Make History

It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people’s minds.
-Adams, Samuel

Greyhounds

Ipsy, one of they greyhounds available for adoption at the RSPCA, Yagoona

I frequent the Animals Australia webpage, and one story that always bothers to me is the plight of Greyhounds, and their exportation to countries that have no laws to protect them post their racing “careers”.

I must admit, two years ago I didn’t know the first thing about Greyhounds. I didn’t know that they had peaceful personalities, that they thrive off companionship, that they’re lazy buggers and often water babies. That is, until I started working in an animal shelter. Shelters see a lot of greyhounds come through the door; almost all of them bred for racing, they are surrendered to shelters after having been retired, having not been quick enough, or having never been given the chance to race to begin with. When greyhounds come into the shelter, they almost always have poor teeth- a reflection of the poor diet they receive in kennel conditions.

And while greyhounds have plenty of stigma attached to them (in my opinion, greyhounds have more stigma than any other breed), there is definitely a unanimous opinion from those who work with greyhounds every day in shelters; that they are wonderful and docile creatures, and make beautiful pets.

So why is it that the Australian Government sees it as acceptable to export these gentle dogs to countries like Macau, where greyhound racing is thriving? With no animal welfare laws to protect them, greyhounds are literally forced to run for their lives, and if they aren’t quick enough the solution is simple- they are killed. Some are reportedly humanely euthanised, however there is a disturbing number of cases where greyhounds are hanged, drowned, electrocuted, bludgeoned to death and shot. There have been cases where dogs have been buried alive, and greyhounds have been found with their ears cut off- a way to ensure there is no way to trace the dog back to it’s breeder. Those who aren’t murdered are said to be found wandering the streets of Macau, starving.  Asia is also known to have a thriving dog meat trade… Does that leave a bad taste in your mouth?

Even in Australia, some 20000 greyhounds are killed annually in the name of greyhound racing. Other perfectly healthy dogs are given to university veterinary facilities, and used for animal testing and training. I bet you didn’t know that about greyhound racing.

So what can we do about it?

• NEVER bet on Greyhound Racing
• Let others know about the plight of greyhounds
• Adopt a greyhound from a shelter or rescue group
• Sign Animals Australia’s petition against the export of greyhounds.

And if I haven’t convinced you that greyhounds are just as worthy of finding loving, forever homes just as any other breed is, check out the list that Animal Liberation has put together as to why you should adopt a Greyhound:

• They truly know the meaning of retirement.
• People will stare at your dog instead of you.
• They can curl up to the size of a ball if they need to.
• They can expand to the size of a whole bed if they want to.
• They don’t bark much.
• You can play their ribs like an air guitar.
• They really know how to smile.
• A greyhound in flight across your backyard is an amazing sight.
• They are in desperate need of a good home.

MY rescue boy

I can’t really remember the first time I saw Coota, so I can’t say it was love at first sight, however I do remember the day I went to sign him off for euthanasia, and I instead felt compelled to go in his kennel to give him a goodbye cuddle. It ended up with me in tears, as this gentle little man wagged his tail and sat down, embracing the love and attention we doubt he had ever before.

Of course this wasn’t the first time I saw him- I had done his ear medications, and taken him to see the vet twice before they decided that he was not suitable to be rehomed (allergies, you see). But until the day that was supposed to be the last day of his life, I didn’t feel an amazing bond with this dog, and it wasn’t until I brought him home that I realised just how gorgeous this dog was.

After I regained my composure in his kennel that day, on Friday, August 23rd 2011, I walked into the supervisor’s office and asked if he could be given another chance. “Can’t we trial a week without meds, see if he improves?” I was told that he can be crossed off that day, but would need to be rewritten for Monday. I have the weekend, I thought. After getting the all clear from the manager to cross him off yet again, every second day I would bathe his ears in Aloveen and try to make him look presentable for his vet checks. Each time, however, he was greeted with the same response- that he wasn’t suitable for rehoming. I had to admit defeat, but instead of accepting his fate, I decided I would change it- and with a few changes to my life in order to save his, I took him home.

When he first got home, it was evident that he had a checkered past, and he took a long while to settle in. We would often find him standing in the middle of a room, staring aimlessly, almost asking “where am I?”. At first he was overwhelmed with all the food, and became quite the master at getting into everything. The idea of televisions was foreign to him- he still doesn’t quite understand them- and he would freak out when anyone went over his head quickly. He definitely hadn’t been toilet trained, had no idea what a toy was, didn’t care for walks and I doubt he’d ever really been loved. It’s been truly amazing to see him grow; he now laps up toys and plays with his Labrador friends. He loves his walks. He still loves his food, though he’s learnt that he gets fed twice a day and no longer has to rummage around for it.

I can say at this stage of my life, that saving Coota is undoubtedly the best decision I’ve made; because not only was I able to save the most gentle hearted dog I’ve ever come across, but I’ve also learnt so much from him. This dog has taught me love, peace, responsibility and simplicity. No human could want so little, yet be so grateful. I think we could all learn a thing or two from our canine buddies.

And let’s be honest; there aren’t that many advantages in working in animal welfare. The pay is poor, the facilities aren’t worth writing home about, and you see a lot of euthanasia. But one advantage, if not the only one, is having the opportunity to save dogs that were otherwise condemned to death. We can’t save them all, but I can promise everyone that we love the dogs in our care; we are sensitive to their situations. My adopting Coota has actually made me more sensitive to the animals, and has made euthanasia harder to swallow for me, as Coota to me is living proof that the vast majority of dogs, especially those who pass behaviourally but are then seen as not suitable for rehoming medically, are wonderful and gentle and have an enormous capacity to bring happiness to others simply by being (though I obviously knew this beforehand).

One thing is for sure though; no matter how bad some days can get, and no matter how exhausted and burnt out I feel, my job has given me the best gift of all; happiness, in the shape of a rescue dog (a Staffordshire Bull Terrier x Australian Cattle Dog to be exact)!

Women who inspire me

On International Women’s Day, it seems appropriate for me to pay homage to the women who inspire me.

My mum for teaching me, nurturing me, strengthening and inspiring me daily. For never second guessing me. For supporting each of my decisions, personally and professionally. For accepting my mistakes, and forgiving my tantrums. For embracing my vegetarianism and eventual veganism. For caring enough about the animals to embrace a cruelty free diet herself. For spoiling me, but teaching me not to be spoilt. For being not only my mum, but also my best friend, my confidant. For being superwoman.

Lyn White of Animal’s Australia, for not being afraid to stand up for what is right, even if it meant changing her whole life at the age of 38. For inspiring thousands of other women to do the same. Glenys Oogjes, also of Animal’s Australia, for dedicating her life to improving the lives of animals and achieving it every day.

Pam Ahern of Edgar’s Mission, who provides a sanctuary for animals who would otherwise be killed. For educating children about kinder lifestyle choices, and for doing all of this with limited resources, and in defiance of the properties which surround her, who capitalize on the cruelty that she is trying to stop.

Caitlin Moran for reminding me that feminism is not outrageous; it is simply wanting equality. For telling me that I am not obliged to adhere to what society expects of me as a woman; that I don’t have to have children, that I can succeed in work, that I can be sexy without being a slut, but that I can be a slut if I want to, because that’s my right as a woman… and for making me laugh while teaching me this.

Gloria Steinem for saying things like “A liberated woman is one who has sex before marriage and a job after” and “A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle”.

Florence Welsh for writing and performing songs that pick me up when I’m down, that make me sing loudly and dance stupidly. For reminding me that modern music doesn’t have to be about fashion and fucking. That some music still has depth.

Lisa Simpson, Mia Freedman, Isa Chandra Moskowitz, and all the women who are true to themselves, who are fighting adversity, vegan mums, teachers, doctors, you, me, US, and all that we can achieve together. Together, let’s agree to never let any boy or man humiliate us. Let’s make our own set of rules, and not adhere to outdated social standards. Let’s educate our daughters or sisters or cousins to be strong, to stand up for what they think is right, to take the higher ground and not have their spirits broken by mean girls or cruel boys. Let’s come together and create the change we want to see for women and the world.

Happy International Women’s Day.

I think, therefore I am vegan

As a vegan, I’ve come to accept that it is a choice that I will defend or explain quite regularly; be it at work, at school, at family gatherings, or at restaurants where I realise “shit, there’s nothing to eat”. Occasionally there will be the bigot who is eager to belittle my decision- “but one person isn’t going to make a difference“… But most of the time, it’s people who are genuinely curious about the lifestyle, and in my opinion, education is the first step toward change.

So why am I vegan?

In short, I believe all living creatures serve their own purpose. Animals were my primary reason for becoming vegan, however since then I have also come to learn that a meat eating, dairy drinking diet is not only destructive to the animal kingdom, but also destructive to the entire planet.

“The global livestock industry is responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than all the planes, trains and automobiles in the world combined. Most of these emissions are in the form of methane from livestock—a gas that is 21 times more harmful than CO².” -Why Veg

But it doesn’t stop there. Did you know that almost half of the world’s edible harvests are fed to livestock? But, aren’t there millions of starving people in the world? Yup! And we can save them by adapting a vegan diet.

“Conservative estimates predict that a 50% reduction in meat consumption in developed countries could save 3.6 million children from malnutrition per year.”

Still not satisfied? Well how about this- meat and milk and eggs are making you fat and you are more prone to life threatening illnesses! Eat meat, and you’re much more likely to develop heart disease, diabetes and cancers.

Vegetarian vs vegan

“So I understand vegetarian, but vegan?  Milk and eggs don’t kill anyone.” Ahh, but they do. I was a vegetarian who for years didn’t understand that my egg eating and milk drinking ways were causing suffering to animals. But a day of reading Gene Bauer’s Farm Sanctuary left an uneasy feeling in my stomach- I am contributing, too, I realised. I had to make the change.

Eggs: The egg industry sees millions of newborn male chickens ground up or gassed alive since they pose no economic gain to the industry. Now I don’t know about you, but that sure didn’t sit well with me. Not only that, but as Animals Australia put it, “Caged eggs are a life sentence”. And while consumers are becoming more conscious to the plight of hens in Australia, there is still little to no regulation in the labelling of eggs. Did you know that  “farm fresh” eggs can come from a battery farms? Well how about “free range” or “barn laid”? There is no legally enforceable definition for these terms. We need to remember, too, that once these hens are no longer profitable, they are sent to death just like meat chickens.

Being vegan, I choose not to eat eggs, however I am very supportive of people who follow a strict vegetarian diet and eat eggs from their happy, free roaming backyard chooks. In fact, when I rescue hens, I plan to give those eggs to my egg loving vegetarian mama so she doesn’t need to buy them off corrupt companies. 

Milk: Think about this- almost every milk producing cow has gone through the pain and anguish of losing a child. Like humans, cows must give birth in order to lactate. Like something from a horror movie, dairy cows have their calves taken off them shortly after birth. Over 700,000 of these babies will be sent straight to slaughter at less than a week of age every year. Of the remainders, some females will follow in the sad footsteps of their mother, and become imprisoned by the dairy industry, being subjected to mechanical rape year after year, until their udders dry up and they too are sent to slaughter. Some male calves will be reared for veal production, but their life is short too, as they will be sent to slaughter at less than a year of age. What makes this most upsetting is knowing that like humans, cows are capable of developing emotional relationships. Cows have strong maternal instincts, can hold a grudge for months or years against a rival, and form friendship groups within herds.

We bring these animals into being, with all their capacity to feel and their complex subjectivity, and then kill them pitilessly.

“What about fish?” There’s plenty of fish in the sea, right? Not anymore. Overfishing means that we are capturing fish at a faster rate than they can reproduce. With 4 million fishing fleets across the world, it’s easy to see how we are doing just that. Species like Cod are facing extinction- and the well known Atlantic Bluefin Tuna is predicted to be extinct in 2012. Yes, 2012. This year. Scary huh?

And it doesn’t help their cause when self proclaimed “animal lovers” neglect the idea that fish have feelings too. You see, fish are the most misunderstood animals in the world- and yes, they are animals. They are cold blooded, so we don’t look at them the same as we would a cat or a dog- but this doesn’t mean that they don’t feel. In fact, it’s been proven that they have a nervous system and can feel pain. Our ignorance is no justification to their suffering.

Of course, this doesn’t address the cruelty associated with other forms of exploitation- animal testing, fashion (fur, leather, wool, silk etc) and entertainment. But let’s save that for another time, shall we?

The four philosophies

Live: Live life to the fullest, without denying others the right to live their lives the same way. Go somewhere new every year, meet new people, try new things. Be happy to be alive.

Love: Love wholeheartedly and let those you love know. Don’t just love people; love the Earth, love music, love animals. Be passionate and fight for those you love; if you won’t, who will? “Loyalty to a petrified opinion never yet broke a chain or freed a human soul.”

Eat (Vegan): A vegetarian or vegan diet is the kindest thing you can do for the animals, the planet, and yourself. Not to mention, it’s super easy and tasty! “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever had.”

Think: Exercise the brain, find ways to challenge your way of thinking, debate loudly and proudly, question what is “normal” and educate others.