swerving for moths

PETA: Hard at work co-opting the animal rights movement

2008-06-02T12:25:00.009-04:00

Word is getting around this week that there has been an enormous "victory" for chickens in Canada. PETA has ended its negative publicity campaign and boycott against Kentucky Fried Chicken because the company has agreed to purchase chicken flesh only from companies that use controlled-atmosphere killing (CAK) and implement other animal welfare measures that include decreased crowding of birds and reduction in the use of unnecessary growth hormones and other drugs. KFC will also offer a "vegan chicken" menu item.

So essentially, an organization that claims to speak on behalf of animals is no longer encouraging people to boycott a company that sells the flesh of chickens to make money. How is this a victory for chickens? How is this consistent with the vegan message that PETA claims to promote?

I think that campaigns like this are extremely negative for the animal rights movement and extremely confusing for members of the general public, to whom we must appeal if we want animals to stop being killed for food. From the article:

KFC Canada President Steve Langford said he was delighted with the agreement.
“It will be nice to put this behind us,” Langford said. “Our preference is to have nothing negative attached to our brand.”
Langford said the Canadian operations, which are independent of those in the U.S., had chosen to take the situation into its own hands and talk to PETA about animal welfare.
“Once I got involved and we actually met face to face, we found out that we had no differences of opinion about how animals should be treated,” Langford said.

KFC kills chickens to make money, so how can PETA have "no differences of opinion about how animals should be treated." Isn't killing chickens part of KFC's treatment of animals?

Langford indicates that with the PETA boycott over, there will be "nothing negative attached to our brand." I guess killing chickens to make a buck isn't so negative once PETA ends its boycott of your company. To be honest, it sounds like even more money in the bank. And in fact, it is. PETA's own assessment of CAK outlines the economic advantages of this method of killing chickens for producers.

PETA spokesperson Matt Prescott gushes in an e-mail announcing the victory that "We didn't win our KFC campaign but we did win a part of it." If the campaign wasn't won, then why is the boycott being called off?

Most of the 300 independent franchisees have agreed to abide by the agreement with PETA. "It appears as though our campaign affected the bottom line to the point where the company finally had enough,'" Prescott said. "That said, I also believe that KFC in Canada is genuinely concerned about animal welfare."

So if this economic crippling was a side effect of the boycott, how then is ending the boycott advantageous? How does a profitable KFC help animals? The only thing that seems clear here is that KFC in Canada is so genuinely concerned about animal welfare that it will continue to sell the flesh of dead chickens to consumers to make money.

From the content of the article, I believe many consumers will conclude that

1. Killing and eating chickens is bad only if the animals are treated cruelly.
2. Now that welfare standards for chickens have been changed, it's OK to eat chicken at KFC.
3. PETA and KFC are in agreement about how animals should be treated.

I fully support the idea that we treat chickens with care and respect. If they are going to be killed for food, of course it is better if they are killed without being tortured first. But until a company isn't killing chickens anymore, why on earth would a so-called animal rights organization lift its boycott of that company? How does an animal protection organization come to an agreement with an outfit whose sole reason for existence is to kill animals?

Here is more about the PETA-KFC boycott-ending agreement:

KFC Canada has committed to the following:

Purchase 100 percent of its chickens, through a phase-in plan, from suppliers that use controlled-atmosphere killing (CAK)—the least cruel form of poultry slaughter ever developed. This will prevent live-scalding, sadistic abuse by workers (since with CAK, workers never even touch live birds), broken bones, painful electric shocks, live throat slitting and other abuses. This is the first time any company has committed to a total phase in of CAK. What’s most remarkable is that currently, only ONE chicken slaughterhouse in Canada uses CAK, so this will require the industry as a whole to switch over the next few years.

Add a vegan fried “chicken” sandwich to the menu of about 65% of all the KFCs in Canada! (It’ll be in stores around July, and I hope all you Canadians will devour it.)

Improve its animal welfare audit criteria to reduce the number of broken bones and other injuries suffered by birds and send PETA the detailed results of all their audits every six months . . . from now until the end of time.

Urge its suppliers to adopt better farming practices, including improved lighting, lower stocking-density and ammonia levels, and a phase-out of growth-promoting drugs and breeding practices that painfully cripple chickens.

Form an animal welfare advisory panel and allow PETA to have a say in who is on it.

As it turns out, CAK does not take live chickens out of the hands of workers. The animals still have to be loaded into the CAK unit, even if that unit is brought to the chicken shed and the birds are not transported. There's no doubt that animals destined for KFC buckets are subjected to extremely painful treatment, inflicted by the hands of uncaring, rushed, and emotionally numbed workers who likely have no avenues to complain about their treatment on the job or the killing of animals that is their job. Although these horrors may be reduced if the birds are not slaughtered using a shackling method, it's far from the humane death PETA is claiming.

What about not being killed at all, though? What if PETA, instead of spending these past seven years in grueling negotiations with KFC, had promoted the opening of a vegan fast food chain or had talked not about killing animals "more humanely" but about doing the most humane thing that can be done, which is not killing them at all?

As for the "vegan fried chicken" menu item (at only a little over half of KFCs in the entire country), I find it hard to believe that mainstream customers will choose it. Why should they, when the real thing is, according to PETA, animal-welfare friendly? If PETA no longer has a problem with KFC, why should consumers? Worse, PETA is encouraging its supporters, who would hopefully be vegans, to give their money to an animal-killing enterprise and devour its products. Wouldn't it be better for vegans to patronize vegan restaurants? How does giving money to KFC, an animal-killing enterprise, help the cause of animal rights?

Here's the bottom line: KFC kills chickens to make money. It's in their interest to (1) keep killing chickens to make money, and (2) implement only the welfare standards and changes that are profitable for the company. Working this hard and this long with an animal-abusing enterprise when these outcomes are known (it's a simple matter of economics, and PETA's documents outline them!) makes absolutely no sense when there are vegan enterprises and messages to be promoted.

I no longer support these campaigns. I no longer support PETA. There are better ways to advocate for animal rights and show people that it's wrong to use animals for food no matter how they are treated.

This self-proclaimed victory for animals is nothing but spin for PETA and a loud cha-ching! at the register for Kentucky Fried Chicken.

FLEFF: March 31-April 6, 2008

2008-03-28T14:39:00.005-04:00

I'm incredibly excited about the upcoming Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival (FLEFF) in Ithaca, NY, from March 31 through April 6, 2008. One look at the film list will explain my excitement. Many great documentaries are available, some of them attended by the filmmakers who created them. There are film discussion panels, concerts, mini-courses, and other events as well. The festival is incredibly rich with facts, ideas, and fun, and it's great to see awareness being raised about so many important issues. There's certainly a risk of compassion fatigue, but that danger is what makes FLEFF such a fantastic event.

Last year was the first year I attended the festival, and I saw a great documentary called Frankensteer, which discussed aspects of the Canadian cattle industry, and the inspiring The Forest For The Trees, which covered the trial of Judi Bari's civil rights lawsuit against the FBI and Oakland Police to clear her name of accusations of carrying a bomb to an Earth First! logging protest. The bomb--which detonated and injured both Judi and a fellow activist Darryl Cherney--was planted by agents, who lied and fabricated evidence against Judi and Darryl. Another highlight last year was the paradigm-shifting Black Gold, a documentary about fair trade coffee and the plight of Ethiopian organic coffee growers. I learned a lot in this film, and it piqued my interest in subject areas--including World Bank/IMF issues and global trade inequalities (WTO, free trade)--that, before the film, I had not considered or understood in context. It was inspiring and sobering to sit in a crowded theater and see these issues on screen and in discussion and wonder about what I could do, as one person, against this tide of unfairness and oppression.

This year's lineup looks, again, to be quite thought-provoking. I'm planning to see at least half a dozen films on the Ithaca College campus as time and schedule allow. Also in the lineup are weekend films in the downtown indie theaters. I'm including The Price of Sugar, Counterfeiters, War/Dance, the much anticipated Taxi to the Dark Side, and maybe Summer Palace. I hope to blog about my experiences and reactions to these films and subsequent discussions. It's really going to be a great week!

No End in Sight: The American Occupation of Iraq

2008-03-22T23:18:00.002-04:00

No End in Sight is an excellent film that examines the decision-making and policies of the Bush administration on the occupation and reconstruction of Iraq. If you followed things closely after the war began and in the months after Bush's mission accomplished speech, you'll get to see and hear all of the maddening quotes and disgusting bravado of top Bush officials, including Bush himself and especially Rumsfeld. Such footage is spliced elegantly with historical information and commentary from other top officials who were charged with carrying out the reconstruction and planning for postwar Iraq. Many of these individuals were given no time to accomplish such a feat and repeatedly reference examples of their advice and experience being ignored and disregarded by Bush and his cronies, who forged ahead with an agenda based on inexperience and uninformed by the many documents and reports amassed by intelligence and Pentagon officials who tried to sound the warning about what could (and did) go wrong.

The film is serious and steady, a damning indictment leveled by those charged with its execution. I learned new information from this film and now understand better that the “insurgency” and other difficulties that we face in Iraq didn’t just happen. The stage was set by decisions made in a stubborn vacuum. The soundtrack, featuring original music from Peter Nashel, and the footage used in the film combine with the somber faces and words of those interviewed to conjure up feelings of frustration, sadness, and alarm. These emotions reach a fever pitch late in the film, and my eyes welled up near the end. So many lives touched, damaged, and taken. So many who yet will die. Despite the illegality of the invasion and its false pretenses, the United States may actually have had a chance to win the hearts and minds of the Iraqis and do some good in that country, but any initial goodwill and willingness of the Iraqis to move with us in concert into this new chapter of their nation’s history was squandered by Bush’s arrogance.

The tone of this film is excellent, and the delivery of its message and information is superb. I recommend it.

No End in Sight: The American Occupation of Iraq (2007)
Directed by Charles Ferguson

The Injustice System in America

2008-02-19T14:41:00.006-05:00

The chance to see The Injustice System in America came at a perfect time for me given recent events I've attended and the academic areas in which I have a strong interest. With commentary from legal scholars, public defenders, law enforcement insiders, and social policy experts, the film brings together the many threads of bias in the U.S. criminal justice system and presents a picture of inequality and injustice that has kept taxpayer money flowing into the prison industrial complex.

Beginning with cries for a crackdown on civil rights protesters and continuing with the war on drugs, targeted law enforcement in communities of color is intensifying. Combined with legislation and sentencing practices that unfairly single out racial minorities of lower socioeconomic status, racialized social control has resulted in the mass incarceration of minorities in percentages that do not reflect those in the general population. Political agendas and lobbying pressure from the prison industry has resulted in lopsided spending on prisons while funding for education and other public services (the institutions that have the best chance of reducing crime and addiction) languishes. Individuals emerge from the prison system with few resources and even fewer options and, in many states, disenfranchised as well.

Statistics, trends, and direct observation provide more than enough evidence to support the premise of the film--that our current system is both unfair and unequal. It is an injustice system, perpetuated by the state and corporations that benefit from well-populated prisons. But is it just the state that is responsible? What obligations do we have as citizens who are aware of and may even benefit from this system of oppression? We have no choice but to acknowledge, oppose, and confront it, even if our communities are free of the police brutality that occurs routinely elsewhere.

I've been speaking to my classmates and coworkers about this issue ever since I saw the film. As someone who is working in addiction treatment, this issue may be very present in my day-to-day learning and work in the field. We must work with clients within the system, no matter how unjust. But what can be done to change that system and restore the equality that has been absent for decades? In some ways, we need simply to begin talking to each other. Encourage people to think about this issue, to read about it, to see this film, to acknowledge the consequences of perpetuating a system of inequality and racism. Our communities and our society as a whole are already experiencing the devastating effects of injustice as money drains away from schools, libraries, after school and job training programs, and other institutions that are effective antidotes to the problems that an expensive prison system will never solve.

We need a sea change in attitude, a unified voice that states, again simply, that this continued prejudice and inequality is unacceptable and will not be tolerated by caring citizens. We cannot afford to ignore it any longer. I encourage you to see this film. While not the most polished with respect to camera and sound work and editing, its message comes through loud and clear, and the more people with whom it can resonate, the closer we will be to creating a system that gives justice to all. It's not enough for us just to reject racism and prejudice; we must be agents for change through word and action.

The Injustice System in America (2007)
Directed by Cary Silberman

Privilege & community

2008-02-04T16:24:00.001-05:00

This past weekend in Philadelphia I had the privilege to attend a presentation and discussion led by Joaquin Cienfuegos of Cop Watch LA, a grassroots organization that monitors the police in Los Angeles. Cop Watch chapters raise awareness about police harassment, brutality, and murder in cities across the United States. They are also involved in community outreach, education, and assistance.

The talk and discussion were thought-provoking for several reasons. I was reminded (and inspired) once again by how much can be accomplished by an organized group of citizens with dedication, persistence, and simple tools like video cameras. Aside from documenting brutality, members of the organization have stopped police harassment and likely prevented further misbehavior by police simply by being present at places where police are "at work." These activists work in the communities in which they live, educating people about their rights when dealing with the police and about how to end oppression and create security within their neighborhoods without relying on the police. Their purpose is very much to reclaim autonomy for citizens and secure liberty where the state has taken them away.

Sitting in the meeting room and hearing commentary from the speaker as well as from community activists in Philadelphia brought to my mind the stark differences between my life as a white female and the lives of others. I thought of my time in a diverse neighborhood in West Utica, where my calls to the police were always answered promptly while others often waited and waited. On more than one occasion police treated me differently than they treated individuals of other ethnicities who lived on the streets of my neighborhood. I overheard and was disturbed by racist behavior on the part of some of the citizens in that neighborhood as well.

Although I tried earnestly to "get involved" in my community and work with my neighbors to improve living conditions and end inequality in West Utica, I did not have a full picture of just how difficult police terrorism and other neighborhood issues (gentrification) are for some citizens. The discussion this past weekend helped me connect some of those dots and widened my perspective. Although it is heartening to sit in a big circle and watch citizens of all ethnicities discuss problems, vent frustrations, recount personal stories, and brainstorm solutions, it is disheartening to me to see how much racism and hatred are still alive, well, and thriving in the places where we live. I am privileged in many ways, and even if I recognize and acknowledge it as unfair, I still benefit from it.

It is not enough to eradicate racism and other -isms from our personal thoughts and actions. What is needed is an acknowledgment of what has happened and what is happening in our communities and a re-dedication to unify ourselves against the forces that create the divides in the first place and against the corruption that depends on the persistence of division. No community is immune to the effects of complacency and the destructive force of capitalism and its agents.

Iraq in Fragments

2008-01-16T15:36:00.000-05:00

I love documentaries, and I want to make a point of blogging about them when I see them. Iraq in Fragments was my first documentary for 2008, and it was presented by Back to Democracy, a local group of progressive grassroots activists. The award-winning film presents three postwar Iraq perspectives, shown through the eyes of three ordinary Iraqis and through stunning scenes of both city and countryside.

Everyday life in Iraq goes on despite the devastation of the invasion, but I was struck by the sense of tension that seems to fill the streets, homes, and businesses. Not a tension between the people in the film, but a general feeling of uneasiness, perhaps brought about by the presence of soldiers and military vehicles in the streets, weapons drawn and ready. Or perhaps it was the frequent talk of change, struggle, and anger that many in the film expressed in their daily conversation, activities, and worship.

I realized as I watched how horrible it must be to live in a place where tomorrows are as uncertain as todays are difficult. One man in the film said, "today is better than tomorrow." Most Americans live in such comfort and luxury compared to the lives we've helped create for Iraqis. The everyday things we take for granted--education, leisure time, material goods, security--are luxuries in Iraq, where daily needs aren't always easy to fill and the future is very much an uncertainty. Politically, the country seems to be in a kind of infancy, with three groups each wanting something different. Some hope that everyone can work together; others want to see their point of view predominate. Raised voices, frustration, anger, hopes, and grudges all seem to be part of the dialog. At times, I felt that getting a government in place that would be just and fair to all Iraqis would be nearly impossible.

In nearly every scene, young boys mingled with the men (there were only a handful of women shown), listening intently to their words and watching everything that went on. Violent words and actions, funerals, religious services and rallies, and outright death--all of these took place before the eyes of children. What will become of them? What will the future look like when it emerges from a present painted with violence and despair? In the faces of the boys in the film were the features of men. Their expressions were thoughtful beyond their years. What must they think, never knowing peace in their lifetimes? I have not known peace in my lifetime either in some respects, but never has war come to my state, to my city, to my neighborhood, to my home. Never have I had to flee gunfire or look to the sky with alarm as a military helicopter passes over. Never have I had to wonder about the fate of my father or other relatives or go to work instead of school to support my mother and grandmother. No one should need to do this, and I am ashamed that the actions of my government have made that a reality for so many.

Even in translation, some of the thoughts and expressions of the people in the film were so moving. Dreams of beautiful places, peaceful futures, better lives, and a country to call home. Human desires that we all share. Many in Iraq are united by hatred against each other and against Americans. Yet the images of devastation, sadness, and unrest were interrupted time and again by scenes of laughter and smiles. The scene that showed young Kurds in a snowball fight made me laugh and smile, too. Whatever our differences, we are the same in these emotions. Smiles, laughter, and tears bring us together as human beings. That human element is the part of this film that stood out for me along with the feelings of despair, sadness, and bewilderment about what war has wrought.

There is much I need to learn about the history of the Middle East and the conflicts that rage in that region and in which my country is very much involved. Yet even without knowing all of that, I feel a connection to the people of those countries. I may not understand their religious fervor, but I feel what many of them feel in response to what happens in their lives. I hope that peace will arrive for all of us somehow, not through a corporate democracy or at the end of a gun but through a genuine desire for equality and justice for all.

Iraq in Fragments (2006)
Directed by James Longley

Vegan Thanksgiving: 11 years in the making

2007-11-24T17:31:00.000-05:00

I was unexpectedly kept in the Finger Lakes for Thanksgiving this year when I would ordinarily be traveling to be with family, so after 11 years of being an ethical vegan, I had an opportunity to have a truly vegan Thanksgiving dinner. Animals are brutalized every day of every year for food throughout the world, and Thanksgiving is no worse than any other day when it comes to their suffering. But on a day when the highlight is the dead body of a sentient being, and after years of being forced to consume a hastily prepared vegan alternative (or nothing at all) in its presence, it's hard not to long for a holiday that celebrates life and does not center on the death of these complex and wonderful creatures.

For me, that day had arrived.

I had invited a good friend over, and we had decided ahead of time that she'd be bringing a soup, a vegetable, and a dessert. My contribution was going to be garlic mashed potatoes, but I awoke feeling energetic and excited, so I decided to do a bit more. I roasted garlic, cooked down two organic pie pumpkins that had been weighing on my conscience for weeks (I dislike wasting food), and gathered ingredients from refrigerator and pantry.

The result was a hot and comforting meal of squash soup, shepherd's pie with gravy, asparagus, biscuits, chocolate pie, and pumpkin pie, all vegan and all delicious. A glass of Finger Lakes wine and delightful conversation pulled it all together. We spent a brief but enjoyable evening over these simple and satisfying foods, never feeling deprived, and instead being more fulfilled because of the individuals that we spare, on Thanksgiving and every day, by being vegan.

It was a beautiful day to cherish, snow flurries and all. And I am so thankful for all of the beings, two-footed and four-footed, who showed me the things that opened my eyes to this gentle and peaceful way of living.

Shepherd's Pie (serves 4)

1 package TVP (Smart Ground or the like)
1 onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can cream style corn
1 Tbsp (or to taste) vegan Worcestershire sauce (no anchovies)
5-6 Yukon gold potatoes, cooked and mashed with vegan margarine and roasted garlic
Salt and pepper
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the onion, carrots, and garlic until tender. Add TVP and mix. Season with salt and pepper and vegan Worcestershire sauce to taste. Place TVP mixture in the bottom of a square casserole dish. Spread the creamed corn over the mixture, and top with the mashed potatoes. Bake for 30 minutes until the ingredients are heated through and the potatoes are lightly browned. Serve hot with a side of gravy if desired.

Accidental activism

2007-11-02T14:51:00.000-04:00

Recently I've been trying to cut down further on my use of plastics, because I'm hearing more and more about how wasteful and pollutive they are. They're especially bad for a lot of sea animals. I've always carried a reusable bottle or mug for beverages and used canvas bags at the market. (My mom has been reusing paper bags at the market since I was in high school!) But with buying all the produce for the bunnies, I was ending up using a lot of those flimsy produce bags. I was drying and re-using these, but I knew there was a better way.

I started using these canvas produce bags. I wish I had been handy enough to sew them myself, but lacking both the time and the skill, I opted to get them from reusable bags.com.

So nearly every time I go shopping with these bags, someone will stop me to ask about them. Not only are people interested to learn that there's an easy way that they can avoid excess plastic but I also get a chance to connect with other individuals who are concerned about some of the same things I am. These are just random meetings, comments in passing really, but in the face of everything, having a pleasant dialog with someone about the human impact on the environment is a small source of hope. You feel like you've made a difference or encouraged each other to keep fighting the good fight and pondering what more we can do.

I am seeing more and more canvas bags these days, and I love it. Sure, it's not going to solve global warming or end pollution, but it is something that citizens can do. Some of the power still rests in our hands. When we succeed at taking these smaller steps, sometimes larger changes begin to seem more within our reach.

A few factoids to get you motivated to curb your own use of wasteful and damaging plastics:

** Hundreds of thousands of sea turtles, whales and other marine mammals die every year from eating discarded plastic bags mistaken for food.

** Plastic bags don’t biodegrade, they photodegrade—breaking down into smaller and smaller toxic bits contaminating soil and waterways and entering the food web when animals accidentally ingest.

** As part of Clean Up Australia Day, in one day nearly 500,000 plastic bags were collected.

** Windblown plastic bags are so prevalent in Africa that a cottage industry has sprung up harvesting bags and using them to weave hats, and even bags. According to the BBC, one group harvests 30,000 per month.

** According to David Barnes, a marine scientist with the British Antarctic Survey, plastic bags have gone "from being rare in the late 80s and early 90s to being almost everywhere from Spitsbergen 78° North [latitude] to Falklands 51° South [latitude]."

** Plastic bags are among the 12 items of debris most often found in coastal cleanups, according to the nonprofit Center for Marine Conservation.

Missing Dr. Sagan

2007-10-03T17:16:00.000-04:00

These are the immortal words and wisdom of Carl Sagan with a modern cinematic twist. Film fans should enjoy it. Even without much knowledge of popular motion pictures, I found this to be so moving. Dr. Sagan's words have never been more fitting.

We miss you, wise friend, and we need you more than ever.

"We must stop pretending we're something we are not. Somewhere between romantic, uncritical anthropomorphizing of the animals and an anxious, obdurate refusal to recognize our kinship with them--the latter made tellingly clear in the still-widespread notion of 'special' creation--there is a broad middle ground on which we humans can take our stand."
~~Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan, Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors

"Humans--who enslave, castrate, experiment on, and fillet other animals -- have had an understandable penchant for pretending animals do not feel pain. A sharp distinction between humans and 'animals' is essential if we are to bend them to our will, make them work for us, wear them, eat them--without any disquieting tinges of guilt or regret. It is unseemly of us, who often behave so unfeelingly toward other animals, to contend that only humans can suffer. The behavior of other animals renders such pretensions specious. They are just too much like us."
~~Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan, Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors

Soylent Green is . . . tearful?

2007-09-29T18:55:00.002-04:00

When I decided to watch Soylent Green earlier this year, I had the unexpected experience of being moved to tears during this scene of the movie. It's not the year 2022, but by the time we get there, the scenes that Sol revisits may be as scarce and nostalgic for us as they are for him. Corrupt corporations and spoiled natural beauty are no longer just the products of a filmmaker's imagination. Thinking about what we stand to lose and realizing what we've lost already are sobering and overwhelming experiences (brought to mind for me here in Soylent Green, of all places).

Rainy day rescue

2007-09-29T17:40:00.000-04:00

On Sunday, September 9, I was out for my usual long run. It was an overcast morning, and just after the mile mark a steady rain started. It was a warm morning, but with the breeze blowing over wet skin, it wouldn't have been very comfortable just to stand around. Just before the 2.5-mile mark, I saw a large bird at the side of the road. I approached and looked down, just to check. To my surprise, the bird was still alive! She was gasping, and there was a spot of blood at the tip of her long beak that was spilling out onto the roadway.

I bent down to look closely. She didn't seem too banged up. I reached down to her and grasped her body with both hands. Her wide feet gripped into my palm. She was scared and fragile, but I thought there might be a chance to save her. There were only two or three houses close enough to knock. So I walked around carrying her to see whether I could get a ride home or use the phone. No one was home anywhere, but under the porch roof of one of the houses, the little bird shook the rain off her head. That gave me hope.

I flagged down a few drivers, and one of them finally let me use their phone to leave a message for Scott to come pick me up. With that, I began walking toward home, cradling the bird's body with one hand and her little head with the other, trying to keep the rain off her head, too. She must have been freezing! Her breathing was labored. It didn't really look good, but even if she died, it would happen in loving hands instead of alone and miserable at the side of the road. Who knows how long she had been there after being hit. But then Scott showed up, flashing his lights.

I got in, and we zipped home. I got the bird into a box with some fleece and a warm piece of cloth; I closed the lid. We called the Cornell University Hospital for Animals, and they referred us to the wildlife clinic. They agreed to meet us there in 30 minutes. We drove through a downpour and arrived. During the ride the bird became a little active. Her labored breathing had slowed considerably. But was that a good thing?

The vet met us there and said that they'd look after her. She was a Yellow-Shaftd Northern Flicker. I am always ever so grateful that the wildlife clinic is so close to us and always available to help. She said that things looked grave but that it was great she survived long enough to get there, and they didn't think they'd need to euthanize right away (often the case with car-hit animals).

The following Friday, I had to take one of my rabbits into the vet. The clinician that day turned out to be the vet from the wildlife clinic! She said that she had put the bird in oxygen, and she was still alive when she left. In a phone call a few days later, she told me that she had made an amazing turnaround and was being given to a rehabber. I got the same news a few days later in a letter from the wildlife clinic.

She survived!!

One more reason to stop and check on those broken bodies by the side of the road. There is something so incredible about having your life intersect with that of another species in this way. I just happened upon her in her time of distress, and she trusted me enough to help her. I will never forget the way she clutched my hand. Later that day I went out to finish my run. I returned to the porch of the first house I had gone to, to retrieve one of her feathers that I had remembered falling there. I saved her life, and she touched mine. A successful rescue just brings such joy, and it was awe-inspiring to be close enough to touch the soft feathers of this beautiful creature.

Stay safe, little flicker.

Got Beef? Apparently not!

2007-06-08T22:49:00.000-04:00

It was with great interest that I discovered a few weeks ago the closing of the local grass-fed beef (and other assorted animal flesh) store. This place opened up with great fanfare on Seneca Street in downtown Ithaca several years back. There were ads, signs, announcements, a decked-out storefront complete with a bar-b-que with plastic meats "grilling" on top. Then the place moved to a new location so that in addition to a morgue, it could also be a restaurant. Because so many Ithacans crave the taste of free-range animal flesh (in addition to wanting a dog park and supporting the no-kill county animal shelter), the place was likely doing a good business, and to tap into the market of animal eaters who are too lazy to cook the poor beasts themselves, Sebastian's was born.

It seemed that the place was here to stay, and every time I drove by, the stupid Got Beef neon sign was burning in the window. Until a few weeks ago, that is. Now the store and its coolers are empty. A paper sign on the door indicates that the place is for rent, and the Got Beef sign, although still hanging in the window, is now satisfyingly dark. The restaurant's number has also been disconnected. Perhaps this means that some gentle life will be spared somewhere, or that a new one will not be created to fill the space left when another is shipped to slaughter.

Now when I drive by, I think of a beautiful animal chewing his cud in a field rather than being chewed on in this store. I think of a big, wet nose, breathing contentedly in the grassy country air -- throughout a long and pain-free life. A different world really is possible.

I must give credit where credit is due: there was a veggie burger on the menu. But its inclusion was small consolation when the rest of the menu read like a who's who of suffering farmed animals. If you know that some people don't eat meat, aren't you also aware of the reasons? Wouldn't you know that there's something unsavory about raising and killing animals simply for food?

I should perhaps feel bad for the owner, though. Any time someone's local business folds it likely creates a hardship for the owner and his or her family. Then again, if he were a slave trader, would I have any sympathy? Unlikely. And selling the bodies of animals is a form of slavery, so my sympathy comes to an end before it even begins. So long, Sebastian's. Let's hope that's the end of the meateteria trend in Ithaca (or anywhere else).

There's one other local place that's making a name for itself with local meat. One down, one to go...

The tarnished Triple Crown

2007-05-23T18:50:00.000-04:00

It's that sad time of year again, when interest turns to horse racing, and the glitz and glamour of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing once again find their way onto sports tickers and television broadcasts. Thoroughbreds are shown at their finest: strong, beautiful animals in the prime of life. Everyone loves the horses: "They're so beautiful!" "They love to run--they're born for it!" "There's nothing so majestic as a horse." But what really happens when the sun sets on the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont Stakes? What kind of lives do these companionable, sensitive, and often timid animals have?

The horse racing world was shaken up in 2003 when it was announced that the 1986 Kentucky Derby champion Ferdinand likely met his end in a Japanese slaughterhouse. The "gentlest horse you could imagine" lived out the final moments of his life not in the luscious meadows of Kentucky or the rolling hills of Saratoga Springs, but brutally hoisted upside down, bleeding from the neck in an abattoir, his May day of glory nothing but a distant memory to his butchers. And apparently meaningless as well to those who purport to love their racing horses so much, because even after this revelation, the show has gone on. It seems clear that horse breeders, trainers, and enthusiasts love money most of all, because Ferdinand's fate is all too common in the horse racing industry.

Horses that don't run fast enough, don't win often enough, break down on the track (who can forget the horror of Barbaro's injury in last year's race, just one of many, many horses who have met a tragic end for this human entertainment), or don't sire a winner are worthless to their "owners" and the industry. According to Equine Advocates, approximately one-third of all horses slaughtered in the United States and Canada each year come from the horse racing industry. Even winners have met an abusive fate, killed for insurance money or drugged with performance-enhancing and pain-masking medications to keep them running even with injuries. If a Kentucky Derby champion like Ferdinand--America's Horse of the Year in 1987--can be treated with such disregard, imagine what is happening to the winners and losers that come and go on a random night at Vernon Downs or Pimlico, far cries from the prestige and oppulence of the Triple Crown races.

It seems clear that people who love horses should boycott the Triple Crown and all horse-associated entertainment. Without the millions that this abuse generates from spectators each year, the industry would surely collapse.

I used to spend time in south central Pennsylvania and often took walks to the pastures of a nearby thoroughbred farm. On many hazy summer evenings I'd have the pleasure of observing a mare and her foal grazing and nuzzling in the slanting sun. Sometimes I'd see a young colt running or kicking up his heels in play while his mother looked on. Often I'd cry, knowing the likely fate of this beautiful being whose life would soon be used by everyone but himself. The rest of those tears I'd hold in a heavy heart, because I stayed with horse lovers during my trips there, horse lovers who didn't see what I saw and who were Triple Crown crazy. And it is a craziness, I've decided. How else can we can explain the yearly denial about what a tarnished industry horse racing really is? How else can we believe that the glitter of the Triple Crown is anything but a shiny distraction from exploitation?

Ferdinand and the others meet an end they do not deserve. "He was so sweet," Ferdinand's groom Toshiharu Kaibazawa fondly recalled. All thoroughbreds are sweet. They're all individuals. They're all sentient beings. They're literally running for their lives, and only a few succeed. Some of those and most of the rest, bred for entertainment and valued for little else, end up in cruel hands and recipes.

I fervently hope that the day will soon come when no horse has to run for roses or under the lash of a jockey but instead is free to run as his own will dictates and because that is what horses sometimes do.

Local co-op begins beef sales

2007-05-12T21:04:00.000-04:00

After years of trying, GreenStar Cooperative Market has sadly secured a supplier of local beef. The co-op has long been a purveyor of animal flesh and secretions for many of its customers--"free-range" eggs; "humane" milk; and chickens, fish, turkeys, and other creatures reside, dead, in the deli and freezers there. But those animals were apparently not enough to curb the appetites of GreenStar shoppers who have damanded (and will now receive) nothing short of a smorgasboard at the top of the food chain. The new supplier, a dairy in Nichols, NY, will bring both cattle and pig flesh to the co-op.

The individuals in GreenStar's Marketing and Member Services Departments apparently do not recognize that not every co-op member is in support of their continued sale of animal products:

GreenStar’s business is guided by the collective voice of its members. Getting red meats into the stores may have taken longer than it would have elsewhere, but it has been carefully carried out to express the wishes and values of the members. Subsequently, the meat itself is more than a commodity. It represents the healthy lives of the cattle and the care taken for the soil. It strengthens our local food network and supports our region’s farming families. If you don’t eat red meat you may appreciate the care put into the process. If you do eat red meat, you’ll taste the difference.

I do not place myself in either of those final categories: I am neither appreciative of GreenStar's new avenue of exploitation nor interested in a taste. Instead, I am writing this letter to the editor:

I read with dismay the article about local beef in the May 2007 Greenleaf. The authors of the article assume there are only two kinds of shoppers at GreenStar: those who “may appreciate the care put into the process [of finding a red meat supplier],” and those who will “taste the difference.” I’m writing to let you know that there is another group of shoppers at GreenStar: vegan members who neither buy the flesh and secretions of animals nor support the continued treatment of animals as commodities. The article indicates that local beef “represents the healthy lives of the cattle,” and that is true--it represents individual lives taken prematurely at young ages for no other reasons than to satisfy human tastes and make a profit for the co-op. Farmed animals are sensitive, complex beings with interests that exclude being eaten by humans. No matter how “quickly and efficiently” these animals are slaughtered, when we breed and raise them only to kill them, we are enslaving sentient (subjectively aware) individuals whose lives are valuable for reasons other than those we assign to them as ingredients or profits. GreenStar has a long history of exploiting animals, and many members have not yet made the connection. It’s remarkable that co-op members who no doubt support our no-kill county animal shelter would also clamor for the flesh of animals on their plates. If people are repulsed by the idea of eating dogs and cats, how can they contentedly eat other animals?

If you shop at the co-op and you are tired of seeing animal products in every square inch of retail space in that store, please get in touch with me. Maybe it's time we revived the idea of a vegan co-op.

Life after death at Greensprings

2007-04-29T19:30:00.000-04:00

Last weekend, as part of Earth Day, Scott and I visited the Greensprings Natural Cemetery in Newfield, NY, where the Greensprings board of directors had an open house. It was a beautiful day, and we were treated to a light lunch and hikes through the natural cemetery complete with birdwatching and information about native species from some of the knowledgeable folks who were there that day. We also learned more about natural burial and the Greensprings vision, in which I have been interested since I first heard about it a year or so ago. What will life be like after death? From what I could see, it will be incredible.

Set atop a hill, the cemetery offers views for miles. It was breathtaking, and my photos cannot do it justice. I was surprised at how much I liked it and how comfortable a place it seemed. It's a large parcel surrounded by state forest, and in addition to being a cemetery for natural burials (no embalming, no vaults, use of sustainable caskets or shrouds), it is going to be preserved as green space and a haven for wildlife.

Life on Earth will continue after my death, and by choosing natural burial, I will do my part to make it good. I will return to the earth, and above me the flora and fauna will have safe homes where they can thrive: deer will graze, birds will nest and sing, and small mammals will pick their way from here to there across my final resting place. Open space and habitat will exist there for as long as the earth turns, a place for people to connect with the natural world. The natural heritage of all peoples will be preserved, and I will become part of our magnificent and fragile planet. It's a beautiful thought!

Maybe it's morbid to think about these things at my age, but I find it to be an incredibly peaceful and comforting thought. There is no better headstone than nature herself. In that place of beauty, no words even need be inscribed: the woods and fields and sky say plainly in all seasons that here lies a person who cared.

Being vegan means having it all

2007-04-21T23:34:00.000-04:00

Last Friday I turned 35, and as a treat, Scott and I went to NYC for some vegan eats at some of the fine restaurants there. From Friday evening until sometime late Saturday afternoon, I indulged in great food, vegan shopping, and even dessert. It began at Blossom for dinner. Just incredible! The food was top-notch, all vegan, and organic. It's hard to describe the feeling of opening a menu and knowing that nothing you read inside will bring to mind the horrors of animal suffering or factory farming. At this place, no server will come to your table and announce that the daily specials will include nothing that doesn't make your heart despair. Instead, the specials were cruelty-free and made the decision about what to have just that much harder. Scott's mom Blanche provided the birthday dessert: scrumptious vegan brownies and champagne.

I ran 8 miles in Queens Saturday morning, and after a delicious breakfast of vegan pancakes and smoothies, again compliments of Blanche and her culinary talents, we were off to the city again. The afternoon found us in various exciting locations: Red Bamboo Soul Cafe, Moo Shoes, and Babycakes, a vegan bakery. And I thought my vegan cupcakes were good! These were divine. I even parted from my anti-materialist ways and treated myself to a pair of new Vegetarian Shoes. I'm so inspired about my lifestyle these days, so this time in the city really came at a good time. For almost 24 hours, I felt as though I had been transported to another place, where animal cruelty was a thing of the past. Going from one vegan-friendly place to another was stone-stepping through the usual harsh realities that vegans have to wade through most days, especially at restaurants.

We probably spent more than we should have, but it really provided a relaxing and exciting respite (even though my feet were sore from so much walking!). The best part is that there are still a ton of vegan places there (and elsewhere), so here's hoping I've got enough birthdays left to try them all!

You are what you eat (yes, you are!)

2007-04-09T22:00:00.001-04:00

After listening to a recent Vegan Freak Radio podcast (#66 The Vegan Health Show) and its interview with vegan nutritionist Vesanto Melina, I am all set to take my diet to the next level. She is coauthor of Becoming Vegan, which has been on my bookshelf for several years, and I've just never read it. Why, I have no idea. I'm sure there is great advice in there that would probably help me better plan and execute this very rewarding lifestyle that I've chosen. It ain't deprivation, believe me, but I suspect that it could be even more delicious and satisfying! Hard to imagine it getting any better, really, but if it can, I want to be in on it.

Chances are good that my eating habits are pretty shoddy, even though I'm vegan and try to eat a variety of foods. A vegan lifestyle is the healthiest there is, but like any nutrition plan, a person has to pay attention to what's going into her mouth and how often. Just having whole wheat foods and legumes in the house doesn't do jack if you're not eating them.

So with summer supposedly coming (obligatory whine about upstate NY's horrid weather--winter into April this year for the love of doG), I've decided to go partly raw. According to the Melina, here is a quick overview of what's necessary to go completely raw*:

>> 12 cups of vegetables per day, half of these (6 cups) should be greens (broccoli, kale)
>> 5 pieces of fruit
>> 1 cup of nuts and seeds
>> A source of omega 3 fatty acids (e.g., fresh walnuts)
>> A source of vitamin B12 (got that covered with vegan vitamin supplements)

*Note that this plan doesn't include a source of Vitamin D, so sunlight or supplementation is required (and care will be needed during winter in in northeastern climates).

According to Melino, going partly raw is very healthy for people, and that would be eating mostly raw according to the above plan and adding legumes and fortified foods (e.g., soymilk or ricemilk). I'm picturing delicious salads with organic chickpeas, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and other goodies, plus a salad dressing made with flax oil to really cover the bases on the omega 3s without adding too much fat (there's a great recipe in Becoming Vegan). And I'll keep some of my favorite cooked recipes in the mix, too, but with a nutrition makeover (whole wheat pasta, low-fat baking).

Farmer's market, here I come! I'm looking forward to putting better meals together and kicking the excess sugar, white flour, and other nutritional dead wood that were discussed in the podcast (and that have definitely been part of what I eat).

Vegan diets are humane and healthy. There's no better way to go, so get going!

Other helpful links:

vegan food pyramid
VeganLife multivitamin

Donate a dog bed for homeless dogs

2007-04-08T17:38:00.000-04:00

So I came into a little unexpected money lately, and I decided to use part of it to help animals. I donated a dog bed to a local shelter! Check this out: Kuranda dog beds! Just click through to find the shelter you want to support, provide payment information (you even get a discount!), and the company ships the bed straight to the shelter! Very easy, and great for these homeless doggies while they wait for their new humans to arrive and choose them to go home.

I'm hopeful that this summer I'll have a chance to go by the shelter that's close to me and donate some time for whatever they need. I actually get a lot of satisfaction from tidying up litterboxes and otherwise doting on animals by cleaning up their living space--so no task is too grungry for me if it helps the shelter and the animals who count on it.

Go ahead, donate a dog bed. You know you want to, and it makes you feel so good thinking about a scared and abandoned dog (or two, or three!) resting safely and comfortably on one of these beds (and maybe even having one of those funny dog dreams where their paws and ears twitch).

Wildlife rescue gloves arrived!

2007-04-07T21:31:00.000-04:00

If your neck of the woods is anything like mine, your roads are increasingly dotted with the broken and distressing bodies of spring wildlife casualities. I think that the road animals are the worst part of spring, and people just do not know enough or care enough to slow the flip down to avoid these creatures. Anyway, I'm literally taking matters back into my own hands this spring, and on Friday the central part of my wildlife rescue kit was waiting on the porch when I got home from work: nonleather veterinary gloves!

These babies come up to my elbows and are made out of a synthetic sharps-resistant material. There is some good padding, but they look like they'll also allow plenty of dexterity if needed. They're made by a company called Hexarmor (the Hercules R8E 3180), and they're designed for use by veterinarians. I'm really excited!

Rounding out my kit will be an animal carrier, some old sweatshirts, and maybe one of those insto-handwarmers just in case. If I find wildlife that needs my assistance, I'll be headed straight to Cornell veterinary hospital because I do not yet have a rehabber's license, but it can be a while getting there, and having some warmth on the way may be lifesaving, especially for youngsters.

These gloves are a bit pricey (I searched around for the best price and purchased online), but it's going to be completely worth it for peace of mind and confidence in handling should the need arise. Here's hoping I'll see fewer and fewer wild animals on the roads, but if my help is needed, I'm ready to step up.

Wildlife and you this spring

2007-03-17T17:49:00.000-04:00

OK, so maybe we're still getting hammered with snow here, but apparently spring is just around the corner. It's never too early to start thinking about mother nature's new crop of wildlife parents and their new babies. They'll soon be emerging from nest, dens, warrens, and burrows, and occasionally they need our help. Being prepared to help wildlife in need is easy: a pair of heavy gloves, some old blankets or sweatshirts, a box or pet carrier, and a little bit of information is all you need. Throw this stuff in your car now, and you'll be ready to go.

Here is a good overview of orphaned/injured wildlife information.

One especially important bit of knowledge concerns opossums. As the only marsupial in North America, opossums give birth when their young are very tiny, and the young grow and develop in the mother's pouch until they are several inches long. Then they cling to her back until they're old enough to survive on their own (about 7 inches, not including the tail). What this means is that a road-injured or dead opossum may have babies nearby or even in her pouch that have survived and need to be rescued. Please stop whenever you can to check on opossums in the road. Dragging them off to the side to check their pouches may not only save the life of baby possums (up to 13 at a time!) but also save a scavenger that wanders into the road after a dead animal.

Here are some great resources for learning about helping opossums: Messinger Woods opossum care sheet; opossum.org.

Possums have 50 teeth, so by all means, go easy! Other animals, too, can bite or scratch, especially when injured, so protect yourself. The biggest danger is other idiot drivers--people can be and are hit every year trying to help injured wildlife. So be careful and watch out for these morons. A flashlight or even a brightly colored vest isn't a bad idea if you're serious about stopping to help road animals.

Let's be honest: we can't tell if an animal is dead when we fly by at even 30 mph. I've found car-injured wildlife on city streets and in the country as well. It's a great deed done when you help them, even if it's only to provide humane euthanasia or move them out of the road to protect scavenger.

Keep a list of emergency wildlife contacts in your glovebox so that you have someone to contact for help. You can find numbers here: wildlife rehab; wildliferehabber.com

Wir sind bei den Tieren (We are with the animals)

2007-03-01T21:29:00.000-05:00

One tiny chicken foot. This article speaks for itself. Knowing that something this cruel happened yesterday and today and will happen tomorrow and the next day makes it easy to choose vegan. Give it a try!

Special thanks to Twyla Francois of Animals' Angels for this story and accompanying images. I share your sentiments.

February blahs

2007-02-24T18:28:00.000-05:00

This February has been particularly brutal as far as weather goes. Freezing temps, snow all the time, and, worst of all, cold sunshine. You look outside and see the sun, but then you get out there, and it's not warm at all. I hate that so much! To put it another way, I feel horrible these days!

Fortunately, the cold weather hasn't put a crimp in my running too much. I've managed two 10-milers and assorted long runs between 7 and 9 miles since the new year, and I am getting back into a familiar mileage buildup/maintenance pattern. I intend to hold that for the summer, see if the knee is still good, and then, maybe (big maybe), begin training up for something big. I should be able to race this summer again, too, which will be cool. I'm aiming for the Skunk Cabbage half marathon in early April, the Utica Boilermaker in early July, and maybe one more race in the fall. We'll see.

The rest of of this post is dedicated to the memory of young Virgil Butler, who died unexpectedly this past December. I only found out a few weeks ago, because I have not been keeping up with comings and goings in the animal advocacy movement, something I have been slowly remedying. But I knew of him, and it is a shock. Mr. Butler was a great voice for animals, especially farmed animals, whose lives are so callously disregarded by most. A Tyson slaughterhouse worker turned animal activist, he bore witness to unspeakable cruelty, let his conscience lead him to change himself and the world, and weathered Tyson's attempts to discredit his character. His incredible courage and bravery continue to inspire. I hope you have found peace, Virgil. We are still seeking it here on earth, for ourselves and for our animal brethren.

What wings are for

2006-12-28T18:03:00.001-05:00

I've always loved the new year. Sure, you can start a "new year" any old time you feel like it. Every day is a new day, a new chance to change, grow, and choose. But the new year is special to me. It really feels like a fresh start, a time to make resolutions and recommit things that may have fallen by the wayside in the preceding months. This year, I need to be more mindful and patient, I need to floss every day, I need to reach out to friends and family more often, and I need to eat better. More than that, I need to finish (heck, truly start) that novel I started awhile back. Even more than that, though, I need to get back to basics where my personal philosophy is concerned.

The end-of-the-year greetings from the many animal advocacy organizations I belong to have again brought before my eyes the devastating consequences of that choice I make once or twice a day (ok, ok, three times at the very least beginning January 1) about eating.

In 2007, I'm going to get all militant again, not outwardly, but inwardly and in all of my actions. I've been reminded again what wings are for. And I will not forget it in 2007. Of all the things I have to do, this is the most important.

Murphy (??? to November 6, 2006)

2006-11-09T22:02:00.000-05:00

My beloved Murphy journeyed to the Rainbow Bridge earlier this week. He had been my companion since late 2003, when he was plucked from a kill shelter where he was awaiting euthansia. He was, I believe, literally on the list. The word went out about the need for foster space, and I had one. I offered it, thinking that this boy might only be with me a short time. Then I fell in love with him when he arrived and promptly flunked "Foster 101" for the second time in as many months. He was a big silver boy with the most tremendous ears. Soft and beautiful, slightly attitudinal, and very much in need of a patient, loving, indoor home. He'd nip gently sometimes and push my hand away when I went to stroke him; other times he'd settle right down and enjoy some friendly attention. He was delightfully laid back and a joy to behold. Most of all, he loved to chow down on his daily carrot and pile of greens. Divine feasts, the likes of which he had never before seen in whatever harsh life he'd been leading up until he was dumped at the shelter. Banana treats and a few oats rounded out the good life for Murph.

And then came Clarabel. I bonded them in the summer of 2005, and they spent many happy days grooming each other, nestling, and generally being pals. Clara brought complete happiness to Murphy's golden days, and they were fast friends. Murphy was my friend, too. I already miss his grunts and his anxious anticipation of whatever food was coming his way. I grew very close to him in these last days, when he needed special care and handling. I wish I was still seeing my reflection in those big brown eyes of his. He came from the euthansia list at an upstate shelter straight into my heart, and he will never leave there. It never gets any easier to say goodbye. Rest comfortably, fluffy boy. You are loved and missed.

Companion animals: Can you have too many?

2006-05-17T21:00:00.000-04:00

I haven't been posting to this blog nearly enough. The truth is that ever since I moved to our house, life has been very busy. Uncomfortably busy. I live farther from work now, which entails getting up earlier and getting home later. It's not really so bad, but until you get done with all of the things you need to do, there's not nearly enough time to do the things you want to do and get enough sleep to be anything more than a zombie the next day. And on top of everything else, my little cat Frank is getting over the sniffles again from the stress of the moving. He's such a tender little guy. He was prescribed antibiotics for the next two weeks, and the vet (my college roommate!) sent us home with a nifty pilling device that has simplified things. I have to give Scott a big hand here for helping me with the arduous task each morning. Sometimes things have to get worse before they get better.

The second picture is of me and Ernesto a.k.a Tiny Man. They're both great cats. But I wonder if I have too many pets sometimes--five house rabbits (one of them very elderly, one of them blind), four cats counting Scott's and mine together, a (formerly) homeless hamster who crossed my path soon after Janey-Jane left me (it was meant to be--how could I say no?--and he's just so darn cute). Then there's Schuyler, the parakeet, and my little finch Reggie, who's still waiting for me to pick him up a buddy. I do quite a bit of worrying about them all...And worrying about me.

Me and hundreds of thousands of other people on earth have the same affliction when it comes to having an open-door policy for homeless and needy animals of all kinds. Is compassion a state of mind, a disease state, or a choice? :-) I don't think you can have too many companion animals unless you're not caring for them properly. So adopt away!