A n i m a l W r i t e s © sm
The
official ANIMAL RIGHTS ONLINE newsletter
Publisher ~ EnglandGal@aol.com
Issue #
01/31/01
Editor ~ JJswans@aol.com
Journalists ~ Park StRanger@aol.com
~
MicheleARivera@aol.com
~ SavingLife@aol.com
THE NINE ARTICLES IN THIS ISSUE ARE:
1 ~ The Four Phases
2 ~ GAP's Vision
3 ~ Job Opportunity
4 ~ More Job Opportunities
5 ~ Southeast Regional Compassion for Animals Action
Symposium
6 ~ A Dynamic Speaker on the Philosophy of
Animal Rights
7 ~ No More Homeless Pets Conference
8 ~ Your Petstore Pup
9 ~ Quote To Remember
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The Four Phases
by Douglas Fakkema
contributed by myREBAdog@worldnet.att.net (Lisa Marie)
Those
of us who work on behalf of and who dedicate our lives to animals go through
four phases in our career evolution. As we are unique, so are our
individual stories, but we all go through a similar process, and if we survive
that process go on to understand that we have achieved what we wanted in
the first place.
PHASE ONE
Red hot and raring to go, we are out to change the world. We are high on
life. We know we can make a difference, that our efforts on behalf of
animals will ease their plight. We work what seems like 25-hour days yet
are energized. Our enthusiasm overflows, our capacity for challenges is
limitless. We eat, sleep and live in the cause for animals. Our
friends don't understand our obsession and turn away or just fade away, and we
let them for we meet new ones. Some of us though don't make new friends,
we're too busy working for animals.
Some of us become loners with only our canine or feline companions to keep us
from total isolation but we're content because we have a cause. In our
zeal, we tend to affix simple solutions to complex problems - every animal
should be sterilized or no animal should be euthanized. We're often late
because we try to rescue animals from highways and streets. We think we
understand the problem and we know we can fix it if only people would get out
of our way.
PHASE TWO
Our phase one enthusiasm has turned sour, the bubble bursts and we crash and
burn. We see the same people coming into the shelter with yet another
litter - they haven't heard our message. We continue to euthanize, there
seems no end to it. Even our friends - those we still have left - don't
understand us. We can't seem to reach anyone.
Animals are still abused and neglected, their plight seems unchanged despite
all our efforts. We've lost the boundless energy that characterizes Phase
One. We no longer wish to talk about work, don't even want to admit where
we work. We're tired all the time. We go home from work, lock the
doors, turn out the lights, turn off the answering machine and close the window
blinds. We're too exhausted to cook so we scarf fast food, pizza, potato
chips or chocolate.
Some of us buy useless objects we can't afford. Some of us turn to
alcohol for it takes away our feelings of hopelessness. We ignore our
families and even our pets get less attention than we know is right. We
seem powerless to affect any of the changes that drove us to such ecstasies of
dedication in
Phase One. We have become horrified by the work we have to do. Even
our dreams are filled with the horror. Every animal we take in, every
animal we euthanize is yet another nail in our coffin of defeat. Somehow
we're to blame for all our failure and it's destroying us. Raise the
shields Scotty, the Klingons are on our tail!
Our shield gets thicker and thicker. It blocks the pain and the sadness
and makes our life somehow tolerable. We continue on because every now
and then we get a spark of Phase One energy.
PHASE THREE
Our phase two depression has turned outward and we're mad as hell. Hopelessness
turns to rage. We begin to hate people, any people and all
people unless, like our co-workers, they dedicate their lives to animals
the way we do. We even hate our co-workers if they dare question us -
especially about
euthanasia. It occurs to us, let's euthanize the owners, not the
pets. Let's take everyone who abuses an animal or even surrenders an
animal and euthanize them instead.
Our rage expands to our out-of-work life. That guy in front of us on the
highway, the one who's in our way, euthanize him too. We rage at politicians,
television, newspapers, our family. Everyone is a target for our anger,
scorn and derision. We have lost our perspective and effectiveness.
We're unable to connect with life. Even the animals we come in contact
with seem somehow distant and unreal. Anger is the only bridge to our
humanness. It's the only thing that penetrates our shield.
PHASE FOUR
Gradually, and over time, the depression of Phase Two and the anger of Phase
Three become replaced with a new determination and understanding of what our
mission really is. It is big picture time. We realize that we have
been effective - locally and in some cases regionally and even
nationally. So we haven't solved the problem - who could - but we have
made a difference with dozens, even hundreds and sometimes thousands of
animals. We have changed the way others around us view animals. We
begin to see our proper place in our own community and we begin to see that we
are most effective when we balance our work and out-of-work lives. We
realize that work is not our whole world and that if we pay attention to our
personal lives, we can be more effective at work. We understand that some
days we work 14 hours and some days we knock it off after only 8. We take
vacations and we enjoy our weekends. We come back refreshed and ready to
take on daily challenges. We see that all people are not bad. We
understand that ignorance is natural and in most cases curable. Yes,
there are truly awful people who abuse and neglect animals but they are a minority. We don't hate them.
When we find them we do all we can to stop them from hurting animals. We
recognize that the solutions are just as complex as the problems and bring a
multitude of tools to the problem at hand and use them any way we can and we begin
to see results - one small step at a time. We reconnect with the
animals. Our shields come down. We understand that sadness and pain
are a part of our job. We stop stuffing our feelings with drugs, food or
isolation. We begin to understand that our feelings of anger, depression
and sadness are best dealt with if we recognize them and allow them to wash
over and past us. We recognize our incredible potential to help
animals. We are changing the world.
I've noticed that some people get frozen in Phase One (the zealots), or Two
(the zombies), or Three (the misanthropes). Some shift back and forth between
Two and Three and even between Four and Three or Four and Two. Many leave
animal work during Phase Two or Three, never to return. Some seem to move
rapidly to Phase Four, while for others it takes years and years. Some
never get a sense of peace to go along with our purpose, they work their entire
lives on the frantic pink cloud of phase one or
depressed or angry. I know I've been in all four phases in 25 years in
animal protection. Can the journey from Phase One to Four be speeded
up? Can we avoid the pain, discomfort and agony that goes with the
journey? I wish I knew.
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GAP's VISION
The Great Ape Project seeks a world in which the
boundary between humans and all other species no longer divides those beings
who have basic rights from those who have none; nor those beings who are
legally persons from those who are merely property.
As a consequence:
* All great apes are recognized as having rights to life, to liberty, and to
protection from torture;
* Great apes in their native habitat are protected from human interference;
* Great apes who cannot be returned to their natural rangelands live in secure
sanctuaries, free from harmful human experimentation or other forms of
exploitation.
With the softening of the ethical boundary between human beings and their
nearest relatives, we look forward to the commencement of a fundamental
reconsideration of the relationships between humans and all other sentient
beings.
GAP's MISSION
The Great Ape Project exists in order to act as a catalyst for the realization
of the vision outlined above. It seeks to do this in the following concrete
ways:
* Promoting the Declaration on Great Apes and obtaining signatures for it.
* Spreading worldwide the ideas of the Great Ape Project and encouraging the
development of a network of national and regional organizations for this
purpose.
* Campaigning, either by ourselves or in alliance with other organizations, to
address the plight of great apes as individuals, including those now in
captivity, and those in danger in their native habitat.
* Encouraging changes in the laws of every country to ensure that great apes
are not legally property, but instead beings whose intrinsic interests and
rights are recognized at law.
* Ultimately, gaining a United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Great Apes.
GREAT APE PROJECT -
International
http://www.enviroweb.org/gap/gaphome.html
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Job Opportunity
Help needed - Alberta Canada
Wanted: Committed animal lover to live and work on a ranch for rescued
dogs, horses and cattle in Southern Alberta.
The ranch is home to 36 dogs, six horses and 37 cattle looked after by Roger
Brinker, a former high school principal, who has become crippled from sports
injuries. Roger needs someone to help him run the ranch and care for the
animals. In exchange, he can provide a two-bedroom trailer in which to
live,
utilities and free use of a vehicle.
The successful applicant will have a small income of his or her own (the
position would be ideal for a retired person), as well as references.
If you're interested, please reply with a phone number to nread@pacpress.southam.ca
Source: Bob Chorush
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From: Dena Jones
The Animal Protection Institute (API), a national
animal advocacy organization based in Sacramento, CA, is currently accepting
resumes for the following positions:
Position #1: Program Coordinator
Job Duties: Plan, implement, and evaluate animal protection campaigns in one or
more program areas, specifically animals used in agriculture, entertainment,
and science. Includes developing advocacy materials, participating in
investigations and research, networking with other advocacy organizations and
individuals, and participating in media interviews, meeting, and conferences.
Qualifications: Previous experience with grassroots group or national
animal protection organization strongly preferred. Degree in
animal-related subject, law, or public policy desirable. Self-directed and
ability to coordinate multiple projects essential.
Salary commensurate with experience. Excellent benefits.
This permanent, full-time position is available immediately in API's Sacramento
office.
Position #2: Summer Intern
Job Duties: Assist program department staff in planning and implementing
advocacy campaigns. Includes researching issues, responding to
correspondence and request for information, and developing educational and
advocacy materials.
Qualifications: Graduate student, recent graduate, or upper division
under-graduate student. Prior experience in advocacy desirable. Stated goal to
pursue career in animal advocacy strongly preferred.
Salary $8-10/hour, DOE. No benefits.
This temporary (10-12 week), full-time position is available 6/1/01.
Applications accepted through 3/30/01.
Resumes with cover letter for the above positions may be submitted by mail,
fax, or e-mail (no phone calls, please) to:
Dena Jones, Program Director,
Animal Protection Institute,
PO Box 22505,
Sacramento, CA 95822;
916-731-4467 (fax);
djones@api4animals.org (e-mail).
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Southeast Regional
Compassion for Animals Action Symposium
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2001
7:00-8:00
Yoga - Elizabeth Kennedy
7:30-8:30 Breakfast
8:30-8:50 Introduction - Chas Chiodo-Vegetarian
Events
8:50-9:30 Living As If The Earth Mattered - Holly
Jensen
9:30-10:30 Recovering Our Souls:
Why Animal Slavery Is Bad for People Too
Jim Mason- Author of "Animal Factories" and
"An Unnatural Order"
10:30-10:50 Break
10:50-11:45 Utopian Visions and Pragmatic Politics:
The Challenge of the Animal Rights Movement
Kim Stallwood- Animals Agenda Magazine
12:00-1:00 Lunch
music- Heidi Jensen & Dustin Cottrell
1:30-1:45 Animal Rights Foundation of Florida -
Heather Lischin
1:45-2:00 Voices for Animals - Myriam Parham
2:00-2:15 Animal Activist of Central Florida - Bryan
Wilson
2:15-2:45 Fighting Factory Farming
Gene Bauston-Farm Sanctuary
Break
3:10-3:40 The Mystery in Your Milk
Jane Akre & Steve Wilson- Tampa Journalists
3:40-4:10 Animals in Politics
Wayne Pacelle-Humane Society of the United States
4:10-4:40 Captive Animals: Cruelty for Cash
Susan McCullom- EarthKind and EarthSave Miami
4:40-5:00 Endangered Manatees:
Victims of the Tourist Trade
Lars Andersen- Adventure Outpost
5:00-5:30 Florida Sport Fishing: Hooked on Cruelty
Dawn Carr- PETA
Break
6:00-7:00 Dinner
6:45-7:30 Keynote Address
Don Barnes- Animal Protection Institute
and The San Antonio Voices for Animals
7:30 Variety Show
Eclectica- Performance Art
Farhannah Dance Troupe
For more info, contact Chas Chiodo, Vegetarian Events Director at
chasmo@netcommander.com
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David Sztybel, Ph.D.
A Dynamic Speaker on the Philosophy
of Animal Rights
Animal rights is one of the most controversial
issues of our time. David Sztybel, Ph.D., is available to speak to your group
on this fascinating topic. Possible
talks include:
* Why Animal Research Should Be Banned. Many people accept animal research as
an unfortunate necessity, while others see it as a non-issue. Dr. Sztybel makes a compelling argument that
animal research should not merely be reformed, as some animal welfarists
suggest, but rather should be completely abolished. Find out why!
* Why Eating Meat is Immoral. "Everybody" does it, but is it right? A
penetrating look at the unexamined violence behind the average meal. Dr.
Sztybel's own family used to run a fish and chips restaurant, now they are
vegetarian!
* Judeo-Christianity vs Animal Rights. Most Jews and Christians value kindness
to animals, and some even believe that the Bible requires this. In fact, the
opposite is true, according to shocking research by Dr. Sztybel, who is of
Jewish descent himself. Not to be missed!
* Environmentalism and Animal Rights. Many see an alliance between animal
rights and environmentalism. But most forms of environmentalism are actually
opposed to animal rights. Dr. Sztybel will explain where most environmentalists
go wrong, and how environmentalism and animal rights can, and should, be
unified.
* Buddhism and Animal Rights. Often seen as a recent trend, a profound concern
for animals has actually existed for millennia, through the teachings of the
Buddha. Dr. Sztybel's scholarship is important for both Buddhists and animal
rights activists.
* The Theory of Animal Rights. A surprisingly sophisticated philosophical basis
underlies the radical notion of animal rights. Dr. Sztybel has already
convinced many people -- look out, you may be next!
About the Speaker: David Sztybel has been called one of the leading experts on
animal rights philosophy in Canada. His diverse experience includes
presentations at the academic conferences held by the prestigious Canadian
Philosophical Association and the Radical Philosophy Association, and at a
conference on dissection hosted by University of Toronto Students for the
Ethical Treatment of Animals (SETA). Dr. Sztybel was instructor for Philosophy
of Human Sexuality, and has also served as a teaching assistant and guest
lecturer for courses in introductory philosophy and Environmental Ethics at the
University of Toronto, where he recently completed his Ph.D. in animal ethics.
He is a founding member, past president, and current vice president of UofT
SETA.
Separate web pages describe Dr. Sztybel's academic and popular writings.
email -
sztybel@chass.utoronto.ca
http://www.epas.utoronto.ca:8080/~sztybel
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No More Homeless Pets
Conference
Sponsored by Best Friends Animal Sanctuary
Hosted by Animal Rescue of Tidewater
May 18-20, 2001
Holiday Inn Executive Center
Virginia Beach, VA
Speakers include:
Ed Boks, Maricopa County Animal Services;
Mike Arms, Helen Woodward Animal Center;
Paul Berry, SNAP;
Becky Robinson, Alley Cat Allies;
Nathan Winograd, Esq.;
Julie Castle, No More Homeless Pets in Utah;
Michael Mountain, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.
Workshops and discussion topics include:
Marketing Shelter Animals,
Creating Adoption Events,
Managing Calls for Help from the Public,
Getting Your Community Involved,
Fundraising for Grassroots Organizations,
The Zen of Leadership: Taking a Leadership Role in Your
Community,
Selling the Cause: Media Exposure and Corporate Connections,
Coalition Building,
Feral Cats – Selling Your Community on a Humane Solution.
Conference brochures will be available in mid-February.
For more information call: 435-644-2001 X129
e-mail: info@bestfriends.org
fax: 435-644-2078
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Your Petstore Pup
Cherish
your new petstore pup -
Stand always by his side.
Mend his ills and give him hugs
And lots of fun car rides.
Feed him well and let him run
To build his body strong.
Play with him and give him treats.
Love him his whole life long.
You'll soon become his hero.
He will not ask you for much.
He'll trade his lifelong loyalty
For your kind word and touch.
Count him among your blessings,
As you are his blessing, too,
But then please do just one thing more
When every day is through.
Take time to look into his eyes
Each night you tuck him in.
I bet you'll see reflected there
Two other pups like him.
They've never had a family,
Soft bed, good food, nor fun.
They live life out in a wire box -
And never get to run.
They suffer searing heat at times,
At others freezing cold,
As weeks and months and years drag by
While they are growing old.
So think about his mom and dad
Who shine there through his eyes,
And remember all the mill dogs
Who are paying with their lives.
If they had ever had a chance,
They'd have grown up like him, too,
With years of love to give and get
Before their lives were through.
You'll never see them face to face -
Such miracles are rare -
But pray for your pup's mom and dad,
Cause someone ought to care..
Shannon McClure
Addie's Safehouse
© 2000
If you share this poem with others, please make sure the author is credited.
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Quote To Remember
"Would
not these facts prevent us from achieving happiness, and therefore the
conditions necessary to the building of a just society, if we pursue a desire
to eat animals?
~ Socrates
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Susan Roghair - EnglandGal@aol.com
Animal Rights Online
P O Box 7053
Tampa, Fl 33673-7053
http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/1395/
-=Animal Rights Online=-
&
Advisory Board Member, Animal Rights Network Inc.,
not-for-profit publisher of The Animals' Agenda Magazine
http://www.animalsagenda.org/
The Animals' Agenda Magazine: WebEdition
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