Tuesday 29 September 2015

Why I'm giving up milk

It's his milk. Isn't it about time we left him and her alone?

I'm passing farmland in the train and everywhere I see cows and their enlarged udders and I'm thinking, 'where are all their calves?'

There should be loads of them because that's why all these cows have enlarged udders, because like human mothers they produce milk to feed their babies.

Then reality hits me in a way it never has before - and I've been a vegetarian for 25 years - the reason these mothers don't have calves with them like nature intended is because their milk is going to be bottled, put in ice cream, cheese and yoghurt and all those other things that we humans consume.

So, where are these cows' babies?

Chances are the male calves are dead, well they can't produce milk. The dairy industry is brutal and any animal that doesn't make money is deemed not to have the right to live.

The female calves will end up as dairy cows and the whole sick process will begin again, babies seperated from their mothers, so we humans can drink wholesome* milk.

And that's why I've stopped drinking milkshakes, eating cheese and yoghurt because if I don't do that I'm feeding the demand, I'm breaking the mother and child bond.
I am the reason mother cows are bellowing for their babies.


It's because of me that babies are not nourished by their mother's milk and may end up living out their short, light starved lives in veal crates.

I say not in my name., and that's why I won't drink milk or anything containing milk.

*milk has been linked with breast cancer. In China where they are mostly lactose intolerant - lactose is in milk - the rates are way below what they are in Western countries where milk consumption is the norm.
 

Sunday 20 September 2015

5 Simple Ways to go Cruelty Free Today



1. Look out for the leaping bunny on products that guarantees a product is verified as cruelty free. 
Companies may say they don't test on animals, but sometimes their claims are misleading. Copies that carry the leaping bunny logo (accept no imitations and believe me, there are plenty) need to prove their cruelty free credentials. 

Go to http://www.gocrueltyfree.org/shopper to find cruelty free companies. You can select by country.
Go bananas for Fair Trade

2. If you're buying bananas, chocolate or coffee, make sure it's Fairtrade (also Fair Trade). 
By buying Fairtrade, you are making a real difference to real people's lives. 

Remember though, that milk chocolate can never be cruelty free because the dairy industry kills unwanted calves and that's only one of the cruelties they inflict on cows.

They are paid a fair wage for their work and farmers get a fair price for their goods.


The true face of leather

3. Ditch the leather because it's NEVER cruelty free: it's a by-product of animal slaughter, of the meat industry. 

Get synthetic belts, handbags and shoes instead.



4. Encourage anyone interested in getting a pet to adopt and not buy. 
There are so many animals in need of good homes. 

There's no reason for anyone to buy a pet. 

When people buy a pet they might as well be locking the cage on an unwanted pet at an animal shelter.



5. Make a veggie meal for everyone. 
Let your family/partner/housemates taste how good a cruelty free meal can be.

Remember if it's really cruelty free, ditch the milk and butter. Better for you too. 

It's not that good for you anyway.

Friday 18 September 2015

Fox cub hunting - they hunt babies don't they?

A round of applause for everyone who bought Living Cruelty Free. 

Thanks to everybody who bought Living Cruelty Free: Live aMore Compassionate Life I've donated money to the League Against Cruel Sports and their amazing campaign to highlight the plight of baby fox cubs stolen from the countryside by fox hunters, so they can hunt them when the babies are older to satisfy their blood lust.




Reading the details of their investigation below, I think we all know who the real vermin are.

Here's a copy of the communication I received that made me realise they were the cause I wanted to support this time. 

Note - All text and photos are copyright of The League Against Cruel Sports. Please donate or share if you can. Thank you. 



donate to save cubs
DONATE NOW 
HOW YOUR DONATION
CAN HELP
£10
could help us raise awareness and expose the depth and breadth of illegal cub hunting through your local media.
£20
could help us save young foxes in your area, which are being reared to be hunted in the name of sport and urgently need your help.
£100
could help us fund a specific cub hunting investigation in your area and will assist us to present findings to the Police and Crown Prosecution Service, exposing this insidious activity currently kept secret by hunters.
DONATE NOW
Dear Jennifer
Over the years I have seen some truly shocking cases of animal cruelty, but nothing comes close to cub hunting -the dirty secret of the hunting world
You may find this hard to believe, but hunters capture fox cubs in cages, sheds, barns and artificial earths (controlled environments) so that they have ‘fresh stock’ readily available to kill for sport. 
You can help stop the massacre of fox cubs by donating to our appeal today. 
What’s truly worrying is that not only do hunts go out and deliberately kill cubs in the autumn, but in fact rear them in artificial environments to kill for fun at their own disposal. 

Investigations Exposé

In May, my Investigations team were alerted of potential cruelty inside a dark barn located just 200m from the Middleton Foxhound’s kennels. What we discovered inside was shocking.
16 fox cubs. Trapped in the barn, hidden from sunlight, and being reared to ultimately be killed by hunters. These hunters will stop at nothing for their own brutal pleasure.
You’ll be pleased to hear that we have rescued the fox cubs and relocated them in a secure location.

These protected areas offer freedom – something which these poor young cubs have never experienced before in their lives. In fact it saddens me to tell you that, after being kept unnaturally in a dark barn, the fox cubs were still afraid of daylight.

This is not an isolated case. As you read this letter, this dreadful practice is widespread across the UK. Our Wildlife Crimewatch line has received a wealth of information on 20 hunts in the UK suspected of capturing foxes to be hunted, and countless more cases of suspect artificial earths.
With your donation, we can expose even more cases of cruelty to cubs, including kidnapping and illegal cub hunting this season.

Before the Hunting Act (2004) was passed, 40% of all foxes killed each year were killed as cubs*. With the Hunting Act now in jeopardy, this season will be crucial for getting the evidence needed to protect the future for vulnerable young fox cubs.

You can make a donation to our cub hunting appeal securely online by credit card or via PayPal or make a telephone donation by calling 01483 524 250.



Every penny will make a difference towards securing their future, free from torment and persecution. 
Thank you for all your support, and everything you do for animals.
Paul Tilsley
Head of Investigations


*The Burns Report 2000
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Tuesday 1 September 2015

Don't Let the Bullies Win - How to Get your confidence back and find your rainbow


Don’t Let the Bullies Win: How to get your confidence, back is aimed at a much neglected group, the adult survivors of bullying, whether that bullying took place at school, in the workplace or in the confines of a relationship.

This book was written by a bully survivor and is part misery memoir/self-help and will aim to do exactly what the title suggests.

The emphasis is firmly on dealing with the aftermath of bullying, whether it’s still going on or happened years ago, and making the bullied person feel more confident using a mixture of chatty advice, humour and fun exercises.

Inside this book there are tips and strategies on:
•           How to stop blaming yourself for what happened
•           How to stop bullying and bullying behaviour from ruining your life and your relationships
•           Learning to like yourself 
•           Standing up for yourself, including how to say no to people
•           Learning to let go of what happened to you
•           Helping yourself to feel better without relying on others
•           Facing up to the bully

Also includes tips on dealing with difficult people.

Note - to keep the cost down so the book can help as many people as possible, Don't Let the Bullies Win is currently only available in eBook form.