PETA Sues SeaWorld: Animal Slavery?

I am all for standing up for animals and fighting for the ethical treatment of all animals. Of course, this is PETA. While I agree with what they set out to do...what they are supposed to stand for, they generally go about it in a way that is ineffective and labels them as extreme. Unfortunately, if you're an animal activist, you also get this reputation. Recently, close to where I live, PETA wanted to purchase some road signs off of an interstate to create a memorial for some cattle who died in a an accident with their trailer. We don't go putting up memorial signs all over the place for people who have died in accidents, not to mention the majority of people driving by won't know or care what the signs mean. It's a waste of time and money. I'm sure there are plenty of other areas, such as educating people on the conditions of livestock, circus animals, etc., where PETA could focus their attention and money. Aside from this, PETA is trying to say that Sea World is enslaving the orcas in their facilities and they're trying to apply the 13th amendment to them. I do feel Sea World should not keep orcas and dolphins and, in a way, they could be deemed as slaves. Places, like Sea World, will capture these animals, separating them from families and friends, they undergo abnormal conditions in the whole transportation process, they end up in a strange place that is nothing like their natural habitat, many places shock the animals in order to train them, and they don't have the room, company, or ability to feed naturally. Many animals may die along the way.* All of this is for our money and entertainment. You can't apply the 13th amendment to the animals, but we need entirely new legislation and we need legislation that gives ALL animals rights. They deserve the right to live a normal life where they aren't exploited by humans. "Living property" isn't good enough. Do you really feel okay with considering your pet dog a piece of property? While this is an overwhelming task, it is what we must strive for.

To put this in perspective, here is a little something to think about:

Say there is an advanced alien race who begins coming to Earth and capturing us (humans), killing some of us along the way, and transporting us to their planet. Everything is completely different on this new planet. We don't know what is happening to us and we have no way of communicating with these aliens. They run tests on us, train us using electric shocks to keep us from doing what is wrong, we are kept separate from our loved ones, not aloud to read, draw, play video games, or the countless other things we do in our every day lives. We are miserable, but have no way to voice our distress. Would you hope some aliens would come to your rescue and fight for your rights as a living being? Unfortunately, this is what animals, like the orcas at Sea World, hogs at a hog farm, cows on a dairy farm, animals in the circus, etc. deal with. They can't voice their distress about a situation. Even when they try by wailing in pain, we have a deaf ear. As another living animal on this planet, we have a moral responsibility to all we share it with.

*If you haven't seen The Cove, you should. The trapping and killing of the dolphins, the water turning red, and the cries of dolphins as they fight to protect their loved ones is gut-wrenching. Please open your eyes and ears, for the animals are trying to ask for our help.

A few baked good samples...

Yes, these are all vegan and absolutely delicious.  :)

Lemon Ginger Macadamia Nut Cupcake with Lemon "Buttercream" Frosting and Candied Walnuts

Banana Pecan Muffin

Mocha Chocolate Chip Cupcake with Mocha Chocolate "Buttercream" Frosting

Animal Lover, are you sure?

How many people do you come across who say they love animals?  It's probably a good amount, if not a majority.  It seems like most people, especially those with pets, are able to make a connection with animals.  They witness animals' emotions and can relate to them.  How nice is it when you get home and your dog comes running up to greet you while wagging his tail?  I'm not trying to discount this.  I've always thought of myself as an animal lover, but I also used to eat meat.  There was this disconnect for me, which many experience, between animals that are companions and animals for food.  It can extend into animals for entertainment (circus, zoos), animals for testing drugs, and animals for testing cosmetics, cleaning products, etc.  I had NO idea what the life of a factory farm animal was like.  I saw the pretty pictures of animals enjoying themselves on farms and thought nothing more.  Boy, was I wrong.

Now, after researching and knowing the truth, I think about how naive I was.  What was I really expecting when I'm consuming a piece of animal flesh or a glass of dairy milk?  Was I really an animal lover?  I can answer by saying "no."  Many may think this is harsh, but supporting industries that constantly emotionally and physically abuse animals is not showing your compassion for them.  Maybe you're a dog lover, cat lover, pet lover...you're not an animal lover.  Please stop feeding your ignorance and research these industries.  I have been told that I talk about the extreme (this coming from someone who hasn't done any research).  I wish that were the case.  The conditions I speak of are the standard, not the exception.  Animals aren't meant to serve us, to be a commodity.  We use them and "throw them away."  Help the voiceless.  You can start with a vegan diet, volunteer, educate, and vote with your dollar.  The voiceless need more animal lovers on their side.

Where's the logic and compassion?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/20/usda-poultry-inspections_n_1220051.html

As you can see, the Agriculture Department is trying to decrease the number of government inspectors in poultry slaughterhouses.  Why?  Of course, it's all about money and, supposedly, they will focus their attention on "more important" things.  Just because they make this kind of a proposal doesn't mean that's how it will work.  It's like a corporation.  A corporation is seen as a "job creator," except then you find out no jobs were created, but the CEO received a huge raise.  Some trickle-down.  Well, here's another example.  You have the Ag Department wanting to cut the government out of inspecting poultry slaughterhouses, leaving it up to the poultry corporations, and, since money will be saved, they will do more testing on the food that is sold.  Give me a break.  Let's leave the slaughtering up to "big business" who already abuses these animals and doesn't extend any compassion to them.  Privatization is always a wonderful idea, right? 

Pledge to Go Vegetarian in 2012 - Mercy For Animals

Pledge to Go Vegetarian in 2012 - Mercy For Animals

It's not too late to pledge to change your diet. Mercy for Animals will send you their vegetarian starter kit, send you tips, recipes and words of encouragement. A vegan meal, or recipe, doesn't always have something "weird" or "strange" in it. Usually, it's just replacing a couple of items with common substitutes such as, using canola oil instead of eggs, or almond/soy milk instead of dairy milk. I have always loved to cook, and the food I have prepared has tasted even better since I went vegan. All of the baking is so moist, the recipes can be very easy, and you can experiment with all kind of fruits, spices, and combinations of ingredients. I also like to experiment with my cooking, changing up soups, stir fry, chili, pizza and incorporating as many raw vegetables as I possibly can. There are some good substitutes for meat and dairy products and while I use them on occasion, I, personally, like to make things that aren't trying to imitate dishes I was used to when I was an omnivore. There are several great cookbooks that can help you along the way. I started with "Veganomicon." Yes, you will have to look at ingredients which most of us are too lazy to do; however, once you get the hang of it you can usually do your shopping just as quickly as before because you know what types of food are vegan. Just make sure you check any new items you haven't purchased before. If you take the pledge at the link above, you will be entered into monthly drawings for prizes such as cookbooks (including "Veganomicon"), among many other gifts. The best part about going vegan is knowing that you are doing what you can so that innocent animals don't have to suffer, that you are helping the environment by not wasting so many resources or contributing to the greenhouse gases and waste that runs into our waters, and that you are helping your health.

If anyone is interested, has questions, or needs advice, just ask! I would be glad to offer suggestions to help you on your path to a new meat-free you.

Dog for Dinner?

Recently, Thai authorities have rescued 750 dogs that were going to be smuggled over to Vietnam to end up on someone's dinner plate.  In certain parts of Vietnam, dog meat is considered to be a delicacy.  Are you appalled and disgusted?  Many Americans have dogs as pets, and those pet owners know just how loving and loyal dogs can be.  Even small children develop strong bonds with their pet dogs, and they can also describe their dog's emotions.  We know when our dog is happy to see us or when he/she gets upset with us and tears something up.  Can you imagine eating your dog for dinner?


In the United States, this practice is taboo.  Now, imagine continually breeding dogs, sorting through the puppies to see which ones will grow properly and which ones we should dispose of.  The ones we don't want, we gas, suffocate, burn, bury alive, or grind.  The ones we keep, we put into a large warehouse that is overcrowded, and the ammonia in the air makes it hard to breathe.  We put them into pens where they can't move around at all.  We feed them some mixture of corn with antibiotics and hormones...something that they are not truly meant to consume, but will fatten them up, make them grow faster and larger, and keep them healthy enough because there is so much disease.  We castrate, brand, and mutilate them with no painkillers whatsoever, as long as it's convenient and cheap.  They live their entire, shortened, life this way.  They get sores and broken bones from growing too fast and rubbing on their pen because they can't expend any energy.  They receive no veterinary care because it's too expensive.  If they are females used for breeding, they can't bond with their puppies and their puppies are taken away from them.  These animals are abused by the workers, whether it's killing the lame dogs inhumanely, injuring the dogs for sport, or trying to transport so many at one time.  When it comes time to go to the slaughterhouse, they're shoved onto semi-trailers.  They're crammed, denied food and water for days, they could be suffering from heat exhaustion if it's summer or freeze to the trailer if it's winter.  They arrive at the slaughterhouse and are taken through an assembly line, being electrocuted or having a bar shot through their head either to, hopefully, make them unconscious or just paralyze them.  Then, they will have their necks cut open and the rest of their bodies dismantled...several conscious when their necks are cut and some, even still, when they have the rest of their bodies cut off.  All of this occurring so they can, ultimately, end up on your plate for a few dollars.

I would hope you would not allow something so horrible to happen to your dog...that you would be moved to speak up and fight against such barbarity.  If you feel this way, then try to expand your mind and broaden this to the rest of the animals.  What I described is not an extreme and it's not the exception.  It IS the RULE and it's called factory farming.  Factory farming is what gives you your 99 cent eggs at the grocery store, your $3 cheeseburger at the local fast food joint, and your barbecued pork at the restaurant down the street.  It happens to all of the animals we mass-produce.  Where is your empathy when it comes to the cows, chickens, turkeys and pigs?  Don't let the disconnect fool you.  Bacon comes from an animal who is quite intelligent.  Pigs have the mental capacity of a 3-year-old, they play games and they even snuggle up to one another when they sleep.  Know that you can feel great about yourself every time you choose not to buy an animal product...that you are not supporting this cruel enslavement. 

Reasons to go Vegan

When you tell someone you're vegan, the inevitable question in response is "why?"  Most people assume it's for one specific reason:  for health reasons or standing up for animals.  However, I have multiple reasons.  I used to be (in the not so distant past) an omnivore who enjoyed my glass of skim milk, eggs, and bacon in the morning, and a steak for dinner.  I ate cheese on a regular basis and loved my hamburger, chicken wings, and ribs as much as the next American.  I have to thank my lovely friend, Jennifer, who went vegan and sparked my interest.  She let me borrow a book called "Skinny Bitch."  That's where it all started.

I wasn't looking to lose weight, but the book opened my eyes to the world of industrial animal farms.  Ever since then, I've been hooked to watching documentaries, keeping up with current articles, and reading all sorts of literature related to how we treat animals, industrial animal farming, health and nutrition, and the environment.  My reasons for not eating animals are: the treatment of animals in industrial farming, health reasons, the effects on the environment, and even the conditions of the workers in the slaughterhouses.  There is so much to learn about all of these, and it is so important to seek the truth so we can know what kind of a system we are supporting when we buy animal products.  This post is dedicated to the environment.  Take a look at this article from Scientific American:

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=meat-and-environment 


We can look at several damaging effects on the environment when it comes to industrial animal farming.  The greenhouse gasses that are emitted into the air, the manure that gets into our water systems, the pesticides and toxic chemicals, the amount of fuel used for transporting the animals all the way to shipping out packaged meat, antibiotics that created antibiotic-resistant bacteria, the amount of water it takes to raise this many animals, the amount of food we use to feed the animals, and deforestation due to creating new cattle ranches.  The use of pesticides on crops and on the animals, along with the manure that gets into our waterways are responsible for the "dead zones" in the Gulf and in the East.  When someone asks, "How are we supposed to feed everyone if we don't have the current system?," let them know the number of people you would actually be able to feed if it weren't for our current animal factory.  It would be about 800 million. 

When it comes to your health, well, animals aren't good for you.  Forget the old protein fad because you don't really need that much protein.  Not to mention, you can get plenty of protein form several different types of plants, nuts, seeds, etc.  Dairy?  Not good for you either.  If you want to listen to the American Dietetic Association, who is sponsored by the National Dairy Council, then that's up to you.  You really like those milk mustaches?  Really?  We aren't meant to drink cows' milk.  We are the only ones to drink another animal's milk.  You can get calcium from soy milk, rice milk, almond milk (my favorite), and so many plants.  You will even absorb more calcium by consuming it from a plant, like kale.  We have increased our animal intake so much that it is no wonder you see the jumps in obesity, heart disease and cancer.  If you look at studies of several other countries who are on a plant-based diet, their health is much better than the U.S.

By going vegan, you can help in so many different ways, including your own health.