This comes by way of the wonderful Empty Cages Collective based out of NYC. Snapping turtles in NY state are in trouble. Here’s the release from ECC:
Urgent! New Yorkers Please Help Stop Horrific Abuse & Killing of Turtles!
The New York State Legislature has introduced a destructive bill (A2490) legalizing the capture and killing of snapping turtles by hand, hook, spear, clubbing, and hoop trapping. Snapping turtles have few protections under current law and these changes will dramatically increase the danger to these vulnerable animals, and enshrine yet another form of animal cruelty into New York Law. This ugly legislation could result in thousands of more turtles being cruelly killed in the state of New York.
The bill has passed the Senate and is currently in the Assembly Codes Committee. This proposed legislation is inhumane and based on bad science. Turtles are already vulnerable to an existing multitude of threats such as loss of habitat, mortality rates of pregnant females crossing roadways, high hatchling death rates etc. Killing snapping turtles by traps and by clubbing them to death will only increase their population loss and increase the suffering these unfortunate animals already endure. Turtles need to be protected, not killed!
Would you please make a 30 second call ( simply leave a message with the receptionist) and email to the following legislators asking them to defeat A2490!
2. Assemblyman Joseph Lentol Chair of Codes – (518) 455-4100 LentolJ@assembly.state.ny.us
Help Empty Cages Collective protect New York State’s Reptile! Please share the information with your turtle loving friends and family.
You DON’T have to by a NY state resident to help out with this. This isn’t getting a lot of media attention, so I urge to you help/share/spread the word! Here’s an additional link for Joseph Lentol, Chair of Codes. Be a voice for the turtles!
A few nights ago I received a message from PJ McKosky (Founder of Empty Cages Collective) telling me there is a sweet black cat at Animal Care and Control that is going to be killed the next morning, would we be able to foster him? Aside from a little bit of a cold, he is otherwise healthy. Of course, we said yes.
Jimmmy’s “official” photo from Animal Care & Control
We had always hesitated about fostering cats in the past. After all, we’ve already got four, two of which don’t get along very well. However, when faced with death or coming to stay with us, we have to choose the latter! After we agreed, it was arranged that Jimmmy would be delivered Friday night after I got home from work. As a solution for possible disagreements between cats, and for Jimmmy’s safety, we purchased a large kennel crate. I set it up with a litter box, a cozy towel bed, food and water and a little toy. (Big shout out to Fussy Friends of Jersey City! When I was purchasing the crate and told the owner what I was doing, he generously donated a bag full of cat food samples as well as a little toy for Jimmmy. Big high fives to them!)
Jimmmy’s cozy set up
Jimmmy was delivered around 6:15pm, by the Wheels of Hope. I caught a glimpse of him briefly before he was transferred to my carrier… a sweet black kitty with glowing yellow eyes, chatting away. I learned from the driver that he had been on quite the adventure that day, accompanying some dogs that were being delivered to a rescue in Pennsylvania. I quickly brought him upstairs thinking he’d need to use the potty! I set him down in front of the crate and opened the door. My breath was taken away at my first full sight of him – the poor thing was so incredibly thin.
I could feel all of his ribs and bones… poor guy.
I tried not to let this get to me too much, but made a vow right then and there that we would try and fatten him up nice and good! (But not *too* fat!) At this point, Tuggie (our most dominant cat) has run up to the top of the loft in the bedroom to hide (he does this when we dog sit our neighbor’s dog, Benson). For being such a fierce little thing he sure is a scaredy! Jack was also hiding at this point. Cricket did surprisingly well – she and Tuggie are the two that don’t get a along. Jack of course was just being typical Jack, hiding under the bed. Nugget hid for a good while… but then he slinked out from the bedroom and approached the crate. They touched noses with no bad reaction! This all was a very hopeful sight for me – maybe we can open our home to more cats in the future!
Nugget says hi to Jimmmy
Melissa got home around seven, bringing with her a hammock (meant for ferrets) that we hung up in his crate for him. He was so not aggressive that I had to just let him out of the cage for a while. Tuggie was still hiding and the other cats didn’t have much of an adverse reaction to him, so letting him out supervised should be fine, right? Right I was! He followed both Melissa and I around, looking up and letting out some cute little meows. I brought him over to the couch where he made himself quite comfortable and snuggled down and got cozy. My heart burst with warmth and love to see that he was safe and sound and happy.
Fast asleep… he sleeps with his eye open!
It’s been two days now since Jimmmy’s arrival, and while Tuggie is still being a brat, all else is going really well. He spends the night in his crate without complaining. He eats in his crate as well. And we let him out supervised for several hours at a time. Yesterday, he even managed to claim the most coveted spot in the apartment for a while – the moving platform/dolly underneath the dining room table! That is one of Jack’s favorite spots… when he isn’t under the bed he’s on the moving platform/dolly. You might ask why a moving platform, well, it is a cat person thing… once a cat has laid down on something and repeatedly goes to it, we can’t take it away! (Whole Foods bags with their handles cut off is another thing that lasts long in this house!)
Jimmmy on the coveted platform
My hope from posting this story is that it inspires at least ONE of my readers to start fostering. I’m telling you, if we can do it in our crazy cat house, YOU can do it. This cat is perfectly wonderful and is going to make a super companion to someone or a family… I cannot believe he would have died on Wednesday if Empty Cages hadn’t stepped in… I simply can’t believe it. So please, get in touch with your local rescue organizations and volunteer to open your heart and home to a foster. Their lives *literally* depend on it. <3 If you can’t foster, for whatever reason, please consider making a donation to a rescue to support their efforts.
We had a much needed volunteer day up at Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary yesterday! Volunteers are ALWAYS needed, particularly during the winter months, so instead of laying around when it’s cold outside, head up to the farm and work on your muscles! Yesterday, a crew of us cleaned out the entire goat area… the goats are always a hoot. We then got to work in with the steer, where I was able to get a much coveted Dylan Hug. The best.
Gestation crates are metal cages that are used in pig meat production. They are very small, so small that the pig contained in them cannot turn around, and can barely lie down. Use of these crates is industry standard. A sow will spend most, if not all of her life within one of these crates. The only times she will leave will be when she is put in a farrowing crate to give birth and then when she is sent off to slaughter.
Gestation crates in a factory farm
Please join us tonight in confronting Mike Duke, CEO of Wal-Mart, for the first time regarding the use of these inhumane crates in their supply chain. Check out Mercy For Animals undercover investigation at www.WalMartCruelty.com. Text from the Facebook Event for this protest reads as follows:
On December 11th Wal-Mart CEO Mike Duke will be speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York City. Join Mercy For Animals as we confront him with an eye-catching protest featuring a 10-foot-tall inflatable pig, covered in bloody sores and crammed inside a tiny gestation crate. Helping us confront Mike Duke will be a traffic-stopping mobile billboard featuring a heartbreaking picture of a pig locked in a gestation crate along with the slogan, “Walmart: Stop Torturing Pigs.” The truck will circle the building for the entirety of the event. It is very important that we have strong showing at this demonstration as this will be our first time confronting Wal-Mart’s CEO.
Most people do not support cramming animals into crates so small they can’t turn around, lie down comfortably, or walk for their entire lives. Wal-Mart does. In fact, pork sold in Wal-Mart stores comes from factory farms where pregnant pigs spend their miserable lives locked in narrow gestation crates barely larger than their own bodies—unable to engage in basic behaviors and denied all mental stimulation.
Following Mercy For Animals’ undercover investigation exposing shocking animal abuse at a major Wal-Mart pork supplier, we are now calling on the world’s largest retailer to require its suppliers to phase out inherently cruel gestation crates.
Signs, banners, and leaflets will be provided. Media is expected at the event, so please dress professionally. Encourage your friends and family to join you at this peaceful protest. And, before attending, please be sure to sign MFA’s petition urging Wal-Mart executives to phase out gestation crates, then share the petition and undercover video with others. For more details about the campaign, visit http://WalmartCruelty.com/
For additional details about the event, please email Eddie Garza, senior campaign coordinator, or call 917-756-8130.
Where: Outside the Harold Pratt House at 58 E. 68th Street (meet at E. 68th St. and Park Ave.), New York, NY
When: Tuesday, December 11, 2012 at 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
On a recent volunteer day up at the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary, Melissa & I had the opportunity to help prepare a site off of the Sanctuary grounds for what was to hopefully be a rescue of lots of chickens and ducks from a hoarding case in Ulster County. Hoarding cases can be incredibly difficult – quite often the hoarder has the best intentions, but things just end up getting incredibly out of hand and can be dangerous for the animals being hoarded. In this case, the hoarder continually ordered chicks and ducks via mail order and they completely overran the property. The birds were forced to live in overcrowded conditions, their little feet caked in feces, and suffered from physical ailments and nutrition deficiencies as a result from the deplorable living conditions. After some time, the rescue finally happened and over 130 birds were brought to sanctuary.
Before rescue (Photo credit – Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary)
Before rescue (Photo credit – Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary)
Before rescue (Photo credit – Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary)
Thanks to the valiant efforts of the folks at WFAS and with a little help from the Ulster County SPCA, these sweet things no longer have to live in those horrible living conditions! Check out the video of their first exposure to water, which has gone completely viral!
The best part of all is that these ducks, chickens and roosters are all now looking for a home! Have you always wanted to rescue some chickens or maintain a little duck pond? This is your chance. Even the most unconventional homes will be considered for these guys. If I had a backyard, I’d totally get a baby pool and adopt some of these guys. I’d want some chickens, too, because I have learned how amazingly loving they can be.
I’ve had a day to process what I witnessed on Sunday & Monday night of this week. I went to bear witness to the inhumane and cruel practice of Kaporos (read all about this horrible ritual here) in Brooklyn. I really wasn’t prepared for what I was going to see, despite my best efforts to mentally prepare myself. I don’t think anyone is really ready to witness animal cruelty and abuse right in front of their very eyes. Upon walking up and out of the subway station at Kingston Ave, you were smacked in the face of the stench of feces and urine, as the crates of chickens had already been there for several days.
We were penned in (similar to the chickens) for our protection by the police. Yes, the police were there, witnessing this cruelty as well, but just allowed them to do it. We chanted, held up posters and were mocked and laughed at. Lots of young boys came over to engage with us. But most of all, I couldn’t keep my eyes off of what was going on at the scene. I couldn’t engage with anyone on the first night. In fact, I could barely speak to my fellow activists. At one point, I was overcome with emotion, tears streaming down my face, hiding my bloodshot eyes behind my big sunglasses.
Nearly every man, woman and child that I saw holding a chicken held it by the wings. This is INCREDIBLY painful for the chicken, as you can see in the video above. Their wings are not made to bear their weight like that. Many chickens suffer broken bones and sprains because of this. Meanwhile, we are told repeatidly by the young men (and some grown men) surrounding us that they do not hurt the chickens. Yet not a single one of them knows how to properly hold a chicken.
On the first night, since it was “children’s night”, none of the chickens were slaughtered on site. I find it ironic that they want to protect the majority of young ones from seeing the taking of the life for their ritual, yet continue to defend this cruel practice. If they really believe in this ritual, why would they protect the children from seeing it? One observation I did have was how many children and babies that were hysterically crying. The second night we stationed ourselves down on President Street, where a big platform stage had been set up, under shiny bright lights, to conduct the kosher slaughters. Again, we were surrounded by men, young and old, heckling us and taunting us, being completely unreceptive to our cause. There was a young man protesting along with us, a Jew, who was trying to educate them on how to properly hold a chicken, if they are going to insist on using the chicken. Time after time, the men and boys on the other side took his paper, ripped it up or crumpled it up, and threw it back at him. Unbelievable. The second night I managed to have a few productive conversations, where we actually were speaking to each other in a kind way, which felt good. One fellow in particular, and older, Iraqi Jew, we talked for quite a while. He sympathized. We discussed. He told me he has rescued chickens of his own. I asked him if he would get me some chickens for us to rescue, telling him we have been rescuing a few and they would be going to Sanctuary. With regret in his eyes, and I could tell in his heart, he shook his head no. Nothing can shake them from their ritual.
On my way out, I witnessed the actual act of the slaughter. I could only bear to watch two birds get killed, but I made one distinct observation: the dead birds were being tossed directly into a garbage bin. I am kicking myself for not getting footage of this. After time and time again the young & older men told us, the chickens get donated to the needy, the chicken is serving a good, we are elevating the chicken to benefit others… yet anyone who knows anything about animal slaughter knows that if the blood isn’t drained from the body properly, it will be no good for human consumption. I did not see any of that taking place. Not to mention the sheer volume of chickens they had on hand – thousands upon thousands – there was no way they could keep up with the proper processing of the birds. My suspicions were confirmed when I found out that indeed, dead chicken bodies could be found in dumpsters all over Crown Heights. Some of the following images are graphic. (Photography credit – Enid Crow)
Dumpster full of dead chickens, covered by a tarp.
Another view of dumpster, full of dead chickens.
Dead and discarded chicken
Sacrificed chicken
As hard as it might be to believe, there is a bright side to this story. We were able to save the lives of about 20-40 chickens (final count is unknown, but it is in that ballpark). It is for that reason alone that made this emotionally disturbing experience worth it. And you know what? I would do it all again in a heartbeat if it meant more lives could be saved. After all, my emotional disturbance is nothing compared to what those chickens were put through.
Some of the rescued
If you would like to be kept informed about future protests about this issue, please visit Alliance to End Chickens as Kaporos to sign up for their mailing list. Many thanks to Rina Deych and Karen Davis for organizing this event and all of the other organizers, supporters and fellow activists for their participation.
09/27/11 UPDATE: I have learned that the total amount of rescued chickens by our group was actually 76! Again, for those 76 individual lives, it was all worth it.
The Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur (Jewish day of Atonement) is coming up… and this is bad news for thousands of chickens. Every year in Brooklyn and other areas of the country, thousands of chickens are trucked in to serve as the kaporos. They are swung above people’s heads to represent the transfer of sins, and then are slaughtered pretty much on the spot by having their throats slit. However, there are more humane ways to perform this ritual. For example, some Jewish people choose to put money in a handkerchief, swing that around their heads and then contribute to charity. Why can’t everyone do it this way? That silly darn word “tradition”.
Using chickens is not required by Jewish law and many rabbis and respected leaders in the Jewish community have spoken out about the practice. It is cruel, inhumane, and the definition of unnecessary. United Poultry Concerns (an advocacy group that focuses specifically on domesticated fowl) is sponsoring a demonstration and protest for this year’s Kaporot. Here is the information about the event as it appears in their recent email about it:
Please Join our End-Chickens-As-Kaporos Demos
in Brooklyn on September 23rd and 24th
Sanctuaries and Other Animal Groups & Individuals: Please Bring Banners (and Yourselves & Your Friends) to Our Two Brooklyn Demos
See Demo Details to End Chickens as Kaporos Below. Please Let the Chickens Know We are There for Them.
The Alliance to End Chickens as Kaporos was started in 2010 to protest the use of chickens in the ritual of kaporos or kapparot, which is a custom practiced by some orthodox Jews right before Yom Kippur. Not mandated in the Torah or Talmud, it is estimated that 50,000 chickens are used in this ritual in Brooklyn alone, every year. In 2010 and 2011, we held demos in Crown Heights, Williamsburg, and Midwood, posted online petitions, placed print ads in three publications, including the Jewish Press, Jewish Week, and Five Towns Jewish Times, placed animated ads that flashed 400,000 times over a week in 30 online Jewish publications and purchased a brief spot on a Times Square billboard.
This year, we are inviting the participation of sanctuaries and other animal groups and encouraging them to come with their banners to show that we stand together against this cruel and outdated practice. We realize it is difficult to attend a demo where animals are going to be tortured and killed (it’s one of the hardest things most of us have ever done), but as hard as it is for us, it is infinitely harder for the chickens, and we must be there to speak out for them and show that we care.
Participating in this campaign also leads to the broader discussion of the way chickens are exploited and tortured in our society, and it can be a bridge to promoting veganism. When people express horror (which most do) over images depicting what kaporos chickens go through, it provides an opportunity to point out that the chicken on their plate suffered no less.
Please read A Wing And A Prayer for more information about the practice. Then please join us in speaking out against it.
Let’s let the chickens know we are there for them.
What: Protest the use of chickens in the ritual of kaporos When: Sunday, September 23rd 4-6 PM and Monday, September 24th 6-8 PM Where: On Eastern Parkway, between Kingston and Albany Avenues, diagonally in front of the Brooklyn Jewish Children’s Museum (792 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11213). Subway: Take the #3 to Kingston Avenue. Subway exits in front of the Museum Bus: The B44 Bus stops just 2 blocks from the museum on E. Pkwy and New York Ave. The B43 stops right in front of the museum on Kingston and Eastern Parkway.
The Alliance to End Chickens as Kaporos is a project of United Poultry Concerns. It is an association of groups and individuals who seek to replace the use of chickens in Kaporos rituals with money or other non-animal symbols of atonement. The Alliance does not oppose Kaporos per se, only the cruel and unnecessary use of chickens.
Please consider joining us for these demonstrations. It will no doubt be a difficult thing to witness… however we must keep in mind – “We must not refuse to see with our eyes what they must endure with their bodies.” We will stand up for these sweet, innocent creatures. We will speak for them in defense of their innocence. We will be a voice for the voiceless.
The wonders of social media led me to learn that this weekend there will be a “Hog Wrestling” competition at my hometown’s local farm stand, Ard’s Farm Market. This disturbed me greatly. Immediately I thought of the pig, and what in goodness’ name was “hog wrestling” all about? I quickly made my way over to YouTube, wondering if there might be footage of such an event. There was.
Disturbing, right? Could you imagine if they in place of a pig used a dog? This pig is clearly upset by being treated this way. Anyway, I tried to do as much as I could by alerting the local Humane Societies and SCPA’s, I even was able to get in touch with an animal lawyer in the state. She informed me that animal abuse laws in Pennsylvania are incredibly lax, and that there is a sort of “boys club” of sorts between the folks that enforce these laws. Sadly, what may come off as abusive treatment to you or I often isn’t dubbed as such by those enforcers. I also sent the following letter/op-ed to the local newspapers, The Daily Item and The Standard Journal:
Dear Residents of the Susquehanna Valley,
I grew up in Central Pennsylvania, the beautiful Victorian town of Lewisburg to be exact. I loved the upbringing I had living in such a safe and kid-friendly town. Originally from New Jersey, when I was 10 years old my family moved to the Susquehanna Valley and I lived there until I went away to college when I turned 18. After four years spent in Pittsburgh, PA, I made the move to New York City, where I currently reside.
Through the wonders of social media, I am still able to keep in touch with my roots. I keep in touch with my graduating class as well as some of my favorite shops and organizations. This past week, I saw a Facebook status update from one of my favorite places – Ard’s Farm Market – advertising their upcoming event this weekend. I was concerned to read that the event included “Hog Wrestling”.
I am not naive to the fact that animal agriculture is a way of life for some of the people and families in the Central Susquehanna Valley. Make no mistake about it – I know that I am in a small minority in this country who believe that animals are here with us, not for us. I also believe that people have the capacity to grow and evolve.
I haven’t always thought this way. I used to love cheese steak sandwiches at May’s Drive-In, fish sandwiches at The Fence, and the Friday special (fried fish with stewed tomatoes) at Country Cupboard. Hot dogs at football games were necessary. And opening day of The Freeze was quite possibly was my favorite day of the year. But several years ago, a shift took place. I learned about the suffering and torture we put billions of farm animals through every year. And for me, I decided that I could no longer be a part of it.
Don’t worry. I’m not asking every family in the Susquehanna Valley to go vegan. All I’m asking is for people to consider, as Albert Schweitzer said, “Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight.”
This brings me back to the hog wrestling competition at Ard’s that is set to go on this weekend. Farm animals are some of the most abused and exploited living creatures on this planet… their lives and their deaths are very much full of fear, pain and terror. Now this one poor pig will be subject to repeated chasing, aggressive tackling, slamming and taunting in addition to whatever life he or she lives when he or she is not the subject of an abusive “entertainment” act. There are videos of hog wrestling at Ard’s to view on YouTube for those who may not know what it looks and sounds like. Imagine for a moment if this instead was a “dog wrestling” competition – an event like that would never be allowed to occur. It has been scientifically proven that pigs are smarter than dogs which also means their capacity to suffer is just as in tune.
I hope that the folks at Ard’s to find it in their heart to discontinue this event. Instead, why not have a hay bale toss, or corn cob relay race. Let’s extend the circle of compassion, even if just a little bit, to let that pig have just a little bit less stress.
With compassion,
Emily Monus www.jerseycityvegan.com
Please join me in compassionately calling on Ard’s Farm Market to suspend the “hog wrestling” event. I urge you to use your most compassionate voice, as that is what will help the animals most. Getting aggressive, as we all know, puts people off. Let’s show others the compassion that we know when we advocate for these beloved creatures.
UPDATE: As of the morning of 8/24, Ard’s Farm Market has disabled wall posts on their Facebook page. Several comments were posted in support of canceling the event, of which I read and am now kicking myself for not getting a screenshot! All comments were very respectful, calling on Ard’s to extend some compassion to the pigs and cancel the hog wrestling event. Fingers crossed local media decides to cover this inhumane event.
Recently, there has been some backlash against Lady Gaga because she wore a fur coat made out of pink rabbit fur. Well, we don’t know for sure whether it was real or not because she would not disclose it… which really can only lead you to believe one thing, right? Gagaloo put out a statement, where she says, amongst other things,
“I want you to know that I care deeply about your feelings and views, and I will always support your philosophies about life. I do not however support violent, abusive, and childish campaigns for ANY CAUSE. Particularly one I respect: Animal Rights.”
Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Violent? Abusive? Childish? Ahkay. Here goes.
Dear Lady Gaga,
I read your statement about “Furgate”. I thought about it. I thought about how I would address what you presented if someone was standing right in front of me and said those words. I tried to imagine how you might say those words. I tried to think if you have ever looked into the reality of what wearing fur means. Have you? You can be honest with me, here. I don’t think you have, because I honest to goodness do not believe that someone who has done so would say the words that you did. I’m a little bit confused by all of this because didn’t you previously speak out AGAINST fur? And then you were photographed wearing fur while holding a dog.
A lot of people “know” the fur industry is brutal. But I really don’t think that they know know.
Everyday you ask millions of people a day to be loving and kind to their fellow humans – it’s time to extend that to ALL beings. All beings have the capacity to feel pain and suffer. Not just humans. What gives us the right to bully and electrocute animals via an anal probe, just in order to wear them as “fashion” or as you said, “museum pièce de résistance”?
It doesn’t take a strict vegan to know that wearing fur is so backwards. Fashion luminaries such as Stella McCartney and Tim Gunn are both staunchly against fur, amongst many others. People often say they have a “choice” to wear fur… but what about that poor animal who had no choice to be killed (violently) so you could wear him or her?
Cruelty towards others needs to include animals and “fashion” or “art” is not an acceptable excuse. What you’ve worn in the past is in the past… you can make a difference choice going forward. It’s ok. I wasn’t always vegan – we all had a starting point. Why don’t you make today your starting point? Acknowledge your past, and pledge going forward that you won’t harm beings just to wear them. Our past should not stop us from moving forward towards a more compassionate future. Let’s widen the circle of compassion and be the compassionate change we wish to see in the world. Stand up against cruelty towards ALL beings.
With love and compassion,
Emily
PS: There would be more grain to make bread for hungry children if more people went vegan!
It’s no secret that I am hopelessly devoted to Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. It is a magical place that changed my life. I discovered it by chance, back in 2007. Melissa and I were getting ready to celebrate our one year anniversary. She had always wanted to take a class at The Center for Photography at Woodstock… so we ended up booking a weekend up in the area so she could take a class and we could spend some time away together. Her course was two days long, during the daytime hours, so I was on my on for several hours during the day. I knew the town of Woodstock was adorable, so I occupied myself discovering all the sweet shops and flea market on the first day up there. While I was walking around town, I kept seeing posters for something called “The Blessing of the Animals” at a place called “The Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary”… I thought, oh, I love animals, this sounds right up my alley! At the time, I was still eating meat and dairy full-time – the complete opposite of what I am now. I even remember going to Woodstock Meats to buy some bacon! Regardless, I decided to attend the Blessing ceremony, conducted by some peaceful Buddhist monks from the nearby monastery. That was when the seed got planted. I recall driving away from our rental cabin expressing feelings about wanting to give up eating animals. I felt timid and overwhelmed at first, but knew that there was something to be said with that, and it was going to be the beginning of my journey.
Over the next few weeks, I had this nagging thought that was always in the back of my mind… I really don’t think I want to eat meat anymore. It only took a few weeks before we took the plunge and gave up eating animals. We made attending the Blessing a yearly anniversary tradition. Each time I went, the nagging changed, and got louder and louder, urging me to go vegan. Finally, last year we made the connection and went vegan. And it’s all because of a woman named Jenny Brown, her husband Doug Abel and their magical farm sanctuary.
Jenny Brown’s journey was similar to mine in the fact that her enlightenment came in increments. The path might have been different, but the final destination was the same. And it is all recounted with joy, humor and honesty in her first book, The Lucky Ones: My Passionate Fight for Farm Animals. Co-written by Gretchen Primack, Brown recounts her journey from a cancer-stricken 10-year-old amputee to her thriving career in film which led to passion projects for PETA and finally turned her into a full-time animal activist, hero and co-founder of the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary.
Interspersed with her personal journey, she includes mini-biographies of past and present residents of the farm. She tells their story, as well as hers, in truth and with love. She doesn’t shy away (nor does she ever) from exposing the truths of animal agriculture. The key thing, though, is that she does so with such finesse that she leaves you willingly questioning your own contribution (read: consumption of animals) to the industry. She makes you think. She helps guide you to make that connection. While she admits that she didn’t always have this knack of graceful truth-telling, it is something she can do now with ease.
This book was a pleasure to read. It reminded me of my own journey, why we do what we do, and inspires me to continue in my own form of activism whatever it might end up looking like. This world is a better place because of Jenny Brown, Doug Abel, and the other devoted animal caretakers and volunteers at Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary… and for that, I am grateful.
If you live in or close to the New York City area, there will be a party to celebrate the release of The Lucky Ones tomorrow night (August 7) at MooShoes. Jenny will be there, signing and selling her books. Stop on by for some vegan camaraderie and to celebrate the release of such a wonderful book. Hope to see you there!
