Kind Education Official Magazine of ThinkKind Inc.
Spring 2015 SPECIAL ISSUE
Why ban sow stalls?
Learn why people want the pork industry to stop using sow stalls
Amazing animal rescue stories:
Read awesome stories from Edgar’s Mission farm sanctuary Kind Education
-1-
Got what it takes to be the kindest school? See how your school can help animals during Be Kind to Animals Week Spring 2015
WIN great prizes!
Te a Al ch ig in ne g d G C to t uid ur h e ric e A A ul us va um tr ila al b ia le n
Get your school ready for Be Kind to Animals Week!
Message from the Editor The world is growing kinder for all living creatures, each and every day. And do you want to know what the best bit is? You can be a part of making a difference to the lives of animals too, which is why we want to invite your school, class, year level or student team to take part in our first ever Be Kind to Animals Week school competition. In this special issue of Kind Education, you will find some great ideas on how your school can take part and win great prizes too! In this issue we look at awesome rescue stories from Edgar’s Mission, as well as five recent victories that have changed the lives of animals around the world. We also take an in-depth look at the important issue of sow stalls, and why people think they should be banned in Australia, as well as interesting quotes by famous people that will help you understand how people’s perceptions of other animals have changed throughout history. I hope you and your school can join in the fun for Be Kind to Animals Week this year. Your teacher can easily register to download a free Starter’s Kit filled with competition ideas, lesson plans, activity sheets and more at www.thinkkind. org/enter. Happy reading! With kindness, Valerie
4
Got what it takes to be the kindest school? Read fun ideas on how your school can take part in Be Kind to Animals Week and make a difference to the lives of animals.
8 Amazing animal rescue stories Soda Pop was a sick little lamb who was not expected to live, let alone walk. That was until her rescuers thought of a clever way to help the determined lamb take her first steps. Now she has a chance to live her life happily and safe from harm with her other rescued animal friends.
6
Why ban sow stalls? The Australian pork industry have said that they will voluntarily phase out the use of sow stalls by 2017. So why do animal advocacy groups still want to have them banned?
10
They said what!? People’s feelings and attitudes towards other animals have changed over the years. Read what famous people throughout history have said about other animals that are bound to make you either laugh, cry, or cheer!
11
Book reviews for kind reading Do you share a love for books and animals? We look at some of the best titles that will combine your love of both! Perfect for school holiday reading.
12
5 recent victories for animals We know there’s still some work to be done, but here are five fantastic stories about how people have made a positive difference to the lives of animals. Get ready to feel uplifted, inspired and motivated!
- WITH THANKS TO -
DISCLAIMER: ThinkKind Inc. is a registered Australian charity. We are a volunteer-based organisation and rely on the generous support of our members, supporters and contributors. Please note that the views expressed in this issue do not necessarily reflect those of our organisation or of our sponsors, nor do they or we guarantee the accuracy, completeness or legality of the material provided, despite our greatest efforts. Every effort has been made to ensure that no copyright breaches have PRINTED ON 100% RECYCLED PAPER occurred. For enquiries please contact admin@thinkkind.org. Publication design by NXL Design.
Kind Education
-2-
Spring 2015
- Animal News -
P ho
to: G
etty I mages
NATIONAL
BIG STEP FORWARD IN SAVING TASMANIAN DEVILS NATIONAL The long battle to save Tasmanian devils from a deadly facial cancer is set to reach a promising new milestone. 19 captive-bred devils were given a trial vaccine developed by researchers at the Menzies Institute for Medical Research in Hobart, who have been fighting the disease for nearly ten years. All 19 Tassie devils responded to the new vaccine, and will soon be the first immunised devils to be released into the wild. “This is huge,” said David Pemberton, manager of the Save the Devil program. “It’s the start of what we are calling wild devil recovery.” Devil facial tumour disease has long threatened the survival of Tasmanian devils in the wild. The 19 healthy devils will be released in September at Narawantapu National Park on Tasmania’s north coast, where they will be tracked by wildlife officers.
HORSERACING INDUSTRY SAYS IT WILL CONTINUE USING WHIPS Racing Australia has recently announced new whip rules for horseracing, which will not include a ban on using whips. The new rules aim to reduce the number of times a jockey can hit a horse to five up until the final 100 metres of the race, from which point there are no hitting restrictions. Animal advocacy groups say that whipping horses to make them run faster is cruel and should be banned. The new whip rules were announced after ABC’s Catalyst program found that horses’ skin is actually thinner and more sensitive than human skin, confirming that the use of whips on racehorses is extremely painful.
WORLD MOURNS FOR CECIL THE LION WORLD People around the world came together on social media to mourn the tragic death of Cecil the lion. Cecil was killed by an American tourist during a hunting trip in Zimbabwe, causing a strong global reaction online. Cecil was a famous lion in one of Zimbabwe’s national parks, and was wearing a tracking collar as part of an Oxford University research program. The man who killed Cecil said that he didn’t know he had killed a well-known animal, and has recently become a victim of cyberbullying because of it. Kind Education
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PLANS TO CULL TWO MILLION FERAL CATS BY 2020 NATIONAL International headlines focused around Australia in late July after the federal government said it would cull two million feral cats by 2020 to protect native animals. A Zoos Victoria spokesperson said that cats were responsible for the extinction of 27 species of mammal in Australia, and were a threat to other native species too. However, scientists and animal advocacy groups say that culling cats is not the answer. Wildlife biologist Billie Lazenby said that a cull could even make the problem worse, and that using fences to exclude cats, or increasing the number of hiding places (such as log piles) for small prey may be more effective ways to protect biodiversity in some cases.
NEW STUDY AIMS TO HELP PEOPLE RETHINK THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD ANIMALS WORLD A new research project by Emory University and the Nonhuman Rights Project aims to change the way people see food animals. The study found that pigs can often outsmart dogs, and are on about the same intellectual level as our closest living relatives, the chimpanzee. Scientists found that pigs have excellent long-term memories, are clever at doing mazes, and can understand simple language using symbols. They also found that chickens are TELL US YOU THINK AT WH highly emotional, social and an Cyberbullying is never intelligent. Researchers Dr Jane acceptable thing to do. one good thing plan to study cows Goodall said that the death is that cil’s Ce to come out of and goats next to raise about hunting w kno l wil ple peo re mo t wild animals. people’s understanding and will fight to protec ple should peo How do you think of farm animal intelligence story of the to ded pon res have us at to ite Wr th? and behaviour. Cecil’s dea admin@thinkkind.org.
-3-
Spring 2015
Plans to build large coal mines in Queensland will impact the Great Barrier Reef and its unique biodiversity.
Got what it takes to be the kindest school? A guide to celebrating Be Kind to Animals Week at your school
Be Kind to Animals Week takes place in the first week of October every year, and there are many different ways your school can take part.
Environmental groups are trying to stop the government from letting mining companies build mega coal mines in Queensland, which will threaten the unique and delicate biodiversity of the Great Barrier Reef. Scientists are worried that marine animals such as sea turtles, dugongs, reef fish and sharks will lose their habitat and struggle to survive. Your class can write letters addressed to your local MP asking them to stop supporting the government’s decision to put the Great Barrier Reef at risk. Your class can also organise a petition and ask members of your local community to sign it.
TURN YOUR SCHOOLYARD INTO A SANCTUARY FOR NATIVE BIRDS
TALK TO YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT ISSUES YOU CARE ABOUT One person’s actions can go a long way in helping other animals. Research the topics you care about – whether it’s factory farming, cosmetic animal testing, puppy farming or habitat loss – and talk to your friends about why you think they’re so important. You can even give them a copy of Kind Education magazine after you’re done reading it!
ASK THE GOVERNMENT TO SAVE THE GREAT BARRIER REEF
Native birds in your local area need to be protected and respected by the community. Kind Education
-4-
Do you have any native birds that live around your school? Learn about local native birdlife and the importance of people co-existing in harmony with them. Turn your schoolyard into a birdfriendly sanctuary by building a bird bath, installing bird feeders and creating a safe place for local birds to raise young. You can even put up signs that teach other students about the type of birds that live around your school, and why it’s so important to help protect them.
Spring 2015
People who work in animal shelters and rescue groups need items like pet food, toys, cat litter and blankets.
SPREAD AWARENESS ABOUT PALM OIL Palm oil is used in many everyday products sold in the supermarket such as foods, shampoos, cleaning products and toothpaste. However, palm oil plantations clear huge areas of rainforest in different parts of the world, destroying natural habitats and sending animal species like the orangutan to the brink of extinction. Spread awareness about palm oil in your school or community by creating flyers, organising a presentation at your school assembly, or creating a video to share with people online.
DONATE GOODS TO YOUR LOCAL ANIMAL SHELTER Animal shelters and rescue groups work hard to save the lives of thousands of homeless dogs and cats every year. Workers and volunteers often need vital supplies such as pet food, toys, cat litter and blankets to care for the many animals under their care. Contact your local animal shelter or rescue group and ask what supplies they need. Your class can organise an animal shelter drive in your community to collect and deliver vital goods or help raise funds.
SAY NO TO USING ANIMALS IN SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS
Palm oil plantations destroy natural animal habitat and threaten many different species like the orangutan.
CLEAN UP YOUR LOCAL PARK
School experiments like animal dissections and chick hatching programs are not the most humane or effective ways to learn about other animals. Frogs, mice and rats mostly come from breeding facilities that sell animals to schools to use in experiments. Chicks used in hatching programs are taken away from their mothers and are raised in an unnatural environment, only to be discarded when the experiment is over. If your school is thinking about doing an animal dissection or chick hatching program, your class can politely ask for more humane alternatives instead, such as using videos, models, computer programs, school excursions, egg hatching model kits and documentaries.
Did you know that rubbish and litter can end up in waterways and harm wildlife? Plastics make up around 60 per cent of marine debris, with an estimated 100,000 marine mammals and turtles killed by plastic litter every year around the world. Around 77 species of marine wildlife found in Australia, including Australian sea lions and seabirds, are harmed by entanglement and ingestion due to careless littering. Your class can organise a clean-up day in your schoolyard or local park to prevent rubbish from getting into our waterways.
START MEAT FREE MONDAYS AT YOUR SCHOOL Eating less meat is not only better for animals, it’s important for your health and the environment too. Meat production is the biggest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions than all of the cars, trucks, trains, ships and planes in the world combined. Learn about the importance of healthy eating and the animal welfare problems involved in intensive animal farming. Your class or a group of your friends can lobby for Meat Free Mondays to be introduced in your school canteen. You can even get people at your school to sign their name and pledge to take animals off the menu on Mondays! Kind Education
-5-
WIN $1000 FOR YOUR SCHOOL BY HELPING ANIMALS! Your school can enter the free Be Kind to Animals Week 2015 school competition and WIN up to $1000 by helping animals! Do one thing that makes the lives of animals better from now until 10 October and submit a photo or video to show off your great work. Your teacher can register your class, student team, year level or the whole school to enter and download a free Resource Kit filled with activity sheets, fun lesson plans, project ideas, a classroom poster and a certificate of participation. Competition entries close 10 October. Visit www.thinkkind.org/enter.
Spring 2015
Why ban sow stalls?
Like dogs, pigs enjoy being outside and love to play and explore their surroundings.
While many Australian farmers strive to embrace more humane ways of farming, much more needs to be done to make sure pigs don’t suffer during their lives. WHAT ARE SOW STALLS? Sow stalls (also known as gestation stalls) are metal cages used to confine female pigs (sows) during pregnancy. They are usually made of steel bars with concrete floors, and are very small for a fully grown pig. Sow stalls are used in pig farming to maximise the number of pigs kept in a given area and to decrease the costs of paying workers to manage pigs. Because female pigs are regularly impregnated in order to produce more pork, the RSPCA says that female pigs may be kept in sow stalls for most of their adult lives. Around 170,000 pigs are confined this way in Australia every year.
WHY DO PEOPLE WANT SOW STALLS BANNED? Pigs are very intelligent, sensitive and social animals. Like dogs, pigs enjoy being outside and love to play and explore their surroundings. They also like to dig with their snouts (rooting). In sow stalls, pigs can’t express these natural behaviours. Scientists say that pigs suffer both physically and psychologically in sow stalls. Sow stalls are barely large enough for a fully-grown pig. Pigs who are confined to sow stalls cannot take a single step forward or backwards, and they are unable to move sideways at all. Because they can’t move they are forced to lay down on the concrete floor and also suffer skin abrasions from rubbing against the metal bars. Pigs also feel highly stressed when they are kept in sow stalls. When they are suffering from extreme confinement, they perform desperate behaviours like biting the metal bars. This
Kind Education
-6-
Spring 2015
South Wal Pigs kept in sow stalls on a New sie Pigs. piggery. Image courtesy of Aus
pointless behaviour is called ‘stereotypies’, and is a sign that a pig is highly frustrated. Sow stalls are banned in countries like the UK, Sweden and New Zealand because they are seen to be too cruel. Many people now want to have them banned in Australia too for the same reason. WHAT HAS THE AUSTRALIAN PORK INDUSTRY SAID? The body that represents the Australian pork industry is Australian Pork Limited. They have said that sow stalls are not cruel. But when shoppers and retailers
les
started saying they would no longer support producers who use sow stalls, Australian Pork Limited promised to “phase out” the use of sow stalls by 2017. This might sound like great news. But if you take a closer look, it’s easy to see some major problems: PIG WILL STILL BE KEPT IN SMALL CAGES. There are different types of pig cages used to produce pork. These include sow stalls, mating stalls (used to confine pigs for mating purposes) and birthing stalls or farrowing crates (used to confine mother pigs at the end of their pregnancy). Mating stalls and birthing stalls are almost identical to sow stalls, except birthing stalls are even smaller and more restrictive. The pork industry only promises to phase out sow stalls, but not the other two types of cages. This means that pigs will still suffer from being confined. THERE IS A SERIOUS CONFLICT OF INTEREST. Australian Pork Limited says it will self-regulate the phasing out of sow stalls. This means that instead of letting an independent body make sure that sow stalls are actually being phased out, Australian Pork Limited will do it themselves. This creates a major conflict of interest, because using sow stalls helps the pork industry generate more money. Self-regulation has not worked out well recently for animals, and has caused many animals to suffer. The Indonesian live export scandal and the live baiting scandal in
the greyhound racing industry both revealed widespread animal cruelty that was happening under the watch of self-regulation schemes. PRODUCERS WON’T FACE ANY PENALTIES FOR KEEPING PIGS IN SOW STALLS. The phase out will not be legally enforceable, which means there will be no penalties for producers who still keep pigs in sow stalls. On top of that, if pork producers don’t want to stop using sow stalls, they cannot be forced to do so. The voluntary phase out will not apply to all pig meat producers in Australia. WHAT’S BEING DONE TO HELP CAGED PIGS? Animal welfare groups are trying to get a law passed to make sure that pigs are no longer kept in small cages. To protect all pigs from extreme confinement, laws need to be passed in every Australian State and Territory. A current bill before the New South Wales Parliament proposes to end the use of sow stalls.
Kind Education
-7-
Spring 2015
HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP You can tell your State Member of Parliament (MP) that you support a ban on all stalls used in pig farming. Your MP is the person who represents you in State Parliament, and can use their influence to support a ban on sow stalls. Hand-written letters are one of the most effective ways to contact your MP. As a general rule, MPs should be addressed ‘Mr/Mrs/ Dr/Ms, first name, last name, MP’. Senators should be addressed ‘Senator, first name, last name’. You can find out who your MP is and their correct title by searching on www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_ Members/Members. For helpful tips for writing letters to your MP, visit www.tear.org.au/resources/ advocacy-guide-how-to-write-aletter-to-your-mp. Once sow stalls and similar cages are truly banned in Australian pig farming, pigs will finally be guaranteed a better life, free from confinement.
Soda Pop Rescue date: 2 May 2015
Her story: When Soda Pop arrived at Edgar’s Mission, nobody thought that she would survive. Her legs were so weak she couldn’t stand, let alone walk. The sick little lamb struggled to even lift her head.
A
mazing animal rescue stories
Valentine and Clarabelle
Rescue date: 29 November 2014 and 14 February 2015
Their story: Clarabelle was an old dairy cow who was given a chance to spend the rest of her life at Edgar’s Mission. Sadly, most dairy cows are slaughtered when they can no longer produce milk for humans to consume. Because cows are mammals like humans, cows will only produce milk for their offspring. So in order to keep milk flowing, dairy cows are impregnated and then shortly after giving birth, their calves are taken away. Clarabelle was pregnant when she arrived at Edgar’s Mission, and soon later, people started to notice that she was behaving rather strangely.
Kind Education
What happened next: On Valentine’s Day, Clarabelle
was late to breakfast, which was unusual for the food-loving cow. When her rescuers noticed that her teat was swollen, they knew she was hiding something. So they looked all over the paddock and finally spotted a tiny calf blinking back at them! Clarabelle looked on nervously as the humans approached her baby. Renowned animal behaviourist and cattle expert, Dr Temple Grandin, said that cows never forget fear. As an older dairy cow, Clarabelle would have had many babies in her life taken away from her. She had kept hiding her baby until she trusted that her carers were not going to take it away. The calf was later named Valentine. Fun facts about cows: The colour red doesn’t make bulls angry. In fact, cows are colour blind to red!
-8-
Spring 2015
survive, and her rescuers refused to give up on helping her. Firstly they tried splinting her legs, but the lamb began to panic. So then they came up with an unusual solution. Rescuers cut four leg-holes in a fabric shopping bag and put Soda Pop into her new walker. Lifting the bag so her feet
just grazed the ground, Soda Pop took her first few steps. Soon she didn’t need her makeshift walker anymore, and now she is a happy, healthy and playful little lamb! Her bag was passed to another lamb, Fanta, who recovered as well. Fun facts about sheep: Sheep make different sounds to communicate different emotions.
Not all lambs, pigs, cows and chickens end up living a peaceful and happy life. In fact, many animals raised for food don’t even get to see sunlight, grass, or the kindness of a human being. But for a lucky few, human kindness has given them a chance to enjoy the life and freedom that all animals deserve.
Edgar’s Mission farm sanctuary is set on 153 peaceable acres just outside of Lancefield in Victoria, Melbourne. They currently provide lifelong love and care to over 300 rescued animals. We take a look at some of the incredible stories of kindness, compassion and rare second chances.
What happened next: Soda Pop was determined to
Visit www.edgarsmission.org.au to read more wonderful and uplifting rescue stories from Edgar’s Mission.
Anna Pavlova Rescue date: 15 January 2014
Her story: Anna was a former battery hen. Her life was
Leon Trotsky Rescue date: 21 April 2014
His story: Baby Leon Trotsky was destined for someone’s
dinner plate until a horrible accident turned out to actually save him. His injured mother fell on him when he was just born, breaking and seriously injuring his two back legs. What happened next: While most injured piglets would be left to die, somebody was determined to give him a chance to live. But it was no easy feat. Leon was way too small for the tiniest of carts, which would have taken the pressure off his injured limbs. However, his rescuers arranged for a specialised wheelchair to be created to allow the little pig to move around pain-free, and now Leon has made a full recovery! Fun facts about pigs: Newborn piglets learn to run to their mothers’ voices and to recognise their own names. Mother pigs also sing to their young while nursing. Kind Education
spent confined in a tiny wire cage, and like thousands of other battery hens, she never enjoyed sunshine, clean air, grass and the simple pleasure of spreading her wings. What happened next: Most battery hens are killed when they can no longer produce eggs. But Anna was lucky enough to be rescued by Edgar’s Mission, who helped the nervous bird take her first ever steps on grass and soil. She took very slow steps around her new garden home, getting used to the feeling of not standing on wire caging. Now she can spend the rest of her life doing what chickens love to do – preening, stretching, dust bathing, napping and foraging! Fun facts about chickens: Chickens are highly intelligent, and are capable of solving complex problems, counting, and using geometry. They are also very caring, protective and active mothers, and even talk to their chicks before they hatch! -9-
Spring 2015
They said
what?!
People’s feelings and attitudes towards other animals have changed throughout history. Here we look at some paraphrased quotations from famous people that have influenced the way different people perceive other animals. Which ones do you agree with most?
3. There are heartless people who are dissecting dogs while they are still alive. Dissecting a dog would show that the animal has the same organs as a person, so of course a dog can experience the same emotions that a human being can feel. Who said it: Voltaire, French writer, historian and philosopher, lived 1694-1778.
4. It does not matter how smart an animal is, what matters is that they can suffer, and that means we should not cause them harm or pain. Who said it: Jeremy Bentham, British philosopher, jurist and social reformer, lived 1748-1832.
1. Animals are thoughtless and can be compared to machines. They have no awareness or feelings. Who said it: RenĂŠ Descartes, French philosopher, mathematician and scientist, lived 1596-1650.
2. I admit that animals can feel, but they are here for our own use and we can use them the way we want to. They are lesser than human beings and their feelings are not as important as the feelings of people. Who said it: Baruch Spinoza, Dutch philosopher, lived 1632-1677.
5. Nations that are kind to animals are more likely to be kind to people, and nations that are cruel to animals are more likely to be cruel to people. A nation that is kind to animals is morally more advanced than one that does not care about the welfare of animals. Who said it: Mahatma Gandhi, prominent leader of the Indian independence movement, lived 1869-1948.
6. Animals have their own purpose for being and they are not here to be used and abused by people, just as black people are here for their own reasons and are not here to be used as slaves by white people, and just as women are here for their own reasons and are not here to be used as servants for men. Who said it: Alice Walker, American author and activist, born 1944.
7. The idea that human life is sacred just because it is human life, and not the life of any other species, is very outdated and backwards. Who said it: Peter Singer, Australian moral philosopher, born 1946. *Paraphrased quotations courtesy of Humane Education Advocates Reaching Teachers (HEART). Kind Education
8. People should not see different species as simply things to be used by humans. We must recognise that all species have value in themselves. Who said it: Pope Francis, current Pope of the Catholic Church, born 1936. If you could come up with one quotation to represent the way you feel about other animals, what would it be? - 10 -
Spring 2015
- Book Reviews -
The school holidays are the perfect time to sit back, relax, and get lost in the wonderful world of reading. And if you love animals as much as we do, you’ll also love these fantastic titles to add to your holiday reading list!
The One and Only Ivan
Jasper’s Story: Saving Moon Bears
by Katherine Applegate and Patricia Castelao
by Jill Robinson, Marc Bekoff, and Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen
This special book is narrated by Ivan, an easy-going and artistic gorilla who was captured as a baby in Africa and has lived much of his life in a circusthemed shopping mall. Ivan is kept in a glass box where people watch him for entertainment. Ivan pretty much accepts his life of confinement, and hardly thinks about it at all, until he meets Ruby, a baby elephant who was also taken from her family by humans. Ruby helps Ivan see his old home in the jungle in a new light. The book is filled with interesting animal characters who are also Ivan’s friends. The book is based on the true story of a gorilla who spent nearly 30 years without seeing another of his own kind. It also includes a lot of great information about animal welfare issues that will inspire many readers to create a positive change to the lives of animals.
Japer is an Asiatic moon bear, who lived for 15 years in a tiny cage in rural China. The farmers who kept Jasper in a cage used him to extract bile from his body and sell it to use for traditional medicines. Bear bile farming is a very painful practice conducted on thousands of moon bears each year. Jasper is finally given a chance to live a life free from pain and suffering. In 2000, Animals Asia, an animal welfare organisation, rescued Jasper and other captive moon bears, taking them to a safe sanctuary. The book is based on a true story about a moon bear named Jasper, and gives a first-hand account of how rescuers helped Jasper recover and become happy and healthy again. The book will teach readers a lot about bear bile farming in East Asia – an issue that is very important to many people around the world.
Watership Down
The Beasts of Clawstone Castle
by Richard Adams
by Eva Ibbotson and Kevin Hawkes
Set in a beautiful rural landscape in England, Watership Down tells a story about adventure, courage and survival, told through the eyes of some very brave and special rabbits. The band of rabbits go on a journey to find a more perfect society where they can live free and proud. But only few of them have been far from home, and the journey has many dangers. The rabbits are attacked by rats in a barn, must cross a creek, and are tricked into a false sense of security in a warren where rabbits are harvested for food. With every challenge the rabbits face, the value of each individual becomes clearer to the others, helping them become a stronger and more unified band. But when they reach the hill they’ve been looking for called Watership Down, they face their biggest challenge yet. The rabbit characters in the story have a language and culture of their own, but they interact with one another in the same way humans do. Humans also play an interesting role in the story, which some people see as an allegory.
Kind Education
When their parents leave for America for two months, Madlyn and Rollo are sent to live with their Great Aunt Emily and Uncle George at Clawstone Castle, a mysterious place that used to attract many tourists. But now the old castle is falling apart, and nobody wants to visit. The family refuse to give up on the castle, in large part to protect the herd of legendary Wild White Cattle who have been cared for by the family for generations. When Madlyn gets the idea to hire ghosts to encourage people to visit again, people start flooding in. But then the cattle are kidnapped by a greedy doctor who wants to experiment on them. It’s up to Madlyn and Rollo (with the help of their new ghost friends) to save the cattle from being harmed. The Beasts of Clawstone Castle Got a book is a great combination of the about animals that you can’t put down? natural and supernatural. It’s an Tell us about it by writing entertaining story that will also a short book review and sending it to inspire readers to think about admin@thinkkind.org. important issues like greed, Happy reading! compassion and ordinary heroism.
- 11 -
Spring 2015
5
RECENT VICTORIES
FOR ANIMALS There’s still some work to be done, but here are five awesome victories for animals that prove that the world is getting kinder!
1. SOUTH AUSTRALIANS SAVED LOCAL FUR SEALS When the South Australian government said it would cull thousands of local fur seals, people decided to take action. The plan came about because the fishing industry blamed seals for “stealing” fish, even though seals were hunting in their natural habitat! Thankfully, caring South Australians petitioned their MPs to protest the cull. The politicians listened, and now the fur seals will be left alone!
2. A VICTORIAN PUPPY FARM GOT SHUT DOWN FOR GOOD Puppy farms (also called puppy factories or puppy mills) are places where puppies are bred in awful conditions to make profit. After the RSPCA found 235 dogs living in wire cages on a puppy farm in Victoria, the owner was taken to court where he pleaded guilty to 240 charges of animal cruelty earlier this year. The puppy farm shut down, and lots of Australians learned not to buy puppies from pet shops or breeders (which almost always support puppy farms), but to adopt one from a pound or shelter instead.
Xena and her new guardian and friend, Jonny. Image courtesy of the Daily Mail.
3. NEPAL SAID NO TO SACRIFICING ANIMALS For centuries the Gadhimai festival in Nepal involved the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of water buffalo, goats, chickens and other animals. The world’s largest animal sacrifice event took place every five years for the last 300 years. But in late July, the Gadhimai Temple Trust announced that it would end animal sacrifice, thanks to the hard work of animal welfare groups in India and Nepal. The Gadhimai Temple Trust said, “For every life taken, our heart is heavy. The time has come to transform an old tradition.” Great work Nepal!
4. CHINA SOUTHERN AIRLINES STOPPED SHIPPING MONKEYS TO CRUEL LABS It’s a sad reality that live animals like primates are used in painful lab experiments. Almost every major airline, including Qantas, have refused to ship primates to face cruel lab experiments, except for China Southern Airlines and Air France. That was until animal advocates started writing letters and sending tweets to the airlines, asking them to stop. Last year, China Southern Airlines listened and announced that it would no longer send primates to labs. Now there’s only Air France left to go – time to fire up those letters and tweets!
Kind Education
- 12 -
Spring 2015
5. THIS GORGEOUS PUP NAMED XENA FOUND A LOVING NEW HOME This is a story that’s sure to get your tail wagging. Xena was a homeless dog who was suffering from serious neglect and malnutrition. After being nursed back to health by an animal rescue group, Xena was adopted by a caring and loving family, including Jonny (pictured). Now you’re probably wondering why the story of one lucky dog made it on our list. The answer is simple: every single good deed, no matter how small, is in itself an important victory.