This story highlights the transition of two “laboratory” bunnies from the horrors of vivisection to the protection of the House Rabbit Society and the Beagle Freedom Project.
Filed under: Activism, Adoption, HRS National | Tagged: cruelty-free, HRS, lab rabbits, vivisection | Leave a Comment »
On October 27th, the Washington Post published a recipe for Rabbit Gumbo.
RabbitWise, a rescue group in the D.C. Metro area, submitted a response which was published in the Post today.
RabbitWise’s blog also mentions their response.
What do you think? Was their response effective? Do you think it would dissuade cooks from trying to prepare the recipe?
Filed under: Activism, U.S. News | 2 Comments »
Ah! As if I needed a reason to like the Veronicas, an Aussie twin sisters singing duo, even more than I already do, news surfaced from Down Under that the singing sisters have come out swinging against the use of rabbit fur in the fashion trade.
It certainly brightened up this bunny girl’s otherwise mundane Monday.
According to the Brisbane (Australia) Times:
Pop-rockers the Veronicas have sung out against fur in a new campaign for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
The ad features twins Jess and Lisa Origliasso each holding a shockingly realistic skinned “rabbit” with a caption reading: “Here’s the rest of your fur coat.”
The bunnies in this photo are FAKE...but it does make a point
The twins launched the ad campaign outside Sydney’s Queen Victoria Building today, both wearing PETA T-shirts branded with the slogan “Mean People Wear Fur”.
They condemned Australia’s continued fur imports, most of which come from China, saying they are unnecessary.
Jess explained the campaign was to “discourage people from buying fur and educating them from where it came from”.
PETA says the campaign is aimed at the world’s leading fur exporter, China, where animals on fur farms are often skinned alive.
It says dogs and cats are killed in China for the international fur trade but with Chinese fur often processed and relabelled in other countries, it’s difficult to identify where the fur has come from.
“For us, fur is barbaric and unnecessary,” Jess said. “There is no need for fur.”
The Origliassio sisters have always liked PETA’s strong visual campaigns and are very proud to be part of their campaign against fur.
Because of their involvement in fashion design they felt it was the right campaign for them.
Thanks, Jess and Lisa – you girls are the best!
If you’re not familiar with the Veronicas check out the video below:
Filed under: Activism, All The News That's Fit to Eat, World News | Leave a Comment »
I care not much for a man's religion whose dog and cat are not the better for it. ~ Abraham Lincoln
Animal abusers to get public shaming in NY county
FARMINGVILLE, N.Y. – A county on New York’s Long Island is creating what is believed to be the nation’s first public database of animal cruelty convicts.
Animal welfare activists are hoping the law passed this week in Suffolk County will inspire other governments nationwide. They compare their hopes to the proliferation of “Megan’s Law” registries for sex offenders.
People convicted of animal cruelty will have to register or face jail time and fines. The registry will have open access so neighbors wary of their pets’ safety can see whether any animal abusers live nearby.
More than a dozen states have introduced similar legislation, but Suffolk is the first area to approve it.
There is also legislation pending in the county to prevent shelters, pet stores and breeders from giving or selling animals to people listed in the registry.
This does not yet exist in California (but I think it should). In the meantime, this database includes nearly 16,000 cases of animal abuse.
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This morning I was sad to see an ad for rabbit-fur accessories featured in Burberry’s fall/winter line.
Burberry, did you really have to use bunnies for fashion? Really?
With an increasing number of designers opting for cruelty free, faux fur, it’s disturbing that Burberry doesn’t follow suit.
Killing animals for fashion is not trendy or “fashion forward.”
Please send a polite communication to Burberry to let them know how you feel about their use of rabbit fur.
At least 30 bunnies died for this jacket
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BEIJING, Sept. 21 – A student anti-fur art exhibition that aims to educate young people in China, one of the world’s biggest fur exporters, that the wearing of fur is cruel and unnecessary opened Friday at the Renmin University of China.
The exhibition of works from the Design Against Fur (DAF) competition, co-organized by Swiss Animal Protection, the Fur Free Alliance and the World Society for the Protection of Animals, attracted 12,352 entries from university students all over the country.
Zhang Qian's work: "Please, don't take off my clothes." (Source: Global Times)
“What impressed me most was that students came up with more striking ideas this year,” said Zhang Yang, DAF’S Chinese regional director.
“We cannot stop rich people from buying fur, but I hope we can at least change the minds of university students, who are potential buyers, from doing this in the future,” said Zhang.
Cruel business
Animals killed for fashion include rabbits, foxes, cats and dogs. Thousands of animals are killed for their fur in China each year, as there are no animal welfare laws.
The rabbit is the theme for the competition this year.
“To make one fur coat, people have to kill 30-40 rabbits,” Zhang said. “But many people are not aware of the fact that the rabbit is also a victim of fashion.”
He said the way rabbits are skinned to retrieve a prefect cut is bloody and inhuman, and he suggests using artificial fur to spare animals from cruelty.
Five students won prizes in four different categories including posters, T-shirts, fine art and multi-media items.
Zhang Qian, 20, a student with the Shanghai Film Art Academy, won the Most Popular award for her work titled “Please, don’t take off my clothes,” which depicts a bunny begging not to be skinned. She also won a ticket to Switzerland for a cultural exchange trip next month.
Zhang said she was stunned when they told her the good news.
“My work is not as eye-catching as the others,” she said. “Mine is simple and straightforward and sends out a message from a poor bunny.”
Zhang admitted that she once bought a fur coat because it was warm.
“But now if I spot someone wearing a fur coat or shawl, I will tell them ‘Hey, this is not cool. You are killing animals.’”
She confesses that she once accidentally killed her pet bunny. “I had one a few years ago. It was so stinky that I gave it a shower,” she said. “After drying its fur with a hair dryer, it looked better, and I took it to bed with me that night.” But it later got sick and died.
Liu Lei, 23, who just graduated from Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology, won first place for his multi-media work titled “If you ever had a rabbit,” which tells the story of a bunny being caught, stripped down, then turned into a shawl.
“I never thought wearing fur was fashion,” he told the Global Times. “Quite the opposite, I think it is tasteless.”
When asked how to capture the attention of fashion fans with the message that wearing fur is cruel and unnecessary, his answer is “to do it in a general way.”
“It is not necessary to show people how bloody and violent the behavior is,” he said. “It is not creative, it is stereotyped.”
Killer fashion
Blood and violence are in many works. One titled “Know what you’re paying for,” depicts a knife-like credit card cutting a rabbit’s head apart.
Mark Rissi, a Swiss movie director and writer who attended the opening ceremony of the exhibition, said he was impressed by the creativity and enthusiasm of the participants.
“For two years in a row the international prize has been awarded to Chinese students,” he said. “That is quite a success story!”
“Animals have a right to be treated respectfully,” he added. “We are looking forward to the passing of the animal welfare law that has been drafted (in China).”
The fur industry is blamed for the death of millions of animals every year. It is estimated that one animal is killed for fur each second worldwide.
(Source: Global Times, Editor: Zhang Xiang)
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On September 9th, BNN reported the results of a 9-month PETA investigation into animal abuse at a hellish research lab.
It is never easy to read, or hear, about this kind of abuse, which is, to say the least, shocking and startling.
No more abuse for bunnies at PLRS
I can only hope that by getting the word out, it will inspire or move people to do something. Anything.
According to this blog, all 253 animals from Professional Research and Laboratory Services (PLRS) have been rescued and are in area shelters (YAY!)
If you would like to find out more about these animals, here are numbers to the shelters they were sent to:
DC: 202-726-2556
Cateret Co. NC: 252-247-7744
Guilford Co. NC: 336-297-5020
NJ: 973-824-7080
Norfolk, VA: 757-622-3319
VA Beach: 757-427-0070
If you can’t drive to these shelters, please consider donating money to help the shelters and/or rescue groups that pulled bunnies from that nightmarish lab.
~ Tamara
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I sent the following email to Waggener Edstrom (ad agency for Microsoft), and Steve Ballmer, Microsoft CEO, yesterday. It’s about a Microsoft video that I recently watched called, “Rabbits Rule.”
The video features a classroom rabbit called “Sniffs” and promotes Microsoft Office 2010 software.
Watch the video. If you think it does a disservice to rabbits, contact Waggener Edstrom and/or Mr. Ballmer to politely express your opinion.
Please note: this is my opinion and does not necessarily reflect those of San Diego House Rabbit Society, the House Rabbit Society, its chapters and/or affiliates.
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Dear Microsoft:
I would like to comment on a video ad called “Rabbits Rule,” which features a rabbit called “Sniffs” to promote MS Office 2010.
With all due respect, I wish that Microsoft, and/or Waggener Edstrom, would consult with a rabbit-savvy organization like the House Rabbit Society before launching ads like this.
Couldn’t you have at least called rabbit lover and former Microsoft ad star, Amy Sedaris? I believe that Amy, or any person familiar with rabbits, would tell you that rabbits do not “rule” in this video. Not one bit.
As a rabbit rescuer in Southern California, I feel qualified to comment on your ad. Sniffs the rabbit is in one of the worst possible scenarios for a companion rabbit: a classroom.
“Sniffs” looks miserable in “Rabbits Rule.” The kids are holding him in a way that would be uncomfortable, or even frightening, for many rabbits. Sniffs certainly looks scared.
His cage is small, and not even close to being adequate for a rabbit of that size.
Sniffs does not seem to have any fresh hay, which is a crucial part of a rabbit’s diet.
Rabbits are a very poor choice for “classroom pets,” and it’s unfortunate that Microsoft has chosen to promote that concept.
Rabbits are crepuscular; they are most active at sunrise and sunset. During the day, they need to sleep. Being in a classroom with exuberant children is very stressful for a rabbit. Sniffs doesn’t even have a place to escape to inside of his too-small cage.
Rabbits are highly intelligent, social animals that form deep bonds with their people. A classroom does not afford a rabbit that opportunity.
During school breaks, rabbits are often shuttled around different homes, or unfamiliar situations, which can be very stressful.
Sniffs may have done a great service to Microsoft by helping you sell more software, but Microsoft has done a great disservice to companion rabbits everywhere by promoting classroom rabbits.
This video is likely to encourage more teachers to put rabbits in classrooms. As a result, more rabbits will suffer.
I suggest that you consult with the House Rabbit Society for any future advertising plans. They could provide guidance for a video that would be kind to rabbits AND meet your sales objectives.
Best regards,
Lucky Bunny Rabbit Rescue
Temecula, CA
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This is an article that is primarily about chickens in Tulare, CA (if you don’t know where Tulare is, it is just east of Spinks Corner and south of Farmville).
Located between Fresno and Bakersfield Tulare is in California’s Central Valley, an agricultural area that is literally the “bread basket” of California (and possibly the rest of the country).
While rabbits may be viewed differently in agricultural communities, it is my personal opinion that articles like this perpetuate misinformation about bunnies and contribute to their overall suffering and lower status in the world of companion animals.
Feel free to contact that author of the article to politely let him know that rabbits are not “smelly” and nothing like chickens.
I’ve highlighted the section of the article that addresses rabbits in red. ~ Tamara
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Published at the Visalia Times Delta
By Victor Garcia • vdgarcia@visalia.gannett.com
Tulare City Code Enforcement officials say chickens are the agency’s third-most complained about animal behind dogs and cats.
Rabbits and chickens are not the same.
On average, code enforcement receives about two-to-three complaints per week regarding chickens, said Frank Furtaw, Tulare code enforcement director.
But Furtaw said his code enforcement officers don’t go searching for chickens. Code enforcement only responds to complaints about the animals.
“Our guys don’t go on active chicken patrol however, if a complaint comes in we definitely follow up on it,” Furtaw said.
On Tuesday, the Tulare City Council voted unanimously to make it illegal to raise chickens within the city limits.
Most chickens that code enforcement comes across are considered to be free roaming, meaning no one will claim ownership of them, he said.
Rabbits are also a problem code enforcement sees around the month of Easter.
“They’re a horrible problem,” he said. “During Easter time, people think it’s cute to get their child a pet rabbit.”
Rabbits also aren’t allowed within the Tulare city limits, he said.
“Rabbit pens can be pretty smelly, and they cause the same issues [as chickens],” he said.
Other animals which code enforcement officers have responded to include an Emu, iguanas and pythons, he said.
People who are in violation receive a written notice first and a time period to remove the problem, Furtaw said.
“If we have zero compliance, the first citations could be $100,” he said. “To our knowledge we’ve never had to issue a citation.”
The Valley Oak SPCA, which handles animal control for the city of Visalia said it gives people in violation notices of 10 days to get the animal relocated outside of the city limits, said Valley Oak’s Kelly Austin.
On average, her agency receives about one complaint per week about farm animals being inside city limits, she said.
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From the Boston Herald
By Donna Goodison
September 9, 2010
Talbots Inc. has pulled fur items from its store shelves and “e-tail” site after complaints from Humane Society of the United States members about a switch in its fur-free policy.
Talbots sells upscale women's clothing and accessories
The classic women’s retailer now says it’s again committed to being fur free, but the Hingham-based company failed to offer an explanation as to why it decided to sell $89 rabbit-fur collars as part of its fall collection.
“We have heard from our customers, some of whom expressed concern about this product,” Talbots said in a statement. “We take these concerns very seriously and have decided to pull the remaining products from our selling floor. Talbots remains committed to upholding its anti-fur pledge.”
Talbots has been on the Humane Society’s shopping guide of 300-plus fur-free retailers, brands and designers since 1999, said Andrew Page, senior director of the animal-welfare organization.
Page called Talbots’ decision to sell the fur collars a planned change in policy. Several Humane Society members who complained to the company were read “scripted language” by customer service representatives, who said Talbots had changed its policy and would be selling real animal fur, he said.
“With so many Americans opposed to buying or wearing animal fur, the decision to sell fur can cause many loyal customers to feel betrayed,” Page said. “We are thrilled with Talbots’ decision to remain fur-free. Clearly this was simply a misstep.”
Talbots, which operates 580 stores, has been revamping and updating its fashion image under CEO Trudy Sullivan, who’s been tackling a company turnaround.
Talbots said yesterday it rebounded to a quarterly profit even as sales dropped, but its results fell below analyst estimates.
The company reported sales of $300.7 million for the fiscal second quarter, a 1.3 percent decrease. It posted net income of $941,000, compared with a $24.5 million loss last year.
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JudithPierce
San Diego House Rabbit Society