Category Archives: Members’ News

Our member and painter Ann Johnson reports:

I’ve recently embarked on a long-term project to draw and paint the rescue parrots who live permanently at the Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare, near Lewes, East Sussex.

The Centre boasts modern facilities for all kinds of rescue animals and these temporary homes for small mammals who will be re-homed, are particularly imaginative, ensuring their stay is as enjoyable as possible. So many small creatures are kept in tiny cages, largely bereft of objects with which the animals can engage. But here, as you can see, the staff have used great creativity in using recycled objects to create comfort and interest and encourage activity for rats, hamsters, mice and gerbils, helping keep them busy and happy.

These photographs demonstrate the staff’s imaginative use of everyday objects. All manner of household bits and pieces, including egg and sweets boxes, shredded newspaper and components of non-dangerous domestic appliances objects etc… are made into hammocks, platforms, tubes to run along, ladders, and materials with which to shred and build.

Raystede offers a whole range of activities for adults and children, as well, including educational events on animal care for local schools.

Ann will continue to report on her time at Raystede over the coming months.

http://www.raystede.org/

See Ann’s work here on our site and on her own web site at: www.annjohnsonpaintings.net

Un-cooped: Deconstructing the Domesticated Chicken

Our member in the Republic of Ireland, Sandra Higgins, Director of Eden Farm Animal Sanctuary tells us that three of their residents  will feature in the forthcoming online portrait exhibition at the National Museum of Animals & Society, entitled Un-cooped: Deconstructing the Domesticated Chicken.

Here are – on the left, Matilda, and on the right, Joy, soon after rescue:

The exhibition will also feature a synopsis of Enriched Cages and Embodied Prisons (in press), a report produced by Matilda’s Promise Animal Rights & Vegan Education Centre on the exploitation of egg laying hens by the humans who consume their eggs, detailing how the 2012 EU Ban on Battery Cages has resulted in an increase in the exploitation and rights violations of hens, which is characteristic of a welfare approach to non-human exploitation in non-vegan society.

The exhibition can be viewed online at http://www.museumofanimals.org/#/upcoming-exhibits/4158003 from 11th. May to coincide with International Respect for Chickens month.

This is a wonderful exhibition featuring a wide variety of chicken beings and the humans who represent them and advocate for their rights.

The exhibition features several of Eden’s residents:  look out for Simon, Mike, Breffni, Joy and our beloved Matilda.

There are also very interesting contributions from Karen Davis of United Poultry Concerns, Robert Grillo, Jonathan Balcombe, Sue Coe, Carol Adams and many others.

It can be viewed online here http://www.uncooped.org/

From the catalogue notes: Homo sapiens and Gallus gallus domesticus share a long and complex history, from the jungles of Southeast Asia to the cockfighting pits of ancient Rome, from the Victorian show ring to the modern day factory farm. Human attitudes toward chickens are likewise vast, ranging from creation myths that revere chickens and the egg in the formulation of the world, to dismissals of chickens as dull and foolish.

Enriched Cages & Embodied Prisons

 ‘Enriched Cages & Embodied Prisons’ examines the effect of the ban on barren battery cages on the hens who are exploited by the egg industry, exploring the similarity between barren cages and the new ‘enriched’ or ‘furnished’ battery cage system of confinement. It explores how the ban has coincided with an increase in the consumption of eggs which is highly likely to be due to appeasement of what used to be the leading cause of public awareness of animal rights violations, a fact that will not have been lost on the animal agricultural industry that supported the ‘ban’…

Download the complete report here:

http://www.edenfarmanimalsanctuary.com/2013/05/14/enriched-cages-embodied-prisons/

Along the Way – (c) Ann Johnson

Edgelands

New paintings and drawings by

QCA committee member Ann Johnson

Saturday 8 to Thursday 20 June 2013

Tues – Sat: 10.30am – 5pm Sunday: 12noon – 5pm (Closed Monday)

Exhibition ‘Walk & Talk’ with Ann: Sunday 16 June, 2.30pm

Hop Gallery

Star Brewery Castle Ditch Lane

(off Fisher Street) Lewes BN7 1YJ

T 01273 487744 M 07740 424949 www.hopgallery.com

www.annjohnsonpaintings.net

An Apology to Holly

‘The potbellied pig Holly’s body lies in the cemetery at Eden Farm Animal Sanctuary.

Her story is all that remains of her life.

Be mindful of it in your interactions with the non-human companions we bring into our world.’

Holly’s life and death were tragic and we reproduce this report here as a tribute to her, and to our member Sandra Higgins, who tried to save her and whose work for farmed and other animals is nothing short of admirable.

Please see her website for full post:

www.edenfarmanimalsanctuary.com/2013/03/20/companion-animals-an-apology-to-holly/

Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics Associate Fellow the Revd Feargus O’Connor has led the way in attempting to secure a declaration for animals at the Annual Meetings of the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches at the University of Nottingham in April. The motion was unanimously agreed on Sunday 3 February 2013 at Golders Green Unitarians and will now go forward for debate at the General Assembly Annual Meetings.

“This General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches, inspired by the Universalist ethic of the Seventh Principle of the Unitarian Universalist Association, urging ‘respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are part’, and of our General Assembly Object proclaiming ‘respect for all creation’:

honours the dedicated work of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the World Society for the Protection of Animals, the International Fund for Animal Welfare, Compassion in World Farming, the International Primate Protection League, the Dogs Trust, Cats Protection, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and other campaigning animal welfare charities;

congratulates the Unitarian Universalist Animal Ministry, Quaker Concern for Animals, the Anglican Society for the Welfare of Animals, Catholic Concern for Animals and other religious animal welfare societies and Rev. Professor Andrew Linzey and the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics for their tireless promotion of the religious ethic of the Seventh Principle and its associated belief in the inherent worth and dignity of every living being;

urges fellow Unitarians and all people of goodwill to honour the spirit of the UUA Seventh Principle and its ethic of compassion and mercy to our sentient fellow creatures sharing this planet with us by acting effectively to protect and save billions of animal lives.”

Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics Director Professor Andrew Linzey commented:

“The churches generally have a poor record on animal protection, so it is a delight to hear of this latest resolution. Among religious bodies Unitarians have been in the forefront of concern for animals and we pay tribute to their progressive stand.”

More information about Unitarian Universalist Animal Ministry can be found here.

http://www.uuam.org/reverenceclass1.php

QCA note: we congratulate our committee member Feargus O’Connor on the progress this important initiative has so far made and would like to assure him and friends at his Golders Green congregation that Quaker Concern for Animals is holding it in the Light. We look forward to hearing good news in April.

On Saturday 9th March, the Save the Harlan Beagles campaign hosted a silent, peaceful procession in Brighton.

This is a report from Julie Hinman, an Attender at Worthing Meeting and QCA member, who attended:

At the national procession in Brighton organised by Save the Harlan Beagles on 9^th March, the first thing I noticed was the dogs– quite a few – not just beagles but also terriers, staffies, german shepherds. Lots of happy, excited sniffing around, but surprisingly little barking – it made me think how different their fate could have been.

 

We were joined by coachloads of anti – Harlan Groups from Italy, France and Belgium and their different flags added colour to the procession, mainly clothed in black .

 

The procession walked along the seafront in silence behind a white coffin shouldered by 4 bearers, and a van playing music. In a square three speakers gave brief talks – Andre Menache, QCA patron, then a speaker who read out support from Caroline Lucas, Green MP, and lastly one of the organisers who read her own moving poem about a beagle in Harlan- a good mix of science, politics and compassion in support of the closure.

 

Andre Menache, with representatives of the Save the Harlan Beagles group, is going to Parliament on Wednesday to discuss the issues.

 

We walked back still in silence through the crowded town centre so were able to do lots of leafleting – this time with a commentary telling the public about Harlan. Walking to the rail station, I saw only one discarded leaflet, which is a good sign.

Simultaneous events calling for the closure of Europe-wide Harlan facilities were also to take place in France, Italy, Belgium and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

For more details, please visit:

http://savetheharlanbeagles.com/calendar/?utm_source=supporter_message&utm_medium=email
www.savetheharlanbeagles.com - where QCA patron Andre Menache writes.

… and here is his address at Brighton:

Representatives from ARAN recently held an interesting and educational debate at Trinity College in Dublin regarding the use of animals in experiments. Trinity continues to use animals in experiments and we urge them to consider using modern non-animal methods that will advance medical research.

Number of animals experimented on in Ireland in 2011:

* 242,890 mice.

* 15,378 fish.

* 14,437 rats.

* 2,672 cows.

* 932 rabbits.

* 831 dogs.

* 755 pigs.

* 669 other mammals.

* 441 guinea pigs.

* 180 cats.

* 62 horses/ donkeys.

* 11 sheep.

* 5 goats.

* 279,263 animals.

A huge thank you goes to Andre Menache of Antidote-Europe  – and Quaker Concern for Animals patron – who put up one great argument against the use of animals in experiments. Mr. Menache is an advisor to ARAN on animal testing issues and also assists groups in the UK and elsewhere.

Here is an interesting news link from the Irish Independent to a previous article on Trinity’s use of animals.

Thanks to a kind donation of scientific books on the problems of animal testing from Antidote-Europe, we will be mailing these books to universities and colleges across Ireland, so that students studying life and biosciences can learn more about animal experiments and why this type of “research” is leading medical and scientific progress down a wrong road.

Together we will bring about an end to animal experiments.

Animal Rights Action Network (ARAN)

‘Fighting animal abuse across Ireland’

www.Aran.ie    arancampaigns@aircom.net

L to R in photo:

John Carmody of ARAN, Tom Holder, André Menache, a student.

Tom Holder is the founder of ProTest and currently employed by Understanding Animal Research, an organisation that lobbies in favour of animal experimentation.

Readers will remember the Highland cattle Hamish and Dougal, rescued by our member Heidi Stephenson with the help of VIVA! and other groups – now happily ensconced at Hillside Sanctuary in Norfolk.

www.quaker-animals.co.uk/2012/friends-reunited/

In the course of the rescue, they were briefly reunited with William, the Limousin bull, with whom they had been raised. They all remembered each other and were not happy to be separated again.

So Heidi determined to save William too and worked tirelessly to raise the funds and negotiate his sale.

He is at last free – and safely arrived at Hillside. For the complete story, please see:

www.viva.org.uk/hamishanddougal/william-happy-ending.php

In their wish to recreate the Victorian past of Alexandra Park in South Manchester, the council is removing 400 trees, wreaking havoc in an urban oasis, home to much wildlife.

Hibernating animals are inevitably being disturbed. The RSPB has confirmed that the nesting season has begun.

What was a beautiful park of mature trees will become a formal garden, with tennis courts and other human-oriented amenities.

Please let any Manchester friends know what is happening and ask them to support the campaign.

Petition link:
http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/manchester-city-council-and-heritage-lottery-fund-stop-plans-to-fell-around-400-trees-and-3-3-acres-of-wildlife-habitat-in-alexandra-park-mcr?utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=url_share&utm_campaign=url_share_before_sign

London QCA member Thom Bonneville attended the vigil – one of several held Europe – wide - on the evening of 19 January in Trafalgar Square and reported that about thirty stalwarts from across the country nearly lost their fingers to frostbite as they leafleted passersby and held candles aloft to raise awareness of this hideous industry. Only Eddy the beagle, above, seemed unaffected by the cold!

Find out more and sign the petition at http://savetheharlanbeagles.com

Ann Johnson our committee member writes: