulting, really, very demeaning to their role in our lives." - Jane Goodall To put things in to perspective, there were a reported 10 million elephants in the wild in 1930 which has since dwindled down to a mere 400, 000 in 2020. In less than 100 years, we've decimated over 9 million elephants on our planet. Apes are also spiraling towards extinction but thankfully there are many programs and initiatives to protect both elephants and apes in the wild. Despite these initiatives, more is needed to secure a future for these species' which is why it is imperative that Canada adopt this bill and end the import of ivory products / the captivity of elephants / apes. We must act aggressively in protecting these animals before they go extinct, as I've always said, extinction is permanent. We cannot undo extinction which is why we need to do everything in our power to prevent that from happening.
Humans are solely responsible for the decimation of elephants and apes. In fact, humans are likely responsible for the extinction / endangerment of nearly every species on our planet. Whether we're looking at trophy & sport hunting, illegal poaching for pelts and ivory, conflicts with the animal agriculture industry, or habitat loss due to climate change or continued human development, these perils can all be traced back to us. Knowing that we are solely responsible for the endangerment of animals, it makes it our responsibility to protect and rehabilitate these animals before they go extinct. It means that we should be enhancing the lives of these animals, not breeding them in captivity or forcing them to parade tourists around on their backs. It's disgraceful the way that we have used animals for our own ambitions for so long. My hope is that this sheds necessary light on Canada's failures in the animal welfare department, inevitably sparking change. We need a complete ban on the import of ivory and other animal trophies from endangered animals. We need to end the captivity of apes, elephants, and any animal that is endangered in the wild unless conservation and repopulation are the agenda. We have exploited animals for too long and Canada needs to step up and do the right thing. HAPPY VEG With the recent announcement from McDonalds that they are releasing a McPlant burger, the discussion once again shifts to whether there is a moral dilemma in supporting these companies. This would be the second opportunity for McDonalds to dive into the plant based market after the launch of the PLT burger last year failed to gain momentum. Why did the burger fail when there is an obvious demand for more plant-based options? I believe it boils down to supporting a horrific company and whether purchasing the plant based options really sends the right message. Let's dive into this topic a little further.
When the A&W burger was released, despite the initial excitement and support, there was a lot of demands being made by the vegan community. Demands that the patty be cooked on a separate grill, that plant-based mayonnaise be made available for the burger etc., these demands make it appear that releasing the burger was not enough. The company must not only release the burger, but do so in a manner that appeases the community. Do these demands truly demonstrate a support from the community or do they actually work against the plant-based movement by deterring companies from future plant based releases if they cannot do so in a manner that is supported from the community. It's a slippery slope between supporting plant-based options to demonstrate the necessity of having these options and trying to coerce companies to restructure their whole business to accommodate a single option ethically. Are we working against our own ambitions?
For me personally, I don't care if the burger is cooked on the same grill and I'm going to tell you why. My choice to eat a plant-based burger was made from an ethical standpoint, therefore how it is cooked is irrelevant to my moral compass. It might touch some grease or juices perhaps from a real beef patty and while I agree that I'd rather that not be the case, it doesn't mean that I've turned my back on my morals. My decision to eat plant-based is not affected by the method in which my burger is cooked. I've made an ethical choice and stand by that, regardless of the methods in which that burger makes it to my mouth. I think this is where the vegan community struggles because to them, it is immoral to eat a plant-based burger if it has come into contact with any meat or dairy. This fine line is exactly why McDonalds original plant based launch was doomed to fail. Without community support, sales will not reflect the demand. Do I believe it is immoral to support a company that is so blatantly cruel in order to contribute to a demand for more plant based products? Not at all. If we do not throw our support behind these products, they will fail and will signal to the company that these options are not worth having. We need to be supportive of these options so that these companies perhaps will play around with other plant based options in the future. It isn't going to be meat-eaters who are buying these products, it's up to us. While I agree that these companies have so much work to do with animal welfare, they are also recognizing that there is a demand for plant-based products and they need to be supported in order to continue down that path. What would push them to release more plant-based products if their current offerings were failing miserably? Look, I'm the first one to report on the wrong-doings of these companies and the first to call on them to improve their animal welfare. I'm also the first one in line to try their new plant-based products. Is it hypocritical of me? Perhaps, but I believe it's the only way to let these companies know that plant-based is the future and they are going to have to invest in their plant-based offerings if they want to survive in the future. It's up to us to show them the value in plant-based products and without our support, they will be doomed to fail and will continue to focus on the slaughter of animals and les son the power of plants. What do you guys think? HAPPY VEG A week or so ago, I posted about a saddening story from Denmark regarding millions of innocent mink on fur farms that were ordered to be euthanized after it was discovered that the mink were not only vulnerable to the virus, but could transmit it back to us in a mutated state. This discovery prompted a mass culling of mink on fur farms throughout the country with roughly 17 million mink potentially set to be euthanized. Well, it seems now there is yet another outbreak of covid on a mink farm in Utah that has lead to the deaths of over 10, 000 farmed mink. Can we address the elephant in the room here?
Fur farming is abhorrent. These animals are literally bred for the sole purpose of being skinned. Their bodies are then discarded like trash, tossed into a pile of corpses to be disposed of. These animals live only a fraction of their potential lives, crammed into filthy cages with little access to appropriate food, water, and veterinary care. These poor animals watch in horror as others of their kind are electrocuted or bludgeoned followed by having their pelts literally ripped form their bodies. It's absolutely sickening that this industry continues despite overwhelming support across the globe to end fur farming.
t's time to give grants and government assistance to fur farmers to transition to other forms of farming. These initiatives would allow fur farmers the opportunity to transition to plant based farming which could include a variety of crops such as hemp, produce, or other plants. We need to recognize the significance of these horrific outbreaks and how susceptible minks are to these virus'. We need to recognize the absurdity of culling all of these animals only to start from scratch once again. Are we honestly so ignorant and naïve to think that another illness / virus won't work its way through the mink fur industry in the future? The only way to prevent this is to stop farming minks for fur, it's as simple as that. Countries across the globe have stepped up and banned fur farming in their country's only to allow the import of furs from other countries who have yet to enact a ban. It's wholly hypocritical to ban the production of fur but happily import it from other countries. You can't commit to animal welfare by turning a blind eye to suffering. Whether you're skinning them yourself or paying someone else to do it, you're complicit. What we need to see, especially after the massive loss of life within the mink fur industry is a complete ban on fur farming across the globe. There is no other way to prevent future spreading of virus' within the mink fur industry outside of banning fur farming altogether. What more evidence could we need that it's time to drop fur? How many million more innocent, exploited minks have to suffer before we recognize that it's time to end fur farming? HAPPY VEG Greek parliament voted to make animal torture and serious animal abuse crimes punishable by up to 10 years in prison with fines ranging from 25 - 50 thousand euros. This landmark ruling sends an incredibly clear message that animal abuse is not tolerated in the country and those who commit these atrocities against animals will undoubtedly find themselves in prison. In comparison, Canada barely manages to hand out sentences longer than 6 months - 2 years and fines rarely exceed $2, 000.
I've spoken out about the necessity of severe punishments associated with animal cruelty / abuse convictions in the past. There must be serious and long term consequences for abuse towards animals to truly send the right message about animal cruelty. Insignificant fines, lackluster or nonexistent jail sentences, and bans on owning animals that are rarely followed up simply don't act as enough of a deterrent to animal abusers. If the punishments aren't severe, what's really stopping someone from committing these crimes? If people aren't afraid of the consequences, they don't have any reason to think twice before committing atrocities against animals. That's why extremely strict and harsh penalties are necessary as a deterrent and to properly protect animals.
In my opinion, animal cruelty and animal abuse should be treated as severely as abuse against children. Animals are vulnerable and trusting leaving them incredibly susceptible to abuse at the hands of humans. Animals look to us for love, food and drink, exercise etc., they rely solely on us as pets / family to look out for their well being. They're the most innocent beings on our planet and anyone who could abuse that love and trust deserves the ultimate punishment. When you look at the various forms of cruelty against animals, it's clear that it takes someone especially vile and evil to physically abuse an innocent animal. Much like children, animals need us to care for them and abusing them should be punishable to the highest degree. Greece has taken the necessary steps to hold animal abusers accountable and send out the message that animal cruelty is not tolerated and is viewed as a serious crime. Canada needs to step up and update their animal cruelty laws to reflect what the general public feels about animal cruelty. Our current system is flawed and doesn't truly hold animal abusers accountable for crimes that are as despicable as the abuse of an innocent, loving animal. We need to see penalties like Greece is imposing across the globe. Animal abuse is one of the most abhorrent and despicable crimes on our planet and it needs to be viewed & treated as such. Congratulations Greece on taking a stand for animals! HAPPY VEG Denmark is on track to cull every last captive mink in their country after it was discovered that the mink not only catch the coronavirus, but transmit it in a mutated form. The discovery indicates that the virus mutates within the mink and once transmitted to humans, makes it especially strong and could hinder the effectiveness of a vaccine. With that knowledge, the largest producer of mink fur in the world will slaughter every single captive mink to prevent the transmission of this mutated form of the virus. The real losers in this situation are the mink who've led their entire lives in captivity only to be slaughtered in such a mass quantity. It's incredibly saddening but also an opportunity to end the fur trade in their country once and for all.
Minks in the fur industry lead saddening existences from the minute they are born in captivity to the minute they are slaughtered and skinned. Undercover videos of various fur farms have exposed undeniable cruelty in the industry. Minks were examined running in circles, repeatedly trying to pull their way through the bars of their cages, and living amongst feces and urine. They exhibited signs of psychological and mental distress at the hands of being not only captive, but watching in horror as other mink are electrocuted, bludgeoned, and skinned. There is absolutely nothing redeemable about this industry and Denmark has an opportunity as the leading producer of fur in the world to take a stand for animal rights and end their participation in fur farming. Can you imagine the impact of the world's leading fur producer banning fur? It would be monumental!
How many animals will suffer at our hands? We're talking 17 million innocent animals that are going to be slaughtered to protect humans, this is not a small number of animals. One can only assume that breeding and restocking 17 million mink is not only timely, but costly as well especially after the loss of their entire country's worth of mink. I can only assume that it would be cheaper to abandon fur altogether and funnel those funds into other industries that are less cruel and exploitative. Denmark has an opportunity to demonstrate compassion in the wake of such a devastating loss of life. It is imperative that they make the right choice and put one more nail in the coffin of the fur industry. Fur is done for and Denmark must get on board! HAPPY VEG The USFWS is headed towards another lawsuit after a new rule expanding hunting & fishing that opened up 2.3 million acres in 147 wildlife refuges and fish hatcheries was approved. This new rule will allow for the slaughter of ecologically top predators like black bears and mountain lions and also allows for environmentally destructive lead ammunition to be permitted. This is incredibly negligent of the USFWS whose responsibility is to make decisions based on how things affect the environment / animal kingdom.
When we go and start taking out natural predators, we inevitably allow for the rapid population growth of prey animals like hares, deer, and other small mammals. When these animals become abundant, it can have disastrous effects on an ecosystem's ability to function healthily. When we start disrupting the balance, we then grant ourselves the authority to further rectify the situation which could lead to increased slaughter of prey animals, pandering once again to hunters. Our manipulation of the animal kingdom is pushing so many species further towards extinction and now we've literally opened up protected lands for further hunting. It's undeniably negligent and irresponsible.
It seems to me that the USWFS is incredibly compromised because most of the posts I've done lately in regards to the USFWS have been about them getting sued. They're repeatedly getting sued by animal welfare and conservation organizations because they're actively working against their own position which is to protect animals. They're actively working against the Endangered Species Act and are actively working against the survival of endangered animals. They are compromised and in my opinion, need to be investigated from the inside to determine whether or not they can continue to functionally protect animals and the environment as they are intended to do. Innocent animals are plunging towards extinction and the USFWS is helping that along. HAPPY VEG Nearly every big cat species across the globe faces both natural and human caused perils that are pushing them further towards extinction. They are hunted for trophies, poached for body parts or skins, pushed out of their shrinking habitats, or face shortages of prey animals. We are witnessing the extinction crisis unfold before our eyes and big cats are especially feeling the pressure from this event. Let's take a look at some big cats, their current population, and the perils they face.
This post makes it abundantly clear that every single peril that big cats face across the globe can be directly traced back to humans. Whether we're hunting them for sport, poaching them illegally for bones / fur, destroying their habitat for agriculture or human development, or killing them for interfering with animal agriculture, we are solely responsible for the decimation of these animals on our planet. There are fewer of all 4 of these cats combined left in the wild than there are people in my teeny tiny city of Windsor, Ontario Canada, a barely recognizable blip on the map. This is incredibly alarming and makes it incredibly clear that we must act aggressively on conservation before we push these cats to extinction.
A world without big cats is a possibility if we don't act aggressively to protect them. Conservation matters and big cats depend on us making the right decisions before it's too late. HAPPY VEG |
Stay educated and remain involved in animal welfare. Together, we can all make a difference!
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