3. Follow all reasonable instructions from official Vegan Rising representatives.

4. Never make official statements on behalf of Vegan Rising to the media without advance permission from protest organisers.

5. If approached by members of the public you must engage in a respectful manner. Do not respond to aggressive behaviour or outbursts. If you are asked a question you do not know the answer to, please refer them to an official Vegan Rising representative.

6. If you ever feel in any way threatened or in danger you must inform an official Vegan Rising representative immediately.

7. You must refer police, security guards and/or potential industry officials/staff to communicate directly with official Vegan Rising representatives.

8. You will not discriminate against members of the public, industry officials/staff, or other Vegan Rising activists based on gender identity, sexual preference, race, appearance, or ability.

9. Refer all media to a Vegan Rising representative.

10. If you fail to abide by these guidelines or a direction by a Vegan Rising appointed representative, you may be asked to not take any further part in the demonstration.

On 2 April, 2022, peaceful but determined Vegan Rising activists occupied the arena at the Bendigo Rodeo, bringing the brutal display of animal abuse to a crashing halt.

Wearing Say No To Rodeo t-shirts and carrying red smoke to resemble the blood and violence perpetrated against these innocent animals, the activists sat in a circle in the centre of the arena and chained together as the show commenced.

They are calling on all state governments to make rodeos illegal. They are also calling on the public to boycott this brutal form of entertainment that supports cruelty and violence towards innocent animals and to embrace the abundance of kind and creative activities available to them.

Quotes attributable to the Vegan Rising ‘Say No To Rodeo’ activists.

“The rodeo is one of the most blatant forms of animal abuse that exists in this country today.”

“These animals are tormented, terrified and physically abused by brutal cowards whilst the crowd cheers it on.”

“Flank straps are tied tight around the animals’ sensitive underbelly. The addition of an unwanted rider on their back, often wearing spurs, forces them to buck violently out of sheer terror and pain. Horses and bulls are flight animals so a tight strap around their body resembles an attack from which they will do all they can to escape whilst experiencing absolute panic and fear.”

“Scared young steers run, pursued by a rider on horseback, before being lassoed. In Queensland, calves are captured, thrown to the ground, then bound, unable to move. Cattle prods are used to shock the bulls whilst they are trapped in the chute, their tails twisted and bent, so they emerge stressed and irritated. It is a horrific experience for the animals and a sick form of entertainment for those who derive pleasure from watching such callous abuse.”

“The message these events send to children encourages another generation to engage in brutality and cruelty to animals. We should be teaching children to protect and respect the vulnerable, not harm and exploit them.”

“It is an absolutely vile form of entertainment that must be banned by all state governments. Regional councils also need to do their part by promoting kind forms of entertainment and working to find ways to prevent such brutal displays of violence occurring in their towns”. 

“People must stop supporting acts of violence against animals and start supporting the limitless cruelty free forms of entertainment that exist. Bendigo is a creative and vibrant regional hub. It can do so much better than this, as can all of our regional towns.”

To read more on rodeos click here.

On 11 February 2021, VEGAN RISING activists occupied the carcass hall and the roof of the Queen Vic Market, calling it a future pandemic site and demanding the iconic location do what is urgent for humans, other animals and the planet and transition to a world leading, innovative, plant-based mecca.

Sign our petition to help make this a reality here.

70% of emerging infectious diseases come from our exploitation of other animals. Experts are warning there is much worse than COVID-19 to come if we do not drastically change our relationship with other animals and our shared planet.

34 Vegan Rising activists lined the aisles of the iconic market, each wearing a t-shirt that represents one of the many afflictions caused or predominantly caused by our use and abuse of other animals – from COVID-19, to Bird Flu, Swine Flu, SARS, HIV/AIDS, Heart Disease, Certain Cancers, Antibiotic Resistance, Climate Change, Soil, Forest and Ocean Destruction, Water Shortages, Violence, Suffering and many more.

One human body hung in the aisle as human meat among the carcasses and two other activists have occupied the roof, dropping banners calling the location a future pandemic site.

Our aim is to draw the public’s attention to the reality of what their daily indoctrinated habits have created whilst also providing a list of demands for local, state and federal governments – available here

 We are literally at crisis point. From devastating bush fires across Australia, we went straight into a global pandemic with both predicted to repeat again and again. How many more warning signs do people need for our government to take action and individuals to change their ways?

Humans encroaching further into land that has been historically reserved for free-living animals is bringing us into close contact with animals who can carry, but be unaffected by, these viruses. This is being driven by mining, logging, human population growth and most predominantly by animal agriculture which currently uses well over half of Australia’s land and 45% of land globally. Then, ironically, it is animal agriculture that acts as the diabolical petri dish for the next killer pandemic. Learn more here

Now, to really fly in the face of decency and logic, the Victorian state Labor government has just provided permits to kill almost 100,000 kangaroos, encouraging their consumption by humans, when so-called ‘bush-meat’ has caused previous pandemics and the one we currently find ourselves in.

But the problem is so much greater than all this. The overarching commonality is the way we see other animals and our planet as mere tools at our disposal is at the very root of all the major challenges we face.

The human condition that allows us to falsely convince ourselves we are somehow separate and superior to other animals and our shared planet is both entirely self-destructive and morally bankrupt.

Enormous benefits will come once we acknowledge our human superiority complex and learn to live in a way that respects and protects all life. Veganism is an essential part of that.

We want to see Melbourne’s iconic Queen Victoria Market and all other market places around the world, do what must urgently be done and transition to a world leading, innovative, delicious, violence free, plant-based mecca.

Sign our petition here

Download the below leaflet that expresses our vision for the Queen Victoria Market and encourages people to sign our petion. Print ready – A5 double sided available here.

Download the below informative leaflet on the leading cause of pandemics and take it to the streets. Print ready – A5 double sided available here.

A note on terminology used: the terminology used in this article is that of the animal agriculture and feedlot industry and is contained in many of their publications and reports. Terms such as ‘cattle’ are standard within the industry and do not indicate the author regards animals as property.

References are made to both antibiotics and antimicrobials. Antibiotics are drugs designed to kill bacteria and may be derived from mould or bacteria. Antimicrobials are a group of drugs that includes antibiotics, antifungals, antiprotozoals, and antivirals.

This article focuses on issues associated with the use of antibiotics and animals, and will also make reference to both antibiotic resistance and antimicrobial resistance.

Antibiotics are used widely in animal agriculture in the raising of feedlot cows, chickens and pigs for human consumption, and serve two distinct purposes. They may be administered daily as growth promoters to increase the weight of each animal, and are also prescribed by veterinarians to combat bacteria and the spreading of diseases amongst animals.

Concerns about the overuse of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance (also referred to as antimicrobial resistance) are largely unheard and are not well known.

In 2016, the Humane Society International Australia made a submission on the ‘Regulation of Agriculture Draft Report’ by the Productivity Commission to raise concerns about the routine use of antibiotics in intensive farming practices. The report cited the heavy use of antibiotics on factory farms has created a significant health issue by spawning antimicrobial-resistant superbugs that are transmitted to humans through the consumption of meat. These superbugs include resistant strains of E.coli, salmonella, and gastroenteritis. Furthermore, the World Health Organisation has recognised this as a significant global health issue and called for a reduction in the use of antibiotics on farms, and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has also stated that ‘intensive industrial farming of livestock is now an opportunity for emerging diseases’. (1)

So how have we got here and what is the state of the issue within the Australian animal agriculture industry?

Lot feeding and issues of self-regulation

Australia imports approximately 700 tonnes of antibiotics annually; 550 tonnes are used for either veterinary therapy (to assist sick animals) or growth promotion (to enable higher yields of growth of farmed animals). Of the 33 classes of antibiotics used in animal and humans, one third are classified as of high to medium importance in human therapy. (2)

There are restrictions on the use of veterinary-prescribed antibiotics which has resulted in the reduction of certain drugs being used in food-producing animals, however, there is no licencing of feed millers. Corn, sorghum, wheat, and barley are the most used cereals in the preparation of feed for the cows, pigs, chickens and fish in animal agriculture.

In addition to oral administration and injection of antibiotics, small amounts are mixed into animal feed for weeks or months at a time. Feed dosing provides ripe conditions for the emergence of resistant strains. Surprisingly there is no national regulation of the use of growth promotants in animal feed in Australia; only self-regulated industry guidelines exist.

A number of antibiotics including Hormone Growth Promotants (HGPs) can be purchased and used without the supervision or administration by a veterinarian. (3)

In 1993, the Stock Feed Manufacturers’ Council of Australia (SFMCA) successfully argued against requiring registration of stockfeed containing antibiotics. Veterinary chemical product registration and controls are combined nationally under the National Registration Authority, later to be renamed the APVMA. (4).

It should be noted that 90% of grain-fed cattle receive an ionophore (an antimicrobial fed to animals designed to increase weight gain) through their feed according to A Survey of Antibacterial product use in the Australian Cattle industry produced by Meat and Livestock Australia in February 2013. (5)

One of the objectives that the report sought to address was the issue of the Australian cattle industry having no reliable or systematically collected data on the quantity or use patterns of antimicrobials by the industry.

The MLA report uncovered that in feedlots, a very high proportion (estimated to be in excess of 90%) of cattle are fed an ionophore for the duration of their time on feed, to promote growth. Monensin is clearly the dominant agent (again, it is estimated to be used in more than 90% of cases). The use of injectable antibiotics varies substantially between feedlots. One feedlot showed a rate of antibiotic use of less than 2%, while at another, 30-40% of animals were treated. The registrant data suggests that the average treatment rate is closer to the upper end of this estimate. Most treatments are directed at bovine respiratory disease (BRD).

According to the Australian Lot Feeders’ Association (ALFA), the majority of antibiotics used in the cattle industry are not used in human medicine.

ALFA cite that antibiotics can only be accessed via prescription from a veterinarian and are subject to the National Feedlot Accreditation System or NFAS, an independently audited quality assurance program. The industry organisation also claims that the level of hormones in beef derived from treated cattle is significantly less than the natural level of hormones found in many other products consumed every day by the general public. For instance, a serving of beer contains 7 times the level of hormones as a serving of HGP treated beef – a serving of peas 179 times and ice cream 273 times. (6)

In addition, ALFA point to various Government reports including the most authoritative report undertaken to date in Australia, the JETACAR report, and claim that it has been confirmed that antibiotic resistance in Australian cattle was nil or extremely low and concluding that resistance is due to over-prescription in human medicine.

The Joint Expert Technical Advisory Committee on Antibiotic Resistance (JETACAR) report stated that while there are strict registration procedures for veterinary antibiotics, it raised concerns about the importers and feed-millers not being licenced (with the exception of 2 licenced feed millers in Tasmania), and no clear audit process for antibiotics added to feed mixes or home users. The report cited the need for antibiotic regulation and raised concerns about the ‘off-label’ use including that by farmers who can purchase and use antibiotics without the intervention of a veterinarian. (7)

The Executive Summary of the JETACAR report outlined that in its consideration of antibiotic resistance and it’s implications in both human and veterinary medicine, that there was evidence of:

-the emergence of resistant bacteria in humans and animals following antibiotic use

-the spread of resistant animal bacteria to humans

-the transfer of antibiotic-resistant genes from animal bacteria to human pathogens

-and resistant strains of animal bacteria causing human disease.

Warnings about lack of transparency

Professor Peter Collingnon is a world-renowned infectious diseases expert and microbiologist based at the Australia National University. Professor Collingon has raised concerns for a number of years now about what he describes as a lack of transparency on the use of antibiotics in the Australian farming industry.

In May 2014, Professor Collingnon presented at a one-day symposium, hosted by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA). The forum was designed to bring together representatives and stakeholders from the cattle industry to present the findings of their research and to further examine the issue of antimicrobial resistance in the industry. The suggestions made by Professor Collignon included the following regarding prudent antibiotic use in the production of animals:

• Do not use antibiotics as growth promoters.

• Use antibiotics for prophylaxis (prevention) sparingly and examine alternatives (diet, vaccination, etc).

• Although antibiotic therapy of sick animals is not an issue overall, do not use ‘critically important’ or ‘last line’ human antibiotics (glycopeptides, FQs, 3GCs). (8)

Some of the common vaccinations used in Australian cows raised for beef are for botulism, tick fever, Pestivirus (Bovine viral diarrhoea virus), vibriosis, Three-day sickness (Bovine ephemeral fever), Clostridial diseases (Blackleg, tetanus, and pulpy kidney) and Leptospirosis. (9)

Federal government response

Fast forward to 2015. The Australian government sought to address the overuse of antibiotics in both humans and animals, and for the first time developed a national plan to counter increasing concerns about the rate of antibiotic resistance. The then Federal Health Minister Sussan Ley said that there had been federal subsidies for some 29 million prescriptions of antibiotics, making Australia’s consumption the highest in the world. (10)

The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care study found more than 30% of antibiotic prescriptions in 2013 were inappropriate. There was also increasing evidence that antibiotics used in agriculture are contributing to resistance rates and it was acknowledged that there is a lack of data and monitoring in this area.

Additionally, the strategy recommended nationally consistent prescription guidelines to be developed and followed in both human and animal healthcare to combat the issue.

Professor Collingnon who has been involved with a number of World Health Organisation advisory committees has stated that  “There is a lack of appropriate controls in Australia for antibiotic use in food.” (11)

Professor Collingon has cautioned that in Australia it is not known which antibiotic or the quantity of it is given to which animal. By comparison, the available data from other countries show for example, that the US pork industry uses four to five times the amount of antibiotics as the industry in Denmark. In Australia currently, we do not have a mechanism with which to collect this data and manufacturers cite commercial confidence, therefore, making the development of a mechanism difficult.

A specific concern is the identification of third-generation antibiotic-resistant E.coli in the chicken supply. In Australia, those same antibiotics are being used in pigs and cattle, though it was unclear how frequently and in what quantities.

“As far as we are aware it’s not used in chickens in Australia but there isn’t a law that says it can’t be,” he said. “If a vet were to start using it tomorrow in chickens, there would be no way for me to find that out.”

Professor Collingnon has advised that in the US animal agriculture industry, Perdue chickens have moved their operations to be antibiotic-free after a significant investment of capital and improving animal husbandry. Perdue is a very large corporation and exploits twice as many chickens as the whole of Australia, so change is possible despite suggestions of the contrary from the pharmaceutical industry.

The Australian Poultry Industry decided against using a third-generation antibiotic called cephalosporin in chickens, and the level of drug resistance in human infections is 3% in Australia, compared to more than 50% in countries using the drug. (6) Cephalosporin is a wide range of antibiotics used to treat bacterial infections such as ear and skin infections, pneumonia, and gonorrhoea. (12)

Impact of hormone growth promotants on cows

Cows produce steroid sex hormones to regulate reproduction and growth. Within the animal agriculture industry, cows may have an implant containing natural and synthetic hormones placed under the skin in the back of their ear.

The purpose of HGP implants is to promote daily weight gain, conversion of feed and carcass quality. Commonly used HGPs are trenbolone acetate and estradiol benzoate (both synthetic hormones). Once the hormone has metabolised, it serves to increase the rate at which muscles grow by 10-30% (Hunter 2010), and reduces the overall feed time of the animal before it reaches slaughter weight. HGP work over an average period of around 70 days and may be reimplanted repeatedly over the growing/finishing period (on average twice according to Hunter (2010)).

The RSPCA acknowledge that there is little research about the effects of HGPs on the welfare of cows. The available research is focused on production characteristics rather than on animal welfare specifically. Feedlots pose a risk to the welfare of cows according to a study (Gaughan, 2005) that suggests that those animals with even an oestrogen implant could be adversely affected by the hot climate. Managing heat load and stress of cows in feedlots is crucial to their welfare.The majority of feedlots are based in QLD in hot conditions,

Other potential animal welfare issues relate to the place of injection of the hormonal implant which is often below the ear. This area has significant muscle movement, and there’s potential for the injection wound to become enlarged and irritated. Additional concerns are the failure to disinfect the injection site and also not injecting the implant properly.

Hormonal implants interact with the animal’s natural hormones and side effects of their use may include aggressiveness (particularly in the first few weeks after implantation), difficulty in handling, nervousness, rectal prolapse, ventral oedema (swelling) and elevated tail heads. Marin (2008) found evidence of chronic stress conditions. Although these side effects are less common, they are signs of poor animal welfare. (13)

The World Health Organisation

In September 2016 all of the 193 United Nations states formed an agreement that it should be a global priority to address the “fundamental threat” to global health; the issue of antibiotic resistance. It is estimated that drug-resistant infections kill more than 700,000 people each year. It is also acknowledged that there is no mechanism to track and monitor these deaths globally, and therefore the numbers may be much higher.

Alexander Fleming, who created the first antibiotic, penicillin in 1928 provided a warning of the potential for patients to become resistant to the drugs being used to treat them. He said in his Nobel prize acceptance speech in 1945 that, “There is the danger that the ignorant man may easily underdose himself and by exposing his microbes to non-lethal quantities of the drug make them resistant.”

The World Health Organization director-general, Dr Margaret Chan, has stated that it is imperative for consumers and medical providers to rely less on antibiotics for disease treatment.

Dr Chan has cautioned that there needs to be further innovation in antibiotic development and noted that only two new classes of antibiotics have been made available in the last 50 years.  “The emergence of bacterial resistance is outpacing the world’s capacity for antibiotic discovery,” Chan said.

Concerns have been raised about the current trends indicating that common diseases like gonorrhoea may become untreatable, and gram-negative bacteria that cause infections such as pneumonia, meningitis and wound or surgical site infections in hospitals and healthcare facilities are proving to be resistant to antibiotics.

The UN has raised concerns that we are heading towards a world in which common infections (especially those caused by gram-negative bacteria) will kill, and that antibiotic developments are urgently required.

Signatories to the UN declaration have stated their commitment to increasing public awareness of the impending threat and developing the required regulatory systems to record the use of antimicrobials for humans and animals.

Antimicrobial resistance has been identified as a “fundamental threat” to global health and safety by the UN secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon and Professor Peter Collignon has warned that overprescribing antibiotics for human use is part of the problem, the use of antibiotics in the food industry was being “widely abused around the world”. (14)

Where are we now

The Antibiotics resistance in animals report by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority 2017 stated that there is increasing research from investigations to show that 3^rd generational cephalosporin resistance is emerging in pigs and calves, and has shown up in dogs, cats, horses and aquaculture. (15)

The government’s report Australia’s Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy 2020 and Beyond refers to emerging research  that indicates that active antimicrobials are contaminating waters, especially in areas close to human habitation and pose a risk to human health. Additionally, it was advised that consideration should be given to the various ways that antimicrobials can enter the environment and specifically, for example from sewage treatment plants into waterways, as well as in agriculture, aquaculture and in human health.

The report acknowledges that there are gaps in how monitoring, reporting, data collection and different diagnostic systems across various bodies has resulted in difficulties in getting an accurate picture of antimicrobial resistance in Australia.  

There is a strong need for a unified national approach to addressing antimicrobial resistance, that includes a monitoring and evaluation framework to include stakeholder input from the human health, animal health, agriculture and environment sectors. (16)

Where to from here

The World Health Organisation has stated in its’ global plan against antimicrobial resistance that it wanted a whole new class of antibiotics in development to deal with the issue by 2019. Pharmaceutical companies make more money from the development of drugs for long term use such as heart disease or diabetes, than antibiotics that are used only for a short period of time.

As experts are now warning of the wide use of antibiotics in the current food system that uses animals is linked with the spread of antimicrobial-resistant infections in humans, there is increasing pressure to phase out the routine use of antibiotics in the meat and livestock industries.

It is difficult to see how this can happen in the current capitalist system of large-scale factoring farming and large, intensive feedlots.

Antibiotic use in animal agriculture and its links to antibiotic resistance highlights yet another negative impact of our unnecessary use of animals as food.

It has never been more critical to move away from animal agriculture to end the unjustified use of animals for food, and to curb what can only be one of the most critical looming global health threats of our time.

Author: Caroline
Occupation: IT professional
Organiser at Melbourne Cow Save

References:

• https://www.pc.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/207371/subdr253-agriculture.pdf
• https://theconversation.com/would-you-like-superbugs-with-that-animal-antibiotic-use-and-human-health-5878
• http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/health-pubs-jetacar-cnt.htm/$FILE/jetacar.pdf
• http://www.sfmca.com.au/sfmca_history/historic_issues_addressed/
• https://www.mla.com.au/research-and-development/search-rd-reports/final-report-details/Animal-Health-and-Biosecurity/A-survey-of-antibacterial-product-use-in-the-Australian-cattle-industry/2660
• http://www.feedlots.com.au/industry/feedlot-industry/myths-facts
• http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/health-pubs-jetacar-cnt.htm/$FILE/jetacar.pdf
• https://www.mla.com.au/globalassets/mla-corporate/research-and-development/program-areas/food-safety/pdfs/antimicrobials-and-the-cattle-industry-fact-sheet.pdf
• https://futurebeef.com.au/knowledge-centre/vaccinations-beef-cattle/
• https://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/jun/02/australian-government-to-crack-down-on-antibiotic-overuse-in-humans-and-animals
• https://theconversation.com/would-you-like-superbugs-with-that-animal-antibiotic-use-and-human-health-5878
• https://www.everydayhealth.com/cephalosporins/
•  https://kb.rspca.org.au/what-are-the-animal-welfare-impacts-of-using-hormone-growth-promotants-in-beef-cattle_459.html
• https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/jun/18/is-it-time-for-antibiotic-free-label-on-our-food
• https://apvma.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication/27326-final_amr_report-_for_publishing_v02_140817_a939399.pdf
• https://consultations.health.gov.au/ohpd-health-protection-policy-branch/consultation-on-next-amr-strategy/user_uploads/amr-report-accessible-version.pdf
• https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/apr/14/antibiotic-resistance-what-you-need-to-know

As teachers, we are told that education should not be political and should remain neutral on the topics of social justice, including animal equality. Yet, it is acceptable for our government to use $10 million to ‘educate’ school children about farming production and a further $31 million invested towards agricultural shows to show children ‘where their food really comes from’ in a bid to reduce changing consumer demands for less meat and dairy products. Could this money be better invested to support our children’s understanding of sustainable food production for a planet clearly in crisis? The question we must ask ourselves is, are we really educating our children for a harmonious future?

If the government want our children to understand the current food system,  perhaps more emphasis should be placed on the losses in the meat, eggs and dairy supply  chain and the practices used in animal agriculture to reduce these losses, such as using confined spaces to restrict animal movement, grinding up male chicks and separating mothers and babies.  But schools have a duty of care to protect children and would be in breach of this if they specifically taught children about the exploitation and suffering that occurs through animal agriculture and the ultimate violent taking of someone’s life who wanted to live. This is where the gap in understanding of animal agriculture practices begins, in education. Meanwhile, children are being indoctrinated to consume products they would likely choose not to if they understood what they were supporting.

The introduction of the Personal Social Capabilities ‘Ethical Thinking’ strand of the Australian Curriculum implies that students are learning about their impact on the wider world. Children do learn about morals and values, we teach them how to treat peers with kindness and understanding, so much so that it is frequently embedded into the key values of most school mission statements. Most children have a natural love of animals, yet are we not being contradictory to the teaching of these empathetic values if we don’t apply these moral codes to all beings? Likewise, schools also teach about discrimination and equality, looking at issues such as religion, race, sex, and gender, yet this is not extended to teaching about equality for all beings. If we wish to instill the values of empathy and kindness in our children and want them to thrive in a world where they become compassionate citizens, then we need to explore teaching the true ideology of equality.

The education system should be taking the lead on initiating discussions on these issues that not only affect children today but also in the future.  A number of schools internationally are leading pioneers in this regard. MUSE School in California, the brainchild of Hollywood director James Cameron and his  wife Suzy Amis Cameron, Green School in Bali and the recently opened Hagaskolan–Waldorfskolan in Stockholm are using innovative education models that challenge young people to show compassion to all living beings and understand the need to conserve our planet resources for the future. If education has the power to inspire future generations, let it challenge the rise of capitalism at the expense of all life on Earth. Then we can truly hope for a harmonious future for our children and all beings on our planet.

Author:  Shiv Paul
Occupation: Secondary School Teacher
Masters in Education Leadership & Management

Cover Photo by Providence Doucet on Unsplash

The Financial-Legal-Military-Industrial-Meat-Medical-Pharmaceutical-Media Complex

The Weekly Times is known among animal abusers as the go-to for all their anti-animal liberation activist propAGanda. It serves its readers well by continually spreading lies straight from the (f)harmers mouths to ensure 1) they keep their readership happy and 2) they help to continue the cycle of violence against other animals so that they themselves can continue to live their own lives as oppressive carnists.

They have certainly had some rippers but we must say this article takes the cake!

The last straw: Family gets out of farming after activist attacks. Published 24 July 2019.

Attacks? If you call activists exposing the suffering of tens of thousands of so-called “free-range” chickens, many who could barely walk under their own weight and were slowly dying for this (f)harmers profits “attacks” then sure.

The Weekly Times won’t name the (f)harmers but we know which operation they are referring to, as it is the only so-called “free-range poultry” property to have 70 activists occupy it.

You can read the full article here or, just read on and we can break it down for you with some inconvenient truths thrown into the mix. What a novel concept that is, hey Weekly Times.

1) The family “lived in fear after two invasions”

Fact: there were not two “invasions”. There was one rescue and shed occupation with approximately 70 people quietly entering a shed, documenting the atrocities, and helping suffering chickens access water. The action was carried out by the animal rights group Meat The Victims.

2) “they had hoodies on and we couldn’t see their faces”

Fact: Urm…, they would be biosecurity suits, (you know, those things that only activists seem to be wearing in these places, contrary to what the media and politicians would have you believe), accompanied by surgical face masks, as breathing in these ammonia filled sheds becomes difficult within minutes. They look very menacing, don’t they!

3) the action “saw significant property damage”

Fact: There was no property damage at this action. The police were told a watering system was damaged in the second shed. This watering system was already broken which was evident due to the amount of water visible to a couple of activists who documented inside that shed then left, (featured in the video below). No charges for property damage were ever laid.

If this property has had damage it certainly didn’t happen at this action. Having said that, let’s consider something for one moment. (F)harmers are openly complaining about property damage (some graffiti), whilst they are profiting from tens of thousands of chickens being crammed into sheds in unimaginable agony, waiting to be hung upside down and have their throats sliced open. Can we please get some perspective here. The nerve to play the victim in any way goes to show just how disconnected (f)harmers are from the horrific violations of justice hundreds of thousands of innocent individuals are unnecessarily subjected to each year at this one property alone.

4) activists caused the “horrifying deaths of about 300 chickens from smothering.”

Fact: Activists recovered and laid out 30 birds who had died before their arrival to show the world just one example of how much suffering takes place where animals are exploited.

These chickens were found in just part of one shed. Most were already stiff, meaning they had been dead for at least a few hours. It is, in fact, the accepted industry standard that 4% of chickens raised for their flesh will die before being sent to slaughter.[i] In an industry that breeds and murders over 650 million individuals per year in Australia alone, that equates to 26 million chickens who will die often slowly and painfully in the sheds each year as tiny chicks or oversized babies from heart attacks, starvation and thirst, or from drowning on their own fluid due to their organs being unable to cope with their unnatural size.

In the shed referred to in this article of likely 40,000 birds (an industry-standard), that is 1,600 individuals that would be expected to die over their short 6 weeks of life, averaging the death of 38 per night. It looks like this operator is quite in line with the industry standard. Congratulations!

Also, it is interesting to note the use of the word “horrifying” in relation to the apparent deaths of 300 birds caused by activists. The living (if you could call it that) appeared to be approximately 1 week away from being slammed into crates and thrown onto trucks. Where do these operators think they go? Disneyland for chickens?

Below is a sequence of images from when the operators first arrived to the shed that morning. Expression: Inconvenienced? Yes. Horrified? No! They don’t even look at the dead birds laid out. They are looking beyond them at the 70 activists. That is because their deaths are not “horrifying”, they are a daily occurrence – part of the industry-accepted death rate.

We do have a theory on why they have accused activists of killing 300 chickens, not just in the Weekly Times article, but something they also did immediately after the action. A video was taken of many other dead birds discovered in freezers at the property. It looks like about 300 to us. Blaming the activists for their deaths would be a good story to get out there had these birds also been laid out to further expose “horrifying” industry standards at the property. Perhaps activists even brought their own freezers (sarcasm in case you missed it).

5) They were verbally very aggressive.

Fact: No one was abused in any way, verbally or other. Everyone left when asked by the police. Anyone would be free to contact them and ask. That’s what journos are supposed to do right?

As an aside, but an important one, this shed is RSPCA approved. You know, that large group that says they care for all creatures great and small whilst taking kick-backs from (f)harmers whilst telling us all lies about the apparently wonderful lives these individuals are living.

Does this look like a wonderful life to you?

Above is Timmy. He was rescued that day and taken straight to the vet who said he would have been in immense pain for a long time and could not be helped. He was euthanised, but not before being shown the love he always deserved.

This above little girl was also rescued and shown mercy as her legs would never have the strength to support her. She was completely crippled and had been slowly dying from thirst and starvation.

Like all sheds that raise chickens for their flesh, it was filled with thousands just like her. They are the victims here. She was the victim, not those who cause their suffering and get exposed for it. The poor me (f)harmer stories constantly being spruiked by The Weekly Times can be seen for the propAGanda that they are for anyone who dares be brave enough to really look.  

Conveniently, you will see a call to arms at the end of the Weekly Times article, with the links to make a submission to the Federal and Victorian state government inquiries into the impacts of activists on (f)harmers. An inquiry which you can guarantee will be filled with more of the same lies and “poor me” stories from abusers ignoring the plight of the real victims. Take a stand today against animal abuse and make your own submission. These proposed laws seek to do one thing – hide the truth. Nothing more.

Submissions to the Federal senate inquiry here.

Submissions to the Victorian state government inquiry here.

Guidance on how to make your submission to the Victorian state government inquiry can be found here.

To learn more about the horrors of the chicken meat industry and the betrayal of the RSPCA visit our informative page Chickens Used For Their Flesh here.

This article was written in loving memory of Timmy and the millions of others who suffer horrendous lives and deaths at places such as that in Tyabb.

[i] https://www.chicken.org.au/chicken-meat-production/#Rearing_the_Meat_Chicken_Flock

The myth of happy animals who thoroughly enjoy their lives and willingly give them up for us is central to this idyllic, romantic concept of small-scale farming reminiscent of days gone by. Even terms such as “micro-abattoir” can potentially sound cool and kind to those desperately searching for the right way to do the wrong thing, conjuring thoughts of care and passion, appealing to the average hipster and any others looking to move away from mass-produced anything. The consumer gets to pat themselves on the back as the world continues to spin in its current state of socially accepted violence and exploitation perpetrated against the most vulnerable and we rapidly head towards the point of no return in our complete destruction of this beautiful planet. Because, unlike a micro-brewery, a micro-abattoir slaughters gentle innocent individuals who do not want to die whilst leaving a much larger environmental impact to crop farming no matter how it is done.

It seems our desire to remain with our heads stuck in the sand is so strong that we are willing to throw money at it.

But please be reminded, ANIMAL SLAUGHTER IS NOT A CHARITABLE CAUSE!

Sure, there is a pretty clear understanding that donating to a crowdfund and donating to a charity are two quite different things.

charity…
the voluntary giving of help, typically in the form of money, to those in need

crowdfunding…
the practice of funding a project or venture by raising money from a large number of people who each contribute a relatively small amount, typically via the Internet.

If we’ve seen a charitable project online that we think is worthy of our dollars, or we have a friend we’d like to support in chasing their dream, whether that dream is philanthropic or not, that’s our prerogative and of course very noble. But at what point are we giving away our money under the guise of generosity to instead fund myths because they in-turn let ourselves off the hook? If you are donating your likely hard-earned funds to a project that seeks to build a so-called “micro-abattoir”, (a slaughterhouse, where animals who desperately want to live are sent mostly as mere babies to be stabbed in throat against their will, bled out and chopped up in to pieces), you really need to stop and ask yourself, “what the #uck is wrong with me?”

Recently, one animal exploiter parading as a saviour successfully raised upwards of $100,000 so that he could increase the profits he makes from the suffering of others, in his case, chickens (learn more about where the chickens he raises to be killed come from here http://veganrising.org.au/chickens-used-for-their-flesh-2/).  

Sadly, he is not alone. Another harmer is currently rolling in tens of thousands (and counting) in cyber pledges for his new horror show on wheels (read all about it here) where he will violently take the life of peaceful and beautiful bovines he so lovingly refers to in his online campaign as “meat” and “livestock”. A few years ago another self-proclaimed “saviour” convinced the public into giving her just under $30,000 to build an onsite butchery, so she could cut up the pigs she claims to respect into various parts on their return from the gas chamber whilst mocking them in the process.

Many others, both in Australia and abroad have successfully done the same thing.

So, how do they manage to do this you may ask? And, why would anyone donate to such a thing, when there are so many important causes – humans, other animals and our environment in need? Well, the human condition is complex but ultimately it is because we are being sold a lie. But not just that, it is a lie that is very, very convenient. The lie that you can care about someone, but still kill them and eat them.

Taranaki Farm, Provenir and all the others market themselves with feel-good terms such a “free-range”, “paddock-to-plate”, “ethicurean”, “pasture-raised” and so on and actually state repeatedly that they care about the animals they kill. They express their desire to create ethical food, reinforcing the myth that taking life from someone who wants to live can somehow be ethical. They talk about the stress the poor animals suffer in transport as the main motivation behind such ventures but when you read their pleas for funds, you will notice they highlight that the flesh of the animal they apparently care about tastes better when stress is reduced (that old chestnut) and for that reason and others, it is simply more profitable to kill and butcher themselves. In the case of Taranaki Farm, who recently convinced the public to hand them over $111,507, you will also see that they were running out of options as a small-scale “producer” as to where to send the beloved chickens to be murdered. These motivations are selfish not selfless as they like to appear.

Even though most who operate under these feel-good terms are completely fraudulent (as has been documented time and time again), in some cases, the immensely short lives of the individuals raised in these systems can be better than the lives lived by those stuck inside sheds, but, at the end of the day… a slaughterhouse is a slaughterhouse and a boning room is a boning room.

These are not charities or independent projects that are worthy of our donations. Giving them money is not noble. These are businesses that exist to ensure animals remain oppressed as “objects”, “commodities”, and “stock”. The operators’ interest lies in making profits off the exploitation of others in ways that suit their lifestyles. Their interest also lies in the gullible consumer being exploited by the feelgood terms instead of giving their money to the countless actual charitable projects across the country and the globe who are actually trying to end this cycle of violence and cruelty against both humans and other animals and protect our environment and free-living wildlife in the process. But, acknowledging that would mean making a personal change. Putting our hands in our own pockets to support a myth that justifies behaviours we know deep down are wrong is often the much easier option.

Making something a little less cruel doesn’t make it kind and it sure as hell doesn’t make it ethical. 

Author: Kristin Leigh
Founder and President of Vegan Rising
Occupation: Communications Manager & Volunteer Coordinator

Credit: Love Bree Photography

Cover Image Credit: Unparalleled Suffering Photography

In just 4 easy steps, get animal rights on the election agenda!

In April 2019, we occupied slaughterhouses across Australia and shut down Melbourne to spark thousands of conversations about animal rights. We influenced thousands to watch Dominion, where they would discover the previously hidden truths behind Australia’s animal exploitation industries. We made our message clear: what’s happening to animals is unjust, and this violence must end.

With a federal election just days away, now is our chance to build on our momentum and put animals on the political agenda! Follow these four easy steps to reach out to your local candidates and demand they build a just world for animals:

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STEP 1: FIND YOUR ELECTORATE

You can find out which electorate you live in at https://electorate.aec.gov.au/

STEP 2: FIND YOUR LOCAL CANDIDATES’ EMAIL ADDRESSES

To do this, follow https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/federal/2019/guide/electorates and click the link to your electorate. Then, on the web page for your electorate, click “JUMP TO CANDIDATES”. Under “More information”, you’ll see links to each candidate’s website. On the candidates’ websites, you’ll be able to find their email addresses. 

STEP 3: CONTACT YOUR CANDIDATES VIA EMAIL AND FACEBOOK

Copy-paste the template email below and send it to each candidate! Make sure you add their name at the top and your name at the bottom in the designated brackets. Also, check if the candidates have a Facebook page, and if they do, send them a Facebook message using the same template email.

STEP 4: SEND US CANDIDATES’ RESPONSES

We’re documenting all candidates’ responses so we can keep politicians accountable after the election. If a candidate responds, forward the response to hello@veganrising.org.au

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TEMPLATE EMAIL: 

Subject: Urgent action required for animals and the planet

Dear Mr/Ms/Mrs/Mx/Dr (candidates last name),

I am writing as a resident of (electorate name) to express my concern and displeasure regarding the treatment of animals in our community. Like many people in this electorate and across Australia, I believe that exploiting and using other species for the human gain is a violent and insidious form of oppression that plagues our society and I’m concerned as to the lack of action that I have seen from candidates on this issue.

We now know irrefutably that animals are sentient, intelligent beings who possess the ability to feel emotions such as fear and pain, as well as to think and plan for the future and act to protect their lives and the lives of their family and community. This has been proven for animals from thousands of different species, including the ones that we regularly use for food, clothing, entertainment and scientific experimentation. Additionally, we know that animal agriculture and its accompanying practices (e.g. deforestation) is a major contributor to climate damage and global heating, a fact which is rarely acknowledged by politicians. As recent research tells us, we are running out of time to reverse the devastating affects of climate damage and the lack of definitive action being taken to address one of its primary contributing factors is disheartening to say the least.

Given this widely available knowledge, the lack of action by our politicians shocks and saddens me and I deeply hope that this upcoming election will be a turning point to building a kinder world for everyone, regardless of species. My vote depends upon direct, urgent responses to these serious issues facing our world and those who live within it. You will find a link below to a film depicting standard practices across facilities in Victoria which kill animals for human use. It is my hope that you will watch this film and then provide me your honest responses to the questions I have included below. I understand that this may be confronting, however it is the reality of what is happening in our backyards and I would hope that a representative of our electorate would wish to fully understand an issue before making up their minds. You can watch the film here.

After you watch the film, please respond to the below questions by return email.

If you are elected…

1. Will you publicly acknowledge the inherent cruelty in the process of raising animals for food, clothing, entertainment and experiments?
   
   
2. Will you insert a link to view the documentary ‘Dominion,’ which comprehensively examines industry standard practices across Australia, in a prominent position on your personal website/Facebook page and/or on the website/Facebook page of your party?
   
   
3. Will you publicly condemn the use in schools of intentionally deceptive propaganda material produced by the animal agriculture industry?
   
   
4. Will you publicly support the adding of warning labels to animal products advising of the ethical, health and environmental issues associated with that particular product?
   ​​​​​​​
   
5. Will you agree to attend a screening of the film Dominion and to take part in a public debate if you find yourself disagreeing with any of these asks or the facts presented in this email?

I hope that you will be the candidate who will help take the issues of animals out from the shadows and into the halls of power. I would be happy to continue to discuss this further either by email or over the phone.

Thank you for your time in reading this email and I hope to hear from you soon.

Kind regards,

(First name, Last name) (mobile number)