To the dogs

A poem on dogs, freedom and joyful living

North America’s First Dolphin Sanctuary

The National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland is undertaking groundbreaking changes in the way they care for the dolphin colony raised in captivity at the facility. With a mission to “advance understanding and protection of cetaceans by offering a natural environment in which the colony of dolphins in (their) care will thrive,” the aquarium is establishing the first dolphin sanctuary in North America. The colony of 8 dolphins will be moved by the year 2020 from the 35-year old Inner Harbor attraction at the Marine Mammal Pavilion.

Norway Pledges Fur Farming Ban

The newly formed coalition government of Norway, led by Conservative Prime Minister Erna Solberg, announced on January 14, 2018 a pledge to end all fur farming in Norway, with the phase-out complete by 2024/2025. Norway is the 14th European nation to phase out fur farming. Belgium, Germany, and Luxembourg are also considering legislation to ban fur farming. The United Kingdom was the first to institute a ban in 2000, followed by Austria in 2004.

Making Fashion Cruelty-Free

Fashion industry icon Michael Kors has joined the list of designers who will no longer use fur in their fashion lines. Kors follows on the recent announcement by the Italian industry giant Gucci that they will begin phasing out fur starting in the spring of 2018. Unfortunately, fur products are sometimes mislabeled as fur-free.

Thanksgiving Thoughts

I’m thankful for my human kin who want to protect other animals from our own fierce species as we recognize that the playing field isn’t level and as we’re unwilling to take advantage of the power differential, all the while acknowledging superior kinds of intelligence embodied in other species.

Adversity’s Peace

This tiny beast, this guinea pig, had become golden to the researchers! He saved them a lot of time and money. He was very patient. He caused no one any grief. Ever. He required very little anesthetic and so they hardly ever gave him any. They didn’t need to! Because he only purred. And they used him, and used him, and abused him. He was their bread and butter. They didn’t put the guinea pig on a fork and poke it into their mouths, but that’s only a technicality. The suffering of the guinea pig was food to them. His flesh and body sustained them. So they ate him.

New Documents by the Humane Party’s Economic Transition Team

This week, the Humane Herald’s publication page offers two new important documents written by members of the Humane Party’s Economic Transition Team.

Historic Ruling for Chimps Sets Precedent for Animal Rights

On April 4, 2017, Judge Maria Alejandra Maurício of the Third Court of Guarantees of the Judiciary in the Argentinean State of Mendoza ruled that Cecília, a chimpanzee living alone in a concrete enclosure at the Mendocino Zoo in Argentina, had the right to health and happiness.

When You Think You’ve Heard It All

It’s likely that your coconut-infused products are made with coconuts gathered by child slave labor, that is, the labor of baby primates. Their mothers have been murdered. They’re then chained, whipped and beaten into submission. They are hung by the neck to develop strong back legs. Why? Because they can then pick 1200 coconuts each day in contrast to humans who can only pick a few hundred each day.

The Crime of Compassion

Diane Gandee Sorbi was charged with theft for rescuing a dying hen during a DxE undercover investigation of Costco egg supplier Pleasant Valley Farms.

Does the educational mission of zoos justify captivity, culling, and public dissection of animals?

The issue of keeping animals in captivity was recently in the news with the announcement of the last performance of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus this May. While many applaud the announcement, the future of the captive animals is in question. In a related story, The New Yorker featured in its January 16, 2017 issue the shooting and public dissection of a healthy young giraffe named Marius at the Odense Zoo in Denmark last year.