• 2nd December
    2012
  • 02
  • 1st December
    2012
  • 01
  • 26th October
    2012
  • 26
  • 13th October
    2012
  • 13
  • 18th July
    2012
  • 18
  • 18th July
    2012
  • 18

xTRUE NATUREx - “One Species”

 

And I scream, cause each one of them there is a part of me.

And I rage, cause I’m locked with them inside that cage.

Cause I don’t see a difference between the multitude of species. They feel pain I feel pain. They all just want to live. Just like me.

 

And when are we going to see, that there’s no difference in suffering.

One species, we’re all the same.

We’re all sentient beings.

 

When they bleed I bleed.

And when they scream I scream.

When they are abused they’re doing it to me and you.

And if you want peace then we have to stop supporting.

 

And when are we going to see, that there’s no difference in suffering.

One species, were all the same.

Were all sentient beings.

 

And how long are we going to go on, with the abuses?

Go vegan, cause the animals don’t need your petty excuses.

Imagine if it was your baby that they were taken away.

Imagine if it was your life all your brothers and sisters intensely confined.

Could you imagine being boiled alive?

Could you imagine being slaughtered just for your hid?

Could you imagine being viewed just as a product and in the end being senselessly murdered?

 

And when are we going to see that there’s no difference in suffering?

One species, were all the same.

Were all sentient beings.

And when are we going to see that there’s no difference in suffering.

One species were all the same.

We’re all trying to avoid pain.

  • 20th June
    2012
  • 20
  • 5th June
    2012
  • 05
  • 3rd May
    2012
  • 03

Cage-Free vs. Battery-Cage Eggs

Comparison of animal welfare in both methods

  • Hens in battery cages lead lives of crowded misery. Compassion Over Killing

Battery Cages

The vast majority of egg-laying hens in the United States are confined in battery cages. On average, each caged laying hen is afforded only 67 square inches of cage space—less space than a single sheet of letter-sized paper on which to live her entire life. Unable even to spread their wings, caged laying hens are among the most intensively confined animals in agribusiness.

Caged hens also suffer from the denial of many natural behaviors such as nesting, perching, and dustbathing, all important for hen welfare. Numerous scientists and other experts [PDF] have spoken clearly about the animal welfare problems with battery cages. One such scientist, Nobel Prize winner Dr. Konrad Lorenz, said:

The worst torture to which a battery hen is exposed is the inability to retire somewhere for the laying act. For the person who knows something about animals it is truly heart-rending to watch how a chicken tries again and again to crawl beneath her fellow cagemates to search there in vain for cover.

Cage-Free Systems

Because of public opposition to battery cage confinement, many egg producers are switching to cage-free systems. These systems generally offer hens a significantly improved level of animal welfare than do battery cage systems, though the mere absence of cages sometime isn’t enough to ensure high welfare.

Unlike battery hens, cage-free hens are able to walk, spread their wings and lay their eggs in nests, vital natural behaviors denied to hens confined in cages. Most cage-free hens live in very large flocks that can consist of many thousands of hens who never go outside. The vast majority of cage-free hens live on farms that are 3rd-party audited by certification programs that mandate perching and dust-bathing areas. These advantages are very significant to the animals involved.

Dr. Michael Appleby, one of the world’s leading poultry welfare experts, writes:

Battery cages present inherent animal welfare problems, most notably by their small size and barren conditions. Hens are unable to engage in many of their natural behaviors and endure high levels of stress and frustration. Cage-free egg production, while not perfect, does not entail such inherent animal welfare disadvantages and is a very good step in the right direction for the egg industry.

Cage-free hens are spared several severe cruelties that are inherent to battery cage systems. But it would nevertheless be a mistake to consider cage-free facilities to necessarily be “cruelty-free.” Here are some of the more typical sources of animal suffering associated with both types of egg production:

  • Both systems typically buy their hens from hatcheries that kill the male chicks upon hatching—more than 200 million each year in the United States alone.

  • Both cage and cage-free hens have part of their beaks burned off, a painful mutilation.

  • Both cage and cage-free hens are typically slaughtered at less than two years old, far less than half their normal lifespan. They are often transported long distances to slaughter plants with no food or water.

  • While the vast majority of the battery and cage-free egg industry no longer uses starvation to force molt the birds, there are battery and cage-free producers alike who still use this practice.

So, while cage-free does not necessarily mean cruelty-free, cage-free hens generally have significantly better lives than those confined in battery cages. The ability to lay their eggs in nests, run and spread their wings are tangible benefits that shouldn’t be underestimated.

Source: http://www.humanesociety.org

  • 24th April
    2012
  • 24

Road kill

Road kill. Photograph by Wolf Kettler.

This is the time of the year when the wildlife behaves a bit recklessly, busy mating and preparing nests and such. Soon we will welcome all the new-born wildlife to our planet. These are not romantic, sentimental times: The roads are littered with dead animals.

I know that sometimes an animal will charge across the road so suddenly that an accident is unavoidable. However, watching other drivers and having been in a taxi, whose idiotic driver ran over a very frightened rabbit deliberately, I cannot help feeling that some drivers go out of their way to kill or injure wildlife. Some people enjoy cruelty and destruction.

Please, spare a thought for the wildlife, anticipate the unexpected and don’t be a killer. If you are not convinced, just look at the photograph to see what mayhem and suffering we cause by being inconsiderate, nasty or stupid.

Click on the photograph to see it bigger.

Source: www.wolfkettler.co.uk

  • 21st April
    2012
  • 21
  • 20th April
    2012
  • 20
Perceptions (and Misconceptions) About Feline Nutrition | petMD

One of the most common questions that I hear from cat owners is, “What type of food should I buy?” To the non-pet owners out there, the answer must seem obvious … “Cat food.”

But the information that feline aficionados are really after is more complex. Owners want to make sure that their cats are getting optimal, balanced nutrition, and they don’t want to inadvertently feed their pets something that could compromise their health.

Learning about the nutritional needs of cats is not always easy because available information is often contradictory and confusing. I’ll bet you’ve seen a few of the following dangerous misconceptions yourself:

Cats can eat dog food and do just fine.

No, no, no! The nutritional needs of dogs and cats are quite different, and so are their foods. When cats eat primarily dog food, they can develop potentially life-threatening diseases. Dog foods are generally lower in protein than are cat foods, and do not contain all of the essential amino acids and fatty acids that a cat’s body needs to function normally.

That said; don’t panic if you find your cat stealing the occasional bite from the dog’s bowl. There is nothing in dog food that is toxic to cats, so as long as this behavior is the exception rather than the rule, you have nothing to worry about.

Cats need to have food available at all times.

A recent study by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention estimates that 54 percent of cats in the United States are overweight or obese. In my opinion, the primary reason for this is that many cats have 24/7 access to food while living a sedentary lifestyle. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that a bored cat will turn to the food bowl for distraction; people do the same thing.

Obese cats are at a higher than average risk for diabetes mellitus, liver disease, osteoarthritis, heart failure, respiratory problems and constipation. Feed your adult cat two measured meals a day and offer only enough to maintain a slim body profile and healthy weight.

Milk is good for cats.

Of course, kittens drink milk from their mothers, but after weaning, milk is not a normal part of the feline diet. Some adult cats are not able to break down the lactose that is naturally present in milk, which can lead to diarrhea. Even if your cat is not lactose intolerant, milk is not a nutritionally balanced meal. As long as your cat can digest milk well, a small amount as a treat every now and then won’t do any harm, but don’t make it a regular addition to the diet.

Cats are carnivores, so they should eat just meat and fish.

While it is true that cats need to take in more protein than do dogs, a meat-only diet is not a healthy option for either species. Among other things, meat is deficient in calcium, which would put cats, especially those that are still growing, at risk for skeletal abnormalities. When cats eat a diet composed primarily of fish, they can develop a vitamin E deficiency, which can result in a painful condition called steatitis (i.e., inflammation of fat). Raw fish is especially dangerous because it contains thiaminase, an enzyme that breaks down thiamine, a form of vitamin B. Cats that are deficient in thiamine become weak, are unsteady when walking, and may sit with their head bent forward and develop seizures.

Don’t let confusing messages about nutrition put your cat’s health at risk. Check out the new nutrition center and MyBowl page on petMD.com to get more information about what constitutes a complete, balanced and wholesome diet for cats.

  • 16th April
    2012
  • 16
  • 16th April
    2012
  • 16