Monday, June 29, 2009

Money, Rodeo, Summer Heat




Money Driving Animal Welfare
http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/article/2009/06/29/88711_business-news.html
Coulda told you this, but it is interesting in the context of China which has been working to enact their first animal welfare legislation.

Vancouver Humane Society Shunned in Alberta Over Stampede Campaign
For anyone who is interested there has been animal welfare monitoring of the rodeo events in professional rodeo for literally decades...including the Calgary Stampede and Cloverdale.

Young Turks Discuss Animal Welfare and Animal Pain
Although it has a very small response the poll at the end shows an interesting trend amongst this blog's readers...

Education Needed For Animal Welfare
Educating people and changing attitudes is the best way to improve animal welfare...not by legislating change, but creating an understanding of change and leading the way through education...

Next Generation Trailers in USA
Based on EU humane transportation standards, these units will be made available in the USA - getting better but don't forget in Canada we have CFIA, provincial laws and the Certified Livestock Transport training program to enhance the TQA. Google for more details...or click the links above...

All animals require food, water, shelter and care to have a healthy happy life, but sometimes people don't think about the weather conditions and how that impacts the animals in their care. The most caring person can, sometimes, forget and others while seemingly interested in their animal's welfare tend to think nothing of their actual impact on the animal's well being. Many sites offer care tips for summer (and the other seasons)...check some out and remember they can apply to farm animals as well. Take care of our animals, it is the right thing to do!

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Mixed Bag


My last attempt to update Chore Time was crashed by a router on strike, so we shall try again, and the latest today is this:

H1N1 May Have Had Asian Origins
Untested theory but it does have points that make sense.

Tasmania Cracks Down On Welfare Breaches

EU Adopts Slaughter Regulations

Dealing with Animal 'Welfare' Groups - Op Ed Ill.
Op Ed Piece concering the activities of pseduo welfare groups like the HSUS in farm country.

Changes to Regs in Ohio Challenging Farmers?
If a Prop 2 type legislation is passed in Ohio, can the states farmers remain competative or will it 'shut' down confinment agriculture...is this part of a national plan by the HSUS to impact all of American animal agriculture? The answers are blowing in the wind...or rather on their website!

IDF Joins FAO in Online Farm Animal Welfare Project

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Today's News


The news today has some pretty interesting, and significant stories. There is a theory that when we do not value human life we are not able to value animal life, if human welfare isn't important then it follows that animal welfare is not valued. When you see a country, like China, taking care of not only it's human citizens but its animal ones is is heartening. See the stories below:

China Plans First Animal Welfare Law


Animal Rights vs Animal Welfare

Heavy Sentences in UK Horse Abuse

Farm Break In Defended


Monday, June 15, 2009

PETA Fish Protest

Our friend Dan Murhpy has done a commentary for us on a recent protest by PETA. It may surprise you, certainly did me!

PETA fish protest has dangerous hidden agenda

It’s pretty easy to trash People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals as a collection of overreaching, attention-hungry media hounds who personify the old show-biz adage that any publicity is good publicity.

Witness the recent protest PETA launched against the Americ

an Veterinary Medical Association, whose members have the option to enjoy a “fish tossing demonstration” put on by the fish mongers from downtown Seattle’s landmark Pike Street Market. For the uninitiated, fish tossing is a tourist-only sideshow during which vendors at the Pike Street Fish Market sling around whole salmon, the “eye candy” in the c

old case that draws crowds to their seafood stand.

The century-old Market itself is a charming mix of shambling wooden stalls and staircases, an indoor boardwalk filled with restaurants overlooking nearby Pu

get Sound, eclectic little trinket shops and countless street hawkers hustling everything from kitschy Americana to fresh produce to overpriced souvenirs of Seattle’s iconic Space Needle.

The fish tossing is of much more recent origins, and the King and Chinook salmon getting slung around these days are no longer pulled from Puget Sound, but instead are shipped in from Alaska (mostly) or flown in from Iceland, Norway and points even further east.

No doubt tourists have come from equally distant places, in large part to witness the Pike Street boys and their flying fish. As a result, the seafood vendor has created a motivational skit to inspire business audiences at conferences—such as the AVMA’s meeti

ng next month—to “take the challenge” of catching a slippery 30-pound salmon (thankfully cleaned and gutted) as a metaphor for succeeding at the equally challenging game of customer service.

Or public persuasion, in the case of PETA. In fact, I don’t doubt their staff has seen or even attended one of the Pike Street Fish Market’s presentations and came away with a different inspiration: Here’s a new way to guilt trip even the enlightened souls who’ve switched from bloody red meat to healthy fresh fish. As PETA’s letter to the AVMA stated, “People who care about animals are appalled that a veterinary organization would promote an event in which animals are treated so disrespectfully and are handled as if th

ey were toys.”

Except . . . they’re dead. Which would make a protest over humane treatment moot, one would presume.

Only PETA doesn’t want the Pike Street boys to cease and desist tossing their wares around the stall. As the national media coverage has connected their phony outrage with a fish tossing stunt most Americans never even knew about, it becomes a wonderful emotional trigger to remind people of the many causes—and the endless fund-raising opportunities—PETA continually conducts. On behalf of poor, defenseless animals, of course. Dead or alive.

Predictably, most folks in Seattle have reacted with a fond invitation for PETA to drop dead, like the salmon at the center of their protest. “PETA is a joke and a farce, as usual,” one letter to the editor stated. “They never cease to amaze me at how stupid they are,” another read. Another asked, “Why don’t they take up a real cause, like saving the whales or protecting other endangered species?”

Even The Seattle Times opined that calls for the Pike Place Fish mongers to substitute rubber fish in their presentation were misguided. “Do the presentation as is—with all its slimy charm,” the editors wrote. “Let this hissy fit about absolutely nothing run out of steam.”

That’s probably the attitude of most industry folks, as well. Let the idiots at PETA spout off about mistreating dead fish. Who cares? Most people reject such an idea out of hand.

True enough, but the danger here isn’t that PETA will soak up another 15 minutes of media attention for yet another ridiculous protest 99% of Americans find absurd. PETA isn’t interested in “awareness” about animal issues, as their legions of apologists always insist. Bemoaning the

tossing of dead fish isn’t about publicity, or even awareness. It’s about credibility.

That’s why these tactics are so insidious. Publicity is one thing; credibility is quite another. PETA’s ultimate objective isn’t visibility, it’s coronation by the mainstream media as the go-to group on the animal rights debate.

So rather than merely chuckling at the absurdity of a protest over dead fi

sh, those who work for, believe in or who wish to continue patronizing the meat and seafood industries ought to take a moment to share their thoughts about whether PETA deserves its self-anointed status as standard-setters on animal welfare.

If you believe campaigns to protest somebody tossing dead fish are ridiculous, imagine if they were in charge of writing the regs on animal rights.

Dan Murphy

Rescue Ink & Monday Headlines

Chore Time started, originally, to share news, commentary and information on farm animal welfare. Because my personal concern for animal welfare is not limited to animal agriculture I also, from time to time, try to share information, news and stories on a broader scale. There are animal care groups and organizations around the world that care for the welfare of all animals, and others which have specialites. Some have broad geographic reaches and others are regional, but each is doing their part to forward the cause of welfare for animals. Many on the front lines, others in less 'frontal' areas that are just as important.

There are many groups, and if you know of one that our blog readers would be interested in knowing more about, please message me. I'd love to share and raise awareness.

Rescue Ink

(see link at bottom of Chore Time for book details!)

Head Lines

Iowa State: Sending A Message for Farm Animal Welfare

H1N1 (Nope won't call it Swine Flu here!) Across the Country (Canada)

UK's Farm Animal Welfare Council - value?

Tuft's Vet School Cited by USDA


UK Farming Minister A Veggie!

Jail Term: Powerful Message to Abusers (UK)

More Than Laws Uphold Animal Welfare

Jakarkta NGO Calls For Animal Welfare Law

Alberta Swine Flu Mystery Deepens

Ohio to Have Farm Animal Cruelty Legislation?

HSUS Fired Up in Ohio?

Factory Farms NOT To Blame For Flu Pandemic

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

H1N1 UP-DATE

H1N1 Up-Date

There is some new information and news today that I wanted to share.  Be aware, be prepared and be informed.

Additional Cases Confirmed
This site has some very key areas to check out, look for the links there or click on some below:

Country by Country H1N1 Roll Call

Nunavut Hit with 19 New Cases

First Nations At Risk
For those of us in Manitoba this story has some significant information and numbers. 


Monday, June 8, 2009

Wass'up?

As the song goes, "Monday, Monday" and here we are with the headlines that are in the news for animal agriculture around the world.  Popping up as usual is the H1N1 situation worldwide, and the issues we may be facing this fall with the full blown flu season.  Other animal agriculture headlines from around the world are here too...check them out...

Farm Animals Moving Science Forward

Alberta Farmer Culls Entire Swine Herd
This herd is the only example, worldwide, of human to swine infection of Type A H1Ni.  Well it was, as the farmer has chosen to cull the entire herd to hopefully aid the industry. I wish him well as he starts again.

H1N1 On The Rise Worldwide

Egyptian Pig Cull May Impact Tourism

Study Shows Farmers Importance

Mass. Making More Room for Animals

Op Ed - Toronto Star: Canada Lags behind EU on Farm Animal Welfare Reform

Aussies Revamping Animal Care Codes

US Race Horses At Risk of Slaughter in Japan
And surprise, surprise PETA isn't helping, nor are they making it easy for the people who are to do their jobs. Sadly, PETA has decided to enter into the horse slaughter arena...will it help or hurt horses?  Anyone who knows their track record will have the answer...

Pint Sized Beef Cows = More Good Cuts

Guard Donkeys Do Their Work for Farmers

Pigs Tattooed In Beijing 'Art Farm'
This is where I tend to have a problem - tattooing an animal, as conceptual art, then once they have been euthanized for meat, selling the hides to collectors as 'art'...anyone have a problem with this? Anyone think that you could do this anywhere BUT China?  Be sure to NOT skin off and frame my tattoo(s) after I die...

Fascinated by Farm Life

Groups Applaud FAO Animal Welfare Portal

A few headlines affecting all animals and their welfare:

What about the Animals?

Sad Reasons We Need Shelters

Animal Care Group in Kuwait

Odyssey with Animals - looking at rights and welfare for animals

Animal Welfare Officer Saved by Vest

Rescue Ink Steps It Up in Long Island



Monday, June 1, 2009

June 1 Round Up


And by round up I don't mean chemicals nor do I mean cattle - although both could apply at some point or another. This is the news that is in the headlines this morning, regarding farm animals and their welfare, as well as other farm animal related news. Check out the links, comment back and let's talk!

California lawmakers rally on animal welfare issues

Farm Animal Council of Sasktachewan Launches New Teaching Tool

UK Asking for Better Pre-Slaughter Welfare for Birds

More Space for Ohio Farm Animals? 

More on Antibiotic Use In Animals - the Debate Continues

Dutch Pig Poop Feeds Grid - Green or Brown power?

More Than Laws Uphold Animal Welfare
Important to Note: In Manitoba you may call 945-8000 to report any concerns over the welfare of animals or to arrange the surrender of your animals should you be unable or unwilling to care for them any longer.  There is NO EXCUSE for abuse and neglect of animals.

Not related to farm animal welfare but an excellent example of when the hard choice (euthanasia) is also the right choice when it comes to the welfare of animals.

International Collaboration Centre Focus on Animal Welfare