A New Hope?
by Nigel Franks, NALA
First let me wish you, on behalf of NALA, all the best for 2016. When we started with NALA, we were involved with saving and helping individual animals, but eventually realised that prevention is just as important. So we’ve been concentrating more and more on dealing with the authorities, trying to get them to enforce the existing legislation concerning animal welfare and the obligations of owners. We are also lobbying for the authorities to put more effort into informing the public of the benefits of sterilising their pets. It’s a bit of a struggle, as it’s clear that we are seen as a pain in the neck. In fact, in one meeting, we were told that if we demanded that the laws for animal welfare were applied more strictly then they would close down the animal shelters as they always have more animals than their official capacity. That made us wonder if that’s why many associations don’t make waves: perhaps they are afraid of such reprisals. In our opinion it’s a shame, as we believe that by solving the cause of the problem, in the long run it’s possible to alleviate more suffering. Many shelters concentrate only on the individual animals and don’t want to get involved in politics. Notwithstanding this difference of opinion, we have the utmost respect for the work that they do and urge you to support them. I know that a number of DSM readers are volunteers. Many thanks to you for the work that you do. Once you start to think of the wider picture, it’s difficult to know where to stop. We started to question our attitudes towards other animals, which led us to become vegetarians and then to adopt a vegan lifestyle. It also broadened our personal activism to include the environment - if that’s messed up then saving animals becomes moot. I’m writing this on the day after the COP21 climate change conference ended, with the publication of an agreed document. In my opinion, at a first glance, it’s a step in the right direction but a bit flimsy. I personally believe that everybody has to play their part and not just rely on solutions coming from above. Of course, for some things, like reducing the emissions from the production of electricity or encouraging the use of electric vehicles, national policies are needed. However, we can also make a big difference with our lifestyle choices. Agriculture is a big source of greenhouse gas emissions, especially raising livestock. Producing one kilo of beef can generate the same greenhouse gas emissions (about 20 kilos of CO2 equivalent) as using 8 litres of petrol. Dairy products are nearly as bad. Other types of meat are less CO2 intensive. I have a suggestion for a New Year’s resolution that will make you healthier, wealthier and help combat climate change (no, it’s not to adopt a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle). Spend 10% less on meat and dairy: instead of buying a kilo, just buy 900 grams, if buying prepacked, look for the smaller packs. You could also try dairy free alternatives to milk and yoghurt. Unfortunately France is way behind the UK in terms of meat and dairy substitutes: in the UK the major supermarkets have their own brand as well as the national brands. In France, you’ll be lucky to find more than a couple of soja burgers or soya yoghurts. Humans are not carnivores, but cats are, so we have no choice other than to feed them what they need. Such as Kitty and Kiara, kute, kuddly little karnivores looking for new homes. They had a difficult start in life, narrowly escaping starvation. They are now a healthy pair of little kittens about 6 months old who have been raised by a loving foster mum in a household with some other cats. More details can be found on our website: www.nosamislesanimaux.com
16 | The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, January 2016