Jane and I have been vegan for over 4 years now.  In that time, we've noticed a significant shift in the mindset of the general population. The word "vegan" doesn't always meet with blank stares (0r thoughts of the cosmos).  Vegan products are readily available at all our local grocery stores.  Veganism is even an occasional topic on talk-shows (thank you to Oprah in the past, and to Ellen for continuing to promote a vegan lifestyle).  Mark Bittman promotes meat free Mondays.  Vegan books abound.  There's even been a slight shift towards "better" conditions for animals.  Yes, we have FAR to go.  I would certainly hate to be judged by the way our species treats the other species on the planet, but we're making tiny strides forward.

Today, McDonald's announced they were dropping Sparboe Farms, an egg supplier, because of a video produced by Mercy for Animals depicting a variety of instances of animal cruelty.  While McDonald's is still not on our list of restaurants we'd frequent, we applaud all efforts to improve the conditions of the animals still being slaughtered for food.

If you'd like to read more about the McDonald's story, here's a link to the article in the Chicago Tribune.  And here is the link for the campaign against McDonald's.

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The Westminster Kennel Dog Show ended today.  Just before the award was given for "Best in Show," two Peta protesters managed to get out in the ring and held up signs reading "Mutts Rule" and "Breeders Kill Shelter Dogs' Chances." The protest was cut from television, so if you missed it make sure to watch the following Associated Press video:

This really touches a nerve for us.  According to Peta, 4 million unadopted pets are euthanized annually! Get your animals from the pound!!!!

Some of you may remember that we had to put down our beloved 16 year old cat last June. Our boy cat is still hanging in there, he'll be 16 in April. We finally got to a place where it was time to entertain the idea of bringing new cats home.  After meeting a few different cats, all of whom would have made wonderful additions to our home, we settled on a brother and sister from our local Humane Society.

We decided to get two because our boy is getting older, so when he goes, there will still be two cats to entertain each other. Jane also figured that siblings would be more likely get along well.

Our two monsters were abandoned by their owner... we're not sure why.  They are really fun cats.  They have very distinct personalities and love to play.  They're three years-old and they are fantastic.  As with any animals being introduced into a new environment, they require a little bit of attention to make sure they don't shred the furniture or climb the curtains.  But we've gotten them new scratching posts and toys to keep them active and help them to bond with us.

When we were at the shelter, the adoption counselor was so excited that we would take the two together. Apparently siblings are much less likely to be adopted together, or at all. They were even running a special... get one cat for $70 and the second for $15. Plus they gave us a coupon for a free vet exam at the vet of our choice in the San Gabriel valley.  This seems to be common practice if you adopt from a Humane Society.  They even offer senior discounts... if you're over sixty and get a cat over 5 years old, there is no adoption fee (not sure about dogs, but there are discounts).

If you're looking to get a new companion animal, you can find plenty of lovable animals looking for a home at Petfinder. They host photos of adoptable animals from a variety of shelters all over the country. There are currently almost 300,000 animals looking for a home!  Don't buy a pet, save a life instead!

And one other interesting fact we learned upon adopting our furr-balls.  The Humane Society provided us with a fact sheet advocating spaying/neutering.  According to them one unaltered cat could yield 420,000 cats in seven years based on the average cat having a litter of 6 every year and each cat from that litter producing the same, etc.  Even if those numbers are halved, that's certainly reason to spay/neuter your pets!

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It's been awhile, sorry.  While I've been ignoring this blog, I've been watching a fight brew in a chat I visit.  The issue is animal adoption.  One of the people involved is choosing to buy a dog from a breeder.  The other person is a staunch animal rights activist and has taken to berating her openly  and is actively recruiting others to harass her.  He even started a chain email to petition her to get an animal from the local pound.  This has been going on for almost two weeks now.  It's gotten to the point where I think the animal rights activist has been banned from the chat.

Personally, I cannot understand how someone would buy a pet when there are so many animals in shelters, especially today when many people are giving up their companion animals because of financial issues.  And yet, it is very common.  My cousin bought himself a boxer last year, and a co-worker is getting herself an English Bulldog.  Both of them have purchased their animals from breeders.  I tried to dissuade them, but they both had their minds made up, and nothing I said had any influence.  I even sent them links to websites for rescues for the breeds they were looking for.  Also, it's not uncommon to find specific breeds at local animal shelters today.  But my money is still on the mutts.

Regardless of how you feel however, if someone wants to buy a companion animal, they currently have that right.  So I find myself in the interesting position of siding with the person who bought her dog, even though I think what she is doing is morally wrong.  But her antagonist is really out there.  The most bizarre thing about all this is that they live on different continents.  It almost  seems like he is venting all his frustrations at her because she is so far away and can't really retaliate.  Regardless, it is her choice.  It is still very legal in this country to breed and sell animals.   His behavior is alienating others on the board who might otherwise be on his "side."  This chat has nothing to do with animal rights or veganism.

Having said all that, if you are considering getting a pet in the near future, please look to your local animal shelters.  There are so many wonderful animals in need of a good home.  Petfinder, which is an on-line, searchable database of animals that need homes, has animals all across North America.   Be aware that each shelter has their own set of fees and requirements for adoptees.

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We must fight against the spirit of unconscious cruelty with which we treat the animals.  Animals suffer as much as we do.  True humanity does not allow us to impose such sufferings on them.  It is our duty to make the whole world recognize it.  Until we extend our circle of compassion to all living things, humanity will not find peace.  ~  Albert Schweitzer, "The Philosophy of Civilization."

Albert Schweitzer died before I was born.  Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like much has changed since he wrote the quote above.

In yesterday's post "Is Splenda Vegan?" I mentioned that Splenda had been tested on animals. Thanks to FoodEater of  To Live and Eat in LA for pointing out that was a gross understatement that is.  She provides links to the campaign Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC).  Huntingdon is Huntingdon Life Sciences, an animal testing facility based in London, with facilities in the US and Japan as well.

According to SHAC, researchers estimate that 12,800 animals were killed in the testing of sucralose (Splenda).  We used to jokingly refer to Splenda as "Splendid," but between the animal abuse and the mixed , I don't expect we'll ever say that agin.

"For as long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other. Indeed, he who sows the seed of murder and pain cannot reap joy and love." ~ Pythagoras (500 BC)

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As the eyes of the world turn towards Washington for the changing of the guard, the vegan community will very likely have high hopes for the new "regulatory czar," Cass Sunstein.  Sunstein will head the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, which regulates, among many other agencies, the Environmental Protection Agency.  Hmmm....

For those of you who don't pay too much attention to US politics, Sunstein is a Harvard University Law School professor and author of "Animal Rights: Current Debates and New Directions."  (If you click on the link it will take you to Amazon, where you can read an excerpt.)  I haven't read the book yet, but I did order it...   Sunstein will have his hands full with many other issues, but he has stood up and argued for animal rights in the (recent) past.

It will be interesting to see what changes Sunstein will promote in the avenue of animal rights.

For further reading:

• Sunstein, Cass R.,The Rights of Animals: A Very Short Primer(August 2002). U Chicago Law & Economics, Olin Working Paper No. 157; U of Chicago, Public Law Research Paper No. 30.  (This will bring up the abstract, you can download the entire paper via a link at the top of their page.)
• Associated Press - Sunstein Appointed Regulatory Czar
• The Wall Street Journal re: Sunstein.
• ABA Jouranl - Lawyers Who May Run America
• What the other side is saying:  Opposing Views

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If you've been reading this blog for a bit, you've probably noticed that we don't focus much on animal rights/animal welfare.  For the most part, Jane and I came to veganism through a desire for better health.  And so our focus is health, food, and lifestyle.  As time has gone by, the health reasons that motivated us to become vegan in the first place have become less dominant; the thought of eating meat again has become abhorrent.  And so, we dip our toes into the issue of anti-vivisection.

Gary, over at Animal Writings has been authoring a difficult series of late.  It's all about the horrors of animal testing, from the abysmal treatment of the animals themselves to the inaccuracies of using animals to determine how drugs/procedures will impact humans.  One of the resources he's used is a book called Sacred Cows and Golden Geese: The Human Cost of Experiments on Animals.  My library had a copy, and so I borrowed it.  It's been sitting on the coffee table and every night or two I pick it up, only to put it down again.  That's no criticism of the book.  I'm just not sure I want to know more!

Coincidentally, when I picked up the book this evening, I opened to this quote:

There are, in fact, only two categories of doctors and scientists who are not opposed to vivisection: those who don't know enough about ti, and those who make money from it.

-- Dr. Werner Hartinger, MD 1989

The truth is it's a painful issue to think about. Most of us would rather not consider where our food comes from or how our medications are tested.   The scary thing is that this book professes (and documents) that animal testing is unnecessary and causes harm to both animals and humans.  So we're  perpetrating barbarism and cruelty for no reason.

In order to evolve as a species, we must treat all sentient beings with respect.  It's time.

For more information on anti-vivisection see:

• Animal Writings
• Our post - An End To Animal Testing?
• The Environmental Defense Funds blog post on High Throughput In Vitro Testing
• Johns Hopkins University Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing Newsletter
• American Anti-Vivisection Society

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I was having a discussion with a co-worker today.  She's getting a puppy and she's so excited she's already picked out his name.  This sounds rather reasonable (fun even), until we get to the part where she mentions she doesn't know when she'll be picking him up; she's buying her dog from a breeder.  She wants a male dog and there are only females in this litter.  The best male puppy is already spoken for in the next litter, so it's possible she'll have to wait until spring.  I guess those are the joys of buying from a breeder.

Turns out she's not alone.  Our soon-to-be Vice President, Joe Biden, just got himself a German Shepherd puppy from a breeder.  He's got "the pick of the litter."  (Source: CNN.)

I don't understand.  With all the loving animals stranded in shelters, why do we need breeders at all?  Sure there are some breeds that are more "desirable" than others.  I understand that Labs are one of the most family friendly dogs you can get.   If you have to have a particular breed, why not consider a rescue rather than a puppy?  Tens of millions of "pets" are destroyed in the US annually.  Buying an animal seems like a waste to me.

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