The Voice of Agriculture?

Written by Glenn on February 5th, 2010

Fighting public opinion, tooth and nail

I’m not even quite sure where to start with this one. Apparently HSUS (Humane Society of the United States) has worked with a company called Sonic, which runs a chain of drive-in restaurants across the United States, to switch to cage-free eggs and pig meat from farms that don’t use gestation crates.

Here’s what the kind and loving folks at the Kansas Farm Bureau (“The Voice of Agriculture”) had to say in a letter to Sonic’s CEO:

When our members learned that the Humane Society of the United States was publicly applauding your decision to begin phasing in cage-free eggs and acquiring pork from facilities that do not use breeding hog gestation stalls, they were upset, to say the very least.

The letter goes on to describe HSUS as

a powerful, well-funded activist organization pursuing what most reasonable observers would consider an extreme anti-animal agenda.

Apparently wanting animals to be able to live with enough space so they can stand up, turn around, and stretch their limbs is “anti-animal.” Of course, in contrast they are saying that “farmers” who confine chickens in battery cages and keep animals indoors, on concrete floors, in crates that prevent them from turning around or engaging in pretty much anything normal pigs do, like rooting in the mud, searching for food, preparing their bed at night and so on, are “pro-animal.”

I’d say maybe “pro-meat” or “pro-suffering” or “pro-profit” but certainly not “pro-animal.” But what do I know? I only grew up around animals, spent a great deal of my life caring for animals, and have experienced animals being able to live with the freedom to be the animals they have evolved to be, not the animals that profit has forced them to be.

They see this small (and I mean tiny) step as a threat to the entire American way of life:

HSUS seeks to remove meat from our dinner tables, leather goods from our closets, animals from zoos and circuses and eventually – pets from our families.

Steve Baccus, the President of the Kansas Farm Bureau, writes of “thoughtful, common sense folks” but he doesn’t seem to realize that public opinion is really moving against the treatment of animals as “production units” who can treated in whatever manner as long as it is profitable.

He really just comes off as paranoid. Meeting these minimal animal welfare standards is a far cry from the horrific apocalypse that he is predicting. I mean, it’s not as if Sonic is switching their menu to vegan or making any real changes. Switching to cage-free eggs is a no-effort switch, since the same suppliers carry both kinds of eggs and the cost is basically the same. Conditions are only marginally better for cage-free hens.

If I lived in Kansas I would be asking my “Voice of Agriculture” why they aren’t on the leading edge of giving consumers what they want instead of making ridiculous claims about how “radical” the most conservative “animal rights” organization in the United States is. Businesses know that making these changes is viewed as positive by consumers, and they wouldn’t risk profits to make these changes. The Farm Bureau would do a better service to their members if they were paying attention to what consumers want instead of fighting change.

 

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MRSA scares the bejeezus out of me

Written by Glenn on February 5th, 2010

A giant petri dish

MRSA is an antibiotic-resistant staph infection (a flesh-eating disease) that has been linked to both hospitals and farms.

What do farms and hospitals have in common? They collect a great number of sick or at-risk individuals together in one place, combined with lots and lots of antibiotics. Giving lots of antibiotics leads to the mutation of diseases into forms that are resistant to antibiotics, which could possibly mean that diseases will pop up that are potentially untreatable, or at least extremely difficult to treat.

Health Canada states that “Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an emerging global health issue that, if not addressed, may evolve into one of the most significant public health challenges worldwide.”

I’ve written about MRSA before, but I just read about a new pair of reports that have come out with links between animals and humans and the spread of MRSA. One of the reports is about 3 patients in Spain who have been identified as having that country’s first cases of humans contracting “pig MRSA” (ST398):

The researchers spotted these particular isolates (out of 44 analyzed at the two hospitals in 2006) because they were resistant to tetracycline. Tetracycline resistance is not common among community strains of MRSA, because the drug isn’t the first-line choice for skin and soft-tissue infections; and when it is given, it’s usually for a short course, so the drug does not exert much selection pressure on the bug. But tetracycline is a very common animal antibiotic, and tetracycline resistance is a hallmark of ST398; it is one of the factors that led the Dutch researchers who first identified the strain to take a second look at the bug.

Tetracycline (and related antibiotics) are approved for use in Canadian livestock.

The other report is about an Italian man who contracted a similar flesh-eating disease called “Necrotizing fasciitis”:

Necrotizing fasciitis is a terrible disease: If doctors don’t respond very quickly, it can kill, while the emergency surgery that forestalls death often carves away large areas of flesh or sacrifices entire limbs. This patient was fortunate: He was in the hospital for 31 days, but recovered and went home.

The researchers conclude that “because our patient did not have any other potential risk factor, dairy cows were probably the source of the human infection.”

MRSA doesn’t get a lot of press, but it worries me that it is caused by excessive antibiotic use – and this particular “pig MRSA” is caused by antibiotic use in animals. Farmers are rightly worried that if they don’t give antibiotics to their animals then they will get sick and die prematurely. This is because they keep them in such unhealthy conditions, in confinement, packed in by the thousands into small spaces – conditions that no animal, human or not, could survive in for very long without contracting diseases.

If we want to ensure that the medicines that we’ve developed to fight diseases continue to work, we need to restrict their use as much as possible. Using them to enable animal agriculture, which the world could well do without, is completely irresponsible. This isn’t a case of treating one sick animal every now and then, when they are sick. This is actually a case of creating environments for disease and using antibiotics and other medications to improve weight gain, keep the animals alive long enough to slaughter them, and above all to increase profits.

Anyone who cares about our medical system and the health of everyone on this planet, human or animal, should really be opposed to this use of medications in animals. It’s threatening us all.

In the next few days there will be a report on CBS news about antibiotic use in animal agriculture which should be worth watching. The meat, egg, and dairy industries are vehemently opposed to any restrictions on the use of medications in animals, once again putting the general public at risk.

 

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The meat industry doesn’t care about you or the animals

Written by Glenn on February 3rd, 2010

Pigs waiting to be auctioned

The more I learn about the industries that exploit animals to be used for food, the more I realize that there is simply no concern for the animals or even for the humans who consume the meat of those animals.

Erik Marcus linked me to an article Martha Rosenberg has just written about the drug ractopamine, which is used in pigs and cattle as they near slaughter to increase weight gain. Ractopamine was originally developed as an asthma medication, and there is no period of time when the animals are taken off of the drug before slaughter.

While researchers and scientists investigate the cause of our diabetes, obesity, asthma and ADHD epidemics, they should ask why the FDA approved a livestock drug banned in 160 nations and responsible for hyperactivity, muscle breakdown and 10 percent mortality in pigs, according to angry farmers who phoned the manufacturer.

The beta agonist ractopamine, a repartitioning agent that increases protein synthesis, was recruited for livestock use when researchers found the drug, used in asthma, made mice more muscular says Beef magazine.

But unlike the growth promoting antibiotics and hormones used in livestock which are withdrawn as the animal nears slaughter, ractopamine is started as the animal nears slaughter. (Source)

And this isn’t just a mild antibiotic. In fact, people are warned to wear gloves and masks if they might come in contact with it:

How does a drug marked, “Not for use in humans. Individuals with cardiovascular disease should exercise special caution to avoid exposure. Use protective clothing, impervious gloves, protective eye wear, and a NIOSH-approved dust mask” become “safe” in human food? With no washout period? (Source)

In the US, ractopamine is approved for use in pigs, cattle, and turkeys. But wait, you say, we wouldn’t allow a drug like this to be used in Canada! Sorry to disappoint, but Canada is on the same pharmaceutical train as the US, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has approved ractopamine use in pigs and cattle.

Roctopamine is known to cause increased stress in animals and increases the likelihood that animals will arrive as downers at the slaughterhouse. But, even if the death rate increases, the weight gains from the use of ractopamine are great enough that it’s a net benefit to the farmer.

But at a cost of increased suffering for all of the animals, not to mention increased human health risk. Since the drug is given to animals up to the point of being shipped off to slaughter, who knows how much ends up getting washed into groundwater or how much remains in the meat when it is sold?

What’s striking to me is that China and Taiwan have banned the use of ractopamine because of its health risks. They won’t even allow meat into the country that contains traces of the drug. in 2007 a shipment of pig meat from a slaughterhouse in Canada was found to contain ractopamine, and they banned all imports of meat from that slaughterhouse. When China and Taiwan, both countries that have slightly questionable records when it comes to human safety, prohibit the use of a drug because of its health risks, there must be something to it.

And how can you know if the meat you eat has ractopamine in it? Any conventionally raised pigs or cattle may be fed ractopamine. There is no requirement that the farm disclose the use of this drug. It certainly doesn’t make it onto any packaging. How then can anyone make an informed decisions about what (or who) they are eating?

Quite frankly, no matter how carefully we watch the animal exploitation industries (meat, eggs, and dairy included) they are focused on maximizing profit. And the interests of animals and consumers alike are just obstacles to overcome in pursuit of that profit.

 

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Animal Rights and Art

Written by Becci on February 2nd, 2010

Click the painting to see more of Katana's art.

Local Vancouver artist, Katana Barnett, has interviewed me at her fascinating art blog, Katanaville.  The topic?  Animal rights and art.   Be sure to check it out!

 

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Vegan Bake Sale for Haiti (guest post by Gabrielle Pope)

Written by Glenn on January 29th, 2010

Vancouver Vegan Bake Sale with Musical Performance by Frazey Ford - Radha Yoga and Eatery - February 4th, 2010 from 6:30 pm – 10 pm

On the 13th of January of this year, many of us woke up to the devastating news that the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere had been rocked by 7.0 magnitude catastrophic earthquake, which has since claimed the lives of at least 150,000 people, injured innumerable people, destroyed national landmarks and ravaged homes, hospitals, communication, electricity and transportation systems, and left a desperate country with far‐ranging needs regarding medical care, sanitation (and the necessary development of mass graves to bury those killed by the effects of the quake), emergency services, and a general rebuilding of an already shaky Haitian human and political infrastructure.

Those are the facts, neither sensationalized nor exaggerated, and as I sat at my computer in my heated apartment eating a morning bagel and reading of the calamities while people in Haiti were struggling to live, witnessing countless deaths and dread too horrific for me to even imagine, I felt, as many others, a disparate sense of injustice and a longing to do something, anything, to give those affected by the quake a sense of aid, no matter how minimal.

Since the event and in response to the sizeable amount of aid given by individuals, organizations and governments in an attempt to provide Haiti with the emergency services so badly needed, on blog posts and in editorial OP’s I’ve heard cynics collectively sneer about the sense of self‐righteousness donors were enjoying in response to their philanthropy. I’ve read accusations that those putting their face on relief efforts all but ignore aid needed elsewhere in the world (including, but not limited to, the Middle East). Celebrities are mocked for their self‐promoting very public donations, and obvious targets such as the Georges (Clooney and W. Bush) are torn apart because their efforts are not great enough, nor sincere enough, nor even acceptable according to whatever sins they’ve yet to be publically absolved of in the past.

This is no request for sentimental appeal to the Georges, but far be it for anyone to criticize any type of aid in times of tragedy. What good does it do for me to compare myself as a significantly indebted grad student to someone like George Clooney, and to claim that he should be doing a lot more, because he “can”? It is my feeling that anyone who cares about the situation in Haiti and realizes that they can help in whatever way possible for them should put their money and their efforts where their mouths are. The looting, sick, desperate, stranded, mourning people of Haiti aren’t waiting around for us to argue about ethics and manners of giving.

Isa Chandra Moskowitz is a vegan activist and cookbook author. When the call for need comes, she answers as any compassionate vegan would: bake sales. Bake sales can be scoffed at for garnering minimal funds, but when those of us without the means to personally send significant donations off to Doctors Without Borders, the Humanitarian Coalition and the like put our heads together to hustle up a series of worldwide vegan bake sales under Moskowitz’s original manifesto of sorts for this worthy cause, what is the result? So far: over 10 thousand dollars from vegan bake sales alone(held in the US, Canada, Britain and beyond). That’s a lot of baking, a lot of volunteers, a lot of happy bellies stuffed with vegan goodies, and a lot of Earth Balance. Upcoming bake sales in Portland, LA, NYC, Minneapolis, Miami, Seattle, Ottawa, right here in Vancouver and many more promise to add significantly to that pool of support.

It was through Moskowitz’s website’s forums that several of us from Vancouver came together and decided to rally up our baked goods and be proactive vegans.

Initially turned down by UBC (turns out there are only certain foodstuffs okay to sell on campus, and those do not include vegan baked goods with all‐natural and mostly organic ingredients) and denied donations by some bigger natural health markets, we turned our attentions to Radha Yoga and Eatery, the city’s best vegan restaurant doubling as a non‐profit organization and committed to community and the environment (in 2009 Radha closed their doors for several months to undergo green renovations that include an air‐source heat pump, solar light tubes, LED and fluorescent dimmable lights, and a green roof). I was genuinely touched and thoroughly uplifted by Radha’s enthusiasm to not only host us, but also support a full‐on event complete with live music from a (volunteering) Frazey Ford of the Be Good Tanya’s, an art opening, and of course the sale, held during Radha’s Thursday night dinner service and featuring baked goods by a slew of Vancouver talents including Radha themselves, Vegan Mania, the Vancouver Vegan Cupcake Queen, and the bakers behind blogs such as Pistachio Rose and Epicurvegan.

On February 4th, 2010, we invite you between the hours of 6:30 and 10 PM to join us for music, art, cupcakes and beyond, and to witness a community sense of compassion and giving that will make your sweet treats taste all the more decadent, with a lingering impression that these small‐scale activist efforts really do make a difference, and the more they happen, the more we foster a local spirit for compassion for all types of animals, humans included.

Vancouver Vegan Bake Sale with Musical Performance by Frazey Ford
Radha Yoga and Eatery
728 Main Street
Vancouver BC
Thursday February 4th, 2010 from 6:30 pm – 10 pm
Note: Radha’s regular dinner service will be served, and we encourage you to taste the best vegan food in the city. Menu here.

All proceeds go to the Humanitarian Coalition’s efforts for Haiti. Whatever we raise will be matched by the Canadian government.

Special thanks to our amazing sponsors: Radha, Karmavore, Mainly Organics, Anita’s Organics, Indigo, Horizon Distributors, Wholesome Sweeteners, Queensdale Market, and all our amazing volunteers! We’re still happily taking contributions for baked goods.

Gabrielle Pope is writer of fiction, plays, nonfiction and children’s literature completing an MFA in Creative Writing at UBC. She is an avid (yet self-taught) vegan chef and animal right’s advocate. She is currently working on a vegan cookbook, young adult novel, and collection of short stories.

 

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Goat for Gold, not a good idea

Written by Becci on January 28th, 2010

In the last few years–and especially recently–we’ve been hearing a lot about charities that will donate a live farm animal to impoverished people.   Some of these include Heifer International, Oxfam, and more recently, the local Goat for Gold:

B.C. businessmen Joel and Danny Nagtegaal were drinking beer and decided last spring to buy one goat for a poor family in Africa each time the Vancouver Canucks won a playoff game. Other Vancouverites decided to do the same thing and 1,073 goats were purchased for African families. Now, the brothers plan to buy a goat for an African family every time a Canadian wins a gold medal. (Goat for Gold No!, Lifeforce Foundation)

Sounds nice, huh?  I’ll admit that when I first heard of these sorts of programs, I thought the same thing. But it turns out that the charming photos of children holding cuddly baby animals don’t reflect the full truth of the matter.

“Farming animals is an inefficient, expensive and environmentally destructive way of producing food,” Tyler continued.

“Sceptical readers might accuse me of dressing up a concern about animal welfare as a concern for the world’s poor. There are major animal welfare issues involved in sending animals to, for instance, the Horn of Africa, where earlier this year up to 80% of the cattle perished in a drought. Many of the remainder were washed away in the floods that followed.

But this is not about cows taking precedence over people. Reality is that animal gift schemes are, in the words of the World Land Trust, ‘environmentally unsound and economically disastrous.” (Animal Aid director, Andrew Tyler)

Another point is that two-thirds of the planet–particularly the people who live in poverty-stricken nations–is lactose intolerant.  Many of these send-an-animal programs advocate a gift of a cow or a goat, as the animal can be milked (assuming the people can find another animal, for mating purposes) and then slaughtered for her meat.   Even without accounting for the numerous health problems associated with dairy, one might think that there is a better way to feed the hungry than with a product they cannot properly digest.

From the Vancouver Humane Society:

  • Animal donation programs can fail (and the animals die) because the recipients don’t have the money to afford proper vet care (if it is even available), and donor programs sometimes don’t account for that in their funding (It costs a lot more than people are willing to pay per goat as donors.)
  • All farm animals require proper nourishment, large quantities of water, shelter from weather, and veterinary care. It is questionable whether it is worthwhile to devote such resources (in critically short supply in many developing countries) to such an indirect way of feeding people.
  • Animal donation programs perpetuate dependency of people on donors (versus working with  recipients to address their own needs, be it acquiring animals or seeds or whatever, but by themselves)
  • Animal donations are easy for donors and make them feel good, but what is needed more are the less “sexy” things like leadership, peace building, psychosocial assistance, basic business training (how to save money and get where you want to be), and training in how people can help themselves out of poverty.
  • Supplying cows, goats and chickens to impoverished people with limited resources can just add to their burden.

More info:

And a few groups that feed the hungry without hurting animals:

 

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Animal Advocacy Camp: stepping forward

Written by Glenn on January 24th, 2010
Speaking to the circle

The circle (photo by Amanda Daniell)

This Saturday, we held the first Animal Advocacy Camp in Vancouver. 80 people from across the spectrum of animal advocacy in Vancouver came together to learn and teach about being more effective advocates for animals.

The event was organized as “Open Space,” a meeting format where the attendees set the agenda at the beginning of the day. This sort of format removes a lot of the distinction between “experts” and everybody else, and also gives everyone the opportunity to host a conversation about a particular question or topic they are passionate about.

The energy in the room was amazing. I think a lot of the people were just excited to be able to come together to be with other activists and talk about our work. Many people made new contacts and new friends, and conversations got started that will hopefully carry on to successful projects.

Creating the agenda

The Agenda (photo by Amanda Daniell)

Some of the topics being discussed included:

  • How Can I Speak More Effectively?
  • Education and Critical Thinking
  • Art and Literature’s Role in Animal Advocacy
  • Presenting animal issues with creativity
  • Media Relations

Many of the attendees have said that they want to do another event of this type. Bringing the community together in this way can serve to share information and knowledge, to plan future campaigns and objectives, to strengthen our personal bonds. We will definitely be organizing some events in the coming months to bring people together again to push forward.

Keep an eye open for announcements!

 

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Arguments Against Veganism, pt. 6

Written by Becci on January 20th, 2010

Read parts 1-5 here.

Can you imagine the world in twenty years if everyone were a vegan?  These poor people are so weak, they can hardly walk. Imagine a 90 lb. Marine trying to defend our country. He couldn’t even carry the gear he needs. Imagine a Iron worker, a connector, who tool pouch weighs more then him…the bottom line is a vegan is not as strong physicaly or mentally as a meat eater.

I’m fairly sure that this guy actually hasn’t met any vegans.  We certainly aren’t any weaker than the general population, and we’re generally in better health.  As far as whether we’re weak, well…

Bodybuilder Robert Cheeke

“In 2002 Robert started Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness, a company dedicated to promoting the vegan fitness lifestyle, empowering vegan athletes, and living by the words, ‘healthy food defines you.’”  (RobertCheeke.com)

UFC fighter, Mac Danzig

“…the 27 year old Danzig has carved his own path and along the way shattered stereotypical images. The lightweight fighter’s success evidences a fighter can be successful without the consumption of animal products.”  (The MMA Digest)

Dr. Ruth Heidrich

At over 70, Dr. Ruth Heidrich has been a vegan for over 25 years.  She is “a six-time Ironman Triathlon finisher, holder of more than 900 gold medals from every distance from 100 meter dashes to 5K road races to ultra marathons and triathlons.  She has completed more than 60 marathons all over the world…”  Read more here.

Vancouver's own Brendan Brazier

“He’s a professional Ironman triathlete, bestselling author on performance nutrition, and the creator of an award-winning line of whole food nutritional products called VEGA.” (BrendanBrazier.com)

Bodybuilder Kailla Edger

She claims to have “taught and/or taken up pilates, yoga, karate, mountain biking, swimming, water aerobics, step aerobics, kickboxing, bodybuilding, boot camp exercises, jogging…and that’s just the few I can remember right now.”  (VeganBodybuilding.com)

I didn’t stop because I ran out of vegan athletes.  I stopped because unlike them, I’m really lazy.

Note also that the Dieticians of Canada and the American Dietetic Association agree that:

…appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life-cycle including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood and adolescence and for athletes.

A few more links:

VeganBodybuilding.org

VeganPersonalTraining.com

VeganFitnessTeam.com

 

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Senseless violence on a dairy farm

Written by Glenn on January 15th, 2010

A rescued dairy cow, now safe from senseless violence

This Monday, someone stabbed 4 cows on a Comox Valley dairy farm. According to the Comox Valley Echo:

A senseless stabbing attack on four dairy cows at a farm on Dove Creek Road has the Comox Valley RCMP appealing to the public for information.

One of the four cows was so badly injured that she had to be put down, while the other three are expected to recover.

But one of those three cows was pregnant, due in June, and she has now aborted the fetus, likely due to the stress.

The owner of the farm, Barb Milley, is quoted as saying “Who would hurt innocent cows that have no grudge against anybody?”

This is a truly senseless attack on innocent animals. But it’s important to keep in mind that this is a working dairy farm that “has more than 200 cows of all ages and produces about 2,650 litres of milk per day.” So, in answer to Barb’s question, my answer would be: Barb Milley. How many innocent calves has she sent off to slaughter? How many cows has she sent to the slaughterhouse when they are past their prime milk-producing time?

Here’s another part of the story that’s not quite what it seems.

The cow that had to be put down was stabbed on both the left and right hand sides in the soft part of her belly, just like the pregnant cow, but the wounds were bad enough that a five-pin bowling ball-sized portion of her internal organs was outside her body.

She was sent to the slaughterhouse.

Being “put down” is not quite the same as being put on a truck, hauled to a slaughterhouse, getting hit by a captive bolt, hung upside-down, and bled out. What sort of merciful euthanasia is that?

No mention is made in the article that all of these “innocent cows that have no grudge against anybody” are destined for the slaughterhouse, where lots worse than getting stabbed will happen to them. This after having countless babies stolen from them, all so they can be forced into milk production, over and over again. Where’s the story about that? Why aren’t the police talking to Barb Milley about her systemic abuse of innocent animals? Why aren’t we outraged about the crimes committed on her farm every day?

 

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Frogs Are Too Cool for School

Written by Glenn on January 15th, 2010

Guest post by Lesley Fox, Creator of Frogs are Cool

orange eyed green tree frog

image by flickr user rainforest_harley

For some, it’s a right of passage, a curiosity or maybe a fascination. For others it’s an upsetting, cruel or even offensive reminder of our disregard for other species. Whatever the perception, dissecting animals is controversial.

Fortunately, the BC Ministry of Education does not mandate that animals such as frogs, mice, rats, fetal pigs or insects be used as teaching tools in the K-12 provincial curriculum. In fact, all the Ministry cares about is that students simply achieve the learning outcomes for science/biology. This means to pass the course, students must demonstrate an understanding of basic anatomy and the function and location of various organs, respiratory, circulatory and other systems. To teach these learning outcomes, teachers can choose animal specimens or alternatives – the BC Ministry of Education does not take a position either way. Sadly, most teachers simply opt for old-fashioned ‘rubber-stamped’ animal dissection.

Speaking Out Against Dissection

A high school student has enough to deal with, so voicing opposition to dissection can be intimidating, particularly when the teacher is perceived to be in favour of animal dissection. In my research, many students simply believe that animal dissection is imperative, or is just “part of the course.” But rather than voicing their opposition, some students will choose to just take the easy way out and avoid the sciences altogether, or happen to become “sick” the day of the animal labs.

If a student does actually voice their concern, the teacher may provide them with an alternative assignment, library research or computer program such as Digital Frog. But other teachers may excuse students from “hands-on” participation only and encourage them to watch and/or not leave the animal lab. In rare circumstances, some teachers may give the students a failing grade. There is no particular way of dealing with students who object to dissection, it’s all up to the individual teacher.

This is the problem.

In order to ensure that all students who object to animal dissection receive fair and equal treatment, it’s important to have a specific policy about handling dissection objections on the books of each and every school district. In some Canadian districts and in some states, such a policy does exist. It’s called a Student Choice Policy. It’s a written policy that protects a students’ right to refuse dissection. The only cities in Canada that have this policy include Vancouver (BC), Toronto (ON), and South Shore (NS).

A Student Choice Policy notifies students in advance and protects the right of students to refuse to participate in animal dissections. Ideally, the policy would also be written in handbooks and/or course outlines so students understand, in advance, that they do have choice. Those who request a non-animal alternative are provided one, without hassle or jeopardizing their grade.

Getting a Policy Passed

You’d think having a Student Choice Policy would be a no-brainer. But it’s actually quite difficult to pass.

In the beginning, when first approached, most teachers and school board trustees agree that no student should be forced to participate in animal dissection. Everyone also tends to agree that adequate non-animal alternatives such as computer programs and plastic models are available.

The problem though is when you simply ask to have that in writing (an actually policy) school officials are reluctant to do it. This is where I get confused. After all, a choice isn’t a choice unless you know you have one! And if alternatives exist, why is no one willing to tell the students that?

I suspect this is because of sheer laziness. Creating new policies takes some work and maybe some science teachers don’t want to “promote” the idea of alternatives or perhaps some teachers don’t want to have to create two different tests, lesson plans or assignments. Who really knows.

What’s even weirder is that animal alternatives have so many more benefits than real animal specimens. Computer programs for example are cheaper and are more environmentally sustainable as they can be shared between classes and used over and over.

Need Your Help

In order to help facilitate change for students and animals, we need to work together as a team and voice opposition.

Frogs are Cool is an online Canadian resource helping to educate schools and the Ministry of Education about the importance of Student Choice Policies. Visit www.frogsarecool.com or become a fan on their facebook page.

Currently there is a Student Choice Policy campaign underway in school district #41 of Burnaby, B.C. If you would like to lend your voice or support, contact lesleyfox@hotmail.com.

 

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