Showing posts with label Animal Welfare Institute. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Animal Welfare Institute. Show all posts

Thursday, May 21, 2009

The Secret Life of Animal Slaves

"Curiosity filled the breasts of these with some strange ecstasy.
Curiosity killed the best of these by robbing their lives of dignity.
Still they moved on and on." - Hateful Hate, by 10,000 Maniacs




In case you missed it, here is the fluff piece The Today Show ran on the Ringling Bros. Circus and the current lawsuit against them. While PETA's Dan Mathews, whistleblower Tom Rider, and the ASPCA got some air time, Natalie Morales was clearly swooned by Ringling head Ken Feld and his secret charm: Barack, a baby elephant born on the eve of the inauguration "It's the first elephant the Democrats can love," Feld declares.

Watch for yourself

It's not enough that people think that animals are put on the planet for a cheap, nutrition poor food source, but they must also amuse us for a few hours. In both cases, animals are given the the most unnatural life conceivable, and most people seem to think that's just fine.

I attended a protest last year when the Ringling Bros. came to the Izod Center in East Rutherford, NJ. Circus goers were able to "connect" with these animals up close. Why are there no bullhooks in front of the circus goers?

A lifetime sentence of imprisonment for no crime committed.




Learn more about the federal lawsuit against Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

Read PETA's blog entry, and visit their Circus.com site to learn more, including ways to get active.

In the New York City area, the meetup.com group HEART for Animals is a vocal friend of these animals when Ringling comes to town, and its leader, Claudia, organized the demonstration I attended.

So Hateful Hate continues:
"Curiosity spilled the blood of these for their spotted skins and ivory.
Curiosity filled the heads of these madmen with the lies of destiny.
Curiosity spilled the blood of these, then blotted their lives from history.
Curiosity filled the heads of these, one man claimed all that he could see.
Curiosity still entices these madmen with a lusting and a greed.
Their legacy, legacy, legacy..."

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Veggie Heaven, Teaneck, NJ

Not too long ago, I attended a fundraiser at Veggie Heaven, a vegetarian restaurant in Teaneck, NJ, specializing in mock-meat substitutes of Chinese favorites. Organized by the Meetup.com group, HEARTS for Animals, we dined on a heavenly vegan buffet while supporting Tom Rider, a former Ringling Bros. employee-turned-whistleblower, and the Animal Welfare Institute, in its lawsuit against the notorious animal abuser. The trial has again been delayed to February 3, 2009. Let justice, long-delayed, be sweet when it is finally served.

When my birthday rolled around, I thought it would be a fun place to go for my non-vegetarian loved ones to celebrate over a humane meal. Here's a sampling of some of our dishes...

Spring rolls and wonton soup

Mango chicken

Sesame chicken (the table crowd-pleaser)

Green tea cake (moist and delicious, but probably for serious green tea fans only)

Cheesecake (everyone loved this!)

We also had eggplant in garlic and the least-popular dish on our table, beef and broccoli. The only (universal) complaint...we all noticed a strong after-smell on our clothes and hair after we left. Perhaps some ventilation problem? Definitely wear something you can throw in the washing machine, or easier yet, get take-out and eat it at home in your PJ's.

Visit them at 473 Cedar Lane, Teaneck, NJ; 631 Valley Road, Montclair, NJ; or 57 Bloomfield Avenue, Denville, NJ.

Animal Welfare Institute Release on Ringling Bros.