Sea Shepherd

Monday, January 30, 2012

60 Minutes did a pro-canned hunting fluff piece last night. trying youtubing it - don't download it from their site. The hunters were claiming that they are doing this to save endangered species. But just like their lame excuses of "we're feeding the poor with what we kill" or "I'm bonding with my son", this is just another lie they use to justify the killing of innocent animals for fun. And the dumb 60 minutes reporter was buying their lies like she was fresh out of journalism school. Pathetic reporting by any standards. hunters DO NOT care about protecting or preserving the animals. the only thing they care about is killing an exotic animal for trophies; which proves their utter lack of manhood. Contact information for 60 minutes follows. The best I could do on the phone was leave a message. ADDRESS: 60 Minutes 524 West 57th St. New York, NY 10019 EMAIL: 60m@cbsnews.com PHONE: (212) 975-3247

Seal Win!!

The Canadian Seal Hunt is Dead! Long Live the Seals! COMMENTARY BY CAPTAIN PAUL WATSON "I would like to see the six million seals, or whatever number is out there, killed and sold, or destroyed or burned. I do not care what happens to them. If there was a market for more seals, the commercial sealers would be hunting and killing seals. The ‘personal use' sealers...cannot sell them because the markets are not there. What they want is the right to go out and kill the seals....and the more they kill, the better I will love it." Mr. John Efford, former Canadian Federal Minister for Natural Resources and the former Minister of Fisheries for the province of Newfoundland. File photo: Paul Watson with baby Harp Seal I have been fighting the Canadian seal hunt since 1974. It’s been a long hard road after nearly four decades. During that time I have taken ships into the ice six times, in 1979, 1981, 1983, 1998, 2005 and 2008. I’ve led three helicopter campaigns in 1976, 1977 and 1995. During this time we chased sealing vessels out of the ice, blockaded sealing ships in harbor, walked for miles over treacherous ice conditions, confronting Canadian fisheries officers and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, debated Senators, Members of Parliament, Newfoundland Premiers, Fisheries Ministers and Prime Ministers. We’ve taken celebrities Brigitte Bardot, Richard Dean Anderson and Martin Sheen to the ice floes and we worked to have seal products banned worldwide. We’ve been arrested, beaten by police and by sealers, lost a ship, and we’ve been vilified across Canada as eco-terrorists, extremists and traitors. We even devised a cruelty free, non-lethal sealing alternative of brushing off molting fur from the white coats because it has the same properties as eider down. The government rejected our alternative. The government wanted the seals to die. But in the end we won! The Canadian seal slaughter is commercial-dead and it will have no place in the 21st Century. This anachronistic barbaric enterprise is being tossed into the dustbin of history where it belongs, and finally after a lifetime of struggle to end it, this obscene embarrassment is for all intents and purposes – dead. It was a half a century ago when I was ten years old when I saw a seal clubbed to death on the shores of my native New Brunswick in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It was my dream then to put an end to it and that dream has all but come true. Last year in a ridiculous fit of pique, Canadian federal Fisheries Minister Gail Shea set the kill quota at 400,000 despite knowing there was no viable market for this cruel and ecologically destructive product. The actual kill was less than 10% of that at 38,000 seal pups. The sealers may want to kill seals but they are also practical enough to know that it makes little sense to kill them if there is no market for the pelts. Last year the entire industry brought in less than one million dollars and cost the Canadian taxpayers much more than that in subsidies, public relations, and free icebreaking services to the seal killers. For the last few years the commercial seal slaughter has survived as a glorified welfare system supported by politicians indulging in all sorts of histrionic stunts, to promote it ranging from serving seal meat in the Parliamentary cafeteria to the Governor General sinking her teeth into a raw seal heart with blood dripping down her chin. Thanks to the fact that seal products are banned in the USA, Europe and Russia, the worldwide market has crashed. It has been a long, long fight and the credit for this goes to many organizations and individuals who have fought so long and so passionately to achieve this victory for these beautiful creatures. The late Cleveland Amory and the Fund for Animals, Brian Davies and the International Fund for Animal Welfare, Rebecca Aldworth and the Humane Society of the United States, Brigitte Bardot and the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, PETA, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Harp Seals.org and to the passionate crews who accompanied me to the ice, first with Greenpeace in 1976 and 1977 and after that with the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. It was a struggle that began in the Sixties and now the commercial slaughter has ended and it will only be a few more years until the kills dwindle down to what the sadistic savages in the Magdalen Islands of Quebec and a few outposts of Newfoundland kill for recreation. We took on the Canadian government and the governments of Quebec, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. We took on the Canadian and Norwegian fur industry and the Canadian Sealing Association. We took them on and through determination, perseverance and patience we confronted and wore the killers down, year after year, utilizing the most powerfully effective weapon ever invented – the camera. Through visuals, through drama and through the media we made the world aware of this atrocity against marine wildlife and we kept them aware, reminding the international public that our passion for the cause never died. Year after year we were in the face of the killers and year after year we grew stronger as the killers grew weaker. Next month the Canadian government will once again toss some ridiculously high kill quota out followed by offers of subsidies (i.e. welfare) in their continued pathetic quest to keep the seal slaughter alive in the face of practically universal condemnation. It matters not. They will fail. The writing is now on the wall and the seal hunt will be no more. We have won. The seals have won. The Canadian seal hunt is dead! Long live the seals.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Sentient Developments: Thomas White: "Whales are people, too"

January 20, 2012
Thomas White: "Whales are people, too"

Thomas I. White, the author of In Defense of Dolphins: The New Moral Frontier, has penned a must-read article in ABC Environment. White argues that there is now ample scientific evidence that capacities once thought to be unique to humans are shared by dolphins and whales. "Like humans," he writes, "whales and dolphins are 'persons'." And by persons he means that they are self-aware beings with individual personalities and a rich inner life; they have the ability to think abstractly, feel deeply and choose their actions. In addition, their lives are characterized by close, long-term relationships with conspecifics in communities characterized by culture. "In short," he says, "whales and dolphins are a who, not a what."

Thankfully, White notes that research on marine mammals is on the wane:
More significantly, a small group of experts who met at the Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies in the spring of 2010 to evaluate the ethical implications of the scientific research on cetaceans concluded that the evidence merited issuing a Declaration of Rights for Cetaceans: Whales and Dolphins. This group included such prominent scientists as Lori Marino and Hal Whitehead. Particularly important in this declaration was the recognition that whales and dolphins are persons who are "beyond use". Treating them as 'property' is indefensible.
Despite this, notes White, whales and dolphins are still being used for entertainment purposes at marine parks:
It is, of course, no surprise that the managers, employees and researchers affiliated with enterprises that make money using captive whales and dolphins do a poor job of being sensitive to the ethical implications of the progress of marine mammal science. These people are caught in a classic conflict of interest. On the one hand, they have a duty to protect the welfare of the cetaceans in their care. On the other hand, their jobs and careers depend on keeping the current business model intact for as long as they can.

Predictably, when there's money on the line, people will not only rationalise all sorts of actions, they'll even believe their own rationalisations. As we saw with the 2008 economic meltdown, individuals running banks and financial institutions on Wall Street were so blinded by a desire to maximise profits that they not only ran their own companies into the ground, they put the economy of the entire planet at risk. When we humans are so ready to turn a blind eye to actions that risk hurting ourselves for the sake of profit, it comes as no surprise that we'll readily ignore the possibility of hurting other intelligent species.

All of the organisations that use captive cetaceans say they are strongly committed to the welfare of the whales and dolphins under their care. Given the ethical challenges that have come from the progress of scientific research over the last 30 years, the question is whether these organisations will respond appropriately on their own or whether they will increasingly become the targets of controversy and consumer boycotts.
So, despite the increasing evidence re-affirming our suspicion that whales and dolphins are persons, we are left with an interesting—but troubling—conundrum: "If moving away from using captive whales and dolphins is both the right thing to do and more profitable than current practices," asks White, "why isn't it happening?"

I encourage you to read the entire article. And while you're at it, support the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technology's Rights of Non-Human Persons Program.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Famous animal rights people

Many famous people and celebrities have lent their influence to animal rights causes. Below is a list of some of these activists.

Bob Barker - Best known for hosting CBS's The Price Is Right from 1972 to 2007, Bob Barker set up a foundation called the DJ & T Foundation in 1994 that funds grants for spay/neuter clinics. He is also supporting a bill against the use of elephants in circuses. Barker grew up on an Indian Reservation in South Dakota and says that his earliest memories include animals. He describes how he became involved in animal rights: "About 20 years ago I was chairman of Be Kind to Animals Week in L.A. I was invited by different organizations to participate in their activities. As I did, I began to become aware of the terrible exploitation of animals in the world and felt compelled to try to rectify the situation. And that’s what I’ve been doing ever since."

Brigitte Bardot - Former French actress Brigitte Bardot runs the Brigitte Bardot Foundation for the Welfare and Protection of Animals. The foundation works directly on the field (help to refuges, animal rescue, stray cat sterilization campaigns…). It also intervenes at the judicial level, with the help of inspectors spread out all over France.

Betty White - Best known for her role in The Golden Girls, Betty White has been an animal lover for years. She has sat on the board of directors for 'The Morris Animal Foundation' for more than 25 years. She is also involved with the spcaLA and the Wildlife Waystation and is a Board Member of Actors and Others for Animals. When asked whether she was a dog person or a cat person, White replied, "I’m everything with a leg on each corner."

Paul McCartney - Paul McCartney and his late wife, Linda were outspoken vegetarians and animal rights activists. Following her death, he continued to lobby for fair treatment of animals. In 2006, he spoke out against seal hunting. The singer and former Beatle has lent his support to Israeli animal rights activists fighting to pass a bill banning all fur trade in Israel.
Julie Christie - British actress Julie Christie narrated the 1981 feature documentary The Animals Film (directed by Victor Schonfeld and Myriam Alaux), a campaigning film against the exploitation of animals.

Pamela Anderson - The actress has teamed up with PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) to lobby against the use of animal fur in fashion. "Once people know that animals are electrocuted, drowned, bludgeoned to death and sometimes skinned alive, they realize fur is disgusting and that there's nothing luxurious or fashionable about it", she explained. She also campaigns against inhumane slaughtering of chickens and against animal testing.

Ali MacGraw - In 2006, the actress filmed a public service announcement for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), urging residents to take their pets with them in the event of wildfires. She states that she cannot remember not being an animal activist. She has been awarded the Humane Education Award by Animal Protection of New Mexico.

Stella McCartney - Paul McCartney's daughter, Stella, is also an animal rights activist. The fashion designer refuses to use fur or leather in her fashions. She supports activists who break into fashion shows to protest against the use of animal pelts. "I totally disagree with any electrocuted animals on people’s backs, so I think it’s for the right reasons," she said.
Angelina Jolie - In Apr. 2010 the actress was seen carrying a bag made from horse hair. She said she had had her stylist check that no horses were harmed in the making of the bag. She was complimented for this by PETA.

Bea Arthur - Bea Arthur was an American actress, comedian and singer. She was famous for her roles in All in the Family and The Golden Girls. Arthur was active in PETA and wrote letters, made personal appearances and placed ads against the use of furs, foie gras, and farm animal cruelty by KFC suppliers. After her death in 2009, PETA published an ad against McDonald's methods of slaughtering chickens with the tagline "It’s enough to make Bea Arthur roll over in her grave."

James Cromwell - James Cromwell, who played Farmer Hoggett in the movie Babe, is an outspoken vegetarian and activist for farm animal rights. In 2002 he hosted the Farm Sanctuary "Emmys for Animals" awards at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Farm Sanctuary establishes farm animal shelters, wages campaigns to stop farm animal cruelty, and promotes an animal product-free diet. The organization runs two shelters — in upstate New York and northern California – where, according to its Web site — "people have the opportunity to be touched by rescued farm animals."

Linda Blair - Actress Linda Blair has written a book about becoming a vegan called Going Vegan. She has won numerous awards for her work as an animal rights activist from organizations such as PETA. and Linda also lends her name to helping stop animal abuse all over the world. She is also the founder of "The Linda Blair World Heart Foundation", which advocates the rescue and adoption of animals. Blair has pet dogs, chickens and horses.

Doris Day - Actress and singer Doris Day has founded the Doris Day Animal League which works to reduce the pain and suffering of non-human animals through legislative initiatives. The organization has merged into the Humane Society of the United States and now runs Spay Day USA, a one-day spay/neuter event.

Pink - Singer Pink has posed for an anti-fur ad for PETA that helped promote the “no fur” policy. She has also written letters against the use of elephants for entertainment purposes. Prince William asked Pink to perform at his 21st birthday party, but she refused when she found out that he hunts.

Brad Pitt - Actor Brad Pitt is a vegetarian and supporter of animal rights. He has narrated a film about two grizzly bears who are being raised by a family in the Rocky Mountains of Utah.

David Duchovny - In 1996, Duchovny (formerly of the X-Files) signed a petition against Gilette's animal testing. He was on the Honorary Board of Farm Sanctuary, a farm animal protection organization. Duchovny has also has written a book blurb for Karen Dawn's 2008 book, Thanking the Monkey.

Earl Holliman - From 1953 to the late 80's, Holliman appeared in many films and television shows. He is also known for his work as an animal-rights activist, including more than 25 years as president of Actors and Others for Animals. When asked what he would like to emphasize about the human-animal connection, he replies, “the importance of spaying and neutering. Too many people think of animals as something disposable - or property. I wish we could all wake up one morning and realize this is another living creature. This isn’t my property. This is something I’m going to take care of. It would also be nice if we could get people to stop eating animals.”

Sarah McLachlan - Canadian singer Sarah McLachlan has contributed a song called "Shelter" to the album "In Defense of Animals Benefit Compilation." She says she contributed because "it's something I believe really strongly in. I love animals and I hate to see the things that are done to them." McLachlan is a proud supporter and spokesperson for the ASPCA.

Isabella Rossellini - Model and actress Rosselini has written a book accompanied by a DVD called Green Porno, which offers a visually arresting and scientifically accurate look at the sex lives of marine animals and other creatures. She received a $100,000 grant from Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund in recognition of her work to preserve endangered animals. She donated half to The Andean Cat Alliance. At age 55, she enrolled at New York University and began to design a program on animal behavior.

Cloris Leachman - The eighty-four year old actress is an outspoken vegetarian and the star of an animal-rights ad for PETA, where she is dressed in a red cabbage dress with text proclaiming "Let vegetarianism grow on you."

Mickey Rourke - When Rourke won a Golden Globe for Best Actor in 2009, he thanked his dogs in his acceptance speech: "The ones that are here, the ones that aren't here anymore because sometimes when a man's alone, that's all you got is your dog," he said "And they've meant the world to me." Mickey Rourke and his beloved Chihuahua named Jaws featured in a PETA campaign encouraging people to neuter their pets.

Cesar and Illusion Millan - Cesar Millan stars in a National Geographic Channel (NGC) series Dog Whisperer since September 2004. Viewers witness Cesar's rehabilitation of dogs and training of their owners. Cesar and his wife, Ilusion, established the Cesar and Ilusion Millan Foundation in 2007 to help do something about pet overpopulation. He has been very outspoken about the need to spay and neuter.

Tito Ortiz - Martial arts fighter Tito Ortiz has done service announcement against dog fighting for the animal rights group PETA.

Noah Wylie - In 2009, Noah Wyle became a spokesperson for the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), saying that polar bears are "hanging on by a thread" and "may be extinct in our children's lifetime, due to the effects of climate change."The actor, most famous for his role as John Carter on ER, is a vegetarian.

Daryl Hannah - Daryl Hannah has said, "Being a humanitarian, supporting animal rights activists, human rights activists, it's all the same." Hannah - who appeared in "Splash," "Blade Runner" and "Kill Bill" - is serious about saving the environment in general.

JoAnne Worley - Singer JoAnne Worley uses her talents to advocate for elephants in zoos and circuses. She participated in a fun, educational music video called "Don't Wanna Be in Show Business" to make people aware of elephant exploitation.

Mary Tyler Moore - Mary Tyler Moore has always loved animals. She has joined the SPCA in their goal to make New York City a NO-KILL city. She has narrated a video for Farm Sanctuary that is sent to politicians who are in a position to make changes. She has two dogs, both rescues.

Bernadette Peters - Actress and singer Bernadette Peters co-founded Broadway Barks with long time friend Mary Tyler Moore. The charity promotes pet adoption, pet ownership education and pooling of shelter resources.

Heather Mills - Heather Mills is an activist charity campaigner and United Nations Association Goodwill Ambassador. She donated all of her proceeds from her appearance on the show Dancing with the Stars to Viva! (Vegetarians International Voice for Animals). She lives purely on a plant based food diet and campaigns against the brutal treatment of factory farmed animals in the UK and around the world. She was instrumental in the victory for dogs and cats in China on June 19th 2007, when the European Parliament voted unanimously to ban the import, export and trade of cat and dog fur from China into the European Union by December 31st 2008.

Edie Falco - Actress Edie Falco, famous for her role as Carmela in The Sopranos, has done public service announcements for PETA spreading the word about the link between animal abuse and domestic violence. She also hosted an Animal Planet documentary called Growing Up Black Leopard, which follows a rescued Black Leopard "Eddy" from birth through his precarious first year at the Rocky Mountain Wildlife Conservation Center in Denver, CO.

Kim Basinger - In 2001 Basinger, an animal rights activist and a member of PETA, participated in the recording of Hollywood Goes Wild, a 2001 Hollywood compilation CD benefiting the Wildlife Way Station, a refuge for wild and exotic animals in Los Angeles.

Ellen DeGeneres - Ellen has used her popular TV show as a platform for promoting animal rights and was awarded the PETA Woman of the Year award for 2009 for her work. She talks about her vegan diet and encourages cruelty-free living. A portion of Ellen' website is devoted to eating and living vegan. She is also outspoken about the importance of adopting animals from shelters, especially in hard economic times when people are forced to give away pets.

Chrissie Hynde - The lead singer for the rock band, The Pretenders, Chrissie Hynde is an outspoken critic of animal cruelty and an avid supporter of PETA and Viva! She is also a vegetarian.

Casey Kasem - The radio personality and voice actor (famous for his role as Scooby Doo)is an outspoken vegan. “I feel that this is much more important than if I do another commercial or if I get another sponsor for my radio show,” he says. “What’s terrific today is the idea that as a vegetarian you are not only making a contribution to the animals, but also to your health and the safety of the planet.” He is a member of Farm Animal Reform Movement, which promotes a vegan diet
.
Pierce Brosnan - Brosnan delivered a speech at the International Fund For Animal Welfare’s Global Whale Conservation Congressional Reception at the U.S. Capital Visitor Center Atrium in 2009. He is also a supporter of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).

Dan Aykroyd
Robert Culp - The late actor Robert Culp filed a lawsuit in 2007 to block construction of a new elephant exhibit at the Los Angeles Zoo, citing allegations that the zoo did not provide elephants sufficient veterinary care, confined them in an inadequate space, and used bullhooks and electric shocks on them. Last year, when a judge ruled against him, Culp filed an appeal. He passed away in March 2010.

Charlize Theron - The Oscar-winning actress is an active member of PETA and a supporter of the anti-fur movement.

Persia White - An actress, musician, producer and animal rights activist, she is best known for her lead in the popular CW series "Girlfriends." Driven by her passion to change the world, Persia co-produced the award winning documentary film "Earthlings" narrated by Joaquin Phoenix, and is involved in the series "Whale Wars" on Animal Planet. Persia is a Board Member of the Humane Society of the United States as well as the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. She is the co-founder of Echoed Images, a new production company whose mission is to create conscious, world-changing media.

Moby - Musician Moby likes to include essays in the covers of his CDs. In his album The End of Everything he included an essay about being a vegan. He wrote, "Could you look an animal in the eyes and say to it, 'My appetite is more important than your suffering'?"

Casey Affleck - Casey Affleck, actor and Ben's younger brother, campaigns for PETA and Farm Sanctuary. He is a vegan and has owned many pets in the past.

Shirley Jones - The actress joined actors Alec Baldwin and Richard Pryor and others in signing a letter sent to more than 10,000 Burger King franchisees on behalf of PETA.

Hilary Swank - Swank is the celebrity ambassador for “Home 4 the Holidays Pet Adoption Campaign.” She owns many pets and is a vegetarian.
Rene Russo - Actress and animal lover Rene Russo narrated Free Willy Story: Keiko's Journey Home, an educational documentary about Keiko, the real-life whale who inspired the Free Willy films.

Linda Hunt - Hunt is a vegetarian and an anti-fur activist. She has been quoted as saying, "I grew up on a farm, and I've always questioned the morality involved with any kind of animal abuse."

Jennie Garth - Garth participated in Hidden Valley Ranch’s Garden Party campaign in an effort to teach parents how to incorporate the ideas of eating fresh produce and growing your own vegetables to their children. She is also a member of the Farm Animal Reform Movement.
Laura Dern - Dern starred in the film Year of the Dog (2007), about a secretary dealing with her grief over losing her pet. Dern believes the movie will encourage people to adopt rescues.
Alec Baldwin - The actor is an active supporter of PETA and narrated a video for them called Meet Your Meat.

Teri Austin - Teri Austin is in charge of the California's most successful mobile spay-neuter program, which is run by The Amanda Foundation. She also rescues animals from the L.A. shelters and brings them to the Amanda Foundation's No Kill Facility in Beverly Hills.

Tippi Hedren - The actress and former model founded a wildlife habitat in 1983 called Shambala Preserve. Shambala houses some 70 animals, including African lions, Siberian and Bengal tigers, leopards, servals, mountain lions and bobcats. The preserve took in Michael Jackson's tigers after his death as well as a lion owned by Anton LaVey when he was told by San Francisco city officials that he couldn't keep a full-grown lion as a pet. Hedren lives on the Shambala site and conducts monthly tours of the preserve for the public. She also played an influential part in helping to convince U.S. lawmakers to pass The Captive Wildlife Safety Act in 2003, which limits the private ownership of big cats across the country. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) awarded Hedren with a Lifetime Achievement award.

Lamon Brewster - Former Heavyweight Champ Lamon Brewster campaigns against dog-fighting.
Loretta Swit - Loretta Swit is an actress who is famous for her role in MASH. Swit testified before Congress in 1999, pleading for the prohibition of so-called "crush videos" -- fetish films wherein insects, snails, worms, or occasionally small animals like guinea pigs or frogs are crushed on camera, usually by women wearing spiked high heels. Such films are now illegal in America.

Hulk Hogan - Wrestler Hulk Hogan and his wife, Linda, fight against animal testing.
Ed Asner - Edward Asner, best known for his role as the newsroom boss in The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Lou Grant, is a long-time supporter of animal rights. He has filmed a public service announcement about the importance of making plans for your pet's care should your animal survive you.

Tom Scholz - The musician founded the DTS Charitable Foundation in 1987, which promotes the vegetarian lifestyle, and prevention of cruelty and suffering to animals both nonhuman and human.

Elayne Boosler - The writer and stand-up comedian serves on the Indigo Rescue Board of Directors, a volunteer animal rescue organization that launches and maintains programs to assist county animal shelters.

Ed Begley, Jr. - Actor Ed Begley, Jr. is a vegan and animal rights activist. He says, "I believe in the rights of all creatures. If we needed to kill to survive, we have and we would, as do many creatures in the wild. But that need no longer be the way we live. In striking a balance between our needs and the needs of the many other species with whom we share this earth, the balance is way out of whack. We treat many other animals as if they are merely "resources" or "spare parts". They are living, breathing, feeling creatures that need to be accorded some measure of respect."

Sara Gilbert - Sara Gilbert played Darlene on Roseanne. She is a supporter of PETA and other animal rights organizations. She is a vegetarian.

Mike Farrell - Mike Farrell, who played Captain B.J. Hunnicutt on M*A*S*H, is an outspoken animal rights activist. He is the recipient of more than thirty-seven awards for his work as an activist and has written a book entitled Just Call Me Mike: A Journey to Actor and Activist (Akashic Books 2008)

Cathy Guisewite - The cartoonist and creator of the comic strip CATHY uses her comic strip to advocate for animal rights causes, such as the anti-fur campaign and the pro-shelters campaign. She was awarded the Genesis Award for her work. She told The Pet Press, "I'm most concerned about the shelter situation. To encourage people to get pets from shelters first and foremost… to not spend money, to not go out and buy a perfect purebred but to find pets from shelters and to never introduce more puppies or kittens into the world."

Anjelica Huston - Actress Anjelica Huston joined PETA in a campaign against the use of young chimpanzees and orangutans in films. She says young apes are torn away from their mothers and mistreated by human trainers.

Dave Matthews - The Dave Matthews Band is part of the Green Music Group, dedicated to widespread environmental change within the music industry and around the globe. Matthews has performed in support of Farm Aid, an organization which supports farmers.

Rue McClanahan - Rue McClanahan, of Golden Girls fame, was one of the first celebrity supporters of PETA and is an honorary chairman of the organization. In December 2003, she wrote a letter informing Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry that his pheasant hunting had cost him her vote and respect. Mclanahan is a vegetarian.

Diane Keaton - The actress encourages people to adopt pets from shelters. She teamed up with the Helen Woodward Animal Center, The Iams Company and more than 1,300 shelters around the world to get the message across. "We have a simple and sincere focus: to save the lives of dogs and cats," says Keaton.

Kevin Nealon - Actor and comedian Kevin Nealon has supported fundraising events for the Amanda Foundation, Farm Sanctuary, the Washington Wildlife Protection Association, The Ark Trust's Genesis Awards and also Meat Out. He has been a vegetarian for many years and is involved with PETA.

Bill Maher - Maher is on the board of directors of PETA and has supported their campaign for a vegetarian Thanksgiving. He wrote the foreword to PETA President Ingrid Newkirk’s book, You Can Save the Animals. He has been quoted as saying: "To those people who say, 'My father is alive because of animal experimentation,' I say, 'Yeah, well, good for you. This dog died so your father could live.' Sorry, but I am just not behind that kind of trade-off."

Alexandra Paul - Usually recognized for her 5-year starring role as Lt. Stephanie Holden in the hit series Baywatch, Paul supports many causes and campaigns against animal testing.

Montel Williams - The talk show host is critical of animal testing. He says, "With all the technology we have we can reach the whole planet at the same time but we can't figure out how to cure a disease by poking people rather than poking animals? I don't get it." Williams uses his popular show to raise awareness for animal rights.

Victoria Principal - The former Dallas star entered into a legal dispute with a former housekeeper who Principal accused of abusing her dog.

Maura Tierney - Tierney, of E.R. fame, is active in the anti-fur movement.

Alicia Silverstone - The actress is a vegan and has starred in some provocative ads for PETA. In 2000, she was honored by FARM at the Animal Rights Conference, and has also been honored with awards by VegNews Magazine.

Tim Gunn - Project Runway's Tim Gunn makes sure the TV show is completely fur-free and has narrated ads for PETA against abuse of animals for fashion. He was awarded PETA's Man of the Year award for 2009.

Jerry Stiller - Stiller has participated in the Humane Society of the United States anti-fur campaign.

Ally Sheedy - The actress says, "I am a vegetarian because the honor, love and respect I have for my brother and sister animals and for the whole world is a reflection of the love I have for the divine spark within us." She is a supporter of Farm Sanctuary.

Simon Cowell - American Idol judge Simon Cowell has urged people to sign the WSPA’s Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare (UDAW) petition. He has also appeared in a video for PETA in which he reminds drivers of the cruelty to animals that can occur when their pets are locked in cars in the summer.

Eva Mendes - Mendes participated in PETA's "Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" Campaign. She says, "At a time when there is so much violence in the world, this is one type of violence that all of us can help stop—by being informed consumers."

Kara DioGuardi - The American Idol judge has appeared in PETA's "Angel for Animals" ads with her dog Tikki. The ads promote responsible pet ownership.

Holly Madison - Holly Madison is an American model and television personality, best known for appearing as one of Hugh Hefner's girlfriends on the reality television series The Girls Next Door. She is a resident of Las Vegas and is active in her local animal shelter, promoting animal adoption and birth control.

Martha Stewart - The queen of home ec has spoken out against the use of fur for clothing. Her vegetarian daughter made her more aware of animal welfare issues. Although she features vegetarian and vegan dishes on her show, she continues to cook with meat and dairy.

Hayden Panettiere - A former child star and an actress on Heroes, Hayden is involved in the campaigns to stop dolphin and whale hunting.

Victoria Beckham - Beckham, an English singer and songwriter, is most famous for her part in the Spice Girls band and her marriage to soccer player David Beckham. Recently, she has turned to fashion design and has advocated against the use of fur in fashion. However, she did create handbags which used reptile fur.

"Sugar" Shane Mosely - Mosley is a boxer who starred in a PeTA campaign against dog fighting. He explains that boxers choose to fight for a living, whereas dogs have not been given the choice.
Ron Artest - The Houston Rockets basketball forward starred in a PETA campaign encouraging people to spay and neuter their dogs. Artest explained, "Millions of dogs and cats in shelters across the country are euthanized every year because there simply aren't enough good homes for them. Spaying and neutering your [animal companion] will help control the overpopulation problem."

Martin Sheen - Actor Martin Sheen is active in many humanitarian causes. In 1995, while protesting the annual slaughter of Canadian seals with the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, he was attacked by angry hunters.

Tony Gonzalez - The star of the Atlanta Falcons is a vegan and has participated in the anti-fur campaign. He has also campaigned against the use of bullhooks in circuses. Bullhooks are heavy rods with a sharp metal hook and spike on one end, used to force elephants to perform tricks.

Jason Taylor - Jason Taylor of the Washington Redskins is an active member of ASPCA and has appeared in an ad for the organization.

Christina Applegate - Actress Christina Applegate most recently starred in the TV show Samantha Who?. She is a vegetarian and has appeared in ads against the use of fur in fashion.

Woody Harrelson - Inspired by a scuba diving trip, the actor became a vegetarian. He campaigned for the release of 14 chimpanzees from the research lab where they had been involved in experiments. These chimps had been brought to a rehabilitation facility after a long period of being used for research, and have been sent back to the labs.

Dennis Rodman - The eccentric basketball player participated in the PETA campaign to ban fur from fashion. He was the first man and the first sports start to participate in the "Rather Wear Nothing Than Fur" campaign. Rodman is also a long-time vegetarian.

Steve-O - Steve-O (real name Stephen Glover) of the movie Jackass 3D, is a vegan and active animal rights proponent. He has participated in a Save the Seals campaign and speaks out for adoption from animal shelters. He lives with two dogs whom he rescued from shelters before they were euthanized.

Christy Turlington - Supermodel Turlington is a contributor to PETA and is especially active in its anti-fur campaign.

Traci Bingham - The former Baywatch actress has appeared in ads promoting a vegetarian lifestyle and condemning factory farming.
Carre Otis - The actress appeared in a PETA ad in St. John’s, Newfoundland, urging people there to abandon fishing.

Kathy Najimy - Kathy Najimy is an American actress, best known as Olive Massery on the television series Veronica's Closet and the voice of Peggy Hill on the animated television series King of the Hill. She said, "I think I became an animal rights activist for two reasons. One is that my best friend, the one that has lived with me and loved me the longest... is my dog Al Finney. Someone told me once that animals don’t have hearts and souls...Well ,if that is true, then I have loved and been madly loved, and comforted by a stuffed animal for the last 15 years."

David Cross - The star of Arrested Development was one of the celebrities who posed nude for PETA's campaign against fur in the fashion industry.

Sheryl Lee - Actress Sheryl Lee, most famous for her role on Twin Peaks, is an active member of PETA and has campaigned against the mistreatment of animals and the use of fur.
Charlotte Ross - The actress is active in HSUS, PETA, Operation Blankets of Love and Animal Miracle Network. Her work for animal welfare is highlighted on her official website.
Sadie Frost - The actress and fashion designer has campaigned against fur in fashion. She is also a vegetarian.

Roselyn Sanchez - Originally from Puerto Rico, the actress and dancer starred in a Spanish-speaking campaign for PETA.

Sophie Monk - An Australian pop star and actress, Monk has appeared in ads promoting vegetarianism.

Joanna Krupa - The Dancing with the Stars alum, has participated both in the anti-fur campaign and the campaign to promote adoption from shelters and not from pet stores or breeders. She has four dogs which she has rescued.

Karina Smirnoff - Also of Dancing with the Stars, Smirnoff was inspired to campaign against fur in the fashion industry after seeing the clubbing of baby seals.
Dave Navarro - American guitarist and rockstar Dave Navarro of alternative rock band Jane's Addiction has posed nude for PETA’s "Ink, Not Mink" campaign. He also promotes buying products which were not tested on animals.

Maggie Q - Maggie Q plays Nikita on the TV show of the same name. A native of Hong Kong, Maggie works tirelessly to get the word out in Asia about animal rights. Maggie produced the 2007 documentary "Earthlings," which took a look at the day-to-day practices of some of the largest industries in the world, all of which rely entirely on animals for profit. She also participated in an Asian campaign to save the moon bears in China.
Khloe Kardashian - Kardashian has appeared in PETA's ad against the wearing of fur and is attempting to convince the rest of her family to jump on the bandwagon.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Seals are in trouble!

Study Finds Warming Arctic Decimating Harp Seal Populations

Scientists from Duke University and the International Fund for Animal Welfare have conducted a study of the harp seal in northern Canada. Harp seals, the cute and cuddly creatures, have long been hunted for their prized furs. To add to their struggle, the thinning ice is playing havoc with their breeding ground. Female seals depend on stable winter ice to give birth and feed their young in peace. Forced to go to ice closer to land, the baby seals are sitting ducks for arctic predators and human hunters. The seal pups are being forced to fend for themselves before they are ready. As a result, their populations are dropping catastrophically.


The study has highlighted Canada's need to shut down its commercial seal hunt. Last Thursday, the International Fund for Animal Welfare, an organization of Canadian government scientists, said that Canada should permanently ban seal hunting while compensating hunters and training them for other professions.

"It is time for the Canadian government to face the reality that the commercial sealing is neither viable nor necessary," said the organization.

Other northern countries have already taken action on the harp seal issue. Russia recently banned the import of harp seal pelts. The European Union only allows seal products from Inuit communities, not Western commercial hunting.

The Duke University study tracked sea ice cover in all four harp seal breeding grounds of the North Atlantic. Since 1979, the ice cover decreased by up 6 percent each decade. In particularly low sea ice years, the scientists estimate that nearly all of the seal pups die. In 2011, up to 80 percent of baby seals were believed to have died, according to the department of fisheries and oceans.

Stable sea ice is required for female harp seals to nurse their young until the pups are able to hunt on their own. During their breeding season in February and March, they seek thicker and older patches of ice.

During this time, thousands return to traditional breeding grounds in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and off Newfoundland, despite the thinning ice. To save themselves, they will need to go to areas with more stable ice such as those off eastern Greenland.

"There's only so much ice out there, and declines in the quantity and quality of it across the region, coupled with the earlier arrival of spring ice breakup, is literally leaving these populations on thin ice," Duke University researcher, David Johnston said. "It may take years of good ice and steady population gains to make up for the heavy losses sustained during the recent string of bad ice years in eastern Canada."

The study has been published in the journal PLoS ONE.