Dog Fights

When I was younger and my  dad would take me to visit my grandparents in Oklahoma we would always pass the same old abandoned wharehouse. One day my dad told me it sometimes substituted as a place for dog fights. Dog fights? I had no idea what this was and when it dawned upon me what the sport was I was horrified. Today I came across an article on a lady named Diane Jessup's site. She was writing about the more "noble" traits of dog fighting and criticizing groups like PETA and others for their actions against the fights. Her logic was that by making laws against the sport the good people who "took care" of their dogs were drawn away from it. By that logic, making marijuana illegal forced government officials to stop smoking and then the act gained its bad reputation. This makes no sense and is wrong. However, my point is that there is no noble act in training animals to maim each other and kill each other simply to make money or win a bet. It is wrong on so many levels. These animals become cruel and viscous and never know what it is to be loved. Pit bulls have a bad reputation and I have personally seen them kill and maim innocent animals, but centuries of being trained to act this way is why the animals sometimes do act out.  The continuation of dog fights would only further this problem. PETA and the other humane organizations that act against these animal abusers need support. That is the only way this horrible crime can one day come to an end.

A pit bull before shown that violence is a way of life.
Photo by: robswatski

http://www.workingpitbull.com/dogfighting.htm

Whaling Industry

Many see the whaling industry as something of the past. However, it is very much a present issue. Although not all countries partake in this act the innocent counties have an obligation to take a stand against them. Some of the small countries don't have enough support on their own to make a difference. Whaling has been outlawed in certain areas for years now but there are some places, in the Antarctic particularly where the whale populations have taken a big hit from all the whaling in that area. According to an article on Greenpeace International's website, some of the whale populations still haven't recovered. The blue whales are at less than one percent than their original population and one population, the East Pacific Grey whales, has recovered to their original capacity. However, others, like the West Pacific grey whale, are bordering on extinction. That particular group has just over one hundred of their kind left today. Today the Humpback whale population is approximately 20,000, but in the 19th century the IWC estimated the population should be at 100,000 today. That means that the whales are at eighty percent less capacity than they could have been at that time, and even then that was after whaling took its toll in the species. There are petitions any one can go on line and sign today to help end whaling completely around the world. This takes no toll on yourself and is simply a huge favor to a magnificent creature. It would be a tragedy to only be able to describe these beautiful creatures to todays generation's grandchildren.

Photo by: LonelyBob

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/oceans/whaling/

Down Comfort

Our beds are sacred to most of us. I love sleeping and I really love comfortable beds. Down comforters are some of the most popular bedding purchased today. Some people never stop to think about where those fluffy feathers are coming from. The down in your comfy blankets and comforters comes from geese and ducks. It is the feathers closest to their skin and it is ripped off them and processed and ends up in our beds. The ripping can be so harsh that the animals skin is ripped open. Now, I know that it's incredibly appealing to own a down comforter. They are so soft and you just want to lay in bed all day when you have them...and sometimes even when you don't. However, it is incredibly selfish to purchase these products simply to reward ourselves with material goods instead of buying a less extravagant product that is harmless to animals. There are plenty of other blankets and bedding out there to keep yourself as comfortable and cozy as you desire. So the next time you decide to purchase some bedding think about the poor animals who went through pain for it. Some animals were even plucked multiple times starting at  just ten weeks of age if they were being raised for meat. According to an article by PETA, The Down Industry, contributing to this problem also supports the foie gras industry. This is when  ducks are force fed with tubes shoved down their throats and being literally stuffed with so much food it causes them physical pain. Down is in more than just comforters and blankets though. Jackets, pillows, and many other products are made with down feathers. You can help end this problem and shut down the companies funding them by checking to make sure you don't buy more of their products. Help the birds because they can't help themselves.

Photo by: blmiers2

http://www.peta.org/issues/Animals-Used-for-Clothing/down-industry.aspx

Dairy Farms Cruelty

I love my diary products as much as the next person, but I recently came across an article, Cruelty Behind Cheese: Cattle Burned for Maker of Cabot, revealing the dirty little secrets behind my delicious dairy foods. Not all diary farms commit acts of cruelty on their animals, but PETA investigators reported a dairy farm in Clinton County, New York, that is guilty of so much injustice it's hard to know where to start. The beginning will suffice for now. Cows carry their calves for nine full months before delivering. This is the same length as a human mother would carry her child. After nine long months of one of the closest bonds ever being formed, the calfs are taken away from their mothers, never to see them again. This causes severe emotional trauma for both the calf and mother. Later, when the calves are sill young, their horns are burned off without any form of pain killers. Others who have already grown their horns suffer having them chopped off, again with no medication. These are just some of the cruelty these animals go through. The workers at this farm were witnessed jabbing the animals in tender areas, including their utters, and the manager was spotted electrically shocking one cow in the face repeatedly and being verbally abusive as well. This happens daily to these innocent animals and can be stopped. All it would take is reporting their wrongdoings and going to the PETA website to sign a petition to help stop this issue. 

Photo by: mhall209